|
SMP Level |
Positions and Scales |
Chords and Rhythms |
Examples |
Other |
Primer
(Early Elementary) |
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Very beginning music
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Five-finger patterns
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Almost no hand position movement
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No chords
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Quarter, half, and whole notes
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May be labeled as "5-Finger"
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Very easy note reading with some letter names written in the notes
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Level 1
(Elementary) |
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Five-finger patterns with a little hand movement
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Simple hands-together playing
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Some 3-note chords
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1 chord per measure
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Quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes, some eighth notes
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Level 2
(Late Elementary) |
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Limited hand movement
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Some hand position changes and finger extensions
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3-note chords
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More than 1 chord per measure
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Quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes, and eighth notes
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May be labeled as "Big Note"
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Level 3
(Early Intermediate) |
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Independent movement of the left hand
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Hands in parallel and contrary motion
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Multiple chords in a measure
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More variety of chords
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Eighth to whole notes, triplets, dotted rhythms
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Staff size smaller than previous levels
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Reading notes in most major and minor keys
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Level 4
(Intermediate) |
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Scales moving up and down the keyboard at a faster tempo
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Arpeggios covering 2 octaves
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Many chords, some 4-note
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More complex rhythms
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Sixteenth notes
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May be labeled "Easy Piano"
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Level 5
(Intermediate) |
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Scale passages over several measures
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Melodies may be in both hands
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More variety of chords including seventh chords
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More complex rhythms, including sixteenth notes and dotted rhythms
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More difficult note reading, with ledger lines above and below the staff
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Level 6
(Late Intermediate) |
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Longer scale passages, some in octaves
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Melodic lines in both hands
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Full four note chords in both hands, requiring large hand stretches, large leaps
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Irregular rhythmic groups between the hands
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More complicated patterns
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More difficult note reading, with full chords sometimes on opposite ends of the keyboard
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Level 7
(Late Intermediate) |
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Scales in octaves in both hands
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Melody and accompaniment in same hand
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Full four- to five-note chords in both hands
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Large leaps and broken octaves
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Polyrhythms and complex rhythmic patterns
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Moving melodic lines in both hands requiring greater technical facility
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Level 8
(Early Advanced) |
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Scales in 3rds, 10ths and octaves, whole tone scales and modes
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Intricate melodic lines
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Four- and five-note chords spanning more than an octave, rolled chords in 10ths
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Intricate rhythms
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Difficult music for smaller hands with more melody and accompaniment lines in same hand
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Level 9
(Advanced) |
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Extensive scale passages incorporated into pieces with active accompaniment patterns
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All types of major, minor, diminished and augmented chords spanning more than an octave
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Intricate rhythms
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Complex meter
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Difficult music requiring greater velocity and overall technical facility
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Level 10
(Advanced) |
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Intricate melodic lines often requiring extremely fast tempos
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Complex broken-chord patterns, full chords, and large hand extensions
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More complicated polyrhythms
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Complex meter
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Complicated melodic figures
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Very advanced level, very difficult note reading, frequent time signatures changes, virtuosic level technical facility needed
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