What piano grade is equivalent to GCSE?

Grade 5 Grade 5 Theory is also considered to be equivalent to a GCSE in music.

mymusictheory.com - ABRSM Information - MyMusicTheory

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You can find all kinds of examples of 9th chords in blues, rock, jazz and funk. Sep 16, 2014

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ABRSM - The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music

MyMusicTheory.com music theory courses follow the syllabus published by the ABRSM. The ABRSM is a British educational institution with several strings to its bow and a worldwide arena to play in. Apart from providing practical and theory exams in more than 90 countries around the world, it is also a publishing company and a training provider. Every year more than 650,000 candidates take ABRSM music exams. In 2012, nearly 137,000 of these were music theory exams. ABRSM publishes sheet music, books, exam papers and syllabuses, and runs training workshops for music teachers worldwide. The ABRSM is not affiliated to My Music Theory in any way.

Exams

The ABRSM offers practical and theory exams in music. This website is all about theory; if you want to find out about the practical exams offered by the ABRSM, visit the ABRSM website. There are eight theory grades. Grade 1 is beginner level, and grade 8 covers topics which you might find in an undergraduate university course. Grade 5 Theory is a requirement for all candidates who want to take Grade 6 or higher in their instrument. (Grade 5 Practical Musicianship or Grade 5 Jazz are considered equivalent exams to Grade 5 Theory.) Grade 5 Theory is also considered to be equivalent to a GCSE in music. A pass at grades 6, 7 and 8 will earn you UCAS points (university entrance points).

Music Theory Exam Dates (UK)

Exam dates and fees vary from country to country, and the ABRSM has regional sites set up for many countries. The next UK date is shown on the right hand side of this page.

Music Theory Exams UK Statistics

NB The ABRSM does not seem to publish stats any more - these are the latest figures I have found. 2012 Grade Pass Merit Distinction Fail Total 1 776 1,817 3,909 255 6,751 2 147 588 1,414 147 4,410 3 1,461 1,607 730 523 4,321 4 621 846 636 166 2,269 5 7,285 7,474 3,772 3,036 21,567 6 388 152 27 235 802 7 100 81 11 21 213 8 139 65 11 97 312 40,645 2006 Grade Pass Merit Distinction Fail Total 1 909 2,116 4,512 255 7,792 2 478 1,269 3,317 73 5,137 3 1,330 1,714 1,523 570 5,137 4 660 974 867 138 2,639 5 8,543 6,777 3,122 3,405 21,847 6 377 159 57 209 802 7 94 46 15 26 181 8 119 59 18 77 273 43,808

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What is the right pedal on a piano called?

Sustain pedal Sustain pedal (right) The sustain pedal removes the dampers from the strings, allowing notes to ring out for longer, even when the keys are not held down anymore. That's why it is also called the “damper” pedal.

flowkey.com - Piano Pedals » What do they do and how to use them | flowkey

Soft pedal aka “una corda pedal” (left)

Most strings in an acoustic piano are grouped in threes, with each group tuned to the same note. When played normally, the hammer strikes all three at the same time giving a full, bright sound. On a grand piano, the una corda pedal shifts the entire mechanism to the right, so the hammer only hits two of the three strings. The resulting note is softer. Also, since the strings are hit by a different part of the hammer, the sound is muted and less bright. On older pianos the hammer would only hit one of the three strings, hence “Una corda” meaning “one string”. On upright pianos, pushing the pedal moves the hammer mechanism closer to the string, making it softer but without altering the tone.

Sostenuto pedal (middle)

This is similar to a sustain pedal. The key difference is that it only holds notes that are already being played at the moment when the pedal is pressed down. Any notes that begin after the pedal is down are not affected, allowing for selective sustain without blurring the sound. Since the sostenuto pedal is a relatively recent addition to the piano, it is rarely required for pieces before the late 20th century. Even so, many pianists use it when playing the work of earlier, more progressive composers like Debussy and Ravel.

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Is piano hard at first?

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