The Rockschool Electric Guitar Debut syllabus is the entry-level qualification for aspiring guitarists, designed by RSL Awards to introduce the fundamental skills needed for contemporary music. Whether you are a total beginner or a teacher looking for a structured curriculum, the official Electric Guitar Debut PDF (often provided as an interactive e-book) serves as the comprehensive guide for this first milestone. What is the Rockschool Electric Guitar Debut Syllabus? The Debut grade focuses on the building blocks of rock, pop, and metal. It moves beyond simple nursery rhymes, instead using iconic tracks from major artists to teach essential techniques. Skill Development : Students learn open chords, power chords, string crossing, and basic riffs. Notation : The syllabus uses both standard music notation and TAB , ensuring students can read professional scores early on. Audio Assets : Official packs include full stereo mixes, professional backing tracks recorded by session musicians, and two-bar count-ins for practice. Core Repertoire and Song List Rockschool updates its syllabus periodically. Below are the featured tracks for the current and previous major versions: 2024 Syllabus Repertoire 2018 Syllabus Repertoire Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2 – Pink Floyd Ain't No Sunshine – Bill Withers Like a Stone – Audioslave Stand By Me – Ben E King Fate – H.E.R. Hello – Adele Sunny – Bobby Hebb Hoochie Coochie Man – Muddy Waters Live Forever – Oasis Stay With Me – Sam Smith 6 Rockschool Originals (e.g., Route 66 ) 6 Rockschool Originals Exam Components and Marking The Debut exam is not just about playing songs; it tests a well-rounded set of musical skills. A standard Grade Exam (worth 100 points) consists of: Rockschool Debut Guitar - Squarespace
This performance piece is designed for the Rockschool Electric Guitar: Debut level. It focuses on the core skills required at this grade: steady downstroke eighth notes, basic power chords, and clean string switching. Velocity City Tempo: 90 BPM Style: Pop-Punk / Rock Focus: Power chords (G5, C5, D5), eighth-note rhythms, and palm muting. Performance Notes Tone: Use a light overdrive or "crunch" setting. Technique: Use all downstrokes for the rhythm to keep it driving. Dynamics: Play the verses slightly quieter (palm-muted) and the chorus loud and open. (Play with a clean, punchy tone) G5 / / / | C5 / / / | G5 / / / | D5 / / / | (Palm Mute: Rest the side of your picking hand lightly on the strings near the bridge) G5 (8 times) 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & C5 (8 times) 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & G5 (8 times) D5 (8 times) (Let the chords ring out loud!) G5 (4 times) | C5 (4 times) | G5 (4 times) | D5 (4 times) | G5 (4 times) | C5 (4 times) | D5 (Hold for 4 beats) | (Rest) | (Single note melody – clear and ringing) -------------------------- -------------------------- -------------------------- ---5---5---3---3---5---5-- -3---3---3---3---5---5---- G5 (Downstroke) C5 (Downstroke) G5 (Final Strum - Let Ring) 🎸 Debut Level Checklist Clean Transitions: Are your fingers moving between the G5 and C5 shapes without stopping the rhythm? Timing: Are you locking in with the metronome on every "1"? Finger Position: Keep your thumb behind the neck to help your power chord stretch. To help you practice this effectively:
Rockschool Electric Guitar Debut syllabus is designed for beginners who have recently started learning the instrument, focusing on core skills like power chords, riffs, and basic music reading. The current 2024 syllabus features a mix of iconic hit tunes and original compositions designed to develop foundational techniques. RSL Awards Syllabus Overview & Repertoire The book typically contains 6 hit tunes and 6 Rockschool originals, complete with "Fact Files" and walkthroughs for each track. RSL Awards 2024 Syllabus Hits : Includes songs like "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2" by Pink Floyd, and "Live Forever" by Oasis. 2018 Syllabus Hits : Featured tracks like "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, and "Stand By Me" by Ben E King. Rockschool Originals : Original tracks such as "Another Dime" and "Spike" focus on specific techniques like E minor pentatonic scales and power chords. RSL Awards Core Technical Skills To pass the Debut grade, candidates must demonstrate several foundational abilities: : Basic chord shapes and power chords using the lowest strings (E, A, and D). Scales & Riffs : Major and Minor Pentatonic scales, and simple riffs based on these patterns. : Mastery of half and quarter note values, rests, and maintaining a steady internal pulse. : Identifying the music stave, TAB, treble clef, and basic parts of the guitar like the bridge and tuning pegs. RSL Awards Exam Structure The standard Grade Exam is marked out of 100 and typically follows this weighting: 3 Performance Pieces : Two may be "Free Choice" pieces. (60% of marks). Technical Exercises : Scales, chords, and riffs from the book. (15% of marks). Supporting Tests : Sight Reading or Improvisation (10%), Ear Tests (10%), and General Musicianship Questions (5%). RSL Awards Recommended Resources Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Rockschool Guitar Debut 2024
The Rockschool Electric Guitar Debut grade provides a foundational, entry-level syllabus focusing on basic technique, chordal, and rhythmic accuracy, typically featuring performance pieces from contemporary artists. Candidates are assessed on technical exercises like E Minor Pentatonics, ear tests, and general instrument knowledge, with materials available through official RSL Awards publications. For more details on the curriculum, visit the RSL Awards Product Page . Electric Guitar Debut - RSL Awards rockschool electric guitar debut pdf
It is important to clarify that Rockschool does not have a song titled "Long Story" on the official Electric Guitar Debut syllabus. The Rockschool Debut grade is the entry-level grade (beginner). The pieces are usually very short (often 16 to 32 bars) and focus on basic mechanics like picking individual notes and strumming simple chords. It is highly likely you are looking for one of the following scenarios: 1. You are looking for the song "Long Train Running" This is a very common mix-up. "Long Train Running" by The Doobie Brothers is a popular guitar song often used in graded exams (though usually at higher grades like Grade 2 or 3, or in the Let's Rock syllabus). If you are looking for the riff to this song, it is widely available, but it is likely too difficult for the Debut grade. 2. You are looking for the "Debut Grade" pieces If you have the Rockschool Electric Guitar Grade Debit (2018 Syllabus) book, the songs you are likely looking for are:
"Big City Spin" "Cannonball" "Off the Wall" "Drop Zone" "Helicopter" "Humpty Dumpty"
3. You need the technical requirements (The "Long Story" of the exam) If you are asking for the "long story" meaning the full content of what is required in the exam, here is the breakdown for the Electric Guitar Debut exam: A. Performance Pieces (3 pieces) You must play three pieces. At Debut level, the focus is on: The Rockschool Electric Guitar Debut syllabus is the
Quarter notes (crotchets) and half notes (minims). Basic open string notes. Simple open chords (like C, G, D, or E minor). No complex syncopation.
B. Technical Exercises
Scales: You will usually be asked to play a simple Major scale (like C Major or G Major) in quarter notes. Chords: You may be asked to strum simple chords like A major, D major, G major, or C major. The Debut grade focuses on the building blocks
C. Sight-Reading or Improvisation At Debut level, you usually have a choice:
Sight-Reading: A simple melodic line on one string or open strings. Improvisation: Simple lead guitar playing over a backing track (usually just using one or two strings).