Hey everyone,

I'm currently searching around the web to try and find some old ABRSM Exam Books, specifically for Piano Grades 5 - 8. I'm currently working towards my Grade 7 exam this year, but I'm just looking for some material to play which has a set Grade, and ABRSM often pick really great pieces that are seldom played. Does anyone know any good websites that sell them? I don't mind what year really! The oldest I've seen is 1999, so anything from that and after really.

Thanks!

Sam

P.S I've found quite a few on Amazon Marketplace, but I'm hesitant to use it as I've had several problems in the past!

Sam I have a quite a few, not all ABRSM. I'll have search, but probably I wont have a further use for them, and youre not too far away. Some will really be daughters property , so I'll have to check if she wants them.

I've picked up a few in charity shops.

Yes, charity shops are good, and if any music shop near you is closing down they often put old music on sale quite cheaply, or even if they're not closing, but just having a clear out. It's something you just need to keep your eyes open for.

Sam, have you been to the second hand book shop at Lady Heyes centre near Frodsham ? Theres a music section there, but I cant say if there's old exam music.

That would be so great! Thanks so much, I'd be really grateful! If you have any, I don't mind paying for them and postage even. Don't worry if you don't though, I appreciate the help!

Thanks for the replies everyone, I will probably try Lady Heyes in Frodsham! There's quite a few charity shops around actually, see what I can find.

Does your teacher not have a huge stack that he/she can lend out?
Or can he/she not borrow a load from existing pupils ?

If you don't have a teacher, ebay always has them - a little expensive, I feel, when sold separately but sometimes as job lots which are quite reasonable.

I've found that local music shops sometimes have old stock they want to get rid of and sell reasonably cheaply.

Slightly off topic but years ago (when I lived in the UK) my local music shop used to sell old exam books very very cheaply but without their front cover so you didn't know what year or what grade you were buying

Here is a bundle of old'uns being sold on eBay - not the right grades for you, I think. But I definitely see this style/vintage of AB piano book around a lot in charity shops and second-hand book/music shops.

Oxfam list a few of their things on their website - here is the sheet music section. I see a couple of recentish G7 AB books there

Didn't they let customers look inside?

Interesting...a number of books I've had that were published/printed in the US, they have a note in the front that says if you buy this book without a cover, it has been reported to the publisher as damaged/destroyed, and neither publisher or author will be getting any income from the purchase! Must be something of a cottage industry over there!

They did let you look (otherwise you wouldn't even have known what instrument you were buying!). I was about 15 when I started buying them so used to buy things I liked the look of. I can remember taking one into my piano lesson because my teacher wanted me to learn a particular piece and I had it in one of these books. He was a bit surprised at the lack of cover and couldn't decide exactly what grade it had been (it was a Trinity book and he used AB).

Ebay is brilliant for old exam books, I've found some really old ones on there (1928 is the earliest I've seen so far). The earliest one in my collection is currently 1950. I just looked on the AB website and the first exams were in 1890, I would love to get my hands on one of those books! Aural tests were introduced in 1920 and the 8-grade system was introduced in 1933. The Oxfam bookshop near me is like a treasure trove, I've picked up a few from there, usually from the 90s but some older ones including a Trinity G8 from 1971. Your local library might have some if they have music books, mine has the full grade set from 1994 and a few others including an old G8 anthology.