General

The Evolution of Film Music: From Silent Films to Streaming Film music has always functioned as cinema’s invisible storyteller—guiding emotion, amplifying drama, and weaving layers of meaning where dialogue alone falls short. From the earliest silent pictures flickering in nickelodeons to today’s algorithm-driven streaming platforms, music’s role in cinema has evolved alongside technological innovation, shifting … Read more

Mixing on Headphones vs Studio Monitors: Pros and Cons Every music producer, audio engineer, and home studio owner faces the same fundamental question: should you mix on headphones, or are studio monitors essential for achieving professional-sounding results? This debate has intensified as headphone technology has improved and remote production has become increasingly common, making mixing … Read more

How Minimalism Changed Modern Composition: Glass, Reich & Adams The 20th century witnessed seismic shifts in how composers approached sound, structure, and emotional expression. Among the most influential and enduring movements to emerge was musical minimalism—a radical departure from the dense harmonies, atonal languages, and abstract complexity that dominated mid-century modernism. Spearheaded by visionary figures … Read more

Forgotten Romantic Composers Worth Discovering The Romantic era of music, spanning roughly from the 1820s to the early 20th century, gave the world some of its most beloved composers—Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Liszt, to name just a few. Their works defined passion, individuality, and emotional expression in ways that continue captivating audiences nearly two … Read more

Women in Jazz: From Mary Lou Williams to Esperanza Spalding Jazz has long been celebrated for its spirit of innovation and individuality—a genre built on improvisation, experimentation, and fearless self-expression. Yet for much of its history, women’s contributions to jazz have been systematically overlooked, undervalued, or relegated to supporting roles despite their fundamental importance to … Read more

The Influence of African Rhythms on Western Classical Music Throughout music history, few forces have proven as powerful, enduring, and transformative as rhythm. Among the world’s diverse rhythmic traditions, African music has exerted one of the deepest and most far-reaching influences on Western musical development—shaping not only jazz, blues, and popular music but also leaving … Read more

The Rise of Korean Classical Composers In recent decades, South Korea has emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic centers of contemporary classical music. Once known primarily for producing virtuoso performers—pianists like Seong-Jin Cho, violinists like Sarah Chang, and opera singers like Sumi Jo—the country is now generating a remarkable generation of composers whose … Read more

Music Analysis 101: How to Break Down a Song Like a Pro Every accomplished musician—whether performer, producer, composer, or songwriter—has developed the ability to listen deeply and analytically. Music analysis isn’t merely an academic exercise confined to theory classrooms; it’s a practical, powerful skill that helps you understand what makes songs work: why certain melodies … Read more

Exploring Counterpoint in Modern Composition Counterpoint—the art of combining independent melodic lines into a cohesive, harmonious whole—has served as a cornerstone of Western musical composition for over a millennium. From the intricate fugues of J.S. Bach to the expressive contrapuntal dialogues of Brahms and beyond, counterpoint has profoundly shaped how composers think about harmony, texture, … Read more

Sight-Reading for Beginners: How to Improve Fast For musicians at any level, sight-reading ranks among the most valuable skills you can develop. This ability to perform unfamiliar music accurately on first reading proves essential in countless situations—ensemble rehearsals, recording sessions, auditions, church services, pit orchestra work, and simply learning new repertoire efficiently. Yet for many … Read more