I been studying piano for a year and half, Im ready for grade 3 exams and already a good half way 1/3 toward grade 5, This Isnt just learning exam pieces and those requirements, but a variety of pieces from past exams etc.

I started piano as an adult learner in July 2002. I took grade one the following April, and had reached and passed grade 3 in the autumn term of 2003. I built up my own (little at that time!) repetoire of pieces as well as learning the exam stuff. I was also working full time and teaching in the evenings.

It can be done in a short time..but make sure taking the exam is right for you and not a teacher/parent who is putting the pressure on. Not saying this is the case with you, but I saw it loads of times when I was teaching.

If you feel ready for it, go for it, but build up a repetoire too.

Good luck to you.

Most certainly, well im 22 the most pressure I had was my nan saying "get a teacher" ~ so I did.. he asked me what I wanted to do, at first I didnt want to do exams.. then a couple of months later I did, so here I am preparing for grade 3 exam .. even working at my theory and towards a grade 5 practical exam.
I put the pressure on my self . .but im constantly aware that just doing exam pieces will leave me open to many weaknesses.

difficult to say how many I learnt. ~ One of the repertoire im learning is Bohemian Rhapsody ~ although most others are classical.

through my learning, Ive gone through Michael aarong G1 and G2 books, ~ Done first 3 pieces of grade 3/4 anthology + grade 2+3 exam pieces ~ as well as scales and recently a huge study in aural tests and sight reading, I even do pretty well at grade 5 sight reading book!
I play about 200 hymns and modern songs as well for local church

I've got one pupil who started in March 2007 and is taking Grade 5 in a few weeks time, and another who started in October 2007 and is also doing his Grade 5 in a few weeks. We haven't only done exam pieces but have managed additional repertoire, GCSE performance pieces, a couple of duets and anything they've been asked to accompany in school if they've brought it along for help. They both work very hard.

It must make being a teach, a joy for you ! ~ I remember my father saying many occasions how he was a little annoyed that some of his students didnt practice or pay on time.

That thought alone made me want to practice, and now I love it, its a routine.
I often pay for an extra 30mins on the night of lesson my teacher always puts me down to teach me last and ive told him if hes not up to it etc he doesnt have to stay. At the moment Ive gone back to grade 3 & 4 pieces to get a wider foundation for grade 5 (and to take some pressure off my thumb which I split while playing) also working on my theory, ~ If I cant do my grade 5 practical I must try and be ready for theory !

I think there's no such thing as "normal". You can take a stab at what's average maybe, but we all learn at our own pace.

I managed Grade 3 in two terms, which entailed so much work that I became a hermit

I was supposed to be doing Grade 5 this past term but I've decided to explore repertoire and consolidate for a while. If I'm totally honest I can't be bothered with exams anymore as I find them extremely traumatic, but I haven't told my teacher that... I think I'll probably take Grade 5 in the winter if she insists....

how long is a term, and yes im a hermit to

It took 6 months, I think that equals two exam terms?

These two are certainly a joy to teach, but in all the years I've been teaching they are rare. I've also had a pupil who came for lessons for 6 years and never even got to Grade 1 standard. He enjoyed coming for lessons and we managed to find something he enjoyed playing but progress was virtually non-existent. It sounds as though you're working hard, but it doesn't really matter how long you take to get to a particular Grade as long as you are enjoying it too.

Wow! How can you reach grade 3 in a year and a half!! That's amazing
it took me 7 years to get to grade 3 in which I only ever achieved passes :/ maybes I just wasn't dedicated enough... I do think the piano Is a difficult instrument to learn, I also play the clarinet and after a year of playing I got grade 2 distinction and I am doing grade 3 later this month. I think there is no "normal" time, just if you are dedicated and really enjoying the instrument it'll be a lot quicker!

Yep, plus considering that some people do 4 or 5 hours practice a day where others do 30 minutes every other day, X amount of years doesn't really say much unless you know what the practice routine is like!

I have to say I think piano is more challenging than some other instruments. I never actually took Grade 3 when I was learning piano as a child (I think I was ill and missed the exam - I have a set of Grade 3 pieces knocking around at home which has pencil marks on ), but from memory it took me about 6 years to get to a Grade 4 pass.

Whereas with sax I started lessons in January last year and passed Grade 3 the following November. Of course, I had the advantage that it was a second instrument so I already understood notation, expression etc, but still, it was faster progress than I was expecting.

I dread to think how slow my progress would be if I only practiced for a few hours a week. I think there will always be people faster and slower than you (unless you happen to be the fastest or slowest learner on record of course! ). What matters is that you don't compare your progress to others (hard I know) and enjoy it. It sounds like you are progressing well from the sound of it anyway. Good luck.

Well I wouldnt say it was 4-5 hours a day of practicing my exam pieces. A mixture of both ~ Going through exam pieces in morning, afternoon and night, as the day progress it is easier for me to play and somehow manage to play incredibly accurate without looking at the piano. ~ Scales and arpeggios often practiced in between, often as a bench mark while I think what to play next.

My teacher told me off for looking at grade 5 in such depth before my grade 3 exam

I started learning piano at 21, always determined to get dexterity and flexibility which in a child is easier while their growing up, ~ unlike me who dont martial arts .. I cant very well play Toccata and fugue with foot and fist and karate chop.