NCEA Level 3 Making Music study plan

Map a 32-bar song form (verse–chorus–bridge) onto a chord chart with at least one borrowed or secondary chord

Draft one verse and chorus of lyrics with a single clear narrative idea and a consistent rhyme scheme

Record a rough phone or DAW demo of the draft to hear the structure back critically

Record a baseline take of two performance pieces and list three specific technical weaknesses from the playback

Compose a contrasting bridge or middle-eight that changes texture, register, or harmonic rhythm

Set 15 minutes daily of targeted technical work on the weakness identified in week 1 (scales, arpeggios, breath, or bow control)

Memorise one full performance piece so it can be played without the score

Revise lyrics for imagery and syllable stress against the melody

Annotate your own song with Roman numeral analysis and label every cadence and any modulation

Write an arrangement plan that specifies instrumentation, dynamics, and texture for each section

Rehearse one performance piece with a metronome at 80% of target tempo, then at full tempo

Draft programme notes that describe the style, context, and key features of your performance pieces

Record a timed mock solo programme of two contrasting pieces from start to finish without stopping

Transcribe an 8-bar melody and a 4-chord progression by ear and check them against the source

Identify and label cadences, modulations, and harmonic devices in two set works

Collect written feedback from a teacher or peer and convert it into three practice targets

Analyse a substantial work across form, tonality, texture, timbre, and compositional device

Link the work to its social, historical, or cultural context with at least four specific examples

Arrange an existing piece for your own instrument or ensemble, reworking voicing and texture

Sight-read one unseen excerpt daily for ten minutes

Finalise a second original composition with a distinct mood, tempo, and groove from the first

Record both songs to demo standard with clean levels and no clipping

Rehearse the full performance programme under performance conditions, including stage setup and count-ins

Refine tone, intonation, and dynamic shaping on the two weakest bars of each piece

Perform the whole programme with no stops and mark every hesitation on the score

Complete a full set of practice questions on aural perception, harmony, and tonal conventions under timed conditions

Revise the context essay by adding two more specific musical examples and one quotation or source

Record and review one piece at half tempo to expose tension and rhythmic errors

Polish the performance programme and confirm final tempo, balance, and stage presentation

Submit both compositions with final scores, recordings, and lyric sheets

Write one timed analysis essay and one timed context essay under exam conditions

Revisit the three weakest error patterns from week 7 and drill them specifically