Choosing Technical Work, Supporting Tests & Session Skills

Modified on Fri, 12 Sep at 3:59 PM

This article applies to Classical & Jazz graded exams (face-to-face assessment and Digital: Technical Work pathway). It does not apply to Repertoire-only digital exams, or to Performance Diplomas.

Alongside pieces or songs, these exams contain other components to give a balanced suite of tasks to develop musical ability and techniques, reflecting real-world performance skills. This guide pulls together the technical work options for every instrument family, the supporting test choices for graded face-to-face exams, and the Session Skills used in Rock & Pop.

Grab your syllabus, then use the tables below to plan an approach that highlights your strongest skills.

Technical work – at a glance

Flexibility and choice: there are options to select studies, extracts etc. in place of scales for many instruments.
Memory: all scales/arpeggios (if chosen) are played from memory.
Metronomes or other tempo aids are not permitted.
Exercises, studies, and orchestral/brass band extracts are short, published by Trinity (or listed publishers), and tested exactly as specified in the syllabus.

Instrument-by-Instrument

Piano

Scales & arpeggios (from memory).
3 exercises (face-to-face) or 2 exercises (digital), selected from different groups (music may be used).
Face-to-face: examiner selects from syllabus scales/arpeggios; candidate chooses one exercise, examiner then selects one of the others prepared.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B of scales/arpeggios, then plays two exercises.

Singing

Choose one of: Trinity Vocal Exercises, Vaccai exercise, or an unaccompanied folk song.
Perform from memory.
Recorded accompaniment permitted at Initial–Grade 3 only. Live accompaniment required from Grade 4 (except for folk songs).

Bowed Strings

Bowing exercise (scale with bowing pattern, from memory).
Then either:
- Scales/Arpeggios + technical exercises (from memory), or
- Studies (Grades 1–5) or Orchestral Extracts (Grades 6–8) (music may be used).
Face-to-face: examiner chooses items.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B, or two studies/extracts.

Harp

Choose either:
- Scales, arpeggios (from memory) and exercises, or
- Studies (music may be used), or
- Orchestral extracts (pedal harp, Grades 6–8).
Face-to-face: examiner selects from syllabus list; for studies/extracts, candidate plays one then examiner selects another.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B, or plays two studies/extracts.

Classical Guitar

Technical exercise (from memory).
Then either:
- Scales/Arpeggios (from memory), or
- Studies (Initial–Grade 7, music may be used), or
- Concerto Extracts (Grade 8, music may be used).
Face-to-face: examiner selects.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B, or plays two studies/extracts.

Acoustic Guitar

Scales (from memory), arpeggio (from memory), exercise (from memory), chord sequence/cadence (from memory).
Face-to-face: examiner selects.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B of scales/arpeggios/exercises/chord sequences.

Woodwind & Jazz Woodwind

Choose either:
- Scales & arpeggios (from memory), or
- Exercises (Grades 1–5, from memory) or Orchestral Extracts (Grades 6–8, music may be used).
Face-to-face: examiner selects; candidate plays one item first, examiner selects another.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B, or two exercises/extracts.

Brass

Lip-flexibility exercise.
Then either:
- Scales & arpeggios (from memory), or
- Exercises (Grades 1–5, music may be used), or
- Orchestral/brass band extracts (Grades 6–8, music may be used).
Face-to-face: examiner selects.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B, or two exercises/extracts.

Drum Kit & Percussion

Drum Kit: 3 exercises (music may be used).
Percussion: see syllabus.
Face-to-face Drum Kit: examiner selects one exercise, then another.
Digital Drum Kit: candidate selects any two exercises.

Electronic Keyboard

Keyboard exercise.
Then either:
- Scales & chord knowledge (from memory), or
- Exercises (music may be used).
Face-to-face: examiner selects.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B, or two exercises.

Organ

Manual scales & arpeggios (from memory).
Pedal scales (Grades 3–6).
Pedal study (Grades 6–8).
Face-to-face: examiner selects.
Digital: candidate presents Set A or Set B.

Supporting Tests (Classical & Jazz face-to-face only)

Initial–Grade 5: choose any two of Sight Reading, Aural, Improvisation, Musical Knowledge.
Grades 6–8: Sight Reading plus either Aural or Improvisation.

What each test shows

Sight Reading – fluent reading, pulse, decision-making.
Aural – listening, awareness of musical detail.
Improvisation – creativity and real-time response.
Musical Knowledge – contextual understanding of performed pieces.

Rock & Pop Session Skills (face-to-face only)

Playback

Scan a song chart (4 repeated sections).
Repeat short phrases after hearing them, with first attempt for practice and second for assessment.
Tests listening, groove recall, and reading under pressure.

Improvising

Look at an unseen chord chart, hear a short section for tempo/style.
Backing track loops 4 times; improvise in style.
Assesses stylistic feel, creativity, and solo development.