Well done to everyone who achieves high marks or reaches high grades. I'm certainly going to show off if/when I ever get either! At the moment, though, I just feel humble in the presence of such amazing talent!

But seriously, I think it's great the way people share their successes with us other forumtubbies. We're not in competiton, after all, and it's nice to hear about fellow musicians doing well, particularly when you consider how much hard work goes into reaching each grade.

well, i LIKE to see peoples instruments and grades in their signatures, when the posts get off the topic i was interested in i have something else to read...

i'm joking, but it is nice to see so many people doing well. to be honest i don't read sigs all that often, but its nice to have an idea of what the person you're talking to is doing music-wise, especially if you've asked a question. they only annoy me if they take up more space than the average post buts thats because i'm lazy and loathe to scroll

boastfulness comes out in attitudes in posts not sigs. my pet hate is the whiners who post topics on how badly they think they've done merely to get others to tell them how good they are, "oh i think i might only get a pass in my grade 8 piano" etc. always gives me an eye rolling moment (unless they have serious worries of course...)

at the end of the day, how impressive i find a persons grade AND/OR marks depends on the individual. though i don't have many myself so i'm easily impressed

today seems to be my day for long posts

QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:13 PM)

my pet hate is the whiners who post topics on how badly they think they've done merely to get others to tell them how good they are, "oh i think i might only get a pass in my grade 8 piano" etc. always gives me an eye rolling moment (unless they have serious worries of course...)

heh... seconded!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 31 2005, 09:15 PM)

QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:13 PM) my pet hate is the whiners who post topics on how badly they think they've done merely to get others to tell them how good they are, "oh i think i might only get a pass in my grade 8 piano" etc. always gives me an eye rolling moment (unless they have serious worries of course...) heh... seconded!

lol thirded

*envisions a utopia where such people are publicaly slapped with fish...*

in all fairness though everybody does it once or twice for the confidance boost. but when people do it all the time....... urgh.

no moospoon for those people

QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:13 PM)

boastfulness comes out in attitudes in posts not sigs.

I think that is the essence of showing off or not: it seems people here are 'rated', if you like, not on what grade they have or what mark they have but the intelligence that comes across in their posts. The post that usually makes me feel someone is bad at playing is the one in the following format: 'I've been playing piece X and it's really easy/my teacher makes me play piece X and I find it really easy (optionally append and I want to know what grade it is...)", a post that purely demonstrates a poor understanding of what it is to play music well.

i hope i come across ok

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 31 2005, 09:34 PM)

i hope i come across ok

Indeed you do, very friendly and genuine.

ah thats ok

*breathes a sigh of relief*

-

I think it becomes a pain when people keep saying it - over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again...

"Is this Shopping guy supposed to write hard stuff? I learned his etudes in a week. Rackmyhandsoff is dull, sight read his third piano concerto last week, don't see what all the fuss is about. Liszten to me, it isn't difficult... I unRavelled that in two hours..."... etc etc

QUOTE

(If you're there, Sarah, does this come in under w/old posts?  LOL)

lol... yeah probably.

доброй ночи, друзья

i also find it annoying when i drop ash in between the keys on my keyboard, and when the bus is half an hour late, and when i get given small portions at the college canteen and when the wine bottle runs dry, and when me da buys cranberry juice instead of orange and cranberry and *gasp!! eurgh!!*

i see your point rhapsodin but still, a bit of people griping at that which grieves them is only as human as showing off.

-

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Jan 31 2005, 09:50 PM)

Does all this really matter though?  Okay, is this a boast? I tend to take almost everyone with equanimity unless they're overbearing or excessively patronising, so I don't mind a bit of showing off, boasting or seeking assurance/ confidence. I'm frankly more surprised the number of times someone posts "I find it annoying..." then you get some trivial piece of crop like someone's typed in colours or something equally earthshattering I don't think...

It's quite interesting because the topic I actually started is not the topic that this became: I asked why is it not considered showing off to talk about high grades but it is showing off to talk about high marks... I don't think that anyone has complained that the grades in signatures are showing off but everyone has said that having them there isn't!

Interestingly people seem to be removing marks but not grades which seems to indicate that it is a prevalant social opinion still that high marks in any grade are showing off but 'I got grade 8' isn't!

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Jan 31 2005, 09:50 PM)

Hahahaha, I know what you're referring to there.

Indeed there has been a recent incident but it's by no means unique!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 29 2005, 11:02 PM)

QUOTE (elmo @ Jan 29 2005, 08:37 PM) I don't think everyone could get distinctions at grade 8, maybe lower down the grades yes, but by grade 8, I think there's a clear definition between a real good musician, and someone who's been taught to play their way through the grades. hmmmm yeah I think there are some people who really would never get G8 with distinction... I think there are some people who probably could not get a lower grade with distinction... especially at the higher grades, but even at the lower ones, there is a lot to do with expression - not just playing the notes right... and some people just don't have that capability, the same way some don't have the ability to easily pick up languages or do a certain sport... willpower and hard work can make your learn a language eventually, or get a lot better at a sport, or get better grades in your music exams... but we are all different and there are some people for whom distinction in a music exam is just never going to happen.

yeah.. sometimes.. some things you have it means you have it.. if u dun have it means u dun have it..

just like what my prev boss had said last time... if you're a 1000cc car, you can never run like a 3000cc car

so too bad 4 those who dun hav it..

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Jan 31 2005, 10:12 PM)

A quote from a signature not too far from here: QUOTE Piano, Grade 5 - going to take it this May. Wish me luck. I expect to get 140 marks. Very bad in scales and sight-reading. Now I know I said that showing off about marks rather than grades may be a good idea but preferably after you've got them . Sorry to single out one person on this: similar things seem to be cropping up a lot in signatures at the moment... I hope you don't regret saying that once you've taken the exam and are reporting your result; I suppose you can just tell us all that you got 140 anyway and we'll never know: if you do want 140 get working on those scales and that sightreading! How can you believe that you can so accurately predict your mark, will you be upset if you get 139 or 141?!

Hey. I'm just joking. Well, I will delete it. I will be very happy even I get a pass.

QUOTE (cheeble @ Feb 1 2005, 03:43 AM)

QUOTE (kenm @ Jan 31 2005, 02:45 PM) QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Jan 31 2005, 02:12 PM) A quote from a signature not too far from here: QUOTE Piano, Grade 5 - going to take it this May. Wish me luck. I expect to get 140 marks. Very bad in scales and sight-reading. Now I know I said that showing off about marks rather than grades may be a good idea but preferably after you've got them . Sorry to single out one person on this: similar things seem to be cropping up a lot in signatures at the moment... I hope you don't regret saying that once you've taken the exam and are reporting your result; I suppose you can just tell us all that you got 140 anyway and we'll never know: if you do want 140 get working on those scales and that sightreading! How can you believe that you can so accurately predict your mark, will you be upset if you get 139 or 141?! I thought that expectation was a joke, or at least ironic. So did I. It did make me blink when I saw it at first but I realised afterwards that maybe it wasn't an actual prediction.. dunno though...

Ahhhhhhhhhh............... You're right.

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Jan 31 2005, 03:00 PM)

DGA: why should you be proud of the fact that you've got grade 7 and consider telling your friends that not to be showing off; but consider telling them that you've got a distinction showing off? Either both are showing off or both aren't.

Well, they are both showing off. But almost anybody can just pass gr 7 or 8 and say, "I'm gr 8" even though he just got 100 marks. When "common" people meet two people, one's got a distinction and one not, usually they just think of the grade and don't remember the distinction. Alright, I confess that I rather like to show off. They usually ask for my grade AFTER I play a piece for them.

QUOTE

Piano, Grade 5 - going to take it this May. Wish me luck. I expect to get 140 marks. Very bad in scales and sight-reading. .........I hope you don't regret saying that once you've taken the exam and are reporting your result; I suppose you can just tell us all that you got 140 anyway and we'll never know: if you do want 140 get working on those scales and that sightreading!

My thoughts too when I read that!

Maggie

QUOTE (Rhapsodin+Jan 31 2005 @ 11:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>[

QUOTE[/b] (Rhapsodin @ Jan 31 2005, 11:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 31 2005, 10:01 PM) "Is this Shopping guy supposed to write hard stuff? I learned his etudes in a week. Rackmyhandsoff is dull, sight read his third piano concerto last week, don't see what all the fuss is about. Liszten to me, it isn't difficult... I unRavelled that in two hours..."... etc etc Oh goodniss, is this the cot calling the pettle black or what? You rushin to complain about my puns.....tut tut! I've a mind to cut that out and have it framed down Mo's Art shop. But yeah, these people you speak of ain' exactly haydn their light uder a bushell.

Lol... sorry. I count it as your bad influence on me.

QUOTE (DGA @ Feb 1 2005, 09:06 AM)

Alright, I confess that I rather like to show off.

No, really?

QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:29 PM)

*envisions a utopia where such people are publicaly slapped with fish...*

lol

QUOTE

in all fairness though everybody does it once or twice for the confidance boost. but when people do it all the time....... urgh. no moospoon for those people

*nod* it's the constant repetition from some people that moves it from "wow I'm so pleased I did so well" into "look at ME! I'm SO CLEVER!"

I have to ask... moospoon?

QUOTE

Piano, Grade 5 - going to take it this May. Wish me luck. I expect to get 140 marks. Very bad in scales and sight-reading

I agree with all those whose first though on seeing that was "well you better get going on sight-reading and scales then..."

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Jan 31 2005, 09:50 PM)

What grade is the piano arrangement of the Rite of Spring?  I can play it, thought it was a bit difficult then realised it was supposed to be for four hands...and, you guessed - I only got two!

So how many fingers have you actually got, Rhapsi?



Ambs
x

PS. Thinks "does he have an unfair advantage on the rest of us"?

QUOTE (DGA @ Feb 1 2005, 09:06 AM)

Alright, I confess that I rather like to show off.

That's okay, it's human nature, everyone does: and anyone that says they don't is lying . I think that what's important is how it's done....

Maybe the topic discovered something else: do distinctions make no difference whatsoever then in judging how good someone is (assuming the judgement can be based only on exam results)?

Suppose I tell you that person A has grade 5 and person B has grade 8, who will you assume (based on only this information) is the better instrumentalist? (Surely making judgements about how good people will be based on their exam results is as natural as the inclination people have to show off).

If then I tell you that person A got a distinction and person B just about got a pass, who will you assume is better now?

If I then tell you that person B has only been playing for a year and has barely played anything but three grade 8 pieces who do you assume is better then?

Suppose I tell you now that person C has just done grade 8 also and got the same mark as person B but has been playing for 10 years, who do you think is better B or C?

I won't answer now so that I don't affect what people say but I'd be interested to hear some opinions. (I'm discounting the argument that one can't judge based solely on exam results, which is true, but the fact is that when someone announces their result I think that it prompts an assumption about their playing).

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 1 2005, 12:25 PM)

So how many fingers have you actually got, Rhapsi? ....Thinks "does he have an unfair advantage on the rest of us"?

Hmmm... lol...

I would debate that *everyone* likes to show off... some people do truly find it difficult to share their achievements, usually due to upbringing.

The whole thing about Persons A B and C has got rather convoluted for my poor little brain this morning but I will re-read it at a later date and opine...

-

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 1 2005, 11:30 AM)

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Jan 31 2005+ 11:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>[ QUOTE[/b] (Rhapsodin @ Jan 31 2005, 11:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 31 2005, 10:01 PM) "Is this Shopping guy supposed to write hard stuff? I learned his etudes in a week. Rackmyhandsoff is dull, sight read his third piano concerto last week, don't see what all the fuss is about. Liszten to me, it isn't difficult... I unRavelled that in two hours..."... etc etc Oh goodniss, is this the cot calling the pettle black or what? You rushin to complain about my puns.....tut tut! I've a mind to cut that out and have it framed down Mo's Art shop. But yeah, these people you speak of ain' exactly haydn their light uder a bushell.

Hey!!! How did you know about my padded cell??? LOLOLOLOL
For your information the cell spacing is 2 - no one would DARE occupy the one next to me...
.BECAUSE THEY'RE SAVIN THAT FOR YOU!

As for "</td></tr><tr><td id" That's like the rhythm of a pineapple dance exercises... interesting.

QUOTE

in all fairness though everybody does it once or twice.......but when people do it all the time.......

I KNOW... Good for the health but so TIRING if you have to get up for work next day....
.I trust we're talking about contemporary dance here

QUOTE

Sarah QUOTE no moospoon for those people I have to ask... moospoon?

Same here, what is a moospoon? (grimacing, agog...) a wet southerly wind? An untensil to eat condensed milk with????

QUOTE (maggiemay @ Feb 1 2005, 05:14 PM)

QUOTE Piano, Grade 5 - going to take it this May. Wish me luck. I expect to get 140 marks. Very bad in scales and sight-reading. .........I hope you don't regret saying that once you've taken the exam and are reporting your result; I suppose you can just tell us all that you got 140 anyway and we'll never know: if you do want 140 get working on those scales and that sightreading! My thoughts too when I read that! Maggie

Errr.. ...........OK. I will get working at it soon after theory.

P.S:I'm not really really really bad in scales and sightreading.Just very very careless.

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Feb 1 2005, 01:03 PM)

As for "</td></tr><tr><td id"  That's like the rhythm of the pineapple dance exercises... interesting.  :D

dunno where that came from... it weren't me, guvnor...

QUOTE

QUOTE in all fairness though everybody does it once or twice for the confidance boost. but when people do it all the time....... I KNOW... Good for the health but so TIRING if you have to get up for work next day....

tsk tsk...

QUOTE

Hey!!! How did you know about my padded cell???   LOLOLOLOL For your information the cell spacing is 2 - no one would DARE occupy the one next to me... .BECAUSE THEY'RE SAVIN THAT FOR YOU!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Have mercy!

*runs awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay........................................*

QUOTE (Student @ Feb 1 2005, 01:07 PM)

P.S:I'm not really really really bad in scales and sightreading.Just very very careless.  :lol:

But being very very careless means you really really don't care which is really really bad.

Just to bring this back on topic slightly...

How do I fit in then? I know I certianly moan enough, but thats just me, and I don't think I do it solely for sympathy.

And I never mention what grade I am unless asked, but that might be because I know I've trotted through the grades far too fast and against my better judgement, so that /I find it very difficult you be proud of what I have managed to achieve, particularly when music is something I'm never going to be brilliant at.

I think I probably count as one of those who could never get a 140. Whether that due to lack of time, talent, patience, effort or simply being a ridiculously nervous performer I don't know.

As for AP's real question, what grade you are gives an idea of your level, what mark you gets give an idea of your talent. And no-ne likes other people banging on about how much more talented than you they are. Does that make sense?

Isn't it splitting hairs now? It's attitude. You also need to allow for cultural differences. Boasting in one culture might be just a business card in another.

If I had distinction in grade 8, I'd want to show it off no matter if I AM a good musician or not
the examiner said "You are good enough in what I have examined to deserve a pass with distinction. There you go."
As others said, it's when someone keeps on and on it starts to aggravate.

<off topic>

moospoon......
the 'moo' comes from an old-style MUD i occasionally play with friends. one of the emotes used to great people is 'moo'. i like to moo at people.

the spoon comes from an obsession (i've lost all ability to recognise correct spelling btw) of my boyfriend's cousin. really, he likes that particular utensil above all others to the n'th degree one day we went clubbin and he took a spoon with him. i stole the spoon. he was upset. i taunted him.

i don't remember at which point the words merged and moospoon arrived, but it can be used as both a greating and a way of saying something is good.

</off topic>

QUOTE (oddy @ Feb 1 2005, 07:26 PM)

<off topic> moospoon...... the 'moo' comes from an old-style MUD i occasionally play with friends. one of the emotes used to great people is 'moo'. i like to moo at people. the spoon comes from an obsession (i've lost all ability to recognise correct spelling btw) of my boyfriend's cousin. really, he likes that particular utensil above all others to the n'th degree  <_<  one day we went clubbin and he took a spoon with him. i stole the spoon. he was upset. i taunted him. i don't remember at which point the words merged and moospoon arrived, but it can be used as both a greating and a way of saying something is good. </off topic>

Wow, really random!



Amber
x

Just thought.....

should I take the bit off my Siggie line about my Vocal Chords, which according to my ENT specialist are "very beautiful", coz that's showing off?!?!?

naww, you can't help having beautiful vocal chords, amber....

oddy... thanks for explaining

lol, i think your beautiful vocal chords are beautifully random

Um...sorry....do we mean chords or cords? I can sing two-note chords after about half litre of Laphroaig on top of a double chicken vindaloo but that's pushing it a bit. LOL.


(Or should I transfer this to the ise/ize topic?)

QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 10:02 PM)

i also find it annoying when i drop ash in between the keys on my keyboard

That's the reason I gave up. Health didn't come into it.

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 31 2005, 09:19 PM)

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 31 2005, 09:15 PM) QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:13 PM) my pet hate is the whiners who post topics on how badly they think they've done merely to get others to tell them how good they are, "oh i think i might only get a pass in my grade 8 piano" etc. always gives me an eye rolling moment (unless they have serious worries of course...) heh... seconded! lol thirded

fourthed.

another one that really annoys me is when you have a conversation that goes like this:
me: how did you do in your exam?
mr x: not so good.
me: really?
mr x: yeah.
me: *tentatively* aww. what did you come out with?
mr x: 130.
me: but that's a distinction!!
mr x: yeah but it's only scrapey...
*mr x leaves room with large bruise*

QUOTE (oddy @ Feb 1 2005, 10:41 PM)

lol, i think your beautiful vocal chords are beautifully random

me too! they are beautifully beautiful and beautifully vocal-cord-ish

QUOTE (cheeble @ Feb 2 2005, 03:09 PM)

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 31 2005, 09:19 PM) QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 31 2005, 09:15 PM) QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:13 PM) my pet hate is the whiners who post topics on how badly they think they've done merely to get others to tell them how good they are, "oh i think i might only get a pass in my grade 8 piano" etc. always gives me an eye rolling moment (unless they have serious worries of course...) heh... seconded! lol thirded fourthed. another one that really annoys me is when you have a conversation that goes like this: me: how did you do in your exam? mr x: not so good. me: really? mr x: yeah. me: *tentatively* aww. what did you come out with? mr x: 130. me: but that's a distinction!! mr x: yeah but it's only scrapey... *mr x leaves room with large bruise*

Says someone with 3 distinctions. At grade 8 I might add.

QUOTE (Subatomic_Star @ Feb 2 2005, 05:08 PM)

QUOTE (cheeble @ Feb 2 2005, 03:09 PM) QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Jan 31 2005, 09:19 PM) QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Jan 31 2005, 09:15 PM) QUOTE (oddy @ Jan 31 2005, 09:13 PM) my pet hate is the whiners who post topics on how badly they think they've done merely to get others to tell them how good they are, "oh i think i might only get a pass in my grade 8 piano" etc. always gives me an eye rolling moment (unless they have serious worries of course...) heh... seconded! lol thirded fourthed. another one that really annoys me is when you have a conversation that goes like this: me: how did you do in your exam? mr x: not so good. me: really? mr x: yeah. me: *tentatively* aww. what did you come out with? mr x: 130. me: but that's a distinction!! mr x: yeah but it's only scrapey... *mr x leaves room with large bruise* Says someone with 3 distinctions. At grade 8 I might add.

indeed

but is cheeble going around saying she didn't do so well in those exams? NO!

fair enuogh, i didnt mean that she went round saying that though....sorry

Only distinction for grade 8? Ah well, better luck next time. I got 151 for my grade 9 on the Woohoo this time. I was hoping to get a music medal.



(And I thought Nicki got 168 for G8 didjeridu)

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Feb 2 2005, 05:48 PM)

Only distinction for grade 8?   Ah well, better luck next time.  I got 151 for my grade 2.  :D

yeah disgraceful really isnt it,just a distinction...terrible



well done on your grade 9 rhaps, i got 154 for mine, moving on to grade 10 now!

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 2 2005, 05:50 PM)

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Feb 2 2005, 05:48 PM) Only distinction for grade 8?   Ah well, better luck next time.  I got 151 for my grade 2.   yeah disgraceful really isnt it,just a distinction...terrible well done on your grade 9 rhaps, i got 154 for mine, moving on to grade 10 now!

Oh woops!!!! I changed it, I thought...grade 2 is no decent boast... !!!

GOOD LUCK with your grade 10!

QUOTE

(And I thought Nicki got 168 for G8 didjeridu)

Ah yes *blushes*

*begins speech* *ahem* Thankyou to everyone who has supported me throughout....*continues for an hour*.....*bursts into tears*!

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 2 2005, 05:50 PM)

well done on your grade 9 rhaps, i got 154 for mine, moving on to grade 10 now!

Nah, skip that go on to grade 14: grade 10 is way too easy for someone with your talent .

ah yes oops! lol

thanks!!

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Feb 2 2005, 05:54 PM)

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 2 2005, 05:50 PM) well done on your grade 9 rhaps, i got 154 for mine, moving on to grade 10 now! Nah, skip that go on to grade 14: grade 10 is way too easy for someone with your talent .

well if you say so........lol