Author: Jon Harnum
Hi, I'm Jon Harnum, author, publisher, teacher, musician, and scholar. If you'd like to learn more about music or how to publish books, come check out my web sites and online courses. Lots of freebies so you can try before you buy. See you online!
Make Scale Practice More Fun with the Afro Latin Drum Machine
That boring click-click-click is one way to keep the beat, but there’s a better way. Check out the AfroLatin Drum Machine. The free version loops for 16 bars or so and has limited styles, but is still quite good, and super useful as an interesting metronome for practice. The full version costs more but is…
Devil’s interval: What makes music sound scary?
Metal bands and horror films stoke sonic dread the same way 19th century composers did—with a forbidden sequence of notes known as the “devil’s interval.” Source: Devil’s interval: What makes music sound scary? — Quartzy
How To Play a Piano Montuno over any chord
I’m not a piano player, but I do play the piano. You should, too. It’s one of the best tools for understanding theory. So, I’m always looking for something to play on piano that’s easy and fun (and useful, I hope). A band mate suggested I learn montunos, so that’s what I’m doing. Here are…
Learning a Tune or Solo? Anytune app: Perfect Your Practice
Anytune Pro+ is the best “slow-it-down” app I’ve come across, and I’ve tried a LOT of them. You can get the free version to toy around with it, but I’d recommend the Pro+. I
Keep Track of Your Practice
Keep track of your goals, exercises, or whatever with this handy Exercise Tracking Form. One of many freebies you’ll find in Basic Music Theory: How to Read, Write, and Understand Written Music. Click to get the link to this PDF.
Deep Practice Few Do
This post is a partial glimpse of Chapter 31: Going Mental. The image below of the Facets Model is from page 173 inThe Practice of Practice If you’re passionate, curious, and driven, you might do this kind of practice without much thinking. Learning just the notes, or the sounds, isn’t enough. Dig deeper. Use the…
MEZERG – Genius Use of a Theramin
More on the Theramin.
Listening Sideways: The Art of Playing Together
Listening sideways is an essential step in developing a more musical ensemble as it allows students to direct awareness outward and listen to what is happening around them. Here is a simple but essential exercise to help develop the ability of your young musicians to “listen sideways.” Source: Listening Sideways: The Art of Playing Together
The 15 Best Tom Waits Songs
It’s difficult to write a proper introduction to any piece about Tom Waits. If you’re a fan, you’ll already know everything I could say about him. If you’re not, here’s what Wikipedia has to say: “Thomas Alan ‘Tom’ Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instr Source: The 15 Best Tom Waits…
