ABRSM Grade 3 Piano Technique Requirements

Today’s video covers the ABRSM grade 3 piano technique requirements. This includes scales and triads, solid and broken. I’ll be playing with the metronome in this video at the MINIMUM required speeds (feel free to go a little faster), and will label each technique on the screen as I play them.

I’ve also done the RCM equivalent of this video, which you can check out here.

For more information on these technical exercises, check out the ABRSM grade 3 syllabus.

A quick note is that you don’t need to learn both the harmonic and melodic minor scales – you can choose one.

ABRSM Grade 3 piano technique: Major Scales

A major scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
E major scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
B major scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
Bb major scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
Eb major scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes

Harmonic Minor Scales –OR-

B harmonic minor scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
G harmonic minor scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
C harmonic minor scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes

Melodic Minor Scales

B melodic minor scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
G melodic minor scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes
C melodic minor scale, hands together AND separate, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8th notes

Other Scales

A major contrary motion scale, hands beginning on the key-note (unison), 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8^th notes

A harmonic minor contrary motion scale, hands beginning on the key-note (unison), 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8^th notes

Chromatic scale beginning on Ab, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8^th notes

Chromatic scale beginning on C, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 80 BPM, played in 8^th notes

ABRSM Grade 3: Arpeggios, hands together

A major arpeggio, hands together, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes
G minor arpeggio, hands together, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes

Arpeggios, major

E major arpeggio, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes
B major arpeggio, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes
Bb major arpeggio, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes
Eb major arpeggio, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes

Arpeggios, minor

B minor arpeggio, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes
C minor arpeggio, hands separately, 2 octaves, tempo 69 BPM, played in 8^th notes

Conclusion

And that’s all there is to it! Once you’ve learned these various technical requirements for ABRSM grade 3, I recommend playing along with the video to make sure your tempo and notes are correct. Sometimes when I work on my technique I use the metronome, and sometimes I don’t – there’s no need to rely on it too heavily.

Enjoy! 🙂

xo,
Allysia

Grade 3 ABRSM books