ABRSM Grade 8 Keyboard Percussion
General Info
- Xylophone / Vibraphone / Marimba may be used in exam.
- Candidates must not alter a piece at any grade to suit the range of an instrument (unless indicated in the music).
- Scales and Arpeggios must be played on a single instrument. Sight reading may be played on the same or a different instrument.
- Candidates must choose three pieces from the repertoire list and at least one 4-mallet piece must be played.
- Candidates must provide their own accompanist(s).
Song List
Technical Requirements
Playing scales and arpeggios is important for building strong technical skills such as reliable hand movement and position, co-ordination and fluency. It also helps to develop pitch and interval awareness, and familiarity with keys and their related patterns. This leads to greater confidence and security when sight-reading, learning new pieces and performing- from a score or from memory, as a solo musician or with others.
Memory: All requirements should be played from memory.
Ranges: Candidates are free to start at any octave, provided the required ranges are covered.
Patterns: Arpeggios and Dominant Sevenths are required in root position only.
Instruments: Requirements may be played on Xylophone / Vibraphone / Marimba. Scales played on the vibraphone should be played without pedal.
Scales in Broken Third: C / E / F# / A Major (Two Octave) and C / E / F# / A Harmonic Minor (Two Octave)
Scales in Octaves: C / E / F# / A Melodic Minor (One Octave)
Scare in Sixth: C / E / F# / A Major (One Octave) and C / E / F# / A Harmonic Minor (One Octave)
Chromatic Scales in Broken Minor Third: Starting on C / F#(Two Octave)
Whole-tone Scales: Starting on F# and A (Two Octave)
Broken Chords: C / E / F# / A Major (Two Octave) and C / E / F# / A Minor (Two Octave)
Dominant Sevenths(resolving on tonic): in the keys of C / E / F# / A (Two Octaves)
Diminished Sevenths: Starting on C (Two Octaves)
Sticking: All requirements should be played by hand to hand. Candidates may lead with either hand.
Supporting Publications: Percussion Scales & Arpeggios, ABRSM Grades 6-8
Sight Reading
Sight-reading is a valuable skill with many benefits. Learning to sight-read helps to develop quick recognition of common rhythm patterns and tonality. Strong Sight-reading skills make learning new pieces quicker and easier, and also help when making music with others, so that playing in an ensemble becomes more rewarding and enjoyable. Candidates will be asked to play a short unaccompanied piece of music which they have not seen before. They will be given half a minute to look through and, if they wish, try out all or any part of the test before they are asked to play it for assessment.
Aural Test
Listening lies at the heart of music-making and the ability to hear how music works helps with all aspects of musical development. Aural skills help with gauging the sound and balance of playing, keeping in time and playing with sense of rhythm and pulse. These skills also help to develop a sense of pitch, musical memory and the ability to spot mistakes.
About the Test
1. To sing or play from memory the lower part of a two-part phrase played twice by the examiner.
2. To sing the upper part of a two-part phrase from score, with the lower part played by the examiner.
3. To identify the modulation at the end of two different passage.
4. To describe the characteristic features of a piece played by the examiner.
Supporting Publications
For practice purpose, sample Aural tests are published by Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Examples of the tests are given in Specimen Aural Tests and Aural Training in Practice. Purchasing these books is not a requirement.