Elvis Presley, pictured here in uniform, was assigned to the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, West Germany.

Beyond Elvis: 15 Musicians Who Served in the Military

Explore the surprising military backgrounds of some of music’s biggest stars. From Elvis to Jimi to Sturgill, we take you through the journeys of legends who swapped their stage clothes for uniforms—like Shaggy in the Marine Corps and Johnny Cash decoding Soviet messages—before (and sometimes while) making their marks on the music world.

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A group of instruments that a musician might use for music composition, including keyboard violin, horn, and clarinet.

Music Composition Major Unveiled at Berklee Online

Berklee Online is launching a new Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition degree, alongside three new minors: Music Production and Recording, Music Industry Entrepreneurship, and Film and Media Scoring.

An array of different musical instruments are pictured, showcasing which ones you might use if you are arranging a song.

What is Arranging in Music? 8 Courses to Help You Get Started

Before you learn how to write a musical arrangement—and start to figure out what kind of arranging course you might want to take—you must first understand what arranging is. Here is a primer!

Berklee Onsite 2024 logo

Berklee Online Holds 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1

On May 31-June 1, Berklee Online will hold its seventh annual Berklee Onsite conference at the Berklee College of Music campus in Boston. Berklee Onsite 2024 is two days of workshops, panels, performances, and networking events, open to Berklee Online students and the music community at large.

A white music staff over a black background with two lightsabers making an X through it.

John Williams and the Music of ‘Star Wars’

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the career of John Williams in the history and evolution of film music. In honor of Star Wars Day on May 4 (may the fourth be with you), we’ll explore how John Williams and his music became such an essential aspect of the beloved franchise.

A VU meter on a stereo console shows the levels of a song when audio mastering techniques have been executed.

Music Mastering Techniques from the Pros

In music mastering, our ears, loudspeakers, and room acoustics play pivotal roles in shaping what we perceive as quality sound. In this excerpt from the Berklee Online course Audio Mastering Techniques, professors Marc-Dieter Einstmann and Jonathan Wyner discuss the importance of these three components.

A woman plays piano, hypothetically working out major and minor modal scales.

Music Modes: Major and Minor Modal Scales in Music Theory

As we remember Paul Schmeling, the author of the first Berklee Online course, we share this insightful lesson on mastering the major and minor music modes with this excerpt from his course, Music Theory 301: Advanced Melody, Harmony, Rhythm.

Matt Rollings at a piano

Pianist Matt Rollings: How to Be a Session Musician People Want to Hire

Grammy-winning producer, pianist, and songwriter Matt Rollings shares what it takes to be a successful session musician, including what to charge and when to say yes or no to a project. He also shares how his recording career took off after he said yes to a young Lyle Lovett. 

Music producer sitting at their home studio setup

Home Studio: Recording Equipment Basics

There is an extraordinary range of affordable tools that make it possible for most musicians to produce their own music from a home studio. The goal of this article—and the Berklee Online course it comes from—is to familiarize you with the basic equipment and techniques used in electronic music production.

Psychoacoustics in Music Production course author Susan Rogers is pictured in a burgundy blazer.

WATCH: ‘This is What it Sounds Like’ Author Susan Rogers Berklee Onsite 2023 Keynote Address

In this keynote address from Berklee Onsite 2023, famed recording engineer Susan Rogers implores music makers to think more about their listeners, using science and statistics to back it up!