music exams

[debster]

Well as some of you probably know i play the drums, well i have been havin lessons for about 18 months now and I have finally decided to go ahead and sit my drum grade exams starting in June with grade one
anyone done music exams and how bad are they lol

my daughter has done piano up to and including diploma, teaching diploma and advanced teaching diploma and she says theres nothing to it  :o

anyone done the drum ones?

mad i know but i would love to pass them as far as im able to go

[debster]

[kitten]

Hey debster, can't help with your question, but wanted to wish you all the best for your exams!  Do let us know how you get on! x

[caroline7758]

I started learning clarinet two years ago but wouldn't want to do the exams-the thought of having to play the same thing over & over for weeks on end would drive me mad. On the other hand it would be a challenge and I know I'd be really chuffed if I passed!Good luck!

[grawrc]

debster performance is tough and nerve-racking but if you're well prepared and confident you'll coast.

[Biscombe]

which board are you taking your exam with? Guildhall Rock School? or more classical ABRSM?

[grawrc]

Your teacher is the key

[Biscombe]

which board are you taking your exam with? Guildhall Rock School? or more classical ABRSM?

Ahhhh sorry grade1! must be ABRSM.

I run an exam centre at my school, the examiners are very very well trained (I went to a ABRSM seminar in Madrid a few months ago and met the chief examiner!) and are very good at putting you at ease. As long as you know your pieces well enough you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Did you know that you can even practise your aural on line here http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/resources/grade1/

Good luck xx

[Kea]

Do you get to play your own drums for the exam? That can make a difference, my son learns piano and is doing Grade 4 and clarinet Grade 2. He's a perfectionist so we hear the same pieces over and over until we all know them by heart but with Piano you can be as perfect as perfect on your own instrument then you got to the exam and the first two exams the piano was awlful it had some keys that didn't play well. So they changed to a new venue and that piano is even worse it's too soft and he found he had to hit the key too hard to get a note so it was then difficult to play softly so he got seriously marked down for not getting the expression right and for missing notes in the first piece simply because of the piano. Him and his teacher were expecting him to get a distinction but he didn't even get a merit, he has probably got the same horrible piano this year.

[Biscombe]

Good point Kea, but If you choose to play scales first this gives you enough time to get a feel for the piano!

[lorna]

Just to wish you good luck. Look forward to hearing your results.

[debster]

exam is not til June although thinking about it thats not that far away, I believe Biscombe that it will be with the Trinity Board as that is what I am being taught.
No i will not be taking my own drum kit, it would be far too much hassle for the short time alloted for the exam.
if you see i am on here too much just say
drum exam to me lol
;D
though not today done lots of practising today already  8)

[Biscombe]

Rock School! I've been looking into putting these exams on at my school, the syllabus looks really interesting!

You'll have to tell me all about it, I want from the thread to the needle, god luck chuck!  :-*

[debster]

are Trinity Rock School then? it sounds right cos much of the syllabus includes rock beats, however also includes blues and jazz triplets but not at grade one. I was working on grade 2 stuff til i decided to sit said exams now going over grade 1 stuff again  ;D

[Biscombe]

Yep, they are! and good on Trinity too! the ABRSM (Royal School Of Music) don't provide electric/bass guitar and drum kit exams, which is a real shame. ABRSM's answer (I have had a go at them!) is learn to play classical guitar, double bass and traditional percussion! They do have a point, but If they provided an alternative more people will be motivated. Are you following a book Deb?

[Kea]

He didn't know there was a serious problem because you don't tend to play the scales softly it wasn't till he played his first piece that had to be played softly in the middle and the notes didn't play.
I know the problem well my Mum's piano used to have to have the keys struck hard to get any sound and my music teacher told me off every lesson for hitting the keys too hard. It put me off in the end and I gave up.

[debster]

I am working from both the grade one and two books, though more so the grade one now i am set up to do the exam
for grade one i have to learn the grade one rudiments piece, a piece called toe tapper and one called ringo, then identify what time a piece the is in that the examiner plays ie 2/4 3/4 4/4 and then play by ear a couple of bars that he plays i think thats all of it,
what is your job biscombe

[Biscombe]

Head of music at a international school, I also run a music centre where peri teachers come to the school an an teach instrumental music, and I teach up to grade 8 piano and theory.