Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the Trinity College Exam Syllabus:
Rock and Pop exam pieces can all be found in the following books. Three pieces must be chosen, one of which must have a technical focus. The first and third pieces must be chosen from the appropriate grade book, with the 3rd piece being technical focus (marked with 🎸) with both being played to a backing track.
The second song can either be
- from the appropriate and current grade book, played to as backing track
- Or a song from additional Trinity keyboards arrangements (see the syllabus fvor nmore details)
- Or an own-choice song Or a song composed by the candidate
- If song 2 is an own-choice song or one composed by the candidate it may:
- Be unaccompanied Be played to a backing track (which can be pre-recorded by the candidate)
- Include added vocals, performed live by the candidate
- Include an accompaniment played or sung live by another musician
Initial Grade
Guitar Initial TCL017079
Backing Tracks Guitar Initial CD TCL 017550
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Initial to Grade 2 TCL 014306
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| 20th Century Boy🎸 | T Rex |
| Hole In My Shoe🎸 | Traffic |
| Lily Was Here | David A Stewart Feat. Candy Dulfer |
| Mountain At My Gates | Foals |
| Orange Crush Rem Runaway Train | Soul Asylum |
| Where Did You Sleep Last Night🎸 | Nirvana |
| Wicked Game | Chris Isaak |
Grade 1
Guitar Grade 1 TCL 017086
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 1 CD TCL 017567
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Initial to Grade 2 TCL 014306
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| I Can’t Explain🎸 | The Who |
| Jerk It Out🎸 | Caesars |
| Love Is The Drug | Roxy Music |
| Mr Tambourine Man | Bob Dylan |
| Oh Yeah | The Subways |
| Ready To Start | Arcade Fire |
| September Gurls | Big Star |
| Sixteen Saltines🎸 | Jack White |
Grade 2
Guitar Grade 2 TCL 017093
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 2 CD TCL 017574
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Initial to Grade 2 TCL 014306
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Brass In Pocket🎸 | The Pretenders |
| Ex’s & Oh’s🎸 | Elle King |
| Knock On Wood | Eddie Floyd |
| Morning Glory | Oasis |
| Summer Of ’69 | Bryan Adams |
| Sweet Jane | The Velvet Underground |
| Twist And Shout🎸 | The Beatles |
| Ziggy Stardust | David Bowie |
Grade 3
Guitar Grade 3 TCL 017109
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 3 CD TCL 017581
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Grade 3 to Grade 5 TCL 014313
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Black Night | Deep Purple |
| Don’t Wanna Fight🎸 | Alabama Shakes |
| Friday I’m In Love | The CureIn My Place Coldplay |
| The Last Time | The Rolling Stones |
| Lonely Boy | The Black Keys |
| Love Is A Losing Game🎸 | Amy Winehouse |
| You Shook Me All Night Long🎸 | AC/DC |
Grade 4
Guitar Grade 4 TCL 017116
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 4 CD TCL 017598
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Grade 3 to Grade 5 TCL 014313
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Cold Sweat | James Brown |
| Day Tripper🎸 | The Beatles |
| Desire | U2 |
| Hold On | Alabama Shakes |
| Rockin’ In The Free World🎸 | Neil Young |
| She Sells Sanctuary🎸 | The Cult |
| Smells Like Teen Spirit | Nirvana |
| You Know I’m No Good | Amy Winehouse |
Grade 5
Guitar Grade 5 TCL 017123
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 5 CD TCL 017604
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Grade 3 to Grade 5 TCL 014313
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Alive | Pearl Jam |
| Are You Gonna Go My Way🎸 | Lenny Kravitz |
| Heartbreaker | Led Zeppelin |
| Misery Business | Paramore |
| Pressure & Time | Rival Sons |
| The Riverboat Song🎸 | Ocean Colour Scene |
| Sweet Emotion🎸 | Aerosmith |
| Wake Up | Rage Against The Machine |
Grade 6
Guitar Grade 6 TCL 017130
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 6 CD TCL 017611
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Grade 6 to Grade 8 TCL 014320
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Adventure Of A Lifetime | Coldplay |
| Johnny B Goode | Chuck BerryRiff Raff AC/DC |
| Rope🎸 | The Foo FightersSamba Pa Ti🎸 Santana |
| Smooth Criminal | Alien Ant Farm |
| The Wind Cries Mary🎸 | The Jimi Hendrix Experience |
| With A Little Help From My Friends Joe Cocker |
Grade 7
Guitar Grade 7 TCL 017147
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 7 CD TCL 017628
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Grade 6 to Grade 8 TCL 014320
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Black Dog | Led Zeppelin |
| Carry On Wayward Son | Kansas |
| Mr Brightside | The Killers |
| New Born🎸 | Muse |
| Orion🎸 | Metallica |
| Phantom Of The Opera | Iron Maiden |
| Sultans Of Swing🎸 | Dire Straits |
| Voodoo Child (Slight Return | ) The Jimi Hendrix Experience |
Grade 8
Guitar Grade 8 TCL 017154
Backing Tracks Guitar Grade 8 CD TCL 017635
Specimen playback and improvising tests (includes CD). Guitar Session Skills Grade 6 to Grade 8 TCL 014320
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Always With Me, Always With You🎸 | Joe Satriani |
| Crazy Train | Ozzy Osbourne |
| Good Lava | Esperanza Spalding |
| Peaches En Regalia | Frank Zappa |
| Reelin’ In The Years | Steely Dan |
| The Spirit Of Radio | Rush |
| Sweet Child O’ Mine🎸 | Guns N’ Roses |
| The Trooper🎸 | Iron Maiden |
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