Intermediate Readiness Checklist

The Definitive “Am I Ready?” Assessment

About This Checklist

This checklist determines whether you are ready to move on to intermediate-level piano study. The criteria are aligned with ABRSM Grade 1 benchmarks — the internationally recognized standard for beginner-to-intermediate transition. Completing 80% or more of these items means you have a solid foundation for intermediate study.

Be ruthlessly honest. Check a box ONLY if you can do it reliably — not just on a good day, but most of the time. This checklist is for your benefit. Overrating yourself leads to frustration later; underrating yourself holds you back unnecessarily.

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How to Use This Checklist

1. Go through each item one by one.
2. Actually test yourself on the keyboard — do not check boxes from memory.
3. Mark each item: Yes (can do it reliably) or No (cannot do it yet or inconsistent).
4. Count your “Yes” answers at the end.
5. If you scored 80%+ “Yes”: you are ready for intermediate study.
6. For each “No” item: follow the specific remediation advice provided.

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Technical Skills

Scales

• YES / NO — I can play the C major scale, hands together, at 60-80 BPM quarter notes, with correct fingering (RH: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5; LH: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1), one octave ascending and descending

  • If No: Practice Session 7 scale exercises hands separately first, then try hands together at 40 BPM. Play 5 times daily. Increase by 5 BPM when error-free.

• YES / NO — I can play the G major scale, hands together, at 60-80 BPM, with correct fingering and F# on every F

  • If No: Review Session 10. Mark F# with a sticky note. Practice hands separately first, then hands together at 40 BPM. Focus on the crossover point in isolation 20 times daily.

• YES / NO — I can play the F major scale, hands together, at a comfortable tempo, with correct fingering and Bb on every B

  • If No: Review Session 15. The RH thumb goes under finger 4 (not finger 3) because of the Bb black key. Practice hands separately first, then try hands together slowly.

• YES / NO — I can play the A natural minor scale, hands together, at a comfortable tempo, with correct fingering

  • If No: Review Session 11. The thumb-under in RH happens between C(3) and D(1). Practice hands separately at 60 BPM first, then hands together at 40 BPM.

• YES / NO — I can play the D minor scale, each hand separately confidently at 50+ BPM, and hands together slowly (with Bb)

  • If No: Review Session 19. Practice the scale 5 times per hand daily at 40 BPM. Focus on the Bb black key. Once confident hands separately, try hands together at a very slow tempo.

• YES / NO — I can play the E minor scale, each hand separately confidently at 50+ BPM, and hands together slowly (with F#)

  • If No: Review Session 19. Practice 5 times per hand daily at 40 BPM. Focus on the F# black key. Once confident hands separately, try hands together at a very slow tempo.

Chords

• YES / NO — I can play C, F, G, Am, Dm, and Em triads in root position with both hands

  • If No: Review Sessions 7 (C), 8 (G), 9 (F), 11 (Am), 12 (Dm, Em). Practice each chord 5 times with each hand daily.

• YES / NO — I can play C major and Am triads in 1st inversion (C: E-G-C; Am: C-E-A)

  • If No: Review Session 12, Inversions section. Practice: C root (C-E-G) then C 1st inv (E-G-C) then Am root (A-C-E) then Am 1st inv (C-E-A). 5 repetitions daily.

• YES / NO — I can switch between C, F, and G chords with my LH at 60 BPM with no gaps of silence

  • If No: Practice ONLY the transitions. C to F: 20 times. F to G: 20 times. G to C: 20 times. Then the full sequence 10 times. All at 50 BPM, increase when smooth.

Posture and Technique

• YES / NO — I demonstrate proper posture: seated on front of bench, feet flat, back straight, forearms parallel to keys

  • If No: Review Session 1, Warm-Up section. Set a timer — check your posture every 5 minutes during practice. Bad habits creep in when you are not watching.

• YES / NO — I maintain curved fingers (not flat), fingertips on keys, relaxed wrist (level with forearm)

  • If No: Review Hand Position And Shape. Practice the “orange in the hand” visualization before each session.

• YES / NO — I can use the sustain pedal for basic chord playing with legato pedaling (play new chord, then change pedal)

  • If No: Review Session 14. Practice the C-F-G-C progression with pedal only (no melody). 10 repetitions daily. Listen for muddiness — if you hear it, you are not lifting the pedal at the right moment.

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Music Theory

• YES / NO — I can read notes in treble clef without hesitation (lines: E-G-B-D-F; spaces: F-A-C-E)

  • If No: Review Session 3 and Reading Treble Clef. Quiz yourself on 10 random notes daily using a flashcard app or paper.

• YES / NO — I can read notes in bass clef without hesitation (lines: G-B-D-F-A; spaces: A-C-E-G)

  • If No: Review Session 4 and Reading Bass Clef. Same daily quiz routine as treble clef.

• YES / NO — I can identify the key signature of G major (1 sharp: F#) and F major (1 flat: Bb)

  • If No: Review Session 10 (G major) and Session 15 (F major). Write on a card: “G major = F#, F major = Bb” and keep it by your keyboard.

• YES / NO — I understand intervals from 2nds through octaves (can count letter names and identify the interval number)

  • If No: Review Session 17, Theory section, and Intervals. Practice identifying intervals from C: C-D = 2nd, C-E = 3rd, C-F = 4th, C-G = 5th. Extend to 6th (C-A), 7th (C-B), and octave (C-C).

• YES / NO — I can build a major triad from any white key root (C, D, E, F, G, A, B) by finding the 1st, 3rd, and 5th

  • If No: Review Chords Major Minor. Practice building triads: start on C (C-E-G), then D (D-F#-A), then E (E-G#-B), etc. Some require black keys.

• YES / NO — I can build a minor triad from any white key root by lowering the 3rd of the corresponding major triad

  • If No: Same handout as above. Take each major triad and lower the middle note by one half step: C major (C-E-G) becomes C minor (C-Eb-G). Practice all seven.

• YES / NO — I can explain and play the I-IV-V-I progression in C (C-F-G-C) and G (G-C-D-G)

  • If No: Review Session 9 (I-IV-V in C). For G: I = G, IV = C, V = D. Practice both progressions with LH block chords, 5 times each daily.

• YES / NO — I can explain and play the I-V-vi-IV progression in C (C-G-Am-F) and G (G-D-Em-C)

  • If No: Review Session 13. Practice both progressions with LH block chords, 5 times each daily.

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Ear Training

• YES / NO — I can distinguish major chords from minor chords by ear (8 out of 10 correct when tested randomly)

  • If No: Daily exercise from Session 11 — play C major then Am, back and forth, saying “major” and “minor.” Then close eyes and play one randomly. 10 identifications daily for 2 weeks.

• YES / NO — I can recognize intervals up to a 5th by ear (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th) using song associations

  • If No: Review Session 17. Use associations: 2nd = scale step, 3rd = “Oh When the Saints,” 4th = “Here Comes the Bride,” 5th = “Twinkle Twinkle.” Practice 10 random interval identifications daily.

• YES / NO — I can play back a simple 4-5 note melody by ear after hearing it once

  • If No: Start with 3 notes. Play C-D-E, close eyes, play it back. When 3 notes are easy, add a 4th note. When 4 are easy, add a 5th. Do 5 melodies daily. This skill takes weeks to develop — be patient.

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Musical Skills

• YES / NO — I can play 3 or more complete songs with both hands from memory or sheet music

  • If No: Choose 3 songs from your course repertoire (Sessions 6-18). Practice each one daily until you can play it start-to-finish without stopping. Use the 5-step polishing process from Session 18.

• YES / NO — I can maintain steady tempo with the metronome at various speeds (60-80 BPM for different pieces)

  • If No: Play any piece with the metronome at a SLOW tempo (50 BPM). Focus on every note landing on or between beats. When steady for a full piece, increase by 5 BPM. Never increase if you drift off beat.

• YES / NO — I can sight-read very simple single-hand melodies in C position and G position

  • If No: Review Session 17’s sight-reading pieces. Create your own: write 4 measures of random notes in C position, then try to play them. Do this daily. Even 1 minute of sight-reading practice builds the skill.

• YES / NO — I can play with intentional dynamic variation: soft (p), medium (mf), loud (f), crescendo, and diminuendo

  • If No: Review Session 16. Play any scale from pp to ff ascending, then ff to pp descending. Exaggerate the difference. Then apply dynamics to a piece: verse at mp, chorus at mf.

• YES / NO — I can use CT-X9000IN features: tone selection, metronome, MIDI recorder, and rhythm accompaniment

  • If No: Review Your Keyboard Guide and the CT-X9000IN Tips in Sessions 1, 5, 6, 8, and 14. Practice each feature once: change a tone, set the metronome, record and play back, start a rhythm.

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Scoring

Count your “YES” answers:

Total “Yes”	Out of 30	Percentage	Readiness Level
24-30	80-100%	Ready for intermediate study
18-23	60-79%	Strong foundation — strengthen specific gaps before progressing
12-17	40-59%	Solid progress — review the relevant sessions for “No” items
Below 12	Below 40%	More foundational work needed — revisit Phases 1-3

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If You Scored 80%+

Congratulations — you have met the intermediate readiness standard aligned with ABRSM Grade 1 benchmarks. You are prepared to:

1. Begin intermediate method books (Alfred’s Level 2, Faber Level 2)
2. Attempt ABRSM Grade 1 exam pieces
3. Work with a piano teacher on intermediate repertoire
4. Start learning more complex chord progressions (7th chords, secondary dominants)
5. Begin scales hands together at 60+ BPM

Read What Comes Next for your complete roadmap.

If You Scored 60-79%

You have a strong foundation. Focus your practice on the items marked “No” for 2-4 weeks using the remediation advice provided. You do not need to repeat the entire course — just target the gaps. Most students in this range are ready for intermediate material within a month of focused practice.

If You Scored Below 60%

You have made real progress — every checked box represents a skill you did not have before this course. Return to the sessions referenced in the remediation advice for your “No” items. Consider spending 2-3 additional weeks on each phase that has multiple unchecked items. Remember: there is no deadline. A pianist who takes 30 weeks to build a solid foundation will progress faster in year 2 than one who rushed through in 20 weeks with gaps.

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A Note on Self-Assessment

The hardest thing about learning without a teacher is judging your own level honestly. Most beginners either overrate themselves (because they want to move forward) or underrate themselves (because they compare themselves to professionals). Here is a reality check:

• If you can play 3 songs with both hands at steady tempo with some dynamics, you are doing well.
• If your scales are smooth at 60 BPM with correct fingering, you have solid technique.
• If you can hear major vs. minor chords, you have better ears than most non-musicians.

These criteria are aligned with ABRSM Grade 1 standard. Grade 1 is the first formal exam level — it represents genuine musical competence. Being at or near this level after 20 hours of instruction (plus practice time) is excellent progress.

You are doing better than you think.