Six top tips on how to raise your game in becoming a more professional performer in music. Many people get as far as playing or singing notes accurately but if you really want to play with greater technical facility and with more...

Many musicians across the world enter for music exams. If you’re taking an exam how best can you prepare and what are the things to consider so you can give your best on the day? This music performance lesson reflects on Gareth's decades...

Many musicians have tried everything in their powers to memorize music but feel very frustrated when the task cannot be mastered. Even though most musicians don’t actually need to memorize music, some do and there are benefits for all in...

How to read chords on a lead sheet on the piano. Many pieces of music are presented in lead sheet format i.e. where a melodic line is printed with chord symbols above. What do these symbols mean and how does one play from a lead sheet?...

Many musicians find themselves in the position of piano accompanist, often by choice but sometimes reluctantly. This music performance lesson offers top tips in relation to becoming a more confident accompanist. You may be an experienced...

Does it really take 10,000 hours to master the piano? This music performance lesson explores the theory that 10,000 hours is what is needed to produce a great pianist. The idea comes from Malcolm Gladwell, that it takes about 10000 hours...

How to grasp extended chords and chromatic chords from a Lead Sheet. Using the opening section of the jazz standard “Fly me to the moon” you will learn how to read a rich chord language and how to organise the spacing and texture of...

Are you nervous about your music exam? Many people get very nervous when it comes to taking a music exam. In this music performance lesson we begin by exploring the most common symptoms that people experience before going on to consider...

Singing tips for music exams and aural tests. Lots of musicians find themselves being asked to sing, even when they don’t consider themselves singers. For example you may be asked to sing in the Aural Tests for a music exam and you may...

Solfege and Tonic Sol Fa. What is it, and how is it used? Many musicians use sol fa. Others have heard about it but are not sure how it works. In this music performance lesson, we explain the sol fa system and how it can transfer from...

Discover how to read and play a piece of music that contains changing time signatures. Have you ever struggled to read a piece that switches between time signatures such as 2/4 4/4 3/8 5/8? This music performance lesson takes such a...

How to bring musical refinement to your playing and composing by balancing textures. When we are performing, balancing textures well can add an extra dimension to our playing or singing. Performers who fail to consider the balancing of...

Why should you be practising with a metronome? Good rhythm and tempo are essential for all musicians. Find out how the metronome can help you practice. In this music performance lesson we consider the value of using a metronome....

What does a lead sheet look like and how do you play from one? This music performance lesson takes you through the first eight bars of a famous Standard, “Lullaby of Birdland”, explaining how a lead sheet works, unpacking how to read...

How to improve your piano accompaniments. This music performance lesson explores how to bring piano accompaniments to life when you simply have a set of chords to read. When piano and other keyboard players read a melody from a lead...

Music Matters demonstrates Interpreting a Lead Sheet with Style

How to play ornaments on the piano. We take a melody and fill it with the most commonly used ornaments, explaining what all the different signs for musical ornaments are and how each should be played. The lesson covers the Trill, the...

In music exams credit is often given to candidates who can play their scales and arpeggios with shape. What does it mean to play scales and arpeggios with shape? This music performance video explores how to grade crescendos and...

So why must every musician sing? Because every musician deserves to reach their full musical potential. This music performance lesson considers the broad benefits of singing for our mental, physical, and emotional health then goes on to...

Jacob Collier is a one-man band and force of nature. In a dynamic, colorful performance, he recreates the magical room at his home in London where he produces music, performing three songs in which he sings every part and plays every...

Get better at sight reading with these expert tips and techniques, suitable for candidates preparing for ABRSM exams. How good are you at Sight Reading? It’s an area that many musicians worry about. In music exams, quite often it turns...

Never been quite sure what the pentatonic scale is? Know what the pentatonic scale is but not sure how to use it? Want to improvise or compose a really effective piece without having to know much about theory or chords? Get creative with...

Always wanted to compose or improvise a professional accompaniment to a melody on the piano? In this music performance lesson we consider not only how to fit chords to a melody but also how to come up with a really effective...

Live music performed during sunset at the top of Whistler mountainCredit: Philippa Jenkins/The Independent