Piano Levels Explained: A Guide for Teachers and Students

Have you ever struggled to choose the right piece for a student at a particular level? Or wondered what terms like “five-finger,” “big note,” and “easy piano” really mean?

You are not alone! It can be tough to navigate the terminology used by various publishing companies to level piano music. In today’s post, I will be discussing leveling terms you will encounter frequently in piano music, what concepts can be expected at each level, and how these terms relate to the most commonly used piano method books and grading systems used around the world.
 
Keep reading to learn more…

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Note: This is a general guideline of the concepts you will find introduced at each level. You will certainly encounter exceptions to this list; however, this list will give you a rough overview of what to expect for each level.

​The "method book match" levels shown below correspond to Faber’s Piano Adventures series, which is one of the most commonly used method book series in the United States. See the chart at the bottom of this post to find how these levels relate to other method book series used in the U.S. and to grading systems used in other countries, including RCM, Trinity, and ABRSM.

Early Elementary (or Early Beginner)

• Method book match: Primer. 
• Notes used on the staff: Bass C to Treble G. Some books may also have letter names inside the note heads--these books may be labeled "pre-reading" or "beginner notes."
• Rhythms used: quarter, half, whole notes and rests.
• Hand movement: typically no position shifts.
• Key signatures: no key signatures and accidentals used rarely.

Elementary (or Beginner)

• Method book match: Levels 1 and 2A, may also be called “five-finger piano.”
• Notes used on the staff: all notes within the staff may be used. Typically no ledger lines are used except for the middle C line.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the early elementary level, very simple eighth note patterns may be introduced.
• Hand movement: simple position shifts (typically up or down one key) may be used in one hand at a time.
• Key signatures: accidentals are common, usually no key signatures (although keys of F or G major may be used in some books).

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Late Elementary (or Late Beginner)

• Method book match: Levels 2B and 3A, may also be called “big note piano.”
• Notes used on the staff: all notes within the staff and notes of up to 2 ledger lines may be used.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the elementary level, dotted quarter notes and simple syncopated rhythms may be used. Simple pieces in 6/8 time may also be encountered.
• Hand movement: larger position shifts may be used in one hand at a time. Stretches up to a sixth may be used.
• Key signatures: key signatures with 1-2 sharps or flats may be used. Easy minor keys may also be introduced.

Early Intermediate

• Method book match: Levels 3B and 4, may also be called “easy piano.”
• Notes used on the staff: all notes within the staff and notes of up to 3 ledger lines may be used. Ornaments such as grace notes, short trills, and glissandos may be introduced.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the late elementary level, triplets, 6/8 time, and swing rhythm are all common. Simple sixteenth note patterns may be introduced.
• Hand movement: position shifts may be used in both hands at the same time, as well as larger hand stretches up to an octave.
• Key signatures: major and minor keys up to 3 sharps and 3 flats may be used.

Intermediate

• Method book match: Levels 4 and 5.
• Notes used on the staff: all notes on the staff and more extended ledger lines may be used. More complicated ornamentation, such as mordants and tremolo, may be introduced.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the early intermediate level, more sixteenth note patterns and more complicated syncopated rhythms may be used. More complex compound meters (for example 12/8 time) may be introduced.
• Hand movement: both hands may move freely around the piano; arpeggiated patterns and intervals up to a tenth may be encountered.
• Key signatures: major and minor keys up to 4 sharps and 4 flats may be used.

Late Intermediate

• Method book match: Faber's Developing Artist Piano Literature, Volume 4.

• Notes used on the staff: all notes on the staff and more extended ledger lines may be used. Even more complicated ornamentation, such as turns and extended trills, may be used.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the intermediate level, even more complicated syncopated rhythms and simple polyrhythms may be used. 
• Hand movement: large leaps, simple counterpoint, 4 note chords, and scale and arpeggio patterns of 2 octaves may be used.
• Key signatures: all major and minor keys may be used.

Early Advanced

• Method book match: pianists at this level have completed all of the levels of a method series and are playing pre-college level pieces from the standard classical literature (for example: Bach Inventions and Sinfonias, the easier Beethoven Sonatas, and easier Chopin Nocturnes).
• Notes used on the staff: all notes on the staff and more extended ledger lines may be used. Melodies may be more highly ornamented and more intricate than those found at the intermediate levels.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the late intermediate level, more complex polyrhythms, unusual meters, and 32nd notes may be used. 
• Hand movement: faster leaps, 2 and 3 part counterpoint, and passages extending over multiple octaves on the keyboard may be used.
• Key signatures: all major and minor keys may be used, as well as the modes. Keyless or atonal pieces may be introduced.

Advanced

• Method book match: pianists at this level have completed all of the levels of a method series and are playing college level to professional level pieces from the standard classical literature (for example: Bach Preludes and Fugues, more difficult Beethoven Sonatas, and Chopin Etudes).
• Notes used on the staff: all notes on the staff and more extended ledger lines may be used. Melodies may be extremely complex, containing multiple types of ornamentation and passages that require a high level of dexterity to perform.
• Rhythms used: in addition to rhythms used at the early advanced level, even more complex polyrhythms and complex or unusual meters may be used.
• Hand movement: 3 and 4 part counterpoint, passages extending the entire range of the keyboard, and passages requiring greater speed and technical facility may be used.
• Key signatures: all major and minor keys may be used; modal music, atonal music, and extended piano techniques may all be encountered.

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The chart below will give you an approximate idea of how each of these levels correspond with grading systems used in other countries.

What do you think? Have you encountered these leveling terms and grading systems before? What tips do you have for helping pianists choose pieces at the correct level? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!