Mental Practice Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide for Musicians
As a musician, not all of your practice will be on your instrument. Some of it will be in your head, and some of it may even be on objects that just look like your instrument. We call this mental practice, and in this excerpt from Barbara LaFitte’s Practicing Techniques for Musicians course, the principal oboist in the Boston Ballet Orchestra shares tips on how to practice your instrument when you just aren’t able to actually play your instrument.
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Horror Music from ‘The Shining’ Main Title Explained
In many ways, the idea of using twentieth-century concert music to elicit fear and suspense in film was pioneered by The Shining. In this excerpt from Ben Newhouse’s Music Composition for Film and TV 1 course, you’ll examine melody, tone color, tempo and rhythm, harmony, and time associations from the main title sequence of the movie.
A Film Composer’s Guide to the Movie Set: Directors, Producers, Writers, and More!
In this excerpt from Berklee Online’s Film Scoring 101 you’ll get a sense of who does what on a movie set, whether it’s a director, producer, writer, or composer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How to Prepare a Setlist
Setlists are essential for organizing and structuring a performance, ensuring that your music flows smoothly from one song to another, and energizes the audience. In this excerpt from the Berklee Online course Jazz Singing 201, authored by Patrice Williamson, you’ll learn how to prepare a successful setlist with her tried-and-true practices that will take your audience where you want them to go.
Ear Training Exercises to Help You Become a Better Musician
In these ear training videos, we uncover key exercises to help you develop your inner hearing: conducting in 6/8, singing the root, and identifying chords.
