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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Developing Your Musicianship by Berklee

4.8
stars
1,256 ratings

About the Course

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....

Top reviews

AG

May 20, 2021

This course is a incredible one to kick start as a musician , it allows one to grow and learn basic musical chords and notes, it gave me deep knowledge about the harmony, ear training and song form.

KH

May 30, 2021

Wonderful course! The instructor is great and the lessons are very well planned and with attainable learning goals. So much fun! I loved it so much I enrolled in the 4-course Specialization.

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76 - 100 of 410 Reviews for Developing Your Musicianship

By Christopher C

Mar 28, 2018

Great course and eases you in to music theory nicely. Professor is especially fun, knowledgable, and very talented so you know you're in good hands. Highly recommend if you're starting out or looking for a refresher!

By Jinglin W

Sep 2, 2020

I love the style that George taught, it was definitely clear and suitable for people who know the music theory and harmony, Besides, it also taught us about ear training as well as the blues progression. It's cool!

By Maung N M H

Jun 20, 2021

it is very good to be here.You just cant say how much fun we got by attending this course. Music actually is freedom.And thank you very much dear Sir for teaching us in a fun way...Hope to join more courses too...

By Paula P

Apr 23, 2017

This professor is amazing. He explains things that others just overlook. I guess that others assume we should already know the basics, but this professor teaches the basics instead of assuming. He is wonderful!

By Tran L P

Jan 15, 2017

Great course for not only beginners but also somewhat experienced as it it super easy to understand and with very nice instructor. Great assignments which help you get back to all the basic. Strongly recommended.

By Hera M A

Jan 9, 2022

I love the professor's enthusiasm and patience. Really fun course. As a guitarist, I familiarised myself further with sheet music, ear training with intervals and 7th chords, and the 12-bar blues in action.

By Soumya P G

Apr 14, 2021

Very helpful course for Beginner to intermediate students who are keen to develop their understanding and skills for contemporary music. I really enjoyed the stress on blues, musical form and ear training.

By Emilio M L

Dec 3, 2020

This course is great for people that are looking to learn basic theory and harmony. The professor is charming and makes it fun and easy to learn. I think every aspiring musician should take it.

By Анна П

Apr 10, 2020

I have tried many courses of Music theory and only this course was useful. And I finally can say that I understand something in Music:) George is a really amazing professor! really charismatic.

By Kirsten H

May 31, 2021

Wonderful course! The instructor is great and the lessons are very well planned and with attainable learning goals. So much fun! I loved it so much I enrolled in the 4-course Specialization.

By joost v

May 25, 2020

Great course, very good lessons and materials to study at home. The instructor is super clear and never gives to much information so i never get lost. i had a lot of fun doing this course.

By Matheus M M

Jun 30, 2016

If you are doing this course, for a little preparation for Berklee's Audition. You're doing right. Everything you learned here, is everything they will ask you to do at the audition!

By Aye O

Oct 29, 2020

Un curso fantástico. Lo recomiendo totalmente. He aprendido muchas cosas que me están ayudando en mi carrera musical. Gracias Berklee, gracias Coursera. A por otro curso!!!!

By Richard G

Apr 9, 2020

The course was fun to do, George is an excellent teacher. Liked the highly interactive nature of the course, and importantly I picked up some new things to expand my playing

By Valerie B

Jul 15, 2019

I really appreciate the hands-on approach. By diving into creating and recording simple compositions - as well as doing ear training - the theory part became alive and FUN.

By Anthony M

Jul 5, 2020

This is only course 1 in the specialization and my artistic ability has skyrocketed. I look forward to course 2. Thank you Berklee and Coursera for making this possible!

By carine n

Mar 28, 2020

Loved it! Instructions are clear and the assignments are helpful. I was able to compose a small music piece after taking this course using the scales that were taught.

By Jérôme S

Feb 3, 2019

Enjoyed this course very much! High quality video content and methodology. The content is easy to understand for beginners. For my tast a bit to much self-advertising.

By Sofi

Jul 25, 2016

este curso me ha enseñado un monton de cosas nuevas de la musica me encantaaaaa y se nota que esa universidad es de la que salen formados los mejores musicos del mundo

By Adithi J N

May 23, 2020

It has really been the most memorable experience and privilege of learning from Professor George W. Russell, Jr. Thank you for being an inspiration for so many of us.

By Laura R

Jun 30, 2019

I learned so much in this course! I play the piano so I knew a little coming into the class, but I learned much more than I had anticipated. I'd highly recommend it!

By Quran Z F

Sep 13, 2020

Love the work of this music college and how great this college does in teaching students how the be sufficient in music and playing the music instruments.👍👍👍

By Shubham S

Apr 14, 2018

Quality content. Was very helpful and now I have the knowledge and skills to compose and play blues style music. Thank you Coursera and Berklee for this course.

By Vladimir E M V

Jul 22, 2022

Excelente método de aprendizaje. Las lecciones son entretenidas y explica los conceptos teóricos con los prácticos con una aproximación didáctica. Gracias

By SHUBHAM S

Jun 16, 2020

Truely a fun course with a lot of learning.Very helpful and the justifiable to my expectations. Thankfull to the instructor.You made it look so very simple.