Most of the people think they can learn to play the guitar by attending a crash course or at max. a 3 month course. Even after 8 years of guitaring, when I tell people that I still attend guitar classes, they give me a shocked ( :shocked: ) look. Learning to play the guitar is a lifelong, continuous process. You just get better at it from the day 1.
My Guitar guru has been forcing me to appear for the TRINITY College London’s music exam this year. Earlier, about two years ago, I had missed my chance of appearing for the grade I of the exam for classical (nylong string) guitar. I was fully prepared, but couldn’t attend the exam.
This year, my guru wants me to appear for Grade III in plectrum guitar. He’s confident that I’ll do very well and has been forcing me. I’m not too sure if I’ll be able to fulfull his expectations. I’m confident that I’ll do the guitar leads/melody/harmony perfect; but the audio test worries me a lot. The audio test is not simple by any means. The examiner plays random notes on his piano and you’re supposed to identify the notes. It’s not easy; at least as easy as it sounds.
I’m also not confident of the ‘sight reading’. The examiner gives you a random melody in the form of staff (the special music notations) and you’re supposed to read & play it in 30 seconds time. Boy! You may easily identify the notes but can’t get the timing right.
I guess I’ll appear for the Trinity exam. Let’s see how it goes.
-The Big K-
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Bon Chance!
Best of Luck. In my opinion, you are the best guitarist after Mark Knopfler
All the best!
Re sight reading and rhythm, do you use words for rhythms? e.g, Ta for crotchets, tatty for quavers, ta-a for minims. It seems to work for lots of people.
At the risk of sounding like I’m plugging my own blog, I teach guitar (incl Trinity exams) and stick all my handouts (short pieces, etc) on my blog for people to download.
It’s pretty normal I think to take a while getting going on the guitar – sometimes the gaps between the grades (from 1 to 2 for example) seem to be massive!
Best of luck with your exam, if it hasn’t already happened.