Fender Stratocaster is shown, showcasing the middle pickup, which Mark Hopkins says is a hidden secret!

Fender Stratocaster Guitar Pickups Secret: The Magic of the Middle

If you own a Fender Stratocaster, you’ve probably already delved into the differences between the pickups. But listening to the tone of most guitarists you see playing a Strat, you’ll notice that the middle is probably the most overlooked pickup. Here is what makes it so special.

A person playing acoustic guitar.

Acoustic Guitar Techniques to Move Past Beginner Level

To get your acoustic guitar sounding like Joni Mitchell’s, Nick Drake’s, James Taylor’s, and Lindsey Buckingham’s, here are three acoustic guitar techniques that you can start practicing today.

Two professionals conducting an informational interview

Informational Interviews: How They Can Help Your Job Search

If you’re wanting to tap into informational interviews as a way to expand your network, and even land a job in your desired field, here are some tips pulled straight from Peter Spellman’s “Career and Job Success in the Music Industry” course.

A drummer plays a beat as a vocalist sings.

Singers, Here’s How to Talk to Your Band about Grooves

As a band leader or singer with professional ambitions, being able to describe the sounds we hear in music is crucial. In this course excerpt, Ashlee Varner provides a guide to discussing grooves.

Woman with headphones on writing a song

Berklee Online Launches New Masterclass Series in February 2023

With Berklee Online’s new Masterclass series, students can experience the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music in a one-time, two-hour long live session led by a Berklee instructor for just $99.

Silly love songs: Two blank cassette tapes made to look like classic mixtapes from the 1980s are positioned together to make the shape of a heart

How to Write a Love Song

The key to a great love song is a specific yet universal message that feels like it’s about you and your special someone. This is how you achieve that.

Valentine's Gifts for Music Lovers

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Music Lovers

If your Valentine is a music lover, then what better way to show someone you care than by affirming their love for music and their favorite artists? Here are 10 Valentine’s Day gift ideas that offer a musical twist to some classic gift items.

Incarcerated students in a classroom

Berklee Online and BreakFree Education Collaborate to Offer Music Courses to Incarcerated Students

Music education is not a priority in US juvenile justice facilities, and BreakFree Education and Berklee Online are teaming up to try and change that.

Left: O.C.E. They Don’t Compare (distortion), Right: O.C.E. Wrench (fuzz)

Distortion and Fuzz Guitar Effect Pedals: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to guitar effects, most guitarists will begin their journey with distortion, fuzz, or overdrive. So what’s the difference? Guitarist and gear fanatic Mark Hopkins weighs in.

Marisa ‘Dynamyte’ Kouroubacalis, drummer in The Hip Hop Nutcracker

Disney’s ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ Features Marisa ‘Dynamyte’ Kouroubacalis

Marisa Kouroubacalis is a singer, songwriter, and drummer who goes by the artist name Dynamyte. Hear how this Berklee Online student landed a principal role in “The Hip Hop Nutcracker,” streaming on Disney+ November 25.