CLASSICAL GUITAR LESSONS AUCKLAND with John Wakelin MMus, GradDipTchg
  • ABOUT THE LESSONS
  • GUITAR TEACHER
  • VIDEO/AUDIO
  • TIPS & TRICKS
    • Where Can I Find A Good Guitar Teacher?
    • Are Group Guitar Lessons Cheaper Than Solo Lessons?
    • Buying A Guitar
    • How Much Practice Do I Need To Do?
    • Should I Sit Guitar Exams?
    • Musical Literacy Amongst Guitar Students >
      • Introduction
      • A Closer Look at Reading Music
      • The Student's Perspective
      • The Development Of An Effective Pedagogy
      • Summary & References
      • Appendix A
      • Appendix B
  • FREE SHEET MUSIC
    • FREE SHEET MUSIC - Classical Guitar >
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar Duo
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar Trio
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar Quartet
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Cello
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Flute
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Mandolin
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Piano
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Violin
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Voice
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar, Flute and Viola
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar, Violin and Viola
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Various Ensemble
    • FREE SHEET MUSIC - Piano >
      • Bach, Johann Sebastian >
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Fantasias, Sonatas, Toccatas, Variations & Miscellaneous
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Inventions, Sinfonias & Duettos
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Preludes & Fugues
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Suites and Partitas
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - The Well-Tempered Clavier
      • Beethoven, Ludwig van >
        • Beethoven, Ludwig van - Piano Sonatas
        • Beethoven, Ludwig van - Piano Variations
        • Beethoven, Ludwig van - Bagatelles
      • Chopin, Frederic >
        • Chopin, Frederic - Ballades
        • Chopin, Frederic - Etudes
        • Chopin, Frederic - Impromptus
        • Chopin, Frederic - Mazurkas
        • Chopin, Frederic - Miscellaneous
        • Chopin, Frederic - Nocturnes
        • Chopin, Frederic - Polonaises
        • Chopin, Frederic - Preludes
        • Chopin, Frederic - Rondos & Scherzos
        • Chopin, Frederic - Piano Sonatas
        • Chopin, Frederic - Waltzes
      • Debussy, Claude
      • Haydn, Franz Joseph >
        • Haydn, Franz Joseph - Sonatas
      • Liszt, Franz >
        • Liszt, Franz - Piano Studies
      • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus >
        • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Piano Sonatas
        • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Piano Variations
        • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Piano Miscellaneous
      • Rachmaninoff, Sergei >
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Etudes Tableaux
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Miscellaneous
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Preludes
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Piano Sonatas
      • Satie, Erik
      • Schubert, Franz >
        • Schubert, Franz - Piano Dances
        • Schubert, Franz - Piano Sonatas
        • Schubert, Franz - Piano Miscellaneous
  • CONCERTS
  • CONTACT

Should I Sit Guitar Exams?

Guitar exams are great in that they set a goal to work towards, help to push you forward, develop your skills, and give a sense of accomplishment and self confidence. Having said that exams can be quite stressful, and to a student that is unaware of what they're getting themselves into an exam can turn a fun hobby into a source of stress & negativity.

Whether a student wants to sit an exam should rest entirely upon how they feel about it, & the decision should always be in consultation with the teacher. There is much to prepare for an exam & as a result of an increased workload, much more time will need to be set aside for practice. A typical exam would consist of the following:

3 Contrasting Pieces of Music
Scales
Arpeggios
Technical Exercises
Sight Reading
Ear & Aural Tests
Musical Knowledge Questions.

It is important that the teacher makes the student aware of what's expected of them when preparing for an exam, and how much work is involved. A situation where a student is pressured into an exam by his parents or his teacher often results in stress & frustration for all involved. If a student chooses not to sit exams, the exam syllabus can still be used as the basis of his musical education so that the same goals are achieved.

For more information on exams visit the following websites:

Trinity College London:  http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=620

Associated Boards of the Royal School Of Music (ABRSM):  http://www.abrsm.org/exams
 
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  • ABOUT THE LESSONS
  • GUITAR TEACHER
  • VIDEO/AUDIO
  • TIPS & TRICKS
    • Where Can I Find A Good Guitar Teacher?
    • Are Group Guitar Lessons Cheaper Than Solo Lessons?
    • Buying A Guitar
    • How Much Practice Do I Need To Do?
    • Should I Sit Guitar Exams?
    • Musical Literacy Amongst Guitar Students >
      • Introduction
      • A Closer Look at Reading Music
      • The Student's Perspective
      • The Development Of An Effective Pedagogy
      • Summary & References
      • Appendix A
      • Appendix B
  • FREE SHEET MUSIC
    • FREE SHEET MUSIC - Classical Guitar >
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar Duo
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar Trio
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar Quartet
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Cello
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Flute
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Mandolin
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Piano
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Violin
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar and Voice
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar, Flute and Viola
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Guitar, Violin and Viola
      • FREE SHEET MUSIC for Various Ensemble
    • FREE SHEET MUSIC - Piano >
      • Bach, Johann Sebastian >
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Fantasias, Sonatas, Toccatas, Variations & Miscellaneous
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Inventions, Sinfonias & Duettos
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Preludes & Fugues
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - Suites and Partitas
        • Bach, Johann Sebastian - The Well-Tempered Clavier
      • Beethoven, Ludwig van >
        • Beethoven, Ludwig van - Piano Sonatas
        • Beethoven, Ludwig van - Piano Variations
        • Beethoven, Ludwig van - Bagatelles
      • Chopin, Frederic >
        • Chopin, Frederic - Ballades
        • Chopin, Frederic - Etudes
        • Chopin, Frederic - Impromptus
        • Chopin, Frederic - Mazurkas
        • Chopin, Frederic - Miscellaneous
        • Chopin, Frederic - Nocturnes
        • Chopin, Frederic - Polonaises
        • Chopin, Frederic - Preludes
        • Chopin, Frederic - Rondos & Scherzos
        • Chopin, Frederic - Piano Sonatas
        • Chopin, Frederic - Waltzes
      • Debussy, Claude
      • Haydn, Franz Joseph >
        • Haydn, Franz Joseph - Sonatas
      • Liszt, Franz >
        • Liszt, Franz - Piano Studies
      • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus >
        • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Piano Sonatas
        • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Piano Variations
        • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Piano Miscellaneous
      • Rachmaninoff, Sergei >
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Etudes Tableaux
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Miscellaneous
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Preludes
        • Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Piano Sonatas
      • Satie, Erik
      • Schubert, Franz >
        • Schubert, Franz - Piano Dances
        • Schubert, Franz - Piano Sonatas
        • Schubert, Franz - Piano Miscellaneous
  • CONCERTS
  • CONTACT