Rockschool music qualifications are tailor-made for the contemporary musician.
Electric Guitar
Debut
The Debut Guitar exam is for candidates who have been learning for a short time and have learnt the basic skills. There are two types of exams available at Debut, Grade Exam or Performance Certificate. Please see the Examinations section for an explanation of the differences.
Estimated Examination Time:
- Grade Exam: 15 minutes (approx.)
- Performance Certificate: 12 minutes (approx.)
Purchase Your Book & Exam Entry
The Guitar Debut book contains everything you need to sit your Debut exam – in one essential book. It’s packed with essential techniques and theory for beginners picking up the fundamentals of guitar.
Electric Guitar Debut
The Guitar Debut book contains everything you need to sit your Debut exam - in one essential book...
Graded Music Exam: Debut
All Instruments - General guidance: Graded Music Exams Overview - How to book an exam UK / Republ...
Performance Pieces
At Debut the performance pieces last up to a maximum of 1 minute. This is so the candidate can remain focused and concentrate on the basic requirements of notation, values, sound, control and sync. The pieces contain simple position work and work across strings is simple and paced.
Featured Repertoire:
Rockschool Guitar Hit Tunes 2024 Syllabus
- Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son
- Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2
- Audioslave – Like a Stone
- H.E.R. – Fate
- Bobby Hebb – Sunny
- Oasis – Live Forever
Rockschool Originals 2024 Syllabus
- Midnight Song
- Short Fuse
- Route 66
Rockschool Guitar Hit Tunes 2018 Syllabus
- Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe
- Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine
- Ben E King – Stand By Me
- Adele – Hello
- Muddy Waters – Hoochie Coochie Man
- Sam Smith – Stay With Me
Rockschool Originals 2018 / 2012 Syllabus
- 101
- Another Dime
- Beat The Mersey
- Cashville
- Helicopter
- Spike
Technical Exercises
At Debut there are three groups of technical work. The examiner will ask for a selection from each group, and before starting this section candidates will be asked whether they would like to play the exercises along with the click or hear a single bar of click before commencing the test.
GROUP A – Scales
Tempo: 70 bpm
- Major: C
- Minor pentatonic: A, E
GROUP B – Chords
Open position chords. Individual chords will be strummed once as directed by the examiner.
- Major: A, D, C, G
- Minor: A, E
GROUP C – Riff
In the exam, candidates will be asked to play the riff from the Grade Debut book to a backing track. The riff shown in bar 1 should be played in the same shape in bars 2–4. The root note of the pattern to be played is shown in the music in each of the subsequent three bars.
Supporting Tests
Sight Reading
Tempo: 70 bpm
At Debut candidates will be offered a previously unseen sight reading test that is in the form of a four-bar rhythm played on the lowest-sounding E string. An example is shown in the Debut grade book.
The test is made up of half and quarter notes and will be in 4/4. The examiner will allow 90 seconds of preparation and practice time and will offer the option of practising with or without a metronome. The candidate will then perform the test for the examination.
Ear Tests
There are two tests: Melodic Recall and Rhythmic Recall.
Melodic Recall
Tempo: 85bpm
The examiner will play two half notes one after the other. Candidates will tell the examiner whether the second note is higher or lower in pitch than the first note. Candidates will hear the test twice. Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one-bar vocal count-in. Answers can be ‘higher/lower’ or ‘up/down’.
Rhythmic Recall
Tempo: 80 bpm
Key: Low E string
The examiner will play a two-bar rhythm played to a drum backing on the lowest-sounding E string. Candidates will hear the test twice, and will then be asked to play the rhythm back. Candidates will then be asked to identify the rhythm from two examples shown. Each time the test is played it is preceded by a one-bar count-in. There will be a short gap to practise. Next candidates will hear a vocal count-in and will then be required to play the rhythm to the drum backing, before identifying the rhythm from the examples shown.
General Musicianship Questions
In this part of the exam, candidates will be asked five questions. Four of these questions will be about general music knowledge and the fifth question will be asked about the candidate’s instrument. For this section of the exam, candidates choose the piece on which to be tested.
Music Knowledge
In Debut candidates will be asked to identify:
- The music stave and the TAB
- The treble clef
- Half and quarter note values
Instrument Knowledge
In Debut candidates will be asked to identify:
- One of the following parts of their guitar: neck, body, tuning-pegs or bridge
Exam Structure
There are two types of exam available, a Grade Exam or Performance Certificate.
Grade Exam
| 3 Performance Pieces (two of which may be Free Choice Pieces) | Candidates choose to play either Performance Pieces or Technical Exercises first | These account for 60% of the exam mark |
| Technical Exercises (Section A, B, C and D for Level 3 qualifications) | Candidates choose to play either Performance Pieces or Technical Exercises first | These account for 15% of the exam mark |
| Sight Reading or Improvisation & Interpretation (Debut to Grade 5); Quick Study Pieces (Grade 6 to Grade 8) | Candidates are given an unseen test to prepare and perform | This accounts for 10% of the exam marks |
| 2 Ear Tests | Candidates respond to 2 aural tests. | These account for 10% of the exam marks |
| 5 General Musicianship Questions | Candidates answer 5 questions based on one of the pieces performed | These account for 5% of the exam marks |
Performance Certificate
| 5 Performance Pieces only (three of these can be Free Choice Pieces) | These account for 20% of the exam mark each. |
Assessment Criteria
Performance Pieces
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 18-20 | 15-17 | 12-14 | 6-11 | 0-5 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | all of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Style & Expression | Consistently convincing projection of the music. | Mostly convincing projection of the music. | Some convincing projection of the music. | Music not convincingly projected. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
Technical Exercises
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 13–15 | 11–12 | 9–10 | 4–8 | 0–3 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | all of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
Ear Tests
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 9-10 | 7-8 | 6 | 3-5 | 0-2 |
| Accuracy & Understanding | All of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
Supporting Tests
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 9-10 | 7-8 | 6 | 3-5 | 0-2 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | All of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
General Musicianship Questions
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 5 correct responses | 4 correct responses | 3 correct responses | 2 correct responses | 0-1 correct responses |
Performance Certificate
| Attainment Band | Distinction | Merit | Pass | Below Pass | Below Pass 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Range | 18-20 | 15-17 | 12-14 | 6-11 | 0-5 |
| Command of Instrument | Consistently clear production of sound and even tone quality throughout | Mostly clear production of sound and even tone quality overall | Some clear production of sound and generally even tone quality | Sound produced is unclear with uneven quality of tone produced | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Sync or Pulse | Performance consistently synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance mostly synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance sometimes synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse maintained | Performance not synchronised to the music, or an internal pulse not maintained | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Accuracy & Understanding | All of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated throughout. Understanding of musical structure shown all of the time. | Most of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills demonstrated overall. Understanding of musical structure shown most of the time. | Some of the written music accurately performed or equivalent skills generally demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure shown some of the time. | Written music not accurately performed or equivalent skills not demonstrated. Understanding of musical structure not evidenced. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
| Style & Expression | Consistently convincing projection of the music. | Mostly convincing projection of the music. | Some convincing projection of the music. | Music not convincingly projected. | No attempt and/or incomplete performance |
