Before the term started I didn’t know what to expect from the Math class and was a bit apprehensive as it had been so long since I did any formal study of math. Turned out to be a really enjoyable yet challenging class that I did really well with. To be completely honest though, I was glad when it was over. Let’s just say “It’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.” After all, I’m not in this program to be a math major, I’m in it to become a better musician and composer.
As for MTC3 it was similar to the MTC1 and MTC2 classes I took earlier in the year. Great courses with _a lot_ of information. And like the other classes, at times it felt like a bit too much information for just 12 weeks. I go into the specifics about this class in a separate post.
All that being said, I still feel that this is a really well designed and thought out program with great content and fantastic teachers. Thanks, Berklee!
As mentioned before, I really enjoyed the Counterpoint class I took during my third term with Berklee Online. The course materials, assignments and instructor were all great.
As with every other Berklee Online class I’ve taken so far, there was a lot of information covered in the 12 weeks. Some of the highlights were: Consonance & Dissonance, Ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 and Syncopation), Vertical Harmonic Analysis, Types of Cadences (Authentic, Deceptive, Half & Plagal), Chord Tones & Non-Chord Tones, Motivic Manipulation, Canons (Simple, Accompanied, Crab), Two Voice Counterpoint with Simple Canon, Three-Part Imitative Counterpoint, Ground Bass, Canons at intervals other than the octave, Double Counterpoint, Prolation & Mensuration (rhythmic relationships between melodic lines) and Augmentation & Diminution.
Here are some of the pieces that I put together for this term’s assignments and exercises.
I was really looking forward to taking this class as it’s the introduction to my major. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I think I might have taken it too soon. Perhaps this feeling is due to my (currently) limited vocabulary in orchestral/symphonic music and not feeling up to speed as a “film composer”. Even though I did really well in the class, I imagine that it would have been much more enjoyable being able to do more in terms of orchestration and arrangements.
That being said there was plenty that I learned from this course. The key things for me were: Spotting, Cue Motifs, Thematic development, Sketches to Timings, Timecode Offsets, Cue Layouts, Free Timing, Bar/Beat layouts for sync, Sync Points/Dead Cues, Overlap of Cues, Segues, Underscore, and Source Music.
Funny thing is that I have found myself using a number of things from this course in assignments for other classes. Particularly Bar/Beat layouts for syncing when writing pieces for video clips. The idea here is to find a tempo that fits while in a meter of 1/4, identify relevant events and sync/beats and see if they fall on down or upbeats (on the 1 or on the +). Then count the number of beats between sync points to determine meter of each section and you are set to start writing the cue(s).
Although I mentioned that I didn’t enjoy this class as much as I hoped, I did get a lot out of it in terms of knowledge and experience. Thanks Berklee!
I took two classes during term 3: Counterpoint and Film Scoring 101. While I learned quite a bit in each course it was Counterpoint that I really enjoyed. Perhaps it was due to the fact that I had some vague notions of Counterpoint was/is but never had any formal exposure to it. Or maybe it was because I hadn’t written much classical music before and it was fun to learn about and write in that style. As with previous quarters I’ll make separate blog entries for each class.
All in all it was a really good term that I got a lot out of. Thanks Berklee!
Much like MTC 1, Music Theory & Composition 2 was a very challenging course with a lot of material covered. At times, it felt like a bit too much information to absorb in 12 weeks’ time. That being said I did get a lot out of the class and am really glad that I took it.
I won’t go through listing all of the material covered, but some of the highlights for me were: further work with Modal Interchange, Composite Minor Scales & Chords (Minor/Melodic Minor/Harmonic Minor), writing in Compound & Odd Meters, Secondary Dominants & Chord Scales, Tensions, Related II Chords, Harmonic Rhythm, Deceptive Resolutions, Parallel Scales, African Polyrhythms, Indian Talas, Modulation, Pivot Modulation and Modal Interchange, Hybrid Chords, Guide Tone Lines, 3-Part Voice Leading, Binary/Rounded Binary/Ternary Forms, Rhythmic Augmentation & Diminution, Motifs and Transposition.
Thanks for another great class, Berklee!
Here are some of the pieces that I put together for this term’s assignments and exercises.
As mentioned in an earlier post, “Mixing and Mastering for the Electronic Musician” was my favorite class of Term 2. The course material was perfect for someone like me, a solo musician/composer/songwriter wanting to make their work sound a bit more polished and professional.
While the course material was very well thought out and presented I think the thing that I loved most about this class was the immediacy of being able to apply what I learned to my own music. Just what I learned about EQ, compression and limiting made a huge difference in the clarity and power of my mixes.
Other subjects that I found really helpuful were: “Developing Relationships in a Mix” via external keying and side-chaining (particularly helpful for dynamically ducking tracks under other tracks); Direction Mixer plugin on stereo tracks; using Distortion to color and shape EQ of tracks like hi-hats and vocals; using Noise Gates to shape output of audio tracks; using Side-chain/External Keying on Reverb and Delays to dynamically control output; Reshaping Transients (a bit like synthesis on audio tracks); Dotted 1/8 & 1/4 note delays; Ping Pong Delays; Pre-Fader Metering (to help control gain staging); Subgrouping; Parallel Compression (on individual tracks, subgroups and global tracks); Flex-Pitch; Auto-Filter (to help tracks stand out); using Sample Delays to pan; VCAs (to control volumes of subgroups); and how Mastering really is all about making small, subtle changes in EQ, Compression and Limiting.
As usual with a number of Berklee Online classes I’ve taken already, there was a lot of ground covered in 12 weeks. Here are the subjects, by week.
Week 1 – Getting Ready to Mix Logic Pro Skills & Preferences, Plug-In Latency & Track Meters, Logic Pro X Interface, Screensets, Mixing and the Electronic Musician, Composing & Mixing Simultaneously, Working with Software Instrument Tracks, Rendering Software Instruments to Audio Tracks, Mixing Workspace Ergonomics and You, Monitors & Walls, The Mix Position, Monitor Loudness Levels, Using Reference Material, Getting Ready to Mix, Organizing Tracks & Assets, Setting Up a Listening Mix, Gain Structure & Digital Meters, Mixing Balance & Panning, Panning Stereo Tracks, Panning & the Direction Mixer, Working with Automation, Volume Automation & the Dynamic Mix, Real Time Automation, Automation Modes, Automation and Sculpting the Mix, Discussion 1.3: Automated Mix Example, Why We’re Starting Here, Assignment 1: Levels, Panning and Automation Mix
Week 2 – Shaping Your Sounds: EQ and Compression Prepping the Mix Project, Working with Logic Pro X Markers, Introduction to EQ, EQ Bands, Shelving EQ, Filters, A Word About Q-Couple, EQ in Mixing, Kick Drum EQ, Snare Drum EQ, Bass and Vocals EQ, EQ in a Sample Project, Doing More with EQ, EQ Means Endless Tweaking, EQ Tips, Boosting vs. Cutting, Controlling the Low End of Your Mix, Bracketing Sounds with Filters, EQing in Solo Mode, Plugin Presets, Introduction to Dynamics Processors, Dynamics Processor Block Diagram, Working with Compressors, Compression Curves and the Transfer Function, The Logic Pro Compressor, The Logic Pro Compressor Setup, Using Compression, Compression Gain and Make Up Gain, Classic Uses of Compression, Mix Analysis: Compression, Limiters in mixing, Using the Limiter in the Logic Pro X Compressor, The Logic Pro Limiter, Assignment 2: Begin the Mix Project
Week 3 – Doing More with Dynamics Processors Where Are We?, Compressors Continued, Detection Mode, Sidechain Filtering, Distortion and “Color”, Other DAW Compressor Plugins, Pro Tools, Waves, Circuit Types in the Logic Pro X Compressor, Compressor Design, Transfer Functions, Changing Compressor Settings, Introduction to Noise Gates, Why We Use Gates in Mixing, De-Essers, The Logic Pro X De-Esser, Why We Use De-Essers, Exercise: Listening to the Mix So Far, External Keying and “Sidechaining”, Setting Up Sends as Key Signals, Sidechaining and “The Pump”, Developing Relationships in a Mix, Externally Keyed Compressors, Externally Keyed Gates, Ghost Keys, Ghost Tracks, External Keying Vs. Automation, Discussion 3.1: Mix Analysis, Assignment 3: Dynamics Processors
Week 4 – Reverb and Delays in Mixing Reverberation, Creating Reverb in the Studio, The Reverb Event, Algorithmic Reverbs, PlatinumVerb, Setting Up Reverb Plugins, PlatinumVerb and Reverbs on Individual Tracks, Making Reverb Decisions, Exercise: Reverb, Reverbs in Mixing, Setting Up Reverbs on Aux Tracks, Reverb Modification, Reverbs on Track Inserts, Reverb Tips, “Come to Me” Mix with Reverb, Introduction to Delays, Delay Effects, Introduction to Tape Delay and Stereo Delay, Stereo Delay, Delay Parameters, Delays in Mixing, Slap Delays, Ping-Pong Delay, Processing Delays, Delay Tips, Working With Automation: Sends Automation, Mix Limiters: An Introduction, Final Mix of “Come to Me”, Assignment 4: Finishing Project 2
Week 5 – More with Dynamics and Mixing Working with a Large-Scale Mix Project, Strategies for Project Organization, Screensets and Markers, Marker Sets, Developing a Vision for the Mix, Discussion 5.1: Developing a Vision for the Mix due Tuesday, Arrangement Editing, Editing vs. Mute Automation, Creating and Working with Track Groups, Track Groups and Workflow, NOW Where Are We?, Reshaping Transients, Upward Expanders and the Logic Pro X Expander Plug-in, Multiband Compression Techniques, Logic Pro X Multipressor, A Sidetrip About Expanders, Noise Gates vs. Downward Expanders, Mixing, Gain Structure, and Headroom, Pre-Fader/Post-Fader Metering, Getting Off the Ground!, Assignment 5: Dynamics and Mixing
Week 6 – Doing More with Mixing A Starting Point, Creating and Working with Audio Subgroups, Setting Up Audio Subgroups, Deciding When to use Subgroups in a Mix, Vocal Tuning, Fixing Pitch Problems, Going Deeper with Flex Pitch, Flex Pitch in the Track Editor, Tuning Other Instruments, Exercise: Exploring Vocal Tuning, The Big Freeze!, Parallel Compression Techniques, Setting Up Parallel Compression, Parallel Compression for Multiple Tracks, Parallel Compression Guidelines, Exercise: Parallel Compression, Adding Color and Character to the Mix, Filters, AutoFilter, Distortion Effects, Clip Distortion, Re-Amping, Enhancing the Low End, Exercise: Distortion, Assignment 6: Adding Character to the Mix
Week 7 – Working with Delays Short Delay Effects, Delays and the Stereo Image, Using a Short Delay for Panning, Modulation Delay Effects: Flanging, Hands-On Tweaking, Modulation Delay Effects: Chorusing and Doubling, Chorusing, Ensemble, Exercise: Mix Example, Convolution Reverb and Space Designer, Tweaking Space Designer, Using Convolution Reverbs, Exercise: Mix Analysis, More Mixing Ideas with Delays and Reverbs, More with Processing Effect Sends and Returns, Exercise: Putting it all Together, Assignment 7: Working with Delays
Week 8 – More Mix Techniques Automation 1 Checking Up on Our Mix of “Please Baby”, The Dynamic Mix, Manipulating the Sounds, Splitting Regions to Tracks, Making Sounds Bigger: Stereo Width Ideas, Pitch Effects in Mixing, Discussion 8.1: Pitch Manipulation, Vocal Transformer, SFX, Ear Candy, and Transitions, Delay Designer, Exercise: “Please Baby” Mix, Assignment 8: Mix Techniques
Week 9 – Shaping the Mix Automation 2 Checking Up on Our Mix of “Please Baby”, Where We Are, Global Parallel Compression, VCA Tracks and Mixing, VCA Usage, Mix Bus Compression, More With Mix Automation, Working with Mix Automation, Final Touches: Mix Limiters, Final Touches: Mix Limiters – Mix Fade Out, Bouncing the Mix, Exercise: “Please Baby” Mix, Assignment 9: Automation
Week 10 – Mastering 1 What is Mastering?, The Creative Side of Mastering, Discussion 10.1: Original vs. Mastered Versions, The Technical Side of Mastering, Discussion 10.2: Top Mastering Engineers, Mastering in the Project Studio, Tweaking Your Studio Space, Installing Ozone, Mastering with Logic Pro X: an Overview, Intro to Ozone, Exercise: EQ, Corrective and Creative, The Ozone EQ Module, Exercise: Mastering EQ, Discussion 10.2: Ozone History, Ozone Digital EQ Mode, Exercise: Analog and Digital Mode, The Digital EQ Surgical Mode, Some Tips on EQ and Mastering, Limiting in Mastering, Assignment 10: Project 4
Week 11 – Mastering 2 The Mastering Process, Compression in Mastering, Using the Dynamics Module, Exercise: Compression, Multiband Compression with Ozone, Exercise: Multiband Compression, Multiband Compression Considerations, Discussion 11.1: Multiband Compression, The Dynamic EQ, Mastering, Loudness, and the “Loudness War”, Loudness and CD Mastering, Discussion 11.2: Loudness and CD Mastering, The Ozone Maximizer, Exercise: Ozone’s Maximizer module, Daily Assignment Practice, Assignment 11: Project 5
Week 12 – Mastering 3 Image Manipulation in Mastering, The Ozone Imager Module, Exercise: The Imager Module, Multiband Image Adjustment, Exercise: More With the Imager Module The Vintage Limiter, Mastering Workflow, Making a Mastering Chain, Workflow Tips, Bouncing Your Mastered Audio, Mastering for Digital Delivery, CD Delivery Masters, Exercise: Truncation vs. Dither, Creating a CD Master, Loudness, Audio CDs, and Streaming Audio, QC = Quality Control!, Discussion 12.1: Project 6
Here are a couple screenshots of an assignment mix that I submitted. Check out the number of tracks and plug-ins. This was a pretty massive project. Took two screenshots to get all the tracks shown!
Here’s a mix that I did using many of the techniques that I learned in this class for my final project in MTC2 (Music Theory & Composition 2).
Harmonic Ear Training was one of the three classes that I took in my second term with Berklee Online. It was a great class that covered a lot of ground in just 12 weeks. Subjects included:
Hearing & Visualizing the Bass Line, Hearing & Identifying Major & Minor Triads, Transposing Bass Lines and Chord Progressions, Identifying Chord Progressions, Memorizing Music, Voice Leading, Diminished Triads, Identifying Major & Dominant Seventh Chords, Guide Tones, Identifying Minor 7 & Minor 7b5 Chords, Transcribing Root & Voice-Led Guide Tone Lines, Diatonic Seventh Chord Progression Dictation, Chord Inversions, Inversion & Passing Sevenths Dictation, Chromatic Scale, Identifying Non-Diatonic Chords Using the Chromatic Scale, Melody & Harmony Relationship, Identifying Chord Tones in a Melody, Secondary Dominants, Guide Tones of Secondary Dominants, Secondary Dominant Cycles, Cliché Patterns, Transcribing Guide Tone Lines, II V Patterns, Secondary II V’s, Arranging the Harmony, Transcription of Harmony Lines, Reharmonization, Lead Sheets and Real-World Song Transcriptions.
As I pointed out in the previous post this was the most challenging course for me in term 2. It took me a long time to get through the assignments where we had to determine chord types without using an external reference. While I got pretty good at hearing bass lines, and whether something was major or minor, it was some of the finer details (like if there was a seventh or a sus4 in the chord) that really tripped me up. I would listen to the same chord looped over and over trying to make sure that I was hearing everything.
I think the difficulty I had in this was with chords played on a piano in full chord progressions. I had done some basic ear training identifying simple chord types played on piano but only in isolation. This was the first time that I had to identify chords within larger chord progressions. Sometimes the middle voices would just blur all together and I wasn’t sure if I was hearing overtones or the actual pitches. Eventually I had to resort to using a keyboard to mimic what I was hearing on the recording, arpeggiating each chord one note at a time while singing each pitch that I heard.
I still have a ways to go to get really good at this but I’m much further along in my Ear Training than I’ve ever been. Thanks Berklee Online!
I just wrapped up my second term with Berklee Online and feel more than ever that it’s an excellent program. Great content with fantastic teachers. I can’t say enough good things about Berklee Online.
As mentioned in a previous blog entry, I really do wish that I had taken these courses a long time ago. I believe it would have made a tremendous difference in my life as a musician. That being said, I do feel very fortunate to be able to do it now. It’s all been very challenging yet rewarding and enriching at the same time.
Thanks to everyone who made term 2 so great and onto term 3!
The fourth class that I took this past term was “Music Theory and Composition 1”. This was by far the most involved class in terms of workload, so much information was covered each week. If I wasn’t familiar with most of the material already I think I would have really struggled with this class.
That being said there was plenty of information that was either new to me or needed clarification: box notation, identifying motifs & phrases, figured bass, counterpoint, free organum, harmonic analysis, imaginary bar lines, stable & unstable tones, classical voice leading, chord function harmonization, reharmonization, modal interchange, voice leading 7th & extended chords, drum set notation, writing walking bass parts, chord scales, passing tones, neighbor tones, non-chord tones, tensions, tension substitutions, dynamic markings, hybrid chords and score layouts.
There was a lot covered each week and time management became a crucial factor in getting everything done. Once the coursework was completed I needed to write, record, edit and mix at least one new composition a week. At times I got lost in the details and needed to fall back on what I had learned about time management from corporate life. Creating a “Plan A” (best case scenario) and “Plan B” (worst case scenario) helped me to get refocused on what needed to be done, how to do it and how much time it would take. The great thing about this approach was that I often got Plan A results in the same amount of time Plan B would take. I really need to remember to revisit this process with future class assignments.
For the most part I really enjoyed this class and am looking forward to taking MTC 2 in the Winter 2020 term.
Here are some of the pieces that I put together for various assignments.
The third class that I took during my first term with Berklee Online was “Music Notation and Score Preparation Using Finale”. Overall I feel it was a really good class for me to take as I hadn’t really used Finale before and it got me very familiar with the ins and outs of the software. It’s an older application that doesn’t have some of the features that many have come to expect from modern software (e.g. ability to option+drag duplicate objects, a way to align text frames with one another, etc.), but once you get to know “how things are done in Finale” it is really deep and pretty powerful.
The class not only went over how to use Finale but also spent a good amount of time on the do’s and don’ts of general music notation. Some of the topics we covered were: the Finale Interface, Clefs, Key/Time Signatures, Special Notation, creating and working with Lead Sheets, Lyrics, Expression Markings, Repeats & Roadmaps, Instrument Specific Notation & Fingerings, Drum Notation, Ensemble Score & Part Preparation, Page Layout, Publishing Standards and Templates.
It was a lot to cover in twelve weeks, but I’d say that we went through most of the “main path functionalities” of Finale and by the end of the class I was feeling pretty comfortable using the app. Is it my favorite software that I’ve ever used? No, but I know how to work with it now and it does what I need it to do.
All that being said, I still feel that notating by hand is the way to go when I first have an idea. This allows me to quickly sketch out and map musical concepts, so as to get a sense of form and structure. Once all that is in place I use notation software to create fuller versions for presentation/distribution.
Here is a score that I put together for one of our weekly assignments.
