Sound engineer Toby Francis stands at the console, mixing front of house for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Sound Engineer Toby Francis on Working FOH for Ariana, Aerosmith, Kanye, and More

Toby Francis wrote his Berklee Online sound engineering course between front-of-house gigs for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In this extensive discussion he shares tales that were a little too gritty for the course.

Discover

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.

Music History Courses that Will Make You a Better Musician

Learn how Berklee Online’s music history courses like Music History of the Western World, Art History, and Rock History will make you a better musician.

Learn how to write a killer song hook.

How to Write Killer Song Hooks

Great song hooks break boundaries surrounding genre, generational listening preferences, and longevity. Here are five characteristics to consider when writing a hook.

Prince Charles Alexander on Hip-Hop and Recording the Notorious B.I.G.

Prince Charles Alexander may have engineered some of the most iconic rap recordings of the ’90s, but it wasn’t until he listened to the Notorious B.I.G. that he realized how much it mattered.

Marlon Williams on Finding American Country Music in New Zealand

In the US, you probably know Marlon Williams for his contribution to the “Wild Wild Country” soundtrack. But in New Zealand, you know him for his consistent output of great music since his teen years.

Commercial Appeal

The music industry is in such rough shape that some of your favorite bands have resorted to selling automobiles.