Finally going to get myself graded.

[keefbaker]

So I'm going to finally get my lazy arse into gear and get a rockschool grade.

On the advice of my teacher I'm going for Grade 6, listened to the tunes and they sound like they'll take some learning but be manageable.

So if anyone has any hints or, "for christ sake don't learn x track, it's EVIL", etc. then please... share.

[Lw.]

Just out of curiousity; why?

I understand needing to know the scales/arpeggios etc... as that's what we use as bassists, but what's the driver for wanting grade?

[keefbaker]

Kicking my arse into getting better.

Basically aim at eventually getting grade 8 done.

Just personal achievement really, not really FOR anything except myself.

[ambient]

Well done for deciding to go for it, and good luck.

I did the Rockschool tutor/instructor thing as part of the final year of my music degree. We had to pick one of the pieces to do as a an exam piece, kind of showing how we'd teach it, and highlight difficult areas etc. I did the metal song Cranial Contraption from the grade 6 book. The others are mostly fusion, except for the classic rock one.

Let us know how you get along.

[FuNkShUi]

Good on you. Will definitely help with motivation to get you playing!
Good luck.

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1460374131' post='3025043']
Just out of curiousity; why?

I understand needing to know the scales/arpeggios etc... as that's what we use as bassists, but what's the driver for wanting grade?
[/quote]

Personally, doing Rockschool grading is to give me a specific target as a learner. It means that my technique is correctly validated and is not my own and unschooled interpretation of correct. Without a deadline to aim for I am too lazy to push myself to a limit. I have to practice each night to meet the quality of my next exam. In the absence of that exam, I would be distracted and it would take a lot longer to become "able". I can only manage a max of an hour a day during the week to practice

My only regrets about going down this route is that I have spent two years (midway through the grades) doing nothing but playing from the books. I wish I had spent / was spending more time learning songs to play in a band or more on improvisation. Perhaps the Trinity Grades would be better as they use known tunes to teach rather than technique specific written music.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Bobthedog

[Nicko]

Good on you. I did RGT graded exams on electric guitar a while back after playing with myself (ahem) in the bedroom for too long. I probably learnt more in the 3 years of lessons and gradings than I had in 20 years of unfocused widdling.

I found the paying bit quite easy. The ear training assessments and theory are probably more of a challenge. You play something good improv, and they ask you to explain musically what you have just done for example.