Rockschool (RSL Awards) Electric Guitar · Grade 4
Rockschool Electric Grade 4 guitar
The first of the higher grades — stamina, accuracy and tone all count.
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 4The current syllabus book — the default choice for exams today.See the 9 songs →
Previous book · 2018Rockschool Guitar Grade 4The previous edition. These pieces are still accepted in exams.See the 12 songs →
Rockschool ClassicsRockschool Classics Guitar Grade 4Rockschool 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 4 books(29)
- Alive— Pearl Jam Play
- Base Jumper Play
- Carbon Footprint Play
- Circus Experience Play
- Crop Duster Play
- Dirt Wizard Play
- Funkometer Play
- I Need You— Lynyrd Skynyrd Play
- My Thang— James Brown Play
- Our Generation— John Legend and The Roots Play
- Shut Up And Dance— Walk The Moon Play
- The Thrill Is Gone— B B King Play
- Treasure— Bruno Mars Play
- Weak— Skunk Anansie Play
- Your Smiling Face— James Taylor Play
- The Changingman— Paul Weller Play
- Reptilia— The Strokes Play
- Slow Dancing In A Burning Room— John Mayer Play
- Conjunction Play
- The Jump Play
- Promise Play
- For Whom The Bell Tolls— Metallica Play
- The Boys Are Back In Town— Thin Lizzy Play
- Before I Fall To Pieces— Razorlight Play
- Don't Look Back In Anger— Oasis Play
- Edge Of Darkness— Eric Clapton Play
- Iron Man— Black Sabbath Play
- Whole Lotta Rosie— AC/DC Play
- Ice 9— Joe Satriani Play
Books and exam booking
Everything you need for Grade 4 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 4
- Major scale and natural minor scale
- Blues scale
- Seventh chords and extended voicings
- Palm muting and dynamic control
What's in the exam
- Three performance pieces
- Technical exercises
- One supporting test
- Ear tests and general musicianship questions