I am interested to find more detail on peoples learning experiences. I am an adult (46 .....mental age undefined...). I have been playing for 12 months and take my grade 2 in Feb/Mar........I suppose there will be an unatainable level at most things depending on ability...interest...hard work...IQ Level....physical ability etc......
With the piano grades to grade 8 do you think it is possible for anyone to achieve this just through hard work or do many people reach a level that they cannot seem to get past. Is there a history of people taking the same grade over and over again.....but just never getting there...I have only met a few other students and most seem to give up or decide not to advance further because they can't be bothered to learn so many scales.....or just haven't got enough time to put in to practice....
Regards Mike

Mike

There is a thread in the Adult Learners forum, started a while ago by Silver Pianist which is most illuminating:

http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?act=ST&f...adult+beginners

Happy reading & I hope this answers some of your questions! (Anything's possible, of course, but I personally will always have more difficulty playing baroque stuff - although I love it - than say romantic or modern, & I'm not sure whether I'll ever have nimble enough fingers to play at Grade 8 standard, but you never know...... )


Jen

A-hah, the legendary Peter Principle? I'm not sure it works completely with music tho - it might with exams - go on until you fail so you fall back and stay at the standard of the level below!!!

But unlike learning to carry out procedures and decision-making patterns in the bureaucratic life, music is a life-long development tying in with the needs of self-expression. When communicating ones expression, the tools and language are the limiting factors. .. But do we fail the brilliant pupil because he can't play a scale of C?
There is always room to improve the clarity of self-expression as we slowly close in on our "selfhoods" likewise we can improve the quality of the tools and language. .. Even when the physical fades, the spiritual grows still if we let it. Perhaps in the ultimate, music with which we are born, returns to takes its place as part of the expression of our entire lives - beyond performance, beyond A&R men and AB exams, just part of what we have learned about our "selves".

So I guess that the "Peter" level of incompetence doesn't generally apply to music unless one is learning it as a set of procedures...and a few people do...look at the posts.
"Fail" is always relative, defined by others than the practitioner unless the practitioner is playing a dual role and a bit of sophistry (ie getting dramatic about things not quite being as good as they might be yet).

Thanks Rhapsodin
Your reply has already found my level of incompetence.........
Brilliant reply thenks.....
BBFN Mike

QUOTE (PlinkPlonkMan @ Jan 9 2005, 06:40 PM)

Your reply has already found my level of incompetence.........

Awww, no. . .now you're extracting the Michael, hahahaha! .. But it's something to think about because I read so many posts where people are asking "Could I get better?" when they should be telling themselves they can.

I often think that people set their own music-blocks (like road blocks but made of staves and crotches - hence the similarity between 5-bar gates and staves!!!!???)

I do think music an intensely spiritual thing though - not religious, you understand - I meant pertaining to the inner driving/guiding force in us all.

I think it's because so many of us judge ourselves, or feel judged by others. And there's certainly something about music that seems to bring out the judgemental side of people. Take the recent spate of singing competitions on Saturday evening prime time TV. In the olden days they used to chuck the Christians in with the lions. Nowadays they just chuck the contestants on Pop Idol, or whatever it's called, in front of Simon Cowell et al.



Amber
x

i love simon cowell heehee!

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 10 2005, 09:39 PM)

i love simon cowell heehee!

Oh dear oh dear... First Ludvico Einaudi now... Simon... (hiding a grimace) well, Amber was right not to claim the pop idles were thrown to the lions. No self respecting Lion would want to be likened to Simon Carbuncle or whatever. Lions are majestic creatures, generous of heart and spirit, sun-loving and easy to tame if you know the secrets. Very loyal too.

Next you'll be saying you LOVE the Bflat minor scale in 3rds, hands together!

But I'm sure help is just around the corner.


j/k of course!

QUOTE

Lions are majestic creatures, generous of heart and spirit, sun-loving and easy to tame if you know the secrets. Very loyal too.

Oh yes, I have 3 of them...as pets! Boy, can they play my woohoo well

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ Jan 11 2005, 03:10 PM)

QUOTE Lions are majestic creatures, generous of heart and spirit, sun-loving and easy to tame if you know the secrets. Very loyal too. Oh yes, I have 3 of them...as pets! Boy, can they play my woohoo well

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 10 2005, 09:39 PM)

i love simon cowell heehee!

Natalie! I'm appalled!

QUOTE (Subatomic_Star @ Jan 11 2005, 12:37 PM)

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 10 2005, 09:39 PM) i love simon cowell heehee! Natalie! I'm appalled!

im soorrrry im sooorrry!!!!hehehehehe!

Rhapsodin- no chance of liking Bbminor in 3rds dont worry.

After reding all this I am going to throw myself to the Ledger Lions.....
That's the best I can come up with..
I don't fancy Simon Cowell or Einaudi......
Summer on classic Fm would be my favourite....what a voice..
BFN Mike

i dont FANCY simon cowell or einaudi, i just like them.....................................................dear what must people be thinkin

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 12 2005, 03:49 PM)

i dont FANCY simon cowell or einaudi, i just like them.....................................................dear what must people be thinkin

Do you need to ask?

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 12 2005, 03:49 PM)

i dont FANCY simon cowell or einaudi, i just like them.....................................................dear what must people be thinkin

The mind boggles....

QUOTE (Subatomic_Star @ Jan 12 2005, 03:58 PM)

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 12 2005, 03:49 PM) i dont FANCY simon cowell or einaudi, i just like them.....................................................dear what must people be thinkin Do you need to ask?

well i think i can roughly come to my own conclusions

Only kidding...thanks for mails.....
Have a good day..
Mike

...

Hello Kerropi, thans for replying.....I have been learning to play the piano for 12 months...I am adult learner age 46. I learned the violin for 12 months when I was 10 and hated it. Wanted to play football etc..however I could read the treble clef. That helped me a lot when I started.....I gained 135 in my grade one in September after nine months and am taking grade2 in Feb/Mar 05.. I am also taking the practical grade 2..I am achieveing 96% in practice tests from old test papers and I also feel confident in passing grade 2 practical.
I have a very good teacher and spend 1 hour a week during school terms at her house. I am retired and pracice for many hours a day with some structure to it....sight reading ...exam pieces...fun pieces.....and theory.....I also practice scales and arpegios which is my strongest area...my weakest area is the singing and aural.....

...

Hello Kerropi......
Yes I am using the 2005-2006 syllabus. I definitely think your advice on slowing down is the best thing I could do.
Thanks for all the help......
Kind Regards Mike

If you don't mind, can I ask which three pieces are you doing?

My friend want to do Bach's Musette

Barcarolle and Rosamund's March.

I personally will choose Arabesque

Waltz in D minor and Timewarp.

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 12 2005, 03:49 PM)

i dont FANCY simon cowell or einaudi, i just like them.....................................................dear what must people be thinkin

That you are completely crazy simon cowell oh my god that is just plain sick weird whatever..

shut it!

Hello Kerropi
I am doing Get in Step (I like the Jazz type pieces)
Rigadoon
Barcarolle

I was doing Deutcher but found this a little difficult on the grace notes in the second half.

I have just started Barcarolle and hope to have it ready by March for my exam...doesn't seem very long to go.
BFN Mike