Hi.

I'm taking my grade 8 piano exam within the next 2 months and could really do with some pointers on the scales in 6ths, doing arpeggios with small hands at a decent pace, sight reading and any part of the dreaded aural tests.

Also, if anyone has played Bach: Sarabande and Rondeaux, Partita No. 2 in C Minor, Beethoven: Allegro, Sonata in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1 or Debussy: Minstrels, and has any tips they could give me I would really appreciate it!

Thanks.

Hi,

I'm hopefully doing my Grade 8 in March. Whenever I have trouble with the scales, I always practise one octave of them, over and over until I get it perfect, then try two octaves, etc, until I can do four octaves perfectly. I was having trouble with the scales in 6ths but the way I got it was to just work on them slowly one at a time. Depending on how much you practise, work on 2 each week and just make sure you get the fingering right. I always position my hands as if I'm going to play the scale normally, then in my head play the first two notes with the left hand and then start. That makes sure I start on the right finger and makes it come more naturally. I found once I got into the way of them, like once I got the hang of the first two, the rest came to me more easily so don't worry.

I'm doing the Sarabande and Rondo too. I played it at a masterclass and the advice I got was to try and make the Sarabande sound very elegant and refined. I was told not to bring out any note too much- even the ones that are marked as crochets in the top line of quavers-it all has to sound smooth. Also make the melody sing out- I was actually told to sing it to myself a few times and then play it, bringing out the notes the same way I would if I was singing them.

In the Rondo the teacher told me to keep it jumpy and lively- as though you're playing on burning hot keys. And to bring out the left hand notes so that they're all bouncing along pretty heavily.

Unfortunately I can't help with sight reading (I'm awful at it. Just practise reading anything you can get your hands on was what I've been told and always remember to look ahead when you're playing to the next few notes) and aural tests.....aaaaah. I couldnt name chords if my life depended on it and don't get me started on the singing!

Hope this is of some help! Good luck!

Katy

Hey,

Thanks for the help, glad I'm not alone!

I'll try what you said but I just get so amazingly bored with crummy scales!

Amy

Hi, Practice the Lower part and the upper part Seperately, (with the writtin fingering) when to feel comfortable with this, put them together! try this Hands seperatly/ Hands together!

Best Wishes

Hey, I'm gonna be going grade 8 soon as well! For sight reading, my teacher suggested reading music in your head-seeing yourself play the piece-fingerings and how the piece would sound in your head before actually playing it physically so you are registering the piece in your head. I think it has helped a bit-give it a try!
I'm afraid I can't help you with the pieces I'm playing different ones.
Sheena

Hi Invisible, good luck with your Grade 8. With the scales in 6ths, make sure you practice them staccato as well as legato and remember you are allowed to play these scales slower than the ordinary scales an octave apart. With the Sarabande and Rondeaux, the Sarabande needs to be played as legato as possible - imagine it being sung, and you needn't play it fast. The Rondeaux should be played fairly quickly and make sure that you get enough dynamic contrast into it to keep it interesting. With the Beethoven sonata make sure that you bring out the sforzandos in the left hand and be sure that the pedalling is clean and crisp - I actually don't pedal the beginning of this; I pedal bars 10-13 and then bar 20 onwards.

hmm..i played the bach sarabande n rondeux and debussy minstrels from my piano g8 exam in 2003. hnn..for sarabande, juz don't play it too slowly, like i did, and for minstrels, you need to have many changes in tempo and many accelerations, ritardations, and lots of dynamics and expression. but overall, yepz..minstrels is quite simple..yepz. and a tip of advice. try to choose pieces that are not in the book. because that way the examiner can't follow the book while u are playing and thus it would be harder for him to spot mistakes esp. if he is not familiar with the song