Songwriting of Taylor Swift: The Content Triangle of Language (Emotional, Literal, and Figurative) @Berklee

Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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In this video from the Songwriting of Taylor Swift, a Berklee Online course written and taught by Scarlet Keys, you’ll learn about what she calls the content triangle, which are the three most important factors to take into account when writing lyrics. At the top of the triangle is “emotion,” and below that is “literal language” on the left and “figurative language” on the right. Keys shares that you want a balance of all three, but a song must have at least two of these aspects. For example, you can write either a concrete or metaphorical song, but both need to contain emotion. These three concepts are meant to lead listeners to understand your characters, creating empathy and connection. In the Songwriting of Taylor Swift course, Keys discusses examples of Taylor Swift songs that balance the content triangle concept successfully, like “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” from “Midnights,” “Dear John” from “Speak Now,” “The Black Dog” from “The Tortured Poets Department,” and “cardigan” from “folklore.”

Learn more about this course: berkonl.in/4m0bAJU

ABOUT SCARLET KEYS:
Scarlet Keys is a professor at Berklee College of Music and a former staff songwriter for Warner Chappell. Keys’s songs have appeared on film and TV and garnered her a gold record. She has collaborated with artists such as Chris Stapleton, Eric Roberson, and Melissa Ferrick. Some of her students have included Lizzy McAlpine, Charlie Puth, Amy Allen, Ingrid Andress, and Betty Who. Keys is the host of the “What’s in a Song” podcast and the author of “The Craft of Songwriting: Music, Meaning, and Emotion.” She also describes herself as a world-class parallel parker.
About Berklee Online:
Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today:
1-866-BERKLEE (US)
1-617-747-2146 (international callers)
advisors@online.berklee.edu

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Songwriting of Taylor Swift | Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve | Midnights | Dear John | Speak Now | The Black Dog | The Tortured Poets Department | cardigan | folklore | Scarlet Keys | Lyric Writing | Creative Songwriting | Warner Chappel | Chris Stapleton | Eric Roberson | Melissa Ferrick | Sam Robins | Berklee Online | Lizzy McAlpine | Charlie Puth | Amy Allen | Ingrid Andress | Betty Who | The Craft of Songwriting | Music | Emotion

$Songwriting of Taylor Swift: The Content Triangle of Language (Emotional, Literal, and Figurative) Download Your Free Songwriting Handbook Now: https://berkonl.in/3wSocKI Earn Your Songwriting Degree Online with Berklee: https://berkonl.in/3wNQbv0 In this video from the Songwriting of Taylor Swift, a Berklee Online course written and taught by Scarlet Keys, you’ll learn about what she calls the content triangle, which are the three most important factors to take into account when writing lyrics. At the top of the triangle is “emotion,” and below that is “literal language” on the left and “figurative language” on the right. Keys shares that you want a balance of all three, but a song must have at least two of these aspects. For example, you can write either a concrete or metaphorical song, but both need to contain emotion. These three concepts are meant to lead listeners to understand your characters, creating empathy and connection. In the Songwriting of Taylor Swift course, Keys discusses examples of Taylor Swift songs that balance the content triangle concept successfully, like “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” from “Midnights,” “Dear John” from “Speak Now,” “The Black Dog” from “The Tortured Poets Department,” and “cardigan” from “folklore.” Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/4m0bAJU ABOUT SCARLET KEYS: Scarlet Keys is a professor at Berklee College of Music and a former staff songwriter for Warner Chappell. Keys’s songs have appeared on film and TV and garnered her a gold record. She has collaborated with artists such as Chris Stapleton, Eric Roberson, and Melissa Ferrick. Some of her students have included Lizzy McAlpine, Charlie Puth, Amy Allen, Ingrid Andress, and Betty Who. Keys is the host of the “What’s in a Song” podcast and the author of “The Craft of Songwriting: Music, Meaning, and Emotion.” She also describes herself as a world-class parallel parker. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Songwriting of Taylor Swift | Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve | Midnights | Dear John | Speak Now | The Black Dog | The Tortured Poets Department | cardigan | folklore | Scarlet Keys | Lyric Writing | Creative Songwriting | Warner Chappel | Chris Stapleton | Eric Roberson | Melissa Ferrick | Sam Robins | Berklee Online | Lizzy McAlpine | Charlie Puth | Amy Allen | Ingrid Andress | Betty Who | The Craft of Songwriting | Music | Emotion$ $AI in Music: Composition, Production & Analysis: Single-Track & Multitrack Adaptive Audio Processing Access Free Music Resources: https://berkonl.in/3HPNkYL In this video from Berklee Online’s AI in Music: Composition, Production, and Analysis course, instructor Dr. Carlos Arana teaches you about the role of adaptive processing systems in music production, and how it can be used to your advantage. Dr. Arana explains that adaptive processing is a system that dynamically adjusts its parameters in response to changes in the input signal or environment through a three-stage pipeline. The first stage is feature extraction, where raw audio is converted into meaningful descriptors like frequency content, spectral balance, and other musical features. In the second stage, feature processing, the system compares this data against rules and constraints like best practices, descriptors such as “warm” or “bright,” machine learning models, and reference tracks. The third stage, signal processing, is where the system applies real-time adjustments to EQ, compression, stereo width, and balance. Dr. Arana also introduces cross-adaptive processing, where tracks are analyzed in relation to one another, allowing for more context-aware decisions in mixing and mastering. Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/4veg8AG ABOUT CARLOS ARANA: Carlos Arana is a guitarist, producer, and researcher whose work bridges Latin American music traditions and emerging technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. As a guitarist, arranger, and musical director, he has worked and recorded with artists from around the world, including legendary bossa nova singer Maria Creuza, whose band he was a member of. Arana is also a leading voice in the application of AI to music. He has the written Berklee Online courses AI in Music: Composition, Production, and Analysis and AI for Music and Audio. Dr. Arana holds a PhD from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA-UNLZ), where his research focused on deep learning and generative neural networks in music education. His work spans signal processing, music information retrieval, and generative systems, with a focus on helping musicians understand and engage critically with rapidly evolving technologies. In addition to his academic and creative work, Dr. Arana has edited books for Hal Leonard and Warner Bros. Publications (Alfred), and has been invited to speak at conferences and seminars at institutions such as MIT and UC Berkeley. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline AI in Music | Artificial Intelligence | Dr. Carlos Arana | Maria Creuza | Multitrack Processing | Adaptive Processing Systems | Adaptive Audio Processing | AI In Music Production | Feature Extraction | Audio Signal Processing | Machine Learning In Audio | Real-Time Audio Analysis | Mixing and Mastering AI | Reference Track Matching | Cross-Adaptive Processing | Audio Descriptors$ $Routing | Live Event Sound Engineering & Concert Mixing | Microphones | Signal Flow | Berklee Online Download Your Free Music Production Handbook Now: https://berkonl.in/3JBxeTK Earn Your Music Production Degree Online with Berklee: https://berkonl.in/3DEnKDE Routing, when it comes to audio, is a term that refers to the signal direction of a sound source or a channel on the console. This video, which comes from Berklee Online’s Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Mixing course by Amanda Davis and David Carroll, shows how audio comes from the stage, to a console, and then out to the PA system. Understanding this process is crucial for working with live performances, because in case something isnt coming through, chances are that the signal might not be routed correctly. “Routing” can be interchangeable with signal flow or signal path but, typically, it points to the designated physical inputs and outputs of the console. For example: Channels will route to the master fader, and the master fader will be routed to specific physical outputs on the console. The routing is still part of the overall signal flow process, however, and when speaking on signal flow the routing must be considered in order to determine the signal’s beginning and end points. Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/48xy4tu ABOUT AMANDA DAVIS: Amanda Davis is an audio engineer, educator, production manager, singer, and musician based in Memphis, TN. She is a graduate of Chicago’s Roosevelt University and SAE Institute in Atlanta, where shortly after graduation she was hired as the Institute’s first woman in the roles of lab supervisor and music theory instructor. Janelle Monáe handpicked Davis to serve as her front-of-house engineer in 2013. Tegan and Sara recruited her in 2016, and in 2017, she became their production manager and mixed their “Tonight in the Dark We’re Seeing Colors” album. Other touring and live show acts on her roster include Jon Batiste, Olivia Rodrigo,, Nipsey Hussle, SWV, Jidenna, Chloe and Halle, Olivia Newton John, Summer Walker, Lil Durk, Ella Mai, and more. ABOUT DAVID CARROLL David Carroll has mixed pop, rock, indie, hip-hop, electronic, jazz, and classical music. He is a graduate of SAE and has worked with Janelle Monaé, Kali Uchis, Jidenna, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and more. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Mixing 201 | Front of House | FOH | Routing | Signal Flow | Amanda Davis | David Carroll | Janelle Monaé | Tegan and Sara | Jon Batiste | Olivia Rodrigo | Nipsey Hussle | SWV | Jidenna | Chloe and Halle | Olivia Newton John | Summer Walker | Lil Durk | Ella Mai | Kali Uchis | Jidenna | Hurray for the Riff Raff | Roosevelt University | SAE Institute | Berklee College of Music | Berklee Online$ $Berklee Onsite: A Two-Day Music Networking Event for Learning, Jamming, and Connecting in Boston Join Us at Berklee Onsite: https://berkonl.in/4kG07hK Berklee Onsite is a two-day event where Berklee Online students—and anyone passionate about music—can gather together on Berklee College of Music’s Boston campus for live music, hands-on workshops, industry panels, and in-person connections. For Berklee Online students, it’s a rare chance to meet classmates and instructors face-to-face after learning together online. For all attendees, it’s an opportunity to jam, collaborate, and experience Berklee in real life. In this video, get a glimpse of Onsite’s sights and sounds as students and instructors share their experiences—from meeting longtime classmates to diving into jam sessions, masterclasses, and networking events. Berklee Onsite 2025 is happening May 30–31 in Boston! About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Berklee Onsite | Berklee Online | Music Education | Live Music | Networking | Boston | Music Networking Events$ $Music & Neuroscience: How Expectation Shapes Musical Joy (Lesson 3) | Susan Rogers | Berklee 17/26 Access Free Music Resources: https://berkonl.in/3HPNkYL In these lessons from Berklee Online’s Music and Neuroscience course, Susan Rogers explores how your brain processes music—and why it sparks powerful emotional responses. By understanding how music evokes emotion, musicians can connect more meaningfully with their audience while also enriching their own appreciation of the craft. Our brains have different structures that receive signals from the nervous system, identifying speech, sound, and rhythm. Rogers explains how when we sing or listen to a song we like, the chemical reactions in our brain release dopamine, encouraging us to keep listening. The 26 videos of this course reveal why we like certain songs by analyzing perception across musicians and non-musicians, cultural influences, metrical structures, and tonality. All of these factors show that every emotional response is unique, as it also depends on internal and external conditions such as when (and with whom!) you are listening. Rogers tells musicians that our nervous system enjoys a balance between familiarity and novelty, explaining that pop music and hit songs tend to be liked the most because they generally contain a familiar aspect along with an innovative element. Music not only causes emotional reactions, but also automatic physiological responses such as chills, which are often correlated with unexpected elements inside a song. Rogers says that we are most likely to like a song when it meets our expectations, as our brains like to anticipate melodies or rhythms based on our memory of past songs. When we like a song, our brain creates a template of the type of music we tend to like, which we remember each time we listen to something new. This course emphasizes that music is used for bonding and can be an identification of culture and identity, providing a sense of belonging. With these teachings, Rogers hopes to help musicians deepen their appreciation for music and inspire them to innovate. Watch All of the Videos in This Series: https://berkonl.in/3UBLBMh ABOUT SUSAN ROGERS: Susan Rogers holds a Doctorate in Psychology from McGill University (2010), where she studied music cognition and psychoacoustics under researchers Daniel Levitin and Stephen McAdams. Her research focuses on auditory memory, the perception of musical signals, and the influence of musical training on auditory development. For two decades prior to her science career, Susan was one of the world’s few women known for her work as a record producer, engineer, mixer, and audio electronics technician. Career highlights include five years (1983-1987) as staff engineer for Prince, producing hit singles for diverse artists such as Barenaked Ladies, David Byrne, Robben Ford, Jeff Black, and Rusted Root, mixing hit singles for an equally eclectic list including Tricky, Michael Penn, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Tevin Campbell, and engineering for a host more. Susan is a professor at Berklee College of Music in the departments of Music Production & Engineering and Liberal Arts, and is the director of the Berklee Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory. In 2012, she was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Award, Professional Writing and Music Technology Division. In tandem with business partner and former student Matthew McArthur (Berklee ’10), Susan launched Boston’s first not-for-profit recording studio, The Record Company, to offer low-cost recording facilities to area musicians and free music technology instruction to area teens. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Music and Neuroscience | Musical Taste | Dopamine Reward System | Anhedonia | Emotional Responses to Music | Listener Profile | Cultural Differences in Music | Tonality | Metrical Structure | Rhythm and Groove | Prediction and Anticipation | Expectancy Violation | Sad Songs | Reminiscence Bump | Mind Wandering | Default Network | Emotional Contagion | Chills Response | Musical Memory | Familiarity and Novelty | Authenticity in Music | Realism vs. Abstraction | Consonance and Dissonance | Susan Rogers | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music | Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory | Daniel Levitin | Stephen McAdams | Prince | Barenaked Ladies | David Byrne | Robben Ford | Jeff Black | Rusted Root | Tricky | Michael Penn | Toad the Wet Sprocket | Tevin Campbell | The Record Company | Matthew McArthur$ $Music & Neuroscience: Speech vs. Melody (Lesson 1) | Susan Rogers | Berklee Online 3/26 Access Free Music Resources: https://berkonl.in/3HPNkYL In these lessons from Berklee Online’s Music and Neuroscience course, Susan Rogers explores how your brain processes music—and why it sparks powerful emotional responses. By understanding how music evokes emotion, musicians can connect more meaningfully with their audience while also enriching their own appreciation of the craft. Our brains have different structures that receive signals from the nervous system, identifying speech, sound, and rhythm. Rogers explains how when we sing or listen to a song we like, the chemical reactions in our brain release dopamine, encouraging us to keep listening. The 26 videos of this course reveal why we like certain songs by analyzing perception across musicians and non-musicians, cultural influences, metrical structures, and tonality. All of these factors show that every emotional response is unique, as it also depends on internal and external conditions such as when (and with whom!) you are listening. Rogers tells musicians that our nervous system enjoys a balance between familiarity and novelty, explaining that pop music and hit songs tend to be liked the most because they generally contain a familiar aspect along with an innovative element. Music not only causes emotional reactions, but also automatic physiological responses such as chills, which are often correlated with unexpected elements inside a song. Rogers says that we are most likely to like a song when it meets our expectations, as our brains like to anticipate melodies or rhythms based on our memory of past songs. When we like a song, our brain creates a template of the type of music we tend to like, which we remember each time we listen to something new. This course emphasizes that music is used for bonding and can be an identification of culture and identity, providing a sense of belonging. With these teachings, Rogers hopes to help musicians deepen their appreciation for music and inspire them to innovate. Watch All of the Videos in This Series: https://berkonl.in/3UBLBMh ABOUT SUSAN ROGERS: Susan Rogers holds a Doctorate in Psychology from McGill University (2010), where she studied music cognition and psychoacoustics under researchers Daniel Levitin and Stephen McAdams. Her research focuses on auditory memory, the perception of musical signals, and the influence of musical training on auditory development. For two decades prior to her science career, Susan was one of the world’s few women known for her work as a record producer, engineer, mixer, and audio electronics technician. Career highlights include five years (1983-1987) as staff engineer for Prince, producing hit singles for diverse artists such as Barenaked Ladies, David Byrne, Robben Ford, Jeff Black, and Rusted Root, mixing hit singles for an equally eclectic list including Tricky, Michael Penn, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Tevin Campbell, and engineering for a host more. Susan is a professor at Berklee College of Music in the departments of Music Production & Engineering and Liberal Arts, and is the director of the Berklee Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory. In 2012, she was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Award, Professional Writing and Music Technology Division. In tandem with business partner and former student Matthew McArthur (Berklee ’10), Susan launched Boston’s first not-for-profit recording studio, The Record Company, to offer low-cost recording facilities to area musicians and free music technology instruction to area teens. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Music and Neuroscience | Musical Taste | Dopamine Reward System | Anhedonia | Emotional Responses to Music | Listener Profile | Cultural Differences in Music | Tonality | Metrical Structure | Rhythm and Groove | Prediction and Anticipation | Expectancy Violation | Sad Songs | Reminiscence Bump | Mind Wandering | Default Network | Emotional Contagion | Chills Response | Musical Memory | Familiarity and Novelty | Authenticity in Music | Realism vs. Abstraction | Consonance and Dissonance | Susan Rogers | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music | Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory | Daniel Levitin | Stephen McAdams | Prince | Barenaked Ladies | David Byrne | Robben Ford | Jeff Black | Rusted Root | Tricky | Michael Penn | Toad the Wet Sprocket | Tevin Campbell | The Record Company | Matthew McArthur$

Piano Techniques for Modern Music: I Practice Tips 3 | Zahili Gonzalez Zamora | Berklee Online 18/26

$Music Production 101: Getting Started with MIDI Controllers & the Ableton Push | Berklee Online Download Your Free Music Production Handbook Now: https://berkonl.in/3JBxeTK Earn Your Music Production Degree Online with Berklee: https://berkonl.in/3DEnKDE In this video from the Berklee Online course, Music Production 101, instructor Michael Bierylo teaches you about the different types of MIDI controllers used in audio production, from basic ones used for song productions to more advanced ones commonly used in electronic music production. Bierylo, who wrote this course with David Mash, begins by explaining how MIDI controllers contain keys, pads, and knob controls. These controls enable you to control the expression of the sound by changing its timber, delay, and vibrato. The pads are more commonly used to add drum parts with more accuracy and the keys can produce a variety of different sounds in different octaves. In the video, Bierylo introduces additional controllers that contain more specialized features, allowing you to have better control of the mix by leveling individual channels. The Ableton Push is an example of a MIDI controller that enables you to play notes and control synthesizers in Ableton Live. Finally, Bierlo advises having a USB dock to connect multiple controllers into your computer. Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/3EItS0P ABOUT MICHAEL BIERYLO: Michael Bierylo is an electronic musician, guitarist, composer, and sound designer. He has been a faculty member at Berklee College of Music since 1995 and is currently Chair of the Electronic Production and Design department, where he led the development of Berklee’s Electronic Digital Instrument program, the Electronic Performance Minor, and the Creative Coding Minor. Major projects include artist residencies with Suzanne Ciani, Nona Hendryx, Hank Shocklee, Richard Devine, Chagall, Robert Rich, and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. With Berklee Online, he has written and teaches music production and music technology courses. ABOUT DAVID MASH: David Mash is a guitarist, composer, producer, synthesist, author, educator, and futurist. He retired in 2017 as Senior Vice President for Innovation, Strategy, and Technology at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he had worked for more than 40 years. David was the founding chair of Berklee’s Music Synthesis department (now known as Electronic Production and Design). David has collaborated on development and artistic projects with leaders in the multimedia and music industries such as Kodak, Adobe Systems, Digidesign/Avid, Opcode, Kurzweil, Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Softube, Fishman Transducers, Godin Guitars, and many others. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Music Production | Studio Setup | Michael Bierylo | David Mash | Berklee Online | Electronic Production and Design | Electronic Digital Instrument | Electronic Performance | Creative Coding | Music Synthesis | MIDI Controllers | Symthezisers | Ableton Live | Transport Control | Nona Hendryx | Hank Shocklee$ $Chromatic Writing & Analysis: Neo-Riemannian (Pan-Triadic) Transformations | Hugo Riemann Berklee Access Free Music Resources: https://berkonl.in/3HPNkYL In this video from the Berklee Online course Chromatic Writing and Analysis, instructor Arnold Friedman explores how to compose and analyze music without relying on standard harmony or tonal organization. Using Ruth Crawford Seeger’s “VI. Andante Mystico” from Nine Preludes for Piano, he demonstrates how the piece—lacking traditional tonic or dominant chords—achieves coherence through recurring interval patterns. To make sense of this kind of freely chromatic music (Ruth Crawford Seeger was called an “ultramodern” in her time!) Friedman introduces pitch-class set theory, a system developed in the mid-twentieth century to describe and analyze modern music that defies conventional tonal analysis. Instead of Roman numerals, pitch-class set theory uses numbers to identify notes and measures intervals by counting half steps, enabling a precise, flexible way to understand dissonant or non-functional harmonies. Through this piece and approach, you’ll learn to apply PC set theory principles like integer notation, interval classes, and inversional equivalence to create and analyze music with consistency and variety—even in the absence of a key center. Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/4mEHNqi ABOUT ARNOLD FRIEDMAN: Arnold Friedman taught at Berklee College of Music for 14 years and chaired the Composition department from 2012 to 2016. He has also taught at the University of North Texas, where he directed the NOVA Ensemble, and at Western Oregon University. His music has been performed throughout the US and in Italy. He has performed in the cello sections of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and the Rhode Island Philharmonic, as well as with Dinosaur Annex and Notariotous. Friedman writes and performs in the Melde and Friedman Bass-Cello Duo. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Chromatic Writing | Pitch-Class Set Theory | Ruth Crawford Seeger | Andante Mystico | Music Theory | Berklee Online | Music Composition | Interval combinations | Song Analysis | American Composers | Interval Patters | Arnold Friedman$ $Mental Practice Techniques for Musicians with Oboist Barbara LaFitte | Berklee Online Access Free Music Resources: https://berkonl.in/3HPNkYL In this video from Berklee Online’s Practicing Techniques for Musicians course, instructor Barbara LaFitte teaches you mental practice techniques, a useful tool for when you find yourself in a situation where you cannot make noise or do not have your instrument at hand. As a musician, she says, not all of your practice will be on your instrument: Some of it will be in your head, and some of it may even be on objects that are similar to your instruments. LaFitte suggests that practicing on a pencil, pillow, or table depending on your instrument, will improve your coordination and precision when playing. Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/4fUYJ7c ABOUT BARBARA LAFITTE: Barbara LaFitte held the English Horn position in the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra from 1994-2020, where she worked with John Williams and Keith Lockhart. She was also the principal oboist in the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the Boston Classical Orchestra, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic, as well as a member of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. She can be heard on two recordings nominated for Grammy Awards: Boston Modern Orchestra Project’s recording of Stephen Mackey’s “Dreamhouse,” and Danilo Perez’s highly acclaimed jazz recording, “Providencia.” LaFitte is also the oboist on the theme music for the PBS program, “Frontline.” She has been a professor on the faculty of Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1994. She has also coached contemporary chamber ensembles and taught Woodwind Pedagogy at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. LaFitte presents masterclasses about topics such as circular breathing, audition preparation, Nicolas Slonimsky, and more. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Barbara LaFitte | Practicing Techniques for Musicians | Oboist | Boston Ballet Orchestra | English Horn | Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra | John Williams | Keith Lockhart Grammy Awards | Boston Modern Orchestra Project | Stephen Mackey’s Dreamhouse | Danilo Perez | Providencia | Mental Practice for Musicians | Practicing without Instrument | Practicing Strategies$ $Music Copyright & Revenue Streams: Synchronization Royalties | Tonya Butler | Berklee Online 16/25 Download Your Free Music Business Handbook Now: https://berkonl.in/3XRrl9n Earn Your Music Business Degree Online with Berklee: https://berkonl.in/3JyAdwb In this video series, Berklee Online instructor Tonya Butler provides important insights into the music industry from a legal standpoint, applying US copyright laws. You’ll start this course with the basics, learning exactly what a copyright is and how to obtain one; the different types of copyrights (composition vs. recording); the different types of revenue streams you receive from your copyrights (mechanical royalty, synchronization royalty, public performance royalty, and ancillary royalty). The 25 videos in this series also cover specific cases such as recording and performing covers, making revenue from a printed reproduction of a work (lead sheets, ringtones, toys), making revenue from your work being played in a public space (and what legally determines a place as public), how much to charge in your synchronization fee (music to image), and the importance of signing up to a PRO (Performing Rights Organization). You’ll also learn how royalties work with streaming services, and how a Master Use license may be divided depending on the deal you make with your record label. In addition to all of the important legal information you’ll learn from this series, you’ll also get to see exclusive interviews with industry insiders, including Josh Gruss and Madison Norris of Round Hill Music, Tiara Guy of SoundExchange, David Israelite of the National Music Publishers’ Association, Gina Waters Miller of MNRK Music Group, and Serona Elton of the Mechanical License Collective. Watch All of the Videos in This Series: https://berkonl.in/3ufWKsg ABOUT TONYA BUTLER Professor Tonya Butler, JD, LLM, is chair of the Music Business/Management Department at Berklee College of Music. An accomplished educator, attorney, administrator, and motivational speaker, she spent 14 years as an entertainment attorney, working in-house for record and publishing companies and film studios. Notable clients included Rhino Records, MGM Music, and Global Disc Records. Butler is a longtime music industry advocate, having served on Memphis and Shelby County’s music, film, and television commissions; the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum Board of Directors; and the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association’s Executive Board. She is a voting member and former two-term Governor of the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy and the current Chair of the College Music Society’s Committee on Music Business and Industry Engagement. For Berklee Online, Tonya is also the author of the Music Business Management and Leadership course. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline http://www.twitter.com/BerkleeOnline US Copyright Laws | Music Business Revenue Streams | Royalties | Mechanical Royalty | Synchronization Royalty | Public Performance Royalty | Ancillary Royalty | Lead Sheets | Ringtones | Performing Rights Organization | Master Use License Composition | Recording | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music | Tonya Butler | Josh Gruss | Madison Norris | Tiara Guy | David Israelite | Gina Waters Miller | Serona Elton | Round Hill Music | SoundExchange | National Music Publishers’ Association | NPMA | MNRK Music Group | Mechanical License Collective | Rhino Records | MGM Music | Global Disc Records$ $Ableton Live: Warping Tone Textures | Warp Tool | Music Production | Berklee Online | Erin Barra Download Your Free Music Production Handbook Now: https://berkonl.in/3JBxeTK Earn Your Music Production Degree Online with Berklee: https://berkonl.in/3DEnKDE In this video from Berklee Online’s Ableton Live Fundamentals course, author Erin Barra shows you how to get different sounds and textures by using the Warp tool in Ableton Live. Once a file has been warped, you can freely adjust the session’s timing, and it will stay in sync with the BPM. The segment BPM box approximates the BPM between any two warp markers and may change often, depending on what part of the warping process you’re in. Erin showcases this by taking a guitar track and exploring the creative parameters inside the texture algorithm. She reduces the fidelity of the track and adjusts the flux, and you’ll hear how that continues to warp the sound of the original track. This type of warping works well in extremes: the more you adjust the parameters, the more creative results you’ll hear. Learn more about this course: https://berkonl.in/3LAUm4I ABOUT ERIN BARRA: Erin Barra is an educator, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and music technology consultant. She is an associate professor in the Songwriting department at Berklee College of Music and is one of the leading product specialists for Ableton. She works with artists and bands looking to integrate laptops and digital technologies into their writing, production, and stage setups, and has developed and taught several music technology curriculums. About Berklee Online: Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today: 1-866-BERKLEE (US) 1-617-747-2146 (international callers) advisors@online.berklee.edu http://www.facebook.com/BerkleeOnline http://www.instagram.com/berkleeonline/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkleeonline https://www.tiktok.com/@berkleeonline Ableton Live | Music Production | Warp | Warping | Editing | Mixing | Ableton Tips | Erin Barra | Music Producer | Recording Techniques | Audio Editing | Berklee Online$