To our students, teachers, and parents: we know how much hard work and heart goes into preparing for an RSL Award. Exam day is the final step in that journey—a chance to showcase your musical growth and celebrate what you’ve achieved so far.

To help you feel your best when you walk into the room, we’ve put together this updated checklist for the RSL face-to-face exams. A little bit of preparation today means a much calmer performance tomorrow!

The Night Before: Your Essential Kit

Preparing your bag in advance is the best way to avoid a nervous rush. Before you head out, make sure you have these essentials ready:

    • Your Appointment Slip: You can bring a printed copy or have it ready on your phone to show our stewards.
    • Photo ID: A Student ID (ez-Link), Passport, or NRIC is perfect.
    • Your Exam Book: Whether it’s a physical book or a digital copy, our stewards will need to see it.

      A Note for Digital Users: If you are using a digital book on a tablet or a print-out, please ensure the unique authorisation number and email/order stamp in the margin are clearly visible for verification.
    • Personal Gear: Don’t forget your picks, drumsticks, spare strings, tuners, and straps.
    • What’s Waiting for You: The exam Venues provide a standard Drum Kit and a Piano (Acoustic) at the venue.
    • What to Bring: If you are a Guitarist (Acoustic, Electric, Bass, Classical), Ukulelist, Keyboardist, or Violinist, you must bring your own instrument.
    • Vocalists: You are welcome to bring your own microphone if it makes you feel more at home!
    Digital book users can present the Authorisation code on their printouts.

    Tech Check: Free Choice Pieces (FCP)

    If you’ve chosen to play a Free Choice Piece, a quick tech check ensures your backing tracks work perfectly:

    • Your Device: Please download your tracks onto a tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Because you’ll need to be in Airplane Mode during the exam, streaming (like from YouTube or Spotify) is not allowed.
    • The Connection: RSL exam venue provides a 3.5mm audio cable.
      Pro-Tip: If your device doesn’t have a headphone jack (like newer iPhones or tablets), please remember to bring your own USB-C or Lightning adapter.
    • Score for the Examiner: Don’t forget to bring a printed, fully notated copy of your piece for the examiner. It helps them follow and assess your performance!
    • Safety First: For security and to keep things running smoothly, please avoid using USB thumb drives.
    It is always good to be prepared with your own adapter.

    Entering the “Zone”: Belongings & Arrival

    We want the exam room to be a quiet, focused space just for you and your music.

    • Distraction-Free: To keep the room secure, mobile phones, smartwatches, recording devices, and bags are not allowed inside.
      • Safe Keeping: You can leave your things with our friendly stewards at the registration counter or with your family. 
    • The 15-Minute Rule: Aim to arrive about 15 minutes early. It gives you time to register, breathe, and get into a positive headspace.

    During the Exam: It’s Your Time to Shine

    The examiner is there to support you and listen to the musician you’ve become.

    • Settle In: Don’t feel rushed! Take a moment to adjust your drum stool or arrange your scores and music stand before you begin. If you have a hard time adjusting the drums, or the piano seat height for example, just ask for help.
    • Need Help? If an instruction is unclear, it’s perfectly okay to politely ask the examiner to repeat it.
    • Restart Policy: If you feel you need a restart, RSL allows one for performance pieces, and up to two restarts for technical exercises, provided you stop within the first 8 bars (or the first third of the song/exercise). If you’re past that point, just keep going!
    • Focus on the Music: Remember, examiners look for overall musicianship, not just “perfection.” If you make a small mistake, keep your focus and keep playing—your ability to recover is a sign of a great musician.

    Final Checklist Summary

    • [ ] Venue and reporting time confirmed.
    • [ ] ID and Exam Book packed.
    • [ ] Backing tracks downloaded and playback tested (if playing Free Choice Pieces).
    • [ ] Instrument and/or accessories packed.
    • [ ] FCP score printed or photocopied (if playing Free Choice Pieces).

    We are so proud of the progress our candidates make along their learning journeys. Take a deep breath, trust your practice, and enjoy the music. We wish you the very best of luck!