Musicality Now

Today we're talking with Bill Hilton, author of How to Really Play the Piano and the host of a hugely popular YouTube channel where over 120,000 people tune in to watch his video tutorials. As always when we have a guest who specialises in teaching a particular instrument, this episode is packed with tips and insights not just for that instrument, but for your musicality in general. In particular,...

We all know the "hook", if not by name. It's the catchiest, most memorable part of a song, and the culprit for getting the tune stuck in your head. In this podcast episode, learn what makes a hook, what differentiates it from the chorus, and how some famous artists have used it to elevate their songs from great to unforgettable.   Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher...

Today we're talking with Dave Carlton and Chris Anderson, two of the three creators of HookTheory - one of our favourite music-learning websites and one that can transform the way you understand melodies and harmony in the music you love. Ryan Miyakawa, the third team member, couldn't be with us today but we're hoping to have him on the show for a followup episode in future. HookTheory is one of a...

Though hearing a rhythm in your head or tapping along to the beat comes naturally to many musicians, it can be trickier to understand rhythmic notation and put a beat to paper. Enter Groove Pizza, a simple, interactive tool to help you understand rhythms using a visual grid system that lets you see exactly how the beat is formed. In this episode, we're giving you a crash course on forming and twea...

Today we're talking with Katie Wardrobe, the founder of Midnight Music - a site we've followed for several years because it is the go-to place to learn about cool new music tools and websites and insights on how they can be used in music education. Katie runs hands-on workshops, presents regularly at conferences in Australia and overseas and she offers online training and support to music teachers...

Many musicians shy away from singing. They think that they don't need it, or that it serves no purpose for them. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth - regardless of what instrument you play, learning to sing will improve your audiation skills, express musical ideas in a new way, write songs without needing to hash out the exact melody on your instrument, and fine-tune your sense of pi...

Can you imagine a room full of non-singers trying to sing, all together, completely improvised? You're probably imagining total unmusical chaos, right? You might be surprised by what's possible... Today we're talking with Davin Youngs, founder of Davin Youngs Voice, Chicago Circle Singing and the VOXUS Experience. Davin is a remarkable singing educator and although (as you'll hear in this episode)...

What is "active listening" - and should you be doing it?   Musicians often make the mistake of thinking that "ear training" is just about specific concrete skills like recognising intervals or learning to adjust EQ bands on a mixer by ear.   But actually there's one big-picture skill that's possibly more important than all of those - as well as providing a great opportunity to put those skills to...

Today on the Musicality Podcast, we have two guests joining us on the show: Matthew Scott Phillips and Jeremy Burns, who together host the Music Student 101 podcast, a terrific show that dives deep into music theory in a way that makes it easy to understand, as well as covering other topics like music careers, different instruments, and tips for bands.   Matthew and Jeremy are based in Birmingham,...

Chords sometimes referred to with numbers, and chord progressions as a series of numbers, such as I-IV-V or 1-4-5. Find out what these numbers mean, how to build chords on any note in any key, and how you can use this to write unforgettable songs!   Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube   Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 033   Links and Resources...

Today we're speaking with Casey McCann, founder of Eclectic Music and The Little Middle School in Atlanta. We had the pleasure of meeting Casey in person recently and found her to be such a kindred spirit in the way she thinks about music education and the importance of empowering musicians with ear skills and musicality from the outset.   Talking with her was so enjoyable that we knew we had to h...

Transcribing music ensures that it can be replicated again and again by different musicians while still maintaining its melody, rhythm, and dynamics. It's a beautiful thing, and picking up the skill of transcribing can do wonders for your musicianship! Here, we discuss how to tailor your transcription style to your instrument and your goals, and share some hidden benefits of learning to put music...

Today we're joined by Steve Nixon of FreeJazzLessons.com, one of (if not the) top websites for playing jazz piano - though actually it covers some non-jazz material too, and if you're thinking that jazz means "advanced", this episode is going to set you straight.   Although Steve specialises in piano, pretty much everything we talk about today applies across all instruments, and most of it is high...

Approaching your music practice with the best goals, intentions, and instructions unfortunately isn't enough. If you want your practice to pay off, it's important to develop good practice habits and stick to them. On this episode of The Musicality Podcast, we start you off with four simple habits you can work into your routine!   Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher |...

On today's show, we're joined by David Andrew Wiebe. David's a man of many projects, and as well as writing on his site MusicEntrepreneurHQ.com and hosting the New Music Industry podcast, he is also a songwriter, performs regularly with two bands and has written a book, "The New Music Industry", soon to be followed by another all about the creative process, called "Flashes of Elation".   We discov...

Though you may think of scales and chords as two separate entities, they are very closely intertwined! In fact, chords are very easy to construct if you already have a scale in mind. In this episode of The Musicality Podcast, we discuss how to go from scales to chords with one simple trick, and the practical applications of this skill in playing by ear, songwriting, and improvisation.   Subscribe...

Today we're talking with Scott Sharp, the creator of Fretboard Toolbox - an innovative way to explain the notes and chords in each key for guitar, bass, piano, banjo and more.   Interestingly, Scott started learning music later than you might expect and really didn't consider himself all that musical. But an impactful experience in his day job as a high school biology teacher unlocked music theory...

Mindfulness isn't just for buddhist monks; for musicians, mindset is just as important as your chops. Stewing on your mistakes and thinking pessimistically about your progress aren't just bad for your brain - they can have a real hindrance on your actual progress. In this episode, we discuss how mindfulness can help you ignore that negative little voice and focus on your playing.   Subscribe For F...

Have you ever felt frustrated because you keep getting something wrong in the music you're learning? Or worried that there is just too much to learn and you're coming to music too late to ever master it all?   Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Lisa McCormick, a successful singer-songwriter and the creator of the "Note2Self" methodology of music learning, which can help with exactly those...

"It takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert," states the 10,000 Hour Rule. Undoubtedly, working passionately and diligently towards your musical goals is a great formula for success, but what if musicians could get the results they want before hitting this numerical milestone? We discuss the truths and myths surrounding the 10,000 Hour Rule, and how to best allocate those hours to becom...

Today on The Musicality Podcast, we're joined by Ged Brockie, founder of the Guitar and Music Institute, a website which provides original and curated content to help guitarists develop their skills - and, as you'll learn in this conversation, also provides insights and education useful to any musician.   Playing multiple instruments can both broaden and deepen your understanding of music, and is...

Learning and understanding chord tones will help you create memorable melodies with tension and release and solo over existing progressions. This in turn will help you play by ear, improvise, and write songs - enabling you to choose the notes that sound the best, rather than using trial-and-error to form your chords and melodies.   Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher...

Today we're joined by Meghan Nixon, of HowToSingSmarter.com. You may be confused by the title: singers want to sing louder, higher, stronger, more confidently - but "smarter"?   As you're going to discover in this conversation, singing smarter is perhaps the most important thing you can do to improve your experience and results as a singer.   During the course of her career in music, Meghan has he...

Though you may be tempted to panic or freeze up after playing a bad note during your performance, your mistake is not the end of the world - far from it!   Learn four tips and tricks that will get you through those moments, with your audience being none the wiser.   Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube   Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 019   Li...

On this episode, we are joined by Melody Payne, a.k.a. "The Plucky Pianista". Melody has been writing online since 2012, sharing innovative and forward-thinking ideas for teaching music more effectively.   In this conversation, we talk a lot about getting "off book" - meaning being able to play even without the note-by-note sheet music in front of you.   Melody shares an impactful early experience...