How and why to keep a listening journal (and a template to get you started)

Guest post by Sayana. This article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper

If you’ve dedicated yourself to learning music, you may be taking courses, watching tutorials, or working with a mentor to practice every day. Every one of those things can be an essential turning point for you, but another key component of learning music that both aspiring and practicing musicians often overlook is active listening.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Hit song narrative structure

• Yael Penn | | DRIVERS LICENSE: A case study on hit song narrative structure
• Juri Kobayashi | Music copyright in China then and now
• Caleb J. Murphy | 6 Work-at-home music jobs that actually pay well
• Mark Knight  | Grassroots music is reaching crisis point, can media be the saviour?

MusicThinkTank: Call For Submissions!

Thank you for your committed readership and the insightful content that many of you have shared! Without your contributions, Music Think Tank would not exist. If you have something to say about the music industry, please consider contributing a post to MTT. Remember to review the submission guidelines posted on the MTT open page before posting.

Thank you in advance for your thoughtful submissions, we look forward to reviewing and sharing your content!

MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Unjazz & More

• Ben Morss | The birth of unjazz
• Dale McGowan | The secret grammar of music 
• Mel Coreen | Music is always in the blood

The secret grammar of music

Guest post by Dale McGowan. This article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper.

I was 13 when I saw my brother’s college music theory textbook sitting on a table — Walter Piston’s Harmony. I had played clarinet and sax for a while, even did some arranging for jazz band. So I knew a little theory, but I was barely out of the blocks.

When I picked up the book, it fell open to a section called “Table of Usual Root Progressions.” Clickbait! I traced the words with a trembling finger:

(That’s an actual scan of the actual line in the actual book.)

Whoa.

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The birth of unjazz

Guest post by Ben Morss of Soundfly’s Flypaper. This article originally appeared on his Rock Theory Blog

This winter, walking my dog in the snow, listening to Spotify’s Top 50 playlist, I heard something striking: a lovely jazzy instrumental touched with pretty jazz guitars, the sound of birds and faraway kids playing, topped by a beautiful, timelessly wandering vocal.

Melodic ideas repeated, but the song didn’t have a clear focus or drive toward a chorus. The vocals soared ridiculously far above the bass. I begged my dog to stay and checked my phone. What was this song, and what was it doing in the Top 50?

It was the latest from SZA, called “Good Days.” I resolved to learn more.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Strengthen your stage presence & More

• M Banks | How to strengthen your stage presence: 7 tips
• Mark Knight | Musicians: What if Facebook went down and never came back?
• Yael Penn | The S.A.M. Principle
• Eric Hitchens | How music theory can get you more listeners

MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Recognizing songs & More

• Carter Lee | Which songs do you recognize in the first five seconds?
• MusicThinkTank |  Tips for hosting a safe indoor concert
• Charles Vallena | Does vinyl sound better? Here’s what the science says

Which songs do you recognize in the first five seconds?

Guest post by Carter Lee. This full article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper

Everyone on the planet has at least a handful of songs that they’d recognize almost instantly if the first few seconds come on. You know you do, can you think of a few songs that might perk your ears up right now?

Sometimes it’s because of that very particular, iconic lick in the intro. Then again, it could be the use of an incredibly unique sound or instrument that only that one song starts with. And, of course, there are some songs that quickly ring a bell because of our personal connections to them.

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Tips for hosting a safe indoor concert

Live music has finally returned, but with winter making its inevitable return, fans and artists are once again being pushed indoors, and with variants still a pressing concern, many in the live music industry are nervous about how to safely execute a live concert. Here, we look at a few ways to make indoor concerts a safer affair.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Preparing for the studio & more

• Gideon Waxman | How to prepare for your next studio session
• Charlotte Yates | Lyrical themes, and the many ways we can develop them…
• Lata Martinez | Dan Clark Audio Headphones: Reshaping how you experience audio
• Dixie Somers | Equipment that will make your music listening experience even better

How to prepare for your next studio session

Guest post by Gideon Waxman. This article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper

As I prepare to head into the recording studio later this month, I figured now would be a great time to share some insights on how I’ve been able to manage my time and resources efficiently, in order to get to this point.

Whether you’re about to lay down your first single or you’re a band confidently sailing into your third full-length album, it’s just as important to make certain practical and mental preparations before entering any recording studio session. Otherwise, you run the risk of wasting your time, or that of the engineer(s), your money, and all the energy and efforts that got you here.

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Lyrical themes, and the many ways we can develop them…

Guest post by Charlotte Yates. This article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper

What do you want your lyrics to actually do? Show us how desperately you want someone or how angry you are about something? Or do you want to your lyrics to make us behave a certain way, notice the homeless, start a revolution, or dance the night away?

At some stage you have to figure out exactly what you want to express. At first this might not be 100% clear. But you may have a general idea what you want to get across — that’s your theme right there: a basic notion or vision for the song.

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MusicThinkTank Weekly Recap: Choosing the right instrument & More

• Brooke Chaplan  | How beginners can pick the right instruments
• Caleb J. Murphy | This is how I make music every day without fail
• Your Online Singing Coach | Strategies for the shy singer: Part 2