The 3 chords every musician should know
There are three chords used more than any other, in every genre and era of music. Find out what they are and how to recognise them by ear in this tutorial. Continue reading →
View ArticleDon’t get stuck writing ‘four-chord songs’
If you write songs, you’ve probably been faced with the troubling ‘blank page’ syndrome when choosing chords. Learn how to get unstuck and write better songs. Continue reading →
View ArticleThe Sexy Secret of “One, Four, Five” (Lisa McCormick)
Being able to play by ear is one of the most desirable skills among musicians. But many people assume it's a gift: you've either got it or you don't. In this series so far I hope we've convinced you...
View ArticleThe 5 Best Videos to Learn 3-Chord Songs
Did you know that you can play hundreds of songs with just three chords? Yes, just 3! You don’t have to hurt your fingers and your brain memorizing all the options in the chord dictionary, all you need...
View ArticleHow to Strum and Fingerpick 3- and 4-chord songs by ear: Top 5 Videos
So you’ve learned how to play 3-chord songs and 4-chord songs by ear. Now it’s time to move to the next level! Instead of simply strumming “1, 2, 3, 4” we’re going to learn some more advanced...
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Open your Ears to some Rocking Blues
For this active listening exercise I chose a 5-song set influenced by the blues. I always think of the blues as the great grandfather of modern music. Since it started in the late 1800s in...
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Songwriter’s Secrets: How to Write a Song Without an Instrument
If you have been reading the Songwriter’s Secrets series but don’t play a musical instrument you’ve probably been wondering if it is even possible for you to write a good song without an instrument?...
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How to Play Chords By Ear: A Roadmap
Have you wished you could hear a song and instantly know what the chords are? To be able to pick up a guitar or sit down at a piano and play along – or maybe improvise a solo over the top? It is...
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Chord Ear Training 101
Dream sequence: you’re preparing to audition for your favorite band. Feeling super-confident, you show up at the rehearsal space and knock on the door. The door opens, and they invite you to join in...
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Hearing Chord Progressions: I, IV, V in Major Keys
With the ability to hear and identify chord progressions, you can walk into a host of musical situations and play along by ear. Last time we took the first step by learning to identify the chord roots...
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About the I, IV, V and vi Chords
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...
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About the 12-Bar Blues
Without the 12-bar blues, we wouldn’t have rock ‘n’ roll… or, come to think of it, much of the Western music we have today! In this episode of the Musicality Podcast, we’ll look at the simple chord...
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Introduction to Chord Progressions
Behind countless unforgettable songs is a simple chord progression. There is definite embellishment: a melody sung overtop, some musical bells and whistles added, and a beat to round out the song....
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Exploring Common Chord Progressions
Harmony in Western music would not exist without chord progressions – much of Western music, especially pop, rock, blues, jazz, and classical, is built on sequences of chords. Creating a chord...
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Why You Should Learn To Play By Ear FIRST
There tend to be two kinds of musicians in the world: those who teach themselves to play by ear and those who learn to play through formal lessons. Teachers typically include forms of ear training as...
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The 3 chords every musician should know
Learning about chords can be overwhelming. Want to learn to play guitar? Trying to learn how to write pop songs? Need to analyse a 14th Century composition for music theory class? Understanding the...
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Meet vi, the sad twin of the chord family
Are you looking to play pop songs by ear or improve your music transcription skills? Want to spice up your song-writing? Have you heard of a ‘four chord song’ and wondered what that means? My recent...
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Why you should learn the I-IV-V chord progression
Once you’ve decided that you want to learn to play by ear, you’re going to be spending quite a bit of time at your instrument, be it keyboard, guitar, or even the tubax… Maybe there’s a particular song...
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Don’t get stuck writing ‘four-chord songs’
If you’ve started to write your own songs, you’ve probably been faced with the same type of ‘blank page’ syndrome all writers face. You know how to play your instrument but whenever you try writing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Chord Ear Training 101
Dream sequence: you’re preparing to audition for your favorite band. Feeling super-confident, you show up at the rehearsal space and knock on the door. The door opens, and they invite you to join in...
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