Grades in Classical Guitar Music: What They Are and Why They Matter

The grades system in guitar music education is an internationally recognized way of structuring music in a progressive way. Some equate grades with exams, but it’s really the structured journey of learning that is the heart of the grading system.

If you’re new to classical guitar or if you’ve been playing for a while and keep hearing about “Grade 1,” “Grade 5,” or “Grade 8,” this guide will help you understand what those mean, why they’re useful, and how they can transform your learning experience.

And if you’re in the U.S., where the concept of music grades hasn’t historically been as common, you’re in for something that can make your practice life so much easier—and much more rewarding.

Here are the topics we’ll cover in this introduction to the grading system in classical guitar music:

What Are Music Grades?

Music grades are essentially levels of difficulty and mastery, used by many international music education systems to organize repertoire and skills. Each grade includes pieces, technical exercises, and musicianship requirements appropriate to that stage of development.

Think of it like math in school: you learn addition before geometry, and pre-calculus before calculus. Similarly, you work on a Grade 3 piece before Grade 6 because it requires fewer technical and interpretive skills.

Grades make learning progressive and balanced, helping students avoid two common pitfalls:

Pieces that are too easy → boredom and lack of progress

Pieces that are too difficult → frustration and discouragement

When you work within the right grade, you’re in the Goldilocks zone—not too hard, not too easy—making progress both achievable and enjoyable.

Music Grades: A Brief History

Graded music systems have been around for more than a century. Some of the major organizations include:

  • ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) – Founded in 1889, introduced the current eight-grade system in 1933
  • Trinity College London – Established in 1872
  • AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) – Founded in 1887

These systems are widely used across Europe, Australia, and Asia. In the Americas, however, they’ve historically been less common—though the idea is gaining traction, especially online.

If you’ve heard of the Suzuki Method, that’s another structured approach, but grades provide a clearer roadmap with defined benchmarks.

How Many Grades Are There?

Most international systems follow an eight-grade structure, from Grade 1 (beginner) through Grade 8 (advanced).

Some systems add:

  • Preparatory / Preliminary Levels before Grade 1 for absolute beginners
  • Diploma Levels beyond Grade 8 for professional or concert-level musicians

What separates one grade from the next?

Grade 1

While Grade 1 is not always for someone who has never played guitar or perhaps any musical instrument, it is still for beginners. In Grade 1 you can expect to learn to read music in first position. The repertoire will be rhythmically simple (as in not complex). Most will involve single-line melodies, with very little demand for left-hand finger independence or multiple voices.

One of the great things about Grade 1 pieces is that, because they are simple (again, not as in easy, but as in not too complex), higher-grade players can go back to these pieces to work on other musical elements. For instance, while a Grade 1 player may still be developing color or dynamics, a Grade 6 player can approach the same piece with articulation, vibrato, phrasing, and rubato. Here’s a classic example of a Grade 1 classical guitar piece:

Other Grade 1 repertoire:

Grade 2

In Grade 2 we start to introduce somewhat more complex rhythms and reading up into second position. New to this grade is the focus on introducing voices, which is so essential to classical guitar music. And because we are looking at voices we also introduce left-hand finger independence. This technique requires the student to hold some fingers down while others move to preserve the independence of voices. New techniques that enter into the picture are staccato and accents. Here’s a great example of Grade 2 repertoire, Giuliani’s Allegro:

Other Grade 2 repertoire:

Grade 3

By Grade 3 we are now reading up to 5th position. Rhythms again get a bit more complex with the introduction of 6/8 time signature. The real challenges of grade 3 focus on the left hand, with new techniques like shifting, slurs, and the barre. The charming Estudio No.3, Op.31 by Fernando Sor is an excellent example of Grade 3 material, because it brings so many of these elements together in one piece of music.

Other Grade 3 repertoire:

Grade 4

Grade 4 marks the introduction to intermediate playing. Students will now read confidently up to the 9th position and encounter less common time signatures. The focus shifts toward musical expression with elements like tempo flexibility, more nuanced phrasing, and polyphonic textures. Technically, expect single-string trills, more demanding left-hand independence, and challenging left-hand stretches combined with smooth shifting. A well-known example at this level is Petzold’s Minuet in G.

Other Grade 4 repertoire:

Grade 5

By Grade 5, music becomes richer and more ornamented. Players work on expressive devices such as trills, mordents, acciaccaturas, and appoggiaturas. There’s greater emphasis on left-hand preparation, hinge and half barres, and right-hand control for balance and arpeggiation. Rubato becomes more fluid, and new techniques like ami scales and tremolo preparation appear. A classic Grade 5 example is Bach’s Bourrée in E minor.

Other Grade 5 repertoire:

Grade 6

At Grade 6, technique and interpretation merge at a higher level. Fingering decisions now weigh musicality over mechanics, and expressive tools like portamento and glissando are introduced. You’ll explore artificial harmonics, campanella fingering, and subtle tonal control with the flesh of the thumb. Technically, scales expand to include 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths, and double strokes start to appear. Tárrega’s Lágrima is a beautiful example of this grade.

Other Grade 6 repertoire:

Grade 7

Grade 7 deepens interpretive and technical sophistication. Advanced left-hand movements and nuanced fingerings distinguish melodic from harmonic voices, while techniques such as bass stopping and resolving suspensions highlight polyphonic clarity. Rhythmic complexity grows with hemiola, and strumming techniques like rasgueado make an entrance. The Bach Prelude brings many of these elements together.

Other Grade 7 repertoire:

Grade 8

Grade 8 represents the pinnacle of classical guitar study before advanced concert repertoire. Here, musical maturity and color are paramount. Expect compound melodies, cross-string trills, and quintuplets alongside techniques like rest-stroke thumb, tremolo, pizzicato effects (including Bartók pizzicato), and shimmering chords. Extended techniques also appear, adding depth and variety. Barrios’s Julia Florida exemplifies the expressive scope of this level.

Other Grade 8 repertoire:

You’ll notice that Grades 6-8 have less and less focus on both notation and new techniques because the focus shifts more toward repertoire in the upper grades. And this is an important point. The fundamentals of technique that are developed in Grades 1-5 begin to shift to ever-increasing musical demands in the upper grades. While certain technical demands can and do increase with more challenging repertoire, a lot of the technique needed to play these pieces is established in earlier grades. The point is: none of us ever get beyond the fundamentals of technique. They are essential at every grade level.

Any piece can become more difficult, however, by adding just one or two new elements. For instance, a Grade 2 piece becomes a Grade 3 piece when we incorporate simple bass stopping. And this is great for upper-grade players, because they can revisit easier pieces and bring more advanced techniques to elevate an easier piece of music.

How do I know what grade I am?

This is one of the most common questions for students coming into the world of graded music. The truth is, there’s no perfect formula, because grading isn’t only about what pieces you can play—it’s about how you play them.

A quick way to get a sense is to, first, look through the descriptions above to see what elements look familiar and comfortable to you. Ask yourself the following:

  • Can I comfortably read in first position and play simple melodies? (Likely start in Grade 1.)
  • Am I comfortable with slurs, shifts, and simple barres? (Perhaps Grade 3 is a great starting place.)
  • Do I understand polyphony and can I play pieces like the Bourrée in E minor without strain? (Closer to Grade 5 is the best place to begin.)
  • Can I execute tremolo, artificial harmonics, and nuanced phrasing in advanced repertoire? (Now you’re definitely moving into Grade 7 or 8 territory.)

Another way is to sample a few pieces at different levels. If Grade 3 feels too easy but Grade 5 feels overwhelming, then Grade 4 is your home for now. And remember: there’s no rush. Grades are more like a marathon than a sprint.

When to move from one grade to the next?

Knowing when to move on from one grade to the next is not straightforward, and will be different for each individual. Some students are starting from scratch and learning to read music at the same time they are learning to play. Others will have prior experience with music. Still others may have several years of classical guitar experience under their belts (though sometimes from many years or even decades ago). In addition, the amount of time dedicated to practice and the manner in which that time is used will make an important impact on progress in general. All of these factors will influence the speed at which one progresses.

Taking all of that into account, here’s a realistic (though in no way proscriptive) time-frame to help set your expectations:

  • Grade 1: 3-12 months
  • Grade 2: 3-12 months
  • Grade 3: 6-18 months
  • Grade 4: 6-18 months
  • Grade 5: 9-24 months
  • Grade 6: 9-24 months
  • Grade 7: 12-36 months
  • Grade 8: 12-36 months

As you can see there is a fairly wide range provided and many may fall outside of these time-frames. Hopefully this timeline provides some guidance as to how much time might be needed to fully explore the repertoire in each grade and bring pieces to a performance standard.

Music Grades, Certifications, and Exams

At the end of a grade, students may take an exam. Exams give students a goal to shoot for, a sense of achievement of completing one grade and moving to the next, and the assurance that they are ready for more difficult material. Most grading systems require a passing grade on the exam to move from one grade to the next. What sort of things are required on a grade exam?

Typically we assign grades to pieces of music, to repertoire. However, there is much more to a music grade than just pieces of music. A grade involves all of the skills that go into and are required to learn various pieces of music that receive a grade assignment. This includes (at least) the following elements:

  • Technique: the mechanical movements and coordination of the fingers of each hand
  • Musicianship: learning to interpret and perform dynamics, tempo, articulation, color changes, phrasing, and more
  • Notation and Theory: learning to read music and recognize how time and key signatures, rests and notes, harmony and melody all affect interpretation

For that reason, most grading systems require both theoretical and practical knowledge, sometimes dividing exams between those two elements. Practically that means exams will require some or all of the following:

  • Repertoire: A set number of repertoire pieces, usually from contrasting eras;
  • Scales and arpeggios: These must be played in specific keys, using either free or rest stroke, using particular finger combinations, and at different tempos;
  • Sight reading: Students must play a short piece (at their grade level) at first sight, usually at a particular tempo;
  • Aural or sight-singing: This can range from clapping along to the pulse of a piece, to singing what one hears (echoing), to identifying individual pitches or intervals one hears;
  • Theory: This can include notation, form, harmonic analysis, and more.

In ABRSM, Trinity, AMEB, and RCM, grade exams must be undertaken in person, usually before one examiner or sometimes a jury of examiners. (Many now also provide options for online exams, though still before a “live” jury or examiner.)

Graded Books

But maybe exams is not for you. One of the best ways to start exploring grades without the pressure of exams is through graded repertoire books. These collections organize music by level, making it easy to choose pieces that match your ability. You’ll find books published by ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, and others that follow their official grading systems. There are also excellent independent collections, like the Royal Classics series or anthologies by Frederick Noad, that provide graded selections without requiring formal enrollment in a system. Here at Classical Guitar Corner we also offer a series of graded books we’ll look at below.

The benefit of using graded books is that you have a roadmap. Instead of guessing what might be appropriate for your level, you can trust that the pieces are curated to build the right skills in the right order.

Online Classical Guitar Grades: CGC Academy

Most of the other international grades systems require you to learn either with a teacher’s guidance or by yourself. The programs themselves do not offer educational material besides the materials for exams.

Classical Guitar Corner (CGC) Academy, our online school for classical guitar, offers a full curriculum of graded music from preparatory (Fundamentals) all the way up to advanced music grades, along with the guidance of our faculty and the option for exams. Essentially the Academy provides a full and robust guided path to learning with all of the tools of twentieth-century technology.

At the Academy, our grading system is built off of the international standards of other systems, but is also unique to our community. Unlike other systems that only provide exam material, CGC offers:

  • A structured pathway from Fundamentals up through concert-level repertoire
  • Video lessons, practice routines, and technique studies
  • Graded repertoire collections
  • A supportive community and feedback from qualified teachers

And because grading can be confusing, every new member gets a one-on-one consultation to find their perfect starting point.

CGC Academy was built for the adult amateur and we invite you to check it out. Learn more and join CGC Academy today.

Graded books at Classical Guitar Corner

We have also published a whole suite of graded books at CGC, from repertoire (both solo and duet) to notation to practice routines. These book collect all of the material from the curriculum at the Academy and so they are integral to the graded learning system at CGC.

Here is a list of our graded books, with two more on the way this year!

  • Graded Repertoire for Classical Guitar
  • Graded Duets for Classical Guitar
  • Easy Classical Guitar: Volume 1
  • 20 Practice Routines for Classical Guitar
  • Exploring the Renaissance
  • Cornerstone Method: Grade 1
  • Progressive Sight Reading for Classical Guitar

Final Thoughts

The grading system for classical guitar is more than a set of hurdles to jump over; it’s a structured pathway that balances challenge and reward. Whether you’re pursuing formal exams or simply using the grades as a guide, they provide clarity in a world of endless repertoire.

Most importantly, they keep us grounded in the fundamentals while inviting us to grow artistically. You might spend months perfecting the simple Carulli Andantino or years polishing Barrios’s Julia Florida. Both experiences are equally valuable because the heart of music isn’t about where you are on the ladder—it’s about the joy you discover along the way.