115-Music and Productivity
Does listening to music make you more productive? Does it elevate your mood and help you get through your chores. Many have asked this question. Many have researched the answer. Let us discuss!
Sep 30, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Music Student 101
We are musicians, composers, engineers, teachers and students alike.
The path of a musician can be challenging and uncertain but it can also be enriching and great fun! This is the path we chose and we are here as your resource. Explore theory, history, ear training, technique, special topics and overall musicianship.
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Episodes
114-Form and Analysis Pt. 4-Rondo
Moving forward in our discussion of form and analysis, we will dig deep into the rondo form. We will listen to a popular example, Fur Elise, and yap about the form in real time. Ready your theory brains!
Aug 28, 2022•1 hr 31 min
113-Melodic Dictation Pt.5-Aeolian Mode
Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is a crucial skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will focus on the Aeolian mode (a.k.a. the natural minor scale). Tune in and tune your ears!
Jul 27, 2022•1 hr 21 min
112-Altered Chords Pt.3
Continuing our discussion from episode 106, we will find yet more ways to alter chords. We will listen to non-dominant, extended tertian chords. We will marvel at the common tone diminished chord. We will revisit linear chromaticism and reckon with the appoggiatura chord. Finally, we will ponder a few good simultaneities!
Jun 28, 2022•54 min
111-Music and War
Musical instruments, compositions and techniques have served many purposes. Some were for communication, some for support and some for intimidation and the extraction of information. On this episode, we discuss music and war, from some of the earliest accounts to the modern era!
May 28, 2022•1 hr 2 min
110-Listener Compositions Pt.5
Once again, the students become the teachers! There's so much talent among our listeners, we simply must feature it. So, get ready to listen and discuss! This episode will feature the original music of: Treybien/Alex, Gerald P. David, Linda Felcone, Rev. Jack Ladybird, Adam Hayes, Kara Ciezki and Andersonlane
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 51 min
109-Harmonic Progression Pt.9 (vii/IV, vii/iv, vii/VII)
Continuing where episode 98 left off, we will top off our ear training for secondary seven chords. We will listen how to tonicize the IV chord (in major and minor) and the VII chord in (minor). Then, we will test our ears with some chord progressions... a.k.a. Jeremy Torture!
Mar 28, 2022•1 hr 38 min
108-Reading Music Pt.2
Resuming from the previous episode, it's time to top off our discussion on reading music. We're going to take it back to the basics with the clefs, the lines and spaces of the staves, the notes they represent and some methods for grouping them. We'll also cover the notes and rests, their symbols, and the time values they represent. Finally, we'll cover some dynamics, tempo and form indicators that we may have missed in past episodes!
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 39 min
107-Reading Music Pt.1
Reading music is a complex but essential skill for one who wants to learn and reproduce new melodies or songs. On this episode, we will discuss some tips and philosophies on how to approach reading and sight reading music. We will also share some of our own experiences and challenges in this endeavor.
Jan 28, 2022•1 hr 31 min
106-Altered Chords Pt.2
Continuing our discussion from episode 88, we will dig deeper into extended tertian harmonies from a theory perspective with the 9th, 11th and 13th chords. We will listen to chords with substituted 6ths and raised and flatted 5ths. We will discuss how they work in traditional, and in not so traditional, ways!
Dec 28, 2021•1 hr 15 min
105-Melodic Dictation Pt.4-Dorian Mode
Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is a crucial skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will focus on the Dorian mode and some of the chords that compliment it. It has one small difference from the minor scale, or Aeolean mode. Let's listen!
Nov 30, 2021•1 hr 37 min
104-Studio Effects Pt.1
If you love to play music, you probably love the idea of recording. Once you plug in, or approach the microphone, you may find some of these effects to be a great help. With dynamics, such as compression, limiting and gate, you can tame your volume levels. With equalization (EQ), you can add or subtract frequencies to better shape your sounds. And with reverb, to can add depth and dimension to an otherwise sterile sound by adding the reflections that would otherwise occur in large spaces.
Oct 28, 2021•1 hr 20 min
103-Temperament
Today's most widely used tuning system is equal temperament. It sounds great to our ears. But it is a compromise! Musicians and mathematicians have always struggled finding tuning systems that didn't compromise the pure tones provided within the natural harmonic series. On this episode, we will discuss these struggles and the systems that arose from this effort: just tuning, Pythagorean tuning, meantone tuning, well temperament and equal temperament!
Sep 30, 2021•1 hr 18 min
102-Enharmonic Reinterpretation
Follow along as we delve into enharmonic spellings and reinterpretation and the various reasons why they are necessary. We will also demonstrate some great ways to use these reinterpretations for some snappy modulations to far away places!
Aug 27, 2021•1 hr 25 min
101-Listener Compositions Pt.4
It is time for us to give a listener to another round of fantastic listener compositions! They work hard, that we may listen hard! So let's listen! This episode will feature the original music of: Michael Chapman, Pasi Pasiaala, Dane Howard, Melody Brook Gibson, Adam House and Stefan Jacques
Jul 28, 2021•1 hr 43 min
100-Episode 100
This episode is truly a celebration of how far we've come on the show and how far you've come in the theory sequence! We will discuss songs we've written for our pets. We will catch you up with our own projects and talk about the future of the podcast! Finally, we will hear some outtakes from previous shows. Don't worry, it's still a family friendly episode thanks to my censor guitar!
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr 43 min
99-The Fully Diminished 7th Chord
We've almost said everything we can about the fully diminished 7th chord. ALMOST! In this episode we will explore this versatile chord and its many possibilities. We will hear it's use as a secondary leading tone chord (viiº7 of), as a modulatory technique, as a chain of viiº7 chords and as a counterpuntal element. Enjoy our chatter on this extraordinary chord!
May 25, 2021•1 hr 29 min
98-Harmonic Progression Pt.8 (viiº/III, viiº/VI)
Continuing where episode 73 left off, this episode will review our previous discussions on diatonic chords and secondary functions. We will now add the secondary seven of III (viiº/III) and seven of VI (viiº/VI) chords. Listen for the chord qualities and use your theory brain to find out how to decipher these chord progressions. Use this skill to learn songs faster and know music better!
Apr 27, 2021•1 hr 52 min
97-Women in Music Pt.2
It's time to further our discussion of women composers! Continuing where we left of on episode 81, we will now cover several influential female composers from the Baroque and Classical periods.
Mar 25, 2021•1 hr 33 min
96-Orchestration-Strings Pt.2
On episode 95, we began a discussion on orchestration for the string section and it's instruments: the bass, the cello, the viola and the violin. We will now continue this discussion with a focus on techniques for fingering and bowing, the terms involved, and a bit more detail on the instruments themselves!
Feb 28, 2021•1 hr 26 min
95-Orchestration-Strings Pt.1
Orchestration is the art of choosing the right instruments, and the proper balance thereof, for a composition. Different considerations go into conveying different moods and emotions to better tell the story. The string section is often the most utilized. So well will focus on it's instruments: the contra bass, the cello, the viola and the violin!
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 15 min
94-Instrument Care Pt.3-Brass
We don't show enough love to our good horn section and other brass players! We're going to start making that right with a discussion on the general care and maintenance for the tuba, trombone, euphonium, horns, trumpet and other brass instruments! We will discuss their mechanics, routine cleaning suggestions and how to keep them sounding shiny and brassy!
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr 1 min
93-Form and Analysis Pt.3-Sonata
We've familiarized ourselves with the building blocks of a form, such as motives, phrases and periods. We have delved into small forms, such as binary and ternary. Now it's time to think a little bigger. It's time to talk about the sonata form and it's basic elements: the exposition, the development and the racapitulation.
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 52 min
92-Creativity During Difficult Times
In this episode, we are going to take a moment to address an issue that many of us must reckon with: staying creative during difficult times. We are going to share some of our experiences, based mainly on the Covid-19 social distancing guidelines. We will hear from some of our listeners who have been so kind to share their own stories. We will also discuss a few articles on the topic. Enjoy and be well!
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 18 min
91-Listener Compositions Pt. 3
Once more, our listeners have bared their souls and shared their own original music. Let us listen! This episode will feature the original music of: Badrinarayan Rammohan, Eamon Kelly, Jerome Chapman, Sharli Azulai and Keith Andrews.
Sep 22, 2020•1 hr 23 min
90C-Music Students' Q&A Pt.3
In this episode, we will be meeting more new listeners and discussing more music topics! We're going to give a little tease of an up and coming episode on form and analysis, by discussing the sonata form. We'll meet two mothers who are continuing their music education while being rock star moms! Furthermore, we will cover some good sight reading tips and we'll hear a fantastic submission for our "Locrian Challenge"!
Sep 09, 2020•56 min
90B-Music Students' Q&A Pt.2
Continuing our “shelter in place video series”, the content of this 2nd video is now available for our good podcast listeners. We will find some good acronyms for the diatonic modes. We will discuss some of these modes and we might pick on Locrian for a bit. We will give also show a little more love to the minor diatonic chords and dissect a classic rock favorite. We hope you enjoy!
Aug 11, 2020•1 hr 2 min
90A-Music Students' Q&A Pt.1
In efforts to keep this show going, while sheltering in place, we have decided to launch a mini series of videos to share on social media and other video platforms. But for you, our good LISTENERS, it seemed fitting to release the audio of these videos! In this episode, we will tackle diatonic and non diatonic (chromatic) substitutions. We will also discuss our composition processes and what inspired them. Enjoy this series while we work on the next step forward!
Jul 14, 2020•59 min
90-Meet The Area 47 Band
It's time we had a chat with some more musicians! Most of our bumper tracks for this show have really come together thanks to the efforts and talents of Brian Maloy (drums) and Jerome Chapman (guitar). Let's get to know them as we discuss their beginnings, some of their favorite bumper tracks and what music has done for them.
Mar 23, 2020•1 hr 7 min
89-The Blues Pt.2-Country and Delta Blues
Having covered the origins of the blues, in Pt.1 of this series, it's time to dig in to the genres that emerged from these origins during the early stages of the blues. Join us, as we discuss country blues and delta blues, the styles involved and the musicians that continued to make this such a popular genre.
Mar 08, 2020•1 hr 9 min
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