Is this exceptionally fast for learning keyboard?

[KimGa]

Thank you @thirdfiddle for suggesting I repost here.

My son is 10. He had previously never learned any kind of instrument and music lessons at his school are rubbish. Over summer he suddenly expressed a desire to learn keyboard and so I got hold of a basic keyboard and arranged for a teacher start coming to the house.

He had had eight 30 min lessons and practises alone for about 15 mins every day. He has just completed the ‘Schaum green book’ and his teacher says he’s doing exceptionally well and that once he’s halfway through the next book he will start learning the pieces for grade 1.

His teacher has recently graduated so hasn’t been teaching all that long so I don’t know if she’s just always lovely and enthusiastic/hasn’t seen many students or if this is indeed unusual.

I can’t read music/have never learned an instrument so haven’t a clue, I just remember reading when researching lessons that it can take 1-2 years to be ready for Grade 1 so I’m surprised she’s already talking about it.

If you know about this kind of thing please let me know if this is average/impressive or somewhere in between!

From what I’ve read it sounds about right for a 10 year old.

Sounds about right. My daughter started about 10 months ago and is sitting grade 1 next month. The annoying thing with the grades is you can't just sit them whenever you want they are only held certain times of year. She got the music before the summer and is so bored of it now!

She is 8

I'd say the average time to get to Grade 1 standard for a total beginner is about a year.

You can do grades (practical or performance) at any time with MTB and you can do performance grades at any time with ABRSM.

You don't even need to do grade 1, you can skip grades. My friends ds started at 12 and within no time was taking grade 2.

It will probably take 1 or 2 years if you start at say 6

If the child is naturally musical then I would say that was fairly normal for age 10.

DD started piano at 10 in the November and was entered for ABRSM G1 the following April and got a high distinction. Covid hit which messed things up a bit in terms of progress - having to stop in person lessons, exams etc, so the exam wasn't taken till the October that year, so just under a year total. She was already G6 level in her first study and could read music which probably helped.

If it's specifically Electronic Keyboard it's much easier to do Grade 1 than piano grade 1

That sounds like good progress, consistent practice is really helping. Many kids start younger so take longer. Sounds like he is motivated and enjoying it and has a good teacher.