Musicality Now

Do you know what your "North Star" is in music? If you've ever suffered from "shiny object syndrome", chasing squirrels and going down YouTube rabbitholes, or you've found your musical motivation going up and down like a rollercoaster week by week... Then let me share one solution, proven by thousands upon thousands of musicians to fix all those problems and more - in as little as five minutes. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 267 Links and Resources • Musicality Now: How To Be A Beatle • Your Musical Core training • Musicality Now: Hey! Where Are You Going? • Molly Gebrian Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Ever seen what other musicians are up to... and felt intimidated? Like YOU could never do that. And if we're talking about songwriting, composing or other creative musical activities - well, forget about it! In this clip from Tero Potila's masterclass at Musical U he reveals how to shift out of the "comparison trap" and recognise the musical contribution which you alone can make. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 266 Links and Resources • Musicality Now: Craft, Creativity and Career (interview with Tero Potila) • TeroPotila.com Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Tero Potila is a successful songwriter and composer with a string of hits to his name. He recently joined us at Musical U as a Guest Expert, teaching on creativity and collaboration. In this mini-interview, you'll hear exactly how he went from thinking songwriting took a magical "talent" to discovering that he too was capable of writing great music. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 265 Links and Resources • TeroPotila.com Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Christopher looks back on "Beatles Month", when we went deep into the musicality of the Fab Four themselves, uncovering the truth behind their phenomenal career and apparently supernatural "talent". Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 264 Links and Resources • ToneDeafTest.com • SingTrue app • Beatles Month Index • Welcome to Beatles Month • How the Beatles Came to Be, with Scott Freiman • Writing Songs the Beatles Way, with Matt Blick • The Message in the Music of the Beatles, with Scott Kuehn • The Simplicity and Sophistication of the Beatles, with Aaron Krerowicz • The Story of the "Fifth Beatle", with Kenneth Womack • How To Be The Beatles, with Hard Day's Night • The Musicality of the Beatles Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life. This time we have: - Zac sharing the "breakthrough that leads to ALL the breakthroughs" - Camilo with a nifty AI tool you can use to help with active listening, playing by ear and improvisation - Andy reveals a surprising way to improve your finger speed on your instrument - Andrew discusses how our musicality and creativity can easily outstrip our notation skills - and what to do about that Tip: find just ONE idea from everything that's shared, and take it to your next music practice session or apply it in YOUR musical life. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 263 Links and Resources • Dave Smith "Roots in Rhythm" Workshop (use coupon code MUSICAL-U for an exclusive discount!) • Learn more about Next Level Coaching • Moises AI app Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Since 2015 one man has been the heart of the Musical U community, our very own @GtrStu777! In this interview you'll meet our "Community Conductor" Stewart Hilton, who does so much to keep our unique community thriving, and find out a bit about his own fascinating musical journey. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 262 Links and Resources • Stewart's articles "Summer of Music: On the Road", Part 1 and Part 2 • A sampling of Stewart's music over the years: - One song from the 9-song tape by Hemlock, power metal band in the late 1980s. - A song from the first tape from Stewart's Christian band Weeping Prophet - Full-length CD from The Void - Album by Vine Connection - A release from last year which Stewart played all the electric guitar parts on • About Singing as a Tool and How to Learn to Sing in Tune Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

In this sneak-peek behind the scenes of our forthcoming Musicality book, Christopher shares a framework you can use to start playing more expressively. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 261 Links and Resources • MusicalityBook.com: Register your interest now! Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

What do a zombie cowbell, a matte-black drumhead, and a pink sparkly snare drum have in common? Believe it or not, they can all make you more musical... Here's how! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 260 Links and Resources • Musicality Now: Rhythmic Reconnection (interview with Dave Smith) Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Drummer Dave Smith teaches a powerful stepping-based method for improving your connection to the pulse, your sense of rhythm and your ability to both perform and be creative with different rhythmic patterns. In this first part of his recent Musical U masterclass, Dave introduces the foundation of his method, with an exercise you can start using right away to improve your own rhythmic chops. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 259 Links and Resources • Dave Smith Drums • Dave's Free Facebook Group: "Musicians Improving Their Rhythm Mastery" • Roots in Rhythm Workshop (use coupon code MUSICAL-U for an exclusive discount!) Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Ever felt like your rhythm skills aren't quite what they should be - but you really didn't know what you could do about that? We've found that typically, the rhythm side of things is massively overlooked by music learners. The basics come easily, and then we kind of forget about actually improving our sense of rhythm. So even though it's a huge part of the difference between an "okay" performance and a really great performance, often we aren't actually working on our rhythm skills the way we could or should be. Today we have a mini-interview with our recent Guest Expert, drummer extraordinaire Dave Smith, whose approach to developing your sense of rhythm and your connection to the pulse of music is really special - and really powerful. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 258 Links and Resources • Dave Smith Drums • Dave's Free Facebook Group: "Musicians Improving Their Rhythm Mastery" • Roots in Rhythm Workshop (use coupon code MUSICAL-U for an exclusive discount!) Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life. In episode 2 we hear fantastic ideas for contacting your "inner drummer", tailoring your improvisation to match the style of music you're going for, set better goals by thinking about how you want to share your music - and the surprising power of turning off one of your senses... Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 257 Links and Resources • Learn more about Next Level Coaching Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

From a Paul Simon dance-off through to scratch DJing and music video production, Zac Bailey has had a journey like no other, resulting in a deep, distinctive and profound grasp of what musicality is all about. In this Meet The Team interview we speak with Musical U's Head of Member Success, Zac Bailey (a.k.a. @ZSonic) to discover his fascinating musical life and the unusual origin story of his role at Musical U! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 256 Links and Resources • ZSonic online, including the Funk Romance video! • Learn more about Foundations course instructor Anne Mileski • Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Looking around, most online music education companies follow the "guru" model where you can sign up to be just like the famous player by following in their footsteps. That's not how Musical U does it. Why not? Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 255 Links and Resources • Musicality Now: Intimidating – or Inspiring? You Choose • Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

In her Musical U masterclass "Performance Secrets From An Industry Insider", Melissa Mulligan (founder of Music Career Mastermind) shared a wealth of insight and experience on what makes for a truly great musical performance. Whether you're touring world arenas like some of Melissa's clients, or just getting ready to perform for friends and family, this short section of the masterclass has some deep and powerful ideas to help you level up and really enjoy performing more too. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 254 Links and Resources • Musicality Now: Finding Your Musical Identity (with Melissa Mulligan) (interview) • MastermindRoad.com, home of Music Career Accelerator • Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com! Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Melissa Mulligan is a vocal coach and advisor to top Billboard-charting artists, and the founder of the highly popular Music Career Accelerator program at MastermindRoad.com. In this mini-interview she shares her take on "talent" and what really matters in crafting a successful music career or non-professional musical journey. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 253 Links and Resources • MastermindRoad.com, home of Music Career Accelerator • Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com! Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We had a really interesting comment on YouTube this week, which boiled down to: "Learning from notation, and the traditional teaching methods worked for me - so why should I change it? P.S. I'm offended that you're criticising what's worked for me and lots of others." There is a LOT to unpack in this one! Here's my response. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 252 Links and Resources • Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com • Gregg Goodhart online Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Meet Musical U's Head Educator, Andrew Bishko and discover the fascinating musical background which produced his unique skillset and made him the perfect match for Musical U! In this interview we dive into Andrew's musical background, featuring piano, flute (classical, jazz and Native American), reggae, Klezmer, mariachi and more. We hear how he gradually learned to play by ear and improvise, developing his own methods and techniques which he then began to teach his students. Then, in a surprising and unlikely way, how he found his way onto the Musical U team, contributing in a content editing and member support before starting to create and oversee the development of new material inside Musical U membership, culminating in the Living Music and Next Level programs. Andrew also shares three weird and surprising things which can have a big positive impact on your musical development. REGISTER FOR THE UPCOMING LIVE TRAINING! → YourMusicalCore.com Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 251 Links and Resources • Andrew's interview with CNVS • Andrew's interview with Dave Bainbridge • Meet the Team: Andrew Bishko (2017 interview) • Musicality Now: The Musicality of Sitting on a Rock (2018 podcast interview) • Next Level Coaching • Coaches Corner, Episode 1 • Register for the upcoming live training at YourMusicalCore.com Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Join Christopher and the Next Level coaching team to discover the latest tips, tricks and techniques you can use to advance in your own musical life. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 250 Links and Resources • Gregg Goodhart, "The Learning Coach" • Learn more about Next Level Coaching Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We had a great question from @Lutemann on YouTube this week: "So I wanted to be able to play on sax what I hear in my head. I wrote out 60 diatonic patterns (Example: 5, 4, 1, 7, 6, 8). Then I would pick a key and sing these patterns while fingering notes on the sax. I did this for a couple of months and got no results. Do you think I gave up too soon?" Here's my answer. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 249 Links and Resources • @Lutemann on YouTube, thanks for the question! • Musicality Now: Q&A: What can you do if you struggle to audiate (imagine music)? • Ear training: How long does it take? • Musicality Now: Is it time to "break up" with music? • Musicality Now: When to stick with it – and when to move on Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Dive into rhythmic improvisation in this segment of Jeffrey Agrell's Musical U masterclass on "Exploring Rhythmic Improv"! In this beginning section, Jeffrey introduces a rhythm vocabulary, using simple hand-drumming as a way to experiment and explore. Then he shows how you can start improvising creatively just by mixing up bits of that rhythm vocab with accents, rests, note length and meter. Note: If you're listening to the audio only, you won't be able to see the patterns he's showing on screen, but you'll still be able to follow along. You might want to hit 'pause' and give yourself some extra time, or run through the exercises again afterwards. Remember to have fun with it! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 248 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - If It Makes You Laugh, GOOD! (with Jeffrey Agrell) Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We're joined by Jeffrey Agrell, a returning guest on the show, and one of our absolute favourite music educators. Jeffrey has authored half a dozen books providing "games" which serve as a gateway into creativity and improvisation - even for the most buttoned-up, perfectionist classical players! In this short conversation before his Musical U masterclass on Rhythm Improv Games, Jeffrey shares: • Why one of his best character traits is... having a very high tolerance for looking foolish! • An elegantly simple definition of Creativity: "it just means 'do something different'." • And why something you play seeming silly or making you laugh is actually a GOOD thing. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 247 Links and Resources • Jeffrey Agrell online • Musicality Now - Making Improv a Game, with Jeffrey Agrell Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Join Musical U Director Christopher Sutton for a live update on the reboot of our video series and podcast, Musicality Now, including a sneak peek of exciting things to come... Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 246 Links and Resources Tune in Live on Facebook Tune in Live on Instagram Tune in Live on YouTube Next Level Coaching Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Scales... Most music learners think scales are just an exercise you've got to do as part of learning your instrument. But did you know there's actually a whole area of ear training dedicated to scales? In fact there are two! In this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U we talk about these two types of scale ear training and how each can help you. If you want to get more out of scales and ear training, don't miss this episode. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 245 Links and Resources • How to Make Scales Less Boring • Musicality Now - Music Theory You'll Love to Learn, with Glory St. Germain • Musicality Now - About the Power of Solfa • Musicality Now - About Scales and their Flavors • Musicality Now - How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Do you sometimes get the notes wrong when you sing? At Musical U we strongly encourage every music learner to sing because of the huge positive impact it has on your musicality - but what if you find you just can't get the notes right? Here's a clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U where we talk about just that. Enjoy! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 244 Links and Resources • How to Learn to Sing in Tune • Musicality Now - Finding the Notes Yourself, with Sara Campbell • Musicality Now - About Singing as a Tool • Musicality Now - How to Sing Smarter, with Meghan Nixon • Musicality Now - Singing that Sounds Good – and Beyond, with Davin Youngs • Musicality Now - All Things Vocal, with Judy Rodman • Musicality Now - The Instrument Inside You, with Ben Parry • Musicality Now - What Your Voice Can Do, with Jeremy Fisher • Musicality Now - Find and Make Peace with Your Voice, with Nikki Loney • Musicality Now - About the Power of Solfa Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

If playing music is like speaking a language, how should we think about harmony, or playing two hands on piano? We answer that question in this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U. Enjoy! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 243 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - About the I, IV, V and vi Chords • Musicality Now - Choose Your Words Carefully, with Glory St. Germain (Ultimate Music Theory) • Musicality Now - In Perfect Swinging Harmony, with The Quebe Sisters • Introduction to Chord Progressions • What can you already play by ear? Harmony & Rhythm? • How To Sing Harmony Like A Pro Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Did you know that wearing good headphones is one of the easiest ways to improve your ear training? Why is that - and what exactly makes a pair of headphones "good"? Learn how to choose the right headphones to level up your ears in this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U. Enjoy! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 242 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - About the Ear Training Trap • Musicality Now - About Active Listening • Musicality Now - About Listening as the Route to Musicality • Musicality Now - What Is Ear Training? (and why does it normally fail?) • Wired For Sound Part 4: Headphones • What are the best headphones for ear training? Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Audiation is one of the most powerful ways to develop your musicality - but what if you find you really struggle with it? In this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U we share some practical tips to help you audiate. Enjoy! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 241 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - About Audiation • Musicality Now - Audiation and Thinking Music, with Cynthia Crump Taggart • Musicality Now - How to "Hear Like A Musician" • The Secret Music Practice Skill: Audiation Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Have you ever felt like you were guessing the answers while working on ear training? Believe it or not, that may not be a bad thing! Find out why in this clip from the archive of live member Q&A calls at Musical U - stay tuned! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 240 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - What Is Ear Training? (and why does it normally fail?) • Musicality Now - Boosting Musical Brainpower, with Josh Turknett (Brainjo) • Musicality Now - Intervals Versus Solfa: Which Is Best? • The Ultimate Guide to Interval Ear Training • Musicality Now - About the Ear Training Trap Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We're joined by Dylan Hart, one of the top French Horn players in Hollywood today. He has played on many well-known soundtracks including Moana, Frozen, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Baywatch, The Good Place, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. You're about to hear Dylan's unlikely journey to becoming a highly-successful session player, concert performer, and French horn teacher. In this conversation Dylan shares: • The importance of "getting out of your own way" when playing - and how to do that. • His unexpected advice on how to sight read at the extremely high level required of session players. • Why we must look for the root cause of problems rather than just treating symptoms - and how that applies to practicing off your instrument, sight-reading, and performing at your best under pressure. In everything he does and teaches, Dylan has a focus on the inner instinct for music and a deep connection with your instrument. You're going to love this conversation packed with thought-provoking ideas. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 239 Links and Resources • Dylan Skye Hart Online • Annie Bosler Online • Norman Doidge - The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science • Daniel Coyle - The Talent Code • Daniel Coyle - The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills • Dr. Bob Rotella - Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect • Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan - The Breathing Gym • Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan - The Brass Gym: A Comprehensive Daily Workout for Brass Players • Jaume Rosset Llobet - A tono: Ejercicios para mejorar el rendimiento del músico • Alexander Technique • California State University Long Beach • Musicality Now - How The Best Play Their Best, with Annie Bosler • Musicality Now - Your Peak Performance Toolkit, with Mark Morley-Fletcher (Play In The Zone) • Musicality Now - The Keys to Performance Success, with Dr. Don Greene (Winning On Stage) Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We are excited to bring you another inspiring edition of Pathways. In this special series of episodes you'll hear the stories of music-learners just like you, reaching out and lending each other a hand on our musical journeys. We're speaking with Oli Fuhrmann, a swing dancer and swing dance teacher from Berlin, Germany. Oli started learning piano and trombone in the last three years to play the music he loves to dance to. He's eager to try new things and happy to risk failure. You'll hear how his attitude has really payed off for his music learning and the richness of his musical life. In this conversation Oli shares: • Why it was easy for him to start joining jam sessions despite being only a beginner-to-intermediate player - and a few specific tips for how you can make it easy for yourself. • How learning trombone was relatively simple after piano, and why he realised the importance of a good musical ear. • How he discovered the power of community support as part of his online learning. Enjoy this episode and be inspired to be more bold and risk new endeavours in your own musical journey. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 238 Links and Resources • Swingstep Online Courses • Mad Oli Facebook • Oliver Fuhrmann Facebook • Mad Oli Instagram • Musicality Now - Pathways: Nick Cheetham • Musicality Now - Pathways: Sharilynn Horhota • Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Have you been feeling stuck on something challenging in music? A section of a piece, a specific technique, an overall plateau, or maybe practice goes fine but then everything falls apart in live performance. Have you felt like you just don't have enough time for learning your instrument and learning new music? Maybe you feel like you're putting in the time and effort but just don't seem to be getting much payoff in terms of results. Have you been frustrated by struggling to memorise things, or finding the things you did work hard to memorise slip away over time? Or maybe it feels like whatever you try, you're just spinning in circles, or tripping yourself up, so that you never quite make solid progress towards your musical goals - like there's something continually sabotaging you - and it might just be all in your head. If you've felt one or more of these frustrations in your musical life you are certainly not alone. And believe it or not, there's a single solution which can quickly eliminate all of these challenges. It's time to re-learn what it means to "learn music". It's time to discover the techniques of musical superlearning. What does that mean, exactly? That's what we're talking about in this special episode with Christopher and Andrew from the Musical U team: what does "musical superlearning" look like in practice, and is it right for you? Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 237 Links and Resources • Musical Superlearning • Practice Q&A [1/5] How To Find More Music Practice Time, with Gregg Goodhart • Practice Q&A [2/5] How To Get Maximum Results In Minimum Time, with Gregg Goodhart • Practice Q&A [3/5] How To Conquer Tricky Sections And Break Through Plateaus, with Gregg Goodhart • Practice Q&A [4/5] How To Stay Consistent - Without Discipline, with Gregg Goodhart • Practice Q&A [5/5] How To Spend Practice Time And Prevent Overwhelm, with Gregg Goodhart Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Feeling overwhelmed by all the information about what to practice? This is the fifth and last in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, "How can I know what to practice?" To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music. Learn what to focus your music practice on in this episode. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 236 Links and Resources • Learn Music Faster • Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach • What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute • Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson • Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience • Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success • Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Have you lost your motivation for practice? This is the fourth in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, "I feel bad because I don't practice enough" To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music. After watching this episode you'll regain your enthusiasm for learning music. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 235 Links and Resources • Learn Music Faster • Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach • What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute • Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson • Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience • Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success • Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Struggling to get that complex section up to tempo? This is the third in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, "How do I break through plateaus?" To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music. Enjoy this episode and unlock your music learning super powers! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 234 Links and Resources • Learn Music Faster • Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach • What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute • Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson • Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience • Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success • Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Can you get results from only 10-15 minutes of practice? This is the second in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – including, "How do I get the most results out of my practice time?" To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music. In this episode you'll learn a 3-step process you can use to get the most out of every minute of your practice. Start supercharging your learning today! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 233 Links and Resources • Learn Music Faster • Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach • What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute • Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson • Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience • Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success • Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Do you have enough time to practice your music? This is the first in a special series of episodes on how to tackle the biggest sticking points in your music learning. We recently surveyed our audience to learn about their experiences with music practice. The results were astounding! Across several hundred responses, we found a handful of really common and painfully frustrating practice issues – like, "How do I find time for music?" To answer these big burning questions, we invited Gregg Goodhart, The Learning Coach, back on the show. Gregg is a leading expert on how to apply all of the latest scientific research and understanding of how the brain learns to skill acquisition, including in music. In this episode, we talk about what to do if you feel like there's never enough time for practicing music. After this episode, you may well find time that you didn't even know existed, as well as ways to supercharge the time that you do have for practicing, and get better results faster. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 232 Links and Resources • Gregg Goodhart – Learning Coach • What is a Practiclass? Sax, cello, guitar, The Learn Like A Genius Institute • Learn Like A Genius – Piano Practiclass (Full), Houston, TX with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - The Truth About Talent, with Professor Anders Ericsson • Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience • Carol S. Dweck - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success • Barry J. Zimmerman - Dart Throwing Study Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We're joined by violinist and Suzuki pedagogue, Laura Nerenberg. Laura is founder of Rideau Falls Violins where she teaches based on the principle that all children are born with the potential to develop a high level of instrument ability and creative ability. Laura shares the inspiring story of how she learned to combine improvisation and classical violin - and how improvisation has impacted her teaching. In this conversation we talk about: • Laura's upbringing learning violin with the Suzuki method - and some of the myths and misconceptions people have about Suzuki's ear-based approach. • How Laura didn't realize until later in life that she had learned a lot about improvisation growing up with a jazz-pianist father. • The Creative Ability Development framework which empowers learners to improvise from the outset, and in a way that focuses on listening and personal expression. Even if you've never improvised, or you're an avid improviser keen to learn more, you're going to love this conversation. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 231 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - Welcome to the Musicality Podcast! • Laura Nerenberg - Rideau Falls Violins • Laura Nerenberg with Triptych Piano Trio - Facebook • Shinichi Suzuki - Nurtured By Love • Suzuki Association • Alice Kanack - Kanack School Of Musical Artistry • Art of Improvisation Workshops • David Darling Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We are delighted to bring you another inspiring edition of Pathways. In this special series of episodes you'll hear the stories of music-learners just like you, reaching out and lending each other a hand on our musical journeys. We're joined by Joanne Cooper, a longstanding member of Musical U, who has particular expertise in a piece of software called Band In A Box. Joanne's musical life has never been the same since she started using Band in a Box. She went from writing zero songs to writing and covering hundreds of songs! She has learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way, so we were excited to have Joanne on the show to share her musical journey. In this conversation Joanne shares: • How Band In A Box made a life-changing impact on her song-writing and musical performance. • How she used performing with backing tracks as a stepping stone to accompanying herself. • The simple and specific song-writing process you can try if you're just starting out. If you've never tried song writing, are nervous performing, or you've never come across the Band In A Box software, this episode will enlighten you. Have you picked up useful ideas or techniques in your own musical journey so far that you think could inspire or help others on their path of exploring their musicality? Get in touch by dropping an email to [email protected]! We are always looking for new guests for Pathways and would love to share your story next. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 230 Links and Resources • Joanne Cooper Online • Joanne Cooper - First Song with Band-in-a-Box for Windows video course • Band-in-a-Box 101: A beginners guide to making and performing with Band-in-a-Box backing tracks by Joanne Cooper • How To Make A Backing Track, with Joanne Cooper • How To Make A Backing Track with Band-in-a-Box YouTube Video • Band-in-a-Box for Windows and Mac • Joanne's Extensive Playlists of Videos on YouTube • Musicality Now - About the I, IV, V and vi Chords Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Right now, millions of people around the world are choosing to stay in and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In this challenging and unprecedented time, Musical U's priority is to provide new free training daily to keep you engaged, excited, and learning during your extra time at home. We're continuing to collaborate with world-class music educators to bring you everything you need to continue honing your musicality in this time. In this interview, Brent Vaartstra of Learn Jazz Standards and the Passive Income Musician podcast shares his four "defaults": mindset ideas for getting through this difficult time while staying positive and connected through music. He talks about: • The power of gratitude and how to focus on the things you're grateful for on a daily basis. • The impact of generosity, and ways to volunteer and donate your resources. • The importance of community engagement . • Goal-setting, and how to take this time to invest in your dreams. • Recognizing the activities and routines that will help you make the most of every day. Brent's "defaults" are the perfect antidote to the unusual circumstances we have found ourselves in - his ideas are as helpful for your daily well-being as they are for your musicality. Enjoy! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 229 Links and Resources • Learn Jazz Standards • Learn Jazz Standards podcast • Passive Income Musician podcast • Musicality Now - How to Stop Doubting and Start Performing, with Brent Vaartstra • Musicality Now - An Ear for Jazz, with Brent Vaartstra • The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being by Hale Dwoskin Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We're excited to have Zach VanderGraaff, the founder of Dynamic Music Room, on the show. Mr. V (as his students like to call him) is a K-5 music teacher who's developed his own teaching philosophy drawing on the Kodály approach. Zach shares many of our core beliefs here at Musical U. He believes that "talent" is a myth, that music learning can and should be enjoyable, that the learning process should feel musical, that it's more effective to learn together with others, and much more. In this conversation you'll hear about: • Zach's own first experience of playing by ear - and why he was frustrated by his family being impressed. • The key difference between the elementary music teaching Zach does and the more common approaches you may be familiar with. • The three core concepts on which Zach bases his teaching - and how you can apply each in your own music learning. You will be fascinated by just how much you can learn from the world of children's music education. Enjoy this episode and make your music journey more fun and effective. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 228 Links and Resources • Dynamic Music Room • Dynamic Music Room Facebook • Musicality Now - Designing for Joyful Learning, with Anne Mileski • Musicality Now - How to Improve AND Enjoy Your Musical Life Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Hi, this is Christopher Sutton from Musical U, and this will be a special short announcement episode to invite you to Stay In - and Play On. If you're watching this episode when it airs then you'll be well aware of the current situation with the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. Now I'm not here to offer health advice or news updates - no doubt you've got enough of that flying at you already. But it seems clear that the sooner people self-isolate, the more lives can be saved. I'm here in Spain on total lockdown with my wife and two young daughters - and although it's all a bit crazy, we are all in good health so far. And if you're like most in our community at Musical U then faced with that prospect of staying in for several weeks ahead, you're quickly turning to music as a rock you can rely on. I'm glad that my home office is always packed with instruments so I can keep playing. I did have a momentary panic when a guitar string broke - but it's okay, it turned out I had a spare set. Now I don't want to trivialise this and say "hey, never mind, let's all just have fun and play music!" - this is a serious situation. But at the same time, music can be an incredible force for keeping our spirits high, helping us stay connected with one another, inspiring us to hope and be thankful. And with the opportunity to spend more time on our music learning it even offers a possible silver lining, that we can come out of this situation with new and better skills, feeling more musical, eager to go out there and enjoy performing and collaborating at a new level once life returns to normal. So I wanted to record this special episode to share some cool things that are happening right now which can help you make the most of any extra music time you may find you have. First off, you can expect Musicality Now to continue as normal. We took a short break - and I'll share in a minute what we were busy with elsewhere - but we're back on track for an episode per week, possibly more, so that you can always count on that new episode to listen to or watch. Beyond this show though there's actually a lot of other stuff available for you that I didn't want you to miss out on. Here at Musical U over the last week, as it's become increasingly clear how many people likely face lockdown for weeks or even months, and that the sooner people start self-isolating the better - we've been talking with members and brainstorming in the team, trying to figure out how we can best serve you all in the weeks ahead. Last week we announced a few quick measures for members, which I'll just mention because I know we have a lot of members who listen to the show and you may have missed that announcement. We will be keeping our doors open at Musical U and doing everything we can to make sure you can rely on us for "service as normal" throughout this period. And we're also doing a few extra things based on what we've been hearing from you. Firstly we know a lot of folks are facing financial difficulties with their work interrupted so we're offering an amnesty on membership payments for anybody who needs it. We don't want your membership payment to be a source of stress and we'd hate to lose you from the community. Secondly, we were hearing that many of you anticipated more time available for music practice, but your regular activities like local group rehearsals or performances were all cancelled so you needed something new to sink your teeth into. So for a limited time we've dropped the prices of all five of our standalone courses in half for you - that's Foundations of a Musical Mind, The Musician's Ear, Ear Training For Beginners, The Circle Mastery Experience and even our latest course, Improv Immersion. We're also shaping up plans for more regular drop-in Q&A sessions where you can connect with the team and other members, virtual jam sessions, a member "perks" page with exclusive discounts and offers on recommended products and services, and a new series of live masterclasses with outside experts for you. And of course we'll be continuing to talk with you in the community to find out what you most want and how we can help. So that's members. We also wanted to do something to help our wider audience who aren't yet members, like our Facebook fans and email subscribers. So last week we launched a series of free daily masterclass reruns - one hour-long music masterclass every day for a week, free of charge. We have an incredible masterclass library inside Musical U and so it's been exciting to share some of the highlights more widely, with sessions from folks like "The Learning Coach" Gregg Goodhart, vocal coach Davin Youngs, improv extraordinaire the late Forrest Kinney, and several more. And we've had such a great response to those with hundreds tuning in for every session, we're going to keep that party going with a few more daily masterclasses at least. Along with those masterclass sessions I wanted to provide a way for those who were eager to get access to

Welcome to a very special edition of Musicality Now. We invited Glory St. Germain of Ultimate Music Theory back on the show to teach something very specific. Glory overflows with joy as she shares this powerful lesson. Transformative vocabulary is a broad concept that many successful people apply in their lives. In this episode Glory St. Germain teaches how you can apply transformative vocabulary to your musical life. You will learn how to use words that uplift you - and fuel your excitement you to take on that next challenge! If you wish for impactful musicality that inspires every one around you, you're going to love this conversation. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 226 Links and Resources • Musicality Now - Music Theory You'll Love to Learn, with Glory St. Germain • Free Music Theory Masterclass with Glory St. Germain • Musicality Now - Becoming Curious, with Sharon Mark-Teggart • Tony Robbins - Transform Your Life • The Alter Ego Effect Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We were thrilled to speak with Annie Bosler, a world class French Hornist who has played with John Williams, Josh Groban, Michael Feinstein, Itzhak Perlman and Paul McCartney. Annie has performed for famous shows such as Glee, The Ellen Show, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony. Surely such a high-level performer is long past any concerns of stage fright or performance anxiety, right? That's not always the case. In this conversation Annie shares invaluable insights on how top-level professional musicians think about and actively tackle performance anxiety. We talk about: • The relationship between performance anxiety, flow states, and getting into "the zone". • The specific components of Annie's own peak performance toolkit and what you might like to try for yourself. • The lessons she learned from interviewing some of the original Hollywood studio musicians of the golden years. This conversation will enlighten your overall view of performance flow states - and leave you with some specific tips to help you reach your full performance potential. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 225 Links and Resources • Annie Bosler Online • The Healthy Musician: Dealing With Nerves & Performance Anxiety • 1M1: Hollywood Horns of the Golden Years • Composed Documentary • Kenny Werner - Effortless Mastery • Don Greene Books • Chuck Kriese Books • Annie Bosler, Don Greene, Kathleen Tesar - College Prep for Musicians • Maxwell Maltz - The New Psycho-Cybernetics • Musicality Now - The Keys to Performance Success, with Dr. Don Greene (Winning On Stage) • College Prep for Musicians Instagram Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We were honoured to speak with Professor Henkjan Honing, one of the leading researchers of music cognition and biomusicology. The science behind musicality is at an exciting early stage, so there are at least as many intriguing questions as answers in this fascinating conversation. Professor Honing has written two books exploring the science of musicality: The Evolving Animal Orchestra discusses what we can learn about musicality from the animal kingdom and The Origins of Musicality details the latest cutting-edge research on where human musicality comes from and how it works. In this conversation we talk about: • The crucial research study with newborn infants that changed the whole trajectory of Professor Honing's research. • Two surprising facts about absolute pitch (often called perfect pitch) that might completely change how you think about this seemingly-magical skill. • What the state-of-the-art scientific research tells us about how much musicality is an innate part of us versus a purely-learned skill. Enjoy this dive into Professor Honing's perspective on musicality - and gain new appreciation for your own inner musician. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 224 Links and Resources • Henkjan Honing - The Origins of Musicality • Henkjan Honing - The Evolving Animal Orchestra • Music Cognition Group • Prof. HJ (Henkjan) Honing • TEDxAmsterdam 2011 - Henkjan Honing • Research study - Newborn infants detect the beat in music • Tone Deaf Test from Musical U Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We're joined by Mark Morley-Fletcher from Play in the Zone. Mark is a jazz guitarist turned peak performance specialist. He's developed a system for helping everyday music learners tackle performance anxiety. Mark has taken ideas and techniques from the world of performance psychology and drawn them in to a clear, coherent framework. He does a fantastic job of tying the underlying concepts behind performance to practical tips you can apply right away in your own musical life. In this conversation we talk about: • The non-musical activity that helped Mark draw together the latest research on peak performance into a practical system for musicians. • The difference between "good" autopilot and "bad autopilot" when it comes to performing. • The specific things you can do to defuse the negative physical and mental reactions to performance situations. You'll love the insight in this episode - whether you're gearing up for your first performance, or you're a touring veteran. Jump in and learn how to play your best! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 223 Links and Resources • Play in The Zone • Unlock Your Performance • Unshakeable Foundations • Play In The Zone YouTube Channel • Musicality Now - Note2Self: "I Love This!", with Lisa McCormick • Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich • Musicality Now - About Mindfulness for Musicians Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Today we're joined by Diane Allen, a former concertmaster violinist with the Central Oregon Symphony for 15 years. Diane speaks on the topic of flow and finding your own personal "flow strategy" to reach your full potential, in music and anywhere else in your life. In the past, "peak performance" and "performance psychology" were the exclusive realm of top-level professional performers. Now these ideas are becoming more accessible and applicable to everyday learners and musicians. Diane brings a unique perspective to to the world of performance. In this conversation we talk about: • How Diane rose to great success in the classical world, then put aside her violin completely - and returned to it later in an innovative way. • The specific practical steps you can take to find your own connection with a piece of music. • The three components of getting into "flow" state - only one of which is normally covered when you hear about flow. You'll be excited to apply Diane's fresh ideas to your own practice and performance. Dive in to this episode and learn how to be at your best! Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 222 Links and Resources • Diane Allen - Own Your A-Game • Diane Allen - Corporate Speaking • My Violin Recital - YouTube channel • Fingerboard Workbook by Diane Allen • Bow Arm Bootcamp • Email Diane for a special discount • Losing yourself in flow state | Diane Allen | TEDxNaperville • Get Out Of Your Head & Into Your Heart | DisruptHR Talks • Diane Allen Facebook • Diane Allen Instagram • Diane Allen's Violin, Copper Dragon • Diane Allen Twitter • Diane Allen Linkedin Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We are delighted to bring you another exciting edition of Pathways. In this special series of episodes you'll hear the stories of music-learners just like you, reaching out and lending each other a hand on our musical journeys. Today we're speaking with Jon Magnusson, a Swedish songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and father who has done what many in our audience dream of: made music his full-time profession. In this inspiring conversation you'll gain insight not only in to the business side of Jon's career, but also in the ways he's dedicated himself to improving his musicality. We talk about: • The two key areas of musicality he felt he had to improve, even though he grew up feeling like a very "talented" musician. • How the combination of being a modern-day A&R rep and musician feed other to accelerate his musical and entrepreneurial growth. • How he's managed the biggest challenge in making music his full-time gig. Whether you're serious about making a career in music - or you're just a casual hobbyist - you're going to enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at how business and musicality can help each other. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 221 Links and Resources • Jon Magnusson • Adam Neely - New Horizons in Music • Passive Income Musician • Music Entrepreneur HQ • Rick Beato - Everything Music • Indepreneur • Udemy • Submit Hub Have you picked up useful ideas or techniques in your own musical journey so far that you think could inspire or help others on their path of exploring their musicality? Get in touch by dropping an email to [email protected]! We are always looking for new guests for Pathways and would love to share your story next. Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

What if you could learn music so fast, people would assume you're a genius? Imagine jumping over any learning hurdle, breaking through any plateau, and gaining professional-level instrument skills in a fraction of the time. These things are possible. One of our most popular recent interviews by far was with Gregg Goodhart of Learn Like A Genius. Gregg specialises in taking all the latest research and understanding of how the human brain can most effectively practice, and actually putting it to practical use, in music lessons and classrooms. There was so much packed into our conversation with Gregg that we wanted to make this dedicated recap episode to make sure you didn't miss out on any of the major takeaways. You'll also hear about the free masterclass Gregg will be presenting at Musical U. Dive in to this episode for insights from a world-leading expert, and how you can to get access to the detailed training to put it all into practice yourself. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 220 Links and Resources • Gregg Goodhart free masterclass on Musical U • Gregg Goodhart 1-to-1 practice coaching sessions • Learn Like A Genius • Musicality Now - How to Learn Like a Genius, with Gregg Goodhart • Musicality Now - About Mindfulness for Musicians • Musicality Now - More Mindful, More Musical, with Susanne Olbrich • Musicality Now - Mind Before Fingers, with Marilyn White Lowe (Music Moves For Piano) • Musicality Now - What Music Practice Really Means, with Jonathan Harnum, PhD (The Practice Of Practice) • Musicality Now - About Deliberate Practice in Music Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

We are joined by Ruth Power of Piano Picnic, home of high quality online training courses for pianists. However, this is not our usual kind of interview episode. We've invited Ruth to talk about something very specific: lead sheets. Ruth brings a fun energy and creativity to the teaching process, and her material is always really cool and interesting. When we heard she was releasing a new course called Lovin' Leadsheets we knew had to bring her back on the show! If you've never used lead sheets - or you're already a lead sheet ninja - you're going to love the nifty ideas and insights Ruth shares about her new course. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 219 Links and Resources • Lovin' Leadsheets • Piano Picnic • Making Music Learning a Picnic, with Ruth Power • About Playing From a Lead Sheet • Musicality means… Playing from a Lead Sheet Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review

Today we're joined by Dan Hulsman founder of The VGM Academy, the leading website dedicated to composing video game music. Dan helps aspiring composers from around the world hone their composing skills and break into the VGM industry! The VGM academy is packed full of tutorials, resources, expert interviews, courses and workshops covering all aspects of the industry. Dan teaches everything from composing melodies, to using new technologies, through to marketing and career building. In this conversation Dan shares: • The one thing more than anything else which is distinctive about video game music, which is still the case now, decades after the first game soundtracks were written. • The reason it can be surprisingly hard to produce an "album" version of a game's soundtrack these days. • And the clever way his high school choir director tricked him into joining the choir, setting him on the path to a career in teaching music and founding VGM Academy years later. For some in our audience, the phrase "video game music" will conjure up memories of very simplistic music barely worthy of consideration - while for others it represents a large and serious part of their love of music. Whether you find yourself in one or the other category - or somewhere in between - this conversation will enlighten your musical journey. Subscribe For Future Episodes! Apple Podcasts | Android | Stitcher | RSS | YouTube Full Show Notes and Transcript: Episode 218 Links and Resources • Video Game Music Academy • VGM Academy Quest Logs • Journey Original Soundtrack by Austin Wintory • Prescription for Sleep: Undertale by GENTLE LOVE • Final Fantasy XV Original Soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura • VGM Academy Facebook • VGM Academy on Twitter Enjoying the show? Please consider rating and reviewing it! Click here to rate and review