Which exam board?

Airlane1979

Hi all

I live in the UK and I'm thinking of taking a guitar exam. I've been playing basic electric rhythm guitar (although I have pro-level keyboard skills) for a long time and I want a structured motivation to improve my playing, as this is mainly a solo hobby. There appear to be three organisations providing exams: Trinity Guildhall, London College of Music and Rockschool. Does anyone have experience of these and could offer advice?

Thanks

Lestratcaster

Hi I'm a guitar tutor from London and regularly put people through for the RGT exams (Registry of Guitar Tutors accredited by the London College of Music/University of West London). They have 4 different syllabus and are quite good. 

Its broken down into 6 sections:

1. Scales (arpeggios from grade 3 onwards)
2. Chords
3. Rhythm Playing (candidate plays through a chord chart seen on the day only)
4. Lead Playing (candidate improvises to a chord progression, again only seen on the day)
5. Spoken Tests
6. Aural Assessments (repetition of rhythm, melodic phrases, pitch, harmony and keeping time).

There are also performance based exams for those who don't want to do the whole scale learning and tests, great for younger learners where all you do is pre-prepare 3 pieces and play them, either on video you can send in, recorded which you also send in or in the exam room if you still want to travel to an exam centre.

There is also a "hybrid" type course which mixes performance with the technical exercises (like scales and tests) so you get a good all-round test.

I have just started to put some people in for Rockschool exams and its similar but in my opinion very poorly laid out. Some of the technical exercises and requirements are really confusing and there could be different permutations like "what if I played this...would it be accepted..." etc. Having said that it does well to pinpoint actual contemporary pieces (Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Chili Peppers etc) where RGT are a bit behind in its repertoire. I use the acoustic guitar performance pieces often with non-exam learners and it works well as its a specially arranged version for like beginners where they still keep the main characteristics of the tune but its easier to play.

Out of the two I think RGT is better structured but Rockschool has its uses and what RGT lacks Rockschool makes up for and vice versa.

I hope I've helped and if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Phil_aka_Pip

Am I right in thinking that Rockschool Grade n requires you to know only the stuff at Grade n, whereas an RGT exam will quiz you on anything from Grade 1 to n? I don't mean that you don't need to know the stuff at lower Grades for Rockshcool because it is knowledge they assume you have built your current abilities on, just that they won't ask you for a scale or other technical exercise that isn't in the grade you're doing.

Lestratcaster

Yes RGT grade 4 electric guitar for example will contain chords and scales from grade 3 just with added 7th chords and you have another position to play to scales in. It would certainly help to work your way in a structured way as opposed to skipping around.

snow_mac

Do you need a tutor to accompany you to an exam? 
I ask because i remember tutors accompanying me on piano for woodwind exams when i was younger. 

Lestratcaster

Not necessarily, I don't purely cos I usually have lessons to teach on the day of their exam. Some go with them to the waiting room area to give the moral support.

JerkMoans

I started taking lessons and doing exams ?3 years ago, just to try and put a bit of structure to it all and to improve my playing. 

I did Rockschool Grade 5, but then switched to Trinity Guildhall for Grades 6 and 7.  Why?  Simply because the Rockschool pieces were didactic compositions prepared for the exams themselves, while the Trinity syllabus by contrast used arrangements of 'actual' rock songs, so while studying for the exam you are learning a record that you (hopefully) like and know.  And can then have something to trot out when your mates do the whole 'you play guitar, go on play something for us' thing.  I found that a lot more inspiring.

Not sure if I'll ever get to Grade 8 as for one reason and another I've stopped taking lessons, and I don't care fr most of the songs on the syllabus except Funkadelic's Maggot Brain, which I'm working my way through from the record at the moment.

JerkMoans

...conversely my son stuck with Rock School for his drumming all the way through to Grade 8 and enjoyed it.  Depends whether you want to play songs you know, I guess.

Lestratcaster

I do find the Rockschool repertoire a bit inconsistent in levels though, like some pieces waver in level e.g All Along The Watchtower and Sittin' On The Dock of The Bay are really advanced for grade 2 level of the acoustic syllabus. Best Of You is easier than both I think and that's a grade 3 standard piece.

Phil_aka_Pip

IIRC a lot of the Rockschool pieces are pastiches of either a particular song or of a generic style. I think the main point is not repertoire per se, but understanding the salient points of various styles or particularly famous songs, so that not only could you learn to parrot the original if you wanted to but you also understand enough about it to play stuff that is like it but not the same as.

Lestratcaster

Yeah maybe, I just use them so there's something musical for beginners to play asap, as I can imagine how frustrating it can be as a learner not to able to play anything recognisable! 

Phil_aka_Pip

Lestratcaster said:

Yeah maybe, I just use them so there's something musical for beginners to play asap, as I can imagine how frustrating it can be as a learner not to able to play anything recognisable! 

I always told my people that Rockschool, while being important to learning and development, should not be the be-all and end-all of their playing experience. They should deffo play other stuff as well. IMO if they do the Rockschool stuff properly they will pick up the skills to do whatever else they want to do.

Lestratcaster

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Lestratcaster said:

Yeah maybe, I just use them so there's something musical for beginners to play asap, as I can imagine how frustrating it can be as a learner not to able to play anything recognisable! 

I always told my people that Rockschool, while being important to learning and development, should not be the be-all and end-all of their playing experience. They should deffo play other stuff as well. IMO if they do the Rockschool stuff properly they will pick up the skills to do whatever else they want to do.

Oh yes of course, just their arrangements are really cool cos they're suited to whatever level the learner is, they're usually shorter as well for the earlier grades meaning its more manageable (1 verse, 1 chorus etc). In the past I used to set too high benchmarks for learners, too many chords and changes confusing them. Keep it simple and musical.