Developing Your Musicianship from Coursera

Learn the basic concepts and approaches needed to understand, create, and perform contemporary music.

If you have a passion for music and are curious about how it works, or if you are a musician who learned to play by ear without formal study, this course will provide you with an engaging introduction to key concepts and approaches needed to understand, create, and perform contemporary music. Taught by Berklee College of Music professor George W. Russell, Jr., the course includes six lessons that delve into harmony and ear training—two areas of intensive focus for every entering Berklee student.

The course will teach you the major scale and minor pentatonic scale, and how they are constructed. You will learn what intervals are, how to sing them, and how to find them in music. The course explores tonal centers and how to find the key a song is in, in addition to common time signatures such as 4/4 and 3/4. You will learn how to build chords—major and minor triads, and major and dominant seventh chords—and how to build a common chord progression—the I IV V. You will also learn how to recognize the blues and AABA song forms, and write a basic chord sheet to express your song ideas.

In addition to the video lectures, each lesson features Berklee student performances and interviews. The students share their musical journey and offer advice for those wanting to study music. The course culminates with an assignment that asks you to compose and perform a riff blues tune using the minor pentatonic scale. Above all, the course is designed to share the joy of creating music and sharing it with others.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome to Developing Your Musicianship

Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

The Major Scale

This week, you'll learn about harmony and ear training and why they are important. You'll learn how to construct a major scale, how to identify and sing Major 2nd and Major 3rd intervals, and how to find the tonal center of a song.

Major and Minor Triads

This week, you'll learn how to identify Perfect 4th and Perfect 5th intervals and how to build major and minor triads. You will also learn about one of the most common chord progressions: the I IV V.

Minor Pentatonic Scale

This week, you will learn how to identify Major 6th and Major 7th intervals. You will also learn how to build and sing the Minor Pentatonic Scale.

Major and Dominant Seventh Chords

This week, you'll learn how to build Major and Dominant Seventh chords. You will also learn another common chord progression: the Blues Progression.

Song Form

This week, you will learn about 7-3-5 chord voicings and 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures. You will learn about two different song forms - Blues and AABA - and you will learn how to write and read a chord sheet.

Practicing What You Know and Moving Forward

This week is a review of the past 5 weeks. You will also learn how to compose a blues riff tune using the Minor Pentatonic Scale.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Builds a strong basis in contemporary music for novice musicians

Taught by a well-known Berklee College of Music professor

Includes student performances and interviews for added insight

Provides hands-on practice through composition and performance

Emphasizes ear training and harmony, fostering a deep understanding of music theory

May require additional resources and guidance for advanced musicians

Reviews summary

Excellent course for musicians

Learners say this course is an excellent resource for musicians looking to develop their skills. They praise the course's engaging assignments, detailed lectures, knowledgeable instructors, and practical approach. Many students found the course to be a valuable learning experience, particularly those new to music education.

The instructors are knowledgeable and supportive.

The course takes a practical approach to learning music.

"great to learn how to teach for those who want to have an idea on how to teach music! it's quite practical and very complete for anyone starting from zero!"

This course is highly regarded for its engaging assignments.

"Developing your musicianship from scratch!"

Some students encountered technical issues with the course platform.

"This is a very eye opening course. I loved every minute of it and had fun. It requires a lot of technical support that was woefully lacking. I think the problem is from Cousera. and their help desk is very unhelpful. I had serious problems submitting my work due to bugs in the system."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Developing Your Musicianship with these activities:

Watch video tutorials on music theory

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Expand your knowledge of music theory by watching video tutorials.

Browse courses on Music Theory

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Find a video tutorial on a music theory topic that you're interested in.
Watch the video tutorial.
Take notes on the important concepts.
Try out the concepts that you've learned in your own music.

Review the major scale and minor pentatonic scale.

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Refresh your knowledge of the major and minor pentatonic scales to strengthen your foundation.

Browse courses on Major Scale

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Play the major scale on your instrument.
Play the minor pentatonic scale on your instrument.
Identify the notes in each scale.
Construct major and minor scales in different keys.

Review 'The Jazz Theory Book'

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Improve your understanding of jazz theory by reading and studying.

View The Jazz Theory Book on Amazon

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Read through a few chapters of the book.
Take notes on the important concepts.
Work through the exercises at the end of each chapter.
Apply what you've learned to your own music.

Four other activities

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Ear training exercises

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Improve your ear training skills by practicing regularly.

Browse courses on Ear Training

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Listen to a short musical excerpt.
Identify the notes that you hear.
Write down the notes on a piece of paper.
Check your answer against the correct answer.

Join a study group with other students in the course

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Collaborate with other students to enhance your learning experience.

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Find a group of students who are interested in studying together.
Meet up with your group on a regular basis.
Discuss the course material.
Work on assignments together.

Record yourself playing a song using the techniques you've learned.

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Improve your playing skills by recording yourself and listening back to your performance. Identify areas for improvement and focus on those in your practice.

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Choose a song to play.
Set up your recording equipment.
Record yourself playing the song.
Listen back to your recording and identify areas for improvement.
Practice and focus on improving those areas.

Compose a song using the techniques that you've learned.

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Demonstrate your understanding and creativity by writing your own song.

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Choose a topic for your song.
Write the lyrics.
Compose the melody.
Record your song.

Career center

Learners who complete Developing Your Musicianship will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Arranger

Arrangers adapt existing music for different instruments or ensembles. They may also create new arrangements of traditional or popular music. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter arranging as it can provide you with a solid foundation in music theory, ear training, and arranging techniques, which are essential for creating effective and engaging arrangements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Arranger

Orchestrator

Orchestrators create orchestral arrangements of music. They may work independently or collaborate with composers and conductors. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter orchestration as it can provide you with a solid foundation in music theory, ear training, and orchestration techniques, which are essential for creating effective and engaging orchestral arrangements.

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Composer

Composers create original music. They may work independently or collaborate with other musicians, lyricists, and producers. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter composition as it can provide you with a solid foundation in music theory, ear training, and composition techniques, which are essential for writing compelling and memorable music.

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Music Director

Music Directors oversee the musical aspects of live performances, recordings, and other musical productions. They work with musicians, conductors, and other creatives to ensure that the music is performed at the highest level. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to become Music Directors as it can provide them with a comprehensive foundation in music theory, performance, and ear training, which are essential for effectively leading musical ensembles.

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Musician

Musicians perform music on a variety of instruments. They may work independently or as part of a group. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter into performance as it can provide you with a solid foundation in music theory, ear training, and performance techniques, which are essential for performing music effectively.

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Music Journalist

Music Journalists write articles, reviews, and other content about music for newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter music journalism as it can provide them with a strong foundation in music theory and ear training, helping them to understand and analyze music effectively.

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Music Librarian

Music Librarians are responsible for organizing, cataloging, and preserving musical materials in libraries and other institutions. They may also provide reference and research assistance to patrons. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter music librarianship as it can provide them with a strong foundation in music theory and ear training, which will help them to understand and classify musical materials effectively.

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Music Critic

Music Critics write reviews and articles about music for newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications. They may also appear on radio and television to discuss music. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter music criticism as it can provide them with a strong foundation in music theory and ear training, helping them to understand and analyze music effectively.

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Music Teacher

Music Teachers teach music theory, performance, and history to students of all ages. They may work in schools, music studios, or private settings. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter teaching as it can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of music that would help you to effectively share your knowledge with students.

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Music Archivist

Music Archivists are responsible for preserving and managing historical musical materials, such as recordings, manuscripts, and instruments. They may work in museums, libraries, or other institutions. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter music archiving as it can provide them with a strong foundation in music theory and ear training, which will help them to understand and preserve musical materials effectively.

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Music Ethnomusicologist

Music Ethnomusicologists study the music of different cultures around the world. They may conduct fieldwork, collect recordings, and write articles and books about their research. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful for those looking to enter music ethnomusicology as it can provide them with a strong foundation in music theory and ear training, which will help them to understand and analyze music from different cultures.

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Songwriter

Songwriters create and write lyrics and melodies for songs. They may work independently or collaborate with other musicians, lyricists, and producers. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful as it can help you strengthen your understanding of music theory and structure, which are important for writing compelling and memorable songs.

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Music Therapist

Music Therapists use music to help people improve their physical, emotional, and cognitive health. They work with a variety of clients, including those with disabilities, illnesses, or injuries. Developing Your Musicianship could be helpful for those looking to work in music therapy, as it provides a foundation in music theory and ear training, helping you to engage clients in musical activities.

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Audio Engineer

Audio Engineers are responsible for recording, mixing, and mastering audio. They work in a variety of settings, including recording studios, live venues, and broadcast facilities. Developing Your Musicianship may be useful as it can provide you with a strong foundation in music theory and ear training, which are essential for understanding the technical aspects of audio engineering.

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Music Producer

Music Producers are responsible for overseeing and guiding the entire music production process. This includes working with artists, engineers, and other creatives to bring a musical vision to life. Developing Your Musicianship can be useful as it can help you understand the technical aspects of music production and develop your ear training skills, which are essential for working with musicians and ensuring that recordings sound as intended.

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