Examination Syllabus, Terms & Guidelines

It is important to mention that apart from western plectrum skills, Guitarmonk Guitar Exam Levels also includes Indian Guitar Music and genres which majorly comprise of

• Ragas, which is not only the oldest music heritage of the world but also the most complex & unique style / skill of performance due to its distinctive rhythm cycles & perception / application of techniques. This talent has been totally ignored by the foreign marking system as they are totally unaware about same.
• Film Music, which is the most popular generic style of today and have shaken the world with its creative melodies and musical expression/skills, professionally played by millions of guitar players.

☞ Absence of rating standards in above two genres has led to neglect and injustice to millions of guitar players and their careers in India because they don’t play only western pieces.

☞ Various International Guitar bodies, due to absence of knowledge about these genres, and because India being an Asian country and having gained freedom very lately, led to terrible neglect of these techniques in their grading systems. This eventually cost a huge set-back to Indian Guitarist to gain its appropriate righteous place among guitar community internationally. It was also a loss of unique guitar dimension and skills to global guitar fraternity in absence of these plectrum styles/techniques/performances.

☞ While keeping the fact that Plectrum Guitar Playing is an unmatched, unbeatable talent of an Indian Guitarist due to nature and techniques of Indian music, which is both extraordinary and adaptive to plectrum playing considering rhythm styles, syncopated rhythm styles, unique scales and raga movement etc.

☞ Guitarmonk level exams have also added that credibility and performance ability to the examination system, with its outstanding syllabus focusing the plectrum Guitar. It further creates a new milestone, richness of performance and skills ability to re-establish the guitarist scope.

☞ We wish you would discover a new and highly enriched musical journey through these exams, unlocking your guitar playing potential and achieving a much wider success and greater music building.

☞ More details and information can be found on website www.guitarmonk.com or email contact@guitarmonk.com

The main philosophy behind the Guitarmonk examination system is to create an improvised structure for learning, progress & quality performance of Guitar player. Guitarmonk acknowledges that there are various dimensions to musical assessment and ability of a candidate. As such it has inculcated lots of freedom into its examination system.

• Wide choice of repertoire from western to eastern genres / moods
• Wide range of generic skills emphasizing unique musical expression
• Allowing candidates to play on their strengths with choices within the genres
• The freedom to express their musical capabilities and choose their music personality by including ‘original compositions’ and scope of improvisation.

Guitarmonk imbibes both practical and theory systems of examining the performance of candidate

1. Theory Assessment
2. Performance Assessment

☞ Guitarmonk has widened the scope of analysis via online mode of submission and has overcome limitation of time. Now students can spend longer time on practical submission as they have no time length limitation as they are giving exams at comfort of their homes.

☞ Guitarmonk mentors includes team of trainers who are highly experienced trainers and well recognized.

☞ Candidate can apply for any level exam based on their preparation.

☞ There is no qualification required to apply for the particular exam level as also described in terms and guidelines. Guitarmonk accepts entries for the examination on the condition that all participating candidates accepts and confirms to the requirements of mentioned official syllabus.

☞ Guitarmonk syllabus is designed covering the universally accepted standards and criterion for the Guitar instrument ranging from the basic to the advanced level and also exploring a much wider expanded music personality than ever before. 

☞ Guitarmonk syllabus also overcomes the skills and generic limitation by individual universities and as such it’s one of the most modern, comprehensive and scientific curricula to administer the progress of a guitar player.

☞ There are 8 Examination Levels as

☞ There are two Exams for each level

[1] Practical - Performance

Compositions

• Group A | Western
• Group B | Indian Film Music
• Group C | Ragas (From Level 4 onwards)
  

Technical Development – Scales, Chords, Techniques and Rhythms

[2] Theory

• Scales, Chords, Terminologies, Reading Music, Notation Methods, General Music Awareness

Note:  Sheet Music which is not marked as paid will be provided as free while sheet music which is marked as paid (at least one) will have to be purchased while applying for the corresponding level exam. Please note that it’s mandatory to only avail of the referred sheet music as mentioned in the buy paid notation/s button above. As the notation/complexity level is duly considered in that sheet for a particular exam level. The other sheets of the same melody will not be considered as eligible for exam.

[H] MARKING PARAMETER

Note – Candidates securing more than 70 marks will be considered as passed. Candidate need to secure passing marks in both theory and practical exam. Candidate securing passing marks in only one type of exam (either practical or theory exam) will be considered Not-Passed even if his/her total is more than 70 marks.

[I] CERTIFICATE RATING

Examination Terms and Guidelines

The following terms and guidelines are in addition to the standard terms and guidelines mentioned at terms and guidelines page

• These guidelines supersede all previous guidelines relating to the conducting of Guitarmonk Guitar Exams, applicable to Plectrum Style – Acoustic Guitar
• Guitarmonk reserves the right to revise the content of Information & Regulations from time to time.
• Please always refer to our website guitarmonk.com for the latest versions of the information. Please also refer to related regulations, guidelines, syllabus (if any) to the pertaining exam. If you don’t accept any terms and guidelines, please don’t apply for the exam.
• Please note that it’s mandatory to only avail of the referred sheet music as given in the buy paid notation button above. As the notation/complexity level is duly considered in that sheet for exam level. The other sheets of the same melody will not be considered eligible for the exam. Applicant borrowing the same notation from fellow exam applicants will result in the cancellation of the exam as it against our examination guidelines as well as a violation of copyright, which will eventually result forfeiting of examination fee.
• Guitarmonk accepts applications for its exams on the condition that the candidate accepts the requirements of the mentioned current syllabus and agrees to obey the terms and guidelines.
• Guitarmonk Guitar Exams can be availed by anybody irrespective of gender, age, geographical location, etc. Exam entries may be submitted by a teacher, parent, or guardian if the candidate is less than 18 years. Correspondence will be conducted with the guardian in that case.
• There is no musical qualification required to apply for Guitarmonk’s Plectrum Guitar Exam
• Candidates can only apply for one or more exam levels at a time.
• Based on the syllabus of the exam, candidates should work on the technical demands of each level they are applying for. Candidate can directly apply for any level exam (Prelude to Level 7) as they wish.
• The registration for a particular exam level is non-transferable, non-adjustable, non-post-postponable, and non-refundable under all circumstances. 
• Guitarmonk reserves the right to refuse or cancel the entry of any candidate and in that case, the submitted fee will be refunded. Please note the registration fee is only refundable when cancellation is done by guitarmonk.
• By entering for a Guitarmonk exam, candidates agree that they will abide by Guitarmonk’s regulations, syllabus requirements, and the professional judgments of its examiners.

☞ APPLICATION FOR EXAM

• Applicants can apply for the exam only through online mode at www.guitarmonk.com. Candidate must fill the details correctly and submit it with the mentioned exam fee & paid notation amount to apply for the pertaining level exam.

☞ HOW TO PAY EXAM FEE?

• You can either pay online (using credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI)  or you can also directly transfer the fee at the below mentioned Bank Account  (you can ask for bank details from contact@guitarmonk.com).
• If you are transferring it via NEFT, then you need to add our bank account as a beneficiary/payee and share the transaction id screenshot with us at contact@guitarmonk.com
• If you are depositing it via cash/cheque (in favor of Guitarmonk), then share the deposit slip/cheque number respectively at contact@guitarmonk.com after you deposit the correct fee.
• Your registration is confirmed after receiving of examination fee. Guitarmonk will send you an acknowledgment email within 24-72 hours of receiving your fee. 

☞ EXAM PROCESS

• Guitarmonk Examination is conducted only through online mode, via two exams viz. 1) Practical and 2) Theory, to be submitted by the candidate as online.

☞ TIMELINE FOR ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION

• 45 days is the maximum time allowed; from the date of your registration; to submit both practical and theory tests by the candidate. Submission after 45 days will not be considered and the candidate will be marked disqualified.