Songcraft
Why a Melody Can Feel Familiar Before You Know the Song
Why a melody can feel familiar before you know the song: hear how repeated shapes, small changes, and returning…
The listening shelf
All pieces
Browse pieces on listening, songcraft, sound, recording and music history. Each starts with a distinct question and gives you something specific to notice the next time a song comes on.
Sound
Bass or Drums: Which One Is Carrying the Pulse?
Learn how bass or drums carry a song’s pulse, then use a focused listening exercise to separate their roles without…
Music History
Before the Playlist: Household Music in Nineteenth-Century Britain
Explore nineteenth-century British household music: how singing, printed songbooks, and pianos brought songs into…
Listening
The Lyrics Do Not Have to Hide a Secret
Why lyrics do not have to hide a secret: distinguish plain meaning, deliberate ambiguity, and personal association to…
Recording
One Instrument, One Focused Listening Session
A one instrument listening session reveals entrances, changes, and musical exchanges through three focused passes…