What to listen out for when listening to yourself or others?

Introduction

When you are listening to yourself or others, there are some things to listen out for. I have listed some of these things down below. When you are listening to a performance, ask yourself the questions below.

You can use the same questions when practising music too. Sometimes, you may not know the answer to a question. For example, you are not sure if the rhythm is accurate or not. If that is the case, listen to a recording and/or look at the sheet music.

1. Accuracy

• Is the rhythm accurate?

• Are the notes accurate?

• Is the pulse steady?

• Is the playing fluent?

2. Expression

• Are the dynamics played? (e.g. p, mp, mf, f, crescendo, decrescendo, accents)

• Is the articulation played? (e.g. staccato, slur, legato)

• Is the playing confident and assured?

• Does the playing show the character of the music?

• Is the phrasing expressive?

• Is the playing consistent with the style of the music?

3. Technique

• Is the music played at an appropriate speed?

• Is the melody louder than the accompaniment?

• Is the pedalling appropriate?

• Is there control over the playing?