The Winter month’s are here and with the harsh weather abound, I’m constantly battling a cold. The bigger picture is that I should consider a trip to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialist to have my tonsils removed, but for now while that isn’t feasible for me, I’ve developed a series of “work-arounds” to keep my voice ready for performance and daily use.

I usually develop a cold right when the Autumn temperatures turn wintry. As a vocalist, this is a big problem for me. Early mornings seem flooded with mucus and phlegm… sometimes it’s difficult to breathe… how do I sing around this, how can I get rid of it?

A remedy I’ve discovered, without hacking all morning, is to sit in the bathroom with the shower running (steaming hot water, of course) for about 15 minutes; creating a sort of sauna-type atmosphere. Anything blocking the breath passage eventually starts to come up and rather than coughing it out (sorry for the graphic description) you’ll spit it out. Alternatively, you can stand in the shower with hot water running over your head and allow everything to drain from your mouth. It’s not environmentally friendly, wasting so much water (it can take a while) and I know it reads pretty gross, but it works! Why this elaborate process when you can just cough it out? Coughing is really bad for your vocal chords and potentially damaging:

Coughing is a natural reflex which helps to get rid of anything that may block our breath passages, but it’s often rather violent and can cause severe damage to your vocal chords. The harsh rush of air when coughing is like sand paper on your vocal chords… I’m probably exaggerating a bit here, but the bottom line is, it’s terrible for your vocal chords; so bad you’ll feel it over time. Ever notice how it hurts to talk and your voice is a bit scratchy after a coughing fit and or consecutive days of battling a cough?

Instead of coughing, try a warm glass of water. Gargling salt-water in the AM is also helpful (the salt will help to breakdown the yucky things like mucus or phlegm). Cough suppressants also come in handy, especially when attempting to get some shut-eye or in a public/office setting where coughing too frequently, too loudly can be disruptive.

You can also try ice-cream. It’s fatty properties will help coat your throat. Maybe there isn’t a scientific explanation for ice cream as a remedy, but again, it works! Give it a try. Proof is in the pudding… er, ice cream.

Throat clearing is another “remedy” we often resort to when sick with a cold or even in a performance setting before singing. Ever notice singers are always clearing their throats before singing. I think it’s our subconscious way of making sure our voice is good and ready to go before letting out the first note. Reason aside, it should be done minimally, if at all.

Clearing your throughout, similarly to coughing, presents a harsh “attack’ to the leading edges of the vocal cords. Try clearing by humming a low note. If throat clearing is unavoidable, do it gently and moderately so as not to wear out the cords.

Limit extreme temp. liquids in the Winter months, we all have a tendency to reach for really hot coffee, or cocoa (what a better way to warm up, right? NO!). Really hot or really cold beverages are harsh on the vocal folds and in the long-term can cause severe damage. Taking this a bit further, keep this in mind when choosing temperature for foods you eat as well; the same applies! Go for something tepid… keep it warm/room temperature if you want a drink on the toasty side of things.

Rest: rest all the time- the amount of sleep one should get each night varies from person to person, so if you’re not sure how much you may need, I’d suggest taking some time to experiment when you’re schedule is flexible. Your body will tell you.

Another aspect of resting applies to resting your voice… while awake. Early on in my singing career, a voice teacher recommended I rest my voice for a full hour after waking in the morning. As a 13 year old, I’m sure you can imagine how daunting this was. At that age, it didn’t seem feasible. Fast forward a decade plus later, it’s still unrealistic, but important that I attempt to remain silent during the first waking hours of the day to allow my voice to warm-up. Much like a car’s heating system during Winter, the voice needs time to warm-up and adjust. Think about it, we walk around our homes a bit in the morning, from room to room; some of us may take a shower, back to the bedroom to clothe ourselves for the day then out the door. All of these location changes have temperature changes as well, which in the first hour of the day can be harsh on the vocal chords and the general anatomy of our voices. If it isn’t feasible for you to remain quiet, keep conversation to a minimum and for further protection, consider the next thought (especially in frigid temperatures).

Protect your neck: keep it warm! Your neck is what shields your vocal chords from the cold air! Easiest fix, wear a scarf. Already wear one? Make sure it’s nice and snug around your neck, but not too tight… you want to have mobility of course.

There are a host of other useful tips out there, but I’m hoping this information helps. Be on the look-out for vocal health round two. We singer’s have a delicate and sometimes temperamental instrument. It’s important to treat it with care; it is, after-all, the only one we’ve got.

For more information on vocal heath and voice technique as well, look into our Voice Technique 101 course. Here’s a link to the course description and syllabus pages for further reading:

Voice Technique 101

Voice Technique 101 Syllabus

-Jason

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I am all over this topic. Not because I know microphones, on the contrary, I’m what the french call, les incompetents. The reason mic’s are on my mind is because I am a MIDI orchestrator, pianist, and banjo instructor (you read that correctly) who is finally diving into the world of live recording. I hope you can learn from my journey…

There are 3 types of microphones I looked at.

1. Dynamic
2. Condenser
3. Ribbon

Dynamic microphones are commonly used for live performances, speeches, and any other run of the mill uses due to their ruggedness and versatility. The SM57 and SM58 models are some of the most popular mics in the world. You can crank up the gain and throw them on the ground (not advised) without worrying about them breaking or distorting. Another benefit is that dynamic mics do not necessarily require a pre-amp or phantom power. They are great for voice and instrument miking but you may be sacrificing some clarity.

Dynamic Mic (MP3)

Condenser microphones are the ones you would often use in studio settings. These mics will capture every minute detail with painstaking accuracy. I borrowed a KSM27 and tried to record some banjo licks last night but every time I stopped playing I could hear my cat eating in the kitchen, my next door neighbor watching The Bachelor, and a phone conversation from a couple zip codes over. It was far too sensitive for my acoustically untreated bedroom in an urban Boston neighborhood. The level of detail that you would get in a good recording environment is excellent with these mics, which is why they are perfect for studio recording. You do need external power though and you want to be careful not to crank them too loud as they are sensitive and the diaphragm can be damaged.

Condenser Mic (MP3)

Ribbon mics probably shouldn’t even be mentioned here since they are out of my price range and too fragile for someone with my patience. They do sound fantastic when used on acoustic pianos though. I was fortunate enough to have an engineer record a piano concerto using some Royer R – 101’s and the result was amazing!

I am going to go with a dynamic mic for starters since my recording studio is a noisy, family inhabited bedroom. I need the sonic forgiveness a dynamic mic offers for now. Down the road, I will invest in a good condenser to record violin, cello, etc. Adding a couple live instruments to a MIDI orchestration can make an enormous difference!

Of course, I am probably going to take the new Mic Techniques course as well. You can have the freshest ingredients in the kitchen but you are going hungry if you don’t know how to cook. (write that down)

-Michael

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As a student advisor this is a question I get asked often. Students are quite perplexed by how online courses work; I am here (as a guitarist and Guitar Master Certificate holder) to clear up all those gray areas for you!

The main argument is… “why shouldn’t I just invest my money into a private instructor?” Well, you definitely could go that route, but writing this blog as a guitarist of 22 years I can attest to the fact that great teachers are few and far between. I have spent mucho dinero on private instruction that got me in a room with a bunch of great players, who mostly like to talk about themselves. Before you know it your hour, or worse – half hour- is done. For me, as a life long student of music, I need a raging fire under me to motivate and push me to the next level! Private instruction doesn’t really deliver on that 100% of the time, but our online courses do.

I went through the guitar program at the main campus and after finishing up at Berklee I got a job here at Berkleemusic! Taking advantage of the amazing guitar curriculum we offer, I jumped into the Master Guitar Certificate right away. I was simply looking to maintain and juice up my chops- ya know, get in that shed and start chopping wood! I can say, with all honesty, it delivered… and then some. Every week I was challenged with 1-2 assignments where I was responsible for performing with a backing track and submitting it to my teacher. I love this format! It pushed me to up the ante on each assignment during the 12 week courses. Even courses like Chords and Scales 101 were absolutely amazing in helping revisit my fundamentals and technique. After completing all 8 courses involved in the Master Certificate I am an even better player than when I left the main campus. I noticed a huge difference in my playing and musicality. Not only do I feel intensely more comfortable on my neck, but I am hearing things at a deeper level than I was before.

With a bigger set of ears, my musical communication with my Trio has vastly expanded. I have now reached the point where I finally feel comfortable and understand how to craft my guitar tone the way I always heard it. With classes like Getting Your Guitar Sound you get to unleash the inner gear nerd from within and explore amps and effects like never before with the software Amplitube. If you are a tone nut (like me) and want to learn more about how your gear works, while also improving yourself as a player you will dig on that class hard. I got to play through amp mods that I have always dreamed of: Orange, Marshall, Vox and even old Fender Blackface amps. I have a 71 Twin Reverb that I mic’d and A/B’d with the vintage Fender amps in Amplitube… you cannot tell the difference. In fact, I have used a bunch of these amps on my latest tracks because they are so convincing! Not to mention I can come back to a guitar solo 3 days later and the tone is dialed in exactly the same so punches aren’t an issue at all. Y’all gotta check that class out it was one of my faves!

I genuinely believe in the education we offer here at Berkleemusic and I continue to take classes online whenever I can. It’s a great investment that you will never regret, and it’s a gift that you will cherish your whole life and a guitarist. I don’t think I’ll ever stop seeking out education, knowing more about my guitar makes it that much more enjoyable to sit down and play every day.

See ya guys soon, I’m off to the wood shed.

Mark Hopkins
www.markhopkinsmusic.com

Berkleemusic’s next term begins on April 2nd, 2012.

Find out more at berkleemusic.com or contact a Student Advisor:

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The Berklee Music Network
If you haven’t already, definitely make sure that you set up a profile on the network. You can access the network by mousing over the “Go to” heading on the top right hand corner of your “My Home” and selecting the network. From there you can upload pictures, music, photos, videos, as well as browse the jobs in your area. You can also view all of the different groups within the network and other students’ network activities. This is a great network that Berklee and Berkleemusic have set up to help students meet each other, collaborate, and find the gig of their dreams! This site is also really important if you want to apply for a scholarship in the future because you will need a really awesome profile page that showcases your talents and skills.

Berklee Partner Deals
If you are interested in purchasing software, for your course, or just to learn more about it, check out this link. There are discounts on Ableton, Sonar, Finale, as well as magazines, and gear!

Berklee College of Music Stan Getz Library
The library resource can be found inside your course, under the “resources” link, directly below the search bar. The library, which is also used by the main campus students contains several academic resources, articles, streaming audio, and even an “ask a librarian” feature, which can help you find exactly what you are looking for. This is great for doing research for class, or just taking your music knowledge to the next level.

Technical Assistance
With the online courses, you may have a few questions pertaining to the content, gear, or even just posting your assignments. Don’t worry, we have many students who ask these questions, and the technical assistance link is a great place to help you find answers to those questions, and many more, like finding and accessing the chat, course materials etc.
This can be found under the school links heading on your “My Home” page.

Academic Policies
Maybe not as much fun as the other links, but equally important is the academic policies link. If you have questions about grading, certificates, substitutions or transfers, this is a great page to familiarize yourself with.

So start setting up a profile if you haven’t already, or check out the Stan Getz library, and make the most of your Berkleemusic education! And of course, as always, don’t hesitate to contact your advisor if you have any questions.

Leigh McLaren

Find out more at berkleemusic.com or contact a Student Advisor:

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A major portion of pirated content is media, which includes television, movies, books, and music. While this attempt at legislation was intended to punish those websites which provide pirated content, very little attention has been given to why pirating websites are so problematic in the first place. The true issue here is one of access. When creators do not make media available, consumers will search for, and find, other ways of acquiring it.

While governments need to step forward and create laws to protect copyrighted content, and in turn the copyright holders, no amount of legislation will be able to stop piracy. World-wide, the expectation of consumers is shifting to one of immediate and complete access anywhere at any time. The biggest piracy deterrent will be media companies catching up to the ‘access race’, thus making pirating websites obsolete and unnecessary. It is incumbent upon these companies to make their product easy to find and affordable to acquire. The average consumer will only turn to piracy websites if/when the company refuses access. By making the content available, the creator not only discourages piracy, they also control the medium in which it is distributed, which in turn allows them to control any and all revenue streams.

Independent musicians have been following this trend, and capitalizing on it for the past few years. It is common now for musicians to give music away for free to build a fan base, and to build a social media following. This trend actually allows independent musicians to capitalize on music piracy – by encouraging the sharing of their music, they are able to reach more people and build a larger group of fans. Once consumers become fans, they are more likely to have a vested interest in an artist and to support them by purchasing what the artists is selling, whether it be music or merchandise.

Established artists have also found ways to catch up in the ‘access race’ by allowing the sale of their music via sites such as iTunes and CD Baby. There are now also streaming sites such as Pandora, Rdio, and Spotify that offer access without ownership. If Sweden is to be any indicator, this increase in access directly leads to a decline in music piracy. According to Media Vision, a Swedish polling firm, illegal downloading of music is down by 25% since 2009. Considering that Sweden was the origin of some of the world’s largest pirating services, such as Pirate Bay and Pirate Party, this is a clear indication that legal avenues of access directly result in a decline in piracy.

One would expect the large, established organizations to take advantage of this trend. They have a captive audience that is clamoring for access to their product. A study released by telecommunications giant Ericsson indicates that over 70% of consumers are streaming, downloading, or watching recorded content and 36% of consumers are watching streamed on-demand movies. With access to the Internet now widely available through televisions, this trend is only expected to increase.

If content creators, especially the creators of major motion pictures, were to invest in direct-to-consumer access portals, their potential for profit due to monthly fees and advertising revenue is immense. Copyright holders, and the organizations that represent them, know that the content is out there and available already, so there is nothing to be lost in such a venture. In fact, there is everything to gain. Netflix, the predominant television and movie streaming company, currently claims more than 20 million subscribers globally, and they don’t even have the rights to stream the latest blockbuster films. Major networks like NBC, PBS, and Fox stream full episodes online. Consumers are starting to expect that their media will be available to stream online, and if it is available legally or illegally, they will find it.

The discussion surrounding copyright-protected material and how to best protect the creators of such material in a digital age will continue long after this blog is written. While SOPA and PIPA have been tabled, comprehensive reform is needed that takes into account all of the concerns raised in the recent debate. Whatever regulations are finally passed, it is up to the people involved in media creation to recognize and capitalize on all forms of distribution. It is also up to the people consuming this media to respect the work that has been done, and to recognize that these artists deserve be paid for their efforts.

Brian

Find out more at berkleemusic.com or contact a Student Advisor:

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This paraphrased quote showcases the ‘vibe’ (sorry) that Gary Burton gave off throughout our conversation about his new Gary Burton: Jazz Improvisation course. Gary taught his style of improvisation here at The Berklee College of Music for over 20 years while at the same time playing with Chick Correa, George Shearing, Stan Getz, and other world renowned improvisers.

Every song has a story to tell and it is our job as improvisers to provide our own unique accent, inflection, timing, etc. Simply playing mixolydian runs every time we see a dominant 7th chord or dorian arpeggios over ii chords is missing the point of improvisation. True improvisers should be fine tuning ideas and giving them emotional content as they perform much like you would do with words when having a verbal conversation.

Gary stressed the importance of knowing what you are going to say and planning how you will say it before opening your mouth, striking the keys, or lifting your mallets. When a president gives a speech, they have some ideas prepared: an introduction, main points, and a conclusion perhaps. Without having an idea of what you are going to say you might sound like this…

“Hello, my name is President Burton and um, today I’m going to talk about some very important things…like the errr…economy and…global warming…”

Sure, the speaker hit some points: the economy, global warming, etc. but failed to tell us a story. As listeners, we are left craving more information, hopefully from a better speaker. As a former transcriber of Jazz solos, I have fallen into the trap of parroting others styles and licks without really saying much of anything. Lucky for me and many of you, Gary is sharing his extensive wisdom with us so that we can form our ideas and communicate on much higher levels. See you in class.

Michael Moyes

*(this class filled up almost immediately last term so we recommend getting in early)

Check out this video of Gary for more…

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Most of our students here at Berkleemusic are adults with active careers, whether in music or in another field. I was in the same boat as many of you not long ago. I experienced my ‘term of firsts’ last fall: my first online class, my first Berkleemusic class, and my first time back at school since attaining my degree. Through my experience, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to get the most out of these courses, so I thought I would share a few of them here.

1) Read early and often. As our veteran students know, and our new students will discover, there is a lot of material to absorb each week. Many students (myself included!) bolt through the lesson reading and get to the assignments as quickly as possible. While this may seem time-effective and efficient, you are really doing yourself (and your education) a disservice. I had this realization when I got to my first quiz at the end of my first week – I had read through the material, but I found that I had not absorbed nearly as much as I had hoped! Thus, I recommend reading the lessons at least twice: once before your major weekly assignment, and once after you have completed it. This will allow you to revisit the concepts you were introduced to with new insight, whether it was gained through your own assignment, or through viewing your fellow classmate’s assignments.

2) Be active within the course! Berkleemusic has designed these courses so that you don’t have to be online at any given point in time. However, it does not excuse you from being online! The network, and these courses, have been created with the intent that students will be learning as a community, and making connections within the learning environment. This is the purpose of having assignments viewable by every student within your specific course section. I know it’s sometimes intimidating to look at other assignments, and realize that perhaps others in the course have more experience and expertise than you. In my fist course, even in lesson one, I realized that most students had more experience, equipment, and knowledge than I. Use this to your advantage – ask questions, post feedback, or start a forum thread. Where else will you have the opportunity to learn not only from your instructor, but also from colleagues around the world?

3) Stay in touch. This applies to everyone within the Berkleemusic community. You can create contacts within the network, you can send a message to your instructor, and you can call your advisor. Instructors within our online courses are teaching because they enjoy sharing their knowledge with students around the world! They are there for you if you need clarification on an assignment, or on feedback that they have given. Take the time to get to know your instructors, as they are taking the time to get to know you and your work. Also, take advantage of your Berkleemusic Advisors! We are here as your resource, whether you have questions about technology, academic policies, or the next steps within your educational journey.

These are just a few techniques that I picked up during my first course, and I have been using them to survive and thrive ever since. I hope our new students find this helpful, and can’t wait to hear feedback from our veteran students as to what has worked for them! I look forward to working with you all this Summer, and participating with you as I continue my own academic journey.

Find out more at berkleemusic.com or contact a Student Advisor:

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Writing music has always been a dream of mine but it’s not my core profession (yet). Tackling a Master Certificate while working full time as an online student advisor, being a husband, and trying to have a social life was tough, but would I do it differently if I could do it all again? No….and then again, maybe yes.

It is easy to get overwhelmed when working towards an ambitious goal. In a couple of my classes I fell into the trap of waiting until the end of each week to start working on lessons and assignments. When an advisor can’t follow his own advice, there is a problem. Carving out bits of time in the morning before work or in the evening after dinner ended up being the formula for me to stay relatively stress free, complete my work on time, and learn more from my professor and classmates. This method won’t work for everyone but I know students who use a lunch break at work to review their assignments, carve out time on Sundays to get a head start on next weeks lesson, post to discussion boards while on the tour bus, or even set their alarm one hour early every day so they can write or record distraction free. I assure you, the rewards will be plentiful and I am already seeing the benefit.

I have written plenty of pieces at this point and I am well equipped to write for Film and TV which was at one time merely a pipe dream. Former classmates of mine have morphed into industry contacts. Professors like Ben Newhouse and Beth Denisch have my back and are interested in hearing new music I write. Having relationships with people who readily endorse your work and give you great feedback and advice is invaluable. Essentially the seeds that I planted 2 years ago are starting to sprout and I am in a place I never thought possible. You can check out my Arranging and Orchestration projects on my Berklee Music Network profile.

Find out more at berkleemusic.com or contact a Student Advisor:

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We talked about his experience as a Berklee student, the importance of music fundamentals and his approach to composition. It was quite an honor to pick Wayne’s brain and if you are a fan of music, like I am, you have to see this interview.

Besides all being scored by Hans Zimmer, they all include elements of MIDI orchestration. MIDI Orchestration is the art of sequencing a piece with virtual instruments with the goal of making it sound like real musicians are performing it.

Since full Orchestras are hard to find (and expensive to hire), I took Orchestration 1 with Ben Newhouse this past Summer term to try and learn how to do this myself.

It quickly became clear that the days of 8 bit midi music a la Super Mario Brothers (NES) are gone; samples are very sophisticated now! When presented with 3 different orchestral audio examples and asked to pick out the one that was created with midi orchestration, I guessed wrong. A bit deflated, I asked around and a couple of my esteemed Berklee colleagues also couldn’t tell which production didn’t have live performers.

The audio samples and DAW technology available today allow composers without the luxury of a full orchestra at their command to compose and produce professional orchestral music. I purchased the East West Gold Symphonic Play Orchestra (at the discounted student rate) and worked with it extensively throughout the 12 week course. Other great libraries like Kontakt, Vienna Symphonic Library, and Garriton Personal Orchestra are also great libraries that can be used in the course. This brings up Ben’s second golden rule of Orchestration…

Rule 2: Use the best samples available.

In MIDI Orchestration, the samples are your performers, and you want performers who will make your music sound great. Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 is a great composition, but it will not sound like one if performed by your local middle school orchestra. Similarly, your latest masterpiece will not sound like a great piece of music if sequenced with the General MIDI bank on an average keyboard.

Just as you aspire for your piece to be performed by the New York Philharmonic, you should aspire for your MIDI orchestrations to be created with the best available samples.”

Orchestration taught me how to effectively write for each section of the orchestra so that my compositions could be played by a true full orchestra or produced digitally using modern technology.

Here is a project of mine so you can get an idea of what you may be creating:

The Pumpkin Waltz

The course is perfect for students who know how to read/write music and are familiar with using a DAW to sequence their music. Having a love of classical and film music from composers like Bartok, John Williams, Danny Elfman, or anyone else is plus! Check out Orchestration 1 if you want more information…

Find out more at berkleemusic.com or contact a Student Advisor:

1-866-BERKLEE (USA) | +1 617 747 2146 (Intl) | advisors@berkleemusic.com