Focussing on the core skills and techniques needed to play rock guitar, RGT’s Rock Guitar Exam series has become popular with guitarists and teachers that are looking to explore songs as well as soloing, accompaniment and ear training in their teaching and studying of guitar.
The RGT rock guitar series begins with the Initial Stage book and exam, which is suitable for novice guitarists, with the series moving from there up to Grade 8 level for more advanced players.
To view more articles in this series, please visit the “RGT Rock Guitar Video Lessons Archive.”
When taking the RGT Rock Guitar Initial Stage Exam, candidates will be required to perform two rock tracks from the RGT Rock Guitar Initial Stage handbook.
In this article, we’re exploring an excerpt from one of these rock tracks – ‘The Jaguar.’
The riff for ‘The Jaguar’ is based entirely on the first five notes of the A natural minor scale. The final section of the piece is all chordal, starting with an A minor chord strummed three times followed by a rest (lay your fret-hand across the strings to silence them).
This is followed by a four-string version of G major, E minor and then back to A minor, with these last three chords all being allowed to ring out.
Check out the Video below to see and hear how this song should be played, and click here to purchase the RGT Initial Stage Rock Exam book that contains the full music to this piece, as well as all other musical requirements for this exam.
The Jaguar Lesson – Practice Tips
To help get you started with learning this song, here is a bit of advice on how to navigate ‘The Jaguar.’
“Using alternate up and down picking will make the riff easier to play. Also, make sure that you’re familiar with the three chord shapes that are used before attempting this piece, so that the chord changes don’t feel rushed.”
The Jaguar Lesson – Audio Tracks
Along with the video lesson below, here are two audio tracks that will help you as you explore The Jaguar in the practice room and teaching studio.
It would be a good idea to practice with the audio track first, so that you learn to play along in time with the recorded guitar track.
From there, a beneficial practice goal would be to play along with the backing track only, so that you can perform the song without the help of the guide track.
Here are both of those audio tracks for The Jaguar to check out.
Click to download the full audio track for The Jaguar.
Click to download the backing track for The Jaguar.
The Jaguar Lesson – Video
Video presented by Chris Bird, Music Editor of Total Guitar Magazine
RGT Rock Guitar Initial Books
To find out more about the RGT Rock Initial Exam, please visit the RGT Rock Guitar Exam Information Booklet, or check out the Rock Guitar Initial Exam Book, which includes a CD and contains all the exam pieces, as well as all diagrams for all the chords and scales that the pieces are based on.
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