Making Music

Learn practical songwriting, composition, and arranging techniques for creating your own music from scratch. Discover how to develop melodies, structure songs, and express your musical ideas.

Equipment for Making Music

You don't need expensive gear to start making music, but here's what to look for when buying your first instrument.

Finding a Gig

Get your band in front of bookers with a solid demo and realistic expectations about landing your first live show.

Finding Sheet Music & Music Books

Where to buy sheet music and music books for your instrument, from local shops to online sites and eBay.

Forming a Band

You don't need fancy gear or years of experience to start a band, just find people you enjoy playing with and pick your sound.

How to Play Guitar

Start playing guitar with these basics: tuning, finger positioning, and the first three chords you need to know.

How to Write Music

Writing music requires learning staff notation, clefs, time signatures and how to notate notes so others can actually play what you've composed.

Influential Music

Listen to the musicians who influenced the artists you admire to understand how music evolves and improve your own work.

Learning Other Musical Styles

Once you've mastered the basics on your instrument, branching into folk, rock, and other styles can help you grow as a musician.

Music Notation Software

Turn your melodies into written music without learning to read notation or hiring a transcriber.

Playing Other Styles Of Music

Once you've mastered the basics, branching into folk, rock, and other styles can take your playing to the next level.

Playing With Others

Playing music with others helps you improve as a musician while picking up new techniques and having real fun along the way.

Recording at Home

Home recording has become accessible to everyone, but you need to plan your tracks carefully before you start laying down layers.

Rehearsing With Your Band

How to find a rehearsal space and set up practise sessions that actually work for your band.

Song Arranging

A good arrangement takes a song from basic idea to finished product by framing the melody, building the right mood, and layering instruments strategically.

Songwriting

Getting a song from your head onto paper means understanding form, combining words and melody, and knowing when simple is best.

Working With The Engineer

Work with your engineer effectively in the studio by communicating your vision clearly and respecting their expertise.