Tonic 🤝 Exam prep

Now that we’re midway through the year, exam season is officially here. And if you’re on Tonic, chances are you’re getting ready for one.

I remember that chapter of my life well. My parents weren’t musicians, but like many immigrant families, they wanted to give me every opportunity they didn’t have. Music became one of those opportunities—a way to build discipline, confidence, and structure. But without a roadmap, they leaned on the systems that were already in place. One of those was the music exam system.

I won't lie, it was rough. I really went all in—Licentiate of Music in violin, Associate of Music in piano, theory grade 6. I know what it’s like to spend months preparing, repeating the same passage over and over, hoping it’s enough, and so I have a lot of empathy for the ambitious young musicians going through it now.

While the process may have changed, the core challenges haven’t:

• The pressure of exam day
• The isolation of practicing alone
• The uncertainty of “am I actually ready to perform?”
• And that constant, quiet question: "is this enough?"

If you're going through this now, we want you to know you're not alone! Tonic was built to build you up in key moments like these.

To reach those currently preparing for exams, we're announcing a first-of-its-kind partnership with The Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada. We hope that Tonic will provide not just the practice tools, but also the structure, motivation, and community everyone needs to feel confident walking into exam day. 🎉 And because we love making practice rewarding (and fun), we’re kicking things off with something special: an in-person Ray Chen Meet & Greet at the RCM itself.

For RCM students

If you're in the RCM program and located in Toronto, keep an eye out on your inbox. RCM will be sending out a special invite to join the official RCM group ("The Official RCM") on Tonic.

Once you’re in, all you need to do is complete a 5-day practice streak by June 12th and you’ll be entered into a raffle to attend a private Ray Chen Meet & Greet at the Royal Conservatory itself.

And yes—I’m personally handing out prizes. 🎁

I can’t wait to meet you in person, celebrate the hard work you’ve been putting in, and give you a little extra to help you keep going. This is just the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Tonic and music exam boards like RCM—because you deserve to feel supported on your journey, especially in those big milestone moments.

A mini guide on navigating the app
(if you don't already have it!)—see screenshots below

1. Open the special link in your email on your mobile device to download Tonic. When you open the app, you'll get to this screen.

2. Create an account by inputting your age, name and email.
3. Go through the short profile creation steps.
4. After the Notifications set up screen, you will see an announcement letting you know that you have been added to the private RCM group (see below for screenshot).

5. You can always check out the group from your Activity tab (the little bell icon on the far right), or from the Navigation bar from the Home tab (see below for screenshot).

6. When you're ready, start your first practice studio from the Home tab (the modern house icon on the far left on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, see below for screenshot). Just tap on the grey Open my studio button. Finishing your first practice session will unlock your personal dashboard where you can track your progress.

7. Complete your profile so others know a little more about you—just tap the round profile icon in the top lefthand corner of the screen from the Home tab to open the navigation shelf. Tap the blue text underneath your name to get to the Profile screen. (see below for screenshot).

8. When you're not practicing, we invite you to listen to others perform and practice. Just tap the Live now tab (the moving music visualizer icon with the number—this number tells you how many people are currently practicing live).

Explore the app and enjoy!