Back to grades

drpbier

I was on the grade path for a while - did my 2-4 with RSL- and then got a bit bored and felt like it was a treadmill, so took about 3 years off and just mucked about, learning songs I liked, took the odd lesson, went to some jam days and courses. But now feeling like I need some focus, so I'm going to do the grades again - but this time I'm just going to do the performance certificates, so I get to learn pieces I like but not have to bother with the scales and the sight reading.
Currently stuck into The Boys Are Back...fun!

CarpeDiem

I think you’re right to stick to what you enjoy and have fun with it. Playing guitar shouldn’t feel like a chore, and you may find that you become more interested in some music theory as a result of learning the performance pieces.

kelpbeds

I teach the Trinity grades and they are all performance based now. You might want to check those out.

drpbier

Thanks @kelpbeds ;, will do!

Catthan

I did 6 to 8 10 years ago thinking i'd become a more 'legit' player and ease myself into jazz and whilst I got zero work or gigging opportunities out of it, I'm glad i that I spent the time working through the material.
Some really valuable and practical stuff around reading music and understanding chord shapes and song forms looking at lead sheets. 

DefaultM

I've got the Grade 8 in Rock School, which I always thought people must hear the name and give it absolutely zero credibility.

guitarjack66

DefaultM said:

I've got the Grade 8 in Rock School, which I always thought people must hear the name and give it absolutely zero credibility.

Was it founded by Fred Flintstone?

DefaultM

I remember playing a piece called Metal Mania and a jazz style one in 15/16 time, but sadly not Meet The Flintstones.

bobacco

DefaultM said:

I've got the Grade 8 in Rock School, which I always thought people must hear the name and give it absolutely zero credibility.

It does sound like the qualification you’d get if you attended the ‘night school’ in Kane Roberts’ ‘Rock Doll’ video. 

Where do I sign up?

JerkMoans

I started doing some about 8 years ago, to give some 'focus' as against inane noodling/learning a whole bunch of riffs and licks but no actual, whole songs.

Rockschool did my head in, so I swiftly swapped to Trinity, which at least offered 'known' songs to learn and practise (and be examined on).  Weird thing was the performance anxiety in the exams - I would genuinely tremble, to the extent I fluffed the widlly bits in 'This Charming Man' at G(?)6.

Got through and passed G7, but then knocked it on the head - life stuff, plus the syllabus got far more shreddy than I was or am capable of.

Glad I did it, and I have never played as well as did around the time of my G7 exam.  Skills sadly slipped in the ensuing years.  

Good luck, @drpbier  

Lestratcaster

I teach the LCM (London College of Music) and Rockschool grades. They're quite good and offer structure and something to aim for. I do find though they just give you the criteria to pass a test and not actually learnt to play musically, bit like a driving test. Loads of bad drivers out there who have passed their tests but their instructor only taught them how to get through a test, not to drive properly!!