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Graded Music Exams
26 May, 2026
Introducing the 2026 Rockschool Acoustic Guitar & Vocals Syllabuses
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Great music education doesn’t stand still, and neither do we. We’re excited to introduce the 2026 Rockschool Acoustic Guitar and Vocals syllabuses, refreshed with new repertoire that’s current, inspiring, and full of music students want to perform.
The technical requirements for the new syllabuses will stay the same, keeping things simple for teachers and centres. All that’s new is the good stuff.
Read on for everything you need to know before pre-ordering.
Live Webinar: See Both Syllabuses in Action | 17th June, 10:00 – 11:00 am BST
Want the full tour before you pre-order? Join us live on the 17th at 10:00 am BST for a walkthrough of the brand-new 2026 Acoustic Guitar and Vocals syllabuses. We’ll talk you through the fresh repertoire, the featured artists, the crossover tracks, and a first look at the new RiFF tools and AI-powered stem splitter in action, plus live Q&A so you can ask us anything.
Perfect for teachers and centres planning the year ahead. Can’t make it live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording.
Quick Links:
Acoustic Guitar 2026 | Vocals 2026 | What’s New for Both Syllabuses | Pre-Order Now
Acoustic Guitar 2026
The 2026 Acoustic Guitar syllabus brings a carefully curated set of nine tracks per grade, including three exclusive Rockschool Originals, spanning a wide range of genres and styles to suit every kind of guitarist.
The pieces and technical exercises explore a range of instrument specific techniques including picking hand tapping, artificial harmonics, body percussion, flamenco style strumming, claw-hammer technique, and travis picking… to name a few.
At a glance:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tracks per grade | 9 (6 Hit Tunes + 3 Rockschool Originals) |
| Product type | Interactive E-book or Hardcopy Hybrid (6 tracks in print + 3 in digital form) |
| Genres | Explore Country, Folk, Gospel, Latin, Pop, Reggae, Rock... |
| Arrangement formats | Session style repertoire and solo arrangements |
| Crossover tracks | At least 3 shared repertoire pieces with select syllabuses across Vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar, Bass & Drums |
| Backing tracks | Available for all session style tracks |
| RiFF Library | Digital elements include Interactive sheet music tool + new AI-powered stem splitter |
| Video playthroughs | Available with all interactive content + tips & tricks |
| Technical content | Repertoire refresh only, technicals remain the same |
Featured Artists
The 2026 Rockschool Acoustic Guitar repertoire showcases an exciting roster of artists, including Charlie Puth, Benson Boone, Joni Mitchell, Kaki King, Django Reinhardt, Bon Iver, Joan Armatrading, Fleetwood Mac, Billie Eilish, Green Day, and more, offering a blend of contemporary chart-toppers and timeless classics that students will genuinely want to play.
Available in Two Formats
The 2026 Acoustic Guitar syllabus is available as either a Hardcopy Hybrid or a fully digital e-book, so teachers and students can choose the experience that works best for them.
Hardcopy Hybrid
A blend of print and digital. The printed book will contain everything you need to take your exam, including technical guidance, supporting tests and 6 pieces. You can seamlessly access the remaining 3 pieces via RiFF, our interactive online sheet music player complete with video playthroughs.
E-Book (Digital Only)
Our innovative e-books come complete with RiFF – an interactive score player allowing you to slow down and loop specific sections of pieces. There’s also video synced to the score and extra musical visualisations to help you learn outside of lessons. The new AI powered stem splitter let’s candidates break any track down to its bones, learn it inside out, and put it back together sounding better than ever. A PDF version of the complete book is also included, as is the full suite of scales, technical studies, and supporting tests.
Teacher Packs — Pre-Order & Save
Teacher packs are grade book bundles at a discounted rate. During the pre-sale window we’ve hiked the level of discounts on offer! Stock up for the full year and save big:
*For teacher packs, the discounted price is already reflected on the product listing.
Pre-Order Individual Grade Books
Prefer to pick up just the grades you need? Each grade book is available to pre-order individually below:
*Any applicable pre-sale discount on individual books will be applied automatically at checkout.
Vocals 2026
What if exam repertoire was good enough to perform on the main stage? The 2026 Rockschool Vocals syllabus is built on exactly that idea. Vocals 2026 includes twelve tracks per grade, with eight brand-new additions and four familiar favourites carried forward from the ’21 syllabus. A reliable companion in the lesson room, and a genuinely impressive setlist for auditions, performances, and every musical moment in between. Your students are going to want to sing these.
At a glance:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tracks per grade | 12 (8 new tracks + 4 from the previous syllabus) |
| Product type | RiFF powered e-books |
| Genres | Country, Folk, Gospel, Latin, Pop, Rap, Soul |
| Backing tracks | Yes, including new Al-powered stem splitting tool |
| RiFF Library | Interactive sheet music tool with looping, tempo manipulation and transpoition functionality |
| Crossover tracks | At least 3 shared repertoire pieces with select syllabuses across Piano, Acoustic / Electric Guitar, Bass & Drums |
| Video mentors | Levelled tips & tricks videos + repertoire excerpts per grade |
| Technical content | Repertoire refresh only, technicals remain the same |
Featured Artists
The Vocals 2026 repertoire features RAYE, Lewis Capaldi, Stormzy, Olivia Dean, Stevie Wonder, Billie Eilish, and many more. This genre-spanning lineup covers soul, pop, rap, and beyond, giving vocalists at every level something to connect with.
Fully Digital
The 2026 Vocals syllabus is available as a digital product only, delivered through our interactive RiFF platform, giving vocalists instant access to sheet music, backing tracks, video playthroughs, and tips from our mentors, all in one place. Not only can you slow down and loop specific sections of pieces, but you can also transpose pieces into a different key to suit your range. Strip back any track with the new AI-powered stem splitter, and get complete offline access with a full PDF of the book, including technical studies, and supporting tests.
Teacher Packs — Pre-Order & Save
Teacher packs bundle your grade books at a discount, and during the pre-sale window that discount gets even bigger. Stock up for the academic year ahead and save:
*For teacher packs, the discounted price is already reflected on the product listing.
Pre-Order Individual Grade Books
Prefer to pick up just the grades you need? Each grade book is available to pre-order individually below:
*Any applicable pre-sale discount on individual books will be applied automatically at checkout.
What’s New for Both Syllabuses
Both the Acoustic Guitar and Vocals syllabuses share several exciting updates for 2026:
- New AI-powered stem splitting embedded technology in RiFF, allowing students to isolate individual instrument and vocal stems from the full backing tracks, unlocking a whole new dimension of practice and learning.
- Crossover tracks: nothing beats performing with others. At least three tracks per grade have been arranged across Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar, Bass or Drums, making it easy to play alongside peers studying different instruments.
- Video playthroughs + tips & tricks: e-book repertoire is accompanied by a professionally filmed playthrough (Acoustic) or excerpt (Vocals), and come complete with performance and technique tips from the Rockschool mentors.
- Backing tracks: full studio-quality backing tracks included for all pieces.
- Pure repertoire refresh: technicals, scales, and supporting tests are unchanged, giving teachers confidence and continuity when planning their teaching year.
Pre-order Now
Both syllabuses are available to pre-order now, ahead of the official launch. Secure your copies early and make sure your students are set for the new season from day one.
Ready to pre-order?
Secure your 2026 Acoustic Guitar or Vocals syllabus today and be ready for the new season.
