Find a Grade 6 bass guitar tutor

Rockschool Grade 6 funk work includes slap, pop and percussive semiquaver playing. Trinity’s Grade 6 own-choice song guidance also identifies slap and more complex syncopation. The challenge is to keep the rhythm and note endings controlled as the hands change jobs.

For a short practice illustration, divide one beat into four equal semiquavers and count 1 e & a. Play a low E with the thumb on 1, a muted percussive stroke on e, pop an E an octave higher on &, then leave a silent. Repeat the same pattern on the following beats. The muted stroke makes a short sound without a clear pitch; the final rest should be quiet.

A common difficulty is rushing towards the popped note and letting it ring through the rest. Slow the pattern down, count all four subdivisions aloud and release fretting pressure to stop the octave before a, keeping contact with the string. Check that unused strings are quiet too. Record a few repetitions: improvement means equal spacing, a controlled pop and a rest you can hear.

Then return to a short passage in your chosen piece. Preserve its written rhythm and articulation instead of inserting this practice pattern into the exam song.

The unfamiliar task depends on the booked route. For the Rockschool Grade 6 Grade Exam, the Quick Study Piece is 12 bars with three minutes of preparation. It combines notated and improvised sections and is linked to the selected stylistic study. Trinity face-to-face Session Skills offer playback or improvising; these are different tasks, so use the relevant board’s practice material.

Begin with a complete piece and a sample of the other tasks your route requires. That gives the tutor a starting point for lesson frequency and home practice. If the main problem is losing the beat after a fill, a week spent only learning more notes will not resolve it. Choose a small number of priorities and compare recordings of the same passage at the next review.

Have the bass, a tuner, the correct music and backing tracks ready. Position the camera so the tutor can see fretting and plucking hands, including how you mute unused strings. Test a short passage with the backing track: the tutor needs to hear the bass line clearly enough to judge timing and note endings. Try the equipment you already have before buying additional audio gear.

Latimer’s default lesson platform is Microsoft Teams; another platform can be agreed with the tutor. Ask how you will share short recordings and how the tutor will demonstrate passages. Rockschool recorded exams require one continuous, unedited video with sound and images clear enough to assess. Teaching audio and a final exam recording are separate arrangements, so check the board’s recording instructions before making a submission.

Trinity expects Grade 6 bass candidates to tune and set up independently. Practise that routine as well as the songs. If written notation, long verbal instructions or session length create a barrier, describe what helps you learn: a slower demonstration, one short task at a time or a recorded reminder. Agree those teaching arrangements with the tutor, and raise any exam-access request with the board before booking.