Should You Take Guitar Grades?

There are several different examination bodies offering music grade exams, with some being more universally accepted than others. The grades are numbered from 1 to 8 and can be followed by Diploma, Licentiate and Fellowship. Taking grades is not for everyone. Here I outline some of the things that should be considered before decided whether or not they are for you.

Pros:

You would have an official recognition of your achievements;
An exam certificate might give you a greater sense of accomplishment;
Official recognition looks great on your college/university application;
Music grades are almost imperative if you wish to study music;
The syllabuses contain skills that are important in many degree courses, but those things were covered in my degree anyway;

Cons:

The exams contain skills that aren't relevant for most hobbyists, such as how to transcribe music into the correct key for a bass clarinet or which clef to use for viola;
Learning the theory part of grade exams takes a lot of lesson time away from playing the instrument;
Exam preparation can get in the way of progression (see below);
There is a fee for taking the exams.

There are three scenarios when preparing for an exam:

1) The student is prepared well in advance of the exam. This means that the remaining lessons can be spent going over the same things, possibly leading to boredom and staleness of playing, or use the time to continue advancing with new material. For many students it's difficult to stay motivated to work on a piece by themselves when it's not actually being studied with the teacher, so this approach doesn't work for most;

2) The student is totally prepared and peaks on the day of the exam. This is obviously very difficult and relies on so many variables;

3) The student is not ready in time and has a panic trying to cram extra practice in at the last minute, which can lead to the development of Repetitive Strain Injuries.

Scenarios 1 and 3 are the most likely and for this reason some people believe taking grades can be counter-productive. Most people find the pleasure of playing to be all the reward they need!

Should You Take Guitar Grades?

Pros:

Cons:

There are three scenarios when preparing for an exam:

Call Michael now to book your classical guitar lessons: