The True Smile
Today was the day I was waiting for since a year. It was finally time to show my skills to an examiner from the United Kingdom. I was not nervous, I don't know why. It was just another exam for me. The examiner did not look any different from the other Trinity examiners. I was giving the Trinity Rock and Pop guitar examination - Grade 5.
I entered the building where the exam was to be held more than half an hour early, with the intention to warm up on the guitar. I met a friend there, who was also waiting to be called in. Sure enough, just a few minutes after I came he was called in. He was giving the Grade 6. I showed the assistant waiting in the same room as me my hall ticket and photo ID. Then I removed my guitar to practice. It was only 15:10, whereas my exam was to be conducted at 15:38.
After I moved my hands a few times across the fret-board playing a number of scales, I thought it would be better if I removed everything I needed for the exam out of my bag and keep it on the chair next to me, and so I did. Just a few minutes later, around 15:20, the supervisor asked me if I was ready. I told her that there might be a mistake, and that my exam was at 15:38. She said they were running early.
I could not warm up to the extent I intended to, but what I had already done was sufficient. I had a lot to carry. The examiner came out with a smile. The smile was not a smile you get to see everyday. There was something different. It was a warm smile, a comforting one. I entered the hall and wished her a good afternoon. She sat on her chair and gave me time to set up my equipment. The amplifier was huge, and it was right behind my chair. I connected my guitar, but there was no sound. I felt like a fool turning all the knobs while she just watched me fidgeting with the amplifier. I don't know if it was amusing or what, but if I was in her place I would have surely laughed a bit. Finally, I pushed a button and the amplifier went crazy, making loud deafening sounds. I immediately pushed the button back off, reduced the volumes, and put it back on.
Now she started a track and told me to check the sounds. I did, trying the three patches on my foot-pedal I was going to use. I found the guitar volume a bit loud, but I didn't say anything because the backing track was playing from the other side of the room and I felt that she would get relatively equal sounds. Then started the exam.
I was to play three songs, namely Molly's Chambers by Kings of Leon, Money by Pink Floyd and for technical focus, Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore.
She started the backing track for the first song - Molly's Chambers. I feel there were some places she could have cut some marks, but nothing major. I didn't have to switch between patches in this song, and it was the easiest song in the book, so it was like a cakewalk. The solo, however, did not come out as well as it did when I was practicing it. For some reason, I was not able to mute certain notes. After this song, she gave me one of those warm smiles. It was not a smile for show, and it may be her job to smile like every other Trinity examiner, but her smile was legit.
Then we came to the next song, which was Money. A bit tough, but I got through it. The part where I had to switch from a clean patch to a distorted one, I did but in the process I played an extra string. I'm sure she noticed it. By the time this was over I was actually smiling at myself because I didn't know how to react to the silly mistakes I made in parts which I practiced over a hundred times. She didn't forget to throw one of her comforting smiles.
After that, I had to improvise on a track. She played the track for a few seconds. Then she played the track for the first, and then for the second time. I lost most of my marks here, according to me. I went totally blank. All my improvisation skills decided to go to an isolated island and camp over there till my exam got over. I knew the scale, so I played something, and that something was basically the same phrase over and over again on different parts of the fretboard. I feel sorry for the examiner. If by chance you come across this post, examiner, I am extremely sorry for making you hear that improvisation. I'm glad it did not affect your smile.
Finally, the song for my technical focus, where every detail counts. I chose Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore, which is a beautiful song. My foot-pedal, this time, decided to betray me. When my arpeggios ended and it was time to switch from clean to distortion and make the guitar cry, my foot-pedal refused to switch. Its stubborn conduct resulted in me playing two important notes in a clean sound, whereas it's actually supposed to sound distorted. I did switch after all, but for me, the song had no meaning anymore. I did not have the same feeling I usually do when I play the song. I was sad. It was as if I insulted the song horribly, and there was no way to make up for it, because I had one shot at it, and now nothing could be done. I'm sure I would still be thinking about what happened this afternoon if it hadn't been for the powerful smile of the examiner. (to watch me play this track live, click here)
With that, my exam came to an end. I was not very happy, and I knew my day did not have as much meaning as it did when it started, but I couldn't do anything. I did not know how to thank her for her kindness and smile, so I just said "Have a nice day!". I know it's not a way of saying thanks, but at least I wished her a good day! I really hope she has one, because she prevented my day from going bad.
As I left the examination room, all my tuition classes and daily worries came back into my head. I was not headed home, but I was headed for another one of those tuition classes which has become a part of my daily life. I entered the room with confidence, left with confidence, being confident about different things each time.
I am not worried about my Trinity results though. I'm pretty sure I won't get a distinction, but I will get merit. I would like to thank everyone who helped me in preparing for this examination. What's done cannot be undone, but I've learnt my lesson. So let's rock Grade 6, shall we?
I entered the building where the exam was to be held more than half an hour early, with the intention to warm up on the guitar. I met a friend there, who was also waiting to be called in. Sure enough, just a few minutes after I came he was called in. He was giving the Grade 6. I showed the assistant waiting in the same room as me my hall ticket and photo ID. Then I removed my guitar to practice. It was only 15:10, whereas my exam was to be conducted at 15:38.
After I moved my hands a few times across the fret-board playing a number of scales, I thought it would be better if I removed everything I needed for the exam out of my bag and keep it on the chair next to me, and so I did. Just a few minutes later, around 15:20, the supervisor asked me if I was ready. I told her that there might be a mistake, and that my exam was at 15:38. She said they were running early.
I could not warm up to the extent I intended to, but what I had already done was sufficient. I had a lot to carry. The examiner came out with a smile. The smile was not a smile you get to see everyday. There was something different. It was a warm smile, a comforting one. I entered the hall and wished her a good afternoon. She sat on her chair and gave me time to set up my equipment. The amplifier was huge, and it was right behind my chair. I connected my guitar, but there was no sound. I felt like a fool turning all the knobs while she just watched me fidgeting with the amplifier. I don't know if it was amusing or what, but if I was in her place I would have surely laughed a bit. Finally, I pushed a button and the amplifier went crazy, making loud deafening sounds. I immediately pushed the button back off, reduced the volumes, and put it back on.
Now she started a track and told me to check the sounds. I did, trying the three patches on my foot-pedal I was going to use. I found the guitar volume a bit loud, but I didn't say anything because the backing track was playing from the other side of the room and I felt that she would get relatively equal sounds. Then started the exam.
I was to play three songs, namely Molly's Chambers by Kings of Leon, Money by Pink Floyd and for technical focus, Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore.
She started the backing track for the first song - Molly's Chambers. I feel there were some places she could have cut some marks, but nothing major. I didn't have to switch between patches in this song, and it was the easiest song in the book, so it was like a cakewalk. The solo, however, did not come out as well as it did when I was practicing it. For some reason, I was not able to mute certain notes. After this song, she gave me one of those warm smiles. It was not a smile for show, and it may be her job to smile like every other Trinity examiner, but her smile was legit.
Then we came to the next song, which was Money. A bit tough, but I got through it. The part where I had to switch from a clean patch to a distorted one, I did but in the process I played an extra string. I'm sure she noticed it. By the time this was over I was actually smiling at myself because I didn't know how to react to the silly mistakes I made in parts which I practiced over a hundred times. She didn't forget to throw one of her comforting smiles.
After that, I had to improvise on a track. She played the track for a few seconds. Then she played the track for the first, and then for the second time. I lost most of my marks here, according to me. I went totally blank. All my improvisation skills decided to go to an isolated island and camp over there till my exam got over. I knew the scale, so I played something, and that something was basically the same phrase over and over again on different parts of the fretboard. I feel sorry for the examiner. If by chance you come across this post, examiner, I am extremely sorry for making you hear that improvisation. I'm glad it did not affect your smile.
Finally, the song for my technical focus, where every detail counts. I chose Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore, which is a beautiful song. My foot-pedal, this time, decided to betray me. When my arpeggios ended and it was time to switch from clean to distortion and make the guitar cry, my foot-pedal refused to switch. Its stubborn conduct resulted in me playing two important notes in a clean sound, whereas it's actually supposed to sound distorted. I did switch after all, but for me, the song had no meaning anymore. I did not have the same feeling I usually do when I play the song. I was sad. It was as if I insulted the song horribly, and there was no way to make up for it, because I had one shot at it, and now nothing could be done. I'm sure I would still be thinking about what happened this afternoon if it hadn't been for the powerful smile of the examiner. (to watch me play this track live, click here)
With that, my exam came to an end. I was not very happy, and I knew my day did not have as much meaning as it did when it started, but I couldn't do anything. I did not know how to thank her for her kindness and smile, so I just said "Have a nice day!". I know it's not a way of saying thanks, but at least I wished her a good day! I really hope she has one, because she prevented my day from going bad.
As I left the examination room, all my tuition classes and daily worries came back into my head. I was not headed home, but I was headed for another one of those tuition classes which has become a part of my daily life. I entered the room with confidence, left with confidence, being confident about different things each time.
I am not worried about my Trinity results though. I'm pretty sure I won't get a distinction, but I will get merit. I would like to thank everyone who helped me in preparing for this examination. What's done cannot be undone, but I've learnt my lesson. So let's rock Grade 6, shall we?
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