At higher grades you must be able to discuss with the examiner musical features such as texture, form, style, and period of a piece of music. My own web pages to help with these parts of the test at Grade 5+ and at GCSE are available here!
Recording performance
Recordings are a great way to track improvements as well as to point up technical and other issues.
Teachers: For child protection reasons, you must get written consent from parents or carers before making any audio or visual recordings of minors. Click here to download a consent form for your own teaching practice.
DVR
 | If you are preparing for a performance in a concert or an examination, it really does matter how you walk up to the piano, sit down - adjusting the stool if necessary - and sort out your music if you are using it. Take time to compose yourself, making sure your audience are settled down too, and 'address' the piano in a calm and quiet way before you start to play. Think about how you want those opening notes to sound; feel the beat. |
| It is just as important how you finish the performance. After a quiet ending, let the sound die away when you are finished, and take your hands and feet off the instrument in a controlled and professional way, placing hands quietly in your lap. A more forceful and dramatic ending can be matched with a bit of a flourish. |
| Between movements of a sonata keep your focus on the instrument, your music, or your own hands to discourage applause that may be distracting. |
| Acknowledge applause with a small bow and a big smile! |
| If you have not seen many pianists perform live, start borrowing DVDs from your teacher or local libraries and going to concerts. |
| Embarrassing as it may be, watching a video of yourself doing these things really helps. Check out how good it looks when you get it right! |
Audio
Teen students probably know more about this than anyone, but anyway....
| Many MP3 players include a record function. Most work well for voice and some instruments, but can produce quite deadly results from a piano - a thin and tinny tone and usually, being attuned to the high frequency sounds of speech, a lot of extra vibrations |
| The Edirol R-09 produces excellent results with a small, handheld device - at a price. See their web site for more information |
| Minidisk recorders are more reasonably priced, but do bear in mind that they are 'old' technology |
| If you have invested in notation software and/or are a MIDI-user then you will want to consider microphones compatible with your software |
Notation software
Finale Notepad is a limited functionality, free musical notation package. You can write music for a range of instruments, switch from concert to written pitch, and play back your work. Try it out at http://www.finalemusic.com/
From sound to print
Downloaded Midi files can be converted to written music with Sibelius or Finale. Try out the following sites for MIDI :
Ensemble software
The "amazing slow-downer" does exactly what it says on the tin. It is shareware that slows down tempo without dropping in pitch. It is ideal for group learning and playing. Check it out at roni music.
Trainers
| Hofnotes offer a subscription based aural training package at www.hofnote.co.uk. |
| For on-line music theory drill and practice try www.musictheory.net. A trainer like this does not remove the need to teach the principles first (for example the way intervals are described, the circle of fifths etc). But it does offer easy access to a huge number of quick tests and of course, instant - and private - feedback! |
| Sibelius have some more advanced worksheets on www.sibeliusmusic.com |
| Free quizzes and worksheets are available on www.musictechteacher.com/musicquizzes.htm |