horner

I think this only applies to UK trumpeters, not sure.

I have passed grade 8 and now have nothing to practice for so i thought i would try the new jazz grades to help improve that area of my performing. I have been in the Big Band at my first grammar school and principal trumpet in my second grammar school's Jazz Band so i have done improve solos and written jazz solos.

Has ne one taken any/taught any and are they worth the money? Is it worth just getting the books for the music/blues scales?

tutin_trumpeta

I'm at that stage too. I passed my Grade 8 a month ago and now have nothing to practice for. I've been considering the Jazz Grades for a while. TBH it's not going to do any harm taking them, if anything it'll probably do some good... I probably won't do them all tho, maybe just 1,3 and 5...

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MJ

What does passing grade 8 mean for those of us not in the UK. Is that like getting your "black belt" in jazz?

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Patric_Bernard

haha black belt in jazz. Thats a good one

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horner

Sorry, should have explained more.

In UK we have a system to supposedly show how good you are. I dont agree with them myself but im not going to go into it.

Basically you start @ grade 1, very simple pieces and a few scales like C, G, F... Grade 8 is the highest grade where you do sight transposition and all the scales and "difficult" pieces.

I dont know if you have a system similar in the US but everyone does grades in UK if they learn an instrument at school.

Jazz grades are a new version of this but only from 1 to 5. The scales are blues scales and the pieces have improv sections to it.

Hope that has explained better...

horner

I thought that too, would help with learning the blues scales. Dont know if it justifies the money to enter though, may just get the books and not take the exams...

A2hok

Well, I've almost done my Grade 8 and will probs be in the same boat as you two, however for my Grade 6, instead of doing grade 5 theory I was considering doin jazz Grade 5. I got the books and it encouraged me to learn some scales, but the I never took the exam. Firstly because I couldn't play along with a CD at the time and also Grade 5 theory was easier. I glad in the end, because it gave me a step into jazz without an exam - and the real book sucks btw.

veery715

Could you elaborate on your dissatisfaction with the Real Book?

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trumpetnick

MJ,

The classical grade 8, if done properly it is almost like pre-entry exam for conservatory/university. Few years ago I found listed even the 1st mvt of the Hindemith Sonata. As it was stated, jazz grades are not going up to 8, but you can get the basics of jazz performance through those grades. Quite far from a "black belt". You don't become a Wynton Marsalis, Chet Baker or Ferguson... Ferguson wanabe is more likely result

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cobragamer

Interesting this sounds pretty cool I should look into this

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