October 23, 2021 October 22, 2021 
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MTT, MTT News & Announcements tagged MTT, MTT community October 21, 2021 One of the more bizarre arguments we keep hearing from people in the music business is that self-promotion is pathetic, because “real, creative work” will speak for itself.
Sure, making great music is essential. But it also needs to get heard somehow. And if anyone knows the value of good marketing, it’s the currently trending artist Lil Nas X.
October 16, 2021 
October 14, 2021 One does not get up in the morning at the age of fifty saying I am going to become a songwriter or musician. Many are born with music in their blood and as a matter fact, it is safe to say that chances are good they hear it in the womb. My interest in music peaked at the age of fifteen when I started writing songs like the ones my grandmother sung around the house.
October 14, 2021 Guest post by Dale McGowan. This article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper.
I was 13 when I saw my brother’s college music theory textbook sitting on a table — Walter Piston’s Harmony. I had played clarinet and sax for a while, even did some arranging for jazz band. So I knew a little theory, but I was barely out of the blocks.
When I picked up the book, it fell open to a section called “Table of Usual Root Progressions.” Clickbait! I traced the words with a trembling finger:
(That’s an actual scan of the actual line in the actual book.)
Whoa.
Music Research, Songwriting tagged composition, music theory, songwriting October 14, 2021 Guest post by Ben Morss of Soundfly’s Flypaper. This article originally appeared on his Rock Theory Blog
This winter, walking my dog in the snow, listening to Spotify’s Top 50 playlist, I heard something striking: a lovely jazzy instrumental touched with pretty jazz guitars, the sound of birds and faraway kids playing, topped by a beautiful, timelessly wandering vocal.
Melodic ideas repeated, but the song didn’t have a clear focus or drive toward a chorus. The vocals soared ridiculously far above the bass. I begged my dog to stay and checked my phone. What was this song, and what was it doing in the Top 50?
It was the latest from SZA, called “Good Days.” I resolved to learn more.
Music Research, Songwriting tagged jazz, music theory, pop October 9, 2021 
October 7, 2021 For many musicians, performing on stage taps into both their deepest desires and their darkest insecurities. That’s why fighting stage fright and achieving a confident stage presence can feel so personal and be so frustrating.
While developing your dream stage presence is a challenge, it is possible! See the seven tips below for concrete ways to build a stronger stage presence.
Advice, Live Music tagged Advice, health, live music, performing October 6, 2021 Yesterday the world was plunged into darkness, the unthinkable happened… Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp went off-line. For a generation of musicians so reliant on social media, it’s interesting to consider what would happen if it never returned?
Social Media tagged Facebook, social media October 5, 2021 Hit Songs Deconstructed kicked off its “Decoding the Hits” masterclass series on Saturday and has made a one-hour segment from the first masterclass available for viewing.
The segment is called The S.A.M. Principle: Serving the Song, the Artist and the Marketplace and focuses on priming every aspect of your song – from melody and hooks, to lyrics and rhymes, to arrangement and production – to serve the song, the artist, and the marketplace to maximize a songs potential chart-topping success.
September 25, 2021 September 25, 2021 
September 24, 2021 Guest post by Carter Lee. This full article originally appeared on Soundfly’s Flypaper
Everyone on the planet has at least a handful of songs that they’d recognize almost instantly if the first few seconds come on. You know you do, can you think of a few songs that might perk your ears up right now?
Sometimes it’s because of that very particular, iconic lick in the intro. Then again, it could be the use of an incredibly unique sound or instrument that only that one song starts with. And, of course, there are some songs that quickly ring a bell because of our personal connections to them.
Listening, Podcasting, Songwriting tagged Listening, music theory, songwriting