Piano Guidance
Photo by Karolina Grabowska Pexels Logo Photo: Karolina Grabowska

What is sad music called?

Blues is a style of music famous for being sad. The lyrics often share stories from the tough lives of the people who write blues songs.

What is the easiest genre to play on guitar?
What is the easiest genre to play on guitar?

Pros of Learning Blues Guitar Most songs have the same structure, so it's generally pretty easy to work out blues songs and riffs by ear. The music...

Read More »
How many words can Eminem rap in one second?
How many words can Eminem rap in one second?

"Rap God" by Eminem (USA) packs 1,560 words into a fast and furious 6 min 4 sec – that's a tongue-twisting average of 4.28 words per second! In one...

Read More »
Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide
Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Pianoforall is one of the most popular online piano courses online and has helped over 450,000 students around the world achieve their dream of playing beautiful piano for over a decade.

Learn More »

If you want to talk about music in English, one of the first questions you need to be able to answer is: What kind of music do you like? To answer this, ,you’ll need to know the words for different genres (types) of music in English. Read on to find out how to explain your favourite music genre in English.

Classical

Famous composers like Mozart wrote classical music. Classical music is often performed by an orchestra (large group of musicians), a choir (a group of singers) or a soloist (just one person). People usually say a ‘piece’ of classical music rather than a ‘tune’ or ‘song’.

What is your English level?

Take our short English test to find out. Start now

Jazz and blues

Jazz and blues were both originally from the USA. Jazz has a strong rhythm and notes are often syncopated (come between beats). The melody can be improvised (invented while it is played) and uses a wide range of different scales. Charlie Parker and Miles Davis are famous jazz artists. Blues is a style of music famous for being sad. The lyrics often share stories from the tough lives of the people who write blues songs.

Folk

Folk music is the traditional music of a particular group of people. In record stores, it’s common to see folk music from the UK and the USA. Country music is probably the most famous kind of folk music and is popular in many parts of the world.

Pop

Every country in the world has its own pop stars. ‘Pop’ is short for ‘popular’ music and it means just that – it is the most popular or common form of music in most countries. Wherever you go in the world, it’s easy to hear music from famous pop stars like Madonna or Lady Gaga whether you want to or not!

Rock

Rock music is famous for being loud! Rock groups use electric guitars, bass and drums to create music with a strong beat and lots of energy. There are lots of sub-genres (styles) of rock such as metal, punk and prog-rock. With so many different styles of rock to choose from, no wonder it is so popular!

Dance

Dance music is the kind of music you usually hear in clubs and bars. It has a strong beat, is often repetitive, and is perfect for dancing to. Like rock, there are many different styles of dance music. Some are slow, some are fast, but they will all get you feet moving!

Rap

Rap is different to most music genres in that it is usually spoken, not sung. The words rhyme, like a poem, and fit to the strong beat of the backing music.

Alternative

If the music you like doesn’t fit one of these categories, it is probably ‘alternative’. Music might be called ‘alternative’ because only a small group of people like it or because it doesn’t fit well into another category. The alternative section of a record store is often where you will find the most unusual, interesting music.

So, what is your favourite music genre and what kind of music person are you?

What is the hardest part of playing piano?
What is the hardest part of playing piano?

The hardest part of learning the piano is #1) learning the notes, #2) remembering the music terms, #3) finding the time to practice, and #4)...

Read More »
Is a tritone a sharp 4 or flat 5?
Is a tritone a sharp 4 or flat 5?

A tritone is the interval between the notes C and F-sharp. It's also known as the flat fifth or sharp fourth. Nov 10, 2010

Read More »

How long is a grade 3 piano exam?

How long do exams take? Face-to-face instruments and singing Music Theory** Keyboard subjects Grade 1* 12 mins 90 mins Grades 2 & 3* 12 mins 90 mins Grades 4 & 5* 15 mins 120 mins 7 more rows

gb.abrsm.org - Exam timings - ABRSM

Exam timings

How long do exams take?

You can check timings for face-to-face instrumental and singing exams and Music Theory exams on this page. Digital Performance Grades and ARSM diplomas – candidates preparing for digital exams should check the syllabus for the maximum programme time for their exam. For digital exams, the exam slots on our online booking service will be one minute longer than the times shown here for face-to-face Practical Grades and ARSM exams. Candidates with specific needs – ­extra time may be available for candidates with certain specific needs. Please check our specific needs pages for details. Face-to-face instruments and singing Music Theory** Keyboard subjects Singing Harp and Organ All other subjects Prep Test 10 mins 10 mins - 12 mins - Initial Grade 12 mins 13 mins 17 mins 12 mins - Grade 1* 12 mins 13 mins 17 mins 12 mins 90 mins Grades 2 & 3* 12 mins 15 mins 19 mins 14 mins 90 mins Grades 4 & 5* 15 mins 15 mins 22 mins 17 mins 120 mins Grade 6 20 mins 20 mins 25 mins 20 mins 180 mins Grade 7 25 mins 25 mins 30 mins 25 mins 180 mins Grade 8 30 mins 30 mins 35 mins 30 mins 180 mins ARSM 40 mins 40 mins 40 mins 40 mins - Performance Assessment 15 mins 15 mins 20 mins 15 mins -

* NB an additional three minutes is applied to Jazz exams.

**Grade 6 to 8 Music Theory candidates may leave at any time after 40 minutes if finished early. Grades 1-5 Music Theory candidates can end the test at any time.

Can you teach yourself to learn piano?
Can you teach yourself to learn piano?

Now to come to the question: Can you teach yourself piano? Of course, you can. The only problem is that most people will only do their own teaching...

Read More »
Can you over practice piano?
Can you over practice piano?

Results of too much practice can manifest in depression, burn out, and physical injury. In fact, overuse injuries are not only prevalent among...

Read More »
What is the loudest musical instrument?
What is the loudest musical instrument?

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the loudest (and largest) instrument in the world is the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ. This...

Read More »
Is piano too loud for baby?
Is piano too loud for baby?

While the piano CAN be a loud instrument at times, rest assured that it's not damaging to your child's ears – especially if it's mostly him...

Read More »