Learn Music Theory your way with a TakeLessons expert

Nervous about the sight reading portion of an upcoming audition? Find out how to work sight reading practice into your routine in this guest post by Saddle Brook, NJ teacher Christian D...   “Be prepared to sight read.” That dreaded requirement on all auditions that makes us all nervous. But the fact is, you shouldn’t be! Sight reading is a learned skill, just like everything else in music. Think of it as sight reading a passage from a book in front of an audience. With so man

  Piano music doesn't have to be all classical, all the time! Here's what you need to know about getting started with jazz piano chord progressions, courtesy of St. Augustine, FL teacher Heather L... If you're interested in learning how to play jazz piano after starting off as a classical pianist, one of the first things you need to master are chord progressions. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the most common jazz piano chord progressions and how you can use them in y

Are you wondering how to improve your sight singing skills? Want to be able to read sheet music without having to plunk it out on the piano? One of my favorite “life hacks” in singing can be traced back to Dame Julie Andrews and The Sound of Music. I am, of course, talking about solfege. You’re probably more confused now than when you started reading this article, yes? If you’ve ever been in an elementary music class, you’ve probably sung the following: “Doe, a deer, a female deer

Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the piano, but felt intimidated by all of those black and white keys? You're not alone! The piano keyboard layout can be tricky for beginners to understand. Fortunately, this helpful guide will make learning the basics a breeze. By understanding the layout of the keyboard, you'll be able to start playing simple songs in no time. So what are you waiting for? Let's get started! Did you know that understanding the full piano keyboard layout is not

In my last article we looked at jazz cello and some of the possibilities for our instrument in this style. First by imitating the sound of a native jazz instrument (double bass) and then expanding the jazz cello’s vocabulary, so to speak, by imitating artists like Fred Katz and Mark Summer. I emphasized a tiered approach to understanding the genre, first with harmonic and then melodic practice. With exposure to many styles, you can build your unique cello sound and learn to make good melodic m

Staring at the Circle of Fifths and memorizing key signatures isn't the only way to learn music theory! Here, Brooklyn, NY teacher Liz T. shares some creative ideas to revive your learning...   Music theory is a very important part of your musicianship, whether it be mastering ear training, harmony, or sight reading. No matter what instrument you play or what styles you enjoy, those who learn music theory grow further as musicians. A solid knowledge can help you improve your performanc

Test your knowledge of music with this innovative music theory quiz - and then keep reading to find even more fun quizzes you can take! A knowledge of music theory is absolutely indispensable to musicians. For beginners, it can seem intimidating, but experienced musicians will attest that theory is well worth the effort needed to master it. While you can certainly acquire proficiency on an instrument without a knowledge of theory, you’ll miss out on the depth of understanding that

Are you wondering, "what are the most common chord progressions in pop music?" If so, you're in the right place.  Today, many pop songs are written by writing the chords first, and melody later. In fact, it would be fair to say that the backbone of the modern pop song is the chord progression. In this way, chord progressions are very important to make the song as memorable, catchy and enjoyable as possible. Pop music has existed at least since the 1950s, amassing a great catalog of music

Have you ever been singing and suddenly realized your tongue hurt? Felt a tinge or soreness? Sometimes, that means your jaw is tight, often, it means that your tongue is tense. It’s a muscle, it’s natural for that to happen. However, it’s not something you can ignore. When you’re doing an exercise, you want to make sure you have correct form in order to get the most out of it. Same concept with singing. However, in singing, you don’t want to keep working the muscles to the point of pai

The late Yehudi Menuhin once said, “The genuine Scottish fiddler has an infallible sense of rhythm, never plays out of tune, and is master of his distinctive and inimitable style”. Well, as a Scot myself, I certainly subscribe to that idea, although I can’t give absolute assurance that my own intonation is that infallible.  Where Does Good Intonation Begin? Well, before we start slapping fingers down on the fingerboard we need to know that the violin itself must be in tune. Traditional