Mastery Levels
AMF Mastery Levels
Definition of Done reference — the 6-level skill progression with behavioral indicators, common mistakes, and DoD templates.
Table of Contents
- Overview: Why These Levels Exist
- The Six Levels at a Glance
- Level 1: Exposure
- Level 2: Guided Execution
- Level 3: Slow Recall
- Level 4: Musical Use
- Level 5: Adaptive Use
- Level 6: Integration
- The Level 4/5 Distinction: The Most Important Clarification
- Definition of Done: Blank Template
- Definition of Done: Worked Examples
- Progress Tracking Guidance
- The Multi-Dimensional DoD Checklist
1. Overview: Why These Levels Exist
Definitions of Done are central to AMF because they prevent practice decisions from being governed by impatience, anxiety, perfectionism, or boredom.
Without clear level definitions, the learner either:
- Moves forward too quickly because "I got through it once" feels like mastery.
- Stays too long because "it doesn't feel perfect yet" never resolves into a clear exit criterion.
- Confuses knowing about a concept with being able to use it in music.
The six levels solve this by giving every skill a precise behavioral description of what it means to be at each stage. The levels are not about time spent. They are about what the learner can demonstrably do.
The move-on rule: Do not wait for perfection before moving forward. Reach the level required for the current phase, schedule review, then move into the next layer. Perfection is replaced by planned resurfacing.
What these levels measure: The levels measure availability — not knowledge of the concept, but the ability to retrieve and use the skill when music is moving. A concept that can be described in theory but not produced under musical pressure is not yet at Level 4, regardless of how well the learner understands it intellectually.
2. The Six Levels at a Glance
| Level | Name | Core Meaning | Move-On Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exposure | You understand what the idea is | Can explain it in plain language |
| 2 | Guided Execution | You can perform it slowly with reference | Can execute with notes, diagram, or prompt |
| 3 | Slow Recall | You can retrieve it from memory at reduced tempo | Can find and play/sing it after a short pause |
| 4 | Musical Use | You can use it in an actual musical context | Can make it sound like music, not just an exercise |
| 5 | Adaptive Use | You can choose whether and when to use it based on what the music needs | Can state when it helps and when it would be too much |
| 6 | Integration | It is automatic — available without deliberate effort | Can use it with rhythm, harmony, melody, feel, or CAS |
3. Level 1: Exposure
Description
Exposure is the first contact with a concept. The learner has heard it, read about it, seen an example, and can identify it when pointed out. They cannot yet produce it reliably without reference, and they may not yet be able to recognize it in a real recording without guidance.
Exposure is a legitimate level. It is not a failure state. Many concepts must live at Level 1 for weeks or months before the learner is ready to move them forward. The system protects against trying to rush past Exposure before the concept has been properly heard and understood.
What Being at This Level Looks Like
- The learner can read back a definition of the concept in their own words.
- The learner can recognize the concept when it is demonstrated for them.
- The learner cannot reliably produce it from memory.
- The learner may not be able to find it on the instrument without written reference.
Behavioral Indicators
- "I know what this is when I see it explained."
- Can explain the concept in plain English: "Minor-on-3 means putting a minor triad on the 3rd scale degree over the root."
- Can identify which AMF system the concept belongs to.
- Can hear a demonstration and confirm whether it matches their understanding.
Common Mistakes at Level 1
- Treating exposure as completion: "I read the manual, so I know this."
- Moving to Level 2 practice before the concept has been heard. Hearing comes before playing.
- Skipping the body/voice step: the concept should be sung, clapped, or spoken before it is played.
- Confusing familiarity with understanding: having seen the concept multiple times is not the same as being able to explain it clearly.
Definition of Done for Level 1
- Can explain the concept in plain language without the manual.
- Can identify which internal band member it belongs to.
- Can describe at least one musical situation where it would be used.
- Can hear a demonstration and confirm it matches the description.
- Has sung, clapped, or vocalized some aspect of the concept.
4. Level 2: Guided Execution
Description
Guided Execution means the learner can produce the concept on the instrument — slowly and carefully, with reference available. The reference might be a written diagram, a fingering chart, a chord voicing sheet, or a prompt from the manual. The learner does not need to recall it from memory; they need to be able to execute it cleanly given the information.
This level trains the physical and auditory encoding of the correct version of the skill. The goal is clean, attentive repetitions — not speed, not memory, not musical application.
What Being at This Level Looks Like
- The learner can open their reference material and play the concept cleanly within a few attempts.
- Tempo is at 50–60 BPM or below. No tempo is also acceptable for first contact.
- The sound is clean — not rushed, not tense, not guessed.
- The learner can hear whether a repetition was correct.
Behavioral Indicators
- "I can play this if I can see the diagram."
- Can execute the correct voicing, shape, or pattern on piano or guitar with reference.
- Can hear the difference between the correct version and an error.
- Repetitions are clean more often than not, even if slow.
Common Mistakes at Level 2
- Moving too fast to hear whether the repetition was correct.
- Accepting imprecise execution: "close enough" encodes the wrong version.
- Neglecting the visualization step — most learners skip mental rehearsal and go straight to physical repetition, which is less efficient.
- Practicing past fatigue: five clean repetitions are worth more than twenty deteriorating ones.
- Skipping the auditory confirmation: can you hear that it is correct? If you cannot hear it, you cannot self-correct.
Definition of Done for Level 2
- Can execute the concept cleanly with reference at 50–60 BPM or below.
- Can hear whether a repetition is correct or contains an error.
- Has completed the visualization SOP at least once (hear internally, picture on instrument, feel the motion).
- Can execute on both piano and guitar at this level (instrument-agnostic concept) or on the primary instrument if single-instrument.
- Clean execution rate is 3 out of 4 or better at this tempo.
5. Level 3: Slow Recall
Description
Slow Recall means the learner can retrieve the concept from memory — without reference — at a reduced tempo. This is the first real test of installation. The learner must close the manual, wait a moment, and then produce the concept cleanly.
This level often exposes gaps that Level 2 conceals. A learner who appeared fluent with the manual open may discover that they were reading more than they realized. That discovery is the point — it shows exactly what needs more encoding work.
What Being at This Level Looks Like
- The learner can find the concept on the instrument from memory in a short pause (3–5 seconds).
- Tempo remains slow: 50–60 BPM or below.
- Execution is consistent: not one lucky success, but repeated reliable production.
- The learner can produce it after a 24-hour gap without review.
Behavioral Indicators
- "I can play this from memory if I have a moment to find it."
- Can recall the concept without notes, charts, or prompts.
- Can sing or vocalize it before playing it.
- Can retrieve it on Day 1 and Day 3 after first learning it.
Common Mistakes at Level 3
- Practicing retrieval in the same order every time: this builds a chain, not independent recall. The brain remembers the sequence, not the isolated concept.
- Confusing slow recall with musical readiness: Level 3 is not yet ready for musical application. The skill exists, but it has not been placed in time.
- Skipping the Day 1 review: this is the most critical review point. Missing it significantly accelerates forgetting.
- Accepting retrieval that takes more than 5–7 seconds: slow recall should feel accessible, not labored.
Definition of Done for Level 3
- Can retrieve the concept from memory without reference at 50–60 BPM.
- Can recall it after a 24-hour gap (verified on Day 1 review).
- Can vocalize or sing it before playing it.
- Can produce it in at least 3 of 4 attempts without hesitation exceeding 5 seconds.
- Can identify the concept's sound identity: "this is what a major 7 color sounds like over a major root."
6. Level 4: Musical Use
Description
Musical Use means the learner can deploy the concept in an actual musical context — playing with a backing track, over a vamp, within a 12-bar form, or with another person. The concept sounds like music, not like an exercise. It lands in time. It fits the progression. It contributes something rather than merely occupying space.
This is a significant transition. Many concepts that feel solid at Level 3 (slow recall, no reference) fall apart when placed inside real musical time. The groove, the other parts, and the forward momentum of the form all create new demands that isolated practice does not prepare the learner for. Level 4 training specifically addresses this gap.
What Being at This Level Looks Like
- The learner can apply the concept over a backing track or vamp without the music stopping.
- The concept lands on time — it is rhythmically placed, not just technically executed.
- The sound is musical: the concept contributes to the feel rather than disrupting it.
- The learner can sustain the concept across a full form (chorus, 12 bars) without losing the thread.
Behavioral Indicators
- "I can use this in a real musical context."
- Can play the concept over a vamp or backing track without stopping.
- The concept lands in time and sounds like a musical decision, not a technical exercise.
- Can sustain application across a complete musical form.
- Can recover from a small error without losing the groove or the form.
Common Mistakes at Level 4
- Practicing Level 4 at exam tempo (too fast, too dense) instead of at musical tempo with real feel.
- Adding too much: the test of musical use is not whether you can add the concept, but whether the music sounds better with it.
- Treating the first successful pass as Level 4 completion: one pass is not evidence of installation; three consistent sessions over separate days is.
- Stopping the music to correct rather than recovering and continuing. Musical use requires continuous time.
Definition of Done for Level 4
- Can apply the concept over a backing track or vamp for a complete form.
- The concept lands in time in 3 of 4 musical passes.
- The application sounds musical — it contributes to the feel rather than disrupting it.
- Can recover from a small error without stopping the music.
- Has verified this over at least two separate sessions (not one long session).
7. Level 5: Adaptive Use
Description
Adaptive Use is the ability to choose whether and when to use the concept based on what the music currently needs — and to make that choice from listening, not from habit.
This is the PDC layer. The learner does not use the concept because it is "their turn" or because the concept is available. They use it because the music is asking for something specific, and this concept addresses that need. And crucially: they can choose not to use it when the music does not need it.
Adaptive Use requires real-time perception. The learner must be able to hear what is already happening, diagnose what is missing or excessive, and contribute (or withhold) accordingly. This is the behavior that distinguishes a musician who is contributing from one who is executing a practiced routine.
What Being at This Level Looks Like
- The learner can state at least two specific musical conditions where the concept would help and at least two where it would be too much or wrong.
- The learner can demonstrate choosing not to use the concept in a situation where it would technically be available.
- The learner's use of the concept varies meaningfully based on what else is happening in the music.
- The learner can explain their choices in PDC terms after the fact.
Behavioral Indicators
- "I can choose whether or not to use this based on what the music needs, and that choice comes from listening, not from habit."
- Can articulate at least one musical situation where the concept would be inappropriate: "If the vocal is sitting in this register, my spread triad will clutter the harmony — better to play a shell or leave the upper register open."
- Can demonstrate active restraint: plays a musical pass and consciously omits the concept in a section where the music does not need it.
- Can use the concept differently based on density, register, role, and section function.
Common Mistakes at Level 5
- Applying the concept consistently (same density, same register, same every time) while calling it adaptive use. Consistency is Level 4. Adaptive use requires variation based on listening.
- Avoiding the concept out of insecurity rather than musical judgment. Avoidance for reasons of confidence is not the same as PDC restraint.
- Jumping to Level 5 from Level 3: Adaptive Use requires the skill to be available without mental effort (Level 4) before adaptive decisions can happen. The decision-making faculty and the execution faculty cannot both be operating under cognitive load simultaneously.
- Confusing "I know when to use this" (declarative knowledge) with "I actually choose when to use this in real time" (adaptive behavior). The behavioral test is the recording: does the concept appear and disappear based on musical conditions?
Definition of Done for Level 5
- Can state two specific musical conditions where the concept helps.
- Can state two specific musical conditions where the concept would be too much or stylistically wrong.
- In a recorded musical pass, the concept appears and disappears based on musical conditions — not at a fixed density every chorus.
- Can listen back to a recording and explain each instance of using or withholding the concept in PDC terms.
- Has demonstrated active restraint (choosing to withhold when the concept is available but the music does not need it).
8. Level 6: Integration
Description
Integration means the concept is automatic — available without deliberate retrieval, informing the learner's playing without needing to be consciously activated. The learner does not "remember to use" the concept; it has become part of how they hear and respond to music.
Integration is the deepest level. It is not the finish line for every concept — most skills will live productively at Levels 4 and 5 and be revisited periodically through the review schedule. But some core behaviors, worked across months and anchored by the Internal Band metaphor, will eventually reach Integration.
Integration is not measured by whether the learner can describe the concept under examination conditions. It is measured by whether the concept appears naturally in spontaneous playing without being thought about.
What Being at This Level Looks Like
- The learner uses the concept without deliberate recall — it arises from perception of what the music needs.
- The concept can be combined fluidly with other AMF systems: rhythm cells, melodic shapes, PDC decisions, CAS arcs.
- The learner is not aware of "using the concept" during playing; they are aware of the music.
- The concept survives context changes — new songs, new keys, new genres, different instruments — without needing to be re-learned.
Behavioral Indicators
- "I don't think about this when I play — it's just available."
- Uses the concept naturally in new musical situations without deliberate recall.
- Can combine it fluidly with other AMF systems in real time.
- The concept transfers without effort to new keys, grooves, and musical environments.
- Can use it in monthly maintenance sessions without significant warm-up.
Common Mistakes at Level 6
- Declaring Integration prematurely: the test is spontaneous use across varied contexts, not fluency in familiar exercises.
- Stopping review once Integration feels established: even integrated skills fade without periodic maintenance. Monthly spiral review keeps the skill accessible.
- Confusing Integration with technical perfection: a skill can be integrated at a modest technical level. A simple rhythm cell or a two-note motif response can be integrated and musically powerful. Complexity is not the criterion.
Definition of Done for Level 6
- Uses the concept spontaneously in improvised or exploratory playing without deliberate recall.
- Can combine it in real time with at least two other AMF systems.
- The concept transfers to a new key, new groove, or new genre without needing to re-learn it.
- Monthly maintenance session recovers full use within 5 minutes.
- The learner is not consciously tracking "using this concept" during musical play.
9. The Level 4/5 Distinction: The Most Important Clarification
The boundary between Level 4 and Level 5 is the most important and most frequently misunderstood distinction in the AMF mastery system. Many learners believe they are at Level 5 when they are operating at Level 4 with high confidence. The difference is structural.
Level 4 in plain language:
"I can use this in a real musical context."
The Level 4 learner has placed the concept in music. It works. It lands in time. It sounds like music. This is a genuine achievement and the level where most concepts should be during active practice months.
Level 5 in plain language:
"I can choose whether or not to use this based on what the music needs — and my choice comes from listening, not from habit."
The Level 5 learner has moved from execution to judgment. The question is no longer "can I use this?" but "should I use this right now, given what the music is doing?"
The structural difference:
| Dimension | Level 4 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Activation source | The concept is available and the learner deploys it | The music asks for something and the concept may or may not be the answer |
| Relationship to the concept | "I have this tool and I am using it" | "I am listening to the music; the tool may or may not serve it" |
| Density | Relatively consistent across the form | Varies based on musical conditions |
| Restraint | Optional — learner may not think to withhold | Required — withholding is as deliberate as deploying |
| Evidence in recordings | Concept appears regularly when the learner is focused on it | Concept appears and disappears based on musical logic, not attention level |
Three specific behavioral examples per level:
Level 4 behavioral examples:
- The learner plays a 12-bar blues with a backing track and places their TPS spread triad voicing on every chord change, landing in time and with clean sound.
- The learner uses their 3+3+2 rhythm cell consistently across three full choruses without losing the groove.
- The learner plays a melodic motif response after each four-bar phrase, placing it correctly in the space and targeting the root.
Level 5 behavioral examples:
- The learner plays a 12-bar blues and uses the TPS spread triad on the IV chord but simplifies to a shell on the I because the bass is already covering the warmth — then returns to the spread on the turnaround to lift the ending.
- The learner is playing with a rhythm cell but hears that the groove is already dense. They simplify to on-beat root hits for two choruses, then bring the cell back when the texture thins.
- The learner has a melodic motif ready, but the vocalist (or the recording) fills the space with a response. The learner stays silent rather than competing — and that silence is a deliberate musical decision.
The test question for Level 5: After a recorded pass, can the learner explain each decision — both the choices to use the concept and the choices to withhold it — in terms of what the music needed at that moment?
If the answer is "I used it because I was focusing on using it," the learner is operating at Level 4. If the answer is "I used it because the texture was thin and the harmony needed definition" or "I held it back because the rhythm section was already filling that space," the learner is demonstrating Level 5 judgment.
10. Definition of Done: Blank Template
Copy this template for any AMF skill. Fill in the skill name and current level. Use the criteria to assess where the learner is and what the specific move-on criterion is.
Skill: _______________________________________________
AMF System: _________________________________________
Current Level: _______________________________________
Target Level for Current Phase: ______________________
Level-Specific Criteria
Level 1 — Exposure
- Can explain it in plain language without the manual.
- Can identify which internal band member it serves.
- Can describe one musical situation where it would be used.
- Has heard it in at least one recording or demonstration.
Level 2 — Guided Execution
- Can execute cleanly with reference at 50–60 BPM or below.
- Can hear whether a repetition is correct.
- Has completed one full visualization SOP pass.
- Clean execution rate: 3 of 4 attempts at this tempo.
Level 3 — Slow Recall
- Can retrieve from memory without reference at 50–60 BPM.
- Verified on Day 1 review (24-hour gap).
- Can vocalize or sing it before playing.
- 3 of 4 attempts without hesitation exceeding 5 seconds.
Level 4 — Musical Use
- Can apply over a backing track or vamp for a complete form.
- Lands in time in 3 of 4 musical passes.
- Sounds musical, not like an exercise.
- Verified across two separate sessions.
Level 5 — Adaptive Use
- Can state two conditions where it helps; two where it would be too much.
- In a recorded pass, appears and disappears based on musical conditions.
- Has demonstrated active restraint.
- Can explain each deployment/withholding decision in PDC terms.
Level 6 — Integration
- Uses spontaneously in improvised play without deliberate recall.
- Combines in real time with at least two other AMF systems.
- Transfers to a new key, groove, or genre without re-learning.
- Monthly maintenance recovers full use within 5 minutes.
Next review date: ____________________________________
Notes:
11. Definition of Done: Worked Examples
Example 1: TPS Dominant 7 Color — Level 3 DoD
Skill: TPS — Dominant 7 Color (minor triad on 3, creating a b7 against the root)
AMF System: TPS (Triad Placement System) / Keyboardist/Harmonist
Current Level: 3 (Slow Recall)
Level 3 DoD — specific to this skill:
- Can identify the correct triad shape for a dominant 7 color from any given root, without reference, within 5 seconds: "If the root is G, I place a B minor triad."
- Can play the voicing on piano in closed position from any of the 5 most common guitar/blues roots (G, C, D, A, E) at 60 BPM without reference.
- Can play the voicing on guitar in at least one string-set position from any of those same roots at 60 BPM.
- Can sing the color before playing: hears the b7 sound in their head before touching the instrument.
- Verified on Day 1 review after initial learning session: can recall without prompting.
- Can name the sound: "It creates a bluesy, dominant 7 color — warm, slightly tense, resolving."
Not yet required at Level 3:
- Musical placement in real time (Level 4)
- Choosing when to use it vs. withhold it (Level 5)
Example 2: Rhythm Cell — 3+3+2 Feel — Level 4 DoD
Skill: Rhythm Cell — 3+3+2 (eight-eighth-note subdivision divided as 3+3+2)
AMF System: Rhythm Cell System / Drummer
Current Level: 4 (Musical Use)
Level 4 DoD — specific to this skill:
- Can clap the 3+3+2 cell consistently against a metronome at 70–80 BPM for 8 bars without losing the subdivision.
- Can strum or mute the cell on guitar against a backing track (blues or funk groove) for a complete 12-bar form without stopping.
- Can play the cell as a comping pattern on piano (root + chord stab) through a I–IV–V form at a musical tempo.
- The cell feels like groove, not like a math exercise. A listener would recognize it as rhythmic intention, not as a practice drill.
- Verified across two separate sessions at least 24 hours apart.
- Can vocalize the cell (mouth percussion or "da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da" with the correct groupings) while playing a root note — confirming the cell is internalized in the body, not just in the hands.
Not yet required at Level 4:
- Choosing when to simplify or withhold the cell based on musical density (Level 5)
Example 3: PDC Role Awareness — Restraint Decision — Level 5 DoD
Skill: PDC — Role-Based Restraint (choosing silence or simplicity over activity when the music does not need contribution)
AMF System: PDC (Perceive, Diagnose, Contribute) / Lead Singer/Bandleader
Current Level: 5 (Adaptive Use)
Level 5 DoD — specific to this skill:
- Can state, before playing, at least three specific musical conditions that call for restraint: e.g., "If the vocal is active, if the groove is already dense, if the previous phrase has not resolved yet."
- In a recorded 12-bar pass over a blues backing track with vocals, there is at least one full phrase (4 bars) where the learner intentionally plays nothing or plays only a root note — and can identify this moment and explain it: "The vocal was rising in that section; my fill would have competed with it."
- In a second recorded pass with a different track (different density), the restraint behavior changes appropriately: the learner contributes more when the texture is sparse, less when it is full.
- Can listen to a recording of a professional musician making restraint decisions (e.g., a comp guitarist during a vocal verse) and identify the same PDC mechanism: "They stayed out there because the vocal needed the space."
- Has not confused restraint with fear: can distinguish between "I am not playing because the music does not need it" and "I am not playing because I am unsure what to do." The first is Level 5. The second is still Level 3.
12. Progress Tracking Guidance
Tracking Multiple Skills Simultaneously
In practice, the learner will have many skills at different levels simultaneously. This is normal and expected. The following principles govern how to manage a multi-skill practice system.
How many skills to advance at once:
- New concepts should enter at Level 1–2 one or two at a time. Attempting to install five new skills in a week prevents any of them from reaching Level 3.
- The review schedule creates natural spacing. While a new skill is being installed (Levels 1–3), older skills are being maintained and advanced through scheduled review.
- A typical week might include: one skill in active installation (Levels 1–3), two to three skills in musical use practice (Level 4), one skill being pushed toward Adaptive Use (Level 5), and several skills in spaced maintenance review.
The novelty trap: The most common failure mode in self-directed music learning is the novelty trap — abandoning a skill at Level 2 or 3 to chase a new concept that feels more exciting. The review schedule and level definitions are the primary defenses against this. A skill that has not reached Level 4 is not installed; it is a fragment that will fade.
When to advance: Advance when the current level is stable — not when the learner is bored with it, and not when perfection has been achieved. Stability means meeting the Definition of Done criteria consistently across two to three practice sessions, not just once.
When to stay: Stay at the current level when:
- The DoD criteria are not met in most sessions.
- Execution becomes less reliable after a 24-hour gap.
- Musical application falls apart when conditions change.
- The learner notices they are executing on autopilot — the skill feels rote but not musical.
Autopilot practice at Level 4 is a signal to push toward Level 5, not to continue Level 4 repetition indefinitely.
When to reset: If a concept that was at Level 4 or higher has clearly faded — the learner cannot recall it without significant effort, or musical use has become inconsistent — reset the review schedule and spend a session at Level 2–3 before returning to musical use. Resetting is not failure; it is the review schedule working correctly.
Handling Skills at Different Levels
| Skill Status | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Newly introduced (Level 1) | One focused installation session; schedule Day 1 review |
| In active encoding (Level 2) | Slow practice sessions; prioritize cleanliness over tempo |
| Stabilizing in memory (Level 3) | Daily recall checks; verify Day 1 and Day 3 reviews |
| In musical use (Level 4) | Regular musical application; vary context across sessions |
| At adaptive use (Level 5) | Include in PDC practice; record and diagnose decisions |
| Integrated (Level 6) | Monthly maintenance; combine with other systems |
| Fading unexpectedly | Reset schedule; spend one session at Level 2–3 |
| Stalled (not progressing) | Identify which DoD criterion is failing; address that specifically |
The Weekly Level Audit
At the end of each week, briefly review the current level of each active skill. This should take 5 minutes.
For each skill, ask:
- Did I verify this level this week, or am I assuming it?
- Is the DoD criterion clearly met, or am I being generous with myself?
- What is the next step: more practice at this level, advance, or schedule a review?
The audit is not about judgment. It is about keeping the practice system honest and preventing concepts from living at a level they have not actually earned.
13. The Multi-Dimensional DoD Checklist
Every AMF skill, regardless of level, can be assessed across seven dimensions. This checklist can be applied at any level to identify which aspect of the skill is weakest and needs the most attention.
| Dimension | Question | What Failure Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Can I perform it slowly and cleanly without unnecessary tension? | Hesitation, wrong notes, physical tension, inconsistency |
| Cognitive | Can I explain it simply? | Requires the manual; cannot put it in plain language; confuses it with similar concepts |
| Auditory | Can I hear or recognize the sound/feel difference? | Cannot sing it; cannot recognize it in a recording; cannot hear errors in own playing |
| Visual | Can I picture it away from the instrument? | No mental image of the keyboard/fretboard; cannot pre-visualize the motion |
| Musical | Can I use it in at least one musical environment? | Falls apart over a backing track; loses the groove; sounds like a drill, not music |
| PDC | Can I decide when it helps and when it does not? | Uses it reflexively; cannot name a situation where it would be too much |
| Review | Can I retrieve it after a spaced delay? | Strong on Day 0, gone on Day 3; requires re-learning after a short gap |
How to use this checklist: Identify which dimension is failing. That dimension is the practice focus for the next session — not the technical execution (which is what most learners default to practicing).
For example: if Technical is strong and Auditory is weak, the next session should center on listening and singing, not more physical repetition. If PDC is weak, the next session should center on a recording exercise where the learner practices making and explaining deployment decisions.
The dimension that is hardest to practice is usually the one the learner most needs to work on.