Today’s video covers the RCM’s grade 5 piano technique requirements (updated for the 2015 syllabus). This includes scales, triads and arpeggios. 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.

Coming soon will be an ABRSM equivalent of this video – stay tuned for that.

Scales are hands together again this year. The tonic triads (solid and broken) are also hands together. Arpeggios are hands separate, and we have a brand new type of chord to play – the dominant 7th (which we’ll do an entire video on).

For more information on any of these various techniques, be sure to visit the specific videos (harmonic minor, melodic minor, formula patterns, and so on).

You also might want to check out previous grades of technique if you’re not quite at a grade 5 level yet.

GRADE 5 PIANO TECHNIQUE: MAJOR SCALES

A major scale, hands together, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

E major scale, hands together, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

F major scale, hands together, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

Ab major scale, hands together, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

HARMONIC MINOR SCALES HARMONIC MINOR SCALES

A harmonic minor scale, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

E harmonic minor scale, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

F harmonic minor scale, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

MELODIC MINOR SCALES MELODIC MINOR SCALES

A melodic minor scale, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

E melodic minor scale, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

F melodic minor scale, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

OTHER SCALES

A major formula pattern, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

A harmonic minor formula pattern, HT, 2 octaves, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

Chromatic scale starting on A, F, HT, 1 octave, tempo 104 BPM, played in 8th notes

TONIC TRIADS, MAJOR

A tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

E tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

F Tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

Ab Tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

 

A tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

E tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

F tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

Ab tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

TONIC TRIADS, MINOR

A minor tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

E minor tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

F minor tonic triad broken, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in 8th note triplets, finished with an I-V-I cadence

 

A minor tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

E minor tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

F minor tonic triad solid, hands together 2 octaves, 66 BPM, played in quarter notes, finished with an I-V-I cadence

Dominant 7th chords

Dominant 7th of A, broken, hands separate, 1 octave, 72 BPM, played in eighth notes

Dominant 7th of E, broken, hands separate, 1 octave, 72 BPM, played in eighth notes

Dominant 7th of F, broken, hands separate, 1 octave, 72 BPM, played in eighth notes

Dominant 7th of Ab, broken, hands separate, 1 octave, 72 BPM, played in eighth notes

 

Dominant 7th of A, solid, hands separate, 1 octave, 60 BPM, played in quarter notes

Dominant 7th of E, solid, hands separate, 1 octave, 60 BPM, played in quarter notes

Dominant 7th of F, solid, hands separate, 1 octave, 60 BPM, played in quarter notes

Dominant 7th of Ab, solid, hands separate, 1 octave, 60 BPM, played in quarter notes

ARPEGGIOS, MAJOR

A major arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

E major arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

F major arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

Ab major arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

ARPEGGIOS, MINOR

A minor arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

E minor arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

F minor arpeggio, hands separate, 2 octaves, 80 BPM, played in eighth notes

CONCLUSION

And that’s all there is to it! Once you’ve learned these various technical requirements for grade 5, 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

 

 

 

Posted in grade 5, Piano Technique, RCM/ABRSM Exams