Music Student 101

Music Student 101

Author: Jeremy Burns, Matthew Scott Phillips Language: English Episodes: 100
Hosts Jeremy Burns and Matthew Scott Phillips bring a refreshingly practical perspective to Music Student 101, a podcast built on the shared experience of being both teachers and perpetual learners in the world of sound. They understand that the journey to becoming a better musician is filled with complex questions, from the foundational rules of theory to the nuanced stories of music history. Each episode feels like a focused, friendly conversation aimed at demystifying the craft, whether they’re breaking down chord progressions, offering strategies for effective ear training, or discussing the physical techniques behind an instrument. The show operates on the belief that this path, while demanding, should be deeply engaging and genuinely enjoyable. You’ll find their discussions on special topics and overall musicianship to be grounded in real-world application, avoiding purely academic abstraction. This is a resource created by people who have been in the practice room, the studio, and the classroom, making the content relatable whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years. Tune in to find a supportive and thorough guide through the many facets of musical study, all delivered with a collaborative spirit that makes even the most challenging concepts feel approachable and relevant to your own growth.
Episodes
78-Melodic Dictation Pt.2-Major [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:48
Melodic dictation, the act of transcribing and notating a melody by ear, is an important skill for a musician to cultivate. In this episode, we will share some tips and get right in to some examples. Ready your ears and…
77-Transcribing a Song Pt.2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:44
In part 1 of this series, we heard an original song (by one of our own listeners) for the first time. By the end of that episode, we put "Dewey and Dora" (by Keith Andrews) to paper with key and time signatures, tempo an…
76-Transcribing a Song Pt.1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:18
It's time to talk about transcription. This is the process of translating what you can hear to something you, or another musician, can read. In part one of this series, we will break down "Dewey and Dora", by Keith Andre…
75-Middle Ages Music Pt.1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:53
Middle Ages music occurred roughly between the dates of 500-1400 CE. In this episode, we will mainly talk about monophony. We will discuss plain chant, Gregorian chant and the antiphon, as the common types of vocal music…
74-Solfege [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:25
Solfege has been used for centuries to help vocalists and music students acquaint vowel sounds with certain notes. In this episode, we will discuss solfege in major, minor and chromatic terms. We will also cover the two…
73-Harmonic Progression Pt.7 (viiº/V, viiº/ii) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:27
Continuing where episode 63 left off, this episode will review our previous discussions on diatonic chords and secondary functions. We will now add the secondary seven of V and seven of ii (iiº) chords. Listen for the ch…
72-The Schumann Resonance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:33
It's time to try something different, though "music-adjacent"! The Schumann resonances are the vibrations of the Earth's atmosphere. Some believe that if we tune our instruments to these resonances, using 432Hz as our tu…
71-Modulation To Distantly Related Keys Pt.1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:58
Picking up from where we left off on episode 69, we will now learn how to modulate to distantly related keys using chords that are diatonic, or chromatic, in either key (or any combination thereof). Some pivot chords we…
70-Listener Compositions Pt.1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:01
We've long dreamed of having an episode dedicated entirely to showcasing the composing and songwriting talents of our listeners. Finally, the dream is alive! This episode will feature the original music of Marc McDowell,…