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Online Music Courses and Lessons
"If music be the food of love, play on..." These immortal lines by William Shakespeare hold true for students considering degree programs in music and audio. For people who love music, a career in this field can be very satisfying: they get to turn their passion into their profession. Working in the music and audio industry requires technical training and specialized education. The field is always changing, and professionals need to think on their feet. This requires continuous training, constant networking, and remaining aware of changes in the larger music and A/V industries. This is especially true now that technology has revolutionized the way that people create and listen to music. (cont)
Berkleemusic.comBerkleemusic is the online extension school for continuing music education and the career network for Berklee College of Music from Boston, MA. Study anytime, anywhere with the renowned faculty of Berklee College of Music. Earn a Berklee certificate and Continuing Education Units (earn up to six continuing education units in the 12 week course) with their online music courses.
If you are looking to progress in your professional development or need assistance in financing your online education, Berkleemusic offers more flexible options with Continuing Education Units. If you are a teacher or employee in the music industry, you may be able to seek Employer Reimbursement for all or part of the cost of your online education. Teachers can also use CEUs to fulfill Professional Development and Educational Licensing Requirements.
Learn more about programs at Berkleemusic.com. learn moreJER Group, Inc. (onlineworkshops)
A leader in distance education since 1994, JER Group, Inc. (onlineworkshops) offers over 350 online and interactive courses, tutorials and certificate programs.
Students who complete their online course of study can earn Continuing Education Credit and Certification from JER's partner educational institutions.
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E-Learn.uk.com
E-Learn.uk offers distance learning through the internet, giving students an interactive educational experience and the opportunity to study through highly accredited learning providers. With roughly 500 vocational and career training courses available online, E-Learn.uk offers something for everybody.
Students enroll, sign on, and conduct all class activities, from any location in the World, with only a standard Web Browser and without complicated plug-in software and can quickly access your course material on line. You'll learn at your own pace, decide on your own method of learning, all with a choice of payment options. You can work online or print out course materials and get started right away on a new educational experience.
- Advanced TarotMaster
- Clairvoyancy
- DreamAnalysis
- Numerology
- OghamDivination
- Palmistry
- PsychicCounsellor
- RuneDivination
- Tarot &Cartomancy
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Acoustic Music Lessons
You can thank the Folk of the Wood for these free online acoustic lessons for the following instruments:
- Mandolin
- Guitar
- Dobro
- Banjo
- Dulcimer
- Fiddle
- Violin
ActiveBass Online Lessons
ActiveBass is a free on-line community and education-based site for bassists. You'll find over 100 free online bass lessons in addition to resources that bassists normally use as part of their own studies, such as on-line tablature, practice progressions, feature articles, links & reviews, theory/reference materials, personal communication, and other utilities. Start with the free interactive lessons with music playback:
- Beginning Bass
- Intermediate Bass
- Advanced Bass
Adult Music Theory Course Online
Try this free online course in music theory and orchestration. It is aimed at adults who love Hollywood film scores, Sinatra and Mancini. In three books and fifty-eight pages you will find the basics of pitch, chords and time. True to the web, included are midi files for you to hear and Java for you to interact with.
Alexander University
Alexander University offers online music classes for both credit and non-credit. Most classes are teacher assisted and you'll meet with your teachers by way of email, Internet "office hours" through the student center, lab times over the Rocket Network (Cubase and Emagic users), and if needed, by phone appointment. Here's a sample of available class titles:
- Music 100
- Applied Professional Harmony 101
- Counterpoint by Fux 101
- Principles of Orchestration 101
- Writing For Strings
Beginner Course in Piano
Shannon's Music School offers private live instruction via the internet with a live qualified instructor. An eight week program, the online piano lessons are tailored to the age and ability of the student. Lessons include:
- an introductory session to basic piano
- basic understanding of note reading on staff & keyboard
- basics to technique and navigation on the keyboard
- basics to simple chording and other forms of accompaniment
Britchops Foundation Drum Course
The Britchops Drum Tuition website offers online the basics of modern drumming for all beginners wishing to learn at home without the expense of a private tutor. Inc's Yamaha XG MIDI files and other multimedia resources to demonstrate everything for you at various tempos. Drum charts by Oasis, Bryan Adams and Cast.
Celtic Music Online
Learn about the musicians, the cultures, and the history of the music fueling the Celtic trend. A wide range of readings and listening assignments take you on a colorful and thought-provoking tour through the whole range of Celtic music. Whether you are more interested in the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton, Brittany, Galicia, Wales, and Cornwall, or in commercially successful artists such as Loreena McKennitt and The Chieftains, you will have ample opportunity and resources to research freely.
The Classical Music Website's Learning Zone
If you are interested in knowing more about classical music, try the Learning Zone at the Classical Music Website. Browse through these categories:
- Composers
- A-Z Glossary
- Introduction to Classical Music
- How to Enjoy a Live Concert
- How to Build a Classical CD Collection
Crossroads-Guitar Lessons
Crossroads-Guitar offers 7 complete guitar courses online, from beginners to advanced including lead, slide, rhythm and classical. The courses use streaming video (full screen with a fast connection) online books with music notation and soundfiles, chat and one-on-one video conferencing with an instructor. The courses typically have from 20 to 28 individual lessons. The first two beginners lessons are free as a sample as well as introductory videos for each category. All courses are available 24/7 on demand for individual users and tuition includes unlimited access for life.
DaveOnPiano
DaveOnPiano assists music appreciators (of various ages and levels of of proficiency) in gaining further understanding of certain musical fundamentals and techniques. Personal coaching and one-on-one tutoring is available.
The Didge Beginners Guide
The Didge Beginners Guide with information and backgrounds of the Didgeridoo. Topics include history, how to play, playing techniques, tips, as well as how to make a didge. Site is available in English and Dutch.
DrumBum Drum Lessons Database
DrumBum is the Internet's first and largest Drum lesson database. You'll find a comprehensive collection of over 250 free online drum lessons.
Essentials of Music
Essentials of Music provides a good introduction to classical music with features on:
- Eras - Overviews of the six main periods in music history.
- Composers - Brief biographies of nearly 70 composers.
- Glossary - 200 definitions with numerous musical examples.
Experience Music Project
Co-founded by Paul Allen, Experience Music Project (EMP) celebrates and explores creativity and innovation as expressed through American popular music and exemplified by rock 'n' roll. Online learning experiences you can enjoy here include:
- Live Weekly Online Guitar Lessons
- Guitar Lick of the Day
- Harmony Lesson with Ann and Nancy Wilson
- Guitar/Bass Timeline
- Term of the Day
Free Online Classical Guitar Lessons
The "Total Classical Guitar Method™" is an on-line lesson program for beginning guitarists, and for guitarists who already play another style but want to learn how to play Classical Guitar. You'll find an ongoing series of lessons in addition to these supplements: "Acoustics of Music" and "Pythagorean System of Intonation".
Fender Players Club
Fender Players Club offers free online guitar and bass lessons for all skill levels, in printable PDF format, many with mp3 audio tracks. Artist lessons include biographies, interviews, gear setups, and signature lick lessons of legendary and contemporary guitarists. Lessons cover all different styles and cover everything from the basics to advanced techniques, with new lessons added continually.
Gary Ewer's Easy Music Theory
Gary Ewer's Easy Music Theory is a free online course designed to give you some rudimentary knowledge of the basic concepts of music. Over 25 music theory lessons are available in such topics as: Musical Staff, Notes, The Keyboard, Key Signatures, Major Scales, Time Signatures, Cadences, Score Formats and more.
Guitarlessononline.com
Lou Dibello's Guitar Lessons Online is a subscription site, featuring approximately 1/2 hour detailed guitar lessons with realtime audio and video instruction, including some interactive features. The Tuning, Glossary, Introductory Sample Lesson, and beginning lessons 1 & 2 are available free of charge. With the purchase of a weekly, monthly, or six-month subscription, you will have unlimited access to all lessons, current and archived, for the length of your subscription.
Guitar Player - Online Guitar Lessons
You'll find a big selection of free online guitar lessons at GuitarPlayer.com. Here's just a few of the many lessons available:
- Spinning Clusters into Lines
- Melodic Minor Mayhem
- Ska Building Blocks
- Gypsy Scales and Oriental Modes
Harmonica Lessons
Learn to play harmonica/blues harp with these free online lessons. If you love harmonica, you'll enjoy the tons of information and tips to better your harmonica playing. Features at the site include: Beginner's Guide and Overview, Beginner's Shortcuts, Terms & Definitions, Advanced Techniques, Using Chords, and Photos & Sounds.
Hear and Play
Learn to play the piano without memorizing chords or learning to read sheet music. Hear and Play teaches you to play any song by ear on the piano. Sixty free lessons are available and you can learn to play any style of music including gospel, jazz, r&b, country, soul and more.
iPlayMusic.com
iPlayMusic products teach beginners to play guitar the quick, simple and easy way. Students learn to play popular songs without reading music or relying oncomplex music theory. The iPlayMusic learning method is a video-based method that allows students to control the pace of their lessons and focus on theskills they want to develop. iPlayMusic song lessons allow students to learn by playing along "karaoke-style" with real songs- background music is included so users can "play-along with the band".
Jazz and Percussion Lessons at malletjazz.com
malletjazz.com offers free online lessons (available 24/7) dealing with mallet percussion (vibraphone, marimba, etc.) and/or jazz performance practices. The lessons are designed for self-study, but can be used to augment your previous or current musical studies. A new lesson is added each month, and all lessons are archived and accessible from the site. Some recent topics include reharmonization, chord voicing techniques, vibraphone amplification, and four-mallet techniques. A number of the lessons offer audio (.wav, RealAudio) or MIDI examples, and most include music notation. All lessons are authored by James Walker, noted percussionist and educator, columnist for Jazz Player Magazine.
JohnAstor.com
John Astor offers free online guitar lessons for the absolute beginner. These photo/audio lessons will teach you to tune, play some chords, develop the strumming hand and two songs.
Learn Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar
Slack key is filled with the beauty and mysticism of the Hawaiian culture. And you can learn to play with these online lessons in Hawaiian slack key guitar. Also check out Aloha Ki Ho'alu, a newsletter featuring all aspects of Ki Ho'alu - Slack Key Guitar including player profiles, reviews, lessons, and equipment tips.
Learn to Play the Bagpipes
Bagpiper.com offers online instruction for learning how to play bagpipes. Topics deal with breathing, solo piping, finding a pipeband, an instructor, buying a practice chanter and a set of bagpipes. Also visit the excellent bagpipe history section.
Music Theory On Line
Music Theory On Line is an interactive course in musical theory that is geared to the student's needs at any age or ability level. The primary purpose of these courses is to make music theory available to college bound high school students.
An Online Course in Songwriting
Here's a free Online Course in Songwriting where you'll learn tricks on writing songs and lyrics. This course is for beginners as well as experienced writers and topics covered include:
- Choosing a Subject and Keeping it Simple
- The Use of Repetitions
- Adding Rhythm to Your Lyrics
- What Rhyme can do to Your Lyrics
- How to Write a Chorus
Opera World - Learn Opera Online
Opera World offers an online distance learning course for opera lovers called Prompter's Box. The Prompter's Box course is offered to up to 20 students and is taught over a 10 week period. Topics on opera are taught by leading members of the field, and vary from course to course. Previous courses have featured the operas of Verdi and the operas of Mozart. The fees vary, depending on the course and the materials required and students correspond with each other and the instructor over email on a listserv.
PlayMusicFree.com Free Lessons
At playmusicfree.com you'll learn the theory and technique for making music, brought to you by the best players and instructors in the world. You'll find a large selection of free online lessons for the following:
- Guitar Lessons
- Bass Lessons
- Drum Lessons
- Music and Theory for All Instruments
Quiescence Music
Quiescence Music presents a free mini-online course that teaches the beginning adult piano student how to improvise and create music right away. This course of instruction is intended for those with little or no experience playing piano but can be of value to those with years of note reading experience who want to express themselves creatively.
Riff Interactive Live Internet Guitar Lessons
Free online guitar lessons live available every week at Riff Interactive. Here's what else you'll find at the site:
- Lick of the Day
- Live Celebrity Seminars
- EMP Guitar Events
- Archived Guitar Lessons
Schmange's Guitar Tricks
Schmange's Guitar Tricks offers free advanced lessons and tricks from Canadian pro guitarist Schmange. Includes MP3, Tab, MIDI and illustrations.
Rocket Piano
With Rocket Piano, you'll discover how to read music, how to recognise chord shapes and how to have perfect pitch, simply by playingfun and sophisticated software games. Thousands of people worldwide have used this unique multimedia course to fast-track their piano learning. And they're having piles of fun in the process.
TigerBill's DrumBeat
Tiger Bill Meligari, a professional drummer/instructor with more than 30 years of experience offers three levels of comprehensive drum set instruction over the Internet. These lessons cover music theory, technique, and practical application. Courses range from complete home-study for drum set beginners through custom instruction designed for professionals with a problem in a specific area. All students have the option to receive feedback consultations, which effectively simulate the live one-on-one teaching environment. In addition to tuition based online Drum Lesson Courses, there are dozens of free online lessons, forums where drummers receive free advice, and a comprehensive link resource on drums, drumming, and percussion.
Whistle Tutor
The whistle has a long history in Irish music and you can read all about it in Whistle History 101. You can also learn how to play the whistle with these free tutorials at Whistle Tutor:
- Beginner: Basic fingerings; scales; tune rhythms
- Intermediate: Embellishments, e.g. cuts, rolls, taps, slides; finger vibrato
- Advanced: Variations; stylistic rhythm; crans; triplets; triple rolls
- Tunes: For all skill levels, to increase your collection of memorized music
WholeARTS Online Music Conservatory
The WholeARTS Online Music Conservatory offers self-study courses online in:
- Music Theory and Composition
- The Art of Conducting
