Instrument/voice technique, tone production and repertoire knowledge
Domain focus
This section tests how well you understand the technical means of your instrument or voice and can connect them to tone, intonation and repertoire choices.
Core principles
- Breath support for singers and wind players: low, silent intake; controlled exhalation; avoid raising the shoulders.
- String players: bow speed, weight and contact point control tone; left-hand shape and finger placement control intonation.
- Keyboard: relaxed arm weight, curved fingers, efficient movement; avoid unnecessary tension.
- Voice: balanced resonance, consistent vowel shape and passaggio smoothing; do not force volume.
- Repertoire knowledge: know period, character, technical demands and a practice strategy for each piece.
Worked example
A singer's upper register is breathy and slightly flat. The likely causes are insufficient support, a raised larynx and a widened vowel. The remedy is sustained lip trills, messa di voce and narrowing the vowel without squeezing. The reasoning: pitch and tone depend on airflow and resonance, not on pushing more air.
Traps
Confusing loudness with projection; practising fast passages before slow control; ignoring posture; choosing repertoire beyond your current range or technique; describing a piece's character without naming its technical challenge.