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Debut Piano Exam

Play rock & pop songs on the piano the way that you want to.

Pre-Level 1 Award £29.00 GBP

Grade Debut Popular Piano Exam

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Debut Popular Piano Songs

For this exam you need to play three pieces

  • One Traditional Rock & Pop from the syllabus list (one verse and chorus),
  • One from after 2000 from the syllabus list (one verse and chorus),
  • One of your choice.
 
Video Game and Movie themes are also included.
Songs can be transposed during the purchase process to utilise an appropriate key for this grade.
Candidates are welcome to improvise their own introductions and endings.  They may also embellish the piece as they choose.
Piano Syllabus

Own Choice

Own choice pieces should be of a similar level of difficulty. The Grade Parameters can be found below. It's not expected that your piece will meet every aspect within the table, but it serves as a general guide as to the standard required.

Trad Rock & Pop Playlist

2000 Onwards Playlist

How to Choose your Own Choice Piece

Debut Popular Piano Exam Parameters

How Your Pieces are Marked

Learn Piano, Refine & shine

Excel with Our
Celebrity Debut Level
Piano Practice Toolkit

We want all pianists who love popular music to progress and achieve and be recognised by offering access to high quality and affordable music exams with international level supporting materials on our innovative online platform.

In order to really succeed in piano exams, we need to practice.  Practising can seem boring, but NOT HERE!  Here you will find a range of resources that will help you become the pop musician that you’ve always wanted to be.  

Rhythm Tracks for your Groove
Rhythm Tracks to Find Your Groove

Rhythm Backing Tracks 

Support your fluency, improvise in time in 3/4 and 4/4 with tracks created by our Masterclass Tutors Marcus Brown (Madonna and more) and Nicky Brown (legendary producer & BBC).

Tracks:

  • 4/4 Rock
  • 3/4 Time
  • New York Loop
  • Slow Funky Loop
  • Slow Drive Loop
  • Pop Loop
  • Detroit Loop
  • Ballad Loop
 
Bonus: Establishing 4 beats per bar Masterclass Lesson by Nicky Brown.
Piano Scales Step by Step
Learn Your Keys & Scales Step by Step

Scale & Key Fun

Scales are not a requirement in the exam, but they are great for understanding keys and improvisation.  We do them in a really fun way!
 

At Debut level C, F and G Majors were your priority.  

These tracks have been created exclusively by Andrew Sparham, our Guitar Tutor.

The Maestro Online “We Will Rock You” scale method.

Interactive step-by-step tracks in C, F, and G Majors helping you start with just one note per key, then 2 notes, “add it and nail it” without feeling overwhelmed.

Bonus Masterclass – Add it and Nail It method by Mick Donnelly (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Robbie Williams & more)

Multi-style backing tracks in C, F, and G Majors (plus Mixolydian) in different styles to support your concept of key and improvisation.  There are also tracks with the bass removed so that you can develop your LH and RH separately:

  • Pop (Pentatonic/Major)
  • Soft Rock (Mixolydian)
 
Pentatonic and Major are very common in pop songs.
Mixolydian is really common in rock guitar solos.
Free Piano Courses
Song Style Backing Tracks

Song Style Backing Tracks 

These are inspired by songs from the Debut syllabus to help develop your improvisation. 

  • Tetris
  • Minecraft Calm” 
  • Oh When the Saints” support lessons.
 
These tracks have been created exclusively by Andrew Sparham, our Guitar Tutor.
Improv tips for the Pop Art improv
Pro Tips: Pop Art of Improv on the Piano

Exclusive Pro Tips

EXCLUSIVE Improvisation lessons, tips, tracks, teaching techniques from World-Class Masterclass Tutors, including pianists who played on some of the original pop songs, interesting anecdotes, professional piano player insights, and session musician perspectives.  For Debut Level, tracks by international level pianists include:

  • Move to the Groove
  • 1 Note Improv
  • What Goes Up Must Go Down
  • Oh When the Saints” support lesson helping you hear the LH while playing the tune in the RH.
  • Oh When the Saints EXCLUSIVE improv (Bazil Meade MBE)

£29.99 GBP one-off payment

All Debut Toolkit Areas

£29.99 pcm including 

All Courses & Masterclasses

Self-Study piano curriculum

Pop Piano Courses & Celebrity Masterclasses

There’s a wide range of supporting resources on The Maestro Online platform to help you learn and polish your performances.

PIano grades Pop Songs

What to Expect

Debut Popular Piano Exam

The journey of mastering popular piano begins with the debut level—a gateway to the enchanting world of pop music. Understanding the fundamentals and building a strong foundation is pivotal, and debut-level piano grades serve as the initial stepping stone for aspiring pianists.

 

All Piano Students

Techniques like hand positioning and developing a sense of tempo are core to beginner piano lessons. Moreover, beginners are encouraged to explore their creativity by introducing improvisation or basic embellishments, nurturing their artistic expression from the outset.

The debut level marks the beginning of a fulfilling musical journey. It nurtures a lifelong appreciation for music and encourages regular practice. Students will cultivate a deeper understanding of musicality, setting the stage for further exploration and advancement in their piano development.

Piano Students who Read Notation

At this initial stage, students delve into the basics of music theory, exploring notation, rhythm, and fundamental techniques. The debut level curriculum focuses on nurturing key skills, such as hand coordination, finger dexterity, and posture, fostering a solid groundwork for future musical endeavours.

There are links to all pieces on the syllabus and you can buy the scores digitally (no need to print – save the planet!).

Piano Students who Play by Ear

There are many students who will find that notation is not for them. They may find it too difficult, be dyslexic or neurodivergent. That’s totally okay! The links to scores of pieces on the syllabus give you a good idea of the standard and technique required.

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Pop Piano Exam

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