Category: videos

New musicality video:

Does the idea of improvising scare you? Have you given it a try but quickly decided you didn’t have what it takes? http://musl.ink/pod157

If so, that’s understandable. In this episode, we’re going to talk about where that fear comes from, how you can overcome it, and how to make it easy to learn to improvise.

Once you’ve set aside that inner critic you’ll be able to begin exploring this new skillset – and gradually you’ll grow into the improviser’s mindset, where you truly know that there’s no such thing as a “wrong” note and you can freely create and express your own musical ideas in any situation with confidence.

Want a clear, step-by-step guide to getting started with improvising, which works for any instrument or genre, with no prior knowledge or special skills required? Get our 5-Day “Intro to Improv” Practice Plan for free, just click the link or visit the shownotes for this episode at musicalitypodcast.com.

Listen to the episode:

http://musl.ink/pod157

Links and Resources

Intro to Improv practice plan : http://musl.ink/introtoimprov

Approaching Improvisation module : https://www.musical-u.com/modules/improvising/approaching-improvisation/

Introduction to Improvisation : https://www.musical-u.com/learn/introduction-to-improvisation/

About Improvisation – podcast episode : 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!

Can’t Improvise? There’s just one thing holding you back

New musicality video:

How do you feel about your singing voice? http://musl.ink/pod156

We’re guessing that whether you consider yourself “a singer” or not, your answer probably isn’t “my singing voice is amazing and I am 100% comfortable with how it sounds at all times!”

If you’ve ever felt unsure about your voice – maybe that’s even held you back from trying to learn to sing – or if you are a singer and you’re trying to tap in to “your sound” or “your true voice” – stay tuned.

Today we’re joined by Nikki Loney from Full Voice Music. Nikki is a professional singer and voice teacher and creates resources to help other voice teachers with young singers in particular. Nikki was introduced to us by Sara Campbell, our former piano pro at Musical U who’s a voice teacher and singer herself, and she made the connection because Nikki’s speciality is something near and dear to our heart here at Musical U: helping people “make peace” with their voice.

It’s easy to imagine singing as a technical skill, like learning how to move your fingers right to play guitar or piano. But although there is that pure technique that must be learned, singing is unique among instruments because it is so deeply and intimately a part of who we are.

Nikki has some fantastic insights from a breadth of experience teaching, and in this conversation she shares:

– The gift for singing that she had growing up – and it’s not what you might think.

– How she found her own voice – and what literally it means to do that, to “find your voice”

– How to know if you’re good enough to start singing lessons and what specifically can help you to find the right teacher

This conversation was a total delight and we know that whatever relationship you have with singing there are going to be some fresh perspectives and we hope some powerful encouragement for you in this episode.

Listen to the episode: http://musl.ink/pod156

Links and Resources

The Full Voice – https://www.thefullvoice.com/

The Full Voice podcast – https://www.thefullvoice.com/fvpodcasts/

Sane Singing, by D. Brian Lee – https://sanesinging.com/

10 Things Your Voice Teacher Wants You To Know About Singing Lessons – https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53855548e4b0ced978f5c431/t/56016447e4b02ea8d863c24b/1442931783221/10+things+your+voice+teacher+wants+you+to+know.pdf

The ONE Word That Will Make Your Students Sing Better – https://www.thefullvoice.com/full-voice-blog/2015/9/4/the-one-word-that-will-make-your-students-singplay-better

Helping Students “Make Peace” With Their Voice – https://www.thefullvoice.com/full-voice-blog/2015/3/25/helping-students-make-peace-with-their-voice

Strategies For Shy Singers – The Full Voice podcast episode – https://www.thefullvoice.com/fvpodcasts/2015/9/10/strategies-for-your-shy-singers

Vocal Exploration Exercises – The Full Voice podcast episode – https://www.thefullvoice.com/fvpodcasts/55vocalexploration

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!

Find and Make Peace with Your Voice, with Nikki Loney

New musicality video:

Playing by ear and improvisation are two of the most sought-after skills in music. The key to learning these skills is to train your ear to effortlessly recognize the relationships between notes – and the answer doesn’t necessarily lie in learning intervals! Musical U founder Christopher Sutton talks about the intuitive solfa method for recognizing notes and why it works.

Watch the episode: http://musl.ink/pod155

Links and Resources

Full Facebook Live video at Ultimate Music Theory – https://www.facebook.com/UltimateMusicTheory/videos/2006083376368178/

Music Theory You’ll Love to Learn, with Glory St. Germain – https://www.musical-u.com/learn/music-theory-youll-love-to-learn-with-glory-st-germain/

Starting Solfa – https://www.musical-u.com/learn/series/starting-solfa/

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!

Intervals Versus Solfa: Which Is Best?

New musicality video:

Today we have the pleasure of talking with Adam Neely, whose YouTube channel is followed by over 600,000 people – and is described as “video essays, lessons and vlogs on new horizons in music and music theory.” http://musl.ink/pod154

More informally, we’d say that Adam makes some of the most solid and also thoroughly entertaining videos on music theory out there – and not the “this is a crotchet”-type music theory videos, he tackles the really odd and interesting questions, like “Why pop music sounds bad to you”, “What is the slowest music humanly possible”, “Why not to use E♭11 chords” and “Which key is the saddest?”

We’ve long been fans and so it was a delight to get to sit down with Adam and learn more about his own musical background, and how he thinks about practicing, audiating, modern composing, and more.

In this conversation we talk about:

– How distinguishing between “prescriptive” and “descriptive” can totally flip how interesting learning music theory is for you

– The perspective on keeping practice interesting that for us personally would have been a massive liberation if we could travel back in time and give it to our teenage selves

– And a cool extension of audiation that goes beyond simply imagining a particular piece in your mind and lets you stretch your ear in interesting, creative ways

Adam also reveals the particular vowel sound you should use when singing for ear training – and a whole lot more. Don’t miss the shownotes for this episode at musicalitypodcast.com which will be packed with links to all the videos we mention, so you can go and do a deep dive of Adam’s extensive and fascinating back catalog right after this interview.

Listen to the episode: http://musl.ink/pod154

Links and Resources

Adam’s YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnkp4xDOwqqJD7sSM3xdUiQ

Why you should learn music theory (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49alQj7c5ps

The music theory of mashups (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzZkqD-lRtc

John Cage’s “4’33” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miIEBdXU8ps

AUDIATION – play what you hear (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMqOOokv4TM

Why pop music sounds bad (to you) (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpPSF7-Ctlc&t=224s

Which key is the saddest? (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c_LeIXrzAk

Why You Shouldn’t Use Tab (and it’s not why you might think!) (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X7qgBVnMfY

Exploring Minor Pentatonics – Linear Sequences (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtvoAJfgp8M

7 Cool Metronome Games (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6hg8GcLc-4

Avoiding the 5/4 Clave (Sungazer’s Ether) (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrB3stnm8Xk

Drunk Septuplet Dubstep! (Sungazer’s Dream of Mahjong) (video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-u2UlTnZyo

Scott’s Bass Lessons – https://scottsbasslessons.com/

Turning Ordinary People Into Musicians, with Casey McCann – https://www.musical-u.com/learn/turning-ordinary-people-into-musicians-with-casey-mccann/

About the Ear Training Trap – https://www.musical-u.com/learn/about-the-ear-training-trap/

The Gordon Institute for Music Learning – https://giml.org/

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!

The Power of Curiosity, with Adam Neely

New musicality video:

We talk about your musical path and trajectory, encouraging you to think about your Big Picture Vision and how to get yourself there. Download your picture vision here! http://musl.ink/pod153

I want to take you through a simple but powerful exercise.

It takes just a few minutes – but it can bring you greater clarity, confidence and success in your musical life.

Now I could tell you that this exercise will transform your musical life …. but I’m not going to do that – because in just a few minutes I think you will see it for yourself.

What we’re going to do is to set your “Big Picture Vision”.

And before we go any further I want to speak to those of you who heard the word “vision” and started to tune out. I get it. I’m a scientist by background, highly analytical, very pragmatic – and it was only through a gradual process over the years and putting these things to the test myself that I realised that something as seemingly airy-fairy as “setting a vision” could have highly practical outcomes.

As Dr. Stephen Covey once famously put it: You need to begin with the end in mind.

So this exercise is all about getting clear, getting detailed, and getting excited about exactly where it is you want to go in music.

Download the worksheet → http://musl.ink/pod153

Links and Resources

About the Little “Why” – http://musl.ink/pod135

About Taking A Long-Term Mindset – http://musl.ink/pod125

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!

Hey! Where Are You Going?

New musicality video:

Nowadays, it’s fairly simple to look up the TABs or sheet music for the songs you want to play. But what if you could simply hear music and play what your hearing, much like you could repeat a phrase or a joke? http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

The ability to play by ear will give a huge boost to your confidence and ability to enjoy and understand music. So this month we are beginning 2019 with a series of Resource Packs dedicated to the play by ear process – beginning with melody.

When you’re playing by ear, you connect with the music on a much deeper level, and open yourself up to hearing and expressing the music that’s inside you…

There are many aspects of musicality that combine to form the ability to play by ear. Musical U Bass Pro Steve Lawson reminds us that if you want to play by ear, then… play by ear!

But like many other musical skills, the beginning can be a bit… slow going. At Musical U, we have many modules to help anyone along with this process. Our Instrument Packs take the next step in helping you to translate your play-by-ear learning directly to your instrument.

Our Instrument Pros recommend starting small and building your confidence, and the melody is a great place to start – since that’s the most memorable, recognizable part of the music. The other aspects (bass lines, chords, etc.) all eventually relate back to the melody.

The Instrument Pros also recommend looking for certain patterns and scales to narrow down your note choices as you’re figuring out a song by ear (also known as “transcribing”).

http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

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/

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

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 – Melody Resource Pack Preview

New musicality video:

What if learning to play music by ear could be easy? http://musl.ink/pod152

We are super excited to be joined on the show today by Ruth Power, the creator of Piano Picnic – a method for learning to play piano by ear that remarkably manages to teach it in lessons so short and simple they almost guarantee a student will succeed.

We admire and agree with Ruth’s perspective and approach to teaching play-by-ear skills so much that when time came to look for a new Resident Pro for piano at Musical U, Ruth was the first person who sprang to mind. We talk a bit towards the end of the conversation about her work here and how she’s helping our members apply their core training directly on keyboard in fun and creative ways.

This conversation was great fun and there are lots of good piano-specific nuggets in here for anyone who’s a pianist or wants to become one – but as always, most of the discussion is equally relevant and interesting whatever instrument you play.

We talk about:

– Ruth’s own journey of learning to play by ear and the distinct phases she went through to develop a fully-fledged ability on keyboard

– The particular challenges of playing by ear on piano compared with other instruments

– The terrible piece of advice she was given early on about how to learn to play by ear – and her top tip for actually succeeding with it.

That’s just the start – we also talk about humming, about basslines, about why and how modern instrument learning can look different to the traditional methods, active listening, and a lot more. You’re going to get a ton out of this one!

Listen to the episode: http://musl.ink/pod152

Links and Resources

Piano Picnic – https://www.pianopicnic.com/

Songs by Ear course – http://www.pianopicnic.com/songsbyear

Ear Bootcamp – http://my.pianopicnic.com/ear-bootcamp

Super Basics course – https://pianopicnic.teachable.com/p/superbasics

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!

Making Music Learning a Picnic, with Ruth Power

New musicality video:

Nowadays, it’s fairly simple to look up the TABs or sheet music for the songs you want to play. But what if you could simply hear music and play what your hearing, much like you could repeat a phrase or a joke? http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

The ability to play by ear will give a huge boost to your confidence and ability to enjoy and understand music. So this month we are beginning 2019 with a series of Resource Packs dedicated to the play by ear process – beginning with melody.

When you’re playing by ear, you connect with the music on a much deeper level, and open yourself up to hearing and expressing the music that’s inside you…

There are many aspects of musicality that combine to form the ability to play by ear. Musical U Bass Pro Steve Lawson reminds us that if you want to play by ear, then… play by ear!

But like many other musical skills, the beginning can be a bit… slow going. At Musical U, we have many modules to help anyone along with this process. Our Instrument Packs take the next step in helping you to translate your play-by-ear learning directly to your instrument.

Our Instrument Pros recommend starting small and building your confidence, and the melody is a great place to start – since that’s the most memorable, recognizable part of the music. The other aspects (bass lines, chords, etc.) all eventually relate back to the melody.

The Instrument Pros also recommend looking for certain patterns and scales to narrow down your note choices as you’re figuring out a song by ear (also known as “transcribing”).

http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

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 – Melody Resource Pack Preview

New musicality video:

Can you master the inner game of music making and accelerate your musical learning? Marc Gelfo joins us as we discuss ways to hack your musical progress. http://musl.ink/pod151

Recently we had an absolutely phenomenal masterclass with Marc Gelfo, the creator of the Modacity practice app, all about accelerating your music learning. Marc packed a ton into his masterclass, from highly practical, tactical ideas about how you practice, to some quite deep emotional and mindset guidance.

It’s no exagerration to say there were a couple of dozen really meaty ideas he shared, and everyone who attended found plenty to help accelerate their music learning. We’re excited to be adding the recording to our masterclass library inside Musical U for members.

Today we wanted to share just one small nugget with you, Marc’s idea of “hacking habituation”. As you’ll be hearing, this led on to some interesting discussion of the emotion of musical expression and mastering the inner game too…

http://musl.ink/pod151

Links and Resources

Marc’s podcast interview: Emotion and Efficiency, with Marc Gelfo – https://www.musical-u.com/learn/emotion-and-efficiency-with-marc-gelfo/

Modacity practice app – https://modacity.co/

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!

About Hacking Habituation

New musicality video:

Nowadays, it’s fairly simple to look up the TABs or sheet music for the songs you want to play. But what if you could simply hear music and play what your hearing, much like you could repeat a phrase or a joke? http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

The ability to play by ear will give a huge boost to your confidence and ability to enjoy and understand music. So this month we are beginning 2019 with a series of Resource Packs dedicated to the play by ear process – beginning with melody.

When you’re playing by ear, you connect with the music on a much deeper level, and open yourself up to hearing and expressing the music that’s inside you…

There are many aspects of musicality that combine to form the ability to play by ear. Musical U Bass Pro Steve Lawson reminds us that if you want to play by ear, then… play by ear!

But like many other musical skills, the beginning can be a bit… slow going. At Musical U, we have many modules to help anyone along with this process. Our Instrument Packs take the next step in helping you to translate your play-by-ear learning directly to your instrument.

Our Instrument Pros recommend starting small and building your confidence, and the melody is a great place to start – since that’s the most memorable, recognizable part of the music. The other aspects (bass lines, chords, etc.) all eventually relate back to the melody.

The Instrument Pros also recommend looking for certain patterns and scales to narrow down your note choices as you’re figuring out a song by ear (also known as “transcribing”).

http://musl.ink/respackbreathmelodybyear

Learn more about Musical U Resident Pro Steve Lawson: http://stevelawson.net/

Twitter:
Tweets by solobasssteve

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

→ Learn more about Instrument Packs with Resident Pros including Steve:
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!

Bass: Play By Ear Process – Melody Resource Pack Preview