LC Music Practical Guitar Advice?

Conor94

Basically I have to choose my 4 songs for my practical exam.

I've picked out 3 possible ones, but I'm not sure whether they're difficult enough... My teacher knows nothing about guitar so asking her really isn't any use.

The three I've picked are:


* Someone Like You (As arranged by Sungha Jung)

* Jessica - The Allman Brothers Band

* Day Tripper - The Beatles

I really need suggestions for other songs to do.

Also... what's the story with backing tracks? Can I use them?

I'd really appreciate if you could offer me any advice or any suggestions for songs.

Thanks.

Monsieur Folie

I'm sort of in the same boat with regard to difficulty stuff.

My teacher insists that it's not what you play, it's how well you play it that counts. As far as I know you are allowed to use backing tracks and in fact I think it's encouraged. They don't like people playing solo unless it's a trad instrument, though guitar would be an exception since you can accompany yourself with chords and stuff pretty much. :P

As with your songs, the ones linked are fine difficulty wise I'd imagine, I don't think I'll be playing anything more difficult. Lots of variety is encouraged! I'm actually stuck for suggestions on songs myself though. I wonder if there are people around who've done it before and have suggestions based on what they played?

Conor94

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

I wonder if there are people around who've done it before and have suggestions based on what they played?

I'm hoping there is What instrument are you playing for your LC?

Monsieur Folie

Conor94 wrote: »

I'm hoping there is What instrument are you playing for your LC?

Guitar as well!

I was going to do the ukulele as well but I don't think I can get 4 pieces out of it. My teacher signed us all up for the Practical elective so we've to do 6 pieces on one instrument or 4 each on two different instruments.. =/

leaveiton

I can't advise on guitar but backing tracks are most definitely allowed! I played drums for my practical last year and used backing tracks, it's fine

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

Guitar as well!

I was going to do the ukulele as well but I don't think I can get 4 pieces out of it. My teacher signed us all up for the Practical elective so we've to do 6 pieces on one instrument or 4 each on two different instruments.. =/

Is music technology an option in your school?

Monsieur Folie

leaveiton wrote: »

Is music technology an option in your school?

Kind of. The equipment is there for it, but our teacher strongly discourages it because his passion is for the performance (as it's now called, apparently) and he reckons we'll all score more highly if we stick to our instruments. He hasn't shown us the music tech yet but he keeps saying if we are interested he'll reluctantly do a few classes on it.

To be honest, though I love my guitar and I'd consider myself decent enough, I don't know if I'll be able to pull off 6 pieces of a good enough standard to score highly, so I might talk to him about it.

leaveiton

I'd definitely talk to him about it if I were you. You'll be marked at a higher standard if you do 6 pieces on one instrument as opposed to splitting it into two. Plus the technology is incredibly easy - the examiner in my school last year told our teacher that everyone got either an A or a B in their technology section. If you're not confident enough to perform 6 on one instrument, or 4 on another, then you probably won't score more highly on them compared to technology.

Monsieur Folie

leaveiton wrote: »

I'd definitely talk to him about it if I were you. You'll be marked at a higher standard if you do 6 pieces on one instrument as opposed to splitting it into two. Plus the technology is incredibly easy - the examiner in my school last year told our teacher that everyone got either an A or a B in their technology section. If you're not confident enough to perform 6 on one instrument, or 4 on another, then you probably won't score more highly on them compared to technology.

I don't know if I trust him to prepare me well enough for it though. I've heard it say things like it "Ah, it's so easy, I could have you sorted for it in 10 minutes" sort of thing. What kind of standard is expected, do you know? Like, one of my songs is definitely going to be either Blackbird or Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles (or even both, if variety isn't a issue). Being a drummer you probably can't say for certain, but would they be of Leaving Cert HL standard?

leaveiton

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

I don't know if I trust him to prepare me well enough for it though. I've heard it say things like it "Ah, it's so easy, I could have you sorted for it in 10 minutes" sort of thing. What kind of standard is expected, do you know? Like, one of my songs is definitely going to be either Blackbird or Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles (or even both, if variety isn't a issue). Being a drummer you probably can't say for certain, but would they be of Leaving Cert HL standard?

You'd definitely be able to get the idea of it done quickly, after that it's really just practising your speed and accuracy. It is very easy. Sure it'd be no harm asking him to show you anyway, it'd be good to have the option!

I honestly, hand on heart couldn't tell you about standard expected. I know what I did on drums was a bit beyond what would be expected, and I never really paid attention to what anyone else in the class was doing :pac: Purely from my own personal point of view I'd say something like Blackbird would be fine. Your teacher is right about it being how well you play it. There's no point going for something more difficult if you're not able for it, an easier piece played with confidence is much better.

Monsieur Folie

Thanks for the input! I'll talk to my teacher and get his opinion. We've done pieces in front of the class loads of times so I'm sure he'd tell me straight if I was up to scratch or not if I asked him. The other guitarist in my class is a better technical player than me. He's forever soloing, makes me feel bad. :P I'd like to think I have an edge on the acoustic though, so maybe I'll focus on that!

Sorry for hijacking the thread, OP. I didn't mean to! Still waiting on some ex-Leaving Cert guitarist to come along and help us both!

Conor94

No worries I too would strongly advise you to do technology if it's at all possible btw... it's really easy.

Monsieur Folie

Conor94 wrote: »

No worries I too would strongly advise you to do technology if it's at all possible btw... it's really easy.

I'm going to mention it to my teacher after mid term now. I'd be aiming for a high B or even an A if the written papers go well in music so if Music Technology is the way to a good grade that's what I'll go for!

Monsieur Folie

Apparently the reason my teacher doesn't advertise the music tech is because he reckons that if he was telling everyone how great it was they'd all drop their instruments and go for it. He says the examiner gets narky if everyone's doing music technology because they prefer to be listening to music. Personally if I were him I wouldn't care what the examiner thought as long as they were marking us properly but ah well. He brought up one of the programs we can used, showed me the ropes and it all seems so simple!

Is there a catch, or is it essentially a guaranteed 25% of your LC if you practice it and prepare properly? :P

He says we're given the music in advance of the exam to prepare and everything so we can't be caught out on the day.. And that we just need to type it up, add some articulation, print it, save it, close it, open it and edit it (maybe not necessarily in that order I'm not sure)..

Is that all there is to it or am I missing something?

kevin12345

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

Apparently the reason my teacher doesn't advertise the music tech is because he reckons that if he was telling everyone how great it was they'd all drop their instruments and go for it. He says the examiner gets narky if everyone's doing music technology because they prefer to be listening to music. Personally if I were him I wouldn't care what the examiner thought as long as they were marking us properly but ah well. He brought up one of the programs we can used, showed me the ropes and it all seems so simple!

Is there a catch, or is it essentially a guaranteed 25% of your LC if you practice it and prepare properly? :P

He says we're given the music in advance of the exam to prepare and everything so we can't be caught out on the day.. And that we just need to type it up, add some articulation, print it, save it, close it, open it and edit it (maybe not necessarily in that order I'm not sure)..

Is that all there is to it or am I missing something?

As far as I know that's it. The examiner will tell you to input 8 or 10 bars, and then they'll tell you to do some edits. I'm doing 4 group singing and music tech, so I'm hoping for a high mark.

Monsieur Folie

Now that I only have to do four songs it's suddenly much more manageable! I'll be aiming for a very high mark in it now..

leaveiton

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

Apparently the reason my teacher doesn't advertise the music tech is because he reckons that if he was telling everyone how great it was they'd all drop their instruments and go for it. He says the examiner gets narky if everyone's doing music technology because they prefer to be listening to music. Personally if I were him I wouldn't care what the examiner thought as long as they were marking us properly but ah well. He brought up one of the programs we can used, showed me the ropes and it all seems so simple!

Is there a catch, or is it essentially a guaranteed 25% of your LC if you practice it and prepare properly? :P

He says we're given the music in advance of the exam to prepare and everything so we can't be caught out on the day.. And that we just need to type it up, add some articulation, print it, save it, close it, open it and edit it (maybe not necessarily in that order I'm not sure)..

Is that all there is to it or am I missing something?

Yep that's basically it! I wouldn't really take his word about the examiner getting narky, even if it was the case they have to mark you properly as you said! Sure you could say the same for any subject really - an English examiner might get annoyed if they have to read 50 Plath essays, but they have to mark accordingly.

My advice would be to prepare well for it so that you can almost type it with your eyes closed by the time the exam comes around. When I did the exam, I pretty much just learned off what letters I had to type in so that I could do it as quickly and accurately as possible. I could read the music of course, just found it easier if I knew the letters off! :P