KEYBOARDS – GRADE 1
At Grade 1 you can develop a range of skills and techniques including swing rhythm, coordinating ties over the bar line, semiquaver riff and staccato. In the exam you’ll play a set list of three songs and demonstrate your playback or improvising skills.
You can find out more about the exam by downloading the complete Keyboards syllabus, or taking a look at the information below.
Everything you need to know about the exam, including durations, marking, room setup and what to take, can be found in the Keyboards syllabus.
EXAM STRUCTURE AND MARK SCHEME
Maximum marks
SONG 1
25
A song chosen from the relevant graded Trinity Keyboards songbook, played with the Trinity backing track
SONG 2
25
Either a different song chosen from the relevant graded Trinity Keyboards songbook, played with the Trinity backing track
or a song from the additional Trinity Keyboards arrangements at trinityrock.com/extra-songs
or an own-choice song
or a song composed by the candidate
Song 2 may:
- be unaccompanied
- be played to a backing track (which can be recorded by the candidate)
- include added vocals, performed live by the candidate
- include an accompaniment played or sung live by another musician
SESSION SKILLS
20
Either playback or improvising
SONG 3
30
A technical focus song chosen from the relevant graded Trinity Keyboards songbook, containing specific technical elements, played with the Trinity backing track
TOTAL
100
In your Grade 1 exam you’ll play a set list of three songs. Two of these will be from our Initial songbook, including a technical focus (TF) song which focuses on two specific technical skills which run throughout the song, so you can demonstrate these techniques seamlessly in your performance. Your other song can be from our Grade 1 songbook, or can be a song of your own choice, a song that you’ve written, or a cover version that you’ve arranged.
These songs are included in the Grade 1 Keyboards songbook:
| GNARLS BARKLEY | Crazy |
| THE BLACK KEYS | Gold On The Ceiling (TF) |
| THE BEATLES | Hey Jude |
| ALABAMA SHAKES | Hold On |
| CHIC | Le Freak (TF) |
| ROXY MUSIC | Love Is The Drug |
| WILSON PICKETT | Mustang Sally |
| GRIZZLY BEAR | Two Weeks (TF) |
THE SONGBOOK
The Grade 1 Keyboards songbook includes everything you need for your exam, including sheet music for eight songs, along with performance hints and tips and background information for each song.
It also contains a code that gives access to downloadable demo and backing tracks for each of the songs. Buy and download your resources here.
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
For inspiration, have a listen to our Spotify playlist featuring the artist’s original versions of our Rock & Pop 2018 Keyboards songs for Initial to Grade 2. If you don’t already have a Spotify account, it’s free to set one up. Follow us and our playlists to easily find them again.
Develop the skills professional musicians rely on in their careers, and learn how to play music you’ve never seen or heard before or improvise over a track in the session skills part of your exam. You can choose which skill to demonstrate in your exam.
PLAYBACK
Candidates choosing this option perform some music they haven’t seen or heard before. The test consists of a series of short melodic phrases, which candidates repeat back in turn, over a backing track. See the syllabus for full requirements and graded parameters.
IMPROVISING
Candidates choosing this option improvise in a specified style over a recorded backing track that they haven’t seen or heard before. The backing track consists of a passage of music played in a loop. See the syllabus for full requirements and graded parameters.
Download example Playback and Improvisation test audio and charts for Grade 1 Keyboards.
You can find out more about the session skills tests, including technical expectations and how they are marked, in the Keyboards syllabus.
We will be releasing additional arrangements suitable for use as own-choice songs.
There’s also a range of songs from the 2015-2017 Trinity Rock & Pop syllabus that match the current own-choice parameters, and can also be used for Song 2.
