Parents and students alike often want to know how long it will take to do grade 1 on piano. Naturally it varies depending on the individual, but I’ll discuss some of the factors that impact how long it takes, so that you can make a prediction for yourself or your child if you wish.
Children learning piano will often be able to take grade 1 around two years after beginning lessons. Adult beginners can generally expect a quicker rate of progress, and often get to grade 1 within six months or less.
However, this will differ from student to student based on a number of factors including:
Age
Generally speaking, the younger a child begins piano lessons, the longer it will take them to get to grade 1 level.
Children usually understand the music theory concepts quicker the older they are. Older children tend to be able to concentrate for longer periods of time, both in the piano lessons and in their practice at home.
In addition, very young kids may be limited in what they can play by their hand size initially. Modern-day pianos and keyboards are (sadly) designed for large adult hands, and young children may not yet have the hand span to comfortably play the grade 1 materials.
If they are very keen, it is possible to get hold of pianos and keyboards with keys that are smaller than the normal size.
These reasons help to explain why adult learners typically progress with piano a lot faster than children do. Adults can usually quickly grasp the theory side of playing, and are used to using their fingers independently already from typing at computers etc. Concentrating for long periods of time is not usually an issue, and adults are more in control of how they spend their time than children.
Amount and Frequency of Practice
Tying in to a student’s ability to concentrate is the volume of piano practice that a student does, which plays a big role in determining how long an individual will take to get to grade 1 standard.
It makes sense that the more a student practises, the faster they will progress, up to a point.
But what I would argue is even more important than the total time spent practising is the number of practice sessions per week.
I would much rather a student practised for five minutes every day than for two hours once a week. Especially at this early stage, keeping everything that they are learning fresh in their memory is so important for good progress, not to mention that a good night’s sleep after every practice session will consolidate everything that they have learnt.
Whether Piano is your First Instrument
Whether or not piano is a student’s first introduction to the world of music may impact their speed of learning.
Piano is a more challenging instrument to learn than a lot of single-line instruments, and it usually takes people longer to get to grade 1 piano than it would on, say, the clarinet.
With this in mind, a student who is already learning, or previously learnt, a different instrument is likely to get a head start when they begin learning the piano, as they will already be aware of a lot of the music theory side of things.
The Regularity of the Lessons
If a student is learning from a teacher, rather than teaching themselves, then having regular lessons will be an advantage, especially in the early stages of learning.
Not only will the regular guidance of a teacher help to steer the progress, but many people find upcoming piano lessons to be a source of motivation for their practice, like a small goal to work towards each week.
It follows that if you are relying on a piano teacher for your progress, only having lessons sporadically may well slow you down.
Prep Test/Initial Grade
Some students opt to work towards a piano prep test and/or initial grade that the exam boards offer before tackling grade 1.
These assessments offer an introduction to the formal structured learning that is the music grades system, and provide an opportunity to practice playing in front of people, perhaps for the first time. They can also help to guide your learning in the early stages and give you a goal to work towards.
It is also true that focusing on working towards these assessments can extend the amount of time that it takes a student to get to grade 1, if that is their goal.
It is very common to skip both the prep test and the initial grade, and have grade 1 be your first formal assessment.
For more information on which piano exams to take, check out my other article here: Can You Skip Piano Grades? Things to Consider
That being said, there is not usually much of an advantage to rushing to grade 1 standard. It is more valuable to get a good foundation in your learning, even if it takes longer.
It’s also not usually a good idea to rush into taking the grade 1 exam – exams can be stressful for anybody, but particularly young children. Plus you can actually fail the exam if you are underprepared, which would be very discouraging to anyone learning!
Natural Ability
Even if all of the above factors were controlled for, two different people would still progress at different rates.
I find that it’s best not to compare yourself (or your child) to anyone else. The only comparison that matters is your current piano skill level compared to your past level. As long as you are enjoying playing then how quickly you progress doesn’t really matter.
Do You Need a Piano Teacher to Do Grade 1 Piano?
You don’t technically need a piano teacher to do grade 1 piano, or any grade for that matter. Individuals are able to enter themselves for piano exams without a teacher.
However, most people find that having a piano teacher is really helpful, because you have access to a personalised, tailored approach to your learning with individual feedback that you can’t get elsewhere.