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.

Members of Berklee Online’s graduating class head to Boston from around the world to attend Berklee College of Music’s 2023 Commencement ceremony. Read the stories of seven stand-out graduates who are celebrating the hard work that led to this milestone.

We polled members of the Drum Department at Berklee on the drum grooves they love the most. Some of the usual suspects are there—Ringo and Bonzo—but some of their choices may surprise you. Drumroll, please! …

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.

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.

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!

Aarya Mehta gave herself the “Amazing Aarya” moniker when she was starting her YouTube music channel in ninth grade. With her achievements, she continues to live up to that name.

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.

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.