Musicality Now

Do you sometimes feel a bit baffled, overwhelmed by harmony and chord progressions in music?

 

Today I want to share with you two big epiphanies I had over the years which DRAMATICALLY simplified things for me and unlocked playing chords by ear faster than had ever seemed possible.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/297

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Classical vs. Rock/Pop vs. Jazz Harmony (with Tony Parlapiano)

• The Musicality Book

• Dave Conservatoire

• Four Chords And The Truth

• Exploring Common Chord Progressions

 

 

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What's the difference between Classical music, Rock and Pop, and Jazz?

 

Well, that's probably a question with an endless answer! But one of the most significant differences is in the harmony: what chords are used, and how do the progressions work.

 

In this clip from Tony Parlapiano's Musical U masterclass, he explains and demonstrates each, in a simple and memorable way.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/296

 

Links and Resources

• popMATICS

• Musicality Now: Creating, Listening, Understanding (with Tony Parlapiano of popMATICS)

 

 

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One of our favourite things to see at Musical U is a member exclaiming "Why did nobody ever tell me this?!"

 

Because we're all about simplifying the complex, and filling in the pieces that can otherwise be totally missing from music learning.

 

Today I want to introduce you to someone else who thrives on simplifying powerful musical ideas, to deliver those kinds of "aha" moments for passionate music-learners: Tony Parlapiano of popMATICS.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/295

 

Links and Resources

• popMATICS

 

 

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Have you ever wished you had "perfect pitch"?

To hear a note, and just name it instantly - it can seem like the "Holy Grail" of musicality. But... is it really?

And if you weren't born with it, is it even possible to learn it yourself?

We'll be diving into those questions and more, in this episode.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/294

 

Links and Resources

• The Musicality Book

• Book: The Evolving Animal Orchestra, by Henkjan Honing

• Musicality Now: The Biology Of Musicality, with Prof. Henkjan Honing

 

 

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We need your help! We're down to four finalist designs for the cover of the new musicality book, and need YOUR help to pick the best one!

 

Go to musicalitybook.com/vote to vote now!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/293

 

Links and Resources

• The Musicality Book

• VOTE NOW!

• Musicality Now: I Am Not Your Guru

 

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In this interview you'll meet Almut Spaeth from the Musical U Team, and find out a bit about her own musical journey, through Musical U and Next Level, into becoming a member of the MU team herself!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/292

 

Links and Resources

• Almut's Website

• Foundations of a Musical Mind

• Musical U Membership

• Next Level Coaching

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

In this episode...

 

- Andy shares an inspiring example about a client finding ways to "lower the bar" so she could step-by-step her way up to a big performance that was otherwise intimidating.

 

- Camilo explains how taking a more ear-based approach to learning new pieces fast makes for a more resilient performance.

 

- Andrew shares how he used ideas from recent Body-Based Voice Guest Expert Jeremy Mossman to help a client tap into his body's inherent wisdom.

 

- Zac unpacks ALL the surprising benefits of focusing on rhythm. From musical memory to singing to confidence - and even to physical health.

 

All that and more, in this episode of Coaches Corner!

 

Tip: find just ONE idea from everything that's shared, and take it to your next music practice session or apply it in YOUR musical life.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/291

 

Links and Resources

• Jeremy Ryan Mossman (Body-Based Voice)

• Musicality Now: 5 Tips For Rock-Solid Performances

• Learn about Next Level Coaching

 

 

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Did you know there are four different types of fear responses for musicians - and you probably mostly use one of them?

Even more interesting - the antidote to each is different.

In today's episode I'm sharing a clip from Sarah Niblack's masterclass at Musical U, where she reveals these four types of fear response - which can help you quickly learn to more effectively handle it when it arises.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/290

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: The Practice Ingredients For Successful Performance, with Sarah Niblack

• SPARK Practice

 

 

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How can you feel safe, confident and joyful when you perform music? Especially if you're pushing yourself to your limits?

 

Sarah Niblack of SPARK Practice is one of the leading innovators in helping musicians to practice better - so they can perform better.

 

In today's mini-interview you'll get to meet Sarah and hear about her unique perspective on musicality, practice, performing and more.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/289

 

Links and Resources

• SPARK Practice

• Musicality Now: 5 Tips For Rock-Solid Performances

 

 

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Ever worried that all your carefully-practiced music will fall apart when it comes time to perform?

 

In this episode Christopher shares 5 high-impact tips for rock-solid performances.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/288

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Becoming A Bulletproof Musician, with Noa Kageyama

• Gregg Goodhart, "The Learning Coach"

• The Modacity Practice App

• Musicality Now: Art You A Robot?!

• The Musicality Book

• The Superlearning Practice Plan

• Sarah Niblack of SPARK Practice

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

In this episode...

 

• Andrew explains how to "rise above the herd" and allow yourself to level up in music.

 

• Andy talks about gaining performance confidence, step by step.

 

• Camilo reveals how analysing melody can produce breakthroughs for you with the harmony and memorising progressions

 

• And Zac shows how to know with certainty that you do have music inside you, just waiting to come out.

 

All that and more, in this episode of Coaches Corner!

 

Tip: find just ONE idea from everything that's shared, and take it to your next music practice session or apply it in YOUR musical life.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/287

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Rhythm and Soul, with Lorin Cohen

• Musicality Now: The 3 Pillars Of Improv, with Lorin Cohen

• Musicality Now: Are You A Robot?!

• Musicality Now: What Exactly Is In The Musicality Book? (Inside The Book)

• Musicality Now: Choosing Musicality, with Mark Hanna (Meet The Team)

• All Coaches Corner Episodes

• Next Level Coaching

 

 

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In this episode of "Meet The Team" you'll meet Mark Hanna from the Admissions Team, and find out a bit about his own musical journey and how he helps welcome new members and Next Level clients into Musical U!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/286

 

Links and Resources

• Next Level Coaching

• The Musicality Book

 

 

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If you've been hearing about this new Musicality book and wondering what exactly it's going to cover, your wait is over!

 

Today I'm going to go through the book, chapter by chapter, and share with you exactly what you'll find inside.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/285

 

Links and Resources

• The Musicality Book

• Musicality Now: How to Play Expressively (Inside The Book)

• Musicality Now: Is This The Missing Piece For Your Musicality? (Inside The Book)

• Musicality Now: WHY Every Musician Must Sing (Inside The Book)

 

 

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Now more than ever it's essential to get in touch with what it truly means to you, to make music. In this episode I'll share some questions and pointers for escaping the trap of being "a musical robot".

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/284

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: I Am Not Your Guru

• Coaches Corner

• Musicality Now: How To Play With Expression

• The Musicality Book

 

 

 

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Have you ever wondered what's going through a great improviser's head when they wail? Or maybe you've heard conflicting advice about whether you need to master music theory to improvise at the highest levels?

 

In today's episode, I'm sharing a clip from Lorin Cohen's Musical U masterclass, where he lays it all out for you, plain and simple.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/283

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Rhythm and Soul, with Lorin Cohen

• LorinCohen.com

• Lorin's Bass Improv Mastery course

• Learn about Musical U membership

 

 

 

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed or intimidated by jazz? By improv? Or maybe by both?

 

Let me introduce you to someone who just might hold the key you've been looking for...

 

Meet highly-acclaimed jazz bassist and educator Lorin Cohen, and discover his unique take on musicality and improv in this mini-interview.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: http://musicalitynow.com/282

 

Links and Resources

• LorinCohen.com

• Lorin's Bass Improv Mastery course

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

In this episode:

 

- Zac shares the power of making BAD sounds

 

- Andy gives an amazing tip for handling days when you don't have much practice time

 

- Camilo explains how you can keep working on your musicality even when you're away from your instrument

 

- Andrew flips the script on "warhorse" pieces you've been struggling on for ages.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 281

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: WHY Every Musician Must Sing (Inside The Book)

• Musicality Now: The Power Of Finding Your Voice (with Michaela Bartoskova)

• Musicality Now: Becoming Aware Of The Breath (with Michaela Bartoskova)

• Musicality Now: 3 Ways To Use Singing In Your Daily Music Practice

• Musicality Now: Musicality and Connection (Meet the Team with Charm Cajurao)

 

 

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From Choirs to K-Pop, and juggling everything from member support to customer service and keeping all we do running smoothly at Musical U - meet our Operations Assistant extraordinaire Charm Cajurao, in this episode of "Meet The Team"!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 280

 

Links and Resources

• "Discover Your Musical Core" training

 

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Want to know how you can use your singing voice as a kind of "universal powertool" to accelerate ALL your musical development?

 

I'm going to share three ways you can easily weave singing into your everyday music practice to let you become more musical, faster.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 279

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Is This The Missing Piece For Your Musicality? (Inside The Book)

• Musicality Now: WHY Every Musician Must Sing (Inside The Book)

• Musicality Now: The Power Of Finding Your Voice (with Michaela Bartoskova)

• Musicality Now: Becoming Aware Of The Breath (with Michaela Bartoskova)

• Musicality Now: How to Play Expressively (Inside The Book)

• Free Your Creative Voice

• Colors Of Your Voice

 

 

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If there's one thing that'll strike the most fear into the heart of the average musician...

 

It's not scales...

 

It's not being asked to play something you haven't prepared...

 

It's not even being asked to improvise...

 

Those can all be scary!

 

But for many musicians, one thing is scarier than all of them: SINGING!

 

What if there was an easy and natural route into starting to sing, that didn't even begin with you singing a single note?

 

In today's episode, I'll be sharing a clip from a recent masterclass which reveals exactly that.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 278

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: The Power Of Finding Your Voice (with Michaela Bartoskova)

• MichaelaSound.com

• Musicality Now: Learning to Sing in Tune, with George Bevan

 

 

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Can you sing? If not... can you breathe?!

 

Funny question, I know! But we had a recent masterclass which joined up those two questions so beautifully. It's with Michaela Bartoskova, who's a voice, singing and yoga coach, and her masterclass at Musical U was on the topic of “When Breath Becomes Voice�.

 

Michaela is a specialist in the voice beyond just singing - into breath, into speaking, into movement. She has such a beautiful, holistic perspective and it made her masterclass really special. And kind of provided a new way into singing for a lot of our members.

 

In this mini-interview, you'll learn a bit about Michaela's background, how she came to focus on the breath, and particularly with singers who came to her and were nervous to even begin singing, or had a lot of resistance when they tried to sing.

 

She also shares her answer to “what does musicality mean to you?� and it's a really lovely and unique one that I think you're going to enjoy.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 277

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: WHY Every Musician Must Sing

• MichaelaSound.com

 

 

 

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We rarely use the word "should" or "must" at Musical U... but singing might just be an exception!

 

If you don't currently use singing as a tool on a daily basis in your music practice, you're missing out. Here's why.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 276

 

Links and Resources

 

• Musicality Now: Is THIS The Missing Piece For Your Musicality?

 

• MusicalityBook.com

 

• Why Every Musician Should Be A Singer Too

 

• How To Learn To Sing In Tune

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

In this episode...

 

• Zac shares the power of performance - and a big mindset shift that can make performing more easy and joyful, even if you make a mistake or two!

 

• Andy gives a way to instantly see how far you've really come, any time you're getting down about your musical progress.

 

• Camilo explains choosing the right "sweet spot" level of repertoire for fast and satisfying progress.

 

• And Andrew discusses leveraging your childhood music for playing by ear - and trusting your own ears over look-up-the-chord websites.

 

All that and more, in this episode of Coaches Corner!

 

Tip: find just ONE idea from everything that's shared, and take it to your next music practice session or apply it in YOUR musical life.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 275

 

Links and Resources

 

• Musicality Now: Someone Should Have Told Me This When I Was A Kid! With Dr. Molly Gebrian

 

• Musicality Now: Learn Music Faster… By Doing LESS?! (with Dr. Molly Gebrian)

 

• Musicality Now: 5 BIG Mistakes Adult Music Learners Make – And How To Fix Them

 

• Musicality Now: Is This The Missing Piece For Your Musicality? (Inside The Book)

 

• Musicality Now: Surprising Musicality (Meet The Team, with Andy Portas)

 

• Next Level Coaching

 

• HookTheory.com

 

• Meet The Team: Andrew Bishko

 

• Meet The Team: Zac Bailey

 

• Meet The Team: Camilo Suárez

 

• Meet The Team: Andy Portas

 

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From Blues Brothers tributes to successfully "abandoning" art, this wide-ranging interview with Musical U team member and Next Level coach Andy Portas reveals his own musical backstory, and how he helps members inside Musical U discover their surprising musicality.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 274

 

Links and Resources

• MusicalityBook.com

• Coaches Corner

 

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Did you know, there's ONE foundational skill which makes everything in musicality easier?

 

I'm talking about everything from ear training to playing by ear, improvising, writing music, improving your rhythm, jamming with others.

 

Everything that makes you feel truly musical, inside and out - benefits from this one foundational skill.

 

And yet... the vast majority of musicians would say they cannot do it - and are afraid to even try.

 

Today I want to share with you what that skill is, and why you absolutely must start learning to make use of it in your musical development.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 273

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: How to Play Expressively (Inside The Book)

• MusicalityBook.com - pre-register now for exclusive bonuses!

• ToneDeafTest.com - find out in 5 minutes whether you truly are "tone deaf" or not

• 16 Keys to a Good Singing Voice

 

 

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There are 5 BIG mistakes adult music learners make...

 

And if you're an adult learning music, I can pretty much guarantee you're making one of these - if not ALL FIVE.

 

Today I'm gonna share with you what these 5 mistakes are - AND how to fix them.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 272

 

Links and Resources

• Reviews page for examples of adult music-learning success

• Albert Frantz of Key-Notes.com

• YourMusicalCore.com recent training

• Musicality Now: What’s Your “North Star� In Music?

• Coaches Corner

• Norman Vincent Peale quote (not W. Clement Stone!): "Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss, you'll lang among the stars"

 

 

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What if you could learn music faster - by practicing LESS?!

It sounds crazy... but it's actually possible.

In this section from Dr. Molly Gebrian's recent Musical U masterclass, you'll hear exactly how to take some of the most mind-boggling breakthrough ideas from the world of neuroscience, and use them in a practical way to dramatically accelerate your music learning.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 271

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Someone Should Have Told Me This When I Was A Kid! With Dr. Molly Gebrian

• MollyGebrian.com

• Molly's YouTube channel

• Learn Faster, Perform Better: Pre-order the book on Amazon

 

 

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If you've ever worried that you were a slow learner in music, or maybe you've heard about our super learning material here at musical you, then you're going to love today's mini interview with Dr. Molly Gebrian.

 

You'll get the chance to hear how her career as a professional viola player combined with her fascination with neuroscience, to produce one of the world's leading experts on accelerating the process of learning music.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 270

 

Links and Resources

• MollyGebrian.com

• Molly's YouTube channel

• Learn Faster, Perform Better: Pre-order the book on Amazon

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

This time we have:

 

- Andy sharing the benefits of figuring out melodies and chords using solfa

 

- Zac revealing the surprising impact of tapping into the spirit of "ease and joy"

 

- Camilo explaining how basslines can help you memorise more easily, by understanding the structure more deeply

 

- And Andrew discusses the power of language and "doodletonguing" for adapting to a new musical style

 

Tip: find just ONE idea from everything that's shared, and take it to your next music practice session or apply it in YOUR musical life.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 269

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: How to Be a Beatle

• Musicality Now: Craft, Creativity and Career (with Tero Potila)

• Musicality Now: Comparison and Contribution (with Tero Potila)

• Musicality Now: What’s Your “North Star� In Music?

• Musicality Now: Experiencing Musicality (Meet the Team, with Camilo Suárez)

• Molly Gebrian

• Next Level Coaching

 

 

 

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In this interview you'll meet leading educator and Professor of Music and Music Education in Bogotá, Colombia, Camilo Suárez.

 

He shares a bit about his own musical journey, from trying various instruments and feeling "untalented" through discovering musicality training, and going on to bring those ideas to the educational system in Colombia and joining the Musical U team.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 268

 

Links and Resources

• Coaches Corner Episodes

 

 

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Do you know what your "North Star" is in music?

 

If you've ever suffered from "shiny object syndrome", chasing squirrels and going down YouTube rabbitholes, or you've found your musical motivation going up and down like a rollercoaster week by week...

 

Then let me share one solution, proven by thousands upon thousands of musicians to fix all those problems and more - in as little as five minutes.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 267

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: How To Be A Beatle

• Your Musical Core training

• Musicality Now: Hey! Where Are You Going?

• Molly Gebrian

 

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Ever seen what other musicians are up to... and felt intimidated? Like YOU could never do that.

 

And if we're talking about songwriting, composing or other creative musical activities - well, forget about it!

 

In this clip from Tero Potila's masterclass at Musical U he reveals how to shift out of the "comparison trap" and recognise the musical contribution which you alone can make.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 266

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Craft, Creativity and Career (interview with Tero Potila)

• TeroPotila.com

 

 

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Tero Potila is a successful songwriter and composer with a string of hits to his name. He recently joined us at Musical U as a Guest Expert, teaching on creativity and collaboration.

 

In this mini-interview, you'll hear exactly how he went from thinking songwriting took a magical "talent" to discovering that he too was capable of writing great music.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 265

 

Links and Resources

• TeroPotila.com

 

 

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Christopher looks back on "Beatles Month", when we went deep into the musicality of the Fab Four themselves, uncovering the truth behind their phenomenal career and apparently supernatural "talent".

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 264

 

Links and Resources

• ToneDeafTest.com

• SingTrue app

• Beatles Month Index

• Welcome to Beatles Month

• How the Beatles Came to Be, with Scott Freiman

• Writing Songs the Beatles Way, with Matt Blick

• The Message in the Music of the Beatles, with Scott Kuehn

• The Simplicity and Sophistication of the Beatles, with Aaron Krerowicz

• The Story of the “Fifth Beatle�, with Kenneth Womack

• How To Be The Beatles, with Hard Day’s Night

• The Musicality of the Beatles

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

This time we have:

 

- Zac sharing the "breakthrough that leads to ALL the breakthroughs"

 

- Camilo with a nifty AI tool you can use to help with active listening, playing by ear and improvisation

 

- Andy reveals a surprising way to improve your finger speed on your instrument

 

- Andrew discusses how our musicality and creativity can easily outstrip our notation skills - and what to do about that

 

Tip: find just ONE idea from everything that's shared, and take it to your next music practice session or apply it in YOUR musical life.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 263

 

Links and Resources

• Dave Smith "Roots in Rhythm" Workshop (use coupon code MUSICAL-U for an exclusive discount!)

• Learn more about Next Level Coaching

• Moises AI app

 

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Since 2015 one man has been the heart of the Musical U community, our very own @GtrStu777! In this interview you'll meet our "Community Conductor" Stewart Hilton, who does so much to keep our unique community thriving, and find out a bit about his own fascinating musical journey.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 262

 

Links and Resources

• Stewart's articles "Summer of Music: On the Road", Part 1 and Part 2

• A sampling of Stewart's music over the years:

  - One song from the 9-song tape by Hemlock, power metal band in the late 1980s.

  - A song from the first tape from Stewart's Christian band Weeping Prophet

  - Full-length CD from The Void

  - Album by Vine Connection

  - A release from last year which Stewart played all the electric guitar parts on

• About Singing as a Tool and How to Learn to Sing in Tune

 

 

 

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In this sneak-peek behind the scenes of our forthcoming Musicality book, Christopher shares a framework you can use to start playing more expressively.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 261

 

Links and Resources

• MusicalityBook.com: Register your interest now!

 

 

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What do a zombie cowbell, a matte-black drumhead, and a pink sparkly snare drum have in common?

 

Believe it or not, they can all make you more musical... Here's how!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 260

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Rhythmic Reconnection (interview with Dave Smith)

 

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Drummer Dave Smith teaches a powerful stepping-based method for improving your connection to the pulse, your sense of rhythm and your ability to both perform and be creative with different rhythmic patterns.

 

In this first part of his recent Musical U masterclass, Dave introduces the foundation of his method, with an exercise you can start using right away to improve your own rhythmic chops.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 259

 

Links and Resources

• Dave Smith Drums

• Dave's Free Facebook Group: "Musicians Improving Their Rhythm Mastery"

• Roots in Rhythm Workshop (use coupon code MUSICAL-U for an exclusive discount!)

 

 

 

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Ever felt like your rhythm skills aren't quite what they should be - but you really didn't know what you could do about that?

 

We've found that typically, the rhythm side of things is massively overlooked by music learners. The basics come easily, and then we kind of forget about actually improving our sense of rhythm.

 

So even though it's a huge part of the difference between an "okay" performance and a really great performance, often we aren't actually working on our rhythm skills the way we could or should be.

 

Today we have a mini-interview with our recent Guest Expert, drummer extraordinaire Dave Smith, whose approach to developing your sense of rhythm and your connection to the pulse of music is really special - and really powerful. 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 258

 

Links and Resources

• Dave Smith Drums

• Dave's Free Facebook Group: "Musicians Improving Their Rhythm Mastery"

• Roots in Rhythm Workshop (use coupon code MUSICAL-U for an exclusive discount!)

 

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

In episode 2 we hear fantastic ideas for contacting your "inner drummer", tailoring your improvisation to match the style of music you're going for, set better goals by thinking about how you want to share your music - and the surprising power of turning off one of your senses...

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 257

 

Links and Resources

• Learn more about Next Level Coaching

 

 

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From a Paul Simon dance-off through to scratch DJing and music video production, Zac Bailey has had a journey like no other, resulting in a deep, distinctive and profound grasp of what musicality is all about.

 

In this Meet The Team interview we speak with Musical U's Head of Member Success, Zac Bailey (a.k.a. @ZSonic) to discover his fascinating musical life and the unusual origin story of his role at Musical U!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 256

 

Links and Resources

• ZSonic online, including the Funk Romance video!

• Learn more about Foundations course instructor Anne Mileski

• Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com

 

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Looking around, most online music education companies follow the "guru" model where you can sign up to be just like the famous player by following in their footsteps.

 

That's not how Musical U does it.

 

Why not?

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 255

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Intimidating – or Inspiring? You Choose

• Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com

 

 

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In her Musical U masterclass "Performance Secrets From An Industry Insider", Melissa Mulligan (founder of Music Career Mastermind) shared a wealth of insight and experience on what makes for a truly great musical performance.

 

Whether you're touring world arenas like some of Melissa's clients, or just getting ready to perform for friends and family, this short section of the masterclass has some deep and powerful ideas to help you level up and really enjoy performing more too.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 254

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now: Finding Your Musical Identity (with Melissa Mulligan) (interview)

• MastermindRoad.com, home of Music Career Accelerator

• Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com!

 

 

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Melissa Mulligan is a vocal coach and advisor to top Billboard-charting artists, and the founder of the highly popular Music Career Accelerator program at MastermindRoad.com.

 

In this mini-interview she shares her take on "talent" and what really matters in crafting a successful music career or non-professional musical journey.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 253

 

Links and Resources

• MastermindRoad.com, home of Music Career Accelerator

• Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com!

 

 

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We had a really interesting comment on YouTube this week, which boiled down to:

 

"Learning from notation, and the traditional teaching methods worked for me - so why should I change it? P.S. I'm offended that you're criticising what's worked for me and lots of others."

 

There is a LOT to unpack in this one! Here's my response.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 252

 

Links and Resources

• Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com

• Gregg Goodhart online

 

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Meet Musical U's Head Educator, Andrew Bishko and discover the fascinating musical background which produced his unique skillset and made him the perfect match for Musical U!

 

In this interview we dive into Andrew's musical background, featuring piano, flute (classical, jazz and Native American), reggae, Klezmer, mariachi and more. We hear how he gradually learned to play by ear and improvise, developing his own methods and techniques which he then began to teach his students.

 

Then, in a surprising and unlikely way, how he found his way onto the Musical U team, contributing in a content editing and member support before starting to create and oversee the development of new material inside Musical U membership, culminating in the Living Music and Next Level programs.

 

Andrew also shares three weird and surprising things which can have a big positive impact on your musical development.

 

REGISTER FOR THE UPCOMING LIVE TRAINING!

→ YourMusicalCore.com

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 251

 

Links and Resources

• Andrew's interview with CNVS

• Andrew's interview with Dave Bainbridge

• Meet the Team: Andrew Bishko (2017 interview)

• Musicality Now: The Musicality of Sitting on a Rock (2018 podcast interview)

• Next Level Coaching

• Coaches Corner, Episode 1

• Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com

 

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Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 250

 

Links and Resources

• Gregg Goodhart, "The Learning Coach"

• Learn more about Next Level Coaching

 

 

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We had a great question from @Lutemann on YouTube this week: 

"So I wanted to be able to play on sax what I hear in my head.  I wrote out 60 diatonic patterns (Example: 5, 4, 1, 7, 6, 8). Then I would pick a key and sing these patterns while fingering notes on the sax.  I did this for a couple of months and got no results.  Do you think I gave up too soon?"

Here's my answer.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 249

 

Links and Resources

• @Lutemann on YouTube, thanks for the question!

• Musicality Now: Q&A: What can you do if you struggle to audiate (imagine music)?

• Ear training: How long does it take?

• Musicality Now: Is it time to “break up� with music?

• Musicality Now: When to stick with it – and when to move on

 

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Dive into rhythmic improvisation in this segment of Jeffrey Agrell's Musical U masterclass on "Exploring Rhythmic Improv"! 

In this beginning section, Jeffrey introduces a rhythm vocabulary, using simple hand-drumming as a way to experiment and explore.

Then he shows how you can start improvising creatively just by mixing up bits of that rhythm vocab with accents, rests, note length and meter.

Note: If you're listening to the audio only, you won't be able to see the patterns he's showing on screen, but you'll still be able to follow along.

You might want to hit 'pause' and give yourself some extra time, or run through the exercises again afterwards. 

Remember to have fun with it!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 248

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - If It Makes You Laugh, GOOD! (with Jeffrey Agrell)

 

 

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We’re joined by Jeffrey Agrell, a returning guest on the show, and one of our absolute favourite music educators. Jeffrey has authored half a dozen books providing "games" which serve as a gateway into creativity and improvisation - even for the most buttoned-up, perfectionist classical players!

 

In this short conversation before his Musical U masterclass on Rhythm Improv Games, Jeffrey shares:

 

• Why one of his best character traits is... having a very high tolerance for looking foolish!

 

• An elegantly simple definition of Creativity: "it just means 'do something different'."

 

• And why something you play seeming silly or making you laugh is actually a GOOD thing.

 

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 247

 

Links and Resources

• Jeffrey Agrell online

• Musicality Now - Making Improv a Game, with Jeffrey Agrell

 

 

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Join Musical U Director Christopher Sutton for a live update on the reboot of our video series and podcast, Musicality Now, including a sneak peek of exciting things to come...

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 246

 

Links and Resources

• Tune in Live on Facebook
• Tune in Live on Instagram
• Tune in Live on YouTube
• Next Level Coaching

 

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Scales... Most music learners think scales are just an exercise you've got to do as part of learning your instrument. But did you know there's actually a whole area of ear training dedicated to scales?

 

In fact there are two! In this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U we talk about these two types of scale ear training and how each can help you.

 

If you want to get more out of scales and ear training, don’t miss this episode.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 245

 

Links and Resources

• How to Make Scales Less Boring

• Musicality Now - Music Theory You’ll Love to Learn, with Glory St. Germain

• Musicality Now - About the Power of Solfa

• Musicality Now - About Scales and their Flavors

• Musicality Now - How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed

 

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Do you sometimes get the notes wrong when you sing?

 

At Musical U we strongly encourage every music learner to sing because of the huge positive impact it has on your musicality - but what if you find you just can't get the notes right? Here's a clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U where we talk about just that.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 244

 

Links and Resources

• How to Learn to Sing in Tune

• Musicality Now - Finding the Notes Yourself, with Sara Campbell

• Musicality Now - About Singing as a Tool

• Musicality Now - How to Sing Smarter, with Meghan Nixon

• Musicality Now - Singing that Sounds Good – and Beyond, with Davin Youngs

• Musicality Now - All Things Vocal, with Judy Rodman

• Musicality Now - The Instrument Inside You, with Ben Parry

• Musicality Now - What Your Voice Can Do, with Jeremy Fisher

• Musicality Now - Find and Make Peace with Your Voice, with Nikki Loney

• Musicality Now - About the Power of Solfa

 

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If playing music is like speaking a language, how should we think about harmony, or playing two hands on piano?

 

We answer that question in this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U. Enjoy!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 243

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - About the I, IV, V and vi Chords

• Musicality Now - Choose Your Words Carefully, with Glory St. Germain (Ultimate Music Theory)

• Musicality Now - In Perfect Swinging Harmony, with The Quebe Sisters

• Introduction to Chord Progressions

• What can you already play by ear? Harmony & Rhythm?

• How To Sing Harmony Like A Pro

 

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Did you know that wearing good headphones is one of the easiest ways to improve your ear training? Why is that - and what exactly makes a pair of headphones "good"?

 

Learn how to choose the right headphones to level up your ears in this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U. Enjoy!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 242

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - About the Ear Training Trap

• Musicality Now - About Active Listening

• Musicality Now - About Listening as the Route to Musicality

• Musicality Now - What Is Ear Training? (and why does it normally fail?)

• Wired For Sound Part 4: Headphones

• What are the best headphones for ear training?

 

 

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In this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U we share some practical tips to help you audiate. Enjoy!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 241

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - About Audiation

• Musicality Now - Audiation and Thinking Music, with Cynthia Crump Taggart

• Musicality Now - How to “Hear Like A Musician�

• The Secret Music Practice Skill: Audiation

 

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Have you ever felt like you were guessing the answers while working on ear training?

Believe it or not, that may not be a bad thing! Find out why in this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U - stay tuned!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 240

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - What Is Ear Training? (and why does it normally fail?)

• Musicality Now - Boosting Musical Brainpower, with Josh Turknett (Brainjo)

• Musicality Now - Intervals Versus Solfa: Which Is Best?

• The Ultimate Guide to Interval Ear Training

• Musicality Now - About the Ear Training Trap

 

 

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We’re joined by Dylan Hart, one of the top French Horn players in Hollywood today. He has played on many well-known soundtracks including Moana, Frozen, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Baywatch, The Good Place, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

 

You’re about to hear Dylan’s unlikely journey to becoming a highly-successful session player, concert performer, and French horn teacher. 

 

In this conversation Dylan shares:

 

• The importance of “getting out of your own way� when playing - and how to do that.

• His unexpected advice on how to sight read at the extremely high level required of session players.

• Why we must look for the root cause of problems rather than just treating symptoms - and how that applies to practicing off your instrument, sight-reading, and performing at your best under pressure.

 

In everything he does and teaches, Dylan has a focus on the inner instinct for music and a deep connection with your instrument. You’re going to love this conversation packed with thought-provoking ideas.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 239

 

Links and Resources

• Dylan Skye Hart Online

• Annie Bosler Online

• Norman Doidge - The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

• Daniel Coyle - The Talent Code

• Daniel Coyle - The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills

• Dr. Bob Rotella - Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect

• Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan - The Breathing Gym

• Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan - The Brass Gym: A Comprehensive Daily Workout for Brass Players

• Jaume Rosset Llobet - A tono: Ejercicios para mejorar el rendimiento del músico

• Alexander Technique

• California State University Long Beach

• Musicality Now - How The Best Play Their Best, with Annie Bosler

• Musicality Now - Your Peak Performance Toolkit, with Mark Morley-Fletcher (Play In The Zone)

• Musicality Now - The Keys to Performance Success, with Dr. Don Greene (Winning On Stage)

 

 

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We are excited to bring you another inspiring edition of Pathways. In this special series of episodes you’ll hear the stories of music-learners just like you, reaching out and lending each other a hand on our musical journeys. We’re speaking with Oli Fuhrmann, a swing dancer and swing dance teacher from Berlin, Germany.

 

Oli started learning piano and trombone in the last three years to play the music he loves to dance to. He’s eager to try new things and happy to risk failure. You’ll hear how his attitude has really payed off for his music learning and the richness of his musical life.

 

In this conversation Oli shares:

 

• Why it was easy for him to start joining jam sessions despite being only a beginner-to-intermediate player - and a few specific tips for how you can make it easy for yourself.

• How learning trombone was relatively simple after piano, and why he realised the importance of a good musical ear.

• How he discovered the power of community support as part of his online learning.

 

Enjoy this episode and be inspired to be more bold and risk new endeavours in your own musical journey.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 238

 

Links and Resources

• Swingstep Online Courses

• Mad Oli Facebook

• Oliver Fuhrmann Facebook

• Mad Oli Instagram

• Musicality Now - Pathways: Nick Cheetham

• Musicality Now - Pathways: Sharilynn Horhota

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

 

 

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Have you been feeling stuck on something challenging in music? A section of a piece, a specific technique, an overall plateau, or maybe practice goes fine but then everything falls apart in live performance.

 

Have you felt like you just don’t have enough time for learning your instrument and learning new music? Maybe you feel like you’re putting in the time and effort but just don’t seem to be getting much payoff in terms of results.

 

Have you been frustrated by struggling to memorise things, or finding the things you did work hard to memorise slip away over time?

 

Or maybe it feels like whatever you try, you’re just spinning in circles, or tripping yourself up, so that you never quite make solid progress towards your musical goals - like there’s something continually sabotaging you - and it might just be all in your head.

 

If you’ve felt one or more of these frustrations in your musical life you are certainly not alone. And believe it or not, there’s a single solution which can quickly eliminate all of these challenges.

 

It’s time to re-learn what it means to “learn music�. It’s time to discover the techniques of musical superlearning.

 

What does that mean, exactly? That’s what we’re talking about in this special episode with Christopher and Andrew from the Musical U team: what does “musical superlearning� look like in practice, and is it right for you?

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 237

 

Links and Resources

• Musical Superlearning

• Practice Q&A [1/5] How To Find More Music Practice Time, with Gregg Goodhart

• Practice Q&A [2/5] How To Get Maximum Results In Minimum Time, with Gregg Goodhart

• Practice Q&A [3/5] How To Conquer Tricky Sections And Break Through Plateaus, with Gregg Goodhart

• Practice Q&A [4/5] How To Stay Consistent - Without Discipline, with Gregg Goodhart

• Practice Q&A [5/5] How To Spend Practice Time And Prevent Overwhelm, with Gregg Goodhart

 

 

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Feeling overwhelmed by all the information about what to practice?

 

This is the fifth and last in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, “How can I know what to practice?�

 

To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music.

 

Learn what to focus your music practice on in this episode.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 236

 

Links and Resources

• Learn Music Faster

• Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach

• What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute

• Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

• Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

• Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study

 

 

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Have you lost your motivation for practice?

 

This is the fourth in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, “I feel bad because I don’t practice enough�

 

To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music.

 

After watching this episode you’ll regain your enthusiasm for learning music.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 235

 

Links and Resources

• Learn Music Faster

• Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach

• What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute

• Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

• Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

• Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study

 

 

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Struggling to get that complex section up to tempo?

 

This is the third in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, “How do I break through plateaus?�

 

To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music.

 

Enjoy this episode and unlock your music learning super powers!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 234

 

Links and Resources

• Learn Music Faster

• Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach

• What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute

• Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

• Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

• Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study

 

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Can you get results from only 10-15 minutes of practice?

 

This is the second in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, “How do I get the most results out of my practice time?�

 

To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music.

 

In this episode you’ll learn a 3-step process you can use to get the most out of every minute of your practice. Start supercharging your learning today!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 233

 

Links and Resources

• Learn Music Faster

• Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach

• What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute

• Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

• Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

• Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study

 

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Do you have enough time to practice your music?

 

This is the first in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – like, “How do I find time for music?�

 

To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music. In this episode, we talk about what to do if you feel like there’s never enough time for practicing music.

 

After this episode, you may well find time that you didn’t even know existed, as well as ways to supercharge the time that you do have for practicing, and get better results faster.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 232

 

Links and Resources

• Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach

• What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute

• Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

• Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

• Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study

 

 

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We’re joined by violinist and Suzuki pedagogue, Laura Nerenberg. Laura is founder of Rideau Falls Violins where she teaches based on the principle that all children are born with the potential to develop a high level of instrument ability and creative ability.

 

Laura shares the inspiring story of how she learned to combine improvisation and classical violin - and how improvisation has impacted her teaching.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• Laura’s upbringing learning violin with the Suzuki method - and some of the myths and misconceptions people have about Suzuki’s ear-based approach.

• How Laura didn’t realize until later in life that she had learned a lot about improvisation growing up with a jazz-pianist father.

• The Creative Ability Development framework which empowers learners to improvise from the outset, and in a way that focuses on listening and personal expression.

 

Even if you’ve never improvised, or you’re an avid improviser keen to learn more, you’re going to love this conversation.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 231

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Welcome to the Musicality Podcast!

• Laura Nerenberg - Rideau Falls Violins

• Laura Nerenberg with Triptych Piano Trio - Facebook

• Shinichi Suzuki - Nurtured By Love

• Suzuki Association

• Alice Kanack - Kanack School Of Musical Artistry

• Art of Improvisation Workshops

• David Darling

 

 

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We are delighted to bring you another inspiring edition of Pathways. In this special series of episodes you’ll hear the stories of music-learners just like you, reaching out and lending each other a hand on our musical journeys. We’re joined by Joanne Cooper, a longstanding member of Musical U, who has particular expertise in a piece of software called Band In A Box.

 

Joanne’s musical life has never been the same since she started using Band in a Box. She went from writing zero songs to writing and covering hundreds of songs! She has learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way, so we were excited to have Joanne on the show to share her musical journey.

 

In this conversation Joanne shares:

 

• How Band In A Box made a life-changing impact on her song-writing and musical performance.

• How she used performing with backing tracks as a stepping stone to accompanying herself.

• The simple and specific song-writing process you can try if you're just starting out.

 

If you've never tried song writing, are nervous performing, or you've never come across the Band In A Box software, this episode will enlighten you.

 

Have you picked up useful ideas or techniques in your own musical journey so far that you think could inspire or help others on their path of exploring their musicality? Get in touch by dropping an email to [email protected]! We are always looking for new guests for Pathways and would love to share your story next.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 230

 

Links and Resources

• Joanne Cooper Online

• Joanne Cooper - First Song with Band-in-a-Box for Windows video course

• Band-in-a-Box 101: A beginners guide to making and performing with Band-in-a-Box backing tracks by Joanne Cooper

• How To Make A Backing Track, with Joanne Cooper

• How To Make A Backing Track with Band-in-a-Box YouTube Video

• Band-in-a-Box for Windows and Mac

• Joanne's Extensive Playlists of Videos on YouTube

• Musicality Now - About the I, IV, V and vi Chords

 

 

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Right now, millions of people around the world are choosing to stay in and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In this challenging and unprecedented time, Musical U’s priority is to provide new free training daily to keep you engaged, excited, and learning during your extra time at home. We’re continuing to collaborate with world-class music educators to bring you everything you need to continue honing your musicality in this time.

 

In this interview, Brent Vaartstra of Learn Jazz Standards and the Passive Income Musician podcast shares his four “defaults�: mindset ideas for getting through this difficult time while staying positive and connected through music.

 

He talks about:

• The power of gratitude and how to focus on the things you’re grateful for on a daily basis.

• The impact of generosity, and ways to volunteer and donate your resources.

• The importance of community engagement .

• Goal-setting, and how to take this time to invest in your dreams.

• Recognizing the activities and routines that will help you make the most of every day.

 

Brent’s “defaults� are the perfect antidote to the unusual circumstances we have found ourselves in - his ideas are as helpful for your daily well-being as they are for your musicality. Enjoy!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 229

 

Links and Resources

• Learn Jazz Standards

• Learn Jazz Standards podcast

• Passive Income Musician podcast

• Musicality Now - How to Stop Doubting and Start Performing, with Brent Vaartstra

• Musicality Now - An Ear for Jazz, with Brent Vaartstra

• The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being by Hale Dwoskin

 

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We’re excited to have Zach VanderGraaff, the founder of Dynamic Music Room, on the show. Mr. V (as his students like to call him) is a K-5 music teacher who’s developed his own teaching philosophy drawing on the Kodály approach.

 

Zach shares many of our core beliefs here at Musical U. He believes that “talent� is a myth, that music learning can and should be enjoyable, that the learning process should feel musical, that it’s more effective to learn together with others, and much more.

 

In this conversation you’ll hear about:

 

• Zach’s own first experience of playing by ear - and why he was frustrated by his family being impressed.

• The key difference between the elementary music teaching Zach does and the more common approaches you may be familiar with.

• The three core concepts on which Zach bases his teaching - and how you can apply each in your own music learning.

 

You will be fascinated by just how much you can learn from the world of children’s music education. Enjoy this episode and make your music journey more fun and effective.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 228

 

Links and Resources

• Dynamic Music Room

• Dynamic Music Room Facebook

• Musicality Now - Designing for Joyful Learning, with Anne Mileski

• Musicality Now - How to Improve AND Enjoy Your Musical Life

 

 

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Hi, this is Christopher Sutton from Musical U, and this will be a special short announcement episode to invite you to Stay In - and Play On.

 

If you're watching this episode when it airs then you'll be well aware of the current situation with the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19.

 

Now I'm not here to offer health advice or news updates - no doubt you've got enough of that flying at you already. But it seems clear that the sooner people self-isolate, the more lives can be saved. 

 

I’m here in Spain on total lockdown with my wife and two young daughters - and although it’s all a bit crazy, we are all in good health so far.

 

And if you're like most in our community at Musical U then faced with that prospect of staying in for several weeks ahead, you're quickly turning to music as a rock you can rely on. I’m glad that my home office is always packed with instruments so I can keep playing. I did have a momentary panic when a guitar string broke - but it’s okay, it turned out I had a spare set.

 

Now I don't want to trivialise this and say "hey, never mind, let's all just have fun and play music!" - this is a serious situation.

 

But at the same time, music can be an incredible force for keeping our spirits high, helping us stay connected with one another, inspiring us to hope and be thankful. And with the opportunity to spend more time on our music learning it even offers a possible silver lining, that we can come out of this situation with new and better skills, feeling more musical, eager to go out there and enjoy performing and collaborating at a new level once life returns to normal.

 

So I wanted to record this special episode to share some cool things that are happening right now which can help you make the most of any extra music time you may find you have.

 

First off, you can expect Musicality Now to continue as normal. We took a short break - and I'll share in a minute what we were busy with elsewhere - but we're back on track for an episode per week, possibly more, so that you can always count on that new episode to listen to or watch.

 

Beyond this show though there's actually a lot of other stuff available for you that I didn't want you to miss out on.

 

Here at Musical U over the last week, as it's become increasingly clear how many people likely face lockdown for weeks or even months, and that the sooner people start self-isolating the better - we've been talking with members and brainstorming in the team, trying to figure out how we can best serve you all in the weeks ahead.

 

Last week we announced a few quick measures for members, which I'll just mention because I know we have a lot of members who listen to the show and you may have missed that announcement. We will be keeping our doors open at Musical U and doing everything we can to make sure you can rely on us for "service as normal" throughout this period. And we're also doing a few extra things based on what we've been hearing from you.

 

Firstly we know a lot of folks are facing financial difficulties with their work interrupted so we're offering an amnesty on membership payments for anybody who needs it. We don't want your membership payment to be a source of stress and we'd hate to lose you from the community.

 

Secondly, we were hearing that many of you anticipated more time available for music practice, but your regular activities like local group rehearsals or performances were all cancelled so you needed something new to sink your teeth into. So for a limited time we've dropped the prices of all five of our standalone courses in half for you - that's Foundations of a Musical Mind, The Musician's Ear, Ear Training For Beginners, The Circle Mastery Experience and even our latest course, Improv Immersion. 

 

We're also shaping up plans for more regular drop-in Q&A sessions where you can connect with the team and other members, virtual jam sessions, a member “perks� page with exclusive discounts and offers on recommended products and services, and a new series of live masterclasses with outside experts for you. And of course we'll be continuing to talk with you in the community to find out what you most want and how we can help.

 

So that's members. We also wanted to do something to help our wider audience who aren't yet members, like our Facebook fans and email subscribers. 

 

So last week we launched a series of free daily masterclass reruns - one hour-long music masterclass every day for a week, free of charge. We have an incredible masterclass library inside Musical U and so it’s been exciting to share some of the highlights more widely, with sessions from folks like "The Learning Coach" Gregg Goodhart, vocal coach Davin Youngs, improv extraordinaire the late Forrest Kinney, and several more. And we've had such a great response to those with hundreds tuning in for every session, we're going to keep that party going with a few more daily masterclasses at least. 

 

Along with those masterclass sessions I wanted to provide a way for those who were eager to get access to even more. So even though we don't usually offer a free trial of Musical U membership, for a limited time we're offering free membership for a full 30 days, with no obligation and no strings attached. So if you miss a masterclass you wanted to catch, or you want to watch them all, or you want the full in-depth skill training that complements them or you want to connect with other music learners like you during this time, then you can come in, try it all for the next month, and not pay a penny. We do of course hope you'll choose to stay, and you can enjoy a big discount on regular pricing if you do - but there's no pressure and no obligation, you're able and welcome to come in, use it all, including the new special events we’re organising for members - and then leave at the end with no payment required.

 

So that felt like a good start, to do what we can to help our community and wider audience stay engaged in fun, productive music learning at this time.

 

Of course if you know us here at Musical U you'll know we never pretend to be the one true be-all-and-end-all of music learning - we love to collaborate with and help recommend other amazing online music educators. So from the outset we were also looking for ways to go beyond just what we at Musical U can provide ourselves.

 

This week we went ahead and added a new "Friends" page to the Musical U website. You can find that by going to musical-u.com and clicking "Friends" in the top menu. This is something we were working on anyway as part of bigger website changes to showcase our mission and more of what we're all about here at Musical U - but given the circumstances it seemed smart to go ahead and make sure all visitors to our site had easy access to our top recommendations for other resources that can help you in your journey of becoming more musical.

 

As you can probably imagine, that wasn't an easy page to put together! Because I wanted to include pretty much every single one of the amazing guests we've had interviewed here on the show! We did have some particular criteria for who to include though, which is a bit hard to explain until those fuller website changes are made. But just to say if you spot any notable absences, folks like Brent Vaartstra at Learn Jazz Standards, for example, who you know we highly recommend and consider a good "friend" of Musical U - that's no slight on his work, it's just about the particular framing of that page, which will hopefully become clear in due course.

 

As well as that Friends page, over the last week I've been reaching out to all our friends and contacts in music education to see what they have planned, and paying attention to what's been going on in the various music teacher groups online. 

 

A lot of us have been trying to figure out how to adjust what we do to best serve music learners at this time, and a lot of music teachers have been hastily making the shift to online teaching. A big shout out to some of the amazing teachers-of-teachers like Sara Campbell, Glory St. Germaine, Bradley Sowash, Tim Topham, Anne Mileski and Melody Payne who've been rapidly providing special training and guidance to help with that transition.

 

So there's a lot going on! And to help you stay musical and stay connected we've put together a special page at stayinplayon.com with details of everything I've mentioned.

 

You'll find there the free daily Musical U masterclasses and whatever we do next after that, you'll find a list of all the special resources and opportunities with other music education providers online that we know about, as well as a way to let us know if you come across any we've missed. And we're also compiling a list of independent teachers who are accepting new online students at this time if you're looking for something new or you want to support music teachers at this difficult time. 

 

We're also encouraging you to share what you're doing to stay musical during this time, by posting on your social media of choice, whether that's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or whatever Snapchatty Tik-Toky thing the cool kids are using these days, with the hashtag #stayinplayon - so that even if you're not joining us for our group activities inside Musical U we can all still feel connected and inspire one another to draw on music as our comfort, our refuge and our silver lining at this time.

 

I would love to hear what you're up to - but instead of our usual invitation to drop us an email I'm going to ask you to put it out there on social media for more people to see and be inspired by. Hashtag it #stayinplayon and we'll see it there.

 

So head over to stayinplayon.com and check out everything that’s happening and I hope to see you at some of the live events we’re organising for members and the public in the weeks ahead.

 

Stay healthy. Stay safe.

 

And together, let’s stay in - and play on!

 

 

Welcome to a very special edition of Musicality Now. We invited Glory St. Germain of Ultimate Music Theory back on the show to teach something very specific. Glory overflows with joy as she shares this powerful lesson.

 

Transformative vocabulary is a broad concept that many successful people apply in their lives. In this episode Glory St. Germain teaches how you can apply transformative vocabulary to your musical life. You will learn how to use words that uplift you - and fuel your excitement you to take on that next challenge!

 

If you wish for impactful musicality that inspires every one around you, you’re going to love this conversation.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 226

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Music Theory You’ll Love to Learn, with Glory St. Germain

• Free Music Theory Masterclass with Glory St. Germain

• Musicality Now - Becoming Curious, with Sharon Mark-Teggart

• Tony Robbins - Transform Your Life

• The Alter Ego Effect

 

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We were thrilled to speak with Annie Bosler, a world class French Hornist who has played with John Williams, Josh Groban, Michael Feinstein, Itzhak Perlman and Paul McCartney. Annie has performed for famous shows such as Glee, The Ellen Show, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony.

 

Surely such a high-level performer is long past any concerns of stage fright or performance anxiety, right? That’s not always the case. In this conversation Annie shares invaluable insights on how top-level professional musicians think about and actively tackle performance anxiety.

 

We talk about:

 

• The relationship between performance anxiety, flow states, and getting into “the zone�.

• The specific components of Annie’s own peak performance toolkit and what you might like to try for yourself.

• The lessons she learned from interviewing some of the original Hollywood studio musicians of the golden years.

 

This conversation will enlighten your overall view of performance flow states - and leave you with some specific tips to help you reach your full performance potential.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 225

 

Links and Resources

• Annie Bosler Online

• The Healthy Musician: Dealing With Nerves & Performance Anxiety

• 1M1: Hollywood Horns of the Golden Years

• Composed Documentary

• Kenny Werner - Effortless Mastery

• Don Greene Books

• Chuck Kriese Books

• Annie Bosler, Don Greene, Kathleen Tesar - College Prep for Musicians

• Maxwell Maltz - The New Psycho-Cybernetics

• Musicality Now - The Keys to Performance Success, with Dr. Don Greene (Winning On Stage)

• College Prep for Musicians Instagram

 

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We were honoured to speak with Professor Henkjan Honing, one of the leading researchers of music cognition and biomusicology. The science behind musicality is at an exciting early stage, so there are at least as many intriguing questions as answers in this fascinating conversation.

 

Professor Honing has written two books exploring the science of musicality: The Evolving Animal Orchestra discusses what we can learn about musicality from the animal kingdom and The Origins of Musicality details the latest cutting-edge research on where human musicality comes from and how it works.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

• The crucial research study with newborn infants that changed the whole trajectory of Professor Honing’s research.

• Two surprising facts about absolute pitch (often called perfect pitch) that might completely change how you think about this seemingly-magical skill.

• What the state-of-the-art scientific research tells us about how much musicality is an innate part of us versus a purely-learned skill.

 

Enjoy this dive into Professor Honing’s perspective on musicality - and gain new appreciation for your own inner musician.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 224

 

Links and Resources

• Henkjan Honing - The Origins of Musicality

• Henkjan Honing - The Evolving Animal Orchestra

• Music Cognition Group

• Prof. HJ (Henkjan) Honing

• TEDxAmsterdam 2011 - Henkjan Honing

• Research study - Newborn infants detect the beat in music

• Tone Deaf Test from Musical U

 

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We’re joined by Mark Morley-Fletcher from Play in the Zone. Mark is a jazz guitarist turned peak performance specialist. He’s developed a system for helping everyday music learners tackle performance anxiety.

 

Mark has taken ideas and techniques from the world of performance psychology and drawn them in to a clear, coherent framework. He does a fantastic job of tying the underlying concepts behind performance to practical tips you can apply right away in your own musical life.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• The non-musical activity that helped Mark draw together the latest research on peak performance into a practical system for musicians.

• The difference between “good� autopilot and “bad autopilot� when it comes to performing.

• The specific things you can do to defuse the negative physical and mental reactions to performance situations.

 

You’ll love the insight in this episode - whether you’re gearing up for your first performance, or you’re a touring veteran. Jump in and learn how to play your best!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 223

 

Links and Resources

• Play in The Zone

• Unlock Your Performance

• Unshakeable Foundations

• Play In The Zone YouTube Channel

• Musicality Now - Note2Self: “I Love This!�, with Lisa McCormick

• Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich

• Musicality Now - About Mindfulness for Musicians

 

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Today we’re joined by Diane Allen, a former concertmaster violinist with the Central Oregon Symphony for 15 years. Diane speaks on the topic of flow and finding your own personal “flow strategy� to reach your full potential, in music and anywhere else in your life.

 

In the past, “peak performance� and “performance psychology� were the exclusive realm of top-level professional performers. Now these ideas are becoming more accessible and applicable to everyday learners and musicians. Diane brings a unique perspective to to the world of performance.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• How Diane rose to great success in the classical world, then put aside her violin completely - and returned to it later in an innovative way.

• The specific practical steps you can take to find your own connection with a piece of music.

• The three components of getting into “flow� state - only one of which is normally covered when you hear about flow.

 

You’ll be excited to apply Diane’s fresh ideas to your own practice and performance. Dive in to this episode and learn how to be at your best!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 222

 

Links and Resources

• Diane Allen - Own Your A-Game

• Diane Allen - Corporate Speaking

• My Violin Recital - YouTube channel

• Fingerboard Workbook by Diane Allen

• Bow Arm Bootcamp

• Email Diane for a special discount

• Losing yourself in flow state | Diane Allen | TEDxNaperville

• Get Out Of Your Head & Into Your Heart | DisruptHR Talks

• Diane Allen Facebook

• Diane Allen Instagram

• Diane Allen’s Violin, Copper Dragon

• Diane Allen Twitter

• Diane Allen Linkedin

 

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We are delighted to bring you another exciting edition of Pathways. In this special series of episodes you’ll hear the stories of music-learners just like you, reaching out and lending each other a hand on our musical journeys. Today we’re speaking with Jon Magnusson, a Swedish songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and father who has done what many in our audience dream of: made music his full-time profession.

 

In this inspiring conversation you’ll gain insight not only in to the business side of Jon’s career, but also in the ways he’s dedicated himself to improving his musicality.

 

We talk about:

• The two key areas of musicality he felt he had to improve, even though he grew up feeling like a very “talented� musician.

• How the combination of being a modern-day A&R rep and musician feed other to accelerate his musical and entrepreneurial growth.

• How he’s managed the biggest challenge in making music his full-time gig.

 

Whether you’re serious about making a career in music - or you’re just a casual hobbyist - you’re going to enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at how business and musicality can help each other.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 221

 

Links and Resources

• Jon Magnusson

• Adam Neely - New Horizons in Music

• Passive Income Musician

• Music Entrepreneur HQ

• Rick Beato - Everything Music

• Indepreneur

• Udemy

• Submit Hub

 

Have you picked up useful ideas or techniques in your own musical journey so far that you think could inspire or help others on their path of exploring their musicality? Get in touch by dropping an email to [email protected]! We are always looking for new guests for Pathways and would love to share your story next.

 

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What if you could learn music so fast, people would assume you’re a genius? Imagine jumping over any learning hurdle, breaking through any plateau, and gaining professional-level instrument skills in a fraction of the time. These things are possible.

 

One of our most popular recent interviews by far was with Gregg Goodhart of Learn Like A Genius. Gregg specialises in taking all the latest research and understanding of how the human brain can most effectively practice, and actually putting it to practical use, in music lessons and classrooms.

 

There was so much packed into our conversation with Gregg that we wanted to make this dedicated recap episode to make sure you didn't miss out on any of the major takeaways. You’ll also hear about the free masterclass Gregg will be presenting at Musical U.

 

Dive in to this episode for insights from a world-leading expert, and how you can to get access to the detailed training to put it all into practice yourself.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 220

 

Links and Resources

• Gregg Goodhart free masterclass on Musical U

• Gregg Goodhart 1-to-1 practice coaching sessions

• Learn Like A Genius

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - About Mindfulness for Musicians

• Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich

• Musicality Now - Mind Before Fingers, with Marilyn White Lowe (Music Moves For Piano)

• Musicality Now - What Music Practice Really Means, with Jonathan Harnum, PhD (The Practice Of Practice)

• Musicality Now - About Deliberate Practice in Music

 

 

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We are joined by Ruth Power of Piano Picnic, home of high quality online training courses for pianists. However, this is not our usual kind of interview episode. We’ve invited Ruth to talk about something very specific: lead sheets.

 

Ruth brings a fun energy and creativity to the teaching process, and her material is always really cool and interesting. When we heard she was releasing a new course called Lovin' Leadsheets we knew had to bring her back on the show!

 

If you’ve never used lead sheets - or you’re already a lead sheet ninja - you’re going to love the nifty ideas and insights Ruth shares about her new course.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 219

 

Links and Resources

• Lovin' Leadsheets

• Piano Picnic

• Making Music Learning a Picnic, with Ruth Power

• About Playing From a Lead Sheet

• Musicality means… Playing from a Lead Sheet

 

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Today we’re joined by Dan Hulsman founder of The VGM Academy, the leading website dedicated to composing video game music. Dan helps aspiring composers from around the world hone their composing skills and break into the VGM industry!

 

The VGM academy is packed full of tutorials, resources, expert interviews, courses and workshops covering all aspects of the industry. Dan teaches everything from composing melodies, to using new technologies, through to marketing and career building.

 

In this conversation Dan shares:

• The one thing more than anything else which is distinctive about video game music, which is still the case now, decades after the first game soundtracks were written.

• The reason it can be surprisingly hard to produce an “album� version of a game’s soundtrack these days.

• And the clever way his high school choir director tricked him into joining the choir, setting him on the path to a career in teaching music and founding VGM Academy years later.

 

For some in our audience, the phrase “video game music� will conjure up memories of very simplistic music barely worthy of consideration - while for others it represents a large and serious part of their love of music. Whether you find yourself in one or the other category - or somewhere in between - this conversation will enlighten your musical journey.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 218

 

Links and Resources

• Video Game Music Academy

• VGM Academy Quest Logs

• Journey Original Soundtrack by Austin Wintory

• Prescription for Sleep: Undertale by GENTLE LOVE

• Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura

• VGM Academy Facebook

• VGM Academy on Twitter

 

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We’ve had an incredible year at Musical U! Since switching from audio-only to video interviews at the beginning of 2019, we’ve had the opportunity to speak with amazing musical experts from all over the world. In this special Rewind episode of MusicalityNow, the Musical U team reflects on some of the episodes from 2019 that had a big impact on our musical lives.

We’ve all learned so much and were really excited to share some of our a-ha moments with you! We are so grateful to have the honor of gaining insight from such powerful musical minds - and we don’t want you to miss any of the golden nuggets of information and inspiration packed into the vaults of the Musicality Now catalogue.

Dive in to this special Rewind episode and unlock an excitement for musicality to propel you to your musical goals!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 217

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - How to Earn Your Inspiration, with Mark Cawley

• Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich

• Musicality Now - Boosting Musical Brainpower, with Josh Turknett (Brainjo)

• Musicality Now - How Composers Improve, with Matthew Ellul (School of Composition)

• Musicality Now - In Perfect Swinging Harmony, with The Quebe Sisters

• Musicality Now - Nature, Nurture, and your Duvet of Music, with Robert Emery

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

• Musicality Now - What Music Practice Really Means, with Jonathan Harnum, PhD (The Practice Of Practice)

• Musicality Now - Emotion and Efficiency, with Marc Gelfo

 

 

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Today we’re excited to share another Pathways story with you! We are joined by Musical U member Sharilynn Horhota. Before her engineering career and three children, Sharilynn was headed towards becoming a professional flute player. Now she has returned to the flute in a surprising way.

 

Sharilynn has been sharing her journey on her Musical U Progress Journal. The Progress Journal, or PJ, is a system we use inside the Musical U site for members to share their progress, ask questions, and get feedback and support from the Musical U team and Musical U community. Sharilynn has made fantastic use of her PJ so we had some sense of her interesting backstory and all the cool activities she’s been up to - but as you’ll be hearing, Musical U is just one part of all the resources she’s been drawing on and all the ways she’s been stretching herself since returning to flute.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• How studying Alexander Technique in Finland let her feel much freer in her playing and opened up her sound

• The specific resources and exercises that have helped Sharilynn start to improvise, and in a way that feels like she is truly expressing herself, rather than just improv-by-numbers following chord tones.

• And the two clever variants on traditional exercises, scales and long notes, which she now gives her flute students to help them improve faster and enjoy practicing more.

 

Part of the intention with this Pathways series is to share stories of music learners who are perhaps more relatable than the world-leading experts we’re so fortunate to have the chance to interview here on the show. But we’re not sure Sharilynn quite fits that bill, because as you’ll discover, she is one seriously impressive music learner! You will surely find a lot to relate to in her story - and pick up some handy ideas and pointers that you can apply in your own musical journey.

 

Have you picked up useful ideas or techniques in your own musical journey so far that you think could inspire or help others on their path of exploring their musicality? Get in touch by dropping an email to [email protected]! We are always looking for new guests for Pathways and would love to share your story next.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 216

 

Links and Resources

• The Complete Guide to The Alexander Technique

• Michael Lake - Alto Bone

• Aimee Nolte Music

• Musicality Now - Explaining the Musical Ear, with Aimee Nolte

• Jeffrey Agrell books

• Musicality Now - Making Improv a Game, with Jeffrey Agrell

• David Reed - Improvise For Real

• David Reed - Sing the Numbers

• Musicality Now - How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed

• Brent Vaartstra - Learn Jazz Standards

• Musicality Now - How to Stop Doubting and Start Performing, with Brent Vaartstra

• Learn Jazz Faster - How To: 25 Great Ways To Maximize Your Jazz Improvisation Practice

• Musicality Now - Boosting Musical Brainpower, with Josh Turknett

 

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Today we’re talking with Dr. Jonathan Harnum, whose PhD research was focused on the topic of music practice. Dr. Harnum studied how a wide variety of musicians think about and execute practice to be able to reach such high levels of ability.

 

The result of Dr. Harnum’s research is a book called The Practice Of Practice, which we strongly recommend checking out. The Practice of Practice is a highly-readable treasure trove of all the latest ideas, understanding, techniques and insights on what makes for effective music practice and how you can learn better and faster.

 

From a classical upbringing to an exciting 2-year road-trip of discovering improvisation, Jonathan Harnum’s own musical journey is fascinating!  We were excited to have the chance to speak with him and share some of the ideas from The Practice of Practice to inspire and accelerate your music learning.

 

If you heard our recent interview with Gregg Goodhart on the topic of practice then you’ll find this is a beautiful counterpoint. Although the broad topic is the same, this is a very different conversation - but similarly packed with insights and nuggets that can pay off for your own music practice.

 

In this conversation you’ll hear about:

 

• A simple way to reframe how you think about difficult things which can immediately transform frustration and helplessness into empowered eagerness.

• The neurological research which proves that watching live music can be a highly valuable form of practice too.

• How “guerilla practice� can help you fit in genuinely effective music practice even amid the busiest of lives.

 

You’re going to really enjoy Dr. Harnum’s insights on improvising, creativity, broadening the idea of what music practice can be, and some of the very specific actionable ideas he shares along the way.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 215

 

Links and Resources

• The Practice of Practice

• Practice Like This by Jonathan Harnum PhD (Free PDF)

• Jon Harnum - Author, Teacher, Musician

• Dr. Jonathan Harnum - Books on Music Theory and Trumpet

• Kenny Werner - Effortless Mastery

• The Musician’s Ear - Active Listening Course

• Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart

 

 

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Today we’re joined by one of the leading Gordon-trained music educators and author of Music Moves for Piano, Marilyn White Lowe. Music Moves is an innovative approach to teaching piano, which from the very beginning incorporates all of the “inner skills� we focus on here at Musical U, such as improvising, playing by ear, composing your own music and collaborating with other musicians.

 

Music Moves uses Dr. Edwin Gordon’s Music Learning Theory, which codifies how the human brain learns music, as the basis for designing how musicianship can most effectively be taught. “Music Learning Theory� has previously been featured on Musicality Now, most notably in our interview with Professor Cynthia Crump-Taggart, President of the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. We’ve discussed several times on past episodes the idea of audiation, which is a word Edwin Gordon originally coined. Audiation has detail and depth that goes far beyond simply “imagining music in your head�. Marilyn brings a wonderful new perspective to audiation for us, as educators applying it directly in the context of teaching an instrument.

 

Drawing on ideas from Orff, Suzuki, Dalcroze, and Kodály, The Music Moves For Piano method incorporates listening, singing, movement, audiation, and notation, on top of the pure piano technique skills - and as you’ll hear in this conversation it develops the student into a fully-fledged and well-rounded musician - not just a piano player.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• Why clapping, tapping or walking may not be the best ways to internalise the pulse and the rhythmic patterns of music.

• The specific rhythm and pitch frameworks which give students the "vocabulary" they need to improvise and be creative in music.

• Why the age of 9 is a turning point in music learning, and what that means for adult music learners.

 

A lot of the concepts we talk about here at Musical U are brought to life in this conversation. If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like to learn an instrument in a way that truly incorporates musicality training, rather than having it be off in its own separate area, this episode will inspire your music learning.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 214

 

Links and Resources

• Music Moves For Piano

• Music Moves Books

• Music Moves Videos

• The Gordon Institute for Music Learning - Music Learning Theory

• Edwin E. Gordon - Learning Sequences in Music

• Edwin E. Gordon - How Children Learn When They Learn Music

• Gerald Eskelin - Lies My Music Teacher Told Me

• Eric Bluestine - The Ways Children Learn Music: An Introduction and Practical Guide to Music Learning Theory

• Music Learning Academy

• Musicality Now - Audiation and Thinking Music, with Cynthia Crump Taggart

• Creative Piano Teachers Podcast - Forrest Kinney on The 4 Arts of Music

 

 

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Today’s guest, Gregg Goodhart, specializes in taking all the latest research and understanding of how the human brain can most effectively practice, and actually putting it to practical use, in music lessons and classrooms. Through his innovative Practiclass project he’s able to prove by on-the-spot demonstration with real students, just how effective these techniques can be for breaking past longstanding plateaus and reaching new heights of instrumental ability.

 

Gregg’s YouTube channel and project is called Learn Like A Genius, and with good reason. When you see the virtuoso instrumentalist, the person who seems like a musical genius, and wonder how they got so good, the chances are that they either consciously or unconsciously have been using some of the learning techniques that Gregg shares today.

 

We talk about:

• The two disastrous ways that the idea of “talent� sabotages music learners and can hold you back from reaching your true potential.

• Gregg’s simple three-word summary of the powerful idea of “deliberate practice�, and how it can be the key to fast progress.

• The counter-intuitive but foolproof way to break past plateaus where you just can’t seem to play a certain passage correctly at full speed.

 

You’re going to come away from this episode seriously inspired about what could be possible from your music practice in the future - and to make sure you’re able to really follow through on that, we’ve got a couple of fantastic ways for you to dive into using these ideas in a practical way.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 213

 

Links and Resources

• Gregg Goodhart - Learning Coach

• What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute

• Learn Like A Genius - Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart

• Learning, Competence, and Talent, with Gregg Goodhart

• Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning

• Geoff Colvin - Talent Is Overrated

• Effective Practice: Lessons from Neuroscience and Psychology, with Gregg Goodhart

• Practical Ways to Play Better Now, Right Now, C’mon, Go Do It!

• Why an "A" is not enough

 

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Today we have the honour of talking with one of the top authors of piano books over the last nearly 35 years: Dennis Alexander.

 

With over 400 publications and recordings on Alfred Music, including Alfred’s flagship piano method Premier Piano Course, Dennis is one of the world’s most prolific and popular composers of educational piano music for students at all levels. In 2015 he was awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Award� by the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy in recognition of his extraordinary service to the music teaching profession.

 

Mr. Alexander provides a rich learning experience for his students by bringing awareness to the importance of musicality. Often dull topics like music theory and reading notation are brought to life with a creativity and a consciousness of musical expression.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• How Dennis’ background in playing by ear and improvising feeds into how he approaches composing.

• The main difference between children and adult learners and one great way to make learning more enjoyable and improvisation less intimidating if you’re an adult learner.

• And the specific aspects which you should have in mind to bring a rendition from a strictly-correct but unmoving one through to a compelling, musical performance.

 

Enjoy this glimpse into what makes one of the top piano methods much more than just “playing the right notes at the right time�. Even if you’re not a piano player you don’t want to miss all of the deep musical insight in this interview!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 212

 

Links and Resources

• Dennis Alexander Online

• Premier Piano Course

• Keys to Stylistic Mastery

• Keys to Artistic Performance

• Dennis Alexander on Alfred Music

• Dennis Alexander Compositions

 

 

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In more than 200 episodes, Musicality Now has brought you interviews with the world’s leading experts on musicality as well as teaching segments on crucial topics to your music learning. But while we’ve been inspired by the accomplishments of educators and musicians who seem to “arrived� musically, something very important has been missing.

 

What is really going on in the day-to-day musical lives of passionate music learners who are still very much on the Pathways to reaching their musical goals?

 

Well, today we have the first in a new series of episodes in which we’ll be talking with folks just like you, reaching out, inspiring each other, and lending each other a hand in our musical journeys.

 

Every day inside Musical U we see the power of peer-to-peer learning, and how much we can all gain from being among the right community of music-learners. And so we're going to be inviting the Musicality Now audience as well as our members at Musical U to come on and share their own music-learning journey, and the resources, insights and breakthroughs that have helped them along the way so far.

 

If you've had a musicality breakthrough - small or large - please get in touch by sending an email to [email protected] - we want to hear your story!

 

Today we’re joined by Nick Cheetham, a podcast listener who got in touch after our recent "Intimidating - or Inspiring? You Choose" episode to share some of his thoughts on the topic, and he had such interesting things to say we decided to invite him on the show to share his journey so far.

 

In this conversation you're going to hear about:

• What caused Nick to pick up the violin for the first time at age 40 despite worrying he might be "tone deaf"

• How Nick's been able to achieve several significant goals over the last 18 months and how that relates to the choice of "intimdating vs. inspiring�

• And how after 10 years of learning Nick made some adjustments and was quickly able to get off the page and into playing by ear, improvising, and playing in groups.

 

We hope you'll enjoy this new kind of episode - let us know what you think, and maybe we can share your story next.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 211

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Intimidating – or Inspiring? You Choose

• Musicality Now - Explaining the Musical Ear, with Aimee Nolte

• Musicality Now - How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed

• Musicality Now - How to Stop Doubting and Start Performing, with Brent Vaartstra

• Coursera - Fundamentals of Music Theory from The University of Ediinburgh

• Carol Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

• Improvise For Real

• Creative Strings Academy

• The Mind Over Finger Podcast

• The Jazz Violin Podcast

• River Of Suck

• Learn Jazz Standards

 

 

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Today we have the pleasure of talking with Dr. Don Greene, one of the world's leading experts and practitioners of performance psychology. In his 30-year career Dr. Greene has coached more than 1,000 performers, including top-tier symphony musicians and Olympic gold medalists.

 

Dr. Greene has written eight books, two of which we discuss in this conversation, Performance Success and College Prep for Musicians. He also publishes articles covering all aspects of peak performance psychology for music, sports and all performing disciplines on his website, Winning on Stage.

 

You may be familiar with some of the ideas in this interview, such as visualisation and positive self-talk. However, If you’re like most music learners, you've probably come across these ideas in vague blog posts or conversation. You're going to find it hugely valuable to hear from a performance psychologist who's worked with world-class performers across several disciplines for many years.

 

We talk about:

 

• Why trying to feel relaxed is not actually the route to reliable performance under pressure

• The five areas you can assess yourself on, to know how best to improve your own performance abilities.

• The importance of a so-called "pre-shot routine" that can help you perform at your best even when your heart is pounding

 

This conversation is going to equip you with some valuable new insights and strategies to apply in your musical life and open your eyes to what might be possible for you!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 210

 

Links and Resources

• Winning On Stage

• Winning On Stage Articles

• Dr. Don Greene’s Books

• Performance Mastery Assessment

• Centering Training

 

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Today we’re talking with Caroline Whiddon, the co-founder of Me2/Orchestra, the world's only classical music organisation created for those with mental illnesses and the people who support them.

 

The mission of Me2/Orchestra is to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness, including addiction, through supportive classical music ensembles and inspiring performances.

 

As a society we are only just beginning to figure out how to talk sensibly and openly about mental illness. In this interview we wanted to be respectful and tactful while also addressing head-on some of the stigma that Me2/Orchestra is trying to mitigate, such as the assumptions people have about how an orchestra of people with mental illness can actually function.

 

We talk about:

 

• Caroline's own story of music and mental health and how it led to her meeting the co-founder of Me2/, Ronald Braunstein.

• How after studying with the likes of Karajan and Bernstein, Ronald was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and encountered the stigma and discrimination which ultimately inspired the Me2/ project.

• And the specific ways Me2/ benefits its players and enlightens audiences - not in any kind of preachy way but simply by virtue of its existence and musical excellence.

 

One thing to clarify before we dive in - you might associate the phrase "Me Too" with the recent #MeToo movement about sexual assault but Me2/Orchestra was founded in 2011 and there's no connection between the two. The name came from Ronald's experience sharing his mental health diagnosis with other musicians and being surprised to hear them say "me too".

 

Mental health is something we should talk more openly and honestly about. We are glad to have the opportunity to showcase this wonderful project. Whether this topic is of interest to you or not, there is a ton of insight packed into this conversation and we can all learn a lot from how Me2/ approaches running an orchestra.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 209

 

Links and Resources

• Me2/Orchestra Online

• Orchestrating Change - Documentary Film about Me2/Orchestra

• NY Times Article - Fighting the Stigma of Mental Illness Through Music

• Al Jazeera news report on Me2/Orchestra

 

 

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Today we’re speaking with Joseph Alexander, the man behind Fundamental Changes, the leading publisher of guitar books on Amazon with over 100 titles in their catalogue and over 150,000 copies sold last year.

 

Joseph's own backstory is a really interesting one and reveals some great insights about learning effectively in the modern era, whether self-taught or with a teacher. Fundamental Changes has been leveraging the dramatically changing landscape in the world of book publishing to provide exciting new opportunities for students - and potential authors!

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• The three factors that helped Joseph go from struggling in learning music to really enjoying and improving consistently.

• The specific advantages a modern indie publisher has over traditional book publishers and how that helps authors and students alike.

• What their publishing process looks like when they work with a musician or music educator who has something interesting to say - and how different that is from the status quo in the publishing industry.

 

If you’ve ever wondered how a music book comes to be, or whether learning from a print book or ebook can really match up against in-person lessons or YouTube videos - you won’t want to miss this one.

 

Fundamental Changes are currently seeking new authors - if you're a musician or music educator with something interesting to share, be sure to get in touch via the contact form on the Fundamental Changes website!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 208

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Welcome to the Musicality Podcast!

• Fundamental Changes

• Musicality Now - From Mechanics to Organics, with Bradley Sowash

• Musicality Now - Nature, Nurture, and your Duvet of Music, with Robert Emery

• Musicality Now - A Simple Tip for Indecision and Analysis-Paralysis

 

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For this episode of Musicality Now, we turned the tables on our usual format. Adam Liette, Musical U Operations Manager is taking over for our normal host, Christopher Sutton – and Christopher is our guest!

 

Adam sat down with Christopher and asked him two important questions:

 

1. One that many musicians think they know the answer to: “What is ear training?�

2. And one that is a sticking point for most music learners: “Why isn’t ear training working?�

 

If you’re watching or listening to this show, you know the benefits of a great musical ear. But how do you get there? If you, like many others, find ear training hard or frustrating, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 207

 

Links and Resources

• Ear Training For Beginners

• Musicality Now - About the Ear Training Trap

• Musicality Now - About Perfect Pitch

• Musicality Now - What Is Musicality? (Revisited)

• Tim Topham’s Creative Piano Teaching Podcast - Forrest Kinney On The 4 Arts Of Music

 

 

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Today we are welcoming back Dave Isaacs, “The Nashville Guitar Guru�! We interviewed Dave on episode 60 of the show, where we talked about his own musical journey from aspiring classical guitarist to learning improv, switching to playing popular styles including country rock, teaching. He shared his major lessons learned as a musician and music teacher, which he shares at Nashville Guitar Guru.

 

Dave is the author of the brand new book, The Perpetual Beginner, A Musician’s Path to Lifelong Learning.  It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read that will be relevant and impactful to anybody who enjoys Musicality Now.

 

 

We are excited to have Dave Isaacs back on the show to share some of the powerful ideas and stories from “The Perpetual Beginner�.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• Why so many music learners find themselves stuck in the "beginner" phase, even after months, years or even decades of learning.

• The painful experience that opened Dave's eyes to the downside of respecting tradition and having reverence for doing things in the most technically correct way.

• Why some teachers discourage students from returning to earlier, easier material - but the two important reasons you should be doing this regularly.

 

Plus: we’re so keen to get this book into as many music learners’ hands as possible, we’re giving away five copies, shipped to your door, absolutely free! Listen for the details in the episode.

 

If you’ve ever found your enthusiasm and motivation waning, or you’ve been frustrated not to reach a higher level faster, or you’ve felt torn between doing things “the right way� and doing things “your way� - you’re going to love how this episode helps you.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 206

 

Links and Resources

• Nashville Guitar Guru

• Dave Isaacs - The Perpetual Beginner

• Musicality Now - Follow Your Ear, with Dave Isaacs

 

 

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Today we’re talking with Nick Bottini, a career and performance coach who has worked with high performers from around the world including child prodigies, competition winners, rock stars, entrepreneurs, international sportspeople and elite music college students. Nick is the author of Just Play: The Simple Truth Behind Musical Excellence, a best-selling book which challenges the current thinking on performance psychology and offers a fundamentally different way of thinking about the experience of learning music and how to achieve our full potential.

 

Nick’s teaching is deep. Depending on your background it may seem very odd, or it may be exactly what you’ve been desperate to hear someone put clearly into words.

 

His successful techniques are rooted in long-standing spiritual traditions yet there’s no dogma or belief system required to benefit from these ideas. Nick brings it all home to roost with practical ways to shift your mindset and successfully achieve the musical levels you desire.

 

As well as some deep and profound ideas, we also make sure to cover the very practical implications of it all in the context of learning music.

 

For example we talk about:

 

• Why most musicians never feel fully settled or at home in their musical lives or identity as a musician, and how that relates to performance anxiety and impostor syndrome.

• The “elephant in the room� when it comes to modern performance psychology - and what the alternative is.

• Two unorthodox but effective ways to flip how you approach music practice - and, unlike some of what you may have heard on this show in the past, this is not about “enjoying practice more�

 

The lessons in this episode can positively affect not just your musicality and musical potential, but your life and potential in general. That’s why we’re so excited to share this with you! Enjoy.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 205

 

Links and Resources

• Nick Bottini Online

• Nick Bottini - “Just Play: The Simple Truth Behind Musical Excellence�

• Musicality Now - How to Stop Doubting and Start Performing, with Brent Vaartstra

• Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich

 

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Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Robert Emery, a concert-pianist turned conductor and Musical Director. He’s worked at venues from London's Royal Albert Hall to the Sydney Opera House and with some of the top names in the world of music such as the UK’s best-selling classical artist Russell Watson and Stewart Copeland, drummer from The Police. He’s also the host of Backstage with Robert Emery, a new podcast featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with star musicians and top-level performers.

 

If you’re a member of Musical U or familiar with this show then you’ll know we have a pretty firm stance on the idea of musical “talent� and its implications for the adult music learner. We’re always excited when we have the chance to interview someone who’s considered “talented� or “gifted� and see what we can learn from their backstory and their own attitude to music learning.

 

On paper, Robert’s a classic case of the child prodigy, a talented musician who saw great success at an incredible pace as both a pianist and then a conductor. And I wouldn’t for a second detract from that or question his amazing abiltiies. But as you’ll be hearing, there is some interesting subtlety to the story. And as Robert would be the first to tell you, all of his accomplishments and the praise he receives - it has been earned through hard work, not just an effortless “gift�.

 

He’s also a very experienced music teacher and so has some very helpful insights and advice for the adult music learner in particular.

 

We talk about:

 

• How to choose the right instrument - and how to know whether you have or not.

 

• The particular challenges of learning music as an adult and how to overcome them - the pep talk he used to give his new adult students on day one that proved to be worth its weight in gold for them.

 

• Robert’s views on talent, nature versus nurture, and what that means for the average adult music learner.

 

It comes across clearly in his own podcast that Robert is a lovely guy with wisdom aplenty to share and so I knew this conversation would be a fascinating one. Enjoy.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 204

 

Links and Resources

• Robert Emery Online

• Backstage With Robert Emery

• How To Choose A Musical Instrument

• Asana Management Tool

• The 12 Week Year

 

 

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We’re joined by Hulda, Grace and Sophia, The Quebe Sisters, a progressive western swing band that have been blowing people away and winning fiddle contests from an early age - and have been growing a large and devoted fanbase ever since. They have been featured in Musical U tutorials on harmonic ear training because of their unique style of three-voice fiddle playing as well as vocal harmony.

 

In a past interview solo pianist Michele McLaughlin talked about how she and her sister refer to really touching music as music that “makes your heart hurt�.  The Quebe Sisters song, “Georgia On My Mind� is a great example of music that makes the heart hurt, while simultaneously making the ears cheer with delight.

You’ll hear more about this in the interview, but just know if you’re looking for music that’s a rich and beautiful environment to explore with your ears, there are few better choices than The Quebe Sisters.

 

We were excited to dig into the backstory of their musicality and the sisters were honest, open and generous with what they shared.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

• The challenges of starting to sing together after years of only playing fiddle - and the one practice habit that was painful - but hugely effective for helping them improve.

• How exactly they each think about writing and arranging harmony parts and the relationship between ear skills and theory.

• What the “progressive� in “progressive western swing� means and how they’ve been developing their sound for the new record.

 

We hope you’ll enjoy this peek behind the scenes and into the minds of The Quebe Sisters.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 203

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Welcome to the Musicality Podcast!

• The Quebe Sister Online

• The Quebe Sisters - “The Quebe Sisters� on Amazon

• The Quebe Sisters - “The Quebe Sisters� on Spotify

• The Quebe Sisters - “The Quebe Sisters� on iTunes

• The Quebe Sisters - “My Love, My Life, My Friend�

• The Quebe Sisters - “Pierce the Blue�

• The Quebe Sisters - “Georgia On My Mind�

• Musicality Now - 100% Emotion, with Michele McLaughlin

• A Cappella for Ear Training: How

• Seth Riggs - “Singing For The Stars�

• Rosanna Eckert - “Singing with Expression: A Guide to Authentic & Adventurous Song Interpretation�

• Ray Price - “Night Life�

 

 

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Today on the show we have the pleasure of interviewing one of our favourite people in the world of music education, Jeffrey Agrell. He has pioneered a game-based approach to learning improvisation and written 9 books on the topic, including “Improvisation Games for Classical Musicians� which by itself features over 500 games you can use to learn to improvise in an easy and enjoyable way.

 

Jeffrey was a professional French horn player, to the level of becoming a college professor in horn at the University of Iowa in 2000 - before realising that his heart just wasn’t in it for years and decades of repeating the same classical music repertoire and performances. That led to his exploring and developing ways for classical music players to begin improvising, not by switching their attention to jazz, but in ways that were fully compatible with their classical music perspective but set them free of the sheet music. 

 

When we interviewed Jeffrey for EasyEarTraining.com back in 2016, we called the post “Game Your Way To Impressive Improvising� - because we wanted to make the point that a game-based approach to learning to improvise is not just a frivolous way to have fun but a highly effective way to learn to improvise. Improvising is not a distraction or diversion from becoming a great musician, but in fact could be a critical and generally-missing part of it.

 

Jeffrey is a master of metaphors and analogies and this conversation is packed with taxi drivers, fish on bicycles, talking babies, brontosaurus anatomy, 10,000 eggs and more. He paints vivid pictures of the limitations and problems with traditional classical music training and what learning to improvise can look like.

 

He shares:

 

• A simple idea and range of examples of how you can transform practicing scales into something enjoyable, creative, and ultimately even more effective for improving your technique.

• Exactly how much theory knowledge, instrument technique and aural skills are required to improvise music.

• How and why to learn improv with a musical friend, even if neither of you have any knowledge or experience of improvisation before starting.

 

Whatever your relationship with improvising, whether non-existent or highly developed, you’re going to discover some fresh inspiration and guidance in this episode for how to more fully express the musician you have inside through the art of improvisation.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 202

 

Links and Resources

• Jeffrey Agrell - Educator, Performer, Composer, Author

• Jeffrey Agrell - Improvisation Games For Classical Musicians

• Musicality Now - Game Your Way to Impressive Improvising

• Classical Improv Jam

 

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Have you heard of the Circle Of Fifths? If you're like most musicians you have heard of it, you've probably read about it, you maybe understand it, you haven't yet memorised it and you only know one thing it's useful for. The result: you're not actually using it anywhere in your musical life.

  

The Circle Of Fifths is simply the 12 notes of Western music arranged in a certain order around a circle: C G D, A E B, F♯ C♯ G♯, D♯ A♯ and F - and of course those sharps can be named with flats too.

 

Write those notes in that order around a circle in 12 positions like a clock - and you have the circle. Simple as that.

 

So why all the fuss?

 

In this episode Christopher, Andrew, and Anastasia from the MU team get together for an informal and unscripted chat about why most musicians have been missing out on the full power, beauty and potential of the circle in their musical lives - and what you can do about it.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 201

 

 

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What does “Musicality� mean? Naturally we have our own ideas here at Musical U but a recent survey revealed that maybe we’ve actually missed the mark a bit…

 

In this episode we share exactly what “musicality� means to our Musical U members - and what it could mean for you.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 200

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Welcome to the Musicality Podcast!

• Musicality Now - Unlocking Your Musicality: Part One

• Musicality Now - Unlocking Your Musicality: Part Two

• Musicality Now - A Mindset for Musicality, with Natalie Weber

• Musicality Now - Discover Your Own Musical Creativity, with Forrest Kinney

• Musicality Now - The Musicality of Sitting on a Rock, with Andrew Bishko

• Musicality Now - About You Being Musical Inside Already

• Musicality Now - The Musicality of the Beatles

• Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich

 

 

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When we think of music learning, we often think of the really hard work that goes into learning any instrument. Or that our goals are a long way off and will take years of dedication just to get there - But, what if we took the approach that the simple process of learning music is fun and filled with enjoyment?

 

In this special rewind episode of Musicality Now the Musical U team discusses Ease and Joy in Music Learning.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 199

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Ease and Joy in Music Learning

• Musicality Now - Tell Your Own Story, with David Wallimann

• Musicality Now - Practice, Performance, and Powerful Levers, with Josh Wright

• Musicality Now - Folk, Frameworks, and Fun, with David Row

• Musicality Now - Creativity, Composing, and Confidence, with Sabrina Peña Young

• Musicality Now - Note2Self: “I Love This!�, with Lisa McCormick

• Musicality Now - 100% Emotion, with Michele McLaughlin

• Musicality Now - Rewind: Singing

• Musicality Now - Rewind: A Mindset for Music Theory

• Musicality Now - Rewind: Practicing

 

 

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Today We’re speaking with Matthew Ellul, the man behind School Of Composition, an online resource for anyone who wants to learn to compose music, offering free tutorials as well as eBooks and personal tutoring for aspiring composers.

 

Composing and song writing are often the end goals which inspire people to join our membership here at Musical U and so we’re very conscious of the things which tend to hold people back from really pursuing or succeeding with writing their own music, and we’re always eager to talk with those who specialise in teaching these skills.

 

Like music theory, composing is often taught in a dry, abstract rule-based way which sucks all the musicality out of it. On his site, School of Composition, Matthew tackles both topics in a way that helps nurture creativity - rather than stifle it.

 

In this conversation we talk about:

 

• Two simple insights which helped Matthew stop comparing himself to others in an unconstructive way

• The music theory topic which was a big "aha" moment for him and helped stop his own compositions from meandering aimlessly

• How singing, playing an instrument, playing more than one instrument, and mastering notation software can all contribute in different ways to becoming a better composer

 

We also talk about the big thing which holds us back from sharing our own musical creations - and Matthew recommends one effective way to fix that.

 

We often encourage people to try composing or song writing even if they don't expect to pursue it in a serious way - because just like improvising, composing can be a terrific vehicle for applying your inner musicality and exploring what you're capable of in music.

 

Whether you're currently excited by the word "composing" or not, you'll enjoy this conversation with Matthew - because there are a ton of valuable ideas and insights here for any musician.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 198

 

Links and Resources

• School Of Composition

• School Of Composition - How to Get Better at Music Composition (15 Do’s and 5 Don’ts)

• School Of Composition - Cadences in Music: Beyond the Harmonic Formulas

• Musicality Now - About Singing as a Tool

• Musicality Now - The Instrument Inside You, with Ben Parry

• Musicality Now - About Playing Like Singing

• Musicality Now - Find and Make Peace with Your Voice, with Nikki Loney

• Musicality Now - Learning to Sing in Tune, with George Bevan

• Musicality Now - How to Sing Smarter, with Meghan Nixon

• Musicality Now - Singing that Sounds Good – and Beyond, with Davin Youngs

• Musicality Now - All Things Vocal, with Judy Rodman

• Musicality Now - Rewind: Singing

• Musicality Now - Intimidating – or Inspiring? You Choose

 

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When you see an incredible musician - are you inspired? Or are you intimidated?

 

Believe it or not, this reaction is not something that happens to you - it’s something entirely within your control, and flipping from one to the other can have a massive positive effect on your musical life.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 197

 

Links and Resources

• The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Do You Have An “Inner Natural Musician�? Here’s How To Know

 

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Have you been losing your enthusiasm for learning music? Or perhaps you’re loving it - but don’t seem to be making much progress.

 

Believe it or not, both of these can stem from the same root problem. And it turns out the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci has the solution for you...

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 196

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - A Mindset for Musicality, with Natalie Weber

• Musicality Now - About You Being Musical Inside Already

• Musicality Now - About the Importance of Joy and Pleasure

• Musicality Now - Can't Improvise? There's just one thing holding you back

• Musicality Now - How to Improve AND Enjoy Your Musical Life

 

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Today’s interview is among the most fascinating we’ve had on the show to date. We’re joined by Dr. Josh Turknett, the neurologist, best-selling author and musician behind “Brainjo� - a music-learning methodology which originated on banjo but applies across all instruments, and which is designed to leverage modern scientific insights on how the brain actually learns.

 

At the Brainjo Center for Neurology & Cognitive Enhancement Josh tackles the question “Is it possible to take any ordinary adult brain and turn it into the brain of a musician?� - and finds strong evidence that the answer is a resounding “Yes!�

 

He is also the host of the terrific Intelligence Unshackled Podcast, which focuses on how to optimise the health and function of the brain, including its capacity to learn and change itself.

 

If you’ve ever wondered how exactly the brain learns new things, or whether your music-learning process is really dialed in to help you learn as quickly and enjoyably as possible - you are going to absolutely love this one.

 

In this conversation Josh shares:

• A completely new way to think about how you’re spending your music practice time

• An explanation of how to use visualisation to help you improve faster - and when exactly to do that visualisation.

• The “labyrinth technique� to focus your practice time on what will deliver the biggest impact.

 

We also talk about how playing by ear on banjo is - and isn’t - different from other instruments, how playing complex music by ear actually works, how the adult brain compares to the child’s brain for learning - and a whole lot more.

 

You will come away with several new ideas that change how you think about your music learning.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 195

 

Links and Resources

• The Immutable Laws of Brainjo

• The Immutable Laws of Brainjo - Why Anyone Can (and should!) Learn To Play By Ear

• The Immutable Laws of Brainjo - The Secret To Staying Motivated

• The Immutable Laws of Brainjo - The Advantages of Having an Adult Brain

• The Immutable Laws of Brainjo - The Most Important Skill You Probably Never Practice

• Intelligence Unshackled Podcast

• Intelligence Unshackled - Why You Should Embrace Your Ineptitude

• David Epstein - “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World�

 

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Have you ever struggled to make a decision in your musical life?

 

You don’t want to miss this tip from a kid named James - it might just save you from indecision and “analysis paralysis� forever more…

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 194

 

Links and Resources

• Summer Of Transformation Promotion

 

 

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We are very excited to have Susanne Olbrich on the show! Trained by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, Susanne is a specialist in mindfulness for musicians. She is a musician herself and committed to exploring the benefits of mindfulness for musicians.

 

In this conversation we talk about Susanne’s own story and about mindfulness for musicians. But we go deeper than just the surface level you might be expecting…

 

We talk about:

• How mindfulness helped her and how it can help you

• How to relate to the spiritual perspective on mindfulness if it doesn’t resonate with you - especially if you’re more scientifically minded

• An important note about who should take care in exploring mindfulness

• Deep listening and how it relates to mindfulness and the “active listening� we’ve talked about on this show before.

 

Susanne also leads us through a “mindful moment� to give you a “taster� experience of what mindfulness is all about.

 

We hope we can tempt her back to provide some training for MU members in future.

 

As you’ll hear her say, it’s not a magic bullet cure-all as some in the media like to portray it as - but it certainly can be a musical superpower and one well worth adding to your own musical identity.

 

Whether you’ve never heard of mindfulness, you’ve heard of it and thought it’s not for you, you’ve been curious but never tried it, or you’re already practicing mindfulness and enjoying the benefits in your musical life, we hope you’ll enjoy this conversation and get a ton out of it.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 193

 

Links and Resources

• Susanne Olbrich - Pianist, Music Teacher, Mindfulness Facilitator

• Free 10 minute guided mindfulness meditation

• Susanne Olbrich music, including Marama Trio

• Plum Village

• The Difference Between Hearing and Listening: Deep Listening with Composer Pauline Oliveros

• Jack Kornfield - “Meditation for Beginners�

• Musicality Now - “About Mindfulness for Musicians�

• Musicality Now - “Note2Self: “I Love This!�, with Lisa McCormick�

• “Ending the Vicious Circle of Negative Habits� - Dharma Talk by Thich Nhat Hanh

 

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Today we’re joined by Bradley Sowash, an educator specialising in creativity and improvisation who we’ve long admired in the world of online music education.

 

Bradley is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, recording artist and educator. He's the author of That's Jazz, a nine-volume jazz piano method and is also known for his live online group jazz piano classes. He runs 88 Creative Keys along with Leila Viss, who's a past guest on this show. They host webinars and workshops helping music teachers bring more creativity into their lessons.

 

In this interview we talk about,

• The one piece of advice from a restaurant pianist that changed Bradley’s trajectory from a sheet-music reader to a primarily by-ear player

• How the piano can be seen as an orchestra with four distinct layers

• How customising a melody can be an easy first step in improvisation, and 3 specific embellishments you can try right now on any melody you know how to play

 

You’re going to love hearing about Bradley’s own musical journey and how that’s all fed into the educator he is today, as well as the examples and demonstrations he provides along the way to illustrate what it means to bring creativity and musicality to your playing.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 192

 

Links and Resources

• Bradley Sowash Music

• Bradley Sowash - “That's Jazz�

• Musicality Now - Getting Under the Hood, with Leila Viss

• 88 Creative Keys

 

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Music theory is one of the most mystifying and confusing topics for many musicians. But, does it have to be this way?

 

Today, we’ll be discussing music theory and some mindset shifts you can take to open up the world of theory to your mind and ears. And make it a more accessible and enjoyable experience.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 191

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - Why and How to Learn Theory, with Matthew Scott Phillips and Jeremy Burns

• Musicality Now - How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed

• Musicality Now - Fundamentals Over Flash, with John Hatcher

• Richard Wagner - "Tristan und Isolde", Prelude

 

 

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Today on the show we’re talking with Michele McLaughlin, a contemporary solo pianist who has recorded 18 albums - roughly one each year since starting to release her music in the year 2000. She is one of the most popular solo pianists on Spotify and was recently interviewed in Rolling Stone magazine.

 

Her music may sometimes get classified as “new age�. However, as you’ll hear in this conversation, that’s a misleading label that doesn’t do justice to the emotional variety and powerful storytelling of her music.

 

It was fascinating to hear about her improvisational approach to composing and there are lots of ideas here for anyone interested in being more creative or expressive in their playing.

 

We talk about:

 

• The concert she attended at eight years old that inspired her to start creating her own music

• Her “100% emotion� approach to improvising and the process that takes her from improvising to a finished piece on an album

• How she thinks about learning and improving her skills year by year

 

You’ll love hearing Michele describe her music but you must go listen to it too! We’ll have links in the shownotes, including for her latest album, Memoirs, or you can find it at michelemclaughlin.com.

 

This is one of those interviews that will have you itching to run off and spend some quality time with your instrument exploring new possibilities - enjoy!

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 190

 

Links and Resources

• Michele McLaughlin Online

• Michele McLaughlin - “Memoirs�

• Michele McLaughlin YouTube

• Michele McLaughlin Spotify

• George Winston Spotify

• Chad Lawson Spotify

• Ludovico Einaudi Spotify

• Jim Brickman Spotify

• Louis Landon Spotify

 

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Everything’s going great, the music’s flowing through you, the audience is enthralled, and then argh! - You play a wrong note!

 

What do you do in that moment? How do you handle the mistake with grace and recover in the best possible way?

 

In this episode we share two mindset tips and two practical tips for that, both in a performance situation - and in the bigger picture of your overall musical life.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 189

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - About Recovering From Mistakes

• Musicality Now - Is Aiming For Perfect Actually Holding You Back?

• Musicality Now - Making Music with Ease, with Gerald Klickstein

• Gerald Klickstein - "The Musician's Way"

• Cheat Sheet - How To Handle Musical Mistakes With Grace

 

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Today on the show we have the pleasure of talking with Michael Compitello, a celebrated percussionist, composer and educator. It was Michael’s innovative projects “New Morse Code� and “Unsnared Drum� which first caught our attention - but as we learned more about him we realised the biggest opportunity to help you guys with this conversation was actually to pick his brains on music learning and practicing music.

 

This episode is packed with ideas. Some you may have come across before, including in past episodes of this show. But I suspect some will be new to you and you're going to love how Michael brings it all together into a really coherent picture of what these various tools and mindset shifts can do for your music learning.

 

For example, we talk about:

 

• The value of taking a "growth mindset" to music learning

• Tools that can help you handle negative self-talk when it arises

• How a habit of reflection can help you past sticking points, improve your practice efficiency and accelerate your progress

 

That's just a taste - we also discuss learning online and being your own teacher, mindfulness and bringing awareness to your practice, setting and reaching goals, and we ask Michael about the concepts behind the percussion-cello duo “New Morse Code� and the ground-breaking solo snare drum project “Unsnared Drum�.

 

As always, please listen with the question of “How could this apply in my own musical life?� - and we guarantee you’re going to find some really high-impact ideas in here.

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 188

 

Links and Resources

• Michael Compitello’s Website

• “Unsnared Drum�

• “New Morse Code�

• Matt Sharrock - Marimbist/Percussionist

• Carol S. Dweck - “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success�

• Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool - “Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise�

• Todd Meehan - Liquidrum

• Musicality Now - Music Learning at Warp Speed, with Jason Haaheim

• Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson

• Musicality Now - Letting the Music Play You, with Paul Wertico

• Musicality Now - About Deliberate Practice in Music

• Musicality Now - About Mindfulness for Musicians

 

 

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Aiming for perfection is admirable - perfection is wonderful! But is music ever really perfect?

 

Is it possible that aiming for perfect is actually holding you back from your true potential as a musician?

 

In this episode we’re going to explain the two meanings of the word “perfect� - and why focusing on playing the “right notes� might actually be a mistake. Stay tuned!

 

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 187

 

Links and Resources

• Musicality Now - How to Earn Your Inspiration, with Mark Cawley

• Musicality Now - Song Writing: Start and Succeed, with Alex Forbes

• Musicality Now - Writing Songs the Beatles Way, with Matt Blick

 

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Today on the show we have the honour and the pleasure of sitting down with Paul Wertico. If you’re at all familiar with the all-time great drummers of the world or you’re a jazz fan then you’ll know his name and his work.

 

Paul is a 7-time Grammy Award winner, perhaps best known for his almost 20 years playing with jazz guitarist Pat Metheny where his distinctive “flat ride� cymbal style became a defining part of some of the group’s best known recordings.

 

Paul is an innovative musician and a devoted educator, including his role as Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, and as author of a new book entitled “Turn the Beat Around�.

 

As you’ll hear us say in this interview, Paul is a man frequently associated with the very word “musicality� and so it was such a delight to get to speak with him and unpack what exactly it means for a drummer to be “musical� and exhibit “musicality�.

 

We talk about:

• How Paul learned the drums and the influential music educator who helped encourage him in developing his own unique identity as a musician.

• What it means to “turn the beat around� and how playing what he calls “front beats� can bring a unique flair to a piece of music.

• And how it’s possible for his group Wertico Cain and Gray to perform 100% improvised compositions together with no prior discussion, ranging from 30 seconds to several minutes long which have a coherence and structure that mean the listener would never guess they were improvised.

 

We also talk about practicing with a metronome versus a backing track, what role the drummer plays in different genres and situations, and how he ended up ditching the drums to just play cymbals on a tango record in Italy.

 

This was a blast and there’s a ton of insights and wisdom here for drummers and musicians of all stripes.

 

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Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 186

 

Links and Resources

• Paul Wertico Online

• Paul Wertico - “Turn the Beat Around: A Drummer's Guide to Playing "Backbeats" on 1 & 3�

• Cream - “Sunshine Of Your Love�

• Derek And The Dominos - “Bell Bottom Blues�

• Chicago - “Woman Don't Want To Love Me�

• If - “Forgotten Roads�

• The Emotions- “A Long Way To Go�

 

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Imagine a new musical future, where you can approach your music with ease and joy.

 

What you’re about to hear is the third of three live sessions we did this week talking all about ease and joy. And how having more ease and joy in your music learning can be the fastest route to results.

 

Hopefully you’ve already heard parts one and two, or you were with us live. If not go back and listen. And if you’re all up to date enjoy part 3.

 

Oh, and you’ll hear us mention a special link we were putting in the Facebook comments for people attending live. As a podcast listener, you can find that link in the shownotes for this episode in your podcast player. Or visit musicalitynow.com and check out the shownotes there.