If you are going to give the ABRSM piano exam then you must be a little confused that what are the things to keep in mind to crack this exam. To clear your confusion, we asked some old aspirants to share some tips which helped them to score well in the exam. Let’s know about them in detail:
Continuous Practice: The first and foremost thing is practice. Whether you are exercising or preparing for any exam, regular practice can give you the desired and great result. The same thing contributes to this exam as well. If you practice the lessons taught in ABRSM music theory classes for at least 30 minutes daily, then you will definitely get good results.
Listen to the CD: The test book contains a CD recording of all piano pieces in three lists. If you listen to that CD before practicing, it will help you a lot in practice. It also helps them to learn by imitation and gives them an idea of reference for how each piece should be musically interpreted.
Play with Poise: Having a good posture is aesthetically pleasing as well as affects the playing too. From your wrists to your feet, every aspect provides a great shape to the music. During the test, first, adjust the piano seat to a comfortable level.
This is because when the seat is adjusted to the proper height it is easier to control the force used on the pedals. With this, you can also move your wrist very easily.
Train with a Metronome: Tempo consistency is the process of knowing the time signature and value of each note. Like all other components, a constant speed has to be maintained.
Whether you’re practicing pieces, scales, and arpeggios, or sight-reading, using a metronome creates a sense of rhythm in them, and using that ticking device to their advantage is highly recommended.
Overcoming the Common Nemesis-Sight-Reading: In this part of the test, your examiner will give you any random piece to play. Sight-reading is a test to capture an entire piece at a glance while tapping into their theoretical musical knowledge. For this, you will be given 30 seconds which you can use to test any section about which they are unsure. Keep a steady tempo while playing the piano and avoid unnecessary lapses between phrases.
Building the Foundation for Aural Tests: Though the aural test in the ABRSM exam is only for 12% marks but still this section can help you to get a good score. This part of the exam tests your knowledge related to musical terms, technical terminology, and understanding of classical music.
Having knowledge of basic terms like piano, forte, legato, ritenuto, and moderato, and about the 4 different periods of music and their respective composers, can be of great help to you.
Add Musical Variation to Scales & Arpeggios: Before your exam, you should practice a little on playing the piano. Additionally, introducing variety and a steady tempo of music adds value to your practice and your score.
To play a good scale start the piano first, then the crescendo as they work their way towards the top, lowering during the descent and ending the pianissimo. Again, practice with this pattern with a metronome
