RSL Classical Guitar Grade 3 (2022)

Overview

RSL Classical Guitar Grade 3 (2022) continues the RSL Classical Guitar pathway after Grade 2, consolidating the skills of a developing beginner while introducing greater technical control, rhythmic coordination and stylistic awareness.

The book contains 10 benchmarked arrangements across classical, contemporary and popular styles, together with Technical Exercises, Sight Reading or Contemporary Improvisation & Interpretation, Ear Tests and General Musicianship Questions.

Key Features

• Official RSL Classical Guitar 2022 Grade 3 resource

• 10 benchmarked arrangements covering contrasting styles

• Classical, contemporary and popular repertoire

• Professionally recorded audio and backing tracks

• Composer and repertoire Fact Files

• Detailed Walkthroughs for each arrangement

• Technical Exercises covering scales, double-stopping, arpeggios and broken chords

• Sight Reading or Contemporary Improvisation & Interpretation

• Melodic and Rhythmic Recall Ear Tests

• General Musicianship Questions

Featured Repertoire

The 10 Grade 3 pieces are:

• Cueca – Yvon Rivoal

• Ecstatic Chromatic – Nick Powlesland

• Estudio – Francisco Tárrega

• Étude No. 1 – Leo Brouwer

• Happy – Pharrell

• In My Place – Coldplay

• La Jour de May – Ignatius Sancho

• The Pink Panther – Henry Mancini

• Walking With Grandma – Laura Snowden

• Waltz, Op. 241, No. 21 – Ferdinando Carulli

The repertoire combines established classical guitar repertoire with contemporary and popular material, giving students opportunities to work on contrasting musical styles while developing their technique.

What Students Will Develop

Students will develop:

• Stronger classical-guitar technique

• Improved left- and right-hand coordination

• Greater rhythmic control

• More secure fingerstyle playing

• Scale and arpeggio fluency

• Chromatic playing

• Double-stopping in thirds and sixths

• Broken-chord technique

• Improved tone and articulation

• Greater stylistic awareness

• Sight-reading or improvisation skills

• Melodic and rhythmic aural recognition

• Broader musical understanding

RSL describes Grade 3 as the stage where students consolidate their final beginner-level skills while developing greater use of technique, rhythms, coordination and musical understanding, together with the beginnings of stylistic awareness and more confident improvisation.

Technical Exercises

Grade 3 technical work is divided into three groups.

Group A – Scales & Double-Stopped Exercises

Students perform:

• C Major – 1 octave

• G Major – 2 octaves

• E Harmonic Minor – 2 octaves

• B Harmonic Minor / B Natural Minor – 2 octaves

• Chromatic Scale starting on D – 1 octave

• A Minor Double-Stopped Exercise in 3rds

• C Major Double-Stopped Exercise in 6ths

The requirements introduce longer scale ranges and more demanding finger coordination compared with Grade 2.

Group B – Arpeggios & Broken Chords

Students prepare:

• G Major Arpeggio – 2 octaves

• E Minor Arpeggio – 2 octaves

• B Minor Arpeggio – 2 octaves

• Broken Chords in D Major – IIm, V7, I

The broken-chord exercise develops practical harmonic movement alongside right-hand control and evenness.

Group C – Technical Study

Students choose one of three technical studies provided in the Grade 3 book.

Product Details

• Brand: RSL Awards / Rockschool

• Series: RSL Classical Guitar

• Instrument: Classical Guitar

• Level: Grade 3

• Syllabus: 2022

• Publisher: RSL Awards

• Publication Year: 2022

• Pages: 44

• Includes: Performance repertoire, technical exercises and supporting tests

• Audio: Digital / downloadable audio and backing tracks