Where to learn take ABRSM for guitar and theory?

[liptontea]

Hi guys,

I just started out playing guitar 2 months ago, I was thinking of learning music theory as well as taking the ABRSM exams.

Anyone can point me in the right direction? As in where to learn them, where to take it and/or any relevant websites I can go to, to find out more? I have the ABRSM website already but was thinking where and how do I actually go about registering, taking and learning them.

Would really appreciate some help here, thanks!

 

[superpotato_30]

hmmm

when i took my violin i took from till grade 5 under ABRSM but switched to trinity after that..

Do note in terms of theory alone there is no such thing as piano theory or guitar theory or violin theory . They roughly consist of the same stuff.

You're suppose to register
http://www.abrsm.org/regions/en/singapore/singapore/




Click on the respective links like how to enter our exams etc..

Follow instructions there

Find your local representitive:

Send Su-San Hay an email or alternatively drop into the Exam Office at SSO or contact the Singapore Co-ordinator at our London office.

Su-San Hay, Examinations Manager, Singapore Symphonia Co. Ltd, Music Examinations Office, 11 Empress Place, 3rd Storey, Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore 179558, Tel: 6 339 2624, Fax: 6 334 3507.

 

[cryingstatue]

Guitar Exams

ok actually hold on first man,


i think the more important question is:

what kind of guitar are you learning?

is it classical guitar or contemporary(etc strum and sing, acoustic,electric guitar)?

if you are learning classical guitar then ABRSM is for you.

if you are learning contemporary guitar, do take note that ABRSM does not offer exams or a syllabus in that. you wouldnt want to be caught unawares.

however there are examination boards like LCM or Rockschool or Yamaha that offer exams in contemporary music.

if you want to find out more just pm man can give you more info there.

 

[soft]

liptontea, you can go to most music school (piano type) to learn the theory. Or you can buy the guide book and all the previous year's exam paper to learn by yourself.

I think 'learning by yourself' from Grade 1 to Grade 4 is still manageable.

 

[KeDraiv]

u'll have to visit the headquaters in sg if u're registering as private candidate i think.
tat's what my teacher told me.

the headquaters is at victoria concert hall there 3 level btw.

 

[XLayaR]

The theory Grade 4 onwards got abit of like History stuff right? Thats what my teacher told me.....I havn't taken yet....

 

[liptontea]

=cryingstatue

hmmm i wanna learn classical first and slowly branch out from there (i like classical music haha), more details would be going into hybrid picking and a lil shredding later on lol.

something like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUmyxpEXtTw
and tommy emmunuel too, his version of classical gas rocks!~

=soft

hmmm thanks for the opinion, i would most likely do that, so after 4 it would be advisable to study under a teacher already? why is that so? im just curious lol.

where do i get the guide? i know past year papers can be brought at kinokuniya.

oh and how about the abrsm guitar exams itself? how do i learn for the exams and can i actually learn by myself?

I can play stuffs like romance de amor, fur elise and classical gas though i would miss a few notes here and there sometimes. sometimes i wonder if my fingerings are correct. should i go find a teacher or just continue learning by myself?

thanks everybody for responding! :mrgreen:

 

[soft]

You can check out this book, http://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1113

Can be found at places like Yamaha (orchard) or Renner Piano(peace centre).

The lower grades are quite straight forward. The higher grades deals with more concepts that requires help from a more knowledgeable person (teacher) to explain and show you how.

 

[cryingstatue]

Classical guitar

Hi there

ok,

i do suggest you take lessons for classical guitar though. you can go to Cristofori where you can apply for lessons and exams through the school so you dont have to go through the hassle of applying privately.

why take lessons? becos classical guitar tends to be more structured with proper playing positions, rest strokes versus free strokes and basic playing techniques that are different from acoustic fingerstyle playing.

the worst thing to happen is if you take exams and you get marked down for bad playing posture or technique. furthermore if you take lessons from a teacher, the teacher might end up correcting all your bad habits so it will be like learning all over again, wasting time and energy.

 

[velvetrevolver]

Hi there. I did theory till Grade 3, and self-studied. This Saturday is my Grade 5 exam. Had a little help from a fren for this one. General music theory can be found at almost all music schools. However if you're looking for guitar theory by itself, look for Ossia Music School. I not sure what the webbie is, but you can google it. There's one branch in Beauty World Centre (Bukit Timah).

For sure, there is a slight (very slight, in fact) difference in guitar theory compared to general music theory, but more or less is the same. I'd recommend you to just take general theory, offered by either ABRSM or Trinity.

On a side note, ABRSM is more popular here, and you can find their guide books to their syllabus almost everywhere, compared to Trinity.

Hope this helps.

 

[pianomankris]

Tommy Emmanuel wouldn't really be considered classical

'Classical' would be considered composers such as:

Barrios Mangore
Castelnuvo-Tedesco
Ponce
Sor
Aguado
Tarrega
Villa-Lobos
Carulli

etc etc


If you tell your teacher you want to learn 'classical', they will probably assume you mean composers such as those mentioned above.



You should make a list of everything (I mean everything) you listen to. This will probably instantly show you the kind of music at the moment it would be best for you to learn.

If you aren't familiar with at least two of the above composers, i'd say that you should get familiar with the classical repertoire if you wish to study it.