Grade 1

At Grade 1, you can learn about dynamics, tone quality and syncopation. You’ll perform three songs and build on your Initial Session skills.

Choose your songs from our song list, including one of the Technical focus songs that develop particular skills. There’s an option for you to play your own cover version of a song or, if you’re a songwriter, one of your own songs.

You’ll find more information about how the exam works in the syllabus.

Grade 1 Bass song list

The Grade 1 Bass songbook includes everything you need for the exam – sheet music for six songs, performance tips, technical support and guidance on Session skills, together with a CD of demo and backing tracks. If you want to buy individual songs, choose them from the list below.

• Freight Train Taj Mahal
• I Believe I'll Dust My Broom (Technical focus) Robert Johnson
• Psycho Killer Talking Heads
• Shakin' All Over Johnny Kidd And The Pirates
• Sheena Is A Punk Rocker Ramones
• Sing For Absolution (Technical focus) Muse

Session Skills

Players choose Playback or Improvising.

Playback

You’ll perform some music you haven’t seen or heard before – you can sight-read from a song chart or play by ear from an audio track, or both.

Improvising

You’ll be given a song chart with chord symbols and song style and will improvise over a backing track.

Songs: Freight Train, I Believe Ill Dust My Broom, Psycho Killer, Shakin’ All Over, Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, Sing For Absolution

• Download bass syllabus

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