The Digital Rock & Pop Grades are available for all our Rock & Pop instruments. They enable candidates to record their songs at a place and time of their choice and then submit the video recording via our online platform to be assessed by our examiners. The exams have the same academic rigour as our face-to-face exams, and candidates gain full recognition for their achievements, with the same certificate and UCAS points awarded as for the face-to-face exams.
Designed for digital
Responsive to a changing world, these exams have been designed to support teaching, learning and assessment through a digital medium.
Your performance, your choice
Sitting alongside our face-to-face graded exams, digital exams provide even more choice and flexibility in how a regulated graded qualification can be achieved.
Digital support content
Comprehensive online resources provide support to candidates and teachers throughout their digital exam journey.
New Performance criteria
This blog post from Francesca Christmas, Associate Director of Music at Trinity College London, describes the way in which the new ‘overall performance’ mark is assessed in Trinity’s new Digital Music Graded Exams.
In the video, our senior examiners take you through their expectations, and suggest some ideas for a successful approach.
Exam requirements
To understand how the digital exams compare to face-to-face exams, and to help candidates identify what they need to record on their video, please see the table below. Please see the syllabuses for full information.
Rock & Pop Graded Exams
Face-to-face Graded Exams
Digital Graded Exams
Song 1 - selection from the Rock & Pop book for the grade.
Song 1 - selection from the Rock & Pop book for the grade.
Song 2- selection from the Rock & Pop book for the grade; own-choice song; own composition.
Song 2 - selection from the Rock & Pop book for the grade; own-choice song; own composition.
Song 3 – Technical Focus song from the Rock & Pop book for the grade.
Song 3 – Technical Focus song from the Rock & Pop book for the grade.
Sessions skills – choice of either Improvising or Playback.
Candidates will be assessed on how well the musical skills and knowledge that underpin the session skills tests are demonstrated within the context of their entire performance (ie all three songs). Full explanation and criteria for this is available in the syllabus .
Syllabus documents
To understand the exam requirements, you will also need the relevant syllabus document for your instrument:
R&P Bass | R&P Drums | R&P Guitar | R&P Keyboards | R&P Vocals
What you need to do next:
- Select your songs from the relevant syllabus
- Scan or take photos of any own-choice songs if they are not from a Trinity book or Trinity download (please see our guidance document)
- Watch the Filming Guide video and check the Filming Guidance document for video requirements
- Record and submit your video with any scans of your songs to Trinity using the online submission platform.
And also check:
- Guidance for candidates with special needs and disabilities (if applicable).
Electronic Drum Kits
Electronic drum kits (EDKs) are now accepted for Digital Rock & Pop Drums exams at all grades, making these exams available to more candidates than ever before. Previously, an acoustic kit was required at Grades 7 and 8.
As no allowances will be made for kits that cannot produce a particular effect (eg differentiation between ghosted and non-ghosted notes, use of brushes, choked cymbal and so forth), candidates should ensure that their song choices are suitable for their instrument.