I've noticed that although the piano scale books give recommended metronome markings, the violin ones don't. Can anyone tell me what kind of speed they think would be ideal for Grade 7 violin??
thanks

Are you sure the violin scale book doesn't give any speeds? I only ask because in my clarinet scale book the recommended speeds ARE given, but at the beginning of the book rather than with the actual scales - because the scales aren't given in Grade order but are all mixed up! If the violin book follows a similar format, you might well find the speeds section tucked away in the introduction.
For scales in general, accuracy and a good flow are more important than speed. An examiner would much rather hear scales played musically and evenly than a mad scramble.

I remember downloading some recommended scale speeds a couple of years ago from the AB website. I don't remember where I found them ! but if I can find them again I'll post the information.

I think the ones I found were for piano, but I can't see why they would advise for one instrument and not others.

Maggie

Hello Erin

How strange!

Have you got a copy of 'These Music Exams' by the AB? On page 28 it says 'Bowing will dictate the tempi of slurred scales and arpeggios for strings. Scales and arpeggios with separate bows should be brisk, using no more than half the bow length.'

These details follow on from a couple of pages of recommended minimum speeds for piano, woodwind and brass. I'd never really noticed the absence of strings before - not being a string player!

Thanks, Rosemary, that's where I had seen it !

Oddly enough, I did a search on "mimimum recommended speeds" earlier, and failed to find a match.

But you can read it on line - go to exams and "These Music Exams". (I think you need acrobat).

But it is strange, as you say, that the advice for strings is less clear.

Maggie