ENCORE

Natasha Combs

ENCORE performance -Natasha Combs

October 13, 2020

Natasha's Guitar Level 8 Test Review

by Miss Stephanie Deaton

Congratulations, Natasha has passed her Level 8 Test. In addition to the pieces in the video, she has learned the following music theory concepts and terms:

  • CommonTime, Cut Time, 2/4 Time

  • Chromatic scale, andMajor and Minor Scales

  • Action

  • 16th note, Dotter Eighth Note

  • Improvisation

  • Alternate tuning - Drop D

  • Intervals- One Octave identification on both visual and audio

  • Key Signatures - D, Bm


Level Test Video Analysis:

Warm Ups:

  • Your strengths:

    • You have a beautiful tone and move up and down the neck with ease. You seem to have a fairly good amount of control over your fingers, an you are confident with your playing. Awesome job!

  • Where you can improve:

    • Your tempo wavers throughout your scales. Work with the metronome to help maintain a consistent tempo. Also, there seems to be a missed note when walking down your first scale. Repetition with the metronome on this section should smooth it out.


Repertoire: Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken)

  • Your strengths:

    • Beautiful performance! I love your tone, and you nicely executed the finger picking pattern in this piece. Playing finger style can be very tricky, but it adds a whole new dynamic to your musicianship. Overall you had a very steady harmony line, and you could clearly hear the melody line over it. Great job!

  • Where you can improve:

    • There were a couple pauses between chord transitions. For example, your first time on line 3 of the verse was a little shakey, but you recovered well. As you play this song, work on thinking ahead; it seems like most of the pauses that took place were going into particular chord shapes that you were not prepared for. Also, work on controlling the dynamics of melody line; make sure you do not over pluck, but keep it louder than the harmony. This will take this piece to the next level.


Free Choice: All is Found (from Frozen 2)

  • Your strengths:

    • Wow! You really showed off a large range of dynamics with different volumes, picking and strumming styles. However, amidst these very different styles, you properly unified them all together,so that it. did not feel forced. You are obviously very comfortable with this piece.. Wonderful work!

  • Where you can improve:

    • Like I said, this was such a great performance, but there are always little things you can do to improve your overall musicianship. To polish this piece up, play with the metronome, then highlight your “tricky” sections, until they become your “easy” sections. Also, focus on ways to connect or enhance certain spots. For example, try lightly rolling the final chord to add that extra finesse.


Level 9 Goals:

In Level 9, you will add on:

  • Movable Major and Minor Scales

  • Fifth Position

  • Key Signature: F, Dm

  • Simple Time

  • Compound Time: 6/8, 12/8

  • Articulation

  • Legato

Like Natasha's video on our Facebook or Instagram page. and subrscibe to our YouTube channel for more awesome level tests.




What is ENCORE?

ENCORE will highlight past student Level Tests™ so that everyone can see their wonderful skills. Just like a Master Class, you can see the thoughts and detailed guidance from the Level Test Reviews™.





Past Level Tests



For More Performances, subscribe to our pages: