Piano (1 Viewer)

[kevin gallen]

anyone studying piano here?

Are associated board piano exams tougher than Royal Irish academy piano exams?

How do they correspond?. ie maybe grade 5 Royal Irish is similiar to Grade 4 associated board?

any jazz piano students?

 

[nooleen]

i'm....eh...grade 7...i used to be able to play...something

 

[Diumraid]

Assoc. boards are tougher. Yes there might be a full grade in the difference.

 

[kevin gallen]

Cheers, thought it might be something like that.

No one doing jazz grades then?

Assoc. boards are tougher. Yes there might be a full grade in the difference.

 

[Pantone247]

I dabble in jazz piano, I'm at grade 'Far out daddy-o!'

hoping to for my 'Swing it baby, swing it!' grade next year

 

[e+s=b]

Cheers, thought it might be something like that.

No one doing jazz grades then?

What do you want to know about jazz grades? I had a look at the syllabus before and a few of the grade books. And yea, there's at least one grade (if not 2?) in the difference between Associated Board and Royal Irish Academy. Associated Board is alot more difficult from my experience. But thats a good thing.

 

[Lili Marlene]

usually people just say whatever one they did is harder than the other ones

 

[Diumraid]

..which leads to a brain collapse if they've done both.

 

[kevin gallen]

I'm in the process of doing grade 5 RIAM but I think id like to switch to jazz grades after that. The jazz exams seem a lot more interesting to me plus the improvisation side of things definitely appeals.

What do you want to know about jazz grades? I had a look at the syllabus before and a few of the grade books. And yea, there's at least one grade (if not 2?) in the difference between Associated Board and Royal Irish Academy. Associated Board is alot more difficult from my experience. But thats a good thing.

 

[kevin gallen]

eh got cut off before I finished that post...

I don't wanna be someone who finishes grade 8 and can still only play grade pieces. I'm learning piano for the same reason I learned guitar - just to have some fun with it.

The goal is to be able to just sit down and play songs by ear which i know is a long way off but it seems to me that maybe jazz grades would be better for this (improv)

Don't know anyone that's done em though so not sure

 

[e+s=b]

I'm in the process of doing grade 5 RIAM but I think id like to switch to jazz grades after that. The jazz exams seem a lot more interesting to me plus the improvisation side of things definitely appeals.

Thats a good idea. As long as you like jazz i guess!

 

[pete]

I dabble in jazz piano, I'm at grade 'Far out daddy-o!'

hoping to for my 'Swing it baby, swing it!' grade next year

have you done your jazz hands exam yet?

 

[jonah]

slightly meandering off the point but how difficult do you think the piano is to start as an adult? i've been prevously warned off but i'd still love to learn.

 

[quackster]

there was a two-part booklet with the guardian last year - guide to piano and keyboard. i have plonked around hamfistedly on keys over the years, but i spent a week or two doing the exercises in this and it helped a few things fall in place, improved my fingering eek etc. i thought it was a pretty decent introduction

there's some of it up on the website:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/piano-keyboard-guide
but it's nicer and handier as a booklet if you can find it as a pdf. if not and anyone is interested i'll scan it and put it up somewhere.

 

[pissypants]

slightly meandering off the point but how difficult do you think the piano is to start as an adult? i've been prevously warned off but i'd still love to learn.

If you have any musical talent or experience it should be adaptable between instruments. Go for it.

 

[D0njo]

slightly meandering off the point but how difficult do you think the piano is to start as an adult? i've been prevously warned off but i'd still love to learn.

Piano's probably the best instrument to learn, for any age, cultural background, mental condition, race, mammals, fish even, it's just great

 

[Diumraid]

Kevin: Jazz lessons will definitely set you up better as a versatile accompanist etc.; classical style is more mechanical for sure.

Jonah: I had no great difficulty taking up piano much later in life - fluency in reading still a big problem, that's where the kids get the advantage.

Big disadvantage to piano as instrument is the inexpressiveness in terms of bending notes, vibrato etc...