MTB Teaching Diploma — Modules 1–4 (Accordion, RV1.4

Explore each module below for the Syllabus (Key Areas & Elements) and the accompanying Level Expectations. Beneath these we have provided some learning guidance and useful links to support your preparation. Expand a module to begin.

Instrumental/vocal performance requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Instrumental/vocal performance — Instrumental/vocal performance

Level Expectations

To play music at MTB Grade 5 level or above
To play for not less than 10 minutes
There is guidance that 15 minutes should be the maximum duration
This does NOT need to be in a performance situation
This is to assess proficiency on your chosen instrument/voice

Learning Guidance

Choose repertoire you can perform confidently at MTB Grade 5 level or above, showing musical control and stylistic awareness.
Plan a programme of 10 minutes minimum; guidance indicates 15 minutes maximum.
This does not need to be in a formal performance setting; focus on a clear, reliable delivery.
Record in one take where possible; if using multiple takes, keep an honest log of what was recorded when and why.
This performance is used to assess proficiency on your chosen instrument or voice.

Useful Links

Select an instrument family to view instrument‑specific units, expectations, and learning guidance.

Instrument Family

Choose an instrument family:

Units will appear once an instrument family is selected.

Next step

Select an instrument family above to display the units for Module 2.

Strings

Posture, movement, co‑ordination, breathing, tension, and medical awareness while playing.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Coordination — How this all works together
Breathing — Breathing
Tension — Tension
Some medical conditions which you might encounter — Medical conditions

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture
Posture in relation to movement: To have some understanding of the aspects of posture which relate to movement
How this all works together: To have knowledge of how all these elements can coordinate
Breathing: To have an understanding of the aspects of breathing which relate to playing your instrument
Tension: To have an understanding of tension in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension
Medical conditions: To have some knowledge of medical conditions which might arise from playing your instrument. Have a basic understanding of how these might be observed and, at what point, further advice should be sought.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Be aware of your posture and how you hold your instrument. There are many insights and tips to help with this.
Some people choose to layer skills: posture → slow movement → technique → performance tempo. You might consider using a metronome too.
Consider the importance of eathing: there is a lot of information available on techniques
Scan for tension.
Know red‑flags (pain, numbness); pause and refer when appropriate.
Two-minute posture scan: feet planted, soft knees, long spine, buoyant shoulders, free neck.
Reset protocol: change task → breathe → align → re-engage (10–15 seconds).
Effective posture teaching starts with simple, observable checkpoints that learners can self-audit: ear–shoulder–hip alignment, balanced head position, and neutral spine. Establish a habit of ‘resetting’ posture after transitions between tasks to prevent slow drift into unhelpful positions.
Couple posture with functional movement.
Build medical awareness without alarm: explain early warning signs (numbness, tingling, persistent pain) and model how to reduce intensity, adjust setup, or pause and refer. Keep a short, written health checklist in lesson notes.

Useful Links

Structure & workings; instrument care; bow construction, tension, rosin, cleaning, routine maintenance.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Explore Your Instrument — Explore Your Instrument in the Light of its Structure and Workings
Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Structure and Maintenance of the Bow — Construction, Workings, Tension, Rosin and Cleaning, Routine Maintenance and Rehairing

Level Expectations

Explore Your Instrument in the Light of its Structure and Workings: To have a basic knowledge of the structure of your instrument
Your Instrument: To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required? To have reflected on your ability to maintain: The Neck; Scroll; Pegs and Peg Box; Nut; Fingerboard; Bridge; f’ Holes; Tailpiece; Accessories (Endpin, Adjusters)
Construction: To have knowledge of the construction of the bow
Workings: To have knowledge of the workings of the bow
Tension: To have a view on the required tension of the bow whilst playing
Rosin and Cleaning: To have a view on the application of rosin and how to clean the bow
Routine Maintenance and Rehairing: To have a view on routine maintenance and knowledge of how to access rehairing services

Learning Guidance

Map anatomy (neck, fingerboard, bridge, soundpost/if applicable, tailpiece). Link parts to tone, tuning, stability.
Care: wipe rosin; keep bridge upright; humidify; safe string changes; case discipline.
String change routine: one string at a time to protect the soundpost; tune gradually.
Bow care; always loosen after playing; minimal rosin use.
Humidity discipline: use case humidifiers in dry seasons; avoid direct heat or car boots.
Inspection habit: weekly quick checks—bridge verticality, nut wear, fine tuner travel.
Link each instrument part to a tangible acoustic outcome. For example, bridge angle affects string height and bow clearance; a shifted soundpost may change projection. Showing cause–effect relationships creates respectful care and reduces avoidable damage.
Normalise basic maintenance learners can perform safely (wiping rosin, checking bridge, loosening the bow) versus tasks that require a luthier (soundpost, peg refitting). Make a simple ‘home versus. professional’ table and keep it in the case.

Useful Links

Musicians’ Union — Performance Health Guide (index)

Posture; right hand; left hand; co‑ordination — teaching fundamentals and progressive practice.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — The fundamentals of posture
The Right Hand — Bow hold, Bowing, Orientation of the bow - legato, Bow control, Dynamics, Bowing patterns and techniques, String crossing, Pizzicato (including left hand)
The Left Hand — Shape, The fingers, The arm, Extensions, Positions, Shifting, Vibrato
Co-ordination — The principles of co-ordination

Level Expectations

The fundamentals of posture: To have the ability to teach the fundamentals of posture
The Right Hand: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required
The Left Hand: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required
The principles of co-ordination: To be able to assist pupils in acquiring skills in coordination

Learning Guidance

Right hand: Be aware of posture and basic bowing tecnnique(s)
Left hand: hand shape & arm alignment;
Right hand: distribute the bow intentionally.
Work at string crossings
Left hand: maintain a rounded hand; aim to keep the thumb light; align forearm with finger patterns.
Shifting: there is a lot of advice on this.
Vibrato development: consider whether the student has a natural vibrato; if so, do not get in the way but help to foster the expressive potential. To cultivate vibrato when necessary, there is a lot of advice and guidance.

Useful Links

Diagnosing by listening/looking/feeling; notation pitfalls; remedies for rhythm, tone, intonation, fluency.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of rhythm, Extraneous noises, Tone production and projection, Poor sense of expression, Fluency, memory
Looking for Faults — Posture, Correct execution of specific movements
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings, Teachers feeling pupils’ movements, Pupil manipulation by the teacher, Energy transference (psychology)
Understanding matters arising from the musical notation system — The appearance of notation can influence the way in which the music is played
Remedies — Inaccuracies of notes and rhythms, Tone and projection, Extraneous noises, Fluency, memory
Intonation — Inconsistent left-hand positions, Inaccurate distribution of fingers, Poor intonation resulting from shifts, Finger spacings between strings

Level Expectations

The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them: To have an understanding of pupils’ perception regarding inaccuracies whilst playing and their capacity to find solutions
To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through listening
To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through looking
To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through feeling for faults as identified in the Key Elements list. However, note Module 3, units 1 & 2, especially in relation to the laws of trespass as applied to people.
The appearance of notation can influence the way in which the music is played: To have an understanding of the potential consequences of music notation on the way that music is played
To have the confidence and ability to offer remedies relating to the issues listed in the Key Elements
To have the confidence and ability to offer helpful teaching strategies relating to the issues listed in the Key Elements

Learning Guidance

Adopt a triad method: Listen → Look → Feel (with consent); log observations before prescribing fixes.
Notation traps: over‑equalised quavers, bar‑line accents; balance with aural models. There are many notation ‘traps’.
The following represent some opinions and give pointers for things to consider.
Fix‑kits: metronome pyramids; contact‑point ladders; drone‑based intonation; shift guide‑finger drills.
Rhythm: clap-back + subdivision syllables before playing; metronome pyramids (q=60→84).
Tone: move contact point, adjust bow speed/weight; demonstrate extremes to reveal range.
Intonation: drone practice on key tones; finger-spacing grids; slow shifts with target-listening.
Fluency: chunk into 1–2 bar cells; ‘back-chain’ assembly; add musical shaping early.
Self-check prompts: ‘What changed when the tone improved?’ ‘Which finger felt tight?’
Adopt a triage process: Listen (sound/rhythm), Look (posture/movement), Feel (kinaesthetic cues with consent). Record a 15–30 second clip, diagnose one primary issue, and prescribe one targeted fix—avoid overloading learners with multiple corrections at once.
Use notation as a variable: simplify rhythms, re-beam for clarity, or enlarge spacing to alleviate visual crowding. Pair aural models with simplified notation, then return to the original score once fluency improves.

Useful Links

ISM — How to become a healthy instrumentalist (warning signs & recovery)

First lessons; checking basic technique; progress; imagination & fun; introducing new things; appropriate repertoire.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking Basic Technique, Progress, Musical Imagination, Fun, Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

Checking Basic Technique: The ability to appreciate what is meant by ‘basic technique and the ability to check its development
Progress: The ability to observe and check progress
Musical Imagination: To be able to engage with the level of imagination displayed by the pupil
Fun: Read as it means to you and your pupils
Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship; To have a clear ability to introduce new things
Knowledge of Available Material: To have some knowledge of available appropriate material which might be used in First Lessons

Learning Guidance

Track progress via simple log; perhaps a weekly 10‑sec recording; stickers for young learners.
Home plan: perhaps 10 minutes max for beginners; one technique drill + one musical piece.
Evidence: perhaps consider phone recordings (10 seconds) or a tick-box log; celebrate consistency over perfection.
First lessons should guarantee a ‘tiny win’ that is recordable and repeatable at home. Keep goals concrete (e.g., two-note tone exercise with a backing track) and finish with a micro-performance to build confidence.
Choose repertoire that limits new variables—fewer pitch changes, friendly keys, and strong rhythmic cues. Use duets or call-and-response to make musicality immediate and social.

Classical Guitar

Classical guitar posture and movement basics: balance, breathing, tension awareness, and injury prevention.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Breathing — Breathing
Tension — Tension
Some medical conditions which you might encounter — Medical conditions

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an awareness of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture.
Posture in relation to your instrument: How do you assess the matter of posture as you see pupils play? How do you engage with them on this topic? [Demonstrate] an important aspect of posture and provide some basic advice on creating awareness of this.
Posture in relation to movement: To have an awareness of the aspects of posture which relate to movement including fine motor control and balance.
Posture in relation to movement: Explain your awareness of the relationship between posture and movements required in playing your instrument. [Demonstrate] one aspect of this.
Breathing: To have an awareness of the aspects of breathing which relate to playing your instrument.
Breathing: Describe how breathing relates to playing your instrument. [Demonstrate] provide a practical demonstration.
Tension: To have some awareness of tension in relation to playing your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension.
Tension: How do you observe and assess excess tension?
Medical conditions: To have some knowledge of medical conditions which might arise from playing your instrument, how these might be observed, and when further advice should be sought.
Medical conditions: Take one medical condition which can arise from playing your instrument and describe it.

Learning Guidance

Observe side-on: ear–shoulder–hip alignment; elbows free;

Perhaps use “stop–shake–reset” moments in lessons to normalise releasing tension.

Prioritise comfort and repeatability over ‘perfect’ posture.

Teach classical guitar posture from the start: stable chair height, optional footstool/support, guitar angled comfortably, shoulders level, and head balanced (avoid craning toward the fingerboard).

Link posture to movement: right forearm contact should allow free hand motion for apoyando/tirando; left wrist stays relaxed with fingers approaching from above. Encourage micro-adjustments rather than ‘holding still’.

Breathing should remain natural and quiet. Use simple “inhale before you play / exhale through the phrase” prompts to reduce breath-holding and tension.

Build a shared language for tension checks (jaw, shoulders, forearms, thumbs). Ask pupils to pause, release, and restart—especially after challenging shifts, barre chords, or fast right‑hand patterns.

Where pain, numbness, tingling, or persistent discomfort appears: record what triggers it, reduce load, and advise seeking professional medical support if it continues.

Useful Links

Guitar structure, basic maintenance boundaries, and right‑hand nail use and care.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Use of right hand finger nails when introduced to the student. — Length; Shaping; Maintenance; Repair

Level Expectations

To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required? To have reflected on your ability to maintain: The Neck; Head; Machine heads; Nut; Fingerboard; Frets; Bridge; Saddle.
Maintenance (practical): Take one aspect of maintenance of your instrument and offer your advice on what can be done ‘at home’ and at what stage you would advise professional support. [Demonstrate] show this using your instrument.
Length: To have some knowledge of the required length of fingernails.
Workings: To have some knowledge of how fingernails enhance technique.
Shaping: To have views on the best shape of fingernails when striking the strings.
Routine Maintenance and Repairing: To have a view on routine maintenance and knowledge of how to repair damaged or worn nails.
Maintenance of fingernails (practical): Take one aspect of maintenance of your nails and offer your advice on what can be done. [Demonstrate] using your equipment.

Learning Guidance

Clarify what is ‘student-safe’ maintenance: string changes, wiping down, basic tuning-machine care, humidity awareness, and identifying when buzzing, high action, or structural issues require a technician/luthier.

Teach pupils to diagnose before intervening: is the issue strings, setup, technique, or environmental (temperature/humidity)? Keep changes incremental and reversible where possible.

For classical guitar tone and control, right-hand nails are a technique tool. Introduce them carefully: agree a baseline nail length, shape, and filing routine that supports consistency.

Encourage a simple nail-care routine (fine file/polish, small adjustments, and contingency plans for breakages) so tone does not collapse under stress.

Useful Links

How to teach classical guitar posture and right/left hand technique, plus coordination development.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — The fundamentals of posture
The Right Hand — Arm and hand position; Apoyando strokes; Tirando strokes; Dynamics; Chords, scales and arpeggio techniques; String crossing; Pizzicato; Harmonics
The Left Hand — Shape; The fingers; The arm; Extensions; Positions; Basic shifting
Co-ordination — The principles of co-ordination

Level Expectations

The fundamentals of posture: To have the ability to teach the fundamentals of posture.
The fundamentals of posture: What are your strategies to review and, if necessary, recommend changes to posture?
The fundamentals of posture: From your own learning experiences [Demonstrate] an aspect of posture in relation to playing your instrument.
The Right Hand: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required.
The Right Hand: Take one element of Right Hand technique, outline it and [Demonstrate] an exercise for potential improvement.
The Left Hand: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required.
The Left Hand: Take one element of Left Hand technique, outline it and [Demonstrate] an exercise for potential improvement.
The principles of co-ordination: To be able to assist pupils in acquiring skills in coordination.
The principles of co-ordination: [Demonstrate] an exercise to help improve pupils’ co-ordination.

Learning Guidance

Use tone as feedback:

Teach ‘prepare fingers early’ to reduce scrambling and tension.

Perhaps separate then recombine: RH alone, LH alone, then together.

Perhaps sequence technique teaching: posture → right hand basics (contact, stroke type, tone) → left hand basics (shape, finger placement, pressure) → coordination (hands together).

Right hand: teach apoyando versus tirando with clear tone goals and simple open-string patterns, then progress to arpeggios, string crossing, and dynamics. Keep the forearm stable and the hand relaxed.

Left hand: focus on fingertip placement near the fret, minimum pressure, and a relaxed thumb. Introduce extensions and basic shifting slowly.

Coordination: build from slow, accurate patterns with a steady pulse. Use tiny loops (1–2 bars) and gradually increase complexity (more strings, more fingers, more rhythm).

Useful Links

Guitar Foundation of America — Education & resources

Diagnosing faults (listening, looking, feeling) and offering practical remedies on classical guitar.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of pitch and rhythm
Looking for Faults — Posture; Correct execution of specific movements
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings; Teacher’s feeling pupils’ movements; Pupil manipulation by the teacher; Energy transference (psychology)
Remedies — Inaccuracies of notes and rhythms; Fluency, concentration; Intonation; Inconsistent left-hand positions; Inaccurate distribution of fingers; Poor tone (buzzing) resulting from shifts/misplaced fingers within frets

Level Expectations

The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them: To have an awareness of pupils’ perception regarding inaccuracies whilst playing and their capacity to find solutions.
The pupils’ perspective: What might you suggest pupils listen for to identify faults while they are playing?
The pupil’s perspective: Describe one way a pupil might be able to monitor/check their playing while practising.
Basic inaccuracies of pitch and rhythm: To have the ability to diagnose issues arising from inaccuracies of pitch and rhythm.
Looking for faults: To have the ability to diagnose issues of posture and the execution of specific movements.
Looking for faults: What physical signs might you look for to check if students are breathing correctly?
Feeling faults: To have the ability to diagnose issues through feeling for faults (note Module 3, Units 1 & 2, especially in relation to the laws of trespass as applied to people).
Listening/looking/feeling faults: How do you do this and what precautions must you take?
Remedies (notes/rhythm/fluency): Take one element from ‘inaccuracy of notes, rhythms and fluency’ and [Demonstrate] an exercise for potential improvement.
Remedies (intonation/left hand/tone): Take one element from ‘Inconsistent left-hand positions’, ‘Inaccurate distribution of fingers’ and ‘Poor tone (buzzing), resulting from shifts and misplaced fingers within the frets’ and [Demonstrate] an exercise for potential improvement.

Learning Guidance

A possible approach to diagnostics and remedies: remedy template: isolate → slow down → correct → loop → reinsert into music.

Buzzing fix: place fingertip close to fret → reduce pressure to minimum → check thumb isn’t clamping.

Rhythm fix: clap/speak rhythm → play one string → add left hand only after pulse is stable.

Teach pupils to self-diagnose with one clear focus at a time: perhaps rhythm first (steady pulse), then accuracy (right notes), then tone and fluency.

For classical guitar, common faults include buzzing (finger too far from fret, insufficient pressure, poor left-hand angle), uneven right-hand tone, and timing instability in arpeggios or string crossings.

Use ‘look’ checks for posture, wrist angles, thumb squeeze, and breath-holding. Use ‘listen’ checks for tone consistency, rhythm drift, and unwanted string noise.

Be cautious with ‘feeling’ interventions. Prefer verbal cues, modelling, and asking the pupil to place their own hand/arm. If any physical contact is considered, follow safeguarding and consent principles.

Useful Links

Planning first lessons for classical guitar, establishing fundamentals, and choosing suitable early material.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Lesson — First meeting; Structure; Content; Positivity
The First Few Lessons — Checking basic technique; Progress; Musical imagination; Fun; Introducing new things — techniques, musical material, pieces, musicianship

Level Expectations

First meeting: The ability to negotiate/steer a first meeting.
Structure: The ability to structure a first lesson.
Content: The knowledge to know suitable content for a first lesson.
Positivity: An awareness of the need for positivity during first lessons.
First meeting: Describe one of your first meetings with a new pupil (or your own first meeting with your instrumental teacher).
Structure: Choose a specific age group and offer a possible ‘first lesson’ plan.
Positivity: What strategies could you employ to foster positivity in a ‘first lesson’?
Checking basic technique: To have an awareness of what is meant by ‘basic technique’ and the ability to check its development.
Progress: The ability to observe and check progress.
Musical imagination: To be able to engage with the level of imagination displayed by the pupil.
Fun: As it means to you and your pupils.
Introducing new things: To have an ability to introduce new things (technique, musical material, pieces, musicianship).
Checking basic technique: What is basic technique and how do you monitor it?
Progress: How do you organise your records of progress?
Musical imagination: Choose an individual pupil and provide an example of how you engage with the level of imagination displayed by that pupil.

Learning Guidance

A possible first‑lesson sequence might be: hello/aims → setup → sound production → tiny piece → reflection → plan.

Aim for a ‘repeatable home task’ (2–5 minutes) rather than a long practice list.

Use positivity that is specific: praise the behaviour/skill the pupil can repeat.

First lessons should establish comfort and quick wins: seating/footstool setup, holding the guitar securely without gripping, basic right-hand contact, and simple rhythm games.

Introduce tuning and instrument care at an age-appropriate level. For beginners, you may tune for them initially while explaining what you are doing and why.

Choose early material that supports technique: open-string rhythm patterns, simple melodies on 1–2 strings, and easy chord shapes (where appropriate) without forcing tension-heavy shapes too early.

Build progress tracking around a few stable pillars: posture/tone, rhythm/pulse, accuracy, and enjoyment. Keep goals small and visible.

Useful Links

Guitar Foundation of America — Education & resources

Piano

Piano posture, movement, breathing, tension awareness, and injury prevention for safe, confident playing.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Coordination — Co-ordination between hands, Co-ordination of hands and feet when pedaling
Tension — Tension
Some medical conditions which you might encounter — Muscle/body injury/strain

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture
Posture in relation to movement: To have an understanding of the aspects of posture which relate to movement including fine motor control and balance
Co-ordination: To understand how elements in this unit can affect coordination
Tension: To have an understanding of tension in relation to playing your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension
Muscle/body injury/strain: To have some knowledge of muscle strain or other injury which might arise from playing your instrument. Have a basic awareness of how these might be avoided, observed and, at what point, further advice should be sought.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Aim for correct posture at the keyboard: straight spine, relaxed shoulders and arms, correct hand and wrist shape
Set stool height and distance so the forearm is roughly level and the hand can move freely across the keyboard without straining the wrist.
Ensure pupil is aware of how tension builds up and can affect playing. Develop an understanding of how to combat this through regular reminders and relaxation techniques.
Model safe practice habits: demonstrate techniques such as warming up with slow scales and exercises. Stop if tension or pain occurs to avoid repetitive strain.

Useful Links

Exploring the piano (acoustic or digital): basic structure, care, maintenance, and safe use.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Explore Your Instrument — Explore Your Instrument in terms of its structure and workings
Tuning — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Buying equipment — Suitable instruments, Suitable accessories

Level Expectations

Explore Your Instrument in the Light of its Structure and Workings: To have a basic knowledge of the structure of your instrument
Tuning: An understanding of measures you can take to prolong the tuning of an acoustic piano or lifespan of an electric piano? When is it necessary to bring in professional help?
Buying equipment: To be able to provide basic advice about buying a suitable instrument and accessories

Learning Guidance

Ensure pupils have a basic understanding of the structure and mechanism of the piano – show them the inner workings
Emphasise the importance of regular tuning of the instrument if it is acoustic and keeping the temperature of the room consistent with appropriate humidity. It should also be kept away from radiators, direct sunlight and damp.
Ensure pupils play with clean hands and short nails
For digital pianos, cover essentials: power safety, volume limits for hearing, pedal setup, and cable management to prevent trips.
Help pupils recognise “stop and ask for help” signs (sticky keys, buzzing, sudden changes in touch, or pedal issues).

Useful Links

PianoTuner.org.uk — Piano service, maintenance & repair

Core piano technique and how to teach it: sound production, coordination, reading, and musical development.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching Posture — The fundamentals of posture
Teaching Playing Position — Finger shape, Hand shape, Wrist position, Forearm position, Shoulders
Teaching Co-ordination — The principles of co-ordination
Teaching Touch — Dynamics, Staccato, Legato, Accents, Slurred couplets, Balance between hands/fingers
Teaching Pedaling — Correct foot position, Co-ordination with hands/ pedal up and down as chord sounds, Awareness of harmonic changes
Practise — Expectations around practice, Amount of practice, Ways to practice

Level Expectations

The fundamentals of posture: To have the ability to teach the fundamentals of posture
Playing Position: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required
The principles of co-ordination: To be able to assist pupils in acquiring and improve skills in coordination between the hands and when pedaling
The principles of touch: To have the confidence and ability to teach the principles of touch with regards to finger action and position, to achieve dynamics, articulation and balance between hands/fingers
The principles of pedaling: To have the confidence and ability to teach the principles of correct pedaling on the piano
Practice: To have the confidence and ability to teach and explain the key elements listed

Learning Guidance

Ensure good posture is encouraged in every lesson: shoulder, arm and wrist position, hand and finger shape
Introduce hands separately and together, helping pupils to improve their skills in coordination
Introduce pupils to the principles of touch: finger action and touch, dynamics, staccato/legato, accents, balance between the hands, even tone and controlled releases between notes.
Teach pedaling with correct foot position, and the principles of sustaining sound such as chord sounds and harmonic changes
Establish an expectation that pupils will develop a practice routine which includes length of practices and appropriate places and times to practise. Suggest strategies such as slow practice, playing hands separately and breaking pieces/exercises into manageable small sections before playing whole pieces/exercises and hands together, then gradually increasing speed

Useful Links

Diagnosing issues and applying solutions: rhythm, tone, coordination, accuracy, fluency, memory, and confidence.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of rhythm, Pedaling, Touch, Tone production and projection, Poor sense of expression, Fluency
Looking for Faults — Posture, Hands and wrists, Fingering, Correct execution of specific movements
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings, Teachers feeling pupils’ movements, Pupil manipulation by the teacher, Energy transference (psychology), Tension
Reading Music — Pitch notation, Rhythm, Expression markings, Phrasing, Other musical notation or symbols
Remedies — Inaccuracies of notes and rhythms, Tone and projection, Touch, Changes of hand position, fingering, Fluency, memory

Level Expectations

The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them: To have an understanding of pupils’ perception regarding inaccuracies whilst playing and their capacity to find solutions such as faults in notes, rhythm, posture and technique
Listening for Faults: To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through listening
Looking for Faults: To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through looking
Feeling Faults: To have the ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through feeling for faults as identified in the Key Elements list. However, note Module 3, Units 1 & 2, especially in relation to the laws of trespass as applied to people.
Reading Music: To have the ability to explain and offer helpful teaching strategies relating to the issues listed in the key elements
Remedies: To have the ability to offer remedies relating to the issues listed in the Key Elements

Learning Guidance

Encourage pupils to listen to their playing and help them understand how to spot errors in pitch and rhythm
Watch and listen carefully to pupils’ playing pinpointing faults such as: incorrect notes and rhythms, fluency, pedaling, appropriate use of dynamics and expression, tonal production and projection. Be able to explain and correct mistakes in a positive and encouraging manner. Strategies to fix problems could include isolating and working at very small sections (single bars), isolating hands before playing hands together, keeping pulse steady and suggesting helpful fingering
Keep feedback proportionate: one primary issue per attempt, followed by a short successful repetition to lock in the improvement.

Useful Links

Planning effective first lessons: checking basics, keeping it musical, selecting suitable materials, and building good habits.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking Basic Technique, Progress, Musical Imagination, Fun, Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

Checking Basic Technique: To have an understanding of what is meant by ‘basic technique and the ability to check its development
Progress: To understand why it is important to observe and check progress
Musical Imagination: To be able to engage with the level of imagination displayed by the pupil
Fun: As it means to you and your pupils
Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship: To have an ability to introduce new things
Knowledge of Available Material: To have some knowledge of available appropriate material which might be used in first lessons

Learning Guidance

First lessons should establish comfort and a quick musical success/sense of achievement: posture/bench setup, basic hand shape, and a short piece or pattern.
Establish a simple practice plan such as a technique pattern, introducing something new (such as a rhythm or hand position or dynamic etc.), some time on repertoire, goals for home practice before the next lesson.
Choose repertoire that limits variables—familiar notes/positions, friendly rhythms, and repeated patterns.
Build motivation through tracking such as: a tiny weekly goal, a tick‑box log, or a short recording to evidence progress.

Useful Links

EPTA UK — European Piano Teachers Association (UK)
ISM — Resources for music professionals
ISM Trust — Music education resources
BAPAM — Health resources
ISM — Online learning resources

Wind & Brass

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Coordination — How this all works together
Breathing — How breathing affects pitch, How breathing affects phrasing How breathing affects tone quality
Tension — Tension
Some medical conditions which you might encounter — Muscle/body injury/strain

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture
Posture in relation to movement: To have an understanding of the aspects of posture which relate to movement including fine motor control and balance
How this all works together: To understand how elements in this unit can affect coordination
Breathing: To have an understanding of the aspects which are affected by breathing when playing your instrument
Tension: To have an understanding of tension in relation to playing your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension
Muscle/body injury/strain: To have some knowledge of muscle strain/bruising or other injury which might arise from playing your instrument. Have a basic awareness of how these might be avoided, observed and, at what point, further advice should be sought.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Posture, breathing, tension, and avoiding injury. Regularly check and remind pupils about posture - relaxed and correctly shaped arms, wrists, fingers, shoulders and upper body.
Watch for compensations: raised shoulders, jaw/embouchure or upper body tension, and maintaining correct angle of instrument. Use mirrors, short videos, and simple cues to build self-awareness.
Agree a ‘safe practice’ routine: frequent breaks from playing, such as to practising fingering and singing passages rather than playing or working at short sections of pieces/exercises to help manage stamina during practice sessions. Gentle and sufficient warm-ups at the start, and warming down at the end. Stopping if pain or dizziness occurs.

Useful Links

See the Healthy Practice Diary section from - BAPAM — Healthy practice resources

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Explore Your Instrument — Explore your instrument in the light of its structure and workings
Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Buying equipment — Suitable instruments Suitable accessories

Level Expectations

Explore Your Instrument in the Light of its Structure and Workings: To have a basic knowledge of the structure and workings of your instrument
To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required? To have reflected on your ability to maintain: The reed/mouthpiece; valves/keys/slides, any other parts of your instrument
Buying equipment: To be able to provide basic advice about buying a suitable instrument and accessories

Learning Guidance

Teach instrument care as part of musicianship: assemble/disassemble safely, store correctly, and maintain a simple cleaning routine.
Clarify what is ‘home maintenance’ versus what needs a technician (sticky keys/valves that persist, dents, leaks, warped pads, split cork, damaged mouthpiece).

Useful Links

See the ‘Care and Maintenance’ section under your instrument on the following link Yamaha — Musical instrument guide (care basics)

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching Posture — The fundamentals of posture
Teaching The Right/Left Hand — Holding your instrument Valves/keys Finger shape Alternative fingerings
Teaching The Embouchure — Shape The lips Muscles Use in different registers Strength Stamina
Teaching Co-ordination — The principles of co-ordination
Teaching Articulation — The tongue Staccato Legato tonguing Accents slurs
Teaching Breath control — Support Inhaling exhaling
Practise — Expectations around practice Amount of practice Ways to practice

Level Expectations

The fundamentals of posture: To have the ability to teach the fundamentals of posture
The Right/Left Hand: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required
The Embouchure: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required
The principles of co-ordination: To be able to assist pupils in acquiring and improving skills in coordination
The principles of tonguing and articulation: To have the confidence and ability to teach the principles of tonguing and different types of articulation
The principles of breathing and breath control: To have the confidence and ability to teach the principles of breathing on your instrument
Practice: To have the confidence and ability to teach and explain the key elements listed

Learning Guidance

Discuss areas of technique as relevant to pieces/exercises set. Concentrate on one area at a time to enable pupils to successfully think about and manage this. Areas to discuss, demonstrate and explain include posture, breath control and support, the relationship between airflow and sound production, fingers/slide facility, embouchure shape and muscles, clear and controlled articulation, ensuring tension does not negatively affect intonation, any other relevant techniques then combine these gradually.
Use short, specific sections/exercises (30–60 seconds) with one focus at a time: e.g., air/breathing-only, rhythm, finger-only patterns, etc. then full playing.
Model, then ask pupils to describe the goal in their own words (sound, feel, and what to listen for).

Useful Links

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of rhythm Intonation Tone production and projection Articulation Poor sense of expression Fluency
Looking for Faults — Posture Fingering Correct execution of specific movements Breathing Embouchure
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings Teachers feeling pupils’ movements Pupil manipulation by the teacher Energy transference (psychology) Tension
Reading Music — Pitch notation Rhythm Expression markings Phrasing Other musical notation or symbols
Remedies — Inaccuracies of notes and rhythms Tone and projection Articulation Fluency, memory embouchure
Intonation — Tuning your instrument Why individual notes are out of tune Why registers are out of tune

Level Expectations

The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them: To have an understanding of pupils’ perception regarding inaccuracies whilst playing and their capacity to find solutions such as faults in notes, rhythm, posture and technique
Listening for Faults: To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through listening
Looking for Faults: To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through looking
Feeling Faults: To have the ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through feeling for faults as identified in the Key Elements list. However, note Module 3, Units 1 & 2, especially in relation to the laws of trespass as applied to people.
Reading Music: To have the ability to explain and offer helpful teaching strategies relating to the issues listed in the key elements
Remedies: To have the ability to offer remedies relating to the issues listed in the Key Elements
Intonation: To have the ability to offer helpful teaching strategies relating to the issues listed in the Key Elements

Learning Guidance

Diagnose issues in a consistent order: rhythm/pulse → sound quality → pitch/intonation → articulation → expression. Fix one primary cause before adding more.
Use ‘listen-back’ habits: 10–15 second recordings, then one clear improvement target for the next attempt.
Link reading issues to practical drills (counting, subdivision, slow practice, and small-scale patterns).

Useful Links

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking Basic Technique Progress Musical Imagination Fun Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

Checking Basic Technique: To have an understanding of what is meant by ‘basic technique and the ability to check its development Progress: To understand why it is important to observe and check progress Musical Imagination: To be able to engage with the level of imagination displayed by the pupil Fun: As it means to you and your pupils Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship: To have an ability to introduce new things
Knowledge of Available Material: To have some knowledge of available appropriate material which might be used in First Lessons

Learning Guidance

Develop a first lessons routine: such as greeting + setup + warm up, one quick success/sense of achievement + one musical game/exercise + recap + simple home task.
Keep early repertoire musically rewarding and enjoyable but technically controlled (limited range, simple rhythms, clear phrasing etc).
Track progress with a short checklist (repertoire covered, technical areas covered/improved and update it each term. This is also useful for reports/feedback to parents

Useful Links

Singing

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture, stance and movement — Posture, stance and movement in relation to singing
Breathing — Breathing
Tension — Tension
Some medical conditions which you might encounter — Voice Disorders

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture
Breathing: To have an understanding of the breathing mechanism
Tension: To have an understanding of tension in relation to singing and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension
Voice disorders: To have some knowledge of voice disorders, a basic awareness of how these might be observed and at what point further advice should be sought.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Build a consistent ‘singing setup’: balanced stance, long spine, free jaw/neck, and calm breathing. Keep the focus on ease rather than force.
Check for unnecessary tension (shoulders, jaw, tongue, abdominal gripping). Use gentle movement, stretches, and semi-occluded exercises to reset.
Encourage healthy voice habits: hydration, sleep, and avoiding shouting or excessive throat clearing—seek professional advice if hoarseness persists.

Useful Links

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Best practice before and after singing — Why warm up? Wake up the body Warm up the voice Why warm down?
Breathing and breath management Phonation Resonance — Balanced posture Effective breathing Flexibility Breath control Phonation Resonance

Level Expectations

Why Warm up: To have an understanding of the benefits of physical and vocal warm ups. Why Warm down: To have an understanding of the benefits of a warm down
Breathing and breath management: To have an understanding of breath management in relationship to singing. Phonation: To have a basic understanding of the function of the larynx and vocal folds Resonance: To have a basic understanding of how to explore resonance

Learning Guidance

Teach warm-ups and warm-downs as standard practice. Keep them short, gentle, and linked to the goals of the session (range, resonance, agility, diction).
Introduce simple concepts: breath management, balanced phonation, and resonance exploration. Use imagery plus clear listening goals.
Promote vocal health: short repetitions, rest breaks, and stopping when the voice feels strained.

Useful Links

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching posture and stance — The fundamentals of posture, stance and movement
Teaching musicianship — Music Theory Aural Musical Fluency Pulse Phrasing Dynamics Articulation
Teaching consonants and vowels: the jaw, the lips, teeth, tongue and soft palate — Vowels Consonants Modifications Diction Release in the face and jaw
Teaching communication & memorisation — Communication for singers Memorisation
Teaching vocal registers — Vocal registers
Practise — Expectations around practice Amount of practice Ways to practice

Level Expectations

Posture and stance: To have the ability to teach the fundamentals of posture, stance and movement.
Teaching musicianship: To have the confidence and ability to teach the Key Elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required.
Teaching consonants and vowels: the jaw, the lips, teeth, tongue and soft palate: To have the confidence and ability to teach the key elements listed as well as any other elements which might be required.
Communication for singers: An understanding of the core elements of communication for singers. Memorisation: An understanding of the effects of memorising songs on communication.
Vocal Registers: To show an understanding of vocal registers and the ability to teach how to access them.
Practice: To have the confidence and ability to teach and explain the key elements listed

Learning Guidance

Stress importance of posture and stance when teaching the fundamentals of singing (breathing and jaw position)
Stress that musicianship (musical fluency, pulse, phrasing, dynamics, articulation) must always lead performance
Use vowel and consonant work to improve clarity without tension. Keep the jaw free and the tongue forward and responsive.
Build practice routines around small targets: one technical focus + one musical focus + one performance/communication focus.

Useful Links

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice slips and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of pitch and rhythm Poor sense of expression Tone and Projection
Looking for Faults — Posture and stance, tension and performance technique
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings and sensations Teachers’ feelings and sensations Energy transference (psychology) Demonstrating versus describing
Remedies — Tone stability Projection Intonation

Level Expectations

The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them: To have an understanding of pupils’ perception regarding inaccuracies whilst singing and their capacity to find solutions such as faults in notes, rhythm, posture and technique
Listening for Faults: To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through listening
Looking for Faults: To have the confidence and ability to diagnose issues listed in the Key Elements through looking - have the ability to give guidance in posture and stance, releasing tension and performance technique.
Feeling Faults: To have the ability to consider the listed Key Elements. However, note Module 3, Units 1 & 2, especially in relation to the laws of trespass as applied to people.
Remedies: To have the ability to offer helpful teaching strategies relating to improving the listed Key Elements.

Learning Guidance

Encourage pupils to listen to what they are singing and help them understand how to spot errors in pitch and rhythm.
Watch and listen carefully to pupils’ performance pinpointing faults such as: incorrect notes and rhythms, fluency, appropriate use of dynamics and expression, tonal production and projection. Be able to explain and correct mistakes in a positive and encouraging manner. Strategies to fix problems could include isolating and working at very small sections (single bars) or pinpointing areas of posture and stance where tension needs to be released or performance technique improved.
Keep feedback proportionate: one primary issue per attempt, followed by a short successful repetition to lock in the improvement.

Useful Links

Instrument-specific requirements and guidance for your Level 3 submission.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — First Meeting Structure Content Adaptability Positivity Checking Basic Technique Progress Musical Imagination Fun Introducing New Things – Exercises, Pieces, Technique, Music styles and genres, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

First Meeting: Discovery and introduction. Structure: The ability to structure pupil focussed first lessons. Content: Suitable content for a first lessons. Adaptability: Factors including pupil’s age, musical experience, natural ability, co-ordination, vocal range, core beliefs and type of learner. Positivity: An awareness of the effects of positivity during first lessons. Checking Basic Technique: To have an awareness of what is meant by basic technique and the ability to check its development. Progress: The ability to observe, record and check progress. Musical Imagination: To be able to engage with the level of imagination displayed by the pupil. Fun: As it means to you and your pupils. To have an ability to introduce new things including musical language, musicianship, exercises, pieces, technique.
Knowledge of Available Material: To have some knowledge of available appropriate material which might be used in First Lessons

Learning Guidance

First lessons should feel safe and encouraging: assess goals, vocal range, confidence, and musical background, then deliver an achievable ‘first success’.
Choose early material that supports healthy technique (comfortable tessitura, clear text, manageable phrases).
Use simple tracking: repertoire list, key technical notes, and create a weekly practice plan.

Useful Links

Drums & Percussion

Percussion Instrument

Choose a percussion instrument:

Units will appear once a percussion instrument is selected.

Next step

Select a percussion instrument above to display the units for Drums & Percussion.

Snare Drum

Posture, movement, setup, grip, stick choice, tension, and hearing safety for snare drum.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement (fine motor control and balance)
Instrument Set Up — Height adjustment of snare drum/practice pad to pupil
Grip choice — Matched grip; orthodox grip
Stick Choice — Pupil hand/finger size in relation to stick choice
Tension — Awareness of tension and physical issues arising from excess tension
Noise and Hearing Protection — Dangers of excessive volume; safe measures
Wrist and hand injury — Over‑extension of wrists/angles; blisters to hands

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: Understand posture and possible physical issues arising from poor posture; demonstrate one aspect and provide basic advice.
Posture in relation to movement: Understand posture aspects that relate to movement; explain and demonstrate one aspect.
Instrument Set Up: Adjust snare height to correct waist height; demonstrate and explain why it matters; state correct height and why.
Grip choice: Understand matched versus orthodox grip; demonstrate both, compare pros/cons; justify your teaching preference.
Stick choice: Explain why correct stick size matters; relate to pupil hand/finger size.
Tension: Observe one aspect of excess tension; explain how it affects playing and why.
Noise and Hearing Protection: Explain measures to keep volume within safe limits; explain why safe limits matter and how pupils protect hearing.
Wrist/hand injury: Explain risks of wrist over‑extension and remedies; explain blisters/poor grip risk from overplaying/excess volume and remedies.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Prioritise safe, repeatable setup: snare/practice pad at roughly waist height so shoulders stay relaxed and wrists can stay neutral. Re-check the setup at the start of each lesson.
Teach a “relaxed power” concept: full sound comes from efficient motion, not force. Use short, frequent reset cues (soft shoulders, loose elbows, straight back, neutral wrists).
Introduce matched and orthodox grip objectively, then support consistent fundamentals: alignment, rebound control, and a stable fulcrum. Avoid frequent grip switching for beginners.
Use a simple observation checklist: posture → setup → grip → stroke path → sound. Correct one variable at a time and immediately re-test with a short pattern.
Build hearing safety into routine: set volume expectations, encourage breaks, and normalise the use of hearing protection in loud environments.

Useful Links

BAPAM — Healthy practice resources

Snare structure, tuning, storage, buying basics, and safety considerations.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — Adjust head/snare tension for teaching; head/snare choice and replacement
Storage — Care when not in use; correct pack‑down and storage of snare and stand
Buying equipment — Suitable instruments; suitable accessories; basic buying advice (including sticks)
Stick Harm — Splinters; rim‑punch; sticks as hazards/weapons; prevention

Level Expectations

Maintenance: Demonstrate a snare tuning method and explain process/outcome; explain batter head versus snare tension and how to adjust; outline head and snare replacement procedures; explain how head choice affects tone.
Storage: Demonstrate how to pack down and store snare and stand safely, and explain why.
Buying equipment: Discuss beginner advice for buying a suitable snare and accessories; discuss advice for buying suitable sticks.
Stick harm: Explain possible hazards from sticks and how they can be avoided.

Learning Guidance

Teach “lesson‑ready” tuning: aim for a clear, responsive rebound and an even tension across lugs. Keep changes incremental and re-test after each small adjustment. (Age-appropriate – young pupils should not tune drums).
Separate concepts for (Older) learners: (1) batter head feel/rebound, (2) snare response/“buzz”, (3) overall tone. Use simple listening cues: “dry versus ringy”, “snare response too loose or tight”.
Model safe handling: Always ensure the snare drum is securely fixed into the snare-basket on the snare drum stand at the start of each lesson. If the snare is to be moved, then hold the snare horizontally with both hands on the bottom rim. (Again, age-appropriate, young students should not move the equipment.)
Buying advice should focus on reliability and fit-for-purpose: stable stand, appropriate sticks, and a practice pad or mesh heads for an acoustic drum if noise/space are constraints.

Useful Links

Percussive Arts Society (PAS) — Resources

Stroke execution, rudiments, coordination, dynamics, rhythm/notation, tonal awareness, and practice guidance.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching Stroke execution — Fundamentals of stroke execution; stroke and tap execution
Teaching Rudiments — Timed‑length rolls; PAS rudiments
Teaching Co‑ordination — Principles of coordination
Teaching Articulation and expression — Dynamics; accents
Teaching Rhythm & Notation — Rhythm; notation; counting systems
Advanced techniques — Finger‑kicking; mallet playing; brush playing; multiple‑bounce technique
Teaching Tonal awareness — Snares off; rim‑shot; rim‑click; other tone changes
Practice — Expectations; amount; ways to practise

Level Expectations

Stroke execution: Demonstrate stroke execution and explain importance; demonstrate stroke versus tap execution.
Rudiments: Demonstrate and explain three timed‑length rolls; demonstrate and explain double paradiddles, flamacues, and double ratamacues; name PAS rudiments and explain why rudiments matter.
Coordination: Demonstrate an exercise to improve coordination in a demanding passage and explain how pupils use it to improve.
Dynamics/accents: Demonstrate dynamic levels and playing‑area considerations; demonstrate an exercise to improve accent execution.
Rhythm/notation: Demonstrate or explain teaching counting systems, snare notation, and rhythm fundamentals.
Advanced techniques: Explain finger‑kicking and multiple‑bounce technique; explain how mallet choice can affect outcomes.
Tone: Demonstrate rim‑shots and rim‑clicks; list ways to change snare tone.
Practice: Explain advice for efficient practice; describe expectations for beginner practice.

Learning Guidance

Build technique from sound-first fundamentals: consistent rebound, even stick heights, and controlled wrist motion. Keep early tasks short and measurable (e.g., 30–60 seconds per focus).
Teach rudiments as “movement vocabulary”: isolate, then apply. Use a three-step ladder: slow accuracy → steady pulse → musical context (grooves/etudes).
For rhythm, a good approach is to have the student count and play at the same time. Insist on having them count out loud whilst reading the rhythm to establish the eye–hand–ear loop. – No, have the student count and play at the same time. Insist on having the count out loud whilst reading the rhythm to establish the eye–hand–ear loop.
Develop dynamics through “height maps” and listening: demonstrate three clear levels, then ask pupils to match by ear and confirm visually with stick height. If, using an acoustic drum, then introduce a surface awareness for dynamic level creation. Establish the ‘Height plus Movement equals Dynamic concept.
Practice guidance should prioritise consistency over volume: small daily targets, rhythmic repetition, clear tempo goals (for older players), and a simple log (what, tempo, result).

Useful Links

Diagnosing faults by listening, looking, and feeling; remedies for rhythm, technique, dynamics, and tension.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — Noticing faults; dealing with faults (rhythm, posture, technique)
Listening for Faults — Rhythm inaccuracies; counting errors; fluency
Looking for Faults — Wrist angle problems; movement execution; rudiment errors; dynamic errors
Feeling Faults — Pupil feelings; teacher feeling movements; tension; (note consent and professional boundaries)

Level Expectations

Pupil perspective: Explain why listening while playing helps identify faults; describe monitoring methods during practice and why helpful.
Listening: Demonstrate or explain a common rhythmic fault and remedy; demonstrate or explain a common counting fault and remedy.
Looking: Demonstrate/explain a common wrist-angle fault and why correction matters; demonstrate a dynamic level, identify a common fault and remedy; demonstrate one rudiment, identify a common error and correction.
Feeling: Teach pupils to notice signs of excess tension and explain why this matters. However, note Module 3, Units 1 & 2, especially in relation to the laws of trespass as applied to people.

Learning Guidance

Use a “diagnose → prescribe → re-test” loop: identify one primary fault (timing, sound, motion), give one targeted fix, then re-test immediately.
When rhythm slips, reduce complexity: Count the rhythm, isolate the rhythmic group in question, then play on a single surface at a slower tempo before rebuilding speed and adding additional rhythm
For technique issues, check the chain: posture/setup → grip → stroke path → rebound. Small adjustments in setup (especially stool height) often solve “mystery” problems.
Keep feedback specific and observable: “your stick height is uneven on the left” rather than “your left hand is weak.”
For tension, build awareness breaks into practice: 10 seconds of reset every minute; breathe and soften the hands before restarting.

Useful Links

Early lesson structure, basic technique checks, progress records, fun activities, and suitable early repertoire.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking basic technique; progress; fun; introducing new things (technique, material, pieces, musicianship)
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of available material for first lessons

Level Expectations

Basic technique: Define basic technique and explain how you monitor it.
Progress: Explain how you organise records of progress and why.
Imagination/engagement: Provide an example of how a teacher engaged imagination and how it supported playing.
Fun activity: Describe or demonstrate a fun early-lesson activity.
First lesson plan: Describe how you would conduct your very first lesson with a new pupil.
Repertoire: Suggest early repertoire for an age group and justify; recommend a beginner book and explain why.

Learning Guidance

First lessons should lock in setup and safety: correct height, stable stand/pad, basic grip, and clear volume expectations.
Use call-and-response to make success immediate: teacher plays a one-bar rhythm and counts out loud; pupil echoes; introduce notation in the first lesson after the sound and technique is secure to establish eye–hand–ear loop Make sure the pupil has a book or printed sheet to take home at the end of the lesson to establish a practice routine.
Keep goals tiny and trackable: one technique focus (rebound), one rhythm focus (quavers), one “performance moment” at the end of the lesson.
Progress records can be simple: rhythm introduced, tempo achieved, rudiment introduced, and one listening note. Celebrate consistency and control, not just speed.

Useful Links

Drum Kit

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Instrument Set Up — Height Adjustment of the instrument to the playing height in relation to the pupil.
Grip choice — Matched Grip; Orthodox Grip
Stick Choice — Stick Choice Awareness.
Tension — Tension
Noise and Hearing Protection — Dangers connected with excessive volume
Wrist and hand injury — Over-extension of wrists or wrist angles; Blisters to the fingers.

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture. Demonstrate an important aspect of posture and provide some basic advice on creating an understanding of this.
Posture in relation to movement: To have an understanding of the aspects of posture which relate to movement, including fine motor control and balance. Explain your understanding of the relationship between posture and movements required in playing your instrument. Demonstrate one aspect of this.
Instrument Set Up: The ability to adjust the whole kit to a suitable height for the pupil. Demonstrate and explain why height adjustment is crucial to fundamental performance on the drum kit. What is the correct height for snare drum, hi-hat and floor tom in relation to the pupil, and why?
Grip choice: The ability to understand the difference between the two grips. Demonstrate both grips and discuss the advantages or disadvantages of both. Demonstrate your choice of grip and briefly explain why you favour this when teaching.
Stick choice: The ability to understand why stick Choice is crucial to fundamental performance. Demonstrate and explain why stick choice is important for fundamental performance and how different stick types can affect performance outcomes.
Tension: To have some awareness of tension in relation to playing your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension. How do you observe one aspect of excess tension and explain why it may affect playing your instrument?
Noise and Hearing Protection: An understanding that percussion can create excessive volume, the dangers of this and safety measures that can be taken to manage this. Explain the measures to be taken to allow playing within safe limits of volume. Explain why it is important to play within safe limits of volume and how pupils can keep themselves safe in this regard.
Over-extension of wrists or wrist angles / Blisters: Over-extension: The ability to spot over-extension of wrists or grip angles when moving across the kit. Blisters: The awareness that drum kit playing leads to blistering on the sensitive sides of the fingers. Explain why overextension of wrists when playing the drum kit could be a potential problem and suggest a remedy. Explain why drum kit playing will cause blistering and suggest remedies.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Set up the kit so posture and reach are sustainable: throne/stool height, snare height, hi-hat distance, and pedal angles should allow neutral wrists, relaxed leg positions, straight back and relaxed shoulders.
Teach movement efficiency across the kit: minimise large arm and foot swings, and use consistent stick heights and rebound to reduce fatigue.
Build hearing safety into expectations early: agree volume targets, encourage breaks, and consider hearing protection in loud spaces.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to tune acoustic drumheads.
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability adjust all the stands to the correct height and angle for the pupil and to adjust the snare tension for clear tone production.
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to check the condition of all the stands and supports for wear and damage.
Storage — General care of the instrument when not in use.
Buying equipment — Suitable instruments; Suitable accessories
Access — The awareness of limited access to instruments

Level Expectations

Structure and Maintenance: Explain why checking the tuning of a drumhead is crucial for performance outcomes. Explain why adjusting the stands and snare tension is important in a lesson. Explain why checking the condition of the stands and supporting structures is crucial to safety.
Storage: Demonstrate how you would teach the correct procedure to store or leave a drum kit, and if touring, how students might safely pack down an instrument.
Buying equipment: Briefly discuss the advice you might give to a beginner wishing to start learning the drum kit about buying suitable equipment. Briefly discuss the advice you might give to a beginner wishing to start learning the drum kit about buying suitable sticks.
Access: Explain some possible remedies to help students prepare pieces where access to instruments is limited.

Learning Guidance

Prioritise ‘lesson-ready’ setup: stable stands, safe angles, and reliable tuning. Make one change at a time and re-check the sound and feel.
Teach learners a simple maintenance routine: check lugs, stands, pedals, and snare tension; identify when professional servicing is needed. Only for older students and those with an acoustic setup.
Discuss practice access realistically: pads, muted heads, and electronic options can help maintain consistency when acoustic access is limited.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching Stroke execution — The fundamentals of stroke execution.
Teaching Advanced Techniques — Advanced groove structure; Advanced fills and solo ideas; Double-Pedal technique.
Teaching Co-ordination — The principles of coordination
Teaching Articulation and expression — Dynamics; Phrasing
Teaching Rhythm & Notation — Rhythm; Notation; Counting systems; Stylistic Awareness; Music theory
Advanced techniques — Brush Control; Comping and developing themes within a genre (Swing); Advanced rudimental control; Accent Sequences; Ghost notes
Teaching Tonal awareness — Dynamic Spectrum
Practice — Expectations around practice; Amount of practice; Ways to practice

Level Expectations

Stroke execution: Demonstrate stroke execution on the drum kit and explain its importance.
Grooves / Fills / Double-Pedalling: Demonstrate one advanced Latin-American Style, one linear and one Swing Style and explain how this would be taught to a pupil. Demonstrate one advanced fill and explain how this could be taught to a pupil. Demonstrate basic double-pedal technique and describe how it could be used within the groove and fill passages.
Coordination: Demonstrate an exercise to help pupils manage coordination in a more demanding passage, and how they could use this to ensure it improves.
Dynamics / Phrasing: Demonstrate a groove and suggest how dynamics and phrasing could improve the passage. Demonstrate an exercise to help pupils improve the phrasing within a passage.
Rhythm / Notation / Style / Theory: Briefly demonstrate or explain how counting systems could be taught, especially in relation to repeated passages. Briefly explain how drum kit notation could be taught. Explain which styles you believe are relevant for the more advanced player. Briefly demonstrate or explain how the fundamentals of music theory could be taught.
Advanced techniques: Demonstrate or explain the basic brush technique on the snare drum. Demonstrate how a simple swing style could be developed by a pupil. Demonstrate and explain why advanced rudimental skills on the snare are important to the advanced drum kit player. Explain how to improve accent placement with a phrase. Describe Ghost notes and their application within the groove.
Dynamic awareness: Demonstrate and explain how a change of dynamic, cymbal colour, or tone can affect the performance outcome.
Practice: Explain some advice you might give to pupils to help them ensure their practice is efficient and effective. Describe your expectations around practice for beginner pupils.

Learning Guidance

Develop technique from time and sound first: steady pulse, consistent stroke, then add coordination and independence.
Teach grooves and fills as patterns: isolate the sticking/feet, then apply to a musical context with tempo targets.
Use style awareness intentionally: identify the ‘feel’ (swing/straight/linear) and the role of dynamics and phrasing in the groove.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of rhythm; Counting errors; Fluency
Looking for Faults — Wrist angle problems; Correct execution of specific movements; Sticking errors; Stylistic errors
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings; Teachers feel pupils’ movements; Pupil manipulation by the teacher; Energy transference (psychology); Tension

Level Expectations

Pupils’ perspective: How might you explain to pupils the importance of listening while playing to identify faults. Describe ways a pupil might be able to monitor/check their playing while practising, and why this is helpful.
Listening for faults: Demonstrate or explain a common rhythmic fault and the remedy. Demonstrate or explain a common counting fault and the remedy.
Looking for faults: Demonstrate and explain a common fault with wrist angles and why it is important to correct this. Demonstrate a sticking pattern and how this may affect movement between drums. Demonstronstrate a basic stylistic error common to beginner students and the remedy.
Feeling for faults: How might you teach pupils to feel for signs of excess tension when playing, and why is this important?

Learning Guidance

Use a diagnose → prescribe → re-test loop: correct one issue (timing, motion, sound) and immediately re-check.
When timing drifts, simplify: check counting, then play a reduced version (e.g., hands only) before rebuilding.
Encourage reflective practice: short recordings help pupils spot issues in time, tone, and consistency.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking Basic Technique; Progress; Fun; Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

The First Few Lessons: What is the basic technique, and how do you monitor it? How do you organise your records of progress and why. From your learning experience, provide an example of how your teacher did or could have engaged with your level of imagination and how this helped/could have helped your playing. Describe or demonstrate a fun activity you could use in early lessons. Describe how you might conduct your very first lesson with a new pupil.
Appropriate repertoire: Take an age group and suggest what repertoire you would favour in early lessons. Say why you like it for such use. Which book do you think is good for a complete beginner, and why.

Learning Guidance

First lessons should lock in setup and core habits: posture, grip, basic coordination, and a clear practice routine.
Use a method book appropriate to the age of the pupil to build confidence: short grooves, simple fills, and clear success criteria.
Keep progress records simple: tempo goals, coordination milestones, and one musical focus (dynamics/feel).

Useful Links

Tuned Percussion (Mallets)

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Instrument Set Up — Height Adjustment of the instrument to the playing height in relation to the pupil.
Grip choice — Three-Mallet Grip; Four-Mallet Grip; Stevens, Burton & Traditional Grip
Mallet Choice — Mallet Choice Awareness.
Tension — Tension
Noise and Hearing Protection — Dangers connected with excessive volume
Wrist and hand injury — Over-extension of wrists or wrist angles; Blisters to the fingers.

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture. Demonstrate an important aspect of posture and provide some basic advice on creating an understanding of this.
Posture in relation to movement: To have an understanding of the aspects of posture which relate to movement, including fine motor control and balance. Explain your understanding of the relationship between posture and movements required in playing your instrument. Demonstrate one aspect of this.
Instrument Set Up: The ability to adjust the instrument to the correct waist height of the pupil. Where the instrument is of a fixed height, how would the correct height be achieved? Demonstrate and explain why height adjustment is crucial to fundamental performance on tuned percussion. What is the correct height for tuned percussion in relation to the pupil, and why?
Grip choice: The ability to understand the difference between the three grips (Stevens, Burton & Traditional) when playing three or four mallet pieces. Demonstrate three and four mallet grips and discuss the advantages or disadvantages of both. Demonstrate your choice of grip and briefly explain why you favour this when teaching.
Mallet choice: The ability to understand why Mallet Choice is crucial to fundamental performance. Demonstrate and explain why mallet choice is important for fundamental performance and how different mallet types can affect performance outcomes.
Tension: To have some awareness of tension in relation to playing your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension. How do you observe one aspect of excess tension and explain why it may affect playing your instrument?
Noise and Hearing Protection: An understanding that percussion can create excessive volume, the dangers of this and safety measures that can be taken to manage this. Explain the measures to be taken to allow playing within safe limits of volume. Explain why it is important to play within safe limits of volume and how pupils can keep themselves safe in this regard.
Over-extension / Blisters: Over-extension: The ability to spot over-extension of wrists or grip angles. Blisters: The awareness that three and four-mallet playing leads to blistering on the sensitive sides of the fingers. Explain why over-extension of wrists when playing tuned percussion could be a potential problem and suggest a remedy. Explain why three and four-mallet playing will cause blistering and suggest remedies.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Ensure the instrument height supports relaxed shoulders and neutral wrists; for fixed frames, adjust pupil position rather than forcing reach.
Treat grip choice as a pathway to consistent tone and control: demonstrate options, then stabilise one approach for beginners.
Normalise warm-ups and breaks to reduce tension and manage blister risk in multi-mallet work.

Useful Links

BAPAM — Healthy practice resources
HSE — Noise guidance (safe exposure & controls)
RNID — Types of hearing protection
ISM — Resources for musicians and teachers

Key Areas & Key Elements

Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to check suspension cord tension and all adjustments for security.
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to assess the suspension cord and bars for damage or wear.
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to check the condition of mallets used.
Storage — General care of the instrument when not in use.
Buying equipment — Suitable instruments; Suitable accessories
Access — The awareness of limited access to instruments

Level Expectations

Structure and Maintenance: Explain why checking the suspension cord tension and the frame for security is important to performance outcomes. Explain why checking for damage on the instrument is important. Explain why checking the condition of the performance mallets is important.
Storage: Demonstrate how you would teach the correct procedure to store tuned percussion instruments, and if touring, how students might safely pack down an instrument.
Buying equipment: Briefly discuss the advice you might give to a beginner wishing to start learning tuned percussion about buying a suitable practice instrument. Briefly discuss the advice you might give to a beginner wishing to start learning tuned percussion about buying suitable mallets.
Access: Explain some possible remedies to help students prepare pieces where access to instruments is limited.

Learning Guidance

Teach a basic safety/maintenance checklist: frame security, suspension cords, bar condition, and mallet condition.
Model careful packing and transport procedures to protect bars and resonators and prevent injury.
Discuss access constraints early and plan practice around what is available (practice keyboard, partial setups, or scheduled instrument time).

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching Stroke execution — The fundamentals of stroke execution.
Teaching Advanced Techniques — Three-mallet Playing; Four-mallet Playing; Pedalling on Vibe
Teaching Co-ordination — The principles of coordination
Teaching Articulation and expression — Dynamics; Phrasing
Teaching Rhythm & Notation — Rhythm; Notation; Counting systems; Music theory
Advanced techniques — Doubles; Rolls and trills, rippling; Choral playing with rolling; Bar Dampening
Teaching Tonal awareness — Mallet Choice and tone production
Practice — Expectations around practice; Amount of practice; Ways to practice

Level Expectations

Stroke execution: Demonstrate stroke execution on tuned percussion and explain its importance.
Three/Four mallet & Vibe pedalling: Demonstrate three-mallet technique using a grip of your choice. Demonstrate four-mallet technique using a grip of your choice. Explain why the use of three and four-mallet playing is crucial for the more advanced student. Explain basic vibe pedalling technique and its effect on performance outcomes.
Coordination: Demonstrate an exercise to help pupils manage coordination in a more demanding passage, and how they could use this to ensure it improves.
Dynamics / phrasing: Demonstrate some dynamic levels on an instrument and explain why mallet choice is crucial to performance outcomes. Demonstrate an exercise to help pupils improve the phrasing within a passage.
Rhythm / notation / theory: Briefly demonstrate or explain how counting systems could be taught. Briefly demonstrate or explain how tuned percussion notation could be taught. Briefly demonstrate or explain how the fundamentals of music theory could be taught.
Advanced techniques: Demonstrate or explain the difference between rolls, trills and rippling on tuned percussion. Demonstrate basic chordal roll sequences in both major and minor keys. Explain what is meant by Bar Dampening.
Tonal awareness: Demonstrate and explain how a change of mallet might affect the tone production in a passage.
Practice: Explain some advice you might give to pupils to help them ensure their practice is efficient and effective. Describe your expectations around practice for beginner pupils.

Learning Guidance

Build stroke consistency first, then tone production. Once the hand-to-hand technique is established using two mallets, add three- and four-mallet techniques with clear sticking and movement planning.
For vibe pedalling, introduce foot technique and listening outcomes, then integrate with simple phrases and fan speed awareness.
Keep theory and notation practical: counting, rests, and key signatures support efficient learning and ensemble reliability.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of rhythm; Counting errors; Fluency
Looking for Faults — Wrist angle problems; Correct execution of specific movements; Key errors; Dynamic errors
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings; Teachers feel pupils’ movements; Pupil manipulation by the teacher; Energy transference (psychology); Tension

Level Expectations

Pupils’ perspective: How might you explain to pupils the importance of listening while playing to identify faults. Describe ways a pupil might be able to monitor/check their playing while practising, and why this is helpful.
Listening for faults: Demonstrate or explain a common rhythmic fault and the remedy. Demonstrate or explain a common counting fault and the remedy.
Looking for faults: Demonstrate and explain a common fault with wrist angles and why it is important to correct this (Four-mallet technique). Demonstrate playing at various dynamic levels, suggest a common fault and explain the remedy. Demonstrate one scale run, suggest a common fault and how you would correct this.
Feeling for faults: How might you teach pupils to feel for signs of excess tension when playing, and why is this important?

Learning Guidance

When faults appear, reduce variables: slow tempo, isolate hands, then rebuild coordination and movement.
Address wrist angle and grip issues early; small technical adjustments often resolve ‘mystery’ accuracy problems.
Use listening prompts: tone evenness, note lengths (damping on vibe), and dynamic consistency.

Useful Links

ISM — Resources for musicians and teachers
BAPAM — Healthy practice resources
HSE — Noise guidance (safe exposure & controls)
RNID — Types of hearing protection

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking Basic Technique; Progress; Fun; Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

The First Few Lessons: What is the basic technique, and how do you monitor it? How do you organise your records of progress and why. From your learning experience, provide an example of how your teacher did or could have engaged with your level of imagination and how this helped/could have helped your playing. Describe or demonstrate a fun activity you could use in early lessons. Describe how you might conduct your very first lesson with a new pupil.
Appropriate repertoire: Take an age group and suggest what repertoire you would favour in early lessons. Say why you like it for such use. Which book do you think is good for a complete beginner and why.

Learning Guidance

Start with sound and accuracy: single-note patterns, simple scales, and clear rhythm changes before adding speed.
Use playful tasks (echo patterns, ‘find the notes’) to build engagement and musical memory.
Choose early repertoire that reinforces technique goals: steady pulse, clear sticking, and manageable movement.

Useful Links

Timpani

Key Areas & Key Elements

Posture — Posture in relation to your instrument
Posture and Movement — Posture in relation to movement
Instrument Set Up — Height Adjustment of the instrument to the playing height in relation to the pupil.
Grip choice — Matched Grip; French Grip
Mallet Choice — Mallet Choice Awareness.
Tension — Tension
Noise and Hearing Protection — Dangers connected with excessive volume
Wrist and hand injury — Over-extension of wrists or wrist angles; Blisters to the fingers.

Level Expectations

Posture in relation to your instrument: To have an understanding of posture in relation to your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from poor posture. Demonstrate an important aspect of posture and provide some basic advice on creating an understanding of this.
Posture in relation to movement: To have an understanding of the aspects of posture which relate to movement, including fine motor control and balance. Explain your understanding of the relationship between posture and movements required in playing your instrument. Demonstrate one aspect of this.
Instrument Set Up: The ability to adjust the instrument to the correct waist height of the pupil. Where the instrument is of a fixed height, how would the correct height be achieved? Demonstrate and explain why height adjustment is crucial to fundamental performance on timpani. What is the correct height for timpani in relation to the pupil, and why?
Grip choice: The ability to understand the difference between the two grips. Demonstrate both timpani mallet grips and discuss the advantages or disadvantages of both. Demonstrate your choice of grip and briefly explain why you favour this when teaching.
Mallet choice: The ability to understand why Mallet Choice is crucial to fundamental performance. Demonstrate and explain why mallet choice is important for fundamental performance and how different mallet types can affect performance outcomes.
Tension: To have some awareness of tension in relation to playing your instrument and the possible physical issues arising from excess tension. How do you observe one aspect of excess tension and explain why it may affect playing your instrument?
Noise and Hearing Protection: An understanding that percussion can create excessive volume, the dangers of this and safety measures that can be taken to manage this. Explain the measures to be taken to allow playing within safe limits of volume. Explain why it is important to play within safe limits of volume and how pupils can keep themselves safe in this regard.
Over-extension / Blistering: Over-extension: The ability to spot over-extension of wrists or grip angles. Blistering: The awareness that timpani playing leads to blistering on the sensitive sides of the fingers. Explain why overextension of wrists when playing timpani could be a potential problem and suggest a remedy. Explain why timpani playing will cause blistering and suggest remedies.

Learning Guidance

Some general advice: Think about your own learning journey and what worked well or otherwise. Discuss areas of teaching with your teacher, colleagues, other teachers/learners you may know. Look online for thoughts on teaching and assess/discuss their thoughts/value. Ask others how they go about teaching areas of music. Look for relevant articles or other written content.
Set the playing position so the pupil can reach the playing areas comfortably with neutral wrists and minimal shoulder elevation.
Teach grip and mallet choice as tone tools: demonstrate how mallet hardness and contact point affect sound.
Include hearing safety and tension awareness from day one; timpani can be loud and physically demanding over time.

Useful Links

BAPAM — Healthy practice resources
HSE — Noise guidance (safe exposure & controls)
RNID — Types of hearing protection
ISM — Resources for musicians and teachers

Key Areas & Key Elements

Structure and Maintenance of Instrument — To what extent can you maintain your instrument before professional input is required?
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to balance a timpani head and clean the heads.
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability adjust the timpani tuning gauge (where fitted).
Structure and Maintenance of instruments — The ability to check the condition of mallets used.
Storage — General care of the instrument when not in use.
Buying equipment — Suitable instruments; Suitable accessories
Access — The awareness of limited access to instruments

Level Expectations

Structure and Maintenance: Explain why checking the balance on a timpani head is crucial for performance outcomes, and why cleaning the heads regularly is important. Explain why adjusting the tuning gauge on the instrument is important. Explain why checking the condition of the performance mallets is important.
Storage: Demonstrate how you would teach the correct procedure to store timpani, and if touring, how students might safely pack down an instrument.
Buying equipment / adapting equipment: Briefly discuss the advice you might give to a beginner wishing to start learning timpani about buying suitable practice equipment, or how they might adapt an acoustic kit to fit their practising needs. Briefly discuss the advice you might give to a beginner wishing to start learning timpani about buying suitable mallets.
Access: Explain some possible remedies to help students prepare pieces where access to instruments is limited.

Learning Guidance

Teach basic care: balanced heads (older pupils only), clean playing surfaces (all pupils), and checking and setting gauges where fitted (older pupils only).
Model safe storage and transport: cover heads, secure pedals, and plan pack-down steps to prevent damage.
Plan practice around limited access: use pad/alternatives for sticking and rhythm, then schedule focused timpani time for tuning and pedalling.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

Teaching Stroke execution — The fundamentals of stroke execution.
Teaching Advanced Techniques — Three and four-drum movement; Dampening and sequential Dampening; Pedalling
Teaching Co-ordination — The principles of coordination
Teaching Articulation and expression — Dynamics; Phrasing
Teaching Rhythm & Notation — Rhythm; Notation; Counting systems; Music theory
Advanced techniques — Doubles and cross-over sticking; Rolls and Sforzando Roll technique; Choral playing and sight lines; Sequential Dampening; Tuning Techniques
Teaching Tonal awareness — Mallet Choice and tone production
Practice — Expectations around practice; Amount of practice; Ways to practice

Level Expectations

Stroke execution: Demonstrate stroke execution on tuned percussion and explain its importance.
Movement / dampening / pedalling: Demonstrate some techniques to help smooth smoothly between drums on a three drum setup. Demonstrate what is meant by basic dampening and sequential dampening. Demonstrate basic pedalling techniques and describe two types of pedal mechanisms.
Coordination: Demonstrate an exercise to help pupils manage coordination in a more demanding passage, and how they could use this to ensure it improves.
Dynamics / phrasing: Demonstrate some dynamic levels on one drum and explain why mallet choice is crucial to performance outcomes. Demonstrate an exercise to help pupils improve the phrasing within a passage.
Rhythm / notation / rests / theory: Briefly demonstrate or explain how counting systems could be taught, especially in relation to multiple bar rests. Briefly demonstrate or explain how timpani notation could be taught. Briefly demonstrate or explain how the fundamentals of music theory could be taught.
Advanced techniques: Demonstrate or explain the use of double-sticking and crossover-sticking. Demonstrate how to maintain a steady roll and the Sforzando roll technique on one drum. Demonstronstrate basic chordal playing and explain why sight lines printed on the heads are important to tonal areas. Explain what is meant by sequential dampening. Describe a tuning method you have knowledge of.
Tonal awareness: Demonstrate and explain how a change of mallet might affect the tone production in a passage.
Practice: Explain some advice you might give to pupils to help them ensure their practice is efficient and effective. Describe your expectations around practice for beginner pupils.

Learning Guidance

Teach tone production, movement and dampening as ‘choreography’: plan paths between drums with appropriate sticking, and assign dampening responsibilities early.
Establish a tuning technique.
Isolate pedalling technique and listening outcomes (pitch stability) before combining with complex passages.
Use multiple-bar-rest counting and clear notation strategies to prevent ensemble errors.

Useful Links

Key Areas & Key Elements

The Pupils’ Perspective — The pupil’s ability to notice faults and to be able to deal with them
Listening for Faults — Basic inaccuracies of rhythm; Counting errors; Fluency
Looking for Faults — Wrist angle problems; Correct execution of specific movements; Sticking errors; Dampening errors
Feeling Faults — Pupil’s feelings; Teachers feel pupils’ movements; Pupil manipulation by the teacher; Energy transference (psychology); Tension

Level Expectations

Pupils’ perspective: How might you explain to pupils the importance of listening while playing to identify faults. Describe ways a pupil might be able to monitor/check their playing while practising, and why this is helpful.
Listening for faults: Demonstrate or explain a common rhythmic fault and the remedy. Demonstrate or explain a common counting fault and the remedy.
Looking for faults: Demonstrate and explain a common fault with wrist angles and why it is important to correct this. Demonstrate a sticking pattern (cross-over technique) and how this may affect movement between drums. Demonstrate a basic dampening error common to beginner timpani students and the remedy.
Feeling for faults: How might you teach pupils to feel for signs of excess tension when playing, and why is this important?

Learning Guidance

Diagnose by ear and observation: timing, sticking path, dampening, and pedal accuracy are common fault sources.
Correct one variable at a time and re-test with a short excerpt; document the fix in the pupil’s practice notes.
Use low-stakes repetition to build reliable movement between drums.

Useful Links

ISM — Resources for musicians and teachers
BAPAM — Healthy practice resources
HSE — Noise guidance (safe exposure & controls)
RNID — Types of hearing protection

Key Areas & Key Elements

The First Few Lessons — Checking Basic Technique; Progress; Fun; Introducing New Things – Techniques, Musical Material, Pieces, Musicianship
Appropriate Repertoire — Knowledge of Available Material

Level Expectations

The First Few Lessons: What is the basic technique, and how do you monitor it? How do you organise your records of progress and why. From your learning experience, provide an example of how your teacher did or could have engaged with your level of imagination and how this helped/could have helped your playing. Describe or demonstrate a fun activity you could use in early lessons. Describe how you might conduct your very first lesson with a new pupil.
Appropriate repertoire: Take an age group and suggest what repertoire you would favour in early lessons. Say why you like it for such use. Which book do you think is good for a complete beginner, and why.

Learning Guidance

Begin with setup, sound, and simple rhythmic accuracy; add tuning and pedalling gradually.
Use a reliable timpani method book for two drums before expanding to three/four.
Select early repertoire that builds confidence in tone, control, and basic movement.

Useful Links

Safety of people and venue; optimisation of ambience/orientation/layout; roles in organisations.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Safety — Safety of pupils, Safety of teachers, Safety of attending parents, Safety of any other people present, Safety of the building and contents
Venue Safety — Safety of the building and contents
Optimisation of the Teaching Space — Teaching Space ambience, Teaching space orientation, Teaching space layout
Working in a Music Centre/Musical Organisation (If it applies to you) — Your role within a larger organisation, Your specific role within each teaching/coaching session

Level Expectations

Safety of pupils: An understanding of aspects of pupil safety; this might be logistics or aspects of your Country’s laws. Prepare some thoughts on this
Safety of teachers: An understanding of aspects of teacher safety
Safety of attending parents: An understanding of aspects of parent safety
Safety of any other people present: An understanding of aspects of attendee safety
Safety of the building and contents: An understanding of ways in which to protect the building and its contents whilst teaching in the space. Be able to show awareness of safety in any area where you teach. Be prepared to demonstrate, within a room, aspects of building safety and show contents which you need to protect
Safety of the building and contents: An understanding of ways in which to protect the building and its contents whilst teaching in the space
Teaching Space ambience: Seating, lighting, heating, ventilation, Noise pollution, etc
Teaching space orientation: Optimisation of the Teaching Space with respect to windows, doors, space to unpack and pack
Teaching space layout: Orientation of chairs, stands and other equipment
Your role within a larger organisation: An understanding of expectations placed upon you
Your specific role within each teaching/coaching session: An understanding of the purpose of each teaching session – lesson, coaching, ensemble sectional, supplementary help

Learning Guidance

Use a safety checklist of your teaching venue.
Ambience: even lighting, glare control, temperature; orientation: windows/doors behind pupils; clear unpack zones.
Safety checklist: exits clear, stand stability, chair spacing, hearing safety for louder groups.
Ambience: stable temperature, even lighting, minimal visual clutter behind the teacher.
Orientation: place windows/doors behind learners where possible; reduce distractions.
Design the room for safety and attention. Minimise trip hazards, manage cable runs, and control glare so the music surface meets the eyes—not the neck. Establish clear traffic flow and an unpack/repack zone to reduce chaos in group settings.
In organisations, clarify roles and escalation paths in advance (e.g., who manages first-aid, fire routes, audience entry). Practise moving furniture quietly and efficiently to avoid time loss between sessions.

Useful Links

Motivation principles; strategies; goals; nature/organisation of practice; obstacles & solutions.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Pupil Motivation — The importance of motivation
Sustaining pupil motivation — Teaching and learning strategies, Encouragement/praise, Pupils’ self-confidence, Goals
Practising The nature of practice — The importance of practice, Practice in the hands of different pupils
The practice environment — Situations for practice, The organisation of practice
Problems associated with practice regimes — Reducing motivation, Understanding the reasons to practise, Difficulties with stamina – physical and mental, Clashes with other interests, Distractions

Level Expectations

The importance of motivation: To appreciate the importance of motivation
Teaching and learning strategies: An understanding of teaching and learning strategies which can sustain pupil motivation
Encouragement/praise: An ability to make appropriate use of encouragement and praise to sustain pupil motivation
Pupils’ self-confidence: An appreciation of the importance of pupils’ self-confidence and its role in sustaining motivation
Goals: An understanding of how the use of goals can help to sustain pupil motivation
The importance of practice: To establish a view as to the importance of practice
Practice in the hands of different pupils: An appreciation of the individual nature of practice
Situations for practice: An appreciation of the various situations for practice
The organisation of practice: A knowledge of how practice can be organised
Reducing motivation; A recognition of the possible effects of repetitive practice on pupil motivation
Understanding the reasons to practise: To have strategies to help pupils to understand the reasons to practise
Difficulties with stamina – physical and mental: To recognise and be able to help pupils when they encounter physical and mental issues related to stamina
Clashes with other interests: To be able to negotiate situations where pupils encounter clashes with other interests
Distractions: To be able to offer solutions in situations when pupils encounter distractions from practice

Learning Guidance

Perhaps write weekly process goals (what to do) plus evidence goals (how to show it).
A possible practice template: warm‑up → technique → repertoire → musicianship; use timeboxes and variety.
Goal framing: For example, ‘Play 8 bars with 3 clean bow lanes at q=72’ beats ‘Practise piece A’.
Stamina strategies: micro-breaks; posture resets; alternate technical and musical tasks.
Obstacle playbook: clashes with homework → ‘micro-sessions’; noisy home → mute/backing track + headphones.
Generally, motivation thrives on clarity, autonomy, and visible progress. Co-create short-term process goals (what to do) and evidence goals (how to show it). Encourage learners to select one ‘choice task’ per week for ownership.
Define practice quality as much as quantity. Perhaps use timeboxes (e.g., 5–8 minutes per focus area) and vary modalities (clap, sing, air-bow, then play) to sustain attention.

Useful Links

Stages in learning skills; goals; demonstration & imitation; aural development; language/notation; imagination.

Key Areas & Key Elements

The learning of skills — Stages in the learning of skills, Goals, Demonstration and imitation
The roles of teachers in music learning — Helping pupils to acquire and develop skills on instruments, Encouraging creativity
Differences in learning between children and adults — The effects of learner age on the processes of learning
Musical Development — Physical development, Aural development
Kinaesthesia — Understanding kinaesthesia
Childhood aural development — Songs, Movement with music
Language — Language and the development of musical aural skills, Notations
Music and Imagination — Sensing and image creation
Considering the range and variety of imagination — Audible/aural, Motion, Literary, Visual

Level Expectations

Stages in the learning of skills: An understanding of the stages in the learning of skills
Goals: An understanding of goals and the ability to use them strategically as part of the teaching/learning experience
Demonstration and imitation: An appreciation of the roles of demonstration and imitation and the ability to use them appropriately as part of the teaching/learning experience
Helping pupils to acquire and develop skills on instruments: An appreciation of the role of the teacher in relation to these demands
Encouraging creativity: An appreciation of the role of the teacher in relation to encouraging creativity
The effects of learner age on the processes of learning: A knowledge of factors relating to the differences in learning between children and adults
Physical development: An understanding of rates of physical development and the importance in the learning process
Aural development: An understanding of aural development and perception and the importance in the learning process
Understanding kinaesthesia: An understanding of what is meant by kinaesthesia and the ability to use it to help to develop instrumental skills
Songs: A working knowledge of songs which are familiar to children within your own teaching environment
Movement with music: An understanding of the relationships between music and movement
Language and the development of musical aural skills: An understanding of the links between language and the development of musical aural skills
Notations: An understanding of ways to notate music with an appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages
Sensing and image creation: An understanding human sensing and how this can contribute to the creation of musical images and narrative. A knowledge of how children’s development of mental imagery can contribute to imaginative musical expression
Audible/aural: To be able to engage with a pupil’s imagination in the area of sounds
Motion: To be able to engage with a pupil’s imagination in the area of movement
Literary: To be able to engage with a pupil’s imagination in the area of language and literary description
Visual: To be able to engage with a pupil’s imagination in the area of visual imagery

Learning Guidance

The following is just an example of one approach:
Embed sing‑then‑play; call‑and‑response; simple movement cues to anchor pulse and phrasing.
Introduce notation after aural mastery; show multiple notations if helpful.
Demonstration chain: hear → sing → move → play → notate.
Aural games: echo patterns with one change; ask the learner to identify the change.
Imagination prompts: ‘What colour is this phrase?’ ‘What picture fits this cadence?’
Sequence skill learning from aural to kinaesthetic to notational. Model a phrase, have the learner sing it, move with it (e.g., sway or step the pulse), then place it on the instrument before introducing notation.
When introducing notation, compare notations briefly (e.g., traditional versus. simplified rhythm flags) to keep the focus on sound and movement rather than symbols.

Useful Links

Preparation; resilience; expression; stagecraft; audience; venue; anxiety & tension strategies.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Performance — Preparation for performance, Resilience, Expression, Stagecraft, The Audience, The Venue
Methods of addressing anxiety and tension — Anxiety, Tension

Level Expectations

Preparation for performance: To have ideas to help pupils in various areas of preparation for performance, perhaps, including: technical, musical, logistical, psychological, presentational
Resilience: To be able to help pupils to gain resilience in areas such as technique, accuracy and appearance, etc
Expression: To have strategies to help pupils to play with expression whilst in performance situations
Stagecraft: To understand the various aspects of Stagecraft and be able to assist pupils to gain their own levels of skills with respect to Stagecraft
The Audience: To understand the various aspects arising once a performance involves an audience
The Venue: To understand aspects of venues in order to help pupils to ‘be prepared’ including practical matters such as:
layout, seating, lighting, heating, dazzle from windows, etc and also acoustic issues, with strategies to help pupils to accommodate any issues arising from the acoustic behaviour of the venue
Anxiety: To understand anxiety and have some ideas to help any pupils who experience it
Tension: To understand tension and have some ideas to help any pupils who experience it

Learning Guidance

What is a performance?
Consider the differences between a musical rendition and a performance (there is advice on the MTB website)
Performances ae usually continuous and fluent. Reflect on this.
There tend to be logistic issues surrounding a performance which might include Logistics: check instrument, spares, scores, stands, and transport timing.
Mental skills:Perhaps consider using; cue words; brief visualisation of first phrase and ending bow.
Preparation spans technique, logistics, and psychology. Perhaps, Schedule staged run-throughs (fragments → halves → full) and embed recovery routines for errors (e.g., breathe, re-cue, resume at the next phrase).
Perhaps reframe anxiety as energy for focus. Consider adding cue words (‘steady air’, ‘release’, ‘listen wide’) and a pre-stage breathing sequence to establish control.

Useful Links

Advantages/disadvantages; models & purpose; ensemble opportunities; social interactions.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Advantages & Disadvantages — The dynamics of cooperation, Competitive spirit
Different models of group teaching — The purpose of the group, The opportunity for ensemble experiences
Learning together — Learning Together:

Level Expectations

The dynamics of cooperation: understand the advantages and disadvantages of ensemble playing and learning through listening to others’ performances.
Competitive spirit: An understanding of how to manage students of different levels, experience and abilities.
The purpose of the group: Understanding of how the purpose of the group impacts content and resources.
The opportunity for ensemble experiences: An appreciation of the available opportunities for ensemble experience with different models of group teaching.
Learning Together: An understanding of the social interactions within group teaching.

Learning Guidance

Perhaps use part‑exchange duets; rotate leaders; set tiered tasks; celebrate ensemble listening.
Possible tiered tasks: melody, harmony drone, rhythm ostinato; perhaps rotate parts each week.
Ensemble listening: ‘who owns the pulse?’, ‘who carries melody versus. support?’.
Social dynamics: short partner swaps; perhaps, when appropriate celebrate micro-achievements publicly.
In some cases group learning works when roles are clear and tasks are tiered. Rotate leadership (count-ins, cueing endings) and pair mixed-ability pupils for peer support. Alternate cooperative and light competitive tasks to keep energy and morale balanced.
Define the purpose of the group

Useful Links

ISM Trust — Training for music educators (research-informed strategies)

SEN(D) categories; consequences of disability; instrument choices/adaptations; gifted & talented; strategies; sources of advice.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Students with special needs — Working with special needs, Consequences of disability, Selection of suitable instruments and/or adaptations to instruments
Students displaying gifts and talents — Gifted and talented students, Accounting for gifts and talents
Teaching students with special needs and special abilities — Strategies in these circumstances
Resources and advice — Advice

Level Expectations

Working with special needs: an understanding of categories of SEN(D), physical, mental, developmental
Consequences of disability: An understanding of possible consequences arising from a disability.
Selection of suitable instruments and/or adaptations to instruments: An understanding of strategies to ease access to various instruments.
Gifted and talented students: An appreciation of the situations of gifted and talented students.
Accounting for gifts and talents: Recognising the natures of these gifts and talents
Strategies in these circumstances: Strategies to support students with special needs and strategies to foster gifts and talents.
Advice: An understanding of sources of advice

Learning Guidance

Plan access: visual schedules, simplified parts, alternative notation, adaptive mounts, varied tempi.
For gifts/talents: acceleration pathways, enrichment, peer mentoring, performance opportunities.
Universal design: multi-sensory cues (see, hear, move); chunk tasks; frequent praise for effort.
Adaptations: larger fonts, coloured overlays, slower backings, simplified rhythms.
Talent development: targeted stretch goals, masterclass moments, peer mentoring.
Plan access first: provide visual schedules, simplified notation, and flexible tempi. Offer alternative mounts or adaptive grips where needed, and invite learner input about what helps or hinders.
For gifted learners, build acceleration pathways (harder parts, improvisation, or leadership tasks) while protecting fundamentals.

Useful Links

Preparation types; duration; psychological preparation; encouragement; confidence; after‑performance reflection; monitoring progress.

Key Areas & Key Elements

Preparation for Performance — The Nature of the Performance – to: self, Recording Device, Teacher, Family, Public, Examiner, Duration, Psychological Preparations, Encouragement, Confidence
After the Performance — Outcomes – Positive and Otherwise, Building on the Experience
Monitoring Progress — Methods of Keeping Track, Notebook (or not), Teacher Record – Document or ‘in head’?

Level Expectations

The Nature of the Performance – to: self, Recording Device, Teacher, Family, Public, Examiner: To understand the nature of performance in the list of Key Elements
Duration: An understanding of the importance of duration
Psychological Preparations: An appreciation of the psychological demands on a performer and a knowledge of how to help your pupils in this area
Encouragement: An appreciation of the role of encouragement
Confidence: An ability to foster confidence
Outcomes – Positive and Otherwise: An appreciation of inevitable performance outcomes
Building on the Experience: The ability to be able to form future progress through building on the performance experience
Methods of Keeping Track: To have some method(s) of keeping track
Notebook (or not): To have a view on this
Teacher Record – Document or ‘in head’?: This also relates to the previous point. There should be the ability to record pupils’ progress in some sort of way

Learning Guidance

Prep grid: who/where/why → repertoire plan → logistics → mental skills → rehearsal ladder.
After action review: keep/stop/start; log in simple tracker with next‑step goals.
Preparation types: technical (scales, drills), musical (phrasing, dynamics), logistical (gear, travel).
Psychological prep: breathing routines, cue words, and ‘first-bar’ rituals.
Monitoring progress: copy one evidence item into a term log after each performance.
Link preparation, performance, and reflection in a tight loop. After each event, run a short after-action review (Keep / Stop / Start) and convert the results into next-week’s goals.
Confidence comes from rehearsal realism: practice in the clothes, shoes, and room setup you’ll use on the day. Use cameras and small audiences to normalise nerves.

Level 3 Pre-requisites – Grade 3 Music Theory Qualification

February 2026 Syllabus — RV1.20