Lesson 46 of 46GuitarAdvanced

Preparing for your Rockschool exam

1:28

James Rae introduces the accent - stressing a note by playing it a little louder with extra air - to bring energy to 'Foundation Rock'.

Part of the courseRockschool Guitar: Grade 646 lessons (3h 57m)

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What's in the course

46 lessons (3h 57m) · 1 free

- 01. Welcome to the online course
  1:33
- 02. Meet Charlie Griffiths
  1:23
- 03. Meet Rob Luft
  3:02
- 04. Meet Stuart Ryan
  1:52
- 05. Meet Marcus Bonfanti
  2:12
- 01. Mohair Mountain
  Free lesson
  3:02
- 02. Striped Shirt
  2:36
- 03. That Sounds Like Noise
  2:26
- 04. Blue Espresso
  2:39
- 05. Cranial Contraption
  2:48
- 06. Favela
  2:43
- 01. Mohair Mountain
  21:13
- 02. Striped Shirt
  11:31
- 03. That Sounds Like Noise
  11:27
- 04. Blue Espresso
  12:05
- 05. Cranial Contraption
  21:04
- 06. Favela
  9:26
- 01. Intro to technical exercises
  2:44
- 02. Rob Luft on how to practice exercises
  3:31
- 03. Group A: Scales
  1:10
- 04. Group B: Modes
  1:28
- 05. Group C: Arpeggios
  2:13
- 06. Group D: Chords
  1:42
- 01. Alternate picking
  3:08
- 02. Legato (hammer-ons & pull-offs)
  5:29
- 03. Barre chords
  6:15
- 04. Vibrato
  7:37
- 05. Advanced Legato
  5:45
- 06. Natural harmonics
  3:16
- 07. Pinched harmonics
  5:01
- 08. String bending
  8:59
- 09. Tapping
  6:39
- 01. Intro to Approaches to Improv
  1:00
- 02. Embelleshing a melody
  5:36
- 03. Challenge: Submit your melody
  0:26
- 04. 7th chords
  6:38
- 05. Composing your solo
  8:53
- 06. Further extensions and sus chords
  4:19
- 07. Comping in two different musical styles
  8:36
- 08. Mixing Rhythmic and Melodic comping
  4:24
- 09. Rhythmic improv & comping
  9:55
- 10. Advanced strumming and embellishments
  5:40
- 01. Sight reading tips
  1:51
- 01. Course outro
  0:32
- 02. About Rockschool exams
  0:30
- 03. Preparing for your Rockschool exam
  You are here
  1:28

Lesson transcript

Tips for Exam Preparation

If you are thinking of doing the exams, I've just got a few tips for you from an examiner's perspective.

Be Prepared

The first tip is to be as prepared as you can possibly be.

It can feel a little bit stressful.
You might find yourself walking into a room and playing pieces that you've performed in your bedroom or to your friends, but now in front of a complete stranger.

Just remember that the examiner wants you to do as well as you can possibly do. They're not there to catch you out.

Practice Under Pressure

From your perspective, it's crucial to acknowledge the extra pressure you'll feel on exam day. Here are some strategies to help:

Warm-Up Performances

Perform in front of your parents or friends at home as a little warm-up exam.
Consider running a mock exam with your teacher under exam-style conditions. This can mentally prepare you for how the experience will be slightly different from playing at home alone.

Technical Exercises

Another way to boost your confidence is with your technical exercises:

Rather than just learning them up to the required exam tempo, push that just a little bit further.
For example, if the required tempo is 100 bpm, try to practice at 120 bpm so that you enter the exam with the knowledge that you can handle it even if the pressure increases.

Conclusion

By implementing these two simple strategies, you can make your exam experience go a little smoother on the day. Remember, preparation helps alleviate pressure, and confidence can make a significant difference!

Part of the courseRockschool Guitar: Grade 646 lessons (3h 57m)

This lesson is part of the full course. 1 lesson is free to watch.

from$13/month

Subscribe to Watch

Explore the course

Cancel anytime30-day refund

$13/monthSubscription

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