New track! “Halloween Robo-Bop” teaches Chord Progressions
"Halloween Robo-Bop" is a fun and eerily romantic Halloween song which will teach you about chords and chord progressions, and introduce you to some varieties of the classic "one four five"...
View ArticleThink playing guitar is too hard? Guess again with NowStartABand.com
If you've ever been intimidated by the sheer number and variety of chords used in music, it can be useful to remember the power of the three chord trick and the number of four chord songs out there....
View ArticlePlaying by Ear, with Brad Mavin: The Cycle of Keys
Playing by ear is one of the core musical abilities which ear training can unlock, and Brad Mavin knows how to teach it in a practical, relatable way. Continue reading →
View ArticlePlaying by Ear, with Brad Mavin: 1-4-5 Chord Progressions
Want to play songs by ear? This video series shows you how, step-by-step. In the last episode Brad Mavin explained the Cycle of Keys (a.k.a. Circle of Fifths, Cycle of Fifths) and now he'll extend that...
View ArticlePlay the most popular chord progressions by ear with “3-Chord Songs and the...
There is one concept which can unlock the ability to play by ear and accelerate your progress more than any other: the 1, 4, 5 progression. Learn all about it. Continue reading →
View ArticleWhy you should learn the I-IV-V chord progression
Discover the formula used by many pop, alternative, indie, country, hymns, gospel, blues, rock, reggae, and more, which lets you play those songs by ear. Continue reading →
View ArticleChord Ear Training: What is it and What can it do for you?
Chords are a fundamental part of music.Musicians consider melody, harmony and rhythm to be the three core components of any piece of music. Chords are how we tend to think about harmony. Why are chords...
View ArticleChord Ear Training How-To: Chord Progressions
Learning to play chords by ear and improvise freely over chords are essential ear training goals for many musicians. Chord ear training is a big topic but can be broken into two main skills:...
View ArticleEar Training Exercises For Playing 3 Chord Songs
Thousands of pop and rock songs rely on just three or four chords and chord progression ear training teaches you to play these chords by ear. It's easy to see why you should learn the popular I-IV-V...
View ArticleNew Ear Training Album: Popular Progressions!
The new Popular Progressions ear training album teaches you to recognise the most commonly-used chord progressions in real music so you can play songs by ear. Continue reading →
View ArticleHow to learn from thousands of 3 chord songs
There are a huge number of songs which rely on just 3 chords. These songs are great for beginner musicians and are also the perfect tool to train your ears. Continue reading → The post How to learn...
View ArticleThe Sexy Secret of “One, Four, Five” (Lisa McCormick)
Being able to play by ear is one of the most desirable skills among musicians. But many people assume it’s a gift: you’ve either got it or you don’t. In this series so far I hope we’ve convinced you...
View ArticleThe 5 Best Videos to Learn 3-Chord Songs
Did you know that you can play hundreds of songs with just three chords? Yes, just 3! You don’t have to hurt your fingers and your brain memorizing all the options in the chord dictionary, all you need...
View ArticleHow to Strum and Fingerpick 3- and 4-chord songs by ear: Top 5 Videos
So you’ve learned how to play 3-chord songs and 4-chord songs by ear. Now it’s time to move to the next level! Instead of simply strumming “1, 2, 3, 4” we’re going to learn some more advanced...
View ArticleOpen your Ears to some Rocking Blues
For this active listening exercise I chose a 5-song set influenced by the blues. I always think of the blues as the great grandfather of modern music. Since it started in the late 1800s in...
View ArticleSongwriter’s Secrets: How to Write a Song Without an Instrument
If you have been reading the Songwriter’s Secrets series but don’t play a musical instrument you’ve probably been wondering if it is even possible for you to write a good song without an instrument?...
View ArticleHow to Play Chords By Ear: A Roadmap
Have you wished you could hear a song and instantly know what the chords are? To be able to pick up a guitar or sit down at a piano and play along – or maybe improvise a solo over the top? It is...
View ArticleChord Ear Training 101
Dream sequence: you’re preparing to audition for your favorite band. Feeling super-confident, you show up at the rehearsal space and knock on the door. The door opens, and they invite you to join in...
View ArticleHearing Chord Progressions: I, IV, V in Major Keys
With the ability to hear and identify chord progressions, you can walk into a host of musical situations and play along by ear. Last time we took the first step by learning to identify the chord roots...
View ArticleAbout the I, IV, V and vi Chords
Chords sometimes referred to with numbers, and chord progressions as a series of numbers, such as I-IV-V or 1-4-5. Find out what these numbers mean, how to build chords on any note in any key, and how...
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