Songcraft
The Chorus Feels Wider: What Arrangement Can Change Without Adding Volume
Learn how chorus arrangement can feel wider through register, spacing and instrumental density, without simply turning…
The listening shelf
All articles
Explore writing on songcraft, instruments, recording, listening and music history. Each piece starts with a particular musical question and follows it closely.
Instruments
Plectrum or Fingers: Two Ways to Shape a Guitar Part
Plectrum or fingers changes a guitar part’s attack and role. Compare the same phrase clearly, then choose the touch…
Music History
From Live Rooms to Multitrack Recording: How Studios Changed
Trace the history of multitrack recording from early disc sessions to tape, and hear how each studio method changed…
Listening
The Myth of the Perfect First Listen
The perfect first listen can miss a song’s character. Learn how a few focused replays reveal its shape, sound and…
Listening
A Listening Session for a Rainy Afternoon: Follow One Instrument
A listening session for a rainy afternoon can reveal how one instrument enters, changes role and leaves room for…
Our listening point
Every sound is a choice worth hearing.
We look at music with curiosity rather than a scorecard, noticing how small decisions can change the whole listening experience.