HSInstrumentalMusicPerformanceDifficultyLevels

DerivedfromVisualandPerformingArtsFrameworkforCaliforniaPublicSchools&EdexcelGCSEspecification

Level1
Veryeasy,easykeys,metersandrhythms,limitedranges.
Level2
Easy,mayincludechangesoftempo,keyormeter,modestranges.
Level3
Moderatelyeasy,containsmoderatetechnicaldemands,expandedrangesandvaried
interpretiverequirements.
Level4
Moderatelydifficult,requireswelldevelopedtechnicalskills,attentiontophrasingand
interpretation,andtheabilitytoperformvariousmetersandrhythmsinavarietyofkeys.
Level5
Difficult,requiresadvancedtechnicalandinterpretiveskills,containskeysignatureswith
numeroussharpsorflats,usualmeters,complexrhythms,andsubtledynamicrequirements.
Level6
Verydifficult,suitableformusicallymaturestudentsofexceptionalcompetence.

Voice

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Pitchrangelessthanone
octave
Pitchrangebetweenan
octaveanda10th
Pitchrangegreaterthana
10th
Mainlyconjunctmelody Someleaps Someawkwardintervals
Restrictedrangeofrhythmic
patterns
Somevariationinrhythmic
patterns
Somecomplexrhythmic
patterns
Nolong,sustainedphrases.
Regularphrasingthroughout
Phrasesnotallthesame
lengthrequiringsomebreath
control
Somelong,sustained
phrasesrequiringgood
breathcontrol
Syllabicthroughout Mainlysyllabicwithsome
simplemelismas
Severalmelismaticsections
and/orfastpassages
requiringclearenunciation
Limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
Somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
Generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired Somevarietyofarticulation
includingsomeslurs/
staccato/accents
Arangeofarticulation
required

Nomodulations Modulationtocloselyrelated
key
Morethanonemodulationor
modulationtomoredistant
key
Accompanimentsupports
voicethroughout
Occasionalexposedentries/
someinterplaywith
accompaniment
Sololineoftenexposed
/muchinterplaybetween
parts

Piano

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Onehandonly/handsin
octavesthroughout
Twohandswithsome
independence
Bothhandsfairly
independent
Cmajor/Aminororsimple
pentatonic

Keysignaturesofoneortwo
sharps/flats
Keysignaturesofthreeor
moresharps/flatsor
modal/chromatic/atonal
Noaccidentals Occasional,logical
accidentals
Frequentaccidentals
5fingerposition Somechangesofhand
position
Frequentchangesofhand
position
REstrictedrangeofrhythmic
patterns
Somevariationinrhythmic
patterns
Somecomplexrhythmic
patterns
Slow/moderatetempo Moderate/moderatelyfast
tempoand/orsome
gradationoftempo
Fasttemporequiringsome
dexterityand/oroccasional
tempochanges
Limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
Somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
Generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired Somevarietyofarticulation
includingsome
slurs/staccato/accents
Arangeofarticulation
required
Nomodulations Modulationtocloselyrelated
key
Morethanonemodulationor
modulationtoamoredistant
key.

ElectricGuitar

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Pitchrangecoversthree
strings.
Pitchrangecoversfouror
morestrings.
Pitchrangecoversallsix
strings.
Allinoneposition. Includedinfrequentposition
changes.
Requiresfrequentposition
shifts/coversrangeuptoor
above12thfret.
Restrictedrangeofrhythmic
patterns.
Somevariationinrhythmic
patterns.
Somecomplexrhythmic
patterns.
Slow/moderatetempo.No
tempochanges.
Moderate/moderatelyfast
tempo.
Fasttemporequiringsome
dexterityand/oroccasional
tempochanges.
limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired
(nohammerons,pulloffs,
slidesorbends)
Somevarietyofarticulation
includingsomehammerons,
pulloffs,slidesorbends
Arangeofarticulation
required,possiblyincluding
somepalmmutingoruseof
tremoloarm.
Easykeyfortheinstrument Akeywhichallowslessuse
ofopenstrings
Harderkeyforthe
instrument
Simplepickingthroughout Arangeofpickingrequired,
perhapschangingfrom
chordstosinglenotes
Somemoreintricatepicking
pickingtechniquesrequired.
Supportedby
accompanimentthroughout
Occasionalexposed
entries/someinterplaywith
accompaniment
Sololineoften
exposed/muchinterplay
betweenparts

AcousticGuitar

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Easychordshapes Somebarrechords Frequentbarrechords/some
awkwardchord
changes/somealteredor
extendedchordsused
Allinonepositions Includesinfrequentposition
changes
Requiresfrequentposition
shifts/coversrangeuptoor
above12thfret
Simplestrummingpattern
withlittlevariety
Undemandingbutvaried
strummingpattern/more
complexbutrepetitive
pattern
Challengingrhythmic
accompanimentpattern
Regular,infrequentchord
changes
Chordchangesnotalways
regular/morefrequentchord
changes
Irregularchord
changes/somefastchord
changes
Slow/moderatetempo.No
tempochanges
Moderate/moderatelyfast Fasttemporequiringsome
dexterityand/oroccasional
tempochanges
Limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
Somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
Generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired Somevarietyofarticulation
required
Somestringdampening
required/arangeof
articulation
Nomodulations Modulationtoaclosely
relatedkey
Morethanonemodulationor
modulationtoamoredistant
key
Supportedbyotherparts
throughout
occasionalexposed
entries/someinterplaywith
otherparts
Sololineoften
exposed/muchinterplay
betweenparts

BassGuitar

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Basslinemadeupmostlyof
rootnotes
Basslinecontainsavariety
ofchordtones
Basslinemorecomplex
Allinoneposition Includesinfrequentposition
changes
Requiresfrequentposition
shifts/coversrangeuptoor
above12thfret
Mostlyquarternote
movement
Somevariationinrhythmic
patterns
Somecomplexpatterns
Slow/moderatetempo.No
tempochanges
Moderate/moderatelyfast
tempo
Fasttemporequiringsome
dexterityand/oroccasional
tempochanges
Limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
Somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
Generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired
(nohammerons,pulloff,
slidesorbends)
Somevarietyofarticulation
includingsomehammerons,
pulloffsandslides
Arangeofarticulation
required
Easykeyfortheinstrument Akeywhichallowslessuse
ofopenstrings
HArderkeyforthe
instrument
Nomodulations Modulationtocloselyrelated
key
Morethanonemodulationor
modulationtoamoredistant
key
Supportedbyotherparts
throughout
Occasionalexposed
entries/someinterplaywith
otherparts
Basslineoften
exposed/muchinterplay
betweenparts

DrumKit

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Simplerhythmicpatterns Widerrangeofrhythmic
patterns
morecomplexrhythmic
patterns
Slow/moderatetempo.No
tempochanges
Moderate/moderatelyfast
tempo
Fasttemporequiringsome
dexterityand/oroccasional
tempochanges
Limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
Somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
Generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired Avarietyofarticulationand
phrasingrequired
Detailedphrasingand
articulationrequired
Includesfewfills Simplefillsmorefrequents Detailedfillsrequired
Littleleftfootcontrol
required(hihat)
Someleftfootcontrol
required
goodleftfootcontrol
required
2/4,4/4metre Compoundtime,3/4metre Unusualmetre/includes
changesofmetre
Requirescoordination
betweenhandsandfeet
Requireslimited
independencebetween
limbs
Requireindependence
betweenlimbs
Supportedbyotherparts
throughout
Occasionalexposed
entries/someinterplaywith
otherparts
Significantrhythmic
independencewithin
ensemble

Strings

Easier(Level1) Standard(Level3) Moredifficult(Level5)

Allinfirstposition Requireschangesof
positions
Requiresmorefrequent
positionshifts
Restrictedrangeofrhythmic
patterns
Somevariationinrhythmic
patterns
Somecomplexrhythmic
patterns
Slow/moderatetempo.No
tempochanges
Moderate/moderatelyfast
tempo
Fasttemporequiringsome
dexterityand/oroccasional
tempochanges
Limitedopportunityfor
dynamiccontrasts
Somegeneraldynamic
contrasts
Generaldynamiccontrasts
includingsomegradationof
dynamics
Limitedarticulationrequired Somevarietyofarticulation
includingsome
slurs/staccato/accents
Arangeofarticulation
required
Limitedbowingtechnique
required
Morecoordinationrequired
betweenlefthandandbow
Arangeofbowing
techniques(possibly
includingquickchanges
betweenpizzandarco)
Easykeyfortheinstrument Akeywhichallowslessuse
ofopenstrings
Harderkeyforthe
instrument
Nomodulations Modulationtocloselyrelated
key
Morethanonemodulationor
modulationtoamoredistant
key
Supportedbyotherparts
throughout
Occasionalexposed
entries/someinterplaywith
otherparts
Sololineoften
exposed/muchinterplay
betweenparts.