What you need

Whilst there are minimum requirements per instrument necessary to successfully examine your exam, our aim is to make Live Stream Exams as accessible as possible. Please download the relevant documentation to make sure your set-up meets the exam requirements and watch our overview videos on this page.

The Live Stream Digital Exam format is not bound by any exam entry periods, so candidates can purchase and enter for their Live Stream Exam at a time convenient to them. RSL will then designate a date and time for the exam, giving the candidate at least two week’s notice.

Based outside the UK or Ireland? Please get in touch with your local RSL Awards Representative for more details by clicking here.

Downloadable Guidance

Our downloadable guide provides a basic overview of the minimum requirements for home-based Live Stream Exams. In order to be fully prepared, you will need to ensure your setup is correct and working. You will also need to have downloaded and installed the required software. This needs to be done ahead of the scheduled exam date. Candidates will not be able to take their exam if this has not been done in advance of the exam.

A parent / guardian or other nominated adult with computer skills should be used to assist with setting up for the exam where required.

Our examiners need to be able to:

• • see and hear the candidate’s performance clearly
  • hear all backing tracks clearly and balanced well against the performance
  • communicate safely with candidates
  • stream the Unseen Tests (eg. ear tests) securely
  • share notation related to the Unseen Tests (eg. sight-reading) securely

1. Devices

Laptop / Desktop computer with screen, webcam and good internet connection. You will need:

• Built-in or external Microphone to capture your performance and backing track
• Audio output to a separate speaker to hear audio streamed from the examiner
• To position the device so that the examiner can see both the candidate performing on their instrument and their face. This device will also be used to stream notation for the Unseen Tests
  • For drummers and pianists, this view needs to be from the side in order to gain a view of the candidate’s hands and feet (drums) and the whole keyboard (piano)
  • Drummers and Pianists taking the Full Graded Exam will need a second device to view the Unseen Tests.

2. Software and Connectivity

• Zoom meeting client downloaded and installed: Audio settings will need to be tested beforehand
• VLC Player downloaded and installed
• Internet running at minimum speed: 5Mbps download / 1 Mbps upload (as specified by provider). We strongly recommend connection via ethernet rather than Wi-Fi. We will ask you to run a speedtest before the exam
• Web browser (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox – Safari is not compatible)

3. Audio

A separate Speaker will be required to play backing tracks and to hear streamed audio from the examiner. The examiner will hear the blend of your instrument and the backing track from the speaker, picked up by the microphone.

For example: Monitor speakers, small PA speakers, HiFi speakers or a large Bluetooth speaker.

Laptop built-in speakers are not suitable. The volume needs to be loud enough to be balanced with the volume of the instrument. Speakers should be positioned to face the microphone (external or built-in).

4. Environment

• Quiet, private location in a walled room. This must NOT be the candidate’s bedroom.</span.
• Bright lighting (day light or artificial light), ideally illuminating the candidate and instrument from their front
• The room should not be highly reverberant