A man with a plaid shirt sits at a mic in a recording studio, presumably to record a guitar part for a song he is hoping to one day land a sync licensing deal with.

Sync Licensing Success for Songwriters

Music for advertising is much like other types of custom songwriting: if you want to win the game, you must know the rules of that game. Once I figured out what game I was actually playing, I started to have success with sync licensing.

The tragedy and comedy masks with a red curtain backdrop.

Musical Theater: A Brief History

In this excerpt from David Valdes’ Script Analysis for Theater course, learn a brief history of musical theater as well as common structure and themes in musicals.

A professional video camera filming a concert

Cinematography Basics: Live Concerts, Music Videos, and Film

In this excerpt from Tal Lazar’s Berklee Online course Introduction to Digital Cinematography, learn about cinematography as it relates to live concerts, music videos, and film.

A man plays common chord progression on an acoustic guitar.

Common Chord Progressions and How to Make Them Your Own

Songwriting is an art form that requires creativity, imagination, and an understanding of music theory, but if we’re being honest, there’s also a degree of “fake it ‘til you make it.” And with that approach in mind, one technique you could try is to utilize classic chord progressions to write your own.

A woman plays a video game.

Video Game Design and the Playcentric Approach

In video game design, the playcentric approach puts the player experience at the center of the design process. Read why this matters in this course excerpt from Lori Landay’s Game Design Principles course.

Two songwriters work together to write topline for a song.

What is Topline Songwriting?

Topline is a specialized niche of songwriting where the focus is on melody, lyrics, and performance over a preexisting track/beat/sonic structure. Learn a bit of history of how the craft of topline has become a significant role in the creative space of the music industry.

A picture of a heart inside the strings of an acoustic guitar, showcasing the love that Berklee Online instructors have for guitar.

Best Guitar Songs—According to Berklee Online Faculty

We polled members of the Guitar Department at Berklee on the guitar-based songs they love the most. Some of the usual suspects are there—Hendrix and Van Halen, etc.—but you may be surprised by some of the songs that strike a chord with your instructors, including some acoustic picks!

A kitchen timer set to 25 minutes with a backdrop of tomatoes.

Pomodoro Technique and Your Music Practice Routine

There is a very well-known technique called the “Pomodoro Technique” that can help us stay focused and beat fatigue while we practice music. “Pomodoro” is Italian for tomato. Yes, we’re going to improve our efficiency one tomato at a time. Let’s explore how you can incorporate the Pomodoro Technique into your practice routine.

A voice leading paradigm showcases how musical notes switch on a musical staff.

Voice Leading Paradigms for Harmony in Music Composition

These voice leading examples provide guidelines to help you learn how to compose so each voice moves smoothly from note to note, while you create rich harmonic changes.

A young music-lover studies music business law.

Music Business Law Facts Every Musician Needs to Know

You’re more likely to pave a successful professional career in the music industry for yourself when you understand the basics of music business and music law. In this article, we’re going to get into some music business law fundamentals you should know first.