Please review the summary listing below which show what’s taught at each grade on the piano and the objective criteria’s that will be covered in your staff training and are to be taught to our students. These objectives are additional content to the grading exams and are used to enhance students ability to a great depth of ability.
Please note that here at Multiply Music, we will prepare you for your graded piano exams 1 to 3 and advise students to do their exams on-site with upper management via a video recorded exam. Multiply Music uses Rockschool as it’s exam board for the piano as of January 2025.
Grade 1
Theory
- Recognise notes on a piano
- Learn how to play basic chords (Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G)
- Understand how to make a major chord minor (and vice versa)
- Learn the degrees of a scale (as numbers 1-8) and what an octave is
- Learn note values and rest values (semibreve, dotted minim, minim, crotchet,and quaver)
- Learn about simple 2/4-, 3/4- and 4/4-time signatures
- Learn articulation (staccato and legato)
- Learn basic tempo/performance words in Italian and English (allegro, adagio,a tempo, rit etc – whichever words come up in the grade book – find list online(hellomusictheory.com)
- Understand dynamics and the symbols for dynamic markings (p, mp, mf, f,crescendo, diminuendo)
- Learn what accidentals are
- Know that barlines cancel accidentals
- Learn about tones and semitones
- Be able to recognise key signatures (C, G, D, F major) and (A and D minor)
Scales and Arpeggios
- Learn how to play C major scale hands separately (1 octave)
- Learn how to play G major and F major scales separate hands (1 octave)
- Learn how to play A minor and D minor scales separate hands (natural,harmonic, or melodic) (1 octave) *harmonic is preferred for the first fewgrades
- Learn how to play C major scale contrary motion both hands together (1octave)
- Learn how to play G major and A minor arpeggios separate hands (1 octave)
Sight Reading
- Be able to recognise notes on a stave (treble clef)
- Be able to recognise notes on a stave (bass clef)
- Be able to sightread a melody (in the key of C, G, F or Am) which includescrotchets and quavers using one hand
- Understand what the time signature of the piece means
- Work out and play with correct rhythms
- Include some dynamic variety in the playing where it is marked
- Be able to choose an appropriate speed for the sightreading piece
- Capture the mood and character of the sightreading
Aural
- Be able to clap the pulse of a piece and identify whether it is in two time or three time
- Be able to sing back a melodic phrase played by you / the examiner as an echo
- Be able to identify where a change in pitch occurs in a melody (whether thechange occurs in the first part of second part of the passage)
- Be able to answer questions about two features of a piece played by you (thefirst will be dynamics; the second will be articulation)
- Know that playing music is like telling a story
Grade Exam (Digital)
- Student perform 4 pieces of the exam from the grade book
Grade 2
Theory
- Understand dotted rhythms
- Understand what articulation is (staccato and legato)
- Learn more dynamics and how to play them with greater variation in sound(ppp, pp, ff, fff)
- Understand the difference between a slur and a tie
- Learn and develop phrasing in the student’s chosen pieces
- Understand simple time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) and how to group notes and rests within these times
- Learn about compound 3/8, 6/8-time signatures (duple compound, triple compound and quadruple compound)
- Understand that common time is the same as 4/4, and cut time is the same as2/2
- Be able to work out the time signature of a written down melody
- Be able to write basic triads/chords on a stave when the key-note/ tonic isgiven (with a given time signature)
- Be able to transpose in octaves (octave lower/higher)
- Understand that keys come in pairs (i.e., C major and A minor) (every major key has a relative minor key and vice versa)
- Be able to recognise key signatures (A, E, B major and A and D minor)
- Learn more performance directions such as grave, vivace, cantabile, dolce etc
- Be able to work out the key to a melody (C, G, D, A major)
- Be able to correctly use a sustain pedal
Scales and Arpeggios
- Be able to play F and G major scales hands together (2 octaves)
- Be able to play D and A minor scales hands together (natural, harmonic, ormelodic) (2 octaves)
- Be able to play D and A major scales separate hands (2 octaves)
- Be able to play E and G minor scales separate hands (natural, harmonic, ormelodic) (2 octaves)
- Be able to play C major contrary motion (2 octaves)
- Be able to play a chromatic scale starting on D separate hands (1 octave)
- Be able to play D and A major arpeggios separate hands (2 octaves)
- Be able to play E and G minor arpeggios separate hands (2 octaves)
Sight Reading
- Be able to identify treble and bass clef notes at a quicker pace
- Capture the character of the piece
- Include dynamic variety
- Identify the correct tempo to take the piece
- Play correct rhythms
Aural
- Be able to hear the difference between a major and minor chord
- Be able to hear a difference between a melodic and harmonic scale
- Be able to sing a major scale at pitch
- Be able to sing a minor scale at pitch
- Be able to hear if a piece is in simple (two) or compound (three) time
- Be able to sing back a melodic phrase
- Be able to identify where a change in pitch or rhythm occurs in a melody onthe second hearing
- Be able to answer questions about two features of a piece played by you (the first will be dynamics, articulation; the second will be tempo)
Grade Exam (Digital)
- Student perform 4 pieces of the exam from the grade book
Grade 3
Theory
- Understand compound time (3/8, 6/8, 9/8) and how to group notes and rests within these times
- Be able to transpose in octaves (from treble to bass clef)
- Be able to work out the time signature of a written down melody (in common, cut and compound time)
- Be able to work out notes on ledger lines (more than two) (both ways)
- Be able to write basic triads/chords on a stave (with no given time signature, using accidentals)
- Be able to rewrite a melody with notes twice the value
- Know the order of sharps and flats in a key signature (sharps: FatherChristmas Gave Dad an Electric Blanket – flats: Blanket Explodes And DadGets Cold Feet
- Be able to recognise key signatures with up to four accidentals (major or minor)
Scales and Arpeggios
- Be able to play D and A major scales hands together (2 octaves)
- Be able to play E and G minor scales hands together (natural, melodic, orharmonic) (2 octaves)
- Be able to play Bb and Eb major scales separate hands (2 octaves)
- Be able to play B and C minor scales separate hands (natural, melodic, orharmonic) (2 octaves)
- Be able to play E major scale contrary motion (2 octaves)
- Be able to play a chromatic scale contrary motion scale starting on D (1 octave)
- Be able to play D and A major arpeggios hands together (2 octaves)
- Be able to play E and G minor arpeggios hands together (2 octaves)
- Be able to play Bb and Eb major arpeggios separate hands (2 octaves)
- Be able to play B and C minor arpeggios separate hands (2 octaves)
Sight Reading
- Be able to identify treble and bass clef notes at a quicker pace
- Capture the character of the piece
- Include dynamic variety
- Identify the correct tempo to take the piece
- Play correct rhythms
Aural
- Be able to clap back a melodic phrase and identify whether it is in two-time, three time or four time
- Be able to sing back a melodic phrase (2 bars long) (major or minor key)
- Be able to identify where a change in pitch or rhythm occurs in a melody on the second hearing (4 bars long) (major or minor key)
- Be able to answer questions about two features of a piece played by you (the first will be dynamics, articulation, tempo; the second will be tonality)
Grade Exam (Digital)
- Student perform 4 pieces of the exam from the grade book
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