Category: videos

New musicality video:

Have you ever wanted to get out there and start performing? Maybe solo at an open mic night, maybe getting involved in the local blues jam, maybe starting or joining a band – or even going out and getting paying gigs as a live performer. http://musl.ink/pod162

If so, you might have found yourself in the situation many of us do: our skills are up to scratch but we’re still not ready. Emotionally, mentally, psychologically, we just have some kind of barrier that stops us from taking the plunge.

Today on the show we have a returning guest, our friend Brent Vaartstra from the Learn Jazz Standards podcast, and his new show, Passive Income Musician.

When Brent was with us before, we talked mostly about jazz and improvisation, but today we wanted to dig into something different with him: what it’s like to be a gigging musician. From the practicalities to the juicy mindset stuff that can make the difference between sitting alone at home practicing by yourself for the rest of your life – and getting out there and sharing your music with the world confidently in a variety of musical situations.

Brent shares some really valuable insights and actionable tips, including:

– The number one most important thing to do in advance of a session or gig

– How to handle a new and intimidating performance situation, especially as an introvert

– And we talk about “Imposter Syndrome” – that psychological phenomenon where you continually worry you’ll be found out as a fraud – even when you are actually good enough for what you’re doing – and Brent shares his six tips for overcoming it.

We loved having this opportunity to draw on Brent’s expertise and wisdom beyond the world of jazz, and we know you’re going to find a ton of valuable stuff here, especially if performing is part of your musical life – or you wish it would be!

Listen to the episode: http://musl.ink/pod162

Links and Resources

Learn Jazz Standards : https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/

Learn Jazz Standards podcast : https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/ljs-podcast/

Passive Income Musician podcast : https://passiveincomemusician.com/category/podcast/

Getting Over “Imposter Syndrome” as an Online Music Educator – podcast episode : https://passiveincomemusician.com/episode-13-getting-over-imposter-syndrome-as-an-online-music-educator/

If you enjoy the show please rate and review it! http://musicalitypodcast.com/review

Join Musical U with the Special offer for podcast listeners http://musicalitypodcast.com/join

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

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Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com 

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist 

Facebook:
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YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

How to Stop Doubting and Start Performing, with Brent Vaartstra

New musicality video:

In Breathing, Part 1, Singing Pro Clare Wheeler provided a step-by-step routine to relax and strengthen your breathing cycle as you prepare to sing. This month, Clare integrates that sequence with vocal warm-up exercises: http://musl.ink/respackbreathbass

Including:

– An efficient practice regime that can be done regularly to improve breath support and stamina.

– Warm-up stretches to improve posture.

– Locating the abdominal muscles that maximize the breath.

– Training your body to expand the ribcage.

– Adding in held notes, scales, and arpeggios in the best way to build both breathing and tone.

– Working with vowel sounds, and the best vowel to use for these exercises.

– MP3 backing tracks to add more pleasure and musicality to your vocal warmups

http://musl.ink/respackbreathbass

Learn more about Musical U Resident Pro Clare Wheeler: https://www.facebook.com/clarewheelermusic/

→ Learn more about Instrument Packs with Resident Pros
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/introducing-musical-u-instrument-packs/

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Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU

Twitter:
Tweets by MusicalU

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

Singing: Breathing, Part 2 Resource Pack Preview

New musicality video:

Bass is cool. There’s no doubt. Pianists don’t have to miss out on that essential element. The bass part is a great place to start when learning the harmony (chords) of a song by ear. This is because for the most part – and certainly, in basic popular songs – the bass part is the root note of the chord. Piano Pro, Ruth Power, shows how you can recognize and play bass patterns by ear: http://musl.ink/respackbreathbass

Including:

– How to tune your bass-ic instinct to hear the chord progression.
“Fishing” for bass.

– How to rank the chords and scale degrees to narrow down your note choices.

– The five bass movement shortcuts that will accelerate your grasp of basslines in the music you love.

– Three powerful exercises for learning basslines by ear.

– 17 MP3 tracks that illustrate and provide practice opportunities for each exercise.

http://musl.ink/respackbreathbass

Learn more about Musical U Resident Pro Ruth Power: https://www.pianopicnic.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pianopicnic

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/pianopicnicofficial/

→ Learn more about Instrument Packs with Resident Pros
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/introducing-musical-u-instrument-packs/

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Learn more about Musical U!

Website: https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast: http://musicalitypodcast.com

Tone Deaf Test: http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist: https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MusicalU

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Piano: Play By Ear Process – Basslines Resource Pack Preview

New musicality video:

You can enjoy the process of learning music. You should, in fact! Believing that enjoyment and achievement are mutually exclusive is holding you back from your true musical potential. http://musl.ink/pod161

Links and Resources:

Forrest Kinney and Brent Vaartstra on improving your musical life : https://www.musical-u.com/learn/unlocking-your-musicality-part-one/

If you enjoy the show please rate and review it! http://musicalitypodcast.com/review

Join Musical U with the Special offer for podcast listeners http://musicalitypodcast.com/join

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com 

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist 

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU 

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

How to Improve AND Enjoy Your Musical Life

New musicality video:

You may be surprised to learn that there are tons of benefits to learning basslines by ear, even as guitar players. It’s an important skill to develop if you want to be able to see the big picture of a song. The entire dynamics of the melody and chords can be unlocked by the understanding the bass. Resident Pro Dylan Welsh shares the many ways learning basslines by ear will expand your playing and musical awareness: http://musl.ink/respackbreathbass

Including:

– How learning basslines by ear will improve your musicianship and ability to learn chords by ear.

– How it can actually bring about benefits to your guitar playing.

– Dylan’s own process for figuring out bass lines.

– How to figure out chord progressions (or at least get close) using only information that the bass line provides you.

– Five crucial exercises with MP3 tracks to take you step-by-step through the process.

http://musl.ink/respackbreathbass

Learn more about Musical U Resident Pro Dylan Welsh: https://www.dwelshmusic.com/

Twitter:
Tweets by dwelshmusic

→ Learn more about Instrument Packs with Resident Pros
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/introducing-musical-u-instrument-packs/

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website: https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast: http://musicalitypodcast.com

Tone Deaf Test: http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist: https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MusicalU

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

Guitar: Play By Ear Process – Basslines Resource Pack Preview

New musicality video:

Today we’re joined on the show by John Hatcher, the founder of Blues Guitar Institute, a website and YouTube channel devoted to teaching acoustic blues guitar with a simple straight-forward approach. http://musl.ink/pod160

John was the winner of TrueFire’s Next Top Guitar Instructor contest and over the last several years has been steadily growing a devoted following of keen blues guitarists. We have been struck by how John incorporates theory and ear training into his teaching and makes a genre that’s often seen as very specialised and exclusive into something welcoming and accessible – so we were keen to invite him on the show to share more about learning an instrument in a balanced way, and how to explore the blues.

In this conversation we talk about:

– Why chasing flashy instrument technique can harm your development as a musician

– What the earliest blues musicians would have to say about the idea that you need to be “born with the blues” to play it

– His innovative “Microlicks” approach to breaking free from formulaic solos and being more creative when you improvise

Naturally this episode will be of particular interest to guitarists and blues fans but there are lots of interesting ideas here for any musician, so we hope you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

Listen to the episode: http://musl.ink/pod160

Links and Resources

Blues Guitar Institute – https://www.bluesguitarinstitute.com/

Blues Guitar Institute YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcWTzJSRsSyZg8WysFNY6jg

Microlicks tutorials – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h5_FhlYVYo&list=PLm5Nb1qCPr4aMSVmrpemM_dfwDixlMRCa

Free mini course: Acoustic Blues Jumpstart – https://mybgi.net/2Hd1fJw

If you enjoy the show please rate and review it! http://musicalitypodcast.com/review

Join Musical U with the Special offer for podcast listeners http://musicalitypodcast.com/join

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com 

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist 

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU 

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

Fundamentals Over Flash, with John Hatcher

New musicality video:

Topic: “Becoming a Fearless Performer”

Date: Saturday 2nd March, 4 PM UTC

Speaker: Gerald Klickstein of https://www.musiciansway.com/

Musical U Masterclass with Gerald Klickstein

New musicality video:

For many of us who just want to sound better – and isn’t that every singer? – the foundation of a good vocal tone is breathing. http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

The breath fuels our singing – and if we want to sing with a good tone, in tune, and in control, learning to maximize the breath is crucial. In Breathing, Part 1, Singing Pro Clare Wheeler focuses on the process that happens before we ever sing a note, and how to prepare yourself to be in the best body-and-mindset to produce the sounds you desire:

Including:

– A basic understanding of posture and the breathing cycle to apply to singing.

– Warm-up stretches to improve posture.

– How to do abdominal breathing.

– How to extend the ribs for more capacity.

– A short practice regime combining the two that can be done regularly to improve breath support and stamina.

http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

Learn more about Musical U Resident Pro Clare Wheeler: https://www.facebook.com/clarewheelermusic/

→ Learn more about Instrument Packs with Resident Pros
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/introducing-musical-u-instrument-packs/

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU

Twitter:
Tweets by MusicalU

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

Singing: Breathing Resource Pack Preview

New musicality video:

Have you wished you could improvise, but found the whole thing intimidating, overwhelming, or just a complete mystery? There’s one thing I can tell you, in just a few minutes, that will let you begin improvising today and set you up for continued success. http://musl.ink/pod159

At Musical U we’re big believers in a truly free approach to improvising. One which says your goal is to be able to imagine any musical idea in your mind, either before or while you play it, and bring that same idea out through your instrument.

This is an approach that works for any genre and any musical situation. Whether you’re taking a solo over the middle eight of a jazz standard or you’re playing lead at the local blues jam, or you are playing alone and composing an entire original piece on-the-fly. If you can play whatever you hear in your head, you are truly free.

Easier said than done, right?! That is our end goal, but of course most musicians don’t have the ear skills or audiation ability to do that on day one of learning to improvise.

So at Musical U we’ve developed a framework which does get you going on day one, with zero prior knowledge and certainly no so-called “talent” required. But it’s a framework that does allow you to move gradually to that ultimate goal of fully free improvisation.

Discover more about playgrounds in today’s episode: http://musl.ink/pod159

Links and Resources

Patterns and Playgrounds: 4 Ways to Approach Improvisation – https://www.musical-u.com/learn/patterns-playgrounds-4-ways-approach-improvisation/

About Improvisation: https://www.musical-u.com/learn/about-improvisation/

If you enjoy the show please rate and review it! http://musicalitypodcast.com/review

Join Musical U with the Special offer for podcast listeners http://musicalitypodcast.com/join

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com 

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist 

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU 

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

How To Start Improvising Today

New musicality video:

What does it mean to truly listen to music? http://musl.ink/pod158

Evelyn Glennie is the world’s first full time solo percussionist, whose mission in life is to teach the world to listen. Her TED talk entitled “How to truly listen” has been viewed almost five million times. And if that wasn’t remarkable enough, take a peek at the description or presenter bio for that TED talk and you’ll discover that Evelyn actually lost almost all her hearing at the age of twelve.

One might assume that a deaf musician must just be playing from memory or from instructions – which would make it a strong example of the kind of “robotic playing” we often talk about getting away from on this show. But Evelyn actually represents the polar opposite – her deep focus on listening and feeling each and every note makes her a prime example of just the kind of truly intentional, expressive playing that we celebrate and seek to encourage here at Musical U.

Evelyn has given deep and careful thought to the topic of listening – and sound, and music, and how our relationship with each of these can transform our lives and the lives of those around us.

From her TED talk to provocative sound art installations to YouTube teaching videos and of course her professional performing career, Evelyn’s work just sparks of passion, creativity and wisdom – and so to say we were eager to pick her brains about musicality and the listening skills of music would be a huge understatement!

In this conversation we talk about:

– The remarkable way her first percussion teacher introduced her to the instrument and helped her connect intimately and instinctively with all that it could do

– How thinking about your performance as a “sound meal” can be the gateway to providing a more compelling experience for your audience

– Why musicians who get very good at “musical listening” in the specific, concrete, practical ways can actually lose sight of a far more fundamental and important kind of listening.

Like the best musical performances, we think Evelyn’s comments in this interview will hold you rapt as you listen – and then leave you with a lingering sense of wonder and curiosity to bring back into your own musical life.

Listen to the episode: http://musl.ink/pod158

Links and Resources

Evelyn’s website : http://www.evelyn.co.uk/

Evelyn Glennie: How To Truly Listen – TED Talk : https://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen?language=en

Evelyn Glennie Interview from Playing from the Heart DVD : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsGQfspw3GU

Listening to The Tempest, a tale to cure deafness : https://www.evelyn.co.uk/listening-tempest-tale-cure-deafness/

What Makes Us Human? : https://www.evelyn.co.uk/what-makes-us-human/

Questions Answered: Can Musicality Be Taught? : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyiCUnONwQM

If you enjoy the show please rate and review it! http://musicalitypodcast.com/review

Join Musical U with the Special offer for podcast listeners http://musicalitypodcast.com/join

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

How To Truly Listen, with Evelyn Glennie