Hi.
Just wondering whether any of you enjoy music or just want to get through the exams asap. I love my music, but loads of people i know seem to wizz through the grades and are at about grade 8, i dont really take exams except for the occasional few, but now i am preparing for grade 6. but usually i play music that i like instead of doing exams. What about every1 else?

Bit of both really - I play lots of music I like, but I also take the occasional exam. I enjoy choosing the pieces, learning to play them, and the sense of achievement I get from passing an exam.

Hi there

I love my music. But I am also doing my grades.
I'm not whizzing through them though, just taking my time.

I tend to play a lot of fave pieces (which are usually too hard for me but I persevere!)alongside my exam pieces.

Fiona

I play (jazz piano) mainly for the joy and relaxation it gives me, I am obsessed with the love of music. As to exams for me, its an option if I want to get an assessment outside of my teacher. I think exams are useful primarily if you intend to teach; the greatest musicians I know never took an exam. Listen to Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum et al and you'll hear what I mean. The bottom line is whatever works for you or motivates you.

i agree with you. i really get a kick out of playing for fun and doin concerts and stuff!

i've boiled it down to two types of musicians:
the people that really enjoy music like us.
and those that get forced into music lessons by there rich parents.

i wouldn't worry about it though. most of the best and amazing musicians that i have ever met haven't got any grades or only grade8 (which i would do) the reason that they are good is because they know how to perform, not how to meet exam criteria. they are true musicians, the ones that get out and enjoy themselves.

so just keep playin, you'll get more experience through playin for fun than exams, i guarantee it. if you dont you can shoot me! he he

jaime

I dunno, I like workin at music that i like. I havent worked through grades really, just done grade 3 and am movin onto grade 5. Play pieces I enjoy in between.

But yeah, I know what you mean - everyone else always seems to be talkin bout exams!

I love playing for the sake of playing, because I just love it! But it's nice to take exams as a way of measuring progress. Balance is the key - it could get stressful only ever playing for exams and never relaxing!

Im the same, Id much rather play music that I like and enjoy it than ploughing through exam pieces, most of which i will never play again coz i absolutely hate them!!!!
Also when I play the pino it relaxes me unless im doing exams when it just causes me stress! I HATE EXAMS!!!!! I still do them though occasionally to keep going. Even 1 a year isnt 2 much but i cant understand people who only work on exam things and are constantly preparing for the next one!!!

I can't help feeling that there's too much pressure on young people to take grade exams. For example, when visiting a new school for sixth form, everytime I told them I played the piano, I got asked what grade I was at. I feel that music should be enjoyed, no matter what standard you are. I do the exams because I want to get a music scholarship and go to music college, and without the grades, it's very hard. However, don't feel like exams inhibit your musicality as this will just discourage you from doing them.

Hi Subatomic Star

I know what you mean about some people whizzing through grades. I was told at the start by a friend who went to grade 8 in the shortest possible time, not her choice and she hated it.

I took her advice and although I have taken grades 2 and 3 and this year hope to take grade 4, I take time out to play other music. After taking a grade I don't bother about grades for a year.

I tend to find the people that play an instrument just to do grades incredibly show-offy and are actually not that good as they seem to not really enjoy their instrument. I think that by whizzing through grades, they miss out on a lot of fun that they can have with their instrument and they seem to need to have passed exams to know that they can play their instrument.

I play the clarinet and i play it for pure enjoyment. I also do grades because my teacher said that if you get a good mark on one of your grades you feel a lot better about how you feel about your instrument and you get more enjoyment out of it. They give you a goal and you feel great if you do well in an exam that you were really worried about.

I also get really annoyed when people ask you what grade you're on and you tell them and they're like "You're only on grade 4. I'm doing my grade 7 next week." People forget that there are other things to do with an instrument other than doing grades.

What's the point in playing an instrument if you only want to be able to say, "Well I'm grade 7."

I play for both reasons. I love the sensation of knowing that I've accomplished something and at same time, enjoyed my music. (I hate the scales and aural though)

I love music, all my friends think I have a slight obsession!!! but i need to do grades so i can get into uni to do music. my life would not be the same without music and if it takes me 3 extra years to get the grades needed for uni i will do it coz i just looooove music!!!!

Nat

I really like playing music and thats why i learn instruments. I also hate taking grades so that could have something to do with it!
Like my teacher i dont think you need the grades to prove how good you are or enjoy playing. Ive only done 3 grades: grade 1 piano at 7 years old!( i then gave up but am now regretting it) and grades 2 and 5 on the clarinet.
I have now vowed never to take another grade until i (hopefully) get to grade 8 as i may want to use it later on.

both. to those who just wants to get the grades on their transcripts - a whole load of b.s.ing right there

but generally, i do music b/c it gets me through life and exams b/c i'm that organizational freak who needs some "structure" in everything (ok, i LIKE doing the exams).