THE MAESTRO ONLINE
Debut Piano Exam
Play rock & pop songs on the piano the way that you want to.
Ofqual Accredited (EQF Level 1 Award) £29.00 GBP
Rockschool equivalent costs £52.00 GBP (£13.00 GBP saving)
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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.
Songs can be transposed during the purchase process to utilise an appropriate key for this grade.
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
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 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
Scale & Key Fun
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)
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.
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)
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.
- The Maestro Online Curriculum Self-Study Courses enable you to play by ear, take you through all keys, use famous melodic snippets, teach you harmony and help you develop piano textures.
- Celebrity Self-Study Masterclasses enable you to truly polish your piano playing by learning with musicians who have performed and toured globally that you simply won’t find local to you.
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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
Ready to Shine?
Time to Take Your
Pop Piano Exam
Relax, breathe and let it all flow!
