# Exam nerves



## pianississimo

Firstly, Hi. I joined the forum last week. My name is Andrea and I'm from the UK and I'm 47. I've been learning how to play piano for 3 and a half years.
Last year I took grade 4 and shook like a very shaky thing all the way through. I totally forgot how my third piece started and made such a mess of it I had no hope of passing.
In the end I got 111. I was stunned! My teacher thinks I exaggerated how bad I was - I didn't!

Today is my grade 5 exam. 
I think I'm better prepared this time and the scary third piece I'm putting first to get it out of the way. I know I can play it if I don't lose it and shake like an idiot.
Trouble is that these things are more easily said than done.

Any tips?


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## Taggart

Nerves is normal. It's a sign that you are revved up for the exam.

Basic guidance - take things easy. Get some simple practice in first - don't be in a rush. Get to the exam centre on time. When you get into the exam room and sit at the piano, take a few deep breaths to relax. Play a scale you know really well to test the piano and get used to things.

The examiner is not there to torture you. They know all about nerves. You will not be the first very shaky thing they've seen. They make allowances for nerves. They're looking for musicality, accuracy, good sense of rhythm, appropriate tempo, dynamics. They know you're not a professional. They expect mistakes and nerves.

None of this really helps, but it's just a way of saying relax, do your best.

Good luck for the exam!


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## pianississimo

Haha thanks. I shook again but made it through. Fluffed up here and there but I'm hoping I did enough to pass. The sight reading is always so easy and I can manage the scales. I wish exams could be all sight reading. I'd be fine then. At least I remembered to look at my music this time when I fluffed up! 

I will have to find a way to beat the nerves next time!!


Is it too early for wine?


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## Krummhorn

If you ever find a sure fire method to get rid of the "nerves" please let me know. I've been a professional musician for over 50 years and still get the jitters before a performance. 

I will begin my concerts with something that I know quite well - a piece that I know backwards and forwards and can play from memory ... that puts me more at ease for the rest of the program.

If you begin with a very complex piece, and "fluf" things up, the rest of the program may likely follow suit. With a positive reinforcement of a beginning piece that is very familiar, we might do better as we progress to the the more difficult ones. 

Kh ♫

ps: yes, wine is good, but only after the performance :cheers:


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## MoonlightSonata

pianississimo said:


> Firstly, Hi. I joined the forum last week. My name is Andrea and I'm from the UK and I'm 47. I've been learning how to play piano for 3 and a half years.
> Last year I took grade 4 and shook like a very shaky thing all the way through. I totally forgot how my third piece started and made such a mess of it I had no hope of passing.
> In the end I got 111. I was stunned! My teacher thinks I exaggerated how bad I was - I didn't!
> 
> Today is my grade 5 exam.
> I think I'm better prepared this time and the scary third piece I'm putting first to get it out of the way. I know I can play it if I don't lose it and shake like an idiot.
> Trouble is that these things are more easily said than done.
> 
> Any tips?


111 is still a pass, so really that's the main thing.
What I try to do is just focus on the music and forget that it's an exam. I'm still just as traumatised afterwards (after Grade 5 I was literally pale and trembling) but it gets me the marks. Since you seem to have much the same problem as me, it might help.


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## pianississimo

Thanks. 
I'd be happy with any kind of pass but it's frustrating when you've been playing something perfectly in the exam room moments before the exam and then you sit at the exam piano and suddenly the hands shake and the music is all over the place!

The exam piano had a very bright and brittle sound too which threw me on the "To a wild Rose" This piece has a lot of pianissimo and I couldn't get that right on this piano. Given an hour or so with it I could probably adapt, but I'm used to my Casio digital piano or my teacher's baby grand.
The warm-up piano was a Kawai digital which I'd never tried before. It has fantastic action and a lovely sound. 

I'm going to hope for the best again and start with the grade 6 scales. My results are due the week after next . Fingers crossed!!


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## Ingélou

Good luck! Hope you get results you will really like this time.


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## pianississimo

Didn't pass . I've spoken to my teacher and I'm going for it again in March. Nerves were the only problem really. I want to conquer them so it's best to give it another go with the material I know best. Disappointed but determined to pass!


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## Ingélou

Oh, hard luck! It must be so disappointing when you know how well you can play when nerves don't kick in. I've decided to go in for another violin exam myself (grade 4) & although I did well last time, my bow shook (and shakes) because of nerves and there was literally nothing I could do to stop it. Let me know if you find any ways to calm yourself down, because I could do with them too. 
Very best of luck next time! :tiphat:


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## Taggart

pianississimo said:


> Didn't pass . I've spoken to my teacher and I'm going for it again in March. Nerves were the only problem really. I want to conquer them so it's best to give it another go with the material I know best. Disappointed but determined to pass!


Sympathy! Hope it goes better next time.

Some thoughts based on an earlier post. Bright pianos are a total nuisance. You either have to use the soft pedal - not good -or else accept that what you're going to produce is up a couple of levels i.e. instead of going from pp to ff you're going to have a range from mp to ffff. What matters is not the actual level of sound but the contrasts between soft and loud. That's part of playing a scale or whatever at the start to see how bright the beast is. The examiner will have tried the piano - he needs to before trying the aural tests - so he will know how good or bad it is and make allowances. The point is - don't get thrown - easier said than done.

One thing to do is play in front of friends or if your teacher organises a concert - play in public. It all helps.

Best of luck for next time.


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## pianississimo

Thanks  I'm done sulking now I think!

I've started on the grade 6 stuff but I don't think I could face the grade 6 exam knowing I hadn't passed grade 5. It's not going to get easier and I know there's a steep step up from 5 to 6. The grade 6 pieces are Mozart sonata K545 mv 1, Chopin Mazurka op 33 no 3 and Villa-Lobos, Carangueijo (The crab). All of them are very tricky! 
My teacher has advised me to leave the grade 5 pieces until January when we'll work on my confidence. I've also found out some material concerning performance anxiety (Ingélou, I'll know if it works when I've done the exam and I'll be glad to pass on any tips about what works!!)
The exam centre I use hires the piano for the exams and it was a different one for grade 4. 
Another exam centre I could use is a bit further away but they have their own piano. It's a lovely mellow grand piano which you can hire on non-exam weeks for practice. So I can practice on the exam piano, in the exam room before the big day. I think that'll help a lot.

Good luck with the violin exam Ingélou, I think shaking would have a greater effect on the violin than piano. With the piano you can just muddle through. A lot of professionals confess to shaking hands!


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## GhenghisKhan

In my experience, it was pretty much a matter of muscle memory...

If I messed up once, the second time was usually good to go. 

It`s been a while since the last time I passed piano exams though and I didn't care whether I passed or failed because ... rebellious youth, ye know.


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## Majed Al Shamsi

Really sad to hear that.
You probably won't need any more advice on how to handle yourself next time. If you're repeating the exam, the sense of familiarity should hopefully get you through.
Best of luck, and do let us know how well you fare in March!


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## MoonlightSonata

pianississimo said:


> Didn't pass . I've spoken to my teacher and I'm going for it again in March. Nerves were the only problem really. I want to conquer them so it's best to give it another go with the material I know best. Disappointed but determined to pass!


Oh no! 
I think the first exam is always the hardest. Maybe next time you'll do better because you know the routine


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## pianississimo

Proud and delighted to say that I passed on the second attempt!!!  I got 115 which was more than grade 4! I took the decision to change to a different exam centre which has this lovely piano as it's permanent exam instrument. You can hire time in the exam room before the exams start so you know what it sounds like and feels like. The piano in the other place was a horrible over-bright thing. Last time I got 16/30 for my romantic soft B piece ( to a wild rose- McDowell). This time I got 26! The difference was the piano!
So pleased I can draw a line under that and concentrate on my awesome Chopin for grade 6!!!  going to be smiling for the whole WEEK!


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## pianississimo

you can't really see the logo on that but it's a real live Blüthner. A really lovely piano! I want one!


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## Taggart

Congratulations!


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## Ingélou

Excellent news, pianissimo. This was a test of character as well as of skill, and you've passed with flying colours. Well done! :tiphat:


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## MoonlightSonata

pianississimo said:


> Proud and delighted to say that I passed on the second attempt!!!  I got 115 which was more than grade 4! I took the decision to change to a different exam centre which has this lovely piano as it's permanent exam instrument. You can hire time in the exam room before the exams start so you know what it sounds like and feels like. The piano in the other place was a horrible over-bright thing. Last time I got 16/30 for my romantic soft B piece ( to a wild rose- McDowell). This time I got 26! The difference was the piano!
> So pleased I can draw a line under that and concentrate on my awesome Chopin for grade 6!!!  going to be smiling for the whole WEEK!
> View attachment 66803


*Congratulations!*


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## pianississimo

Thanks. Still amazed really. I knew I'd done better this time but I didn't realise it was that much better.
I still suck at the aural tests though!!


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## Pantheon

I have been reading all these posts and so far I'm impressed with your determination and I wanted to congratulate you! I can imagine changing exam centres was a good call. Unfortunately us pianists can never really take our own instrument with us. 
You did great, well done! Up for grade 6? 
As for nerves, I think it's a question of balance. Being a little nervous is always a good sign because it means you are concentrating and prioritising well. However, too much does rarely any good...
Before when I used to do recitals for various people and friends, I'd get so nervous that my legs would start to shake, and I could never control the pedal properly  
I guess the only advice I can give you is to start off only when you are truly ready. Even if you take 5 minutes in front of the piano to stretch and adjust your seat it's always a good thing to do. I usually need time to warm up my fingers (I have Raynaud's Syndrome) so it's always a bit stressful. 
I have never passed a grade in England, what do you do exactly in aural tests? I'm curious.


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## pianississimo

Thanks for the encouragement and the advice - I am taking grade 6. I aim to keep going until I reach the limits of what I can do. I expected this to be well before grade 6 so I have no idea of how far I can get.
ABRSM start aural tests from grade 1 where you are asked to clap the rhythm of a piece played by the examiner on the piano.
This expands in later grades to singing a short melody after it's played on the piano and sight singing notes from a sheet (from grade 4) They also start playing a short piece and asking you about the character, period and tonality etc after grade 2. I sing like a tomcat with a cold so I don't look forward to those!
I always get the tonality wrong. I can listen to a piece at home and usually get it right but never in an exam - or in mock exams with my teacher!


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## MoonlightSonata

pianississimo said:


> Thanks for the encouragement and the advice - I am taking grade 6. I aim to keep going until I reach the limits of what I can do. I expected this to be well before grade 6 so I have no idea of how far I can get.
> ABRSM start aural tests from grade 1 where you are asked to clap the rhythm of a piece played by the examiner on the piano.
> This expands in later grades to singing a short melody after it's played on the piano and sight singing notes from a sheet (from grade 4) They also start playing a short piece and asking you about the character, period and tonality etc after grade 2. I sing like a tomcat with a cold so I don't look forward to those!
> I always get the tonality wrong. I can listen to a piece at home and usually get it right but never in an exam - or in mock exams with my teacher!


In Grade 6, one of the new tests is sight-singing a melody with piano accompaniment. You don't need to sing nicely, just the right notes, so as long as you do that, you'll be fine.


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## pianississimo

I've seen that. My teacher also teaches singing and is a good singer herself. I struggle to get the right notes. It's not an easy thing to practice on your own, even when you have the piano.
My teacher has suggested singing the note and then checking it immediately afterwards on the piano. From there you move to short melodies and end up hopefully better prepared for the exam. I have to admit I make excuses not to do this. I can practice other things for hours but I don't like the singing because I'm useless at it.


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## Taggart

pianississimo said:


> I've seen that. My teacher also teaches singing and is a good singer herself. I struggle to get the right notes. It's not an easy thing to practice on your own, even when you have the piano.
> My teacher has suggested singing the note and then checking it immediately afterwards on the piano. From there you move to short melodies and end up hopefully better prepared for the exam. I have to admit I make excuses not to do this. I can practice other things for hours but I don't like the singing because I'm useless at it.


Join the club! One thing that was suggested to me was recording one's efforts.


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## Potiphera

Well done pianississimo, you have worked very hard to achieve grade 6. Will you be going for grade 8? 

I am retired and a learner on piano for two years. How many hours practice would you recommend?


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## Taggart

pianississimo said:


> I've seen that. My teacher also teaches singing and is a good singer herself. I struggle to get the right notes. It's not an easy thing to practice on your own, even when you have the piano.
> My teacher has suggested singing the note and then checking it immediately afterwards on the piano. From there you move to short melodies and end up hopefully better prepared for the exam. I have to admit I make excuses not to do this. I can practice other things for hours but I don't like the singing because I'm useless at it.


One other thing that was suggested to me was to use a chromatic tuner where you can sing a note and it displays what note you are singing and how sharp or flat you are.


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## pianississimo

Taggart said:


> One other thing that was suggested to me was to use a chromatic tuner where you can sing a note and it displays what note you are singing and how sharp or flat you are.


you can get phone apps for that kind of thing.
I can hit the note with some practice but I forget it quickly. I know it's just practice, but the thing about practice is that it's hard going when you're rubbish at something - that's when you need the most practice. Then if you persist and get better - practice becomes more fun and so you practice more. I've heard it said that people practice what they're good at and now I understand how that happens!


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## pianississimo

Potiphera said:


> Well done pianississimo, you have worked very hard to achieve grade 6. Will you be going for grade 8?
> 
> I am retired and a learner on piano for two years. How many hours practice would you recommend?


I find I practice best in chunks of up to one hour or so. For me the best times are before I set off to work. (5:10am to 6:50 am - no, not kidding - I have a digital piano and headphones or my neighbours would have murdered me by now)
Then again in the evening after dinner for about an hour when I can.
Sometimes I can't do the evening practice or I'll be feeling lazy in the evening, but the good thing about the morning practice is that it's ingrained in habit for me so I know that I've always had that hour in the morning no matter how much time I get later.

Weekends depend on what else I'm doing, but again I fit it in in chunks. Even 20 minutes can be useful.

The advice I've read which was most useful was to plan ahead with practice. Set daily and weekly goals - be realistic but challenge yourself. Write all this down on a single sheet and keep it on the piano.

I've also made a tickbox list of all the scales and arpeggios etc that I am working with for the grade and make sure I get though all of them most days if I can. Checking each one off each time I play it helps me keep track of what I've done and make sure I'm not missing anything.

If you're not used to practicing so much then it's best to work up to that. Vary the things you practice - a few scales, one or two different types of pieces and some exercises. I've strained my hands before now forcing myself to practice one thing for too long. The pain taught me to take better care when practicing!!

I'm going for grade 6 at the moment. It's tough going but it depends how much I can improve through this grade as to whether I'll do any more.
Taking the grades is stressful at times but it's a very useful marker, and re-taking grade 5 forced me to focus harder on weaknesses in my playing. I improved more in December-February after failing the first time than I did in the same period before the exam.

good luck!


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## Potiphera

Thank you for all the good advice pianississimo, and thank goodness for digital piano's and headphones as that is what I have so not to disturb anyone. But I do play without sometimes. 
I think it seems I should be more disciplined to sit and practice for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening or longer. It is good to have someone's advice. At present I have set a goal and practicing the rhythm of Calypso Joe, which is a nice West Indian dance song from Trinidad. If I can keep that going with no mistakes, I will feel I have achieved something. I am working on grade 1.
The areas need to improve are the arpeggios and scales, though they are coming along better and I am remembering where there is a sharp or a flat. Working on broken chords too. I am enjoying having lessons, but I wish I had started younger.

Regards from me.


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## Kidbuu

nerves are normal, read books about this stuff u can get them off amazon, it's all about practice, practice helps u feel less nervous


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## kaeshion

Hello! New to this forum, but first of all, pianississimo, all the best for your Grade 6 exam!
I'll be taking my Grade 6 exam for cello in a month or so, and I'm already feeling the exam nerves...I'll freak out and panic just by the thought of it, and my instructor seems to have high expectations of me, getting a distinction and all, but to be honest I don't even know if I'll be able to pass  
And the fact that schoolwork is preventing me from practicing as much as I would have preferred isn't helping at all, and I'm really afraid that I won't be able to perform at all on the exam day, any tips? 
Thanks!


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## Krummhorn

Preparing for a musical instrument exam is much different than what we do, for example, a history exam. With the book, we can memorize by rote and usually make the grade. With a musical instrument this is not possible - we gain confidence only by practicing as much as possible. 

The flip side is that with these exams only a month away, if you haven't learned the exam pieces by now and can play them proficiently, it's likely that your exam performance will suffer as well. 

There is always time for practicing ... sometimes we have to give up other things not related to school work. If you truly want to do your best, you will find the time to practice in preparation for this exam. 

When I was a young student, I decided to not go out and play with the rest of the kids on the block - I toiled at the piano for hours upon hours, seven days a week, and I kept up with my other school studies. I'm glad I did all that ... and made time for practicing along the way as it has made me the professional musician that I am today. It was well worth it ... I love what I am doing today, now in my 54th year as a professional classical organist. 

Look for the time - you will find it ... and all the best for a super exam performance


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## pianississimo

I can say that the extra preparation that I had between the first attempt and the second was one of the main factors of my success the second time around.
I failed in November and my teacher advised that I left the three exam pieces alone completely until mid January. That way I came to them fresh and not weighed down by endless repeated mistakes.
I took apart each section and worked on making it sound better than it had before.
This made me feel better about playing them and so the repetition was more useful as I felt better about how it sounded. Previously I'd doggedly repeated them each day remaining dissatisfied with how I'd played it. Unsurprisingly this also happened in the exam.

If you are playing your own instrument then at least you have that familiarity. This was another problem I had. I play my digital piano every day but the exam piano was a new and very bright upright piano. The second time around I practiced for a few hours on the exam piano first. This was a better piano but knowing I knew what it was like to play made a difference.

For me, playing piano is a hobby. It's an important thing to me personally but I'm never going to be able to play professionally so success or failure is really only important to how I feel about what I do. I try to tell myself that it's ok to slip up because it's more experience of the weirdness of exams and with more experience I can do it better next time!!

So if it were me doing this exam I would firstly examine what I'm playing and how I'm playing it. Is one part going wrong more often than the rest? Is one part sounding less good than I want? Those are the things to concentrate on. Take them apart and find where the problems come from, whether it's hand position or phrasing or whatever. Then once it sounds good just practice the Hell out of it until you know it backwards. Do you have the chance to take mock exams? They are useful. Then just go easy on yourself, accept that you will make mistakes and understand that it's not the end of the world if you don't pass this time. You'll play more relaxed and get more out of the exam experience whatever the result.


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