...no, it is in relation to a June exam. In June I'll only have been playing for 8 months, but my teacher insists I'll pass my...G5 practical! Although I can do the scales, and a degree of perfect pitch helps with the aurals, I'm dubious...I haven't played anything else before, so i don't have that as an advantage, and everybody else in my class took 1 1/2 - 2 years to get to G5. Is this normal?
Full Version: Is This Normal?
No, I haven't grown a third arm, before you ask... ...no, it is in relation to a June exam. In June I'll only have been playing for 8 months, but my teacher insists I'll pass my...G5 practical! Although I can do the scales, and a degree of perfect pitch helps with the aurals, I'm dubious...I haven't played anything else before, so i don't have that as an advantage, and everybody else in my class took 1 1/2 - 2 years to get to G5. Is this normal?
...no, it is in relation to a June exam. In June I'll only have been playing for 8 months, but my teacher insists I'll pass my...G5 practical! Although I can do the scales, and a degree of perfect pitch helps with the aurals, I'm dubious...I haven't played anything else before, so i don't have that as an advantage, and everybody else in my class took 1 1/2 - 2 years to get to G5. Is this normal?
I would have considered that 1 1/2 to 2 years was normal to get to grade1 if you hadn't learnt an instrument before..
You seem to be doing exceptionally well if you have come from no mucical knowledge to grade 5 level in such a short time.
You seem to be doing exceptionally well if you have come from no mucical knowledge to grade 5 level in such a short time.
I've been playing Piano for ages..... and I've only just passed grade 5!!!!!!!!!! 
So yeah doing it in 8 month si snot normal at all (at least not for me.)
You should be burnt alive for this
So yeah doing it in 8 month si snot normal at all (at least not for me.) You should be burnt alive for this
maybe one and a half year is really too short.i take 2 years to get to grade 4 and my friends said that it's already considered as very fast.and u havent take any exam before, and u may ned a lower grade to built up ur experience and techniques.
may i noe which instrument r learning ?
its taken me 4 years just to get to grade 4! so...
| QUOTE (i like piano @ Mar 16 2005, 11:00 AM) |
| may i noe which instrument r learning ? |
I'm a bassoonist
| QUOTE (i like piano @ Mar 16 2005, 11:00 AM) |
| may i noe which instrument r learning ? |
I'm a bassoonist
your teacher is COMPLETELY off her rocker.
Grade 5 is a very very defined bench mark.
Although, something similar happened with me......
I went from grade nothing to grade 5 in about 10 months.
well what i should REALLY say is that i went from playing grade 1 pieces to being able to play grade 5 pieces in 10 months.
There is a certain level of musical maturity required for each grade and grade 5 has a pretty darn high requirement.
Pianists must use pedal be expected to play the ornaments. String players must use vibrato etc etc....
It would probably be a MUCH better idea to carry on in this fantastic manner (because it is wonderful that u progress so fast) for another year of so and then consider taking grade 6 or 7.
Grade 5 is a very very defined bench mark.
Although, something similar happened with me......
I went from grade nothing to grade 5 in about 10 months.
well what i should REALLY say is that i went from playing grade 1 pieces to being able to play grade 5 pieces in 10 months.
There is a certain level of musical maturity required for each grade and grade 5 has a pretty darn high requirement.
Pianists must use pedal be expected to play the ornaments. String players must use vibrato etc etc....
It would probably be a MUCH better idea to carry on in this fantastic manner (because it is wonderful that u progress so fast) for another year of so and then consider taking grade 6 or 7.
To put it simply, we haven't heard you play, so we can't make any comments relating to you specifically.
It is certainly not impossible for a new woodwind player to pass Grade 5 this early on. I haven't known it happen, however, with someone who hasn't played another instrument first.
One of my students lives next door to a professional musician (can't remember what he plays but it is some kind of woodwind instrument). One of his friends bet him he couldn't pass Grade 8 with Distinction on bassoon after only learning for a term. He took him up on his bet and succeeded!
How expereinced is your teacher? If s/he has been teaching a long time with a good solid history of exam achievements then I would suggest that s/he is in the best place to make the judgement. But it's entirely up to you: if you're not happy with taking the exam this early then you don't have to do it. Ask if you can wait a bit longer.
Whatever you decide, best of luck.
It is certainly not impossible for a new woodwind player to pass Grade 5 this early on. I haven't known it happen, however, with someone who hasn't played another instrument first.
One of my students lives next door to a professional musician (can't remember what he plays but it is some kind of woodwind instrument). One of his friends bet him he couldn't pass Grade 8 with Distinction on bassoon after only learning for a term. He took him up on his bet and succeeded!
How expereinced is your teacher? If s/he has been teaching a long time with a good solid history of exam achievements then I would suggest that s/he is in the best place to make the judgement. But it's entirely up to you: if you're not happy with taking the exam this early then you don't have to do it. Ask if you can wait a bit longer.
Whatever you decide, best of luck.
yeah, just go for it. I have gone, on the bassoon from grade 4 to above grade 8 in about 18 months. now, i am hoping to become a pro. it is a little thing called practice. you must do it every day.
good for you
bb
by the way, what pieces are you doing
good for you
bb
by the way, what pieces are you doing
| QUOTE (khamy @ Mar 31 2005, 10:37 PM) |
| well what i should REALLY say is that i went from playing grade 1 pieces to being able to play grade 5 pieces in 10 months. It would probably be a MUCH better idea to carry on in this fantastic manner (because it is wonderful that u progress so fast) for another year of so and then consider taking grade 6 or 7. |
Its not normal to get so far in such a short time, but if your teacher thinks you will be ready, then go for it! After all she knows you better than we do and you have to trust her opinion. Believe me, she wouldn't let you enter an exam if she thought you weren't ready. So just keep up the good work - you are doing really well!
Khamy there isn't much difference between you getting from grades 1 - 5 in 10 months and mattrattley getting to grade 5 in about 8. Why shouldn't he do grade 5? At the rate he is going he will be able to do grade 6 or 7 in a year or so anyway.
| QUOTE (khamy @ Mar 31 2005, 11:37 PM) |
| your teacher is COMPLETELY off her rocker. |
that is unfair. his tecaher knows him best and if he/she thinks he can do it then so be it
Sometimes woodwind players who take to their instrument quickly can make very rapid progress indeed. So, it's unusual but not extreme to reach Grade 5 in less than a year. I've seen it once before with one Oboist I taught a couple of years ago - who then went on to Grade 8 in two years and, with justification, earned a Distinction.
Your teacher is the best judge not we who do not know you and cannot hear you play. If she really believes you can do it, then go for it and good luck!
However, a word of warning. You say this is a new development in your life so do make sure you play your exam programme to at least one other person than your teacher before you go into the exam room. You will find that playing in the security of your home or lesson is very different from playing when the nerves hit - and even the most fearless usually get some nerves. (It's actually quite good for you to do so a little bit - makes you concentrate!)
Very best of luck for the exam and the future - we need bassoonists so do keep going!
Your teacher is the best judge not we who do not know you and cannot hear you play. If she really believes you can do it, then go for it and good luck!
However, a word of warning. You say this is a new development in your life so do make sure you play your exam programme to at least one other person than your teacher before you go into the exam room. You will find that playing in the security of your home or lesson is very different from playing when the nerves hit - and even the most fearless usually get some nerves. (It's actually quite good for you to do so a little bit - makes you concentrate!)
Very best of luck for the exam and the future - we need bassoonists so do keep going!
i'd say it's pretty normal for Grade 5 in 8 months...after 9 months playing i was Grade 6. It all depends on how quick you learn and and how much you practice-don't think about whether it's normal-just go for it!
No-one can ever define normal, it changes for each person. I took clarinet lessons for around 6 months, and my teacher is considering entering me in for Grade 4 or 5...so, if you feel ready to do your Gr 5, GO FOR IT! we are only held back by our conceptions of a "normality" that does not exist. Good luck in your playing...
ps. ba-rocks...hehehe...
Good luck in your playing...ps. ba-rocks...hehehe...
It is normal. My friend has been playing the flute for a year and she's up for grade 8.
Time is not a factor. Some people grasp some instruments better then others. Maybe you have a knack for the bassoon. If she thinks you're ready, you probably are. My little sister was ready to do grade 3 in 3 months. Lower then grade 5 and she had previous experience, but if you're good at aurals and probably good at sight-readying too, then June is still quite a long way off so I thing you'd do brilliantly.
Time is not a factor. Some people grasp some instruments better then others. Maybe you have a knack for the bassoon. If she thinks you're ready, you probably are. My little sister was ready to do grade 3 in 3 months. Lower then grade 5 and she had previous experience, but if you're good at aurals and probably good at sight-readying too, then June is still quite a long way off so I thing you'd do brilliantly.
Thanks for the help! My teacher isn't off his rocker - his humour's...odd...at times though 
I've had the G5 pieces over easter and they don't seem too bad...playable with practice (and without dying reeds ) so I shouldn't fair too badly. My dad's a musician so I'll probably get him to take me through the motions of an exam - plus he knows a few nifty ways of getting more sight-reading time 
...but of course I won't use them, because I'm posting on the exam board's forums!
And no, normal isn't definable at all btw.
I've had the G5 pieces over easter and they don't seem too bad...playable with practice (and without dying reeds
) so I shouldn't fair too badly. My dad's a musician so I'll probably get him to take me through the motions of an exam - plus he knows a few nifty ways of getting more sight-reading time ...but of course I won't use them, because I'm posting on the exam board's forums!And no, normal isn't definable at all btw.
| QUOTE (frenchyhorn @ Mar 17 2005, 05:25 PM) |
| its taken me 4 years just to get to grade 4! so... |
That's because you're a french-hornist, and they are the second most impossible instrument after the orchestral harp!
It took me about 3 years to get to grade 5, but that's still considered fast.
| QUOTE (baroquebassoon @ Apr 1 2005, 08:43 AM) |
| by the way, what pieces are you doing |
The vivaldi concerto in E minor (even though the actual movement is in B minor...)
The ivor foster rondo that's about 10 pages long...
and the easy 'scena' from a miscellany for bassoon
| QUOTE (mattrattley @ Mar 13 2005, 11:33 AM) |
| No, I haven't grown a third arm, before you ask... ...no, it is in relation to a June exam. In June I'll only have been playing for 8 months, but my teacher insists I'll pass my...G5 practical! Although I can do the scales, and a degree of perfect pitch helps with the aurals, I'm dubious...I haven't played anything else before, so i don't have that as an advantage, and everybody else in my class took 1 1/2 - 2 years to get to G5. Is this normal? |
Wow! It took me 2 years to get to grade 6 (I never did Grade 5 nor any odd grades like 1 or 3...) and I STILL haven't got tested on G6 yet...
...Maybe I will do G8 next year, considering Debussy's 1st Arabesque is in it, and I happen to know the piece off by heart (played it in the Glasgow Music Festival, didn't go EXTREMELY well though...)
Hmmm,
I find it hard to remember how long it took me to develop up to various stages on the bassoon, since I have never taken exams on the basis that anyone who cares enough to ask for them didn't need a bassoonist enough. Plus I always found the piano exams I did really scary (got marks of 103, 99 and 101 in gr 3 4 and 5 respectively). But I've been playing bassoon 8 years and I can handle more or less anything that's thrown at me in orchestras now. It probably took about 6 years to get to gr 8, so I'd guess perhaps three years for grade 5??? I found that I progressed really quickly at first, but after about a year or so hit a wall, which is when all the others I was learning with gave up. I think this period of struggling was whilst my lip ability caught up with the fingerings I had learnt going up above middle C- amazing to think how tough now-easy notes seemed then. But with persistence the difficult period passed and I progressed quicker again. Of course it does depend how much practise you do- I was on half an hour a week with a peripatetic music teacher at school.
I really hope you pass- the world needs more enthusiastic bassoon players. Double reeds and french horns are certainly the most difficult instruments to master. Just be careful, it can be dangerously addictive. I have just acquired a Contrabassoon, and am deeply in love with it....
I find it hard to remember how long it took me to develop up to various stages on the bassoon, since I have never taken exams on the basis that anyone who cares enough to ask for them didn't need a bassoonist enough. Plus I always found the piano exams I did really scary (got marks of 103, 99 and 101 in gr 3 4 and 5 respectively). But I've been playing bassoon 8 years and I can handle more or less anything that's thrown at me in orchestras now. It probably took about 6 years to get to gr 8, so I'd guess perhaps three years for grade 5??? I found that I progressed really quickly at first, but after about a year or so hit a wall, which is when all the others I was learning with gave up. I think this period of struggling was whilst my lip ability caught up with the fingerings I had learnt going up above middle C- amazing to think how tough now-easy notes seemed then. But with persistence the difficult period passed and I progressed quicker again. Of course it does depend how much practise you do- I was on half an hour a week with a peripatetic music teacher at school.
I really hope you pass- the world needs more enthusiastic bassoon players. Double reeds and french horns are certainly the most difficult instruments to master. Just be careful, it can be dangerously addictive. I have just acquired a Contrabassoon, and am deeply in love with it....
my teacher was relli unwilling 4 me 2 take my grade 5 after skiping g4 but i still got merit.if ur confident that u can do it then go for it, but no...it isnt relli normal if u havent done any other grades. i took g5 in about 8 months but thats WITH doin other grades before it. do u play any other instruments? anyway...good luck!
i play the trombone for 2yeARS and 10 mo. and im going to do grade 7 pratical. but i need to pass grade 5 theory.
Teachers don't necessarily know best. One violin teacher in my area is very bad - and going for about 30yrs. Your case is not normal, but possible. Get the opinion of another PRO bassoonist (or other woodwind-ist) in your area (let them hear you play) and THEN question your teacher.
If you can't feel confident now (17 May 05) then you probably won't be fantastic in June. Base your decision on how comfortable you feel, and the other person's opinion (above).
If you can't feel confident now (17 May 05) then you probably won't be fantastic in June. Base your decision on how comfortable you feel, and the other person's opinion (above).
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