https://www.musical-u.com/learn/learning-to-listen-harmonies/
Music is amazing in the way that something which initially sounds simple can actually be extremely complex when you dive into the sound and actively listen.
You could in theory do many different things to improve that simple melody, but one of the easiest things to do would be to add harmonies.
Musical U explains harmonies and how to listen for them.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/chord-ear-training-101-2/
It might seem magical when someone sits down at the piano or picks up the guitar and seems to know every song.
With a little chord ear training, you can do it too!
Even if you don’t play chords on your instrument, chord ear training is essential for guiding you in playing by ear, including for bassists, saxophonists, fiddle players and more.
Musical-U talks about recognizing individual chords and then moving on to recognizing sequences of chords, known as chord progressions. Read to discover how you can learn to play chords by ear.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/5-key-skills-musical/
Becoming a musician means much more than just learning to play an instrument.
There are a wide variety of skills involved in learning to become a capable and versatile musician beyond mechanical abilities and understanding music theory. In fact, in today’s world playing an instrument may not even be necessary at all!
Musical-U had a chance to ask Dr. Chad West about the 5 core musical skills and the evolution of what it means to be “musical”.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/talking-rhythm-syncopated-rhythms-and-the-kodaly-method/
Do you wish you could read music better, or that there was a simple method to read notation?
Have you ever seen a syncopated beat and wondered if you were looking at cryptic ancient symbols?
Fortunately you can use the Kodály Method to read complex rhythms quickly. First designed as a means of teaching young children music skills in a fun way, the Kodály Method continues to help musicians at all levels develop their ear training skills.
Musical-U teaches how to practice more complex syncopated rhythms using the Kodály Method.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/songwriters-secrets-mastering-the-melody/
Do you have some great lyrics? What next?
Having great lyrics is only the first step in the songwriting process. To really shine, a great set of lyrics needs a good melody: a tune that the audience finds memorable and enjoyable.
Once you have created lyrics that you are happy with, it is time to figure out the melody for your song. Musical-U shares some tips you can use to improve your own melody writing.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/blues-music/
There’s no other musical genre quite like the blues.
Steeped in lyrical emotion and sultry melodies, it’s easy to understand why blues music has had such a deep and lasting impact on the music of the United States, the UK, and beyond.
Blues music can invoke a range of emotions: joy, anguish, triumph, or plain old sadness.
Let’s dive in and learn what blues music is, how and when blues music developed, why the blues are still important in modern music, and how to play and write blues tunes of your own.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/tension-release-bitter-sweet-relationships-chords-scales/
How good is that feeling when you finish work at the end of the day? How good is that cold glass of water after working in the sun? That hot shower after swimming in the cold river?
This is all tension and release.
Many melodies consist mostly of chord tones. But when you rely solely on chord tones for your melody, then your melody or improvised line will sound very vanilla or Plain Jane. Not that there is anything wrong with Vanilla and Jane. But music is about Tension and Release. Release is an important aspect of music and life.
Musical-U shares some exercises to explore the next step after learning to hit the chord tones.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/finding-the-tonic-in-major-keys-part-two/
You can think of the tonic as the “home” note in a piece of music. It’s the basis for all the beautiful melodies and harmonies. Without the tonic we would be lost in a mix of seemingly-random notes.
It’s essential that you learn to recognise the tonic by ear. It will help with a plethora of musical skills; singing in tune, improvising, playing by ear and more!
This is part two in our series on Finding the Tonic in Major Keys.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/3-singing-exercises-to-improve-your-vocal-pitching/
There are probably few things more painful to listen to than a singer who is out of tune.
So what can you do if you have trouble singing in tune?
There are a number of things which can help you learn to sing in tune, including using a digital tuner, doing pitch ear training, and interactive singing tutors.
Let’s look at 3 simple exercises you can use to refine your vocal pitch control and practice singing in tune.
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/hone-sense-rhythm/
Rhythm is the gas of the music engine.
There are three elements of music: melody, harmony and rhythm. Learning rhythm is sometimes neglected, yet it is so important.
It’s what makes your head nod, your body move and makes you want to dance. As a musician, it’s absolutely crucial to have a firm understanding of the basics of rhythm, at the very least. But once you’ve grasped the basics, what next?
Try these techniques and suggestions to hone your sense of rhythm.