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FOR TEACHERS real songs. real skills. real progress.

The exam that putS performance first.

TRINITYROCK.COM 2 real songs. real skills. real progress.

Our Rock & Pop exams for bass, drums, guitar, keyboards and vocals reflect the way musicians want to learn. Learners perform a set list that lets them showcase their own unique musical style and skills, and they get the opportunity to gain a valuable qualification that’s recognised and respected around the world.

Real songs Highlights Teach your students to play the music they love, or introduce them to new genres, with our huge range Song lists with hundreds of well-known of hit songs spanning all contemporary styles. They songs from artists including , David can choose their set list from the eight songs in our Bowie, , and many more graded songbooks, play a song of their own choice, Songbooks each featuring eight songs, or perform a song they’ve written themselves. performance tips, background information, Real skills and downloadable backing and demo tracks Help your students develop the improvisation and A range of digital resources to support playback session skills that professional musicians your teaching available at trinityrock.com/ need. They can showcase their technical skills practice-room in a real-life context through our technical focus The Play Trinity Rock & Pop app which allows songs, and demonstrate their ability to deliver a your students to practise in the way that compelling live performance. best suits them Real progress Individual syllabus booklets for each Encourage your students to achieve their goals instrument to get you straight to the most with an externally regulated and internationally relevant information recognised qualification. Trust the 140-year heritage Trinity brings to contemporary music, and benefit from marks and comments on your students’ performances from Trinity’s expert examiners. 3 real Songs.

GRADE02 GRADE 04 GRADE 01 VOCALS GUITAR KEYBOARDS Contemporary & classic songs INITIAL for Trinity College

Contemporary & classic songs Rock & Pop exams from 2018 Contemporary & classic songs WILSON PICKETT for Trinity College London THE CULT for Trinity College London DRUMS Rock & Pop exams from 2018 Rock & Pop exams from 2018

GRADE ALABAMA SHAKES Free downloads THE BEATLES 05 NIRVANA THE BEATLES

LED ZEPPELIN Free downloads Contemporary & classic songs Free downloads TOPLOADER for Trinity College London JAMES BROWN BASS Rock & Pop exams from 2018 NEIL YOUNG WEEZER RED HOT CHILI PEPPERSDAFT PUNK GRIZZLY BEAR Free downloads Contemporary & classic songs 04 WINEHOUSE Our exams allow your students to demonstrate for Trinity College London QUEEN THE BLACK KEYS02 Rock & Pop exams from 2018 ALABAMA SHAKES Free downloads FOUR TOPS ALABAMA SHAKES THE BEATLES01 BOB MARLEY LABI SIFFRE their individual musical style playing songs they 05 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE ALIEN ANT FARM YEAH YEAH YEAHS CHIC know and love, and allow you to introduce them GUNS N’ ROSES IN THE BEATLES to new music you think they’ll enjoy. Our song lists feature a wide range of well-known rock and for you to explore . Every song has been carefully selected by our team of industry experts to encourage learners The songbooks to develop important skills and techniques. Songs You can access everything you need to prepare your from hundreds of artists are included, from David students for the performance part of the exam in Bowie to , from Adele to AC/DC, and from our graded songbooks. Our Rock & Pop books are The Beatles to . available for Initial to Grade 8 and each includes eight songs with performance hints and tips. There’s ‘THEY ACTUALLY USE REAL SONGS, also useful background information so you can explore the story behind, and techniques used in, SO THE STUDENTS CAN PLAY THEM the songs. IN CONTEXT AND THAT MOTIVATES Each song also comes with a downloadable backing and demo track recorded by top industry session THEM BECAUSE THEY’RE ACTUALLY musicians, making it easy for students to practise PLAYING SOMETHING THEY’VE in between lessons. HEARD BEFORE.’ ‘I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE CAN OPEN NEIL CORNWELL, GUITAR TEACHER UP THE CONTEXTUAL SIDE AS WELL.’ JAMES SEDGE, DRUMS TEACHER AND MUSIC CENTRE DIRECTOR

4 ‘You’re actually playing real songs and you can learn about the artist, the history and the impact the song had.’ Gabriel, Grade 7 Drummer

5 ‘THEY GIVE A GOOD STRUCTURE TO LEARNING. THE IMPROVISATION ELEMENTS GIVE A CHANCE TO INCORPORATE LEARNING SCALES AS WELL AS TECHNICAL SKILLS.’ ANDERS RYE, GUITAR TEACHER

6 real SKILLs.

EXAM STRUCTURE AND MARK SCHEME Learners play a set list of three tracks in their exam, Maximum chosen from our song lists. Each song has been marks specially arranged for the grade so your students SONG 1 25 can prove their level of technique and musicianship through their exam performance. A song chosen from the current graded Trinity songbook, played to a backing track A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SONG 2 25 Your students can personalise their set list to Either a different song chosen from the current graded demonstrate their individuality and creativity. Trinity songbook If there’s a song they love that’s not on our song or a song from the additional Trinity arrangements at lists they have the option of performing it as their trinityrock.com/extra-songs second song, or they can pick from a range of or an own-choice song songs made available from the previous syllabus. or a song composed by the candidate Learners can showcase their songwriting skills If song 2 is an own-choice song or one composed by the by choosing to perform a song they’ve written, candidate it may: and they can accompany themselves, or be be unaccompanied accompanied by you or another musician. be played to a backing track (which can be pre-recorded The third song they’ll play is a technical focus song, by the candidate) chosen from the songbook for the grade. This song include added vocals, performed live by the candidate* focuses on two specific technical skills which run include an accompaniment played or sung live by throughout the song, allowing your students to another musician demonstrate these techniques seamlessly in their SESSION SKILLS 20 performance. They’re able to get more marks for their performance of this song. Either playback or improvising SONG 3 30 SESSION SKILLS FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY Teach your students how to improvise over a track A technical focus song chosen from the current graded Trinity songbook, containing specific technical elements, played to a and play music they’ve never seen or heard before backing track through the session skills part of our exams. Your students can also develop their skills beyond the TOTAL 100 grades with industry advice on performing live, writing songs and much more in our Practice Room *Vocals syllabus: Song 2 may include a live self-played resources created by professional musicians. accompaniment on any instrument 7 real PROGRESS.

Help your students realise their potential and achieve their goals with a highly respected qualification from the only exam board that’s been providing graded music exams for more than 140 years. Trinity brings all that experience and expertise to rock and pop music to give you syllabuses you can trust. Gain valuable feedback Our examiners come from all corners of the music industry. They all work professionally as musicians and have a deep understanding of rock and pop music and technique. Your students will get a report with detailed feedback about their exam performance that you can use to shape your future teaching plans, and help your students to continue to improve and develop. RECOGNITION Learners can gain a qualification that proves their skills and dedication. Our Rock & Pop exams are internationally recognised and, just like classical music exams, students can get UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) points at Grades 6–8.

8 ‘TO USE THE SYLLABUS AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE GRADEd EXAMS, AND TO GO UP THROUGH THE GRADES, GIVES YOU A FOCAL POINT, AND A DIRECTION AND A PATH TO TRAVEL DOWN.’

JULIE PARKER, KEYBOARDS TEACHER 9 10 BASS

Our Bass exams introduce learners to the right skills at the right time, developing the important GRADE05 BASS techniques they need at each grade. Beginning with

Contemporary & classic songs for Trinity College London basic positions, picking and damping techniques, Rock & Pop exams from 2018

TAME IMPALA Free downloads they’ll then move on to slapped and pulled notes, 05 ROSE ROYCE RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINEFOUR TOPS bends and slides, and harmonics. BASS SYLLABUS ALIEN ANT FARM Qualification specifications for graded exams from 2018 COLDPLAY GUNS N’ ROSES THE BEATLES Learners can explore syncopation in Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’, palm muting using the pick in ’s THE BEATLES ‘Misery Business’, and fast articulation in Queens GUNS N’ ROSES of the Stone Age’s ‘No One Knows’. METALLICA T REX AC/DC QUEEN BLUR U2 DRUMS

Rock & Pop Drums exams take your students through key playing skills step-by-step, beginning with basic grooves in a range of styles with different time signatures, tempos and strokes, INITIAL solo breaks and fills, and moving on to instrumental DRUMS ALABAMA SHAKES DRUMS JAMES BROWN SYLLABUS techniques including paradiddles, flams, drags, Contemporary & classic songs Qualification specifications for Trinity College London WEEZER for graded exams from 2018 GRACE JONES Rock & Pop exams from 2018 QUEEN WEEZER ruffs, rim shots and ratamacues. Free downloads FLEETWOODNIRVANA MAC COLDPLAY BOB MARLEY They can learn about trashy hi hat in Blur’s GUNS N’ ROSES YEAH YEAH YEAHS AMY WINEHOUSE ‘Song 2’, time changes in ‘Alive’ by Pearl Jam, IRON MAIDEN IN ARCTIC MONKEYS and syncopation and swinging in Joe Cocker’s ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’. QUEEN TOTO CHIC 11 GUITAR

Our Guitar exams help learners build up their playing skills as they move through the grades.

GRADE04 Starting with basic chords and positions, picking GUITAR and damping, they’ll then move on to hammer-ons Contemporary & classic songs for Trinity College London Rock & Pop exams from 2018 JAMES BROWN and pull-offs, bends, slides and harmonics. GUITAR Free downloads THE CULT SYLLABUS SANTANA Qualification specifications BIG STAR NIRVANA for graded exams from 2018 04 NEIL YOUNG AMY WINEHOUSE Your students can explore picking precision in ALABAMA SHAKES ALABAMA SHAKES ‘I Can’t Explain’ by The Who, riff playing and bends LENNY KRAVITZ THE BEATLES THE PRETENDERS U2 in The Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’, and rapid picking and octaves in ’ ‘Rope’. JAMES BROWN T REX COLDPLAY MUSE REM U2

KEYBOARDS

Rock & Pop Keyboards exams help your students develop the techniques they need at each grade, introducing them to key skills step-by-step. They’ll begin with common chords, simple melodies, and KEYBOARDS

Qualification specificationsSYLLABUS for graded exams from 2018

rhythms in different styles and keys, moving on to GRADE 01 ADELE WILSON PICKETT MUSE pedalling techniques, scales passages, improvising KEYBOARDS THE BEATLES

Contemporary & classic songs SIMON & GARFUNKEL for Trinity College London ROXY MUSIC and more complex chords. Rock & Pop exams from 2018 DAFT PUNK Free downloads GRIZZLY BEAR GNARLS BARKLEY THE BLACK KEYS NINA SIMONE They can learn about swing rhythm in ‘Gold on the ALABAMA SHAKES Ceiling’ by The Black Keys, octave leaps in Sia’s GNARLS BARKLEY CHIC 01 CHIC ‘Chandelier’, and the use of the sustain pedal with TOTO Pink Floyd’s ‘The Great Gig in the Sky’. SIA

12 13 VOCALS

Our Rock & Pop Vocals exams help learners build up their singing skills as they move through the

GRADE02 grades. Starting with singing in different styles VOCALS and registers, improving their sound and widening Contemporary & classic songs for Trinity College London Rock & Pop exams from 2018 TAYLOR SWIFT BEYONCÉ their range, they’ll then move on to developing VOCALS Free downloads THE BEATLES SYLLABUS AEROSMITH TOPLOADER Qualification specifications BLONDIE techniques such as decorating and improvising. for graded exams from 2018 RED HOT CHILI PEPPERSDAFT PUNK THE ROLLING STONES 02 TAYLOR SWIFT BRUNO MARS BRYAN ADAMS Your students can explore pick-ups and belting RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS LABI SIFFRE DUSTY SPRINGFIELD skills in ‘Just Looking’ by Stereophonics, diction AMY WINEHOUSE QUEEN and pitching in Dusty Springfield’s ‘Son of a DAVID BOWIE Preacher Man’, and vocal agility and rapping in THE XX OASIS Taylor Swift’s ‘’. SIA U2

TEACHING ROCK & POP

GRADE02 GRADE 04 GRADE 01 VOCALS The Rock & Pop package — from syllabuses, to GUITAR KEYBOARDS JAMES BROWN Contemporary & classic songs INITIAL for Trinity College London

Contemporary & classic songs Rock & Pop exams from 2018 Contemporary & classic songs WILSON PICKETT TAYLOR SWIFT for Trinity College London THE CULT for Trinity College London DRUMS Rock & Pop exams from 2018 Rock & Pop exams from 2018

GRADE ALABAMA SHAKES Free downloads THE BEATLES 05 NIRVANA THE BEATLES

LED ZEPPELIN Free downloads graded songbooks, to online digital resources — Contemporary & classic songs Free downloads TOPLOADER for Trinity College London JAMES BROWN BASS ROXY MUSIC Rock & Pop exams from 2018 NEIL YOUNG TAME IMPALA WEEZER RED HOT CHILI PEPPERSDAFT PUNK GRIZZLY BEAR Free downloads Contemporary & classic songs 04 AMY WINEHOUSE for Trinity College London ROSE ROYCE QUEEN THE BLACK KEYS02 provides you with everything you need to plan Rock & Pop exams from 2018 ALABAMA SHAKES BRUNO MARS Free downloads FOUR TOPS COLDPLAY ALABAMA SHAKES BRYAN ADAMS THE BEATLES01 GNARLS BARKLEY BOB MARLEY U2 LABI SIFFRE lessons that will engage your students and get 05 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE ALIEN ANT FARM YEAH YEAH YEAHS CHIC GUNS N’ ROSES IN ARCTIC MONKEYS them excited about the songs they’ll be learning, THE BEATLES GUITAR KEYBOARDS VOCALS DAVID BOWIE SYLLABUS the skills they’ll be developing, and the progress SYLLABUS Qualification specifications DRUMS for graded exams from 2018 SYLLABUS Qualification specifications Qualification specifications GRACE JONES SANTANA ADELE BEYONCÉ SYLLABUS for graded exams from 2018 for graded exams from 2018 BOB DYLAN AEROSMITH BASS Qualification specifications WEEZER BIG STAR MUSE for graded exams from 2018 BILLY JOEL THE ROLLING STONESBLONDIE they’ll be making. SYLLABUS KATE BUSH NIRVANA ALABAMA SHAKES LANA DEL REY Qualification specifications COLDPLAY TAYLOR SWIFT for graded exams from 2018 THE ROLLING STONESSIMON & GARFUNKELRED HOT CHILI PEPPERS LENNY KRAVITZ MICHAEL JACKSONRED HOT CHILI PEPPERS DAFT PUNK DUSTY SPRINGFIELD THE PRETENDERS AMY WINEHOUSE THE WHITE STRIPES GNARLS BARKLEY AMY WINEHOUSE THE CURE NINA SIMONE GUNS N’ ROSES QUEEN ARETHA FRANKLIN JAMES BROWN PINK FLOYD DAVID BOWIE THE BEATLES AMY WINEHOUSE IRON MAIDEN T REX ELTON JOHN THE XX GUNS N’ ROSES STING COLDPLAY CHIC OASIS METALLICA MUSE HOZIER SIA T REX PRINCE REM TOTO U2 AC/DC QUEEN 14 TOTO U2 SIA QUEEN CHIC BLUR U2 Access all areas…

THE PRACTICE ROOM Visit trinityrock.com/practice-room to explore hundreds of teaching and learning resources, including: bite-sized videos featuring professional musicians that include demonstrations of techniques, whole-song performances, music industry advice and syllabus support ‘producer’s notes’ that include background information on songs to increase knowledge of rock and pop articles by musicians, teachers and examiners that include advice on performance, musical styles, developing technique, and careers in the music industry. PLAY TRINITY ROCK & POP APP The Play Trinity Rock & Pop practice app puts users in front of their own digital mixing desk, giving them the tools to master their performance. Having bought and downloaded Rock & Pop songs directly to their phone or tablet, users can:

control the mix come in with a count-in loop a section keep perfect time adjust the speed follow the lyrics. change the pitch

Find out more and download the app for iOS and Android at trinityrock.com/app

Get the full Rock & Pop experience at 15 trinityrock.com R&P-BROC-02 (GEN-02) TRINITYROCK.COM /TRINITYROCKANDPOP /TRINITYROCKANDPOP 5 027741 018021 @TRINITY_ROCK Trinity College London charity no: 1014792