Guitar Syllabus
Please review the summary listing below which show various basic understanding on the guitar for expected topics up to Grade 3.
Grade 1
General Understanding
- Name and Understand Parts of the guitar (head, neck, body, fretboard etc)
- Learn the names of the open strings (E,A,D,G,B,E)
- Learn what an Upstroke and Downstroke is
- Learn how to hold a pick
- Learn about RH Finger placement
- A natural minor (one octave) (70 bpm) (Quarter notes)
- G major pentatonic (one octave) (70 bpm) (Quarter notes)
- Can play a basic looping riff to a song continuously with minimal stops or mistakes
- Play a basic bassline to a song
- Learn names for LH Fingers (Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky) (1,2,3,4)
- Name Notes (Low E string)
- Name Notes (A String)
- Understand how TAB works
- Play a one string A Major Scale (A String)
- C major (one octave) (70 bpm)
- E minor pentatonic (one octave) (70 bpm) (Quarter notes)
- A minor pentatonic (one octave) (70 bpm) (Quarter notes
- Be able to sing back a basic melodic phrase played by you / the examiner
- Can clap to simple 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures
- Understand what BPM is
- Understand difference between 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 notes.
- Understand what dynamics are
- Play a one string E Major Scale (On Low E String)
- Power Chords: B5, A5, D5 (70 Bpm) (Quarter notes)
- Learn Basic Chord Shapes (C, D, G, A)
- Learn Basic Chord Shapes (Dm, Am, Em)
- Be able to find one note when played by teacher
Grade 2
General Understanding
- Can clap to simple 6/8 and 12/8 time signatures
- Name notes (D string)
- Name notes (G string)
- Can sightread basic TAB melody with basic rhythms
- Learn basic intervals (5th, octave, 2nd,)
- Play a slide
- Play a Hammer on/Pull off
- Play 1/2 Bend
- Play a note using vibrato
- Play an arpeggiated open chord
- Play a looping riff (with 2 notes a once) for a whole song with minimal stops or mistakes
- Learn and play these scales: (one octave) (80 bpm) (Quarter notes)
- C major
- G major
- E natural minor
- A natural minor
- G minor pentatonic
- G major pentatonic
- C minor pentatonic
- C major pentatonic
- Power Chords: E5, G5, A5, C5 (at 70bpm, quarter notes)
- Open chords: F, Fm, B, Bm
- Learn Open 7th Chords: Major 7: A maj7, C maj7, D maj7
- Learn Open 7th chords Minor 7: A min7, D min7, E min7
- Play back a simple interval (5th, Octave, 2nd etc) when played by teacher
- Play back a 4 note melody when played by teacher
- Understand Difference in quality between major and minor chord
- Strum chords once per bar for a whole song
Grade 3
General Understanding
- Name notes (B string)
- Name notes (e string)
- Learn and play basic intervals (minor 2nd, Major 2nd, minor 3rd, Major 3rd)
- Understand that chords are made of 3 or more notes
- Learn that notes repeat themselves across strings (eg note E)
- Begin basic strumming patterns: (D D DU D)
- Play a full bend
- Play these scales starting on G, A & B: (2 octaves) (90 bpm) (Quarter notes)
- Major
- Natural minor
- Minor pentatonic
- Major pentatonic
- Blues
- Play Major Arpeggios starting from G, A & B
- Play Minor Arpeggio starting from G,A & B
- Learn and play Partial Barre Chord: Major & minor: G, Am, Bm, C
- Learn and play Open Dominant 7 Chords: A7, E7, D7
- Learn and play 3 note Dominant 7th Chords G7, C7
- Make a riff/melody using a slide, hammer on/pull off and vibrato
- Play back a simple 2 bar melody
- Recognise and identify open chords when played by teacher
- Play basic strumming patterns to a song continuously
- Change chords 2 times per bar
For further information on grading past level 3, please contact us for more information via our contact page.