Fretted Strings: Tried and tested

I was recently involved in a rock band project with pro-style rehearsal and stagecraft sessions, along with ten mature amateurs (most new to any kind of stage or public performance), a trainee, two semi-professional and two professional musicians. The event raised confidence levels, as well as over £4,000 for local health charities, inspired by an amateur musician who died in August – but not before fulfilling his wish to say and play goodbye to musical friends in the first of a fully staged five-gig tour. It is a lesson in what can be achieved by older beginners, and its legacy includes several spin-off projects.

These sessions provided an opportunity to test useful gear for robustness. I've been using Fender's (15-, 25-, 40- and 100-watt) Rumble amplifiers in many circumstances after a colleague's recommendation two years ago. The bass amps can also be used for keyboard, electric violin, acoustic and electric guitar, and even microphones to great effect (crucially, they seem school-proof). For longevity kit, the Fender Rumble amps perform much better than expected for the price and are very portable.

The manufacturer Ernie Ball claims that Paradigm strings are ‘the strongest, most durable guitar strings on the planet’, which is an extraordinary assertion. Having tested these vigorously over several months, I have concluded that they are pricey but very economical – they have stood the test of time better than other brands. At £18.99 (for most electric or acoustic sets) they last longer than coated strings before losing strength or tonal quality. (Neither of these tests were done at the suggestion of either company: I bought the gear for personal use.)

ONLINE EXAMS

Cliff Cooper's recent MT article (May 2018) introduced the rock guitar outreach project of amplifier manufacturer Orange from the perspective of its developer, Online Music Exams (OME). The Ofqual-accredited syllabus looks excellent and, after eight years’ work, exceptionally well thought out.

One possible negative point is the exams’ avoidance of performance nerves. Overcoming stage anxieties is essential for musicians (see pp34-35). Having achieved a high-level result via online exams, someone may still be incapable of public performance. While Orange offered me no comment, Cliff Cooper has been enlightening: ‘As the exam experience for the majority of students is a daunting one, we believe the psychological effect of this way of learning carries forward. Our test students suggest that the nerves are less and that they feel they can “perform better”. This is not to say that doing the exam online is not a pressured one.’ He continues: ‘To perform to your best with only one chance is “akin to performing nerves”. We understand the need for nerves as a positive but there was too much of a negative on the experience,’ adding that, as students reach about Grade 5, ‘they naturally start to form bands, gaining a rich experience outside of the examination room’.

Research undertaken by Orange suggested that guitar candidates ‘drop out of lessons much earlier than those who didn't’ [take exams], while ‘parents felt a need to make their children take [electric] guitar exams so they could see something for their money’. Although these findings are not my tuition experience, the identification of pressure points for students and teachers (set examination windows, playing pieces they don't enjoy, exam day experience and ‘getting a bad mark’) are familiar. OME's gearing towards ‘an enjoyable experience’ provides ‘encouraging words for students who may not be happy with their marks’. Victoria College and National College already enjoy good reputations for uplifting exam experiences with other ‘big’ boards making efforts in this direction.

OME promises to enhance the experience with ‘exciting new technologies’ and is developing material for piano, acoustic guitar and voice, to be housed, along with the Orange exams, at onlinemusicexams.org for 2019. OME feel they can set a ‘new standard for content quality that other exam boards will have to move up to’. Bold words indeed. Other boards have been looking at and – to some extent – offering online exam options for some time. Doubtless a major future environment for music exams, it will be exciting to see who will be its major players.