Rockschool: Band Based Keys - Grade 4

The Band Based Keys series is designed for players who want to be a part of a band. The repertoire in these books at Grade 3, 4 and 5 is drawn from Rockschool's highly successful Guitar, Bass and Drum syllabuses.

The Rockschool packs have standard notation plus a CD. We encourage everyone to be creative with the Rockschool tunes so feel free to improvise and adapt them to suit your playing style and musical approach.

Each book includes a CD with full stereo mixes of each tune with spoken two bar count ins for each piece.

Rockschool grade books have everything you need to prepare for Grade exams (for players who want to develop performance and technical skills) and Performance certificates (for players who want to perform in a range of styles)

Grade 4

Band Based Keyboards Grade 4 is part of Level 2. Level 2 is for players who have a secure basic technique and the beginning of stylistic awareness. They are looking to improve their technique to become fully competent in the main areas of keyboard technique and to continue developing their stylistic awareness by consolidating specific instrumental techniques and playing styles. This will be shown through pieces of appropriate length and structure. Players will show more advanced hand coordination and independence of hand movement. Rhythms will be further developed to include cross rhythms and rhythmic work between the hands. There will be a wider use of articulation and expectation for the player to move between them smoothly. There will be requirement to change patches more regularly and with less preparation time.

Pieces will be up to two minutes forty five seconds long to allow the player to show increasing concentration and understanding of structure and shape. Development of stylistic awareness and performance will be shown through extended solo passge work that will involve more advanced rhythms, including basic cross rhythms and independence between the hands. Swing rhythms will employ increasing notation complexity and a wider range of note values. There will be some use of extended chords and an awareness of voicing and balance will be needed. Players will be expected to show the development of stylistic awareness through use of appropriate techniques such as glissando and tremolo and be able to identify the appropriate articulation associated with patch changes. Where patch changes are required these will be limited to two patches per piece.

You will need: A keyboard with 61 keys with the following patches: acoustic piano, electric piano, organ, strings and synth. You will also need a sustain pedal.

Grade 4 BBK fits in with Rockschool's Guitar, Bass and Drums Syllabuses

Genres covered: Hip Hop, Funk, Rock, Soul