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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Developing Your Musicianship by Berklee

4.8
stars
1,299 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

RG

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

EP

Mar 2, 2018

i do not own a printer, which made this class a bit of a challenge at first to get the sheet paper submitted.. but I liked the course content and the teacher has a great energy to him and his work.

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201 - 225 of 422 Reviews for Developing Your Musicianship

By sebastian f

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Mar 20, 2021

excelente curso, muchas gracias por el apoyo económico para poder hacerlo

By Gabriel L

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May 12, 2020

Muy buen profesor; sus clases fueron muy prácticas y se explica muy bien.

By Alejandro S M

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Sep 1, 2016

Very motivating and easy to follow. I enjoyed every lesson of the course.

By Daniela C C

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Sep 14, 2020

The instructor explains the topics very well, it is an excellent course.

By Kristy H

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May 8, 2020

Super fun introductory course to music. I enjoy the teachers enthusiasm.

By Yiyi W

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Nov 2, 2016

absolutely amazing and i am soooo glad that i have chose to learn this!!

By Alyson L

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Jun 28, 2019

Fantastic! Such a comprehensive introduction. I can't wait to do more.

By Amelia G

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Mar 29, 2025

I did audit of class. Oh goodness, it was so well done. Thank you.

By Hector B

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Sep 14, 2020

I learn a lot of new stuff that allows me to understand music better.

By Mahoor P

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Jun 26, 2020

Great course with one of the best music theory teachers in the world.

By Andrés F M R

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Apr 3, 2020

It was a great experience. Congratulations to Berklee team for this.

By Gh C C o A a M

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Aug 4, 2020

I am so happy i enrolled into this course. It has really helped me.

By John C

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Jan 21, 2019

Somewhat remedial but a great course. The instructor is incredible!

By Jerry F

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May 17, 2020

A pleasure to learn with Happy George, he is a great instructor!

By Michelle A

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Aug 4, 2016

Great course, the teacher made every lesson fun and interesting.

By Branko R

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Oct 19, 2023

Very positive approach. I have enjoyed it. Thank You very much!

By Udit G

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Jun 2, 2020

Very good course, neatly structured material and great teacher.

By Dmitri B

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Dec 13, 2019

Fantastic teacher and a great course! George, you are a star!!

By Ash L

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Jan 13, 2019

Wonderful course! I learned a lot and the instructor is great!

By Jaehwi C

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Oct 21, 2017

Great course for beginner jazz musician and singer-songwriter.

By Samantha C

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Aug 30, 2025

Excellent course to consolidate basic music theory knowledge

By Gabriela F D S

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Jul 28, 2022

The lessons are awesome! I was really fun to do this course.

By Nicolás R M

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May 12, 2020

A great way to learn music!!! love it!!! the best teacher!!!

By Zeping Z

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Sep 8, 2017

Simply Amazing, makes music theory easy, relate-able and fun

By Miguel H

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Sep 16, 2020

I loved it! I will never forget 1 Flat-3 4 - 5 Flat-7 1