Reviews and Media Coverage
Musical U products and training material have been featured in leading websites and publications worldwide, including:
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Reviews
Harness the Power of the Online Learning Community at Musical U
“I find these modules to be pedagogically sound, well-organized, and designed for the user to work at their own pace. These modules, combined with the staff and community support, are effective tools for an individualized music theory and ear training education.
Musical U’s experienced staff members are regularly involved, monitoring people’s achievements, offering advice and coaching, and highlighting people’s accomplishments. Adding a human factor to online learning is an important factor to motivating site users to stay active, and Musical U does this well.”
Musical U Review with Screenshots
“I had the opportunity to take a look at Musical U and was immediately impressed. There is a LOT here and it’s presented in a way that is very clear and easy to navigate.”
“I think Musical U could be a great resource for anyone who wants to develop musical skills that will allow them to play more creatively.”
Do you have a website or publication interested in reviewing Musical U?
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Reviews by Musical U Members on Google
“Great site! It really helps anyone interested in music to achieve their goals as long as they are devoted to it. I recommend trying it and seeing what I’m talking about for yourselves :)”
– Hoomam N.
“Musical U is a great musical ear training tool/website for those seeking to expand in that area. I personally went there to learn the fundamentals that I was missing in order for me to sing in tune. […] It has plenty of admin that are there to help you solve any problem whether it be technical or musical. From my experience they are a really team that seem to generally want to solve your troubles.”
– Chris M.
“Musical U is active and alive with people who push me reach my musical goals, thank you!”
– Rima A.
“For me, one of the best place to study, learn, improve and have nice talks about any subject. Musical U is where I can without afraid come in and feel like a family. I love the way as music is show to us. Thanks all for everything!”
– Charles L.
“Awesome community!”
– Andrea B.
“Interesting modules. Thorough information divided into practical units. Nice little tests throughout. Questions that may nevertheless arise are promptly answered by the Musical U staff or by other students (the Community). I learned a lot within a relatively short time and there is enough for the next few years.”
– De Z.
“A great place to expand your musical knowledge. Staff are wonderful and supportive and always ready to help. Highly recommended.”
– Wendy H.
“Excellent materials and support. I got a lot out of the training and exercises. Highly recommended.”
– Steven R.
“Musical U is one of the best online learning experiences in which I’ve ever participated. They provide a wide range of tools to use in improving every aspect of your musical journey. And the people are great! Very friendly and genuinely concerned with your ability to learn and grow your musicality. As a musician, I highly recommend this program.”
– David C.
“I am learning to play by ear. Musical-U is rated by me as excellent. I am having so much fun…”
– Claire W.
Included with Musical U membership are several mobile apps to accelerate your training if you have an iPhone or iPad.
As seen in:
“Whether you are a seasoned musician or a complete beginner, Relative Pitch will have you listening with a sharpened ear and a greater appreciation of the music you love.”
“Well thought-out, educational and informative.”
Relative Pitch Reviews
on the iTunes App Store
The Relative Pitch interval ear training app from Musical U was selected by Apple as New and Noteworthy and has an average rating of 4.5 stars including over 600 5-star reviews from users.
Here are a few recent examples:
Ear Training Tool
“Perfect tool to quiz, and stay on top of intervals. Very easy to use on go. Two thumbs up!!”
– AudiEngineer, U.S.A.
Best i have found yet
“Excellent!”
– FellowChristian777, Canada
Brilliant App
“Really great app. It’s well designed and divides a chromatic scale into logical groups for you to learn, bit by bit. I definitely didn’t consider myself to have a natural ear for pitch, but this app has improved my “natural” abilities vastly. Worth every penny.”
– Nathangddghtdgyd, United Kingdom
Fantastic
“1st year B.Music student (40yo). Best ear training app out there. Highly recommended !!!”
– Sammylee2000, Australia
As seen in:
“Easy to use.”
“Great visual feedback”
“A perfect app both for aspiring and professional singers”
“Amazing, effective, and user-friendly”
“Really fun.”
SingTrue Reviews
on the iTunes App Store
The SingTrue singing app from Musical U was featured by Apple in their “Learn an Instrument” selection, chosen among the “Best iPhone Apps For Singers” by AppPicker, and featured in a New York Times piece on the best apps for learning music.
SingTrue has an average rating of 4.5 stars including over 300 5-star reviews from users. Here are a few recent examples:
Love it!
“Really good app! I wanted to learn how to sing for a musical I’m doing, and my voice is showing a difference!! So happy with the app!”
– Lambfarm4466, United Kingdom
It’s actually fun.
“I’m really enjoying this so far. Makes it very approachable for those who are too shy to normally sing.”
– RayRay25120, U.S.A.
From karaoke to…
“It’s super enjoyable to practice. You know exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are with this app. Fabulous job!”
– Alohakrisi, Switzerland
Really Good!
“These exercises are very relevant and serve to improve your singing ability. The aim is to be pitch perfect, along with the other skills. Practising harmonic intervention is also a neat facility. I recommend this clever app.”
– HarryRedSteps, United Kingdom
Media Coverage
Here is a list of online articles, press releases and other notable mentions of our website and products.
Note: prior to February 2017 some products were marketed under our original brand name, Easy Ear Training, and some links below will refer to that name rather than Musical U.
2017
GMI Podcast (May 2017)
“Ear or musical aural training is the most important part of learning to become a musician. It’s the lifeblood of the art form, yet many musicians have had little or no real ear training whatsover. In this podcast, Ged Brockie from GMI interviews Christopher Sutton about his company Musical U. Musical U is helping musicians around the world understand how vital ear training is and has a membership website dedicated to just that.”
G4 Guitar (May 2017)
“Despite reaching proficiency with the instruments, for a long time [Christopher] still didn’t feel “musical” like the apparent naturals he saw around him. Through many years of trial and error, studying and discovering, Christopher realized there were ways to “become musical” and he was so passionate about this discovery that he found creative ways to bring these insights to others through his work and career.”
A Higher Note (May 2017)
“The Truth about Tone Deafness: The truth of the matter is that most people simply need ear training. If you’d like to discover the likelihood of whether you’re tone deaf or not, take the test at tonedeaftest.com. As for myself, I was relieved as a voice teacher to learn that I’m definitely not tone deaf. Phew!”
We Love Prof (Apr 2017)
“The app analyses the user’s voice to better define how to improve their vocal technique. It suggests a course to follow and gives good advice.”
Music Matters Blog (Apr 2017)
“[Musical U is] an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to improve their knowledge and skills as a musician.”
My Fun Piano Studio (Apr 2017)
“I had the opportunity to take a look at Musical U and was immediately impressed. There is a LOT here and it’s presented in a way that is very clear and easy to navigate.
There’s a ton within Musical U, but for this review I’m going to focus on some of the materials that will help piano teachers gain the skills to play more creatively.”
Paste Magazine (Mar 2017)
“Want to learn to sing in perfect tune? SingTrue is the app for you. Offering over 30 interactive exercises, it’ll help you train your voice so that you can sing easily and confidently. […] Even inexperienced singers should be surprised to learn that their voice is far better than they expected.”
Fretjam.com (Feb 2017)
“Musical U is a truly one-of-its-kind course that focuses on training your ear to recognise notes, chords and scales. This can be seen as the “other side” of learning guitar – the ability to translate what you hear on to the fretboard (or transcribe it to tab). With 40 in depth training modules and expert help at hand, you’ll be amazed at the ear skills you develop here.”
Phone Arena (Jan 2017)
“This app convinced me that I can sing. Not great, not perfect, but not terrible either. I can hit notes and I can even recognize them. Unbelievable for a person to shy to ask somebody and for a person who is always laughed at even when singing in the shower! And if you are like me (I am convinced there’s millions of us, most likely billions), this app is a true revelation.”
2016
iGeeks Blog (Dec 2016)
“Do you think that you don’t have the voice to be a star singer? “SingTrue” will not just remove the fear from your heart but also help you improve your sound quality.”
Classic FM (Nov 2016)
“Many people believe they are tone deaf just because they struggle to sing in tune. Actually, most of these people have the basic pitch discrimination skills necessary to tell notes apart. They simply lack musical training – and probably in a lot of cases – musical confidence.
Easy Ear Training’s test focusses on the listener’s ability to identify pitch relationships and changes. Try it yourself and share it with a friend who thinks they’re tone deaf.”
Strife Magazine (Nov 2016)
“Do you have that one friend who sings all the time but just can’t get their tuning, right? We sure do!
This test will establish whether you’re tone deaf or not in 3 simple categories.”
PopBuzz (Nov 2016)
“There’s a little thing called, would you believe it, ToneDeafTest.com which puts you through an intense few rounds of pitching and scaling challenges and is designed to measure your pitch sensitivity. This test will determine whether you have the fundamental abilities you need, which can then be developed and improved through ear training and singing practice.
If you pass the test you can be quite confident you have the fundamental pitch abilities required to become a good musician.”
Applolicious (Nov 2016)wh
“SingTrue is a perfect app both for aspiring and professional singers. It features more than 30 interactive exercises that will come in handy in improving your voice and boosting your confidence.”
The New York Times (Sep 2016)
“The SingTrue app, which is free for iOS, is intended to help beginner singers improve. The app’s minimalist design and interface make it easy to use. Through a variety of exercises, it helps you understand how to make the most of your voice, offering great visual feedback when it analyzes your singing.”
Skill Cookbook (Jun 2015)
“The [SingTrue] app is actually fairly simple, but what I liked about it was that it gave me very direct feedback about my singing. Having a visual “bulls-eye” representation of where my voice was, and the note I was aiming for, allowed me to understand my voice in a way I never had before. This sort of instant feedback is an essential building block for learning effectively”
New Music Resource (Mar 2016)
“Musical U is an online community that provides ear training and music theory expertise, detailed lesson plans, examples, free practice audio, and more.”
Thomas J. West Music (Feb 2016)
“Musical U […] incorporates some of the current best practices in online learning. The ability to customize learning objectives and operate in an asynchronous learning environment where the student works at their own pace produces the best results for the majority of students. This flexibility, coupled with the staff and community support, makes Musical U an effective way for musicians to enrich their understanding of music as an aural and performance art form.”
AppPicker.com (Feb 2016)
“If you have ever been concerned with or worried about being tone deaf, then this app will tell you for sure. And the best part, it only takes a few minutes to learn the results. The test is based on the website ToneDeafTest.com, where over 130,000 people have taken the test and learned their results. Now, you can take the test via this app and find out for yourself.”
AppPicker.com (Feb 2016)
“Here’s your chance to learn how to sing properly. This app has over 30 interactive exercises to improve your singing skills and help you to become more confident in bellowing those tunes. Sing into the microphone on your iDevice and the app will analyze your singing, then give you constructive feedback.”
MelanieSpanswick.com (Jan 2016)
“Easy Ear Training is a music education technology company, who are developing digital products like mobile apps and audio-enhanced eBooks to make learning the essential listening skills of music easy, fun and effective. Easy Ear Training offers many different apps for musicians and aspiring musicians of all different levels and abilities, encouraging them to develop an increasingly sophisticated ear.”
AppPicker.com (Jan 2016)
SingTrue: “How would you like to be able to improve your singing voice without having to spend a fortune on vocal lessons? The SingTrue app may just be the way to go as this one is able to help people learn how to sing in tune. It doesn’t matter if you have zero singing experience or you are a professional singer just looking to perfect your talent, this app can be used. The app claims that it can teach anyone how to sing through the 30 interactive exercises/lessons. What’s really fun is that you can show off how well you’re doing by email, Twitter, and Facebook.”
AppPicker.com (Jan 2016)
Tone Deaf Test: “If you have ever wondered, worried or wanted to know if you were tone deaf then download this app and in a matter of minutes you will find out. This app is based on ToneDeafTest.com and the test has been featured across other platforms. There’s a 3 minute quiz, detailed info about tone deafness, tips and tricks to better singing, recommended steps and more. Share this app and your test results with others. The app is straight forward and very easy to use for all ages.”
2015
“So many people think they are ‘tone deaf’ but they aren’t. Here’s proof!”
Music Matters Blog (Dec 2015)
“Recognizing the huge gap that many musicians (or wanna be musicians) face between who they are musically and who they want to be musically, Musical U has harnessed the effectiveness of their highly successful apps and website, plus a framework of guidance, structure, and support to help millions of people achieve their musical dreams!”
Show media coverage 2009 - 2014
2014
“We asked 50 smart entrepreneurs for a specific tactic on growing your business through customer happiness. Christopher Sutton, Director of Easy Ear Training says ‘For each of our eBooks and training albums we have created two or three valuable bonus resources that will help our customers get even more out of the product they’ve purchased.'”
“The SingTrue app for your iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone may just be able to transform your voice into one you never thought possible through a variety of user-friendly and educational interactive singing exercises.”
“There are many free apps around, but not all are useful. This one? Happens to be extremely useful and it’s free! […] We have tried it in a handful of students who are less sensitive to pitching and after a few sessions, their pitching indeed improved!”
“Die App SingTrue will Euch dabei helfen, zu einem guten bzw. besseren Sänger zu werden. Die iPhone-Neuerscheinung bietet Euch dazu verschiedene “Kurse” an. In diesen werden sowohl Eure Ohren, als auch Eure Stimme und Euer Geist geschult. Je nach Kurs müsst Ihr dann zuhören und Töne voneinander unterscheiden, Fragen beantworten, etwas ins Mikrofon singen…”
“Have you ever wanted to train your voice, learn to sing in pitch, develop a better ear? The SingTrue app uses a wide range of pitch recognition exercises to develop your sense of pitch.”
“One thing I really like about this new app on the market called, SingTrue, is its option to try an activity “just one more time” and see if you can do better. It’s a strange balance between getting you hooked (addicted) and being intrigued (the possibility of improving), that I haven’t experienced in an app before.”
“Why I am excited about this app? Because I’ve always wanted to take voice lessons. I would really love to learn how to sing better, but there are two main reasons why I haven’t pursued lessons: first because I am super busy, and second because even the thought of singing in front of someone else and having them “judge me” is embarrassing. I love that this app helps me improve my singing while bypassing my obstacles.”
“The surprising truth is that anybody can learn to sing well, even those who feel totally unmusical. Voice training just got a whole lot easier and less expensive. Instead of hiring a voice coach, practice by yourself. It’s a lot less embarrassing, and it works around your schedule. SingTrue features over 30 interactive exercises that help you learn to sing easily, confidently and in perfect tune.”
“I think there are a lot of singers out there in the same boat. They’re getting by okay, and enjoying singing, but with lingering doubts about their tuning and whether they are technically singing well or not. Wouldn’t it be great if there was some objective way to check and see “yes, I can accurately sing notes on pitch every time”?”
“A new iPhone app called SingTrue™ released today promises to teach anybody to sing in tune accurately and reliably – even if they think they are “tone deaf”. The app has been developed by London-based music education technology company Easy Ear Training, following their successful Tone Deaf Test project which showed that just 2% of people are truly tone deaf.”
“On the whole, without practice things don’t get better. And if you haven’t sung for the best part of 15 years since being publically humiliated in front of the rest of the class, you won’t have had much practice at pitching notes accurately. Enter SingTrue, launched next week for iPhone/iPad, and in a word, brilliant!”
An excellent overview and explanation of ear training by Vietnamese blogger Linh Phương Vũ Ngọc, recommending Easy Ear Training resources to help improve your musical ear.
“Christopher started Easy Ear Training because he was convinced that people can learn listening skills. In this interview, he chats to us about selling audio-enhanced ebooks direct from their website, giving away free content and why most people can learn to sing.”
“Though there are other tests for tone deafness online, they’re typically far more challenging than is necessary to diagnose tone deafness. […] The cool thing about this test is that it only tests your ability to correctly identify the differences between two musical pitches – which is actually what “tone deafness” is, not how good or bad you are at singing on-key.”
“I knew I wasn’t tone deaf because I can play piano and a few other instruments, and I did well in music theory back in school. Still, I took the Tone Deaf Test to make sure, and to see how difficult the test is. If you’re not tone deaf, it’s easy! Simple, for everyone, really.”
“Tone Deaf Test is an online test for tone deafness [which] gauges pitch sensitivity using questions like whether tones are the same, whether they’re going up or down, and whether one is higher or lower than another.”
Starting from the March 2014 issue, Easy Ear Training will be contributing a dedicated ear training feature to Total Guitar, Europe’s best-selling guitar magazine. Included in both the print and digital editions, the feature will cover essential listening skills for modern guitarists.
2013
“Since its launch in 2010, over 300,000 musicians have visited the EasyEarTraining.com website and the company’s range of iOS apps have reached another 230,000. Today these two worlds merge, as the vast library of ear training resources is brought from the EasyEarTraining.com website to the world of mobile apps.”
“Many artists prefer and find it easier to learn to play by ear. How can you improve your ears to make sure you are getting the most out of them? Perhaps the Easy Ear Training programme has the answers for you!”
“Easy Ear Training has developed an innovative method for improving your musical ear – just by listening to music. The “Unravelling Music” method is a simple 3-step process which uses specially-designed music tracks and excerpt clips to demonstrate the musical concepts in real use. This method is used in the newly released “Popular Progressions” album to teach musicians to play chords by ear.”
“Easy Ear Training is constantly inventing new ways to help tap into your vast natural musical potential.”
“The huge variety of topics and tips can help students stay interested and inspired to continue their ear training journey for a long time. Including so many topics lends itself to creating and shaping well-rounded students from an ear training perspective, which can be invaluable to students’ overall musical development.”
“Easy Ear Training Online: This site pulls together many resources for all aspects of ear training including intervals, rhythm, chords, audio mixing, and transcription.”
“101 Ear Training Tips for the Modern Musician has a lot of potential in the studio and at home. All the tips included are tips that can be immediately applied and most don’t take a lot of time to do. 101 Ear Training Tips for the Modern Musician is a great addition for those who want to improve their ear in an enjoyable and natural process.”
“I applaud those who come up with new, fresh ideas that will resonate with today’s students. One such resource is 101 Ear Training Tips by the folks at the London-based Easy Ear Training. It’s an instant download with tips well-organized by topic to improve musicianship in general and ear training in particular.”
“These pro level apps are on sale today only from Easy Ear Training. They can help any musician to hear more in music and understand what they’re hearing, building skills like playing by ear and improvising. Here are the apps and a little bit about them.”
“Ear training (like music theory) is often taught in a boring way…if at all. In this age of amazing modern technology there’s no excuse for that. Easy Ear Training is on a mission to ensure that ear training is so easy, fun, and truly effective that every musician will make it a part of their music learning…and reap the powerful musical rewards!”
“Easy Ear Training, have put together a free manual which covers the different aspects of ear training. You will learn specific techniques and tactics that professional ear-based musicians and singers use. Plus, you’ll gain a detailed overview of recommended drills and ear training activities which will ensure that you develop your musical skills in as little time as possible!”
“[The RelativePitch] app helps you to recognize intervals between notes. It’s great for jazz improvisation especially; if you hit a note, and you need to know (or, rather, feel) where to go next, having a sense of note relationships is indispensable.”
“It never ceases to amaze how passionate these folks are. They come from near and far but they each have the same burning desire to foster more music making for everyone.”
Leia Sharma reviews the “Learning Intervals” eBook: “I discovered [EasyEarTraining.com] a few months ago when I was searching for ear training ideas to use with students. Recently I had a look at their latest e-publication, “Learning Intervals,” and my favorite part was the interval reference songs that incorporate useful references from pop music. They’ve done all the work for us, and you can press the handy play button and listen to the music online. I’ll definitely be using this as a teaching resource!”
“Ear training practice is included in every lesson of the course in a fun, interactive way. For material outside of the regular curriculum, I highly recommend what the folks at easyeartraining.com are doing.” — Teach Ear Training : Do It Correctly! “Ear training is a vital part of our dlp Music Program, and we also like the programs developed by our friends at Easy Ear Training and Theta Music. Best of all, these types of exercises are fun to do!” — Ear Training : Listen up!
“In conjunction with the London A Cappella Festival, music education company Easy Ear Training has launched an innovative free app that offers much more than just listings of the world-class headline acts which the festival is showcasing. The ‘London A Cappella’ app is designed both for those attending the festival and the broader audience of a cappella fans worldwide. Using audio and video from all the festival performers the app provides a novel blend of entertainment and music education, helping users understand and appreciate the music they hear.”
“Easy Ear Training believes that ‘listening is the heart of good muscianship’, and that’s why they’ve developed an app that help budding musicians to train their brain. They have apps for beginners right up to experienced guitarists who’d like to develop their ear for chords.”
2012
“This is clever. Christopher Sutton took the famous Sideburns quote: “This is a chord, this is another, this is a third. Now form a band” as inspiration for his hack. It teaches users four simple guitar chords with YouTube videos, then scans their Facebook profile for songs they like, and transposes those songs so they can be played with those chords. “Forget learning 30+ chords to play your first 10 songs, how about playing dozens of songs you love with just 4 chords?” he says.”
“Music education technology company Easy Ear Training, Ltd. has been selected to join the third semester of Accelerator Academy, a business accelerator programme for UK technology companies seeking to increase their growth. Easy Ear Training was selected from over 100 applicants to join ten other early-stage companies for the Academy’s third semester, which begins this week. The 12-week programme provides company founders with expert training on the key skills and techniques for growing a company successfully, along with mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs in the technology industry.”
2011
“Quick, what’s the difference between C7, Cmaj7, Cm7, and Cdim7? This app for the iPhone and iPod Touch teaches users to identify all types of seventh chords by ear.”
“Ear Training is an essential part of any musician’s training and Chordelia: Seventh Heaven will be a major asset in helping build a solid familiarity with seventh chords. There’s a lot to learn in Chordelia: Seventh Heaven, and after using this app for a while, any individual will walk away with stronger ears and a more complete musicianship.”
“Este es tu coach de Ear Training personal, desde los intervalos más simples hasta acordes complejos, sin duda un “Must-have” en tus Apps.”
“Easy Ear Training is a UK-based software development company that specializes is music education and music training. Not only do they offer apps for musical development, but they offer a lot of really interesting posts on a range of topics.”
“I’m always interested in incorporating singing elements into our lessons, but sometimes it’s difficult to know the best approach. When I came across a couple of fun Children’s Ear Training Songs on the Easy Ear Training website, I knew I had to give them a try!”
“My students have struggled to identify intervals by ear. I think some of the games I’ve designed have helped some, but my younger students are still really having a hard time. Do you have any ideas?”
2010
“Ear training is an important part of learning music, and Easy Ear Training has created an app that teaches the fundamentals of intervals. Their latest creation, Step and a Half, is a fun game designed to make ear training fun and manageable.”
Our interval training app for iPhone, RelativePitch recently got a great review in the iPhone App Directory. The iPhone App Directory is published regularly by Imagine Publishing in the United Kingdom.
“Easy Ear Training, Ltd., provider of the leading online resource for those interested in developing their musical ear, has announced the launch of an innovative new series titled “Music & Life”. The series, which premiered today, will focus on the benefits music plays in child education, therapy and even in the womb.”
“You hear the pitches and you decide what the interval is” “Very well done” “I really like the grade levels and how it gradually trains you” “It’s one of those apps[…] that I don’t use enough and I really need to”
“So, you’re hacking away at your guitar, and you think, “Yo, I should sing these here lyrics that I just wrote.” And you open your mouth and start wailing away! A sure-fire hit! You’re set for life! And then your dog starts howling and you…”
“This is an interesting app made by the guys over at EasyEarTraining.com that teaches you to recognize sounds and distinguish the difference between them. Once you start the app you have 2 options to choose from, training or testing. The training explains how to use the app. The first lesson was…”
“… the Relativepitch App, which was designed to teach musicians how to use their ears to determine pitch, chord phrasings, and other non-punk details. Londoner Chris Sutton originally developed it for himself…”
“By now you all know how much we love technology and anyone who uses it well (especially in our profession). Easy Ear Training is a place for people who are ‘interested or involved in ear training’ to get hints and…”
“While I was out and about on the internet checking out neat piano stuff, I came across a site that offers a really fun musical quiz and also a lot of good content! The website is easyeartraining.com/. Take the Easy Ear Training Quiz…”
“As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been thinking about doing a listening/music appreciation-based practice incentive theme next year. For that reason I was especially interested when I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from EasyEarTraining.com alerting me…”
“Ever been that one person in the band who wishes they were just that much more in tune with everyone else? A new website www.EasyEarTraining.com launching Monday at a secret location in Islington…”
“The makers of the iPhone Music Top Ten App RelativePitch today announced the launch of the learning portal www.EasyEarTraining.com, providing a heretofore absent resource for musicians and audio professionals worldwide…”
“Relative pitch, let alone perfect pitch (some people are born with it, everyone else has to learn!) is an invaluable skill required when it comes to playing an instrument and understanding the music you are hearing…”
2009
“Ok. I’ve now had a chance to play with the iPhone application “Relative Pitch”. I cannot say that I’ve gone through the entire app, but I’ve gone through most of it and done enough work to give an informed, unbiased report…”
Guest Posts
Articles by the Musical U team on other websites.
DidgeProject.com – Christopher Sutton (Sep 2017)
“Most musicians will, at one time or another, wish to play with others. This might mean hanging around and playing a few tunes in a friend’s living room or it could mean working with a full-fledged band.
Whatever the case, it’s crucial that any musician who wishes to play with others possesses simple listening skills in order to truly add to the music. While these skills are simple, they’re also highly important and effective, making them a great foundation on which to build your musical relationships.”
TimTopham.com – Andrew Bishko (May 2017)
“This article is all about helping your students master rhythm. There are some fantastic ideas here and plenty of things to take away and implement in your piano studio.
Rhythm is a vital aspect of pop music. Sometimes the rhythm can be the hardest bit to learn! Students often enjoy playing the chords, but it is the rhythm of the melody that students struggle with most. Andrew’s words are here to help.”
- 3 Ways to Overcome Your Fears and Audition
- How to Overcome Inhibitions and Improvise
- How to Overcome Inhibitions and Write Your Own Songs
- 4 Extra Skills Musicians Need to Play Well with Others
- Tips for Joining Your First Jam Session
- How to Develop Unshakable Music Confidence
- Play an Instrument? What’s Stopping You from Playing Another?
- Music Therapy for Seniors
Music Melter – Christopher Sutton (Jan 2017)
“As musicians we all dream of having ultimate freedom and confidence in music. The notes just fly from your instrument almost automatically, you have an instinct for what to play when, and the music flows from inside you out into the world, moving your audience in a powerful way.
The reality is that for most of us that is just a dream. No matter how hard we work on our instrument, that “natural” musicality always seems like a “gift” or “talent” that you either have, or you don’t.
So what if you don’t have that gift? The good news is: You can learn it.”
FreeJazzLessons.com – Alexander Poe (Sep 2016)
“Today, we’re going to focus our attention on a set of particular scales—the Symmetrical Scales to be more precise. These scales are not exclusive to jazz. They have been explored in the past in various Indian traditions, and as a frequent subject for sonic experimentation with classical composers—especially during the Impressionist era by composers such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Igor Stravinsky. Yet when it comes to jazz, these scales have gained the attention they deserve only relatively recently.”
Normans Musical Instruments – Christopher Sutton (Aug 2016)
“We’ve all heard the advice before: stay focused!
How are you going to ever be a great musician if you don’t give your entire life to mastering one instrument?
Well, a quick look at dedicated musicians around the world will show that when it comes to instruments, one is never enough…”
TakeLessons.com – Christopher Sutton (Jul 2016)
“While it’s true that learning new things does get tougher with age, often the struggle is more about the fear of making mistakes. But it’s never too late to learn! In fact, there are many advantages to learning music as an adult.”
Guitar Coach Mag – Christopher Sutton (Apr 2016)
“Learning guitar intervals is one of the best ways for guitarists to start ear training – the process of developing a good ear for music.
An interval is the distance in pitch from one note to another, and intervals can be thought of as the ‘building blocks’ of music. Learning to recognise guitar intervals when you hear them, and to play them, unlocks some exciting benefits.”
Normans Musical Instruments – Christopher Sutton (Mar 2016)
“Ear training, like music theory, is a topic whose benefits are hidden by a boring name. Many musicians will neglect these two areas because they seem dull or abstract, when in fact they can unlock some of the most fun and creative aspects of being a musician.
When you start learning music it’s easy to get caught up in the specifics of your instrument. But I’d like to persuade you that ear training is something to be included in your musical training from day one.”
Music Matters Blog – Christopher Sutton (Dec 2015)
“No matter what stage you’re at in your music education, there are countless online resources to help you grow as a musician and expand your knowledge and training. From video tutorials to user forums, and from how-to articles to training modules, there are all types of online learning tools to help you take your musical abilities to the next level.”
Making Musicians – Christopher Sutton (Dec 2015)
“Whatever stage you’ve reached in learning music-from absolute beginner to seasoned pro- ear training can bring significant benefits and should be part of your practice routine.”
TheZOEN.com – Christopher Sutton (Oct 2015)
“Music can be a fun solo activity but it’s also an excellent way for us to connect with those around us. Learning music gives you a wonderful opportunity for creative self-expression and doing it in a group setting can be even more rewarding and beneficial to your wellbeing.
If you only ever make music by yourself you are missing out on some of the most enjoyable experiences the world of music has to offer…”
ChoirPlace.com – Christopher Sutton (Oct 2014)
“Basic vocal pitch control is a fundamental part of being a good singer. In fact it’s generally required to start considering yourself a singer at all! Many people never even get started with singing because they were told (possibly even as a child) that they were “out of tune” or “couldn’t sing”. Those people will never show up to a choir practice again.”
Total Guitar Magazine – Christopher Sutton (2014)
A monthly feature for Total Guitar, Europe’s best-selling guitar magazine. The series covers interval ear training for modern guitar players and is included in both the print and digital editions of the magazine.
Global Guitar Network – Christopher Sutton (Nov 2013)
Most musicians have given playing by ear a shot, but after finding it didn’t come easily and instantly, most give up. Don’t be so quick to assume you can’t do it! There are actually some simple strategies you can use to make learning to play by ear easy and enjoyable.
The Music Arrangers Page – Christopher Sutton (Sep 2013)
A good musical ear is essential for arranging music successfully but it’s all too easy to neglect it while studying arrangement. Here’s one technique you can use to ensure you train your ear effectively as an arranger.
Making Music Magazine – Christopher Sutton (July 2013)
A good sense of pitch is among the most important skills for any musician to develop. This article covers the what, why and how of pitch ear training.
EarTrainingAndImprov.com – Christopher Sutton (July 2013)
Christopher discusses the challenges that face early music educators, the most common reasons many young music students to give up on learning music, and how ear training with modern technology can help keep them engaged and enthusiastic about becoming a musician.
TheZOEN.com Blog – Christopher Sutton (April 2013)
How ear training can be the secret to transforming someone who plays a lot of music… into a true musician.
The Loving & Living Music Project – Christopher Sutton (July 2012)
As part of the Future of Musicianship project, Christopher writes about the impact of technology on music education, and how listening skills will remain essential—however much the future transforms musicianship.
Play On Education Blog – Sabrina Peña Young (March 2011)
Find out about all the different ways you can introduce music to your child’s life, and help them develop their aural abilities early on!
Music Lessons For You – Christopher Sutton (March 2010)
Find out about all the different ways you can introduce music to your child’s life, and help them develop their aural abilities early on!