Rockschool (RSL Awards) Electric Guitar · Grade 2
Rockschool Electric Grade 2 guitar
Barre chords appear, plus faster riffs and your first bends.
Books for this grade
You can pick your exam pieces from any of these books — the current one, the previous edition or the Rockschool Classics series. Tap a book to see its full song list.
Current book · 2024Rockschool Guitar Grade 2The current syllabus book — the default choice for exams today.See the 9 songs →
Previous book · 2018Rockschool Guitar Grade 2The previous edition. These pieces are still accepted in exams.See the 12 songs →
Rockschool ClassicsRockschool Classics Guitar Grade 2Rockschool Classics (previously Hot Rock). Benchmarked repertoire — usable in your exam at this grade.See the 8 songs →
I run these as digital exams by default — recorded in the lesson and submitted to RSL — unless a student would rather sit an in-person exam, which I'm happy to arrange.
Set pieces
Tap any piece to open its own page with a play-along video, amp settings and practice tips. You'll still need the official grade book for the notation.
Every piece across all Rockschool Electric Grade 2 books(29)
- Bonecrusher Play
- Buzz Saw Play
- Cissy Strut— The Meters Play
- Cranked Play
- Domino— Jessie J Play
- Helter Skelter— The Beatles Play
- Hit It Harder Play
- Rock 'N' Roll Train Play
- Ska'd For Life Play
- Sweet Soul Music— Arthur Conley Play
- The Faith Divide Play
- What Makes You Beautiful— One Direction Play
- Flowers— Miley Cyrus Play
- Keep On Running— The Spencer Davis Group Play
- Since U Been Gone— Kelly Clarkson Play
- Go Your Own Way— Fleetwood Mac Play
- Bad Habits— Ed Sheeran Play
- Do I Wanna Know?— Arctic Monkeys Play
- Headline Act Play
- Elevator Shoes Play
- Surfer Ticket Play
- Enter Sandman— Metallica Play
- Highway To Hell— AC/DC Play
- Californication— Red Hot Chili Peppers Play
- I Believe In A Thing Called Love— The Darkness Play
- Supersonic— Oasis Play
- You Give Love A Bad Name— Bon Jovi Play
- Albatross— Fleetwood Mac Play
- Resolve— Foo Fighters Play
Books and exam booking
Everything you need for Grade 2 comes from RSL directly — the grade book with notation and backing tracks, and the exam booking itself. Most of my students book the Performance Certificate first.
Technical work at Grade 2
- A minor and G major pentatonic
- First-position barre chords
- String bending and vibrato
- Hammer-ons and pull-offs
What's in the exam
- Three performance pieces
- Technical exercises
- One supporting test
- Ear tests and general musicianship questions