Male Vocals Grade 8
Performance pieces, technical exercises and in-depth guidance for Rockschool examinations
All accompanying and supporting audio can be downloaded from: www.rslawards.com/downloads Input the following code when prompted: UVJ6FYDQNA For more information, turn to page 4
www.rslawards.com
Acknowledgements Published by Rockschool Ltd. © 2014 under license from Music Sales Ltd. Catalogue Number RSK091416R ISBN: 978-1-910975-15-2 AUDIO
Backing tracks produced by Music Sales Limited Supporting test backing tracks recorded by Jon Musgrave, Jon Bishop and Duncan Jordan Supporting test vocals recorded by Duncan Jordan Supporting tests mixed at Langlei Studios by Duncan Jordan Mastered by Duncan Jordan MUSICIANS
Neal Andrews, Lucie Burns (Lazy Hammock), Jodie Davies,Tenisha Edwards, Noam Lederman, Beth Loates-Taylor, Dave Marks, Salena Mastroianni, Paul Miro, Ryan Moore, Jon Musgrave, Chris Smart, Ross Stanley, T-Jay, Stacy Taylor, Daniel Walker PUBLISHING
Compiled and edited by James Uings, Simon Troup, Stephen Lawson and Stuart Slater Internal design and layout by Simon and Jennie Troup, Digital Music Art Cover designed by Philip Millard, Philip Millard Design Fact Files written by Stephen Lawson, Owen Bailey and Michael Leonard Additional proofing by Chris Bird, Ronan Macdonald, Jonathan Preiss and Becky Baldwin Cover photography © Startraks Photo / Rex Features Full transcriptions by Music Sales Ltd. SYLLABUS
Vocal specialists: Martin Hibbert and Eva Brandt Additional Consultation: Emily Nash, Stuart Slater and Sarah Page Supporting Tests Composition: Martin Hibbert, James Uings, Jon Musgrave, Jodie Davies, Ryan Moore, Chris Hawkins, Jonathan Preiss DISTRIBUTION
Exclusive Distributors: Music Sales Ltd. CONTACTING ROCKSCHOOL
Male Vocals Grade 8
www.rslawards.com Telephone: +44 (0)845 460 4747 Email:
[email protected]
2
Table of Contents Introductions & Information
2 Acknowledgements 3 Table of Contents 4 Welcome to Rockschool Male Vocals Grade 8
Rockschool Grade Pieces
5 Ray Charles. . ....................................................... . ‘A Song For You’ 13 OneRepublic..................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘Apologize’ 19 Jeff Buckley........................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘Grace’ 25 Foo Fighters....................................................... . . . ‘The Pretender’ 37 Bon Jovi......................................................... ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ 45 The Commitments........................ ‘Try A Little Tenderness’
Technical Exercises
54 Scales, Arpeggios, Intervals, Backing Vocals & Stylistic Studies
Supporting Tests
58 Quick Study Piece 60 Ear Tests 61 General Musicianship Questions
Additional Information 62 Entering Exams, Exam Procedure & Marking Schemes 63 Improvisation Requirements & Free Choice Pieces 64 Copyright Information
Male Vocals Grade 8
3
Welcome to Rockschool Male Vocals Grade 8 Welcome to the Rockschool Female Vocals Grade 8 pack. This book and accompanying downloadable audio contain everything you need to sing at this grade.
Vocals Exams
At each grade you have the option of taking one of two different types of examination: ■■Grade Exam: a Grade Exam is a mixture of music performances, technical work and tests. You prepare three pieces (two of which may be Free Choice Pieces) and the contents of the Technical Exercise section. This accounts for 75% of the exam marks. The other 25% consists of: a Quick Study Piece (10%), two Ear Tests (10%), and finally you will be asked five General Musicianship Questions (5%). The pass mark is 60%. ■■Performance Certificate: in a Performance Certificate you sing five pieces. Up to three of these can be Free Choice Pieces. Each song is marked out of 20 and the pass mark is 60%.
Book Contents
The book is divided into a number of sections. These are: ■■Exam Pieces: in this book you will find six well-known pieces of Grade 8 standard. Each song is preceded by a Fact File detailing information about the original recording, the artist who sang on it and some recommended listening if you wish to research the artist further. ■■Piano and guitar notation: every exam piece is printed with a piano part and guitar chords. Both are a representation of the overall band arrangement. These have been included to assist you with your practice should you wish to use a piano and/or guitar for accompaniment. In your exam you must perform to the backing tracks provided. ■■Vocal score: in addition to the piano/vocal/guitar arrangement there is also a separate vocal-only score to allow you to view the vocal part on a single sheet of paper. ■■Technical Exercises: there are a range of technical exercises in this grade. Some are notated in full, and some give a range of starting notes. ■■Supporting Tests and General Musicianship Questions: in Vocals Grade 8 there are three supporting tests – a Quick Study Piece, two Ear Tests and a set of General Musicianship Questions (GMQs) asked at the end of each exam. Examples of the types of tests likely to appear in the exam are printed in this book. ■■General Information: finally, you will find information on exam procedures, including online examination entry, marking schemes, information on Free Choice Pieces and improvisation requirements for each grade.
Audio
Each song in Vocals Grade 8 has an audio track that can be downloaded from RSL directly at www.rslawards.com/ downloads. This is a backing track with the vocal taken off so you can sing along with the band. The backing tracks should be used in examinations. There are also audio examples of the supporting tests printed in the book. When downloading audio files you will need to input this code when prompted: UVJ6FYDQNA The audio files are supplied in MP3 format, the most widely compatible audio format in common usage – MP3s will likely be familiar to anyone with a computer, iPod, smartphone or similar device. Once downloaded you will be able to play them on any compatible device; we hope that you find this extra versatility useful.
Male Vocals Grade 8
All candidates should read the accompanying syllabus guide when using this grade book. This can be downloaded from the RSL website: www.rslawards.com
4
Supporting Test Notation
The supporting tests in this book and its corresponding exam are written one octave higher than they sound. This is common practice and avoids excessive use of ledger notes. We hope you enjoy using this book. You can find further details about Rockschool’s Vocals and other instrumental syllabuses on our website: www.rslawards.com
Ray Charles ALBUM: RELEASED:
A SONG FOR YOU MY WORLD
LABEL:
WARNER BROS.
GENRE:
SOUL
PERSONNEL:
μ
RAY CHARLES (VOX+PIANO)
UK CHART PEAK:
N/A
US CHART PEAK:
N/A
BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘A Song For You’ was Ray Charles’s 1993 cover of Leon Russell’s tender 1970 ballad, which Elton John described as “an American classic”. It featured on Ray Charles’s album My World. THE BIGGER PICTURE
q=56
1993
Charles was 62 when he recorded the 1993 album My World, an attempt to update his sound by including programmed rhythms and influences in vogue at the time. It was praised for Charles’s ability to put his indelible stamp on the songs of other artists. When interviewed in Entertainment Magazine in 1993, he summed it up by saying: “The best way to understand what I do is to think of an actor. You get a script, you read it and then you ask yourself if you can fit into that script. ‘Can I become that character?’ That’s what I do with my songs. When I think about doing a song, the first thing I deal with is the lyrics: are they making any sense to me, can I put myself into 3fr‘A Song For You’ finds Charles in this?” Leon Russell’s classic mood on vocal and keys, backed by a dynamic orchestral arrangement. “‘A Song For You’ has that line about: ‘Living my life on stages, with 10,000 people watching’,” he said. “You could tell that fella had been there.”
Ray Charles Robinson was born in Georgia in 1930, and lost his sight aged seven due to glaucoma. At a school for the deaf and blind in St Augustine, Florida he learned to play piano, sax, trumpet and clarinet. By the age of 15, he was touring in the south, and when he moved to Seattle, his first recordings followed. Stylistically indebted to his idol, Nat ‘King’ Cole, he played on (and arranged) Guitar Slim’s 12-bar blues hit ‘The Things That I Used To Do’ and soon had a breakthrough of his own with the song ‘I Got A Woman’ in 1955. A string of hits followed, including ‘What’d I Say’ and ‘Hit The Road, Jack’, and Charles’s combination of gospel with blues and jazz coalesced into a sonic brew that became soul. The Father Of Soul didn’t rest on his laurels. He had hits in the big band style, and brought his talents to the country and western genre in the 1960s. He re-emerged in the 1990s, and died of liver failure in 2004. A major biopic, Ray, was released that year.
Cm
I’ve
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Ray performs the song together with its author, Leon Russell, and Willie Nelson on the live DVD Willie Nelson & Friends: Live And Kickin’. The Very Best Of Ray Charles is also recommended.
been s Male Vocals Grade 8
SONG TITLE:
5
A Song For You Ray Charles
A Song For You
Words & Music by Leon Russell
q=56
μ
G7
3fr
Cm
G7/B 3fr
I’ve
been so
ma - ny
3
pla - ces in my
Male Vocals Grade 8
6
life
and
time.
Cm/Bb
Cm/A
3fr
5
I’ve sung
a
lot of
songs, I’ve made some
4fr
bad rhymes.
© Copyright 1970 Skyhill Publishing Company Incorporated, USA. Rondor Music (London) Limited. All rights in Germany administered by Rondor Musikverlag GmbH. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
Ebsus2/G 4fr
Ab
Eb/Bb 4fr
Eb/G
I’ve act - ed out my life on sta - ges
with ten thou- sand peo - ple watch - ing,
Bb7sus4
6fr
but we’re
a - lone
just
a - sing
know your i - mage of me
ing this song
for you.
G7/B
hope to
be,
ba - by.
Cm/A
I
treat - ed you un - kind - ly
G7 6fr
is what I
Cm/Bb
Eb
3 3
I
-
Cm 3fr
3
and I’m
6fr
Fm7
4fr
but girl,
can’t you see
Male Vocals Grade 8
Ab
7
Ab
Eb/G 4fr
Fm7
Cm
Eb/Bb
4fr
6fr
You came out in front
my song
for
you.
Cm/A
of the
truth
with - hold - ing no - thing.
Ab/Eb
Eb
G7 6fr
and
G7
4fr
Ab
Cm/Bb
You taught me pre - cious se - crets
Eb
6fr
sing - ing
and now I’m
G7/B
6fr
3fr
see through me
Bb7sus4
6fr
’cos we’re a - lone
So darl - ing, can’t you please
Eb/Bb 4fr
Male Vocals Grade 8
Ab
8
there’s no -one more im - por - tant to me?
Eb/G
I
was hid - ing,
yeah.
Cm
G7/B
Eb/Bb
Cm/A
3 3 3fr
6fr
But now I’m
so much bet - ter
F7 3fr
Bb7sus4
Bb
6fr
6fr
’cos my love’s
lis - ten to the me - lo - dy
don’t come to - ge - ther,
Gm7 4fr
Ab
so if my words
4fr
in there
hid - ing.
G7
N.C.
3fr
G7/B 3fr
I
love you in
a place
where there’s no
space
or
time,
Male Vocals Grade 8
Cm
9
Cm/Bb
Cm/A
4fr
I
love
you for my life,
is ov -
Eb/Bb
4fr
Eb/Db
Eb/G
a - lone
Bb7sus4
Eb
6fr
and I
were
6fr
we
was
sing
Db
6fr
-
ing my song
for
Male Vocals Grade 8
you.
Ab
4fr
10
re - mem - ber when we walked to - ge - ther,
er
Ab
mine.
Fm7
And when my life
Eb/G 4fr
friend of
Ab
’cos you’re a
Gm7b5
C7
Fm7/Eb
Dm7b5
G7#5
3fr
I 5
3
Cm
G7/B
3fr
loved
ff
you in a place
where
there’s no
I’ve loved you for my life,
yes,
Ab
time,
4fr
you’re a friend of mine. 3
Eb/G
space or
Cm/A
3fr
Cm/Bb
Fm7
And when my life
is ov - er,
3
Eb/G
4fr
re - mem - ber when we were to - ge - ther,
Male Vocals Grade 8
G7
5fr
Fm7
11
Ab
Eb/Bb 4fr
we
were
Ab
Bb7sus4
6fr
a - lone
Eb/Bb 4fr
Eb
6fr
and
was
sing - ing my
song
for you.
Eb
Ab 6fr
Male Vocals Grade 8
12
song,
6fr
sing - ing my song,
3
6fr
sing - ing my
was
sing - ing my
Bb
poco rall.
Eb
3
sing - ing my song,
4fr
3
3
sing - ing my song,
Ab/Eb
were a - lone and I
Ab 4fr
we
4fr
Yeah,
Db
was sing - ing this song for you.
Eb/G 4fr
6fr
we were a - lone and I
Yes,
Bb7sus4
6fr
I
6fr
song.
OneRepublic ALBUM: RELEASED:
APOLOGIZE DREAMING OUT LOUD
LABEL:
INTERSCOPE
GENRE:
POP
PERSONNEL:
q = 122
2006
3fr
RYAN TEDDER (VOX+KEYS) ZACH FILKINS (GTR+VIOLA) DREW BROWN (VARIOUS) EDDIE FISHER (DRUMS) BRENT KUTZLE (CELLO)
UK CHART PEAK:
3
US CHART PEAK:
2
C7sus4
Cm
3fr
3fr
BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘Apologize’ was the debut single from OneRepublic. Thanks to a remix by Timbaland – not to mention the songwriting skills of frontman Ryan Tedder – it became a monster hit in 2007. THE BIGGER PICTURE
C7sus4/Ab
Cm
OneRepublic formed in Los Angeles circa 2003, after frontman Ryan Tedder persuaded his former school bandmate Zach Filkins to join him in LA. Tedder had worked in the music industry since college, first as an intern at Dreamworks Records, then as an apprentice to R’n’B producer Timbaland, who also helped Tedder with his own development as a music artist. OneRepublic – “a rock band that has an obsession with pop melodies”, according to Tedder – were signed to Columbia Records and spent two and a half years working on their debut album. However, just months before the record’s scheduled release date, the band were dropped by their label. Fortunately, OneRepublic were gaining fans on MySpace. “We blew up out of nowhere,” said Tedder. OneRepublic were hot property and offers from record companies flooded in. In the end, the band decided to sign with a subsidiary of Interscope, represented by Tedder’s former employer Timbaland.
By the time OneRepublic signed their deal with Interscope, the band’s debut album was already written, including a sparse ballad called ‘Apologize’. Ryan Tedder told DigitalSpy: “Timbaland then re-mixed the song and told us that he thought the song was a hit with or without him. But then he said, ‘If you let me put this song on my album, it will speed the process up…’” But OneRepublic were wary, concerned that a remix would give people the wrong impression of the band. “We’re not hard rock but we are a rock band,” Tedder said, “So to have our song remixed and made so much more pop, we were very reluctant. But then we were like, ‘If this opens the door and allows 3fr more people to hear our album, it gives us the opportunity to let them hear our other songs. I think we can win them over.’” And win them over they did; ‘Apologize’ was an international success, and in America it ranked as the biggest radio airplay hit in the history of Billboard’s weekly airplay chart.
Csus4/Ab
Cm
3fr
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
OneRepublic’s debut album, Dreaming Out Loud, may have had a troubled launch, but it stands as the best testimony to the band’s abilities.
Male Vocals Grade 8
SONG TITLE:
13
Csus4/Ab
Apologize OneRepublic
Apologize q = 122 Cm
C7sus4/Ab
3fr
Cm
C7sus4/Ab
3fr
Words & Music by Ryan Tedder
Eb
3fr
C7sus4/D 6fr
3fr
Eb
3fr
C7sus4/D
6fr
3fr
Cm
Csus4/Ab
3fr
Eb
3fr
C7sus4/D
6fr
3fr
Cm
Male Vocals Grade 8
14
Csus4/Ab
3fr
Eb
3fr
C7sus4/D
6fr
3fr
1. I’m
© Copyright 2005 Sony/ATV Tunes LLC/Velvet Hammer Music/Midnite Miracle Music. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
Cm
Csus4/Ab 3fr
hold - ing on your rope, got me (2.) take an - oth - er chance, take a
Eb
3fr
6fr
ten fall,
feet take a
off shot
the ground. for you.
C7sus4/D
Cm
3fr
Csus4/Ab
3fr
3fr
but I And I’m hear - ing what you say, and I need you like a heart needs a
just beat,
can’t but it’s
make noth -
a sound. in’ new.
Eb
C7sus4/D
6fr
3fr
Yeah,
yeah.
You tell me that you need I loved you with a fire
Eb
3fr
go and cut now it’s turn
me down. ing blue.
-
Csus4/Ab
then you
Cm
3fr
me, red
C7sus4/D 6fr
But wait, And you say,
3fr
you
Male Vocals Grade 8
Oh,
15
Cm
Csus4/Ab 3fr
tell me that you’re sor sor - ry like an an
-
ry, gel
did - n’t think I’d turn heav - en let me think
it’s
(1° only)
too
It’s
Cm7
too late
too late.
to a - pol - o - gize.
said, it’s
C7sus4/D
It’s too late.
3fr
I
6fr
gize.
Eb
a - pol - o -
3fr
C7sus4/D
C7sus4/Ab 3fr
and say, but I’m
to
late
6fr
Male Vocals Grade 8
3fr
6fr
a - round was you,
Eb
16
that
3fr
C7sus4/Ab
Cm7
3fr
a - fraid,
C7sus4/D
Eb
3fr
3fr
Too late.
1.
Cm
Csus4/Ab 3fr
Eb
3fr
Csus4/D 6fr
3fr
Oh.
2. I’d
2.
Cm
C7sus4/Ab 3fr
6fr
Eb
3fr
Csus4/D
3fr
Csus4/D 6fr
3fr
μ
It’s
Male Vocals Grade 8
Eb
Csus4/Ab 3fr
Cm
3fr
17
Cm7
C7sus4/Ab
3fr
to a - pol - o - gize.
C7sus4/D
Cm7
I said, it’s
too late
too late.
Cm
Male Vocals Grade 8
rall.
to a - pol - o - gize.
It’s
2.
C7sus4/D
3fr
3fr
I said, it’s
I’m
Eb
3fr
hold - ing
on
your
Csus4/Ab
3fr
rope,
got
me
feet
ten
off
the
ground.
6fr
18
C7sus4/Ab
1.
C7sus4/D 6fr
too late.
3fr
Eb
It’s
3fr
3fr
6fr
too late
Eb
3fr
Grac Jeff Buckley GRACE
ALBUM:
GRACE
RELEASED: LABEL:
COLUMBIA
GENRE:
ALT. ROCK
PERSONNEL:
Brightly q. = 64
1994
Fm
JEFF BUCKLEY (VOX+GTR) GARY LUCAS (GTR) MICK GRØNDAHL (BASS)
mf
MATT JOHNSON (DRUMS) UK CHART PEAK:
N/A
US CHART PEAK:
N/A
Em
BACKGROUND INFO
NOTES
‘Grace’ was the title track of Jeff Buckley’s only studio album released in his lifetime, Grace.
The song ‘Grace’ originated from Buckley’s time playing in New York City in 1991. The song was based on an instrumental called ‘Rise Up To Be’, written by Buckley’s then-collaborator, guitarist Gary Lucas. Lucas was 20 years Buckley’s senior and a veteran of Captain Beefheart’s band, but the two worked together under the name Gods And Monsters. Buckley developed the song but Lucas has a co-writer credit, as he does for Grace’s opener, ‘Mojo Pin’. Buckley’s lyrics were inspired by his saying goodbye to his then-girlfriend at the airport on a rainy day. In his spoken intro on the Live At Sin-é EP, Buckley says, “It’s about not feeling so bad about your own mortality when you have true love.” Buckley’s leaping and vibrato’d vocals were a trademark – he could literally go from whisper to scream in a single song. Buckley cited vocal inspirations as diverse as Led Zeppelin’s 4. Billie Robert1,Plant, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Morrissey, 2, 3. s4 Dsu Holliday and Robert Johnson. Dsus4
THE BIGGER PICTURE Jeffrey Scott Buckley (1966–1997) was one of the most critically-acclaimed singers of the 1990s. He was the son of 1960s–1970s folk/jazz artist Tim Buckley, but the two met only once, when Jeff was eight years old. Buckley’s mother is a classically-trained pianist and cellist, and Buckley decided to pursue a career in music aged 12. He started playing a guitar he found in his grandmother’s closet and played in his school jazz band. As an early teen, he listened to a lot of progressive/heavy rock such as Rush, Genesis, Yes and Led Zeppelin. Buckley attended LA’s Musicians Institute and completed a one-year course at 19. He sometimes seemed ambivalent about music school. Buckley once told Rolling Stone it was “the biggest waste of time”, but later noted he appreciated studying music theory, saying, “I was attracted to really interesting harmonies, stuff that I would hear in Ravel, Ellington, Bartók…” Grace was the only studio album he completed. Buckley drowned in 1997 while working on his second album, subsequently released as Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Start with Grace, full of remarkable singing. For
contrasting Buckley vocals, listen to his gently soulful falsetto on ‘Everybody Here Wants You’ and ‘Opened Once’ from Sketches…
sfz
Male Vocals Grade 8
SONG TITLE:
1. Ther 2. An 3. An
19
Grace
Grace
Jeff Buckley Words & Music by Jeff Buckley & Gary Lucas
Brightly q. = 64 Fm
Gm
mf
Em
1, 2, 3.
Male Vocals Grade 8
20
Dsus4
mf
4.
Dsus4
sfz
D
Em
1. There’s the moon 2. And she weeps 3. And I feel
ask - ing to on my them drown my
© Copyright 1994 Sony/ATV Tunes LLC/El Viejito Music/Gary Lucas Music, USA. Sony/ATV Music Publishing/Universal/MCA Music Limited. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
stay arm, name,
so
Em
Eb
long e - nough for to walk - ing sy ea
the clouds the bright to know
to fly lights
me a - way. in sor row. and forget with this kiss.
Fmaj9
com - ing, time my drink a bit of wine, we a - fraid to not
die. love.
I’m both might go,
go
not a - fraid, to - mor but it goes
My And the
2
-
row, so
slow...
Oh, Oh,
it’s I’m
To Coda
(a -) fraid oh,
to my
Em
Eb
Em
Em
F#dim
fad rain
-
is
ing voice fall
G6
A6
sings ing
-
of and I be -
Male Vocals Grade 8
Fmaj9
21
Bm
A%
love. - lieve
Em
F#dim
G6
cries minds
Em
my time
has
come.
But she It re -
Em
me
of
to
time, leave,
A%
of I might
oh, leave
be -
Em
Fmaj9
time. - hind.
the click - ing the pain
Bm7
A6
Wait
in the
fire,
wait
in
the fire.
Eb
Male Vocals Grade 8
22
Em/Eb
Eb
Em/Eb
Fmaj9
Em
Wait
in
the fire,
wait
in
the fire.
3
Coda
Em
Burn.
Em
D.C. al Coda
Burn.
To Coda
Eb
F#11(b9)
G6
Ah.
Em
Fmaj9
f
G6
Burn.
Fmaj9
4
B5
A5 2fr
Please.
Male Vocals Grade 8
Eb
23
Em
F#dim
G6
A6
Bm('11) 2fr
(2 & 3 vocal ad lib.)
1, 2.
3.
A'9
2
Please.
Em
A'9
leave
be
-
hind
D.C. al Coda
ay
ay.
FŒ„Š9(#11)
Coda
Em
(1-4 vocal ad lib.) in (5-7) Wait
the fire,
Male Vocals Grade 8
24
in
Em/Eb
the fire.
7.
Em/Eb
wait
1-6.
dim.
5
te re P e h T Foo Fighters SONG TITLE: ALBUM:
THE PRETENDER
q = 88 A„ˆˆ9
ECHOES, SILENCE, PATIENCE & GRACE
RELEASED:
2007
LABEL:
RCA
GENRE:
ROCK
PERSONNEL:
TAYLOR HAWKINS (DRUMS) NATE MENDEL (BASS) CHRIS SHIFLET (GTR) 8
US CHART PEAK:
37
DAVE GROHL (VOX+GTR)
UK CHART PEAK:
D
D9/
A‹„ˆˆ9
‘The Pretender’ was the first single released from the Foo Fighters’ sixth studio album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. THE BIGGER PICTURE Not content with being a member of just one of rock’s all-time great bands, Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl emerged from that outfit’s tragic end in 1994 to rise again a year later with Foo Fighters, a project that began as a 100-copy demo. The Foo’s signed to RCA and released these songs, which Grohl had played all the instruments on, as their eponymous debut. ‘This Is A Call’ proved a popular single, and the band’s follow-up albums, 1997’s The Colour And The Shape and 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose, ushered in various line-up changes and a more polished sound, yielding a reservoir of hits such as ‘Everlong’, ‘Monkey Wrench’, ‘Learn To Fly’ and ‘My Hero’. 1995’s double album In Your Honor comprised a hard-edged ‘rock’ half and a star-studded ‘acoustic’ half, whereas 2007’s Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace mixed the two sounds, and saw second-album producer Gil Norton return to the desk. Almost two decades on, the band’s remarkable consistency has earned Foo Fighters their place in the pantheon of modern rock acts.
‘The Pretender’ showcases what the Foo Fighters
NOTES
You know they all do best. An exercise dark. it begins the dynamics, in in rock p you Kee with a subdued, contemplative arpeggio intro before relentlessly upping the ante with layers of guitar and a chanted chorus, which Grohl admits may have been influenced by the Sesame Street song ‘One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other’. Then the song takes a detour, swerving between a Chuck Berry-esque shuffle, the subdued intro and the all-out onslaught of the chorus – all in a breathless four and a half minutes. It was a relatively spontaneous creation, as Dave Grohl told Guitar World: “It was just something I fooled around with between takes… We put the whole thing 9 together in five minutes. Then we A‹„ˆˆ recorded a demo version of it, and our demo version wound up being the basis of the recorded version. My guitars that we used on the demo are the ones on the final version.”
the in Keep you RECOMMENDED LISTENING
dark,
and
so
all
it
AndTheShape and There Is Nothing LeftTheTo Colour for crafting Lose Grohl’s knack demonstrate memorable melodic hooks, while 2011’s Wasted Light, helmed by Nirvana producer Butch Vig, is a hardhitting granite slab of rock.
Male Vocals Grade 8
BACKGROUND INFO
25
The Pretender
The Pretender q = 88 A„ˆˆ9
A‹„ˆˆ9
D9/F#
in
the
dark.
You know they all
A‹„ˆˆ9
Male Vocals Grade 8
F‹ƒ‰7
in
the
dark,
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so
it
all
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pre - tend.
D9/F#
Keep you
26
F‹ƒ‰7
Words & Music by Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel & Chris Shiflett
D9/F#
Keep you
Foo Fighters
© Copyright 2007 Songs Of Universal Inc./Living Under A Rock Music/I Love The Punk Rock Music/M.J.-Twelve Music/Flying Earform Music. Universal Music Publishing Limited/Universal/MCA Music Limited/Bug Music Limited. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
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Male Vocals Grade 8
&
34
D9/F#
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Male Vocals Grade 8
&
Ϫ
5fr
35
n’ i v i L Bon Jovi LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER
ALBUM:
SLIPPERY WHEN WET
RELEASED: LABEL:
MERCURY
GENRE:
ROCK
PERSONNEL:
q = 122 E‹9
1986
JON BON JOVI (VOX) RICHIE SAMBORA (GTR+VOX) DAVID BRYAN (KEYS)
TICO TORRES (DRUMS) ALEC JOHN SUCH (BASS) UK CHART PEAK:
4
US CHART PEAK:
1
BACKGROUND INFO ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ was Bon Jovi’s second US Number 1 from their third album, Slippery When Wet. It is credited to Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and producer/songwriter Desmond Child. THE BIGGER PICTURE Jon Bon Jovi himself didn’t originally rate the nascent song, demo’d a year before, but Richie Sambora convinced him to continue work on it with a new bassline. It ended up being Bon Jovi’s signature song. Slippery When Wet made the band superstars, the album having now sold a reported 28 million-plus copies. Its follow-up, New Jersey, was a double US/ UK Number 1. At the 2010 Grammy Awards, Bon Jovi performed this song as a result of a fan vote. Asked the same year if he ever got tired of singing it, JBJ quipped, “Not when I see the jet with my name on it.” NOTES This is a classic character song, about a fictional working-class couple, Tommy and Gina. Tommy “used to work on the docks” but then the “union’s been on strike, he’s down on his luck”. Gina works
at a diner, “workin’ for her man”. Jon Bon Jovi says the character Tommy went through changes: “It was a fictional character. The inspiration was a young couple who got pregnant and gave up everything they had, but that didn’t read right, so we changed the story.” Some have speculated the song is influenced by fellow New Jerseyan Bruce Springsteen, who used a similar scenario of hard economic times and a character couple in his 1981 song ‘The River’ – Springsteen is one of Jon Bon Jovi’s songwriting heroes. However, Desmond Child says Tommy and Gina were based on people he knew while working as a New York C/ECity cab driver in the 1970s. The names?D/E Jon Bon Jovi has family relations called Tommy and Gina. So it’s a mix of inspirations.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING The song works acoustically – see Bon Jovi and Sambora’s performance at the 1989 MTV Music Awards. In 2000, on Bon Jovi’s ‘It’s My Life,’ Tommy and Gina returned as characters in song: “This is for the ones who stood their ground, for Tommy and Gina who never backed down.” Sambora used a guitar talkbox on ‘It’s My Life’ in a nod to the song’s history. It’s been in Glee, of course, and Bowling For Soup mentioned the characters in their ‘Punk Rock 101’ – “Like Tommy C/Eand Gina, they’re living on a prayer.”
D/E
Male Vocals Grade 8
SONG TITLE:
37
Livin’ On A Prayer Bon Jovi
Livin’ on a Prayer
Words & Music by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora & Desmond Child
q = 122 E‹9
C/E
D/E
E‹„ˆˆ9
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C/E
Male Vocals Grade 8
38
Spoken: Once up - on a time,
not so long a - go…
© Copyright 1986 Bon Jovi Publishing/PolyGram International Music Publishing Incorporated/Aggressive Music/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC. Universal Music Publishing Limited/Sony/ATV Music Publishing. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
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Male Vocals Grade 8
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Male Vocals Grade 8
C
41
1.
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Male Vocals Grade 8
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42
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Male Vocals Grade 8
C
43
The Commitments SONG TITLE: ALBUM:
TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS
RELEASED:
1991
LABEL:
MCA
GENRE:
SOUL
PERSONNEL:
q = 80
THE COMMITMENTS
N.C.
ANDREW STRONG (VOX) MARIA DOYLE KENNEDY (VOX) BRONAGH GALLAGHER (VOX)
ANGELINE BALL (VOX) MICHAEL AHERNE (KEYS) GLEN HANSARD (GUITAR) KEN MCCLUSKEY (BASS) DICK MASSEY (DRUMS)
FÉLIM GORMLEY (SAX)
US CHART PEAK:
N/A
BACKGROUND INFO ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ was one of the standout recordings from the 1991 film The Commitments. It is a cover of Otis Redding’s 1966 version of a song written in 1932. THE BIGGER PICTURE The Commitments was a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by acclaimed Irish writer Roddy Doyle (whose other novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha won the Booker Prize in 1993). The film is set in Dublin and tells the story of a soul band made up of white working class Dubliners. Alan Parker, the film’s director, picked real musicians to play the fictional band members, preferring musical ability over acting chops. This resulted in an authenticity to the film’s musical performances and most of the cast being featured on the accompanying soundtrack album, released in the same year as the movie. The soundtrack features a number of classic songs from labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax. ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ is a key song in the development of the band as it is depicted in the film, and was based on Otis Redding’s version for Stax Records.
q = 92 E
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NOTES
Written in 1932 by Woods, Campbell and Connelly, ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ had been performed by everyone from Bing Crosby to Aretha Franklin. Cut in three takes in 1966, Otis Redding’s version begins with a three-part horn intro, leading into a sparse showcase of his restrained yet emotional vocal. Three minutes and 46 seconds after it began, Redding and the band had one of pop’s greatest ensemble performances in the can. Quoted in Robert Gordon’s Respect Yourself, Stax Records co-founder Jim Stewart considered it the label’s best record: “It exemplifies what Stax really was, that one record. When I hear it today, I still get that same feeling that I got when we rolled that tape in the studio.” For the young, unknown cast of The Commitments to replicate that as well as they did was no mean feat.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
The Commitments soundtrack album (1991) is an impressive achievement by the film’s youthful cast. Otis Redding’s third solo album, Otis Blue (1966), is essential and the posthumous Dock Of The Bay (1968) is a fitting tribute.
E
Male Vocals Grade 8
N/A
UK CHART PEAK:
45 D7
Try A Little Tenderness The Commitments
Try A Little Tenderness
Words & Music by Harry Woods, James Campbell & Reginald Connelly
Words & Music by Harry Woods, Jimmy Campbell & Reg Connelly
q = 80
N.C.
q = 92 E
1. Oh,
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Male Vocals Grade 8
46
B7 3
and young girls,they do get wea
-
ry
3
C#7
old
shab- by
dress.
3
3
4fr
same
3
that
3
D7
wear - ing
F#m7
4fr
E
C#m
3
© Copyright 1932 & 1960 Chester Music Limited trading as Campbell Connelly & Co. All rights for the USA and Canada assigned to EMI Robbins Catalog, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
3
3
F#m
3
3
But when she gets wea
-
ry
try
3
3
3
3
3
E/G#
a
lit - tle
ten
-
der -
ness.
3
$
3
3
q = 100 E
(Fan - dan - go.)
3
B7
G7
F#m7
2. You 3. You
3
Male Vocals Grade 8
B7
47
C#m7
4fr
F#m7
know she’s wait won’t re - gret
ing, it,
just young girls
3
3
an - ti - ci - pat they nev - er for - get
ing it.
the
3
3
D
Emaj7
B7
things Love
that is
C#7 4fr
she their
nev - er, on - ly
nev
-
er, nev - er, nev - er hap - pi - ness.
pos - ess - es, yeah.
F#m
Male Vocals Grade 8
48
But But
3
while she’s there it is all so
wait - ing eas - y,
with - out them, 3
3
B7
all
you
3
3
3
E9
3
E/G#
This is for you.
3
3
G#7
It’s not
3
A
E
lit - tle ten - der - ness.
That’s all you got - ta do.
A
a
try
got - ta
just
4fr
sen - ti - men- tal,
no,
no.
3
3
Male Vocals Grade 8
E
To Coda Ø
49
C#m
F#7 4fr
She has
her
grief
and
her
care.
3
A
But
they are 3
Male Vocals Grade 8
50
F#7 4fr
spoke
3
G#7
words,
the soft
so
gen - tle,
it makes it
eas
-
i - er,
F#m7
eas
-
2fr
i - er
to
bear,
Ø Coda
is
try
ten - der - ness.
a
lit - tle
Oh,
yeah.
F#m7 4fr
E/G#
C#7
yeah.
B
do
E/G#
Squeeze her,
we tease her,
nev - er
Male Vocals Grade 8
D.S. al Coda Baug7
B7
51
A
Bbdim
leave
her.
You
C#m
try
Male Vocals Grade 8
52
got - ta,
you
E 6fr
a
lit - tle
ten - der - ness,
yeah.
C#7
2fr
4fr
Yeah,
you
Eb 5fr
C
got - ta,
D'9
you
got - ta,
D 4fr
got - ta
B
yeah.
F#m7
Squeeze her,
A
E/G#
we
tease
her,
nev - er
leave
Bbdim
her.
You
got - ta,
Play 5 times ad lib
C
you
got - ta,
ten
you
der
you
-
got - ta
-
D 4fr
got - ta,
E7
C#m
Eb 5fr
try
6fr
a
lit - tle
ness. (Vocal ad lib.)
Male Vocals Grade 8
B
53
Technical Exercises Group A: Scales
The chromatic scale should be prepared as shown below. You may select any starting note from A–E. You will be asked if you would like to sing along to a metronome click or hear four clicks before you start. Whichever option you choose, you will hear your chosen starting note before the count starts. You may perform this test using any vocal sound except humming or whistling. The tempo is q =100. q = 100
4 &4
w
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ w
œ œ #œ œ #œ œ œ n œ œ n œ œ #œ n œ #œ n œ œ œ #œ œ œ #œ œ #œ #œ œ
Œ
Ó
Group B: Arpeggios
In this group, the arpeggio exercise needs to be prepared as shown below. This test is performed to a metronome click track and you may select any starting note from C–G. You will hear the root note played on piano followed by a one-bar (four click) count-in. You may perform this test using any vocal sound except humming or whistling. The tempo is q =100. C diminished 7 arpeggio q =100
& 44
w
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ w
bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
œ
Œ
Ó
Group C: Intervals
In this group, the two interval sequences need to be prepared as below. You will be asked to perform one of them in the exam, as chosen by the examiner. The examiner will choose a starting note within the range D–F. You will hear this note followed by a four-beat count-in. You may perform this test using any vocal sound except humming or whistling. The tempo is q =90. Major 7th, minor 7th and octave intervals q = 90
& 44 w
¿ w
¿
¿
¿
Candidate sings:
¿ w
¿
¿
¿
Candidate sings:
œ
œ
œ
bœ
œ
Male Vocals Grade 8
Major 3rd and minor 3rd intervals
54
q = 90
& 44 w
œ
œ
œ
bœ
w
œ
˙
Group D: Backing Vocals
In this group, all three backing vocal parts need to be prepared as shown below. You will be asked to perform one of them in the exam, as chosen by the examiner. The chosen part must be sung alongside the other two parts on the recording. The backing tracks for these can be found in the downloadable audio. Am
Let’s
B
& 44 œ
Let’s
C
4 &4 œ
Let’s
Rock
œ
get
down,
œ
œ
get
down,
œ
œ
j ‰ œ œ œ œ
œ
‰ œ œ œ
œ
now,
do it
now
œ
‰ œ œ œ
get
œ & œ œ Am
Do
it
right
& œ œ œ Do
it
right
& œ œ œ Do
it
œ œ œ
œ
right
down,
now,
œ
now,
‰ Jœ
it’s
‰ œ J
it’s
it’s
F
time
time
time
right
right
‰ œ œ œ do it
get
œ œ œ
F
do it
to
right
to
to
get
get
œ
œ loud,
œ loud,
œ
loud,
Ó Ó
now
Ó
‰ œ œ ‰ œ J J
C
we’re the heart
‰ œ œ
œ
‰ œ œ
œ
and
we’re the heart
G
œ
soul
‰ œj œ
soul
œ
œ
are
the
fu
œ
œ
œ
we
are
the
fu
œ
3
œ
œ
we
3
œ
are
this
‰ œj œj ‰ œ
soul
œ
œ
of
j ‰ œ œ
and
3
‰ œJ œ
G
‰ œ œ ‰ œ J J and
we’re the heart
we
now
œ
œ
‰ œ œ
the
fu
of
of
this
this
œ
Œ
town.
œ
Œ
town.
œ
Œ
town.
œ -
ture.
œ -
-
ture.
œ
ture.
Male Vocals Grade 8
q =130
4 œ &4 A
55
Technical Exercises
Group E: Stylistic Studies
You will need to choose one stylistic technical study from the group listed below. Your choice will determine the style of the Quick Study Piece. If you choose the jazz and blues stylistic study, for example, the examiner will give you a QSP from the jazz and blues group. ■■Pop and musical theatre ■■Soul and R’n’B ■■Jazz and blues ■■Rock and indie
Stylistic Study | Pop and Musical Theatre q = 70
Dramatic dynamics and inflections / Sustains with vibrato
Music Theatre
F D
Bm
# 4 & #4 œ
On
&
##
my
Em
œ
œ
œ
lone - ly
av
œ
# œ & #
Bm
fa - ther
will
be proud
A
## œ~~~~~~~~~~~~ œ . & J a
I’ll
pack
œ
œ
my
tears
~~~~~~j œ œ œ
œ
and
hide
my
and pick my
F ‰ œJ
œ of.
I’ll
œ
be - tween the
G
œ
œ
face
up
to
œ
œ~~~~~~~~~ ‰
the
of
f
œ œ ‰
life.
b G # m7 5
œ œ
I
œ œ
re - gain
œ
that
pride.
œ
plagued
my
I’ll
& 44 ˙
Soul
It’s
F6
& œ
œ œ
Male Vocals Grade 8
A m7/G
56
been
G6
& œ
œ
œ
so
j œ
F6
G6
˙
long
A m7
Œ
œ œ œ
my
‰.
œ
I’ll
A m7/G
œ œ œ
&
œ
Now
‰ C m6/E b
ne - ver for - get F6
œ
œ J
‰
near. A m7
the
œ œ œ ‰ J
œ bœ
œ
for - mer
my
œ J
œ œ ‰
dig - ni - ty
and
ƒ . ˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Œ
œ
life.
A m7/G
œ œ œ œ
since you went
r œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
I,
G6
walk
Long melisma / Register flips
j œ ‰ œ
A m7/G
œ
will be - come the man
Stylistic Study | Soul and R’n’B q = 70
œ
3
œ
D
my
des - ti - ny,
j œ
fear
sta - tues
œ
my
A
. œ~~~~~~~~~~~~ œ J
bove
way
‰
F 3 œ ‰ œ œ œ œ J
œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
G
-
œ
3
e - nues,
œ œ œ
home
œ
œ
A
r œ œ œ ‰.
-
œ
jour - ney
œ
rise
œ
œ
œ
you
œ
I
œ
˙
a - way. F6
‰.
œ
swear.
œ
Œ
G6
œ
A m7/G
rœ œ
G6
œ
I want
G6
œ
œ
œ
œ
to
be
Ooh.
œ you
Œ
Woh.
œ œ I
know
œ
œ œ œ œ œ that you’ll ne - ver come
C m6/E b
œ J
back.
‰
œ
F6
Now
œ œ I
know
œ œ that
œ
œ
since
you
E m7
œ œ œ œ went
a
-
Am
˙. way.
Œ
Technical Exercises
Stylistic Study | Jazz and Blues Jazz
P #6 & 8 œ.
B m7
j œ
&
#
F #m
œ
take
you
b F # m7 5
# & œ
find
a
œ
œ
œ
the
œ œ J B
hand
‰
your won - der -land.
don’t
ig - nore
Em
œ œ J
# œ & 68
out
my
of
luck
you
œ bœ
œ
good
ad - vice
and
treat
F #m
œ
me
B7
‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ J J
and
out
of
time
so
-
œ
you
on
hap - pi - ness
a
C maj 7
44 œ .
grab
œ
Or
œ
you’ll
œ œ.
œ œ
œ
your
chance
the
b F # m7 5
find
and
on
b & b b 44 Ó Bb
b &bb œ
way
with the bonds
Bb
b b ˙~~~~~~~~~~~ œ b & We
Cm
of
Œ
b b ˙~~~~~~~~~~~ œ b &
won’t
Œ
œ œ
ci - ty’s cry - in’ out there’s a
œ œ
won’t
Bb
We
Œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
ry
to
œ
œ
dance
to
œ œ
-
ly rule.
œ
œ
P r œ 46 But
6 8
œ.
runn - ing
f œ ‰ Œ J
Em
œ
fol - low
Ó
me.
Slides to scream / Register flips
Metal
The
œ
your - self
Stylistic Study | Rock and Indie q = 140
œ
B7
œ
œ
œ
-
œ œ
that’s
œ
fool.
mer
b F # m7 5
’coz
œ nœ
œ
a
œ.
will - ing Am
œ r œ
œ
I’m
œ
œ œ œ
like
œ
tience
Am
œ
œ
A
œ
pa
lead
pro - mise
œ
tle
œ
œ.
Am
œ J
A
Em
œ œ
Em
I
œ bœ
lit
and
F j œ
œ
œ
j œ
B7
œ
by
œ œ
# 6 Eœm b œ & 4
œ
œ
With
Em
Ab
œ œ Œ
Bb
Œ
op - pres - sion, Ab
œ
œ
take
this
Ab
œ
œ
take
this
Bb
œ œ J
œ œ. J ri - ot
com - ing.
œ
Cm
œ
œ
cry,
no,
no,
‰
sitt - ing Bb
œ œ J
sitt - ing
œ œ ‰ œ J
˙.
Cm
down.
‰
w
Cm
down.
I’m
œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ
cal - ling on the gods
of
˙
Œ ‰ œJ
war
A-
. ˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
˙
Œ
no.
œ
œ œ
œ œ œ œ . ˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ó Œ Male Vocals Grade 8
q = 82
Un-accompanied chromatic runs / Wide pitch jumps
57
Quick Study Piece At this grade you will be asked to prepare and perform a short Quick Study Piece (QSP). This will consist of four bars of melody and eight bars of improvisation. Bars 1–4 of the test will be a notated melody and you will need to sing all the written detail, including lyrics. In bars 5–8, you will need to improvise a variation on bars 1–4, developing both the lyrics and melody as you feel appropriate. In bars 9–12, you will need to improvise with no requirement to reference bars 1–4. You may use any vocal sound except humming or whistling for these bars. The examiner will give you the sheet music, then you will hear a full mix version of the track, including the notated parts. This first playthrough will be preceded by the root note and a one-bar count-in. After the full mix, you will have three minutes to practise. The root note will be played at the start of this practice time and then again after 90 seconds. During the practice time, you will be given the choice of a metronome click throughout or a one-bar count-in at the beginning. At the end of three minutes, the backing track will be played twice more with the notated parts now absent. The first time is for you to rehearse and the second time is for you to perform the final version for the exam. Again, you will hear the root note and a one-bar count-in before both playthroughs. The backing track is continuous, so once the first playthrough has finished, the root note and count-in of the second playthrough will start immediately. The tempo is q =70–160. The QSP style will be from one of the following four groups. These match the groups of the stylistic studies in the Technical Exercises section. ■■Pop and musical theatre ■■Soul and R’n’B ■■Jazz and blues ■■Rock and indie The style given to you in the exam will be from the same group as your choice of stylistic study. The examiner will decide which one, specifically (i.e. rock or indie).
Quick Study Piece | Pop and Musical Theatre q = 120
& b 44 w &b
œ
C
œ
œ
make
it
real?
&b ’ F
’
Bb
&b ’
’
We’re on the
’ ’
Male Vocals Grade 8
’
C
’
Dm
’
’
¿
œ
œ
edge
of
œ œ œ
Œ
[Improvise freely – 4 bars]
58
¿
Pop
[Vary melody – 4 bars]
Example test
Dm
’ ’
’ ’
∑
Bb
some
’
¿
-
Dm
’
Bb
’
thing,
’ ’
œ J
‰
F
œ ⇥ œ œ
œ
’
¿
the Bb
’
’
œ
Dm
œ
œ
Let’s
do
œ
edge
’ ’
œ
’
F
’
œ œ
‰
this now,
œ
can we
œ
œ
C
of Dm
œ
’ ’
some
C
thing.
’
’
’
’
Quick Study Piece | Soul and R’n’B
&
##
&
##
&
##
¿
RnB
w
nœ œ œ œ œ
think of what it could
’ ’
œ
’
’
’
’
[Improvise freely – 4 bars]
‰
œ
be.
E
[Vary melody – 4 bars]
Em
¿
¿
Bm
œ œ I
’
Em
’
Bm
’
’
œ
j œ œ E
‰
œ
am watch - ing Bm
’
’
’
’
‰
’
’
’
E
E
’
’
’
’
’
’
Œ
Bm
’
’
’
’
too.
’
Bm
Bm
œ œ
me
E m7
’
Em
œ
œ œ
œ
Œ
E
see,
E m7
and you’re watch - ing
’
’
you
œ œ
you
j œ
‰
œ
œ
What Bm
Em
Bm
¿
’
Quick Study Piece | Jazz and Blues
Example test
j Jazz q q = q q 3
q = 120
b & b 44 b &b œ
w
C m7
don’t Bb
b &b ’
G
œ
you
7#5
œ
move,
’
b &b ’ D7
’
¿
¿
¿
Bb
‰
j œ
œ
Stop
œ #œ
B dim7
[Vary melody – 4 bars]
¿
’
’
[Improvise freely – 4 bars]
‰
C m7
œ
’
C m7
’
G m7
’
’
’ ’
G
j œ œ œ œ œ
7#5
I’m
think - ing that I’m
’
’
C m7
’
C m7
’
’
’
F7
œ
3
œ
in
’
’
’
F7
there,
Ó ’
’
˙
right
˙
love.
B dim7
F7
’
’ Bb
’
’
’
’
’
’
’
Quick Study Piece | Rock and Indie q. =120
¿.
Rock
b & b 12 8 w. b & b œJ Œ F
&
bb
&
bb
’.
Cm
Ab
‰ œ œ œ
gon - na feel
’.
Eb
’.
’.
’.
’.
[Vary melody – 4 bars]
Eb
’.
’.
F
[Improvise freely – 4 bars]
Example test
œ œ. J
al - right,
’. F
Ab
’.
¿.
¿.
say - ing good - bye
’.
is
’.
’.
’.
’.
Cm
Ly - ing
œ œ œ œ œ J
œ œ œ œ Ab
œ œ œ œ
Cm
Eb
Cm
’.
¿.
mak - ing
’.
Cm
Eb
’.
me
die
a - wake
œ J
Eb
and
œ Œ J
’.
’.
’.
’.
’.
œ J
and won - der - ing when
Œ
F
’.
F
Eb
œ œ œ œ œ J Ab
œ œ J I
’. F
Ab
’.
’. Bb
’.
see
I’m
œ œ. J
Ab
the light.
’.
’.
’.
’.
Cm
Male Vocals Grade 8
q = 80
# 4 & #4
Example test
59
Ear Tests In this section, there are two ear tests: ■■Melodic Recall ■■Harmony Vocals You will find one example of each type of test printed below and you will be given both of them in the exam.
Test 1 | Melodic Recall
The examiner will play you a two-bar melody played to a drum backing. It will use the D major or E natural minor scale (the examiner will decide which) and the first note will be the root, 3rd or 5th. You will hear the test twice. Each time the test is played, it starts with the root note and a four-beat count-in. There will be a short gap for you to practise after each playthrough. Next you will hear a vocal count-in, after which you should sing the melody to the drum backing. The tempo is q =90. It is acceptable to sing over the track as it is being played as well as practising after the first two playthroughs. The length of time available after the second playthrough is pre-recorded on the audio track, so the vocal count-in may begin while you are still practising. You may perform this test using any vocal sound except humming or whistling.
¿ w
q = 90
# & 44 .. w
¿
¿
¿
œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ ‰ ‰ œJ
œœœœ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ ..
Please note: the test shown is an example. The examiner will give you a different version in the exam.
Test 2 | Harmony Vocals
The examiner will play you a four-bar melody in the key of D major or E minor, based on any diatonic chords. There will be two recorded vocal parts that will sing the root, 3rd or 5th of each chord, and you need to harmonise a diatonic 3rd or 4th above the highest-sounding part using the same rhythm. The examiner will give you the lyrics. You will hear the test twice. Each time the test is played, it starts with the root note and a four-beat count-in. There will be a short gap for you to practise after each playthrough. Next, you will hear a vocal count-in, after which you should perform the harmony line. The tempo is q =90–140. It is acceptable to sing over the track as it is being played as well as practising after the first two playthroughs. The length of time available after the second playthrough is pre-recorded on the audio track, so the vocal count-in may begin while you are still practising. q =130
# & 44 .. w Male Vocals Grade 8
q =130
60
# & 44 .. w
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ w ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ w
Candidate hears: (You will not be shown this in the exam)
Em
œœ ..
I’ll
j j j œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ ˙˙ G
do
what - ev - er it takes
D
to
win
Candidate sings: (you will not hear or be shown this in the exam)
œ.
Em
I’ll
œ œ. J
do
œ J
D œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ ˙ J
G
what - ev - er it takes
to
win
˙˙
you
˙ you
Please note: the test shown is an example. The examiner will give you a different version in the exam.
œœ
œœ œœ ˙˙
..
Em
œ
œ œ ˙
back
a - gain.
..
Em
back
a - gain.
General Musicianship Questions In this part of the exam you will be asked five questions. Three of these will be about general music knowledge, the fourth will be about improvisation, and the fifth will be about your voice or the microphone.
Part 1 | General Music Knowledge
The examiner will ask three music knowledge questions from the categories below. The questions will be based on one of the pieces (including Free Choice Pieces) as performed by you in the exam. You can choose which one. If there are handwritten notes on the piece you have chosen, the examiner may ask you to choose an alternative. You will be asked to identify and explain: ■■Any notation used in the chosen piece; ■■Recognition of intervals up to a 10th between two adjacent notes. (You will need to state major, minor or perfect.)
Part 2 | Improvisation
You will also be asked to briefly describe and demonstrate – with reference to melody, rhythm, phrasing and dynamics – your approach to how you would improvise any part of your chosen song. You can choose the part.
Part 3 | Your Voice And The Microphone
The examiner will also ask you one question about your voice or the microphone. Brief demonstrations to assist your answer would be acceptable.
Male Vocals Grade 8
You will be asked: ■■What is ‘melisma’ and what exercises can help you develop it? ■■Describe techniques you might employ to build emotional intensity in a soul/R’n’B-style ballad. ■■Give two examples of exercises designed to develop intensity/power in a singer’s ‘mix’ voice. ■■Explain the difference between a dynamic and a condenser microphone, including one example each of their uses.
61
Entering Exams, Exam Procedure & Marking Schemes Entering Exams
Entering a Rockschool exam is easy. You can enter online at www.rslawards.com or by downloading and filling in an exam entry form. The full Rockschool examination terms and conditions as well as exam periods and current fees are available from our website or by calling +44 (0)845 460 4747.
Exam procedure
In the exam you can decide whether to start with the Performance Pieces or the Technical Exercises. These will be followed by the Supporting Tests (Ear Tests and Quick Study Pieces) and General Musicianship Questions.
Use Of Microphone
At Level 1 (Grades 1–3) microphone use is optional, although candidates may use one if they feel it will enhance their performance. At Level 2 (Grades 4–5) microphone use is obligatory for all pieces and at Level 3 (Grades 6–8) for the whole exam.
Marking Schemes
Below are the marking schemes for the two different types of Rockschool exam. Grade Exams | Grades 6–8 ELEMENT
PASS
MERIT
DISTINCTION
Performance Piece 1
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Performance Piece 2
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Performance Piece 3
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Technical Exercises
9–10 out of 15
11–12 out of 15
13 + out of 15
Quick Study Piece
6 out of 10
7–8 out of 10
9 + out of 10
Ear Tests
6 out of 10
7–8 out of 10
9 + out of 10
General Musicianship Questions
3 out of 5
4 out of 5
5 out of 5
TOTAL MARKS
60%+
74%+
90%+
Male Vocals Grade 8
Performance Certificates | Grades 1–8
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ELEMENT
PASS
MERIT
DISTINCTION
Performance Piece 1
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Performance Piece 2
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Performance Piece 3
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Performance Piece 4
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
Performance Piece 5
12–14 out of 20
15–17 out of 20
18+ out of 20
TOTAL MARKS
60%+
75%+
90%+
Improvisation Requirements & Free Choice Pieces At Rockschool it is our aim to encourage creativity and individualism. We therefore give candidates the opportunity to express themselves musically within styles of their own choice. For this reason, Free Choice Pieces are accepted in all Vocals grades. In addition, all songs performed in exams from Grade 3 onwards have compulsory improvisation requirements.
Improvisation Requirements
From Grade 3, all songs, whether from the grade book or chosen as FCPs, need to incorporate improvisation. The improvisation can be prepared in advance, but is expected to be individually constructed, and needs to include both vocal ad-libbing and re-working of existing melody lines as follows: Level 1 Grade 3: Level 2 Grades 4–5: Level 3 Grades 6–7: Level 3 Grades 8:
Vocal ad-libbing (2–4 bars) and re-working of melody line (4 bars) Vocal ad-libbing (4–8 bars) and re-working of melody line (4–8 bars) Vocal ad-libbing (8–12 bars) and re-working of melody line (8 bars) Vocal ad-libbing (12–16 bars) and re-working of melody line (8 bars)
For all pieces, you will need to highlight the sheet music to show the examiner the location of both ad-libbed and re-worked parts at the beginning of the exam.
Notes ■■You are free to choose where you improvise. However, in all cases, improvisations need to be a continuous number of bars, not a number of smaller bars which in total add up to the ranges shown. ■■Vocal ad-lib could be demonstrated in, for example, introductions, endings or open instrumental parts. ■■Re-working of a melody could be demonstrated by altering any existing singing parts; for example, verses, choruses, bridges. ■■For both ad-lib and re-working of a melody, you need to demonstrate an awareness of harmony, melody, phrasing, use of rhythms and incorporation of any appropriate expression in a stylistically appropriate manner. Range and content will be expected to increase progressively as you move through the grades. ■■We would encourage re-working to take place later in a piece after the original has been presented to show you can portray the original, then you are able to adapt appropriately with individual colour. ■■Improvisation can be a good place to demonstrate your head voice, which can often be omitted, reducing the technical content of a piece at a particular grade.
Free Choice Pieces (FCPs)
An FCP is defined as any piece outside the grade book, and can fall into two categories: 1) W ider Repertoire: a full list of pre-approved and regularly updated pieces can be found on www.rslawards.com. These songs can be used without prior approval from Rockschool. 2) O wn Choice: candidates can choose any song in any genre outside the grade book and wider repertoire. These songs can, however, only be used with prior approval from Rockschool. This requirement is compulsory and you need to contact the office to have your chosen piece(s) approved. Please allow five weeks before your exam to receive a decision.
For all grades, candidates can choose the following number of FCPs in the exam: Grade Examinations: Up to 2 of 3 pieces can be free choice. (At least one piece must be from the grade book.) Performance Certificates: Up to 3 of 5 pieces can be free choice. (At least two pieces must be from the grade book.) For all FCPs, candidates will need to bring the sheet music and a backing track (without vocal part) on the day. A memory stick, iPod or CD/DVD is acceptable and we would also suggest a second source to be safe. It will not be necessary to bring the sheet music or backing tracks for pieces chosen from the grade book.
Male Vocals Grade 8
We cannot accept any songs which have not been approved or are not contained in the grade book or wider repertoire.
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Copyright Information A Song For You (Russell) Universal Music Publishing Limited Apologize (Tedder) Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Limited Grace (Buckley/Lucas) Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Limited/Universal/MCA Music Limited The Pretender (Grohl/Hawkins/Mendel/Shiflett) Universal Music Publishing Limited/Universal/MCA Music Limited/Bug Music Limited Livin’ On A Prayer (Jovi/Sambora/Child) Universal Music Publishing Limited/Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Limited
Male Vocals Grade 8
Try A Little Tenderness (Woods/Campbell/Connelly) Campbell Connelly & Company Limited
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