Rockschool music qualifications are tailor-made for the contemporary musician.
Graded Music Exams
Yamaha and Rockschool Graded Examinations
At Rockschool, we are proud to work closely with our partners Yamaha to give candidates across the world access to a quality music education with the Yamaha Rockschool exams.
The Shared Rockschool and Yamaha Philosophy
A partnership for progress… Starting in the UK in 2005, this special collaboration has seen the development of four specially commissioned Rockschool syllabuses for Yamaha candidates. Launching internationally in 2016 the shared philosophy between the two companies has seen thousands of examinations in Yamaha centres all over the world providing musicians with the foundations to succeed.
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The Yamaha Rockschool exams are available for the teaching materials that are highlighted on this page for drums, guitar, keyboards, and vocals. (Please note these teaching materials may not be available in all territories)
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Rockschool have mapped Yamaha Drums, Guitar, Keyboard and Class Vocals, to our own international standards and benchmarks. Exam candidates are free to perform any Yamaha pieces they have learnt for their upcoming Rockschool exam.
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- All Rockschool exams are internationally recognised, regulated, and academically rigorous. Benchmarked by top musicians, they aid progression into both university and the music industry
- Progressive mastery gives students goals to achieve as they learn their instruments
- Rockschool graded exams encourage students to keep playing instruments for longer and achieve a higher level of skill
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Rockschool examiners attend Yamaha examination centres on specific exam days arranged by Rockschool Reps and your local Yamaha Music School. All Rockschool examiners are professional musicians and experienced educators trained to the highest possible standards. Rockschool believes in regular standardisation ensuring that all our examiners maintain the exacting consistent standards that have made Rockschool the world leaders in popular music education.
For information on Yamaha Recorded Digital Exams, please see the downloads section below…
Yamaha Instrumental courses leading to Rockschool exams
Learn more about Yamaha’s innovative syllabuses that can be used in Rockschool graded music exams…
Play for Keeps
Play for Keeps is the ideal course for students of all ages wanting to play the keyboard in a fun and creative environment. Working in a group of up to eight students, students will have the additional advantage of being able to learn to play in a band, as well as solo. The course will take the students from beginner to Grade 8 standard. It encompasses a broad range of musical genres, with a focus on popular music from the Rock & Roll era to the present day. Please note that the current Play for Keeps syllabus is dated 2022. The previous version (2019) remains valid for exam entry until 31 August 2023.
Drum Encounters
Drum Encounters students will experience a fun and innovative way to learn to play drums, designed to take students from beginner to advanced level. Open to anyone from the age of 7, Drum Encounters is ideal for those seriously considering a musical career and also for those who want to play just for fun. Taught in groups of up to six students the course offers you a unique way to learn. The course combines the best elements of traditional one-to-one drum lessons with a creative, modern approach.
Guitar Encounters
Guitar Encounters is a course for electric/electro-acoustic guitar for students aged 7 years upward, helping students master a range of styles and techniques from beginner to advanced level in a fun and innovative way. Guitar Encounters teaches general music and guitar-specific notation and theory. The course material includes the major milestones in popular guitar styles.
Class Vocals
Discover your individual voice with the support of your peers with Yamaha Class Vocals. From Debut – Grade 3, learn a huge range of musical skills and techniques as you perform a huge range of modern music styles. Not only will you learn to read music, you will build the confidence to sing solo in front of your classmates whilst learning how to harmonise with other vocalists.
Yamaha Recorded Digital Exams
Downloads
Download the relevant documentation for your instrument to find the information you will need to record as part of your exam submission.
For full details about RSL’s Recorded Digital Exams please see our Recorded Digital Exams page.
