Music Student 101

Once you've written a theme, or a main melody, there are a number of ways you can develop it and organize it into your overall piece. Repetition, transposition, expansion, contraction, augmentation, diminution, fragmentation, variation and melodic sequences are just a few of the many ways this can be achieved. Let's, listen!

What makes scary music scary? We can only SPOOKULATE! Join us as we examine some well known scary scores in the classic music and cinematic genres. We will discuss some reoccurring themes, such as the dreaded "Dies Irae". We will discuss reoccurring intervals, such as the minor 2nd and the tritone. Grab your pop corn and maybe don't listen all by yourself. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Does listening to music make you more productive? Does it elevate your mood and help you get through your chores. Many have asked this question. Many have researched the answer. Let us discuss!

Moving forward in our discussion of form and analysis, we will dig deep into the rondo form. We will listen to a popular example, Fur Elise, and yap about the form in real time. Ready your theory brains! 

Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is a crucial skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will focus on the Aeolian mode (a.k.a. the natural minor scale). Tune in and tune your ears!

Continuing our discussion from episode 106, we will find yet more ways to alter chords. We will listen to non-dominant, extended tertian chords. We will marvel at the common tone diminished chord. We will revisit linear chromaticism and reckon with the appoggiatura chord. Finally, we will ponder a few good simultaneities!

Once again, the students become the teachers! There's so much talent among our listeners, we simply must feature it. So, get ready to listen and discuss! This episode will feature the original music of: Treybien/Alex, Gerald P. David, Linda Felcone, Rev. Jack Ladybird, Adam Hayes, Kara Ciezki and Andersonlane

Resuming from the previous episode, it's time to top off our discussion on reading music. We're going to take it back to the basics with the clefs, the lines and spaces of the staves, the notes they represent and some methods for grouping them. We'll also cover the notes and rests, their symbols, and the time values they represent. Finally, we'll cover some dynamics, tempo and form indicators that we may have missed in past episodes!

Continuing our discussion from episode 88, we will dig deeper into extended tertian harmonies from a theory perspective with the 9th, 11th and 13th chords. We will listen to chords with substituted 6ths and raised and flatted 5ths. We will discuss how they work in traditional, and in not so traditional, ways!

Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is a crucial skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will focus on the Dorian mode and some of the chords that compliment it. It has one small difference from the minor scale, or Aeolean mode. Let's listen!

If you love to play music, you probably love the idea of recording. Once you plug in, or approach the microphone, you may find some of these effects to be a great help. With dynamics, such as compression, limiting and gate, you can tame your volume levels. With equalization (EQ), you can add or subtract frequencies to better shape your sounds. And with reverb, to can add depth and dimension to an otherwise sterile sound by adding the reflections that would otherwise occur in large spaces.

Today's most widely used tuning system is equal temperament. It sounds great to our ears. But it is a compromise! Musicians and mathematicians have always struggled finding tuning systems that didn't compromise the pure tones provided within the natural harmonic series. On this episode, we will discuss these struggles and the systems that arose from this effort: just tuning, Pythagorean tuning, meantone tuning, well temperament and equal temperament!

Follow along as we delve into enharmonic spellings and reinterpretation and the various reasons why they are necessary. We will also demonstrate some great ways to use these reinterpretations for some snappy modulations to far away places!

It is time for us to give a listener to another round of fantastic listener compositions! They work hard, that we may listen hard! So let's listen! This episode will feature the original music of: Michael Chapman, Pasi Pasiaala, Dane Howard, Melody Brook Gibson, Adam House and Stefan Jacques

This episode is truly a celebration of how far we've come on the show and how far you've come in the theory sequence! We will discuss songs we've written for our pets. We will catch you up with our own projects and talk about the future of the podcast! Finally, we will hear some outtakes from previous shows. Don't worry, it's still a family friendly episode thanks to my censor guitar!

We've almost said everything we can about the fully diminished 7th chord. ALMOST! In this episode we will explore this versatile chord and its many possibilities. We will hear it's use as a secondary leading tone chord (viiº7 of), as a modulatory technique, as a chain of viiº7 chords and as a counterpuntal element. Enjoy our chatter on this extraordinary chord!

Continuing where episode 73 left off, this episode will review our previous discussions on diatonic chords and secondary functions. We will now add the secondary seven of III (viiº/III) and seven of VI (viiº/VI) chords. Listen for the chord qualities and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher these chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

It's time to further our discussion of women composers! Continuing where we left of on episode 81, we will now cover several influential female composers from the Baroque and Classical periods.

On episode 95, we began a discussion on orchestration for the string section and it's instruments: the bass, the cello, the viola and the violin. We will now continue this discussion with a focus on techniques for fingering and bowing, the terms involved, and a bit more detail on the instruments themselves!

Orchestration is the art of choosing the right instruments, and the proper balance thereof, for a composition. Different considerations go into conveying different moods and emotions to better tell the story. The string section is often the most utilized. So well will focus on it's instruments: the contra bass, the cello, the viola and the violin!

We don't show enough love to our good horn section and other brass players! We're going to start making that right with a discussion on the general care and maintenance for the tuba, trombone, euphonium, horns, trumpet and other brass instruments! We will discuss their mechanics, routine cleaning suggestions and how to keep them sounding shiny and brassy!

We've familiarized ourselves with the building blocks of a form, such as motives, phrases and periods. We have delved into small forms, such as binary and ternary. Now it's time to think a little bigger. It's time to talk about the sonata form and it's basic elements: the exposition, the development and the racapitulation.

In this episode, we are going to take a moment to address an issue that many of us must reckon with: staying creative during difficult times. We are going to share some of our experiences, based mainly on the Covid-19 social distancing guidelines. We will hear from some of our listeners who have been so kind to share their own stories. We will also discuss a few articles on the topic. Enjoy and be well!

Once more, our listeners have bared their souls and shared their own original music. Let us listen! This episode will feature the original music of: Badrinarayan Rammohan, Eamon Kelly, Jerome Chapman, Sharli Azulai and Keith Andrews.

In this episode, we will be meeting more new listeners and discussing more music topics! We're going to give a little tease of an up and coming episode on form and analysis, by discussing the sonata form. We'll meet two mothers who are continuing their music education while being rock star moms! Furthermore, we will cover some good sight reading tips and we'll hear a fantastic submission for our "Locrian Challenge"!

Continuing our “shelter in place video series”, the content of this 2nd video is now available for our good podcast listeners. We will find some good acronyms for the diatonic modes. We will discuss some of these modes and we might pick on Locrian for a bit. We will give also show a little more love to the minor diatonic chords and dissect a classic rock favorite. We hope you enjoy! 

In efforts to keep this show going, while sheltering in place, we have decided to launch a mini series of videos to share on social media and other video platforms. But for you, our good LISTENERS, it seemed fitting to release the audio of these videos! In this episode, we will tackle diatonic and non diatonic (chromatic) substitutions. We will also discuss our composition processes and what inspired them. Enjoy this series while we work on the next step forward!

It's time we had a chat with some more musicians! Most of our bumper tracks for this show have really come together thanks to the efforts and talents of Brian Maloy (drums) and Jerome Chapman (guitar). Let's get to know them as we discuss their beginnings, some of their favorite bumper tracks and what music has done for them.

Having covered the origins of the blues, in Pt.1 of this series, it's time to dig in to the genres that emerged from these origins during the early stages of the blues. Join us, as we discuss country blues and delta blues, the styles involved and the musicians that continued to make this such a popular genre.

Dive with us, face first, into chromaticism with this discussion on extended and altered chords. We will make sure we're well acquainted with the concept of suspended ("sus") chords and added ("add") chords. This will prepare us for an ongoing exploration of altered chords. We will also compare the use of these chords, in classical theory, to their rolls in the jazz and pop music genres!

For some reason, creative types are often drawn to mind altering substances. Musicians have been no exception. In this episode we will discuss the lure towards nicotine, alcohol, marijuana and hallucinogenic influences. We will discuss their effects and some of the risks involved. We will also share some stories of those who have fallen to, and those who survived, some of the dangers that come along with this lifestyle.

It's time to get a little out of step with time! Syncopation is a technique that can add more color and interest to your rhythms. In this episode, we will define syncopation, give some examples and share some stories where we've been challenged by this composition technique.

In episode 65, we discussed the Italian, French and German augmented sixth (+6) chords and their main functions. In this episode, we'll dig a little deeper into these chords and talk about some other functions and placement options that can really add color to your chord progressions!

When you learn or write a melody, you may want to add some harmonic textures to it. In this episode, we will learn a melody. We will write harmonies that move along with it in parallel motion. We will then find the chords that suit it best. Get ready to know harmony better!

We talk a good bit about theory, ear training and history. But let's talk about you and your craft. The only way to get better at playing your instrument, ear training and theory is to practice like crazy! In this episode, we will focus on how to practice more efficiently and effectively. Let's get to work!

Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is an important skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will focus on the Mixolydian mode. It has one small difference from the major scale, or Ionian mode. Let's listen!

Our discussion on the significance of women in music history is well overdue! Join us on this series as we highlight some of the notable female composers, from the advent of recorded music history!

Everyone enjoyed our last listener compositions episode so much, we decided to make this a regular thing. Our listeners have bared their souls. Let's listen! This episode will feature the original music of: Cody M. Gibson, Ray Parker, Alex O' Hagan, Seth Hammonds, Paul Olsen, Chris Waite and Scott Jackson.

Picking up from where we left off on episode 71, we will now further our discussion on modulation to distantly related keys. The focus, on this show, will be the use of chromatic mediants!

Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is an important skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will share some tips and get right in to some examples. Ready your ears and get ready to explore the major scale!

In part 1 of this series, we heard an original song (by one of our own listeners) for the first time. By the end of that episode, we put "Dewey and Dora" (by Keith Andrews) to paper with key and time signatures, tempo and a chord chart! Now it's time to round it out with lyrics and a melody, in proper lead sheet fashion!

It's time to talk about transcription. This is the process of translating what you can hear to something you, or another musician, can read. In part one of this series, we will break down "Dewey and Dora", by Keith Andrews (one of our talented listeners). We will figure out the key, the meter and the tempo and chart it down, in "lead sheet" fashion. We have a great song to work with and a great process to take you through as we put it down on paper!

Middle Ages music occurred roughly between the dates of 500-1400 CE. In this episode, we will mainly talk about monophony. We will discuss plain chant, Gregorian chant and the antiphon, as the common types of vocal music within the church. We will also cover some of the secular music, made popular by the troubadours, trouvères and Minnesängers. Climb inside our time machine!

Solfege has been used for centuries to help vocalists and music students acquaint vowel sounds with certain notes. In this episode, we will discuss solfege in major, minor and chromatic terms. We will also cover the two different kinds of solfege ("fixed do" and "movable do") and the advantages of these systems. Finally, we will address the Curwen Hand Signs and try some exercises that you might find useful.

Continuing where episode 63 left off, this episode will review our previous discussions on diatonic chords and secondary functions. We will now add the secondary seven of V and seven of ii (iiº) chords. Listen for the chord qualities and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher these chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

It's time to try something different, though "music-adjacent"! The Schumann resonances are the vibrations of the Earth's atmosphere. Some believe that if we tune our instruments to these resonances, using 432Hz as our tuning standard, our music will be more satisfactory and enhance our well being. Let's talk a little about the physics behind this and why it has become a topic of controversy!

Picking up from where we left off on episode 69, we will now learn how to modulate to distantly related keys using chords that are diatonic, or chromatic, in either key (or any combination thereof). Some pivot chords we will use to pull this off will include the German augmented 6 chord (Gr+6), the Neapolitan chord (N) and secondary seven diminished vii chord (viiº7 of ?). Let us invite a few more accidentals to the table, shall we? Join us!

We've long dreamed of having an episode dedicated entirely to showcasing the composing and songwriting talents of our listeners. Finally, the dream is alive! This episode will feature the original music of Marc McDowell, Eamon Kelly, Nancy Mitchell, Chris "Tex" Owen, Andersonlane, Don Ferguson, Jason LaRay Keener and Jon Magnusson Monreal.

Picking up from where we left off on episode 50, we will continue our discussion on modulation to closely related keys. We will talk about modulating to relative keys. We will discuss chromatic modulations, with and without pivot chords. We will also take on sequential and phrase modulation and we may get blind sided by a direct, or abrupt, modulation or two. Finally, we will take a moment to harmonize some modulating melodies!

When we compose for film or television, we have many considerations at hand. We want to accent the mood and the emotions involved in the picture. We want to do our part to tell the story. But we also have to make our client happy. Our special guest, Craig Brandwein, is here to answer some questions and share his experiences in the world of film composition.

The hexatonic scales are six note scales. In many cases we are simply adding a note to a pentatonic scale or deleting one from one of the seven modes. But there are other interesting possibilities: the blues scales, the whole tone scale, the augmented scale, the tritone scale and the elusive Prometheus scale. We will also create some of our own by combining triads. Let's listen!

Just like any instrument, your voice needs a great amount of care and attention in order to perform at it's peak potential. If you're a singer, a public speaker, a bartender or a cheerleader, you have to use your voice at loud volumes for extended amounts of time. Let's find out how to best accomplish this while keeping your voice strong and healthy.

The augmented 6th (+6) chord is a very tense predominant chord. Like most chromatic chords, it can add motion and color to your chord progressions. In this episode, we will discuss the 3 main types of augmented six chords: Italian, French and German.

It's about time to have a discussion about the blues! This can't be done, properly, in one episode. This episode will be the first of a few on the history of the blues. We'll go way back to origins of the African people, in America. We will learn of their struggles that resulted in this rich, emotional, honest and powerful music. This is the story of American music. We're going to take it back to the roots!

Continuing where episode 56 left off, this episode will review our previous discussions on diatonic chords and secondary dominants. We will now add the secondary dominants of the mediant and submediant (V/III, V/VI). Listen for the chord qualities and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

Playing an instrument and listening to music can have a variety of positive effects on children and adults alike. It can rewire your brain to better accomplish mental and physical tasks. What's a good way to get your children into music? What's the best instrument to start with? Let us discuss!

The Neapolitan chord and the Neapolitan Sixth chord add a very distinctive sound to a progression. You've heard it many times and you probably LOVED it. Now you're going to learn all about it! We will discuss how to build one, how it's used in a progression and we'll play a few examples you may recognize. This ain't just some boring ice cream favor. This is good music!

We wanted to end the year by letting us all get to know each other better. We're going to share some more of your stories and then a few of our own. We will also talk a little more about the genesis of this podcast, reveal some recording secrets and discuss where we want to go from here!

Composition is the art of simply creating music out of nowhere, from within, and organizing it into a finished piece. It can be an expression of what is going on with you emotionally. It can be an expression of something you've been inspired by, visually, sensually, socially, politically, or by other external sources. Either way, it all begins with you sitting down and taking the time to piece together a musical masterpiece. Let's talk about some of the processes involved, however simple or complex, with our own Matthew Scott Phillips!

We are bringing chromaticism to your doorstep! Today's special delivery? Mixed modes and borrowed chords! Learn how borrowing just two or three notes from a parallel key can allow for several new chords that can add intrigue to your progressions and help to smooth our your modulations.

Stringed instruments have a number of environmental and conditioning considerations that we need to be familiar with, if we want them to have a long and happy life. In this episode we will talk about the piano (really a percussion instrument but it does have many strings), the harp, the acoustic and electric guitars (along with other hollow-bodied and solid bodied, wooden instruments), the banjo and the symphony strings (bass, cello, viola and violin).

Continuing where episode 43 left off, this episode will review the previously discussed chords: I, II7, III, IV, V, VI and VII (in major and minor) and their inversions. We will now add some secondary dominants: (V/V, V/II). Listen for the chord qualities (major, minor, dominant 7th, minor 7th and diminished) and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

Just as you can use secondary dominant chords to aid in the movement to any diatonic chord, you can also use secondary leading tone chords for the same purpose. These chords can add intrigue, color and tension to any harmonic progression. We'll discuss how to identify them, how to spell them out and how to analyze them. Give them a listen. Give them a try.

The chord chart can be an essential tool for any musician, gigging or not. They allow you to get a lot more accomplished, in a lot less time, with your fellow musicians. In this episode, we're going to keep it simple but we're going to cover the three common types of chord charts. Get ready to learn about the lead sheet, the standard chord chart and the Nashville Number System.

In part one of our "Form and Analysis" series, we familiarized ourselves with the building blocks of a form, such as motives, phrases and periods. Now, we will begin our official discussion on small forms. We will cover rounded, simple, sectional and continuous binary forms. Then we will move into ternary and compound ternary forms. Finally, we will close it out with a brief discussion on theme and variations.

At this point, we've discussed the two most common diatonic 7th chords: V7 and II7. Now, we will discuss "The Others". These are the VII7, IV7, VI7, I7 and III7 chords. We will take a little time with each of these, give them a listen, discuss the way they sound and briefly discuss their functionality. Just because these are a little less common, that's no reason to not bring them up because they are often featured in great music!

Not every musician ends up on stage. One of our goals is to cover, in depth, the many career opportunities that can be available to a musician. In this episode, we will talk to Chris Knutson about how his music tech skills opened the door to a profitable career in stage and film production. This one's for all you music "tekkies" out there!

We celebrate our 50th episode by breaking the ice on the much anticipated topic of modulation. This discussion will include an introduction to the concept of modulation, or change of key. We will first cover modulation to closely related keys and what makes a closely related key. Then will discuss the pivot chords that can help to facilitate this technique. Also included will be some tips on how to hear key changes in music and recognize them on paper. And, of course, we will share some advice and tips on how to write them!

Join us, as we continue to venture toward the coming mountain of chromaticism. We will approach the foothills as we resume our discussion of secondary dominants. We will talk about how these chords can be used in the tonicization of chords other than the tonic, with their dominant function. In this episode, we will focus on the V of ii (V/ii), V of vi (V/vi) and the V of iii (V/iii).

What exactly is sight reading? What is the difference between reading music and sight reading music? What are some factors that contribute to good sight reading? How can I improve my sight reading skills? Good questions, all! We shall address them in this episode!

Song writing is different for everybody. Sometimes we can be inspired by the experiences of others. We will talk all about it with our friend and colleague, Colin Soniat. We'll dig deep into his musical background and find out how his songwriting has evolved alongside. Hear some great original music examples and enjoy an in depth, yet light-hearted, discussion on creating something from within!

The overtone series is alive and well in every note you hear. Within the vibrations of a tone, or a note, there are other smaller vibrations that are occurring. We will start with the fundamental and look deeper into the overtones, or harmonics, that occur and at which order they appear. We will also discuss timbre and other things that are influenced by and, likewise, influence certain overtones.

Join us as we venture toward chromaticism with this discussion of secondary dominants. We will talk about how these chords can be used in the tonicization of chords other than the tonic, with their dominant function. In this episode, we will focus on the V of V (V/V) and the V of IV (V/IV).

Transposition, the act of changing a piece of music to a different key or mode, can be one of the most useful tools any musician can have in their kit. In this episode, we will discuss diatonic and chromatic transposition, as well as when and why we use them. We will also have a discussion on transposing instruments, instruments that sound out different notes then what is written on paper. It's time to change it up a bit! It's time for transposition!

Continuing where episode 39 left off, this episode will review the previously discussed chords: I, II7, IV, V7 and VII (in major and minor) and their inversions. We will now add the III (the mediant) and VI (the submediant). Listen for the chord qualities (major, minor, dominant 7th, minor 7th and diminished) and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

The guitar is an extraordinarily expressive and versatile instrument. From it's roots in 15th Century Spain to it's current prominence in jazz, rock, pop, folk, funk and blues (to name just a few genres), there is much to be said about the guitar. We're going to say as much as we can in one episode with our good friend Carlos Pino. Get ready for some great sounds because he brought his guitar! Get ready for another great episode because he really brought his "A" game!

As we near the end of the theory 101 sequence, we decided to dedicate a couple of episodes to the purpose of reviewing all of the topics we've covered up to this point. Part 1 covered episodes 1-19. This episode, part 2 of "The Big Recap", will cover episodes 20-39. We humbly thank you all for your support and for the community we are building. Help us celebrate our 40th episode by enjoying these two episodes!

As we near the end of the theory 101 sequence, we decided to dedicate a couple of episodes to the purpose of reviewing all of the topics we've covered up to this point. This episode, part 1, will cover episodes 1-19. Part 2 will cover episodes 20-39. We humbly thank you all for your support and for the community we are building. Help us celebrate our 40th episode by enjoying this episode!

Continuing where episode 31 left off, this episode will cover the previously discussed chords: I, II7, IV and V7 (in major and minor) and their inversions. We now add the VII and it's inversions. Listen for the chord qualities (major, minor, dominant 7th, minor 7th and diminished) and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

Pentatonic scales are five note scales that span the length of an octave. Major and minor scales, along with their respective modes, are all considered "heptatonic" or "seven note" scales. These scales also have five note subsets that are easier to learn and recognize. They are also more universally used across the globe. In this episode, we will discuss the major and minor pentatonic scales of the west and several others from the east, including the Hirojoshi, Mongolian, Iwato and Yo scales.

Continuing our discussion from episode 35-Counterpoint Pt.2, it's time to tackle 3rd and 4th species counterpoint! We have already built our cantus firmus and tried it out with 1st and 2nd species counterpoint. Our trilogy now comes to a satisfying end with melodies that coexist and commingle, all the while, maintaining their independence!

In the school of music, we have the "Jury". This terrifying moment occurs at the end of the semester when the student must display their progress, on their instrument, in front of a panel of professors. During this brief moment, a number of "fight or flight' symptoms can manifest in the student. In the practical world, any musician (or anyone in the spotlight) may encounter this phenomenon. Welcome to stage fright! Let's try to understand it better and discuss some possible ways to manage it.

Continuing our discussion from episode 34-Counterpoint Pt.1, we will now discuss species counterpoint. We have already built our cantus firmus. Now, we will add a voice, using first species counterpoint. We will then take a stab at second species counterpoint. The challenge awaits! Do join us.

Counterpoint, the art of combining two or more independent melodic lines, is a practice that has been around for hundreds of years. However, not a lot of musicians are familiar with the term. In this episode, part 1 of 2, we will discuss it's origins, it's usefulness and the many rules that revolve around it's process. We will build a cantus firmus, based on these rules. We will also learn what a cantus firmus is! Finally, we will tease part 2 of this series with a brief discussion of species counterpoint.

In the beginning, before written history, our ancestors left artifacts and paintings that gave us clues as to how they once lived. This being a few million years ago, one can only speculate on how or why they began to experiment with sound and eventually music!

We've given the 7th chords a good listen. Now it's time to discuss the theory behind them and some of the conventions to consider while using them in part writing. This episode will focus on the ii7 and the V7 chords as well as their inversions. It's time to add a little spice to your chord progressions!

Continuing where Episode 18 left off, this episode will feature the diatonic chords I, II7, IV and V7 (in major and minor). Listen for those chord qualities (major, minor, dominant 7th and minor 7th) and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!

You may be familiar with notes, key signatures and meter signatures. But, there's a lot more happening on a music score. Various markings, such as crescendo, forte, fortissimo and pianissimo, can tell a musician how hard or soft to play. While other expressions, such as adagio, andante and presto, will tell them how fast or slow to play. Get ready to brush up on your Italian and learn all about dynamic, perfomance and tempo markings.

Just in case we haven't said everything we need to say about intervals, it's time we said a little more! We will have a quick recap on the basic intervals followed by an extended discussion on other interval related topics. We will discuss compound intervals (and the recognition thereof), enharmonic naming, harmonic tendencies and much more.

Sometimes you will encounter notes that don't belong to the chords they are sounding over. These notes are just what they sound like, nonchord tones! In this episode, we will discover the main types of non chord tones: the passing tone, the neighbor tone, the escape tone, the appoggiatura, the suspensions, the anticipation, the retardation and the pedal tone.

We've learned about the major and minor scales. Now it's time to explore the 7 Diatonic Modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. We will learn how to construct them and identify them using the "relative" and the "parallel" methods. We will also give them a listen, check out some examples and discuss what moods they convey and how they effect us.

The bass has a special effect on the listener. The frequencies in the lower register can often be felt just as much as they are heard. The bass can tell us more about harmonic progression and it can also tie the rhythm and melody sections together. Join us, along with Aaron Branson, as we talk all about that bass!

When writing a song or a piece of music, it's good to know how certain chords and harmonies work together. An understanding of the circle of fifths can make this fairly simple. In this episode we will follow the circle all the way through and hit every chord on the way. It's time to apply a level of understanding to something that seems like a magical musical diagram at first glance. Perk up your ears and step inside the circle!

MIDI is one of the greatest things to happen to music and those who work with it. This music based language allows for the entry and edit of musical notes and their attributes. It also allows for the synchronization and communication between musical instruments, machines and computers. It can be a vital aid in composition and can expedite your musical work flow to a considerable measure. Learn about its origin, its language and its many uses!

A melodic dictation exam is something you may or may not have to reckon with in your musical journey. Passing this course is essential for a music student working towards a degree. But for anyone, academia aside, these tips and tricks will help you know melody better. We will discuss how to establish your tonal "home base" and how to recognize what parts of the scale are being used in the melodic line. We will also spend a little time talking about solfége (fixed "DO" and movable "DO") and how it compares to the number system that we tend to use in theory and analysis. Get ready to sharpen your sense of melody!

One big goal in tonal composition is to have good counterpoint within your harmonies. To do that, we need to learn how to approach part writing in the proper manner. To do that, we must first learn the principles of voice leading and why they are useful, and even essential, to the composition process. In this episode, we will learn the main rules to keep in mind when constructing a melody and then blending it with other melodies. We will discuss parallel and contrary motion between melodies, hidden fifths and octaves. We will dare to discuss the heinous parallel fifths and octaves and how they can obliterate your texture. We will also touch on organum and other contributions to the origin of these conventions. We will observe all of these rules closely from a 4 part, SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) "laboratory environment"!

There's no better way to get your performance feet wet than playing in a cover band! The material is there. You just have to learn it and execute it properly. The crowd will immediately connect with your music because they already know it! But there's so much more to it.  Wouldn't you like to know the fine details? Miguel Martinez is going to give them to you, straight from the drummers seat!

An understanding of form and analysis can be a great aid in getting to know music better. Like an architect, a composer will structure their music on a foundation of building blocks. It's time to check out the blueprints! In this episode, we will take it from the ground up. We'll start with motives. We'll use them to build phrases and phrases to build periods and phrase groups. 

A piece of music is often laid out like a poem or a story. The sentences and paragraphs can be likened to motives and phases. The punctuations and ends of these thoughts can be likened to the cadences. Some ask questions. Some answer the questions. Some give you the answers you expect. Some deceive your expectations. The many available combinations of chord progressions can determine how this all pans out. This episode will cover the six most common types of cadences: perfect authentic, imperfect authentic, half, Phrygian half, deceptive and plagal.

Harmonic dictation is an essential part of the music students curriculum. It can be a powerful tool for any musician because it will help to solidify an understanding of harmony and harmonic progression. In this episode, we will give tips and strategies to on how to hear those harmonies and pass that listening exam! This episode will feature the diatonic chords (in major) I, ii, IV and V.

The piano is a complex and beautiful instrument. It's fairly easy to learn, but quite challenging to master. In this episode, we will speak to a man that knows it up and down; Matthew Dutot Slocum. We will discuss where he is, how he got there, and where he's going. Then, it's on to practice routines and philosophies of musicianship. Finally, we will dig deep into the instrument, it's mechanisms, and it's genesis. Every musician should take a moment to get to know the piano. This is your moment!

Many great chord progressions in tonal music are based on specific sequences of triads and chords. These progressions sound naturally fulfilling or appealing. These chords often all consist of notes that strictly come from the major or minor scales they are based on. They are considered diatonic chords. When musicians start speaking about chords using numbers instead of letters, this is what they are talking about. Listen and learn more about the diatonic triads and 7th chords from the major and minor scales.

When you invert a chord, you rearrange it's pitch order. This can serve several purposes. In this episode, we will cover inversions for triads and seventh chords, how they're built and how to listen for them. We will also cover figured bass, a means of representing them in analysis, and it's origin. We will also share several tips and tricks to help make more sense of this concept.

A musical performance should really be all about the music. But there is still a performance element that tends to engage the viewing and listening audience. Let's talk about some pointers on how to enhance your over all show!

We've already given a good listen to the interval in episode 10. Let's add one more note to it and hear what the triad sounds like. We will discuss the sonic characteristics of the four basic triads: major, minor, augmented and diminished and their inversions. We will also stack on one more note and briefly talk about the standard basic 7th chords: major major seventh (M7), major minor seventh (Mm7 or the dominant 7th), minor seventh (m7) and even the elusive minor major seventh chord (mM7).

Triads are the building blocks of harmony. In this episode, we will introduce you to the 4 basic triads: major, minor, augmented and diminished. We will discuss the theory behind them, the moods they evoke and the functions they serve.

The career path of a musician can be a little unclear and equally uncertain. But have no fear!  We are here as proof that you can make a comfortable living in the field of music. We will discuss the technical path (stage hands, roadies, live and studio engineers), the education path (private instruction, academia and research) and, of course, the performance path. We will also briefly touch on other special fields such as music therapy and sound design. Be encouraged. Be inspired. Be a musician!

Perk up your ears and get ready for more ear training. Being able to hear and identify simple intervals is the gateway to ear training excellence! If you've been through our theory episode on intervals (Ep. 09), now you can just sit back, listen and experience the intervals and their characteristics. 

Understanding intervals is an essential part of understanding, analyzing and critically listening to music. In this episode, we will discuss the theory behind intervals. Listen and learn the types of intervals and their roles. Find out some tips how to identify them by number and by quality (major, minor, augmented or diminished). We will also distinguish the differences between simple and compound intervals. This episode, like many theory episodes, will have an ear training counterpart in the near future!

This episode is all about the minor scale. We will discuss minor key signatures and how to identify them by using the order of sharps or flats and a few other tricks we picked up along the way. We will discuss the circle of fifths, as it applies to the minor keys.  Finally, we will discuss the three main types of minor scales: natural, harmonic and melodic. 

In order to play with other musicians, you have to be on the same page as them, rhythmically and tonally. In this episode, we will tackle the rhythmic aspect of music and how to identify what time signature (or meter signature) by using your ears alone. We will also have a little fun discussing some odd time signatures and when and where they have been used, in the classical music genre and in pop music.

This episode addresses the music student and their study habits. We will focus on how to make the best of your time, both inside and outside the classroom. We will also give you a glimpse inside your professor's head when it comes to your interactions in the classroom environment.

Listen as we dig a little deeper into the major scale. We will also discuss key signatures and how to identify them by using the order of sharps or flats and a few tricks we picked up along the way. The circle of fifths will make its brief debut as will the concept of diatonic and chromatic steps.

Ear training is an essential part of musical growth. In this episode we will discuss its process and some of our own ideas on how to develop it. We will also cover some great apps, websites and other resources you can use to sharpen your ears and your theory skills.

Welcome to part 2 of our theory fundamentals series. This episode will cover the elements of rhythm. Learn about note values and their durations. Explore time signatures and how to distinguish simple and compound meter. You may wish to follow along with this episode on it's complimentary webpage: http://www.musicstudent101.com/03-theory-basics-pt-2.html

This, our first theory podcast, is elementary but crucial. In this episode, part 1 of a 2 part series, we will have a brief discussion on melody and harmony. We will also touch on scales, intervals and triads. Part 2 will cover rhythm. You may find it helpful to follow along with this episode on its complimentary webpage. Find it at www.musicstudent101.com

Welcome! Learn about us and our goals in this inaugural episode! Hosts, Matt and Jeremy, discuss their mission, their backgrounds and give a preview of the journey ahead. This podcast is intended to educate and assist musicians, of all levels, on their paths to musical discovery. For terms, examples and links, you can follow along on our complimentary website: www.musicstudent101.com