1. For use with WJEC Performing Arts GCSE Unit 1 and Unit 3 Task 1 Music - Instrumental INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUE

2. Task 1 - Keep your posture relaxed (standing) Stand with your back straight. Keeping your: ears directly over your shoulders shoulders over your hips feet apart facing five minutes to one hands holding / supporting your instrument or on the keys. With the rest of the class, demonstrate and compare how playing different instruments is affected by good and bad posture when standing.

3. Task 2 - Keep your posture relaxed (sitting) Stand with your back straight. Keeping your: ears directly over your shoulders shoulders over your hips feet firmly on the floor heels just behind the front legs of the chair hands holding / supporting your instrument or on the keys. With the rest of the class, demonstrate and compare how playing different instruments is affected by good and bad posture when sitting.

4. Task 3 - Breathing (wind and brass instruments) Always start with breathing warm ups to develop your technique. Here is one exercise for you to try: Make sure you are completely relaxed. Exhale to empty the lungs completely. Breathe in and allow the tummy muscles to relax outwards, and feel your ribs expand outwards. Play a single note and keep your ribs pushed outwards for as long as possible. Don't change the note in pitch or volume, work on a consistent and rich sound.

5. Task 4 - Breathing (wind and brass instruments) Continue with breathing exercises when rehearsing to develop your technique. Here is one exercise for you to try: Make sure you are completely relaxed. Exhale to empty the lungs completely. Breathe in and allow the tummy muscles to relax outwards, and feel your ribs expand outwards. Play a single note and keep your ribs pushed outwards for a count of 10, the next time extend to 15, 20. Repeat the exercise but using a specific phrase out of a piece.

6. Task 5 – Phrasing You should aim to phrase by following score markings; these are usually marked with a phrasing mark, rests in the melody or cadence point. Decide on a piece you already know. Focus on playing the piece with attention to phrasing marks and then disregarding them (you may create your own phrasing markings). Discuss with others how this affects the overall performance. Listen to recordings of other instrumentalists and mark on a copy how they give attention to phrasing.

7. Task 6 Creating a good sound All instruments have an unique sound / tone; you must always focus on creating the best possible ‘quality of sound’. This will only develop with plenty rehearsal and time! In a group, demonstrate a good / poor sound on your own instrument to others and ask the group to comment on the sound. They could comment on how the two sounds were different. What is required on a specific instrument to create a good sound?

8. Task 7 – Pitch warm up Learn a simple melody in a group in unison. Divide all the notes between all the different instruments in the group, only one note per instrument at a time. Try and perform as a group. What is hard and easy about this task? Try and vary the tempo and dynamics during the piece.