A piano exam practice routine you can repeat.
A useful session has a small goal, one honest attempt and a next step you can act on. Use this routine alongside the current requirements for your ABRSM or Trinity exam.
Before you play: choose one goal
Pick a short passage from a score you may use. Scan the key, metre, starting position and any awkward changes. Decide whether today's focus is reading ahead, keeping the pulse or fixing a passage you already know.
During the attempt: keep it measurable
- Set a tempo you can maintain and count in before the first note.
- Play the whole short passage once, even if a note goes wrong.
- With a MIDI keyboard, record the take and compare captured notes with the selected score.
After the attempt: change one thing
Review missed and extra notes separately from timing. Practise the smallest difficult section slowly, then try a fresh full take. If there is too little captured evidence, treat the result as incomplete rather than as a score.
Balance the rest of your preparation
Add listening practice and the other skills your board and teacher require. Clavendo is an independent practice aid, not an official syllabus or exam mark. See the sight-reading method, aural practice guide, or try a short exercise before creating an account.