Robert Manning Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 This is my first rockshcool grade thingy, i was told to do 8, by the bass teacher at college. anyone els done one? how'd they find it? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 In terms of technical ability its not too hard, seems very similar to grade 6 stuff, although as for the rest i cant tell you, i was supposed to take 8, but never did, didnt seem any point, if you want to teach freelance at home / at schools you dont need grades, and if you want to be a teacher at a music academy etc, youll most likely need a degree, which i have opted for. unless by some chance its for... Fun..? in which case technically the tracks are quite, i remember distinctly one having an improvised tapping solo section, great fun... cant tell you much about what the theory knowledge would be like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='son of frog' post='1291229' date='Jul 3 2011, 05:52 PM']In terms of technical ability its not too hard, seems very similar to grade 6 stuff, although as for the rest i cant tell you, i was supposed to take 8, but never did, didnt seem any point, if you want to teach freelance at home / at schools you dont need grades, and if you want to be a teacher at a music academy etc, youll most likely need a degree, which i have opted for. unless by some chance its for... Fun..? in which case technically the tracks are quite, i remember distinctly one having an improvised tapping solo section, great fun... cant tell you much about what the theory knowledge would be like...[/quote] hahah yeah fun!, thats pretty much it... in september i am going to uni to do a degree in music anyway so every little helps. Might be cool to have a little bit of a title though, 'hey he's grade 8, that means he's good as stuff' haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 (edited) Piece of p!ss mate. You'll be fine. Personally, I only spend about 3/4 weeks of lessons going through the syllabus for Grade Exams with my pupils (Rockschool or LCM) because really, grade exams are just a limited number of specific hoops to jump through. It won't make you a better bassist if you learn a couple of Rockschool licks... you need to get out and play to get better. So just walk in, ace the exam and have it under your belt and start thinking about being a performing bassist again P.s. It's kinda like you're driving test. You don't really learn to drive until you've passed your test, and you soon realise that the "correct" way to do things (as told by Driving Instructors/Rockschool/Grade exams) is not always the best way in reality and when you realise that, that's when you really start to improve. Edited July 3, 2011 by skej21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='skej21' post='1291350' date='Jul 3 2011, 07:37 PM']Piece of p!ss mate. You'll be fine. Personally, I only spend about 3/4 weeks of lessons going through the syllabus for Grade Exams with my pupils (Rockschool or LCM) because really, grade exams are just a limited number of specific hoops to jump through. It won't make you a better bassist if you learn a couple of Rockschool licks... you need to get out and play to get better. So just walk in, ace the exam and have it under your belt and start thinking about being a performing bassist again P.s. It's kinda like you're driving test. You don't really learn to drive until you've passed your test, and you soon realise that the "correct" way to do things (as told by Driving Instructors/Rockschool/Grade exams) is not always the best way in reality and when you realise that, that's when you really start to improve.[/quote] Cheers man, the main reason i'm doing it is because my college paid for it!, also, my uni of choice said they want a grade 8! i havent passed my driving test yet!, i hate it. ide never afford a car anayway! haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1291390' date='Jul 3 2011, 08:13 PM']Cheers man, the main reason i'm doing it is because my college paid for it!, also, my uni of choice said they want a grade 8![/quote] Just as a matter of interest....and I've heard this from a couple of Universities....there is alot more credit and respect for the LCM exams than there is for Rockschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I learnt all the grade 8 stuff years ago when I was at college, college pulled the funding to actually sit the exam unfortunately, but it was still good to have specific targets in my practice regime ( and it still is TBH). If you take your playing seriously then the Rock school grade 8 is achievable. Incidentally when and where are you taking the exam? I know some people... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='paul_5' post='1291481' date='Jul 3 2011, 09:33 PM']I learnt all the grade 8 stuff years ago when I was at college, college pulled the funding to actually sit the exam unfortunately, but it was still good to have specific targets in my practice regime ( and it still is TBH). If you take your playing seriously then the Rock school grade 8 is achievable. Incidentally when and where are you taking the exam? I know some people...[/quote] tuesday should be fun, an exam playing bass. cant complain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' post='1291438' date='Jul 3 2011, 08:50 PM']Just as a matter of interest....and I've heard this from a couple of Universities....there is alot more credit and respect for the LCM exams than there is for Rockschool.[/quote] LCM, is that the classical one? Not heard of it at all when applying for the uni's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1291533' date='Jul 3 2011, 10:17 PM']LCM, is that the classical one? Not heard of it at all when applying for the uni's[/quote] LCM is London College of Music...their bass guitar grades are under the RGT banner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I did mine a few years ago and didn't get any UCAS credit for it, but then I was going for an electronics degree... Good luck with the exam dude! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Is a rockschool grade 8 the same as the others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 [quote name='timo' post='1293045' date='Jul 5 2011, 08:14 AM']I did mine a few years ago and didn't get any UCAS credit for it, but then I was going for an electronics degree... Good luck with the exam dude![/quote] Is that because UCAS did not offer credit for any music grade exam passes* or that the particular course/university did not accept it? * there was a time when grade exams did not help at all with gaining a university place, as was the case when I entered higher eduction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 To the OP: how do you feel it went? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 the pieces went great!, and the study pieces where good. i f***ed up some of the theory stuff though!, i had no idea it was coming (my teacher didn't tell me) haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
civictiger Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Yeahh the exams are pretty much different sections, I believe.. like Theory, Techinical Playing and some Improvisation (which may get tied in with playing) I'm not sure if I want to take any exams or not.. I am going off to a Music Academy in September myself, to study a 1 year Higher Diploma, and then hopefully a Degree which lasts for 2 years. I have been slacking lately, though, I need to up the ante and start playing again! I got given grade 5 and 6 books from a friend, maybe i'll work through them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.