For piano, they are begin with the P Plate Piano series for beginners before being graded from Preliminary to Grade 8. For students wishing to continue their music studies, certificate and diploma level certificates are offered including the Certificate of Performance, AMus, LMus, and the FMusA. Following exams, students receive a grade, feedback and a certificate.
The AMEB offers a variety of practical piano courses.
- Full Course which includes scales, list pieces, extra list pieces, aural tests, sight reading and general knowledge.
- Repertoire which requires only list pieces.
- Collaborative Piano which is based on the Full Course syllabus, but invites candidates to substitute list pieces for works from the collaborative repertoire selection.
- Piano for Leisure which features reduced scales, 3 pieces, general knowledge, aural tests OR sight reading.
- CPM Keyboard
For more information visit AMEB.
Teachers And Tuners
- The Music Teachers’ Association of NSW
A database of teachers by instrument and postcode - Music Teachers
A useful site for finding a local music teacher - Piano Tuners Guild
All members are registered and skilled technicians
Piano options are largely limited to:
- Grand piano
- Upright piano
- Digital piano
For many, grand pianos take up too much space leaving the options to either an upright or a digital. Upright pianos are a good stable choice. There are quite a few reliable brands out there such as Kawaii or Yamaha. Upright pianos come in different height sizes. Put simply, the taller the piano, the more string and the better the tone. That said, you can achieve lovely tones on smaller or mid size pianos. Upright pianos also come in two different makes, over-damper and under-damper.
Over-dampers have the damper (a wooden bar with felt that is used to dampen the tone) above the piano hammers. Generally, they do not hold their tuning as well as under dampers and they can be cumbersome to tune. Under-dampers are a more modern system that have the damper under the piano hammers. This makes it easier to tune the piano and the piano generally keeps its tune for longer. In either case, upright pianos generally need to be tuned once a year.
Digital pianos are quite good as they are light, portable and will never need tuning. While they are a popular choice for individuals who like to practice in private (use of headphones) they do rely on having an external power source and can wear out quickly. Furthermore, it’s also a good idea to make sure the keys are weighted so students become accustomed to a heavy touch. Ask your retailer if the digital piano is AMEB approved – this means that it will be able to cope with the demands of the AMEB courses.
Unless you grew up with music, your first forays into the classical world and it’s rigorous demands may be daunting. Let’s start at the very beginning…
SHOULD MY CHILD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
Yes. All music is valuable as it teaches routine, dedication, practice, co-ordination, movement and time. Music fosters concentration and increases their awareness of their surrounds. It can also be a valuable coping mechanism in later years – when stress can seem overwhelming, music allows a creative outlet. Keyboard instruments are the easiest to learn on. as sounds can be created simply through percussive techniques – you hit the key, you make a good sound.
HOW OLD SHOULD MY CHILD BE BEFORE STARTING LESSONS?
The average age of my beginner students is around 7 years old. I have taught students as young as 3 and of course, there is no real age limit for learning. As a checklist, ask yourself if your child can:
- Say the alphabet (musicians only use A to G)
- Count to 20
- Read and write simple sentences
- Follow simple instructions
- Sit still for 20 minutes
- Concentrate for 20 minutes
WHAT DO I NEED TO START LESSONS?
A keyboard or piano with at least 50 keys that is capable of polytones (being able to sound more than one key at a time) and is touch sensitive.
WHAT BOOKS WILL I NEED TO GET?
This varies but I like simplicity. I ask for 3 books:
- Blank notebook
- A primer – usually this is “John Thompson’s Easiest Piano Course, Book 1″.
- A theory book – depending on the age and ability of the student I like to give them a choice. My personal favorites for anyone around 7 yrs old is the “My First Theory Book” range by Lina Ng. There are 3 books to the series, each one retails just under $15.00 but you can get them over the internet for a bit less.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A TEACHER?
It’s always helpful to get teacher recommendations from friends or family who have had success with a teacher, but if you’re new to the area or not sure where to start here are some things you can ask:
- How long have you been teaching?
- Do you take students through exams, if so, which courses and up to what grade?
- Do you also teach theory? This is a very important question – more on that later.
- What are your fees?
- Do you have a child safety certificate?
- Can I be present during lessons?
* The Theory Question
Some teachers will only take students through the practical side of exams.
Currently, for a student to obtain their certificate in 8th grade instrumental, they must also have completed a 4th grade theoretical exam. If they have not, they do not get the certificate.
Theory is also an important part of music education as it is the language of music and can be used for all instruments.
