Exam Info and Tips

The Exam

• • Live accompaniment is permitted. Candidates may bring a pianist or guitarist into the exam room. Please note that accompaniments for Grade book pieces must be the approved Rockschool accompaniments. Please let us know in advance if you are bringing an accompanist.
  • Self-accompaniment is allowed.
  • No-one is allowed in the exam room apart from the examiner, candidate and accompanist (unless previously discussed and approved by AMEB Rockschool.)
  • Make sure you have enrolled for the correct exam: Grade Exam (3 pieces plus technical work, unseen tests and general musicianship questions) OR Performance Certificate (5 pieces only).
  • Arrive at the venue at least 20 minutes before the exam time and tune your instrument.
  • Every student must bring their Rockschool Grade book to the exam (or a registered downloaded version) and the examiner will sign these in the exam.
  • Candidates do not need to provide backing tracks for pieces from the Grade book – examiners have these and will play them in the exam.
  • Backing tracks are optional for Free Choice Pieces. If you are playing to a backing track for your Free Choice Pieces and transposed songs (Vocals only) you must bring the tracks to the exam on a device, downloaded and ready to play on either a USB or device. No streaming is allowed. The candidate must operate the device themselves.
  • At the start of the exam, candidates are allowed 1-2 minutes to set up before the exam commences.
  • All candidates will do a sound-check before they start their pieces to make sure the backing track volume is at the right level for them.
  • For all free choice pieces, a copy of the sheet music must be provided for the examiner to read in the exam. This needs to be notated but only for the instrument line being assessed (a full score is not required).
  • You should not make any adaptations to your instrument which make it easier to play, such as stickers on the frets or keys, or drum pads/dampeners. Adapting your instrument in this way will result in reduced marks.

Exam Preparation

• Candidates will be assessed according to the Assessment Criteria for each instrument.  You can find the Assessment Criteria in the Syllabus for your instrument which you can download for free from the instrument page on this website.
• Candidates should practice with the backing track (not applicable for solo pieces). This is a key part of the Rockschool assessment and they will be assessed on their ability to play in sync with the backing track. There are two versions of each backing track (with click, or without) and candidates can choose to perform with either in their exam.
• Backing Tracks – A download code comes with every book. Go to the RSL website downloads page to access your backing tracks using the code.
• Free Choice pieces are not allowed for Premiere exams.
• Photo ID is required for all students sitting exams at Grades 6-8. If the candidate doesn’t have photo ID, please use this form to prove identity. In a video exam, please show ID in the recording by holding it to the camera for 10 seconds, or send it to us as a separate photo or recording.
• While we encourage candidates to make use of the Learning Platform and interactive eBook technology, this cannot be used in exams, as it offers an advantage over traditional books, and internet access can’t be guaranteed in exam venues. Instead, candidates should download a PDF copy of their book, or bring a hardcopy.

• Rockschool Classic pieces are now considered ‘Grade Book’ pieces rather than ‘Free Choice Pieces’.
• Guitar, Bass and Drums – the new grade books are here! Candidates can use the 2018 or 2024 Grade books (or a combination of both) to prepare for their exams in 2024 and beyond.
• Band exams are no longer on offer from 2024.