Rubric - Electric Guitar (Jazz) Audition Rubric

A traditional 4-level, 100-point jazz electric guitar audition rubric scoring hand technique and tone, chord voicings and harmony, swing feel and comping rhythm, articulation, and improvisation.
4 - Exceeds Expectation 3 - Meets Expectation 2 - Approaching Expectation 1 - Below Expectation
Standards, Comping, Chord Melody & Solo
100%
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Hand Technique & Tone
20%
20 Points
Warm, round archtop tone with fully controlled picking, fingerstyle and muting; attack is even and intentional throughout....
15 Points
Good jazz tone and consistent attack; one technique is slightly less refined....
10 Points
Tone is bright or inconsistent for the idiom; attack varies and unwanted noise intrudes....
0 Points
Tone and technique are unsuited to the idiom and cannot be controlled....
Chord Voicings & Harmonic Accuracy
20%
20 Points
Rich, voice-led drop-2 and drop-3 voicings with full command of extensions, alterations and substitutions....
15 Points
Correct, idiomatic voicings with clear harmonic understanding; voice leading could be smoother....
10 Points
Voicings are basic or misapplied; altered harmony produces wrong notes....
0 Points
Cannot realize the changes; voicings are incorrect or absent....
Swing Feel, Time & Comping Rhythm
20%
20 Points
Irresistible swing with rhythmically inventive comping that breathes with the soloist; time is impeccable....
15 Points
Convincing swing and steady time; comping rhythm is solid but somewhat repetitive....
10 Points
Swing feel is stiff, comping is metronomic or intrusive, and time drifts....
0 Points
No swing feel and comping cannot function within the ensemble....
Dynamics, Articulation & Note Length
20%
20 Points
Articulation and note length are idiomatic and varied; dynamics are finely graded and always serve the ensemble....
15 Points
Appropriate articulation and clear dynamic contrast....
10 Points
Articulation is uniform and dynamics stay flat....
0 Points
No control of articulation, note length, or dynamics....
Improvisation, Vocabulary & Style
20%
20 Points
Solos are melodic, harmonically sophisticated and form-aware, with a deep and personal jazz vocabulary....
15 Points
Competent, musical solos with clear form awareness and idiomatic vocabulary....
10 Points
Solos are scalar or pattern-based and lose the form....
0 Points
No usable improvisation or jazz vocabulary....