Music · Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA)
IB Music IA Grader
Upload your Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA) and get criterion-by-criterion feedback against the IB assessment criteria in the official IB Music internal assessment (experimenting with music) criteria A and C — the written rationale and commentary for creating and performing (first assessment 2022). Criteria B and D (the practical excerpts, 16 of the 28 marks) are audio and are not graded in this review. Whether you are at Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), iBacalao shows where your draft meets the mark scheme and what to improve before formative submission. Free to start in the Mac app; sign-in is required to keep reviews and usage limits tied to your account.
IB assessment criteria — 12 marks total
Your Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA) is graded against 2 criteria in the official mark scheme. iBacalao scores each one and tells you exactly where to gain marks.
Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Creating
A purposeful rationale for the creating experiments that justifies the choice of source material, contexts and areas of inquiry, and a commentary that explains the experimentation process and the musical decision-making with clear reference to the excerpts.
Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Performing
A purposeful rationale for the performing experiments that justifies the choice of source material, contexts and areas of inquiry, and a commentary that explains the experimentation process and the musical decision-making with clear reference to the excerpts.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most frequent reasons students drop marks on each criterion.
Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Creating
- Rationale that describes the music chosen but never justifies the choice
- Commentary narrates what was done without the musical reasoning
- No reference to the specific excerpts (timings, bars) in upload 2
- Contexts/areas of inquiry never identified for the stimuli
Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Performing
- Rationale recycled from the creating section without performing-specific justification
- Decisions stated ("I changed the tempo") without the musical why
- Excerpts never referenced with timings
- Experiments stay inside familiar music (no local/global stretch)
Common questions
How is the IB Music Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA) marked?
Your Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA) is marked against 2 criteria totalling 12 marks using the official IB Music internal assessment (experimenting with music) criteria A and C — the written rationale and commentary for creating and performing (first assessment 2022). Criteria B and D (the practical excerpts, 16 of the 28 marks) are audio and are not graded in this review: Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Creating (/6), Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Performing (/6). Each criterion has its own mark bands, and your teacher's marks are moderated by the IBO.
What are the most common mistakes in the IB Music Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA)?
The two criteria worth the most marks are where students lose the most. On Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Creating: Rationale that describes the music chosen but never justifies the choice; Commentary narrates what was done without the musical reasoning. On Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Performing: Rationale recycled from the creating section without performing-specific justification; Decisions stated ("I changed the tempo") without the musical why. The full list for every criterion is above.
Which criterion is worth the most marks in the IB Music Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA)?
The highest-weighted criterion is "Rationale and Commentary for Musical Experiments in Creating" and is worth 6 marks. The top mark band for this criterion is the most detailed, so missing any element it mentions is the fastest way to lose marks.
What is the word limit for the Music Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA)?
Word and page limits for the Experimentation report (Experimenting with Music IA) are set in the official IB Music internal assessment (experimenting with music) criteria A and C — the written rationale and commentary for creating and performing (first assessment 2022). Criteria B and D (the practical excerpts, 16 of the 28 marks) are audio and are not graded in this review rather than being the same across subjects, so check your subject guide for the exact figure. Going over the limit risks examiners stopping at the limit and not marking what follows.
Can I use AI to help with my Music IA?
The IBO allows AI for research support and feedback, but the submitted work must be entirely your own. iBacalao gives criterion-by-criterion feedback on your draft — the same kind of comment your teacher would give — without generating any text for your IA.