Outside Shore Music
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For those of you eager to learn all you can in order to create your best music, Outside Shore Music is proud to provide a university-quality online experience that grows along with you, without the expense or rigidity of a traditional degree program. Become a Gold-level member and unlock all the benefits of the Outside Shore Music community:
• Our premium music creation courses
◦ Basic Music Theory
◦ Harmony and Chord Progressions
◦ Practical Counterpoint
◦ Jazz Piano Holiday
◦ More to come!
• Regular ongoing workshops covering theory, ear training, composition, improvisation, and more
• Exclusive live face-to-face office hours with Marc Sabatella
• Professional and peer feedback on your music
• Interact and learn with a supportive cohort of fellow musicians
Plus, your Gold-level membership includes all of our acclaimed Mastering MuseScore resources as well:
• Full access to our regular live streams (including chat)
• Our comprehensive Mastering MuseScore course
• A "fast track" path to learn the most important features quickly
• Discussion spaces to interact with fellow MuseScore users
• Premium technical support
• Concierge bug reporting/tracking service
• Learn best practices for music engraving
• Learn techniques for producing braille music
• AI-powered site search facility
• All resources accessible for musicians with visual or hearing impairments
Outcomes
- Mastering the world's most popular music notation software
- Learn music theory, harmony, counterpoint, and more
- Interact with other like-minded musicians and students
- Create your best music!
What's included?
Mastering MuseScore
Step-by-step video lessons covering every major MuseScore feature, with premium support
Musicianship courses
Music Appreciation, Basic Music Theory, Harmony and Chord Progressions, and Practical Counterpoint
Live streams
Interactive sessions with Marc Sabatella for learning MuseScore and music creation
Community
Connect with peers, share music, and learn
Courses
Music Appreciation
11 sections • 92 lessons
1.💡 Key concepts
2.Responding to music
3.Melody
4.Rhythm
5.Harmony and tonality
6.Texture
7.Expression
8.Words and music
1.💡 Key concepts
2.Form
3.The human voice
4.Musical instruments
5.Articulation and techniques
6.Ensembles
7.The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
1.💡 Key concepts
2.Medieval society
3.Plainchant
4.The development of notation
5.The Roman Catholic Mass
6.Secular music
7.Ars Nova
1.💡 Key concepts
2.The Renaissance and Humanism
3.The "Renaissance Man" - Leonardo da Vinci
4.Sacred music
5.Secular vocal music
6.Instrumental music
1.💡 Key concepts
2.The age of absolutism
3.The birth of opera
4.Johann Sebastian Bach
5.Sacred vocal music
6.Instrumental ensemble music
7.Keyboard music
1.💡 Key concepts
2.The Enlightenment
3.Classical forms
4.Franz Joseph Haydn
5.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
6.Mozart: Instrument ensemble music
7.Mozart: Piano music
8.Mozart: Opera
9.Ludwig van Beethoven
10.Beethoven: Ensemble music
11.Beethoven: Piano music
12.Sacred music
1.💡 Key concepts
2.The Romantic spirit
3.The lied
4.Choral music
5.Piano music
6.From salon to stage
7.Program music
8.The symphony
9.Nationalism
10.Ballet
11.Opera
12.Continuing Romanticism
1.💡 Key concepts
2.The sound of "new"
3.Impressionism
4.Orchestral expansion
5.Primitivism
6.Modernist nationalism
7.American voices
8.Atonality and expressionism
9.The Avant-Garde
10.Electronic music
1.💡 Key concepts
2.Oral traditions and improvisation
3.Celtic folk traditions
4.North Indian Hindustani music
5.West African foundations
6.Latin American traditions
1.💡 Key concepts
2.Sacred music in the South
3.Parlor and minstrel songs
4.Marches and ragtime
5.Blues
6.Classic jazz
7.The Great American Songbook
8.Jazz-influenced classical music
9.Modern jazz and Miles Davis
1.💡 Key concepts
2.The contemporary landscape
3.Minimalism
4.Neo-Romanticism
5.Musical theater
6.Film music
7.Video game music
8.Contemporary choral music
Basic Music Theory
11 sections • 77 lessons
1.Welcome
2.Accessibility: General information
3.Tour
4.Resources
5.External supplemental material
1.What is music theory?
2.Music notation systems
3.Staff notation
1.Pitch: Overview
2.Note names
3.Accidentals
4.Treble clef
5.Bass clef
6.musictheory.net exercise: Note identification 1
7.C clefs
8.musictheory.net exercise: Note identification 2
9.Notation rules: Pitch
10.🔬Modes
11.🔬Analysis: Greensleeves
1.Rhythm: Overview
2.Note and rest values
3.Meter: Basics
4.Meter: Classification
5.Ties
6.Tuplets
7.Rhythmic patterns: Simple duple
8.Rhythmic patterns: Simple triple
9.Rhythmic patterns: Compound
10.Rhythm Syllables
11.🔬Syncopation
12.Notation rules: Simple duple meter
13.Notation rules: Triple and compound meter
1.Other notations: Overview
2.Staves and systems
3.Multiple voices
4.Dynamics
5.Repeats
6.Almost everything else
1.Major scales and keys: Overview
2.Major scales
3.musictheory.net exercise: Scale construction
4.Major keys
5.Circle of fifths
6.Key signatures
7.musictheory.net exercise: Key signature identification
8.🔬 Major keys in practice
1.Chromatic scales and intervals: Overview
2.Chromatic scales
3.Intervals
4.musictheory.net exercise: Interval identification
5.Interval construction
6.musictheory.net exercise: Interval construction
7.🔬 Consonance and dissonance
1.Minor scales and keys: Overview
2.Natural minor scales
3.musictheory.net exercise: Key signature identification
4.Minor keys
5.Other minor scales
6.musictheory.net exercise: Scale construction
7.🔬 Relative minor and major in practice
1.Chords: Overview
2.Triads
3.Inversion and voicing
4.musictheory.net exercise: Triad identification
5.Roman numeral analysis: Diatonic triads in root position
6.Roman numeral analysis: Other triads
7.Seventh chords: Construction
8.Seventh chords: Analysis
9.musictheory.net exercise: Seventh chord identification
10.Chord symbols: Basics
11.🔬 Chord symbols: Extensions and modifiers
1.Introduction to melody and harmony: Overview
2.Chord and non-chord tones
3.Voice leading
4.Chord function in major keys
5.Chord function in minor keys
6.🔬 Bonus lesson: Parallel fifths and octaves
Harmony and Chord Progressions
11 sections • 74 lessons
1.Welcome
1.Tour
2.Accessibility
3.Resources
4.Examples
1.Basic principles: Overview
2.Harmonic rhythm
3.Chord and non-chord tones
4.Classification of non-chord tones
5.Chord voicing
6.Voice leading
7.Part writing
8.Chromaticism
9.Bonus: Jazz chord voicing
10.Analysis: Chord identification (chorale)
11.Analysis: Chord identification (piano)
12.Project 1: Melody over chord progression
13.Project 2: SATB completion
14.Project 3: Piano chord voicings
1.Diatonic chords: Overview
2.Primary triads
3.Function in major keys
4.Function in minor keys
5.Cadences
6.Circle of fifths
7.Use of inversions
8.Project 4: Owning the I, IV, and V chords
9.Project 5: Diatonic reharmonization
10.Analysis: Diatonic harmonization (chorale)
1.Secondary dominants: Overview
2.Triads
3.Seventh chords
4.Extended tonicization
5.Bonus: Inversions in practice
6.Project 6: Secondary dominant scavenger hunt
7.Project 7: Harmonization with secondary dominants
8.Analysis: Secondary dominants in a minor key
1.Borrowed chords: Overview
2.Parallel major and minor keys
3.Use in minor keys
4.Use in major keys
5.Demonstration: Analysis
6.Project 8: Finding opportunities for borrowed chords
7.Project 9: Original piece
1.Other chromatic harmony: Overview
2.Diminished approach chords
3.Bonus: Diminished approaches to ii
4.Pedal point
5.Analysis: Diminished approach chords and pedal point
6.Project 10: Harmonization with diminished approach chords
7.Augmented sixth chords
8.Neapolitan
9.Tritone substitution
10.Analysis: Augmented sixth chords
11.Project 11: Harmonization with augmented sixth chords
12.Bonus demonstration: Tritone substitutions in a jazz standard
1.Modulation: Overview
2.Fundamentals
3.Methods
4.Related keys
5.Distant keys
6.Project 12: Big picture harmonic analysis
1.Common idioms: Overview
2.Cadences
3.Precadences
4.Static progressions
5.Project 13: Harmonization with common idioms
1.Final project
1.Conclusion: Overview
2.Bonus: Reunion
3.Bonus: America the Beautiful, Part 1
4.Bonus: America the Beautiful, Part 2
5.Bonus: Jazz Pathétique (2nd movement)
6.Bonus: In the Bleak Mid-Winter
Practical Counterpoint
7 sections • 75 lessons
1.Welcome
2.Course features
3.Spring 2024 cohort
4.Resources
1.Basic principles: Overview
2.Texture
3.Consonance and dissonance
4.Voice leading
5.Contrapuntal motion
6.Examples: Classical
7.Examples: Rock
8.Examples: Jazz
9.Analysis: Two-part piece
1.Counterpoint in two parts: Overview
2.Interdependence
3.First species (1:1)
4.Demonstration: First species
5.Second species (2:1)
6.Third species (Many:1)
7.Demonstration: Second/Third species
8.Fourth species (Offset)
9.Common suspensions
10.Demonstration: Fourth species
11.Fifth species (Florid)
12.Invertible counterpoint
13.Demonstration: Fifth species, invertible
14.Analysis: Vocal duet
15.Demonstration: Contrapuntal accompaniment
1.Counterpoint in three or more parts: Overview
2.Combinations
3.Variety
4.Triads
5.Dissonance
6.Doubling
7.Function
8.Demonstration: Adding a third part
1.Imitation: Overview
2.Real and tonal imitation
3.Sequence
4.Augmentation and diminution
5.Inversion
6.Retrograde
7.Analysis: Two-part invention
8.Demonstration: Inventionette
9.Stretto
10.Canon in two parts
11.Canon in three or more parts
12.Analysis: Accompanied canon
13.Canon construction
1.Renaissance motet: Overview
2.Melodic and rhythmic language
3.Harmonic language
4.Form
5.Voice relationships
6.Demonstration: Modal melody
7.Demonstration: Motet part 1
8.Demonstration: Motet part 2
9.Demonstration: Motet part 3
1.Baroque fugue: Overview
2.Melodic and rhythmic language
3.Harmonic language
4.Use of dissonance
5.Form
6.Subject
7.Answer
8.Countersubject
9.Additional responses
10.Middle entries
11.Episodes
12.Conclusion
13.Subject construction
14.Demonstration: Subject and answer
15.Demonstration: Exposition
16.Demonstration: Development
17.Demonstration: Conclusion
Mastering MuseScore 4
22 sections • 188 lessons
1.🏎️ Welcome
2.🧑🦯Accessibility: General information
3.🏎️ Tour
4.🏎️ Resources
5.Workshop - MuseScore 4 Jump Start
1.Installing MuseScore (Windows/macOS)
2.Installing MuseScore (Linux/Chromebook)
3.🧑🦯Accessibility: Installing MuseScore
1.🏎️ Your first score
2.Keyboard shortcuts
3.🧑🦯Accessibility: Score setup
4.🧑🦯Accessibility: Entering music
5.🧑🦯Accessibility: Adding markings
1.🏎️ The user interface
2.🧑🦯Accessibility: The user interface
3.🏎️ Navigating your score
4.Timeline
1.🏎️ Setting up your score
2.🏎️ Entering notes and rests
3.🏎️ Chords
4.🏎️ Accidentals
5.🏎️ Ties
6.🏎️ Tuplets
7.Additional tuplet features
8.🏎️ Working with multiple voices
9.Rests in multiple voices
10.Alternative note input methods
11.Real-time MIDI input
12.Additional note input features
1.🏎️ Adding and removing measures
2.🏎️ Selecting elements
3.Additional selection features
4.🏎️ Making changes in note input mode
5.🏎️ Making changes in normal mode
6.🏎️ Deleting notes and rests
7.Changing voices
8.🏎️ Copy and paste
9.Additional copying features
10.🏎️ Using the palettes
11.Additional palette features
12.🏎️ Properties panel
13.🏎️ General properties
14.🏎️ Changing position of elements
15.🏎️ Changing shape of elements
16.🏎️ Working with lines
1.🏎️ Adding and removing instruments
2.Working with instruments
3.Mid-score instrument changes
4.🏎️ Parts
5.Additional part features
6.Staves
7.Showing staves only where needed
8.Cutaway staves and ossia
9.Staff properties
10.Part properties
11.Staff type change
12.Implode and explode
13.Brackets
1.🏎️ Time signatures
2.Local time signatures
3.Additional time signature features
4.🏎️ Stems and beams
5.Additional stem and flag features
6.Additional beam features
7.Regroup rhythms
8.🏎️ Barlines
9.Additional barline features
10.Measure numbering
11.Measure and multimeasure rests
12.🏎️ Pickup and split measures
13.Non-metered music
14.Measure properties
1.🏎️ Clefs
2.Additional clef features
3.🏎️ Key signatures
4.Non-traditional key signatures
5.Additional key signature features
6.🏎️ Transposing music
7.🏎️ Working with transposing instruments
8.Key simplification
9.Enharmonic spelling
10.🏎️ Octave lines
11.Noteheads
12.Ambitus
1.🏎️ Dynamics and hairpins
2.Additional dynamic and hairpin features
3.🏎️ Articulations and ornaments
4.Additional ornament features
5.🏎️ Slurs
6.🏎️ Breaths and pauses
7.Arpeggios
8.Glissandi
9.Bends and slides
10.🏎️ Grace notes
11.Tremolo and rolls
12.Other symbols
1.🏎️ Repeat signs
2.🏎️ Voltas
3.🏎️ Capo, segno, fine, and coda
4.Measure and beat repeats
5.Additional repeat features
1.🏎️ Piano pedal
2.Harp pedal
3.🏎️ Cross-staff notation
4.Additional keyboard features
1.Fretboard diagrams
2.Additional fretboard diagram features
3.Capo
4.Guitar techniques
5.🏎️ Tablature basics
6.Creating a tablature staff
7.🏎️ Entering tablature notation
8.Editing tablature notation
9.Alternate tunings
10.Early music tablature
11.Custom tablature styles
1.🏎️ Entering and editing percussion notation
2.Drumset customization
3.Additional percussion features
1.🏎️ Slash notation
2.Mensurstrich notation
3.Mensural and plainchant notation
1.🏎️ Entering and editing text
2.🏎️ Formatting text
3.Custom text styles
4.🏎️ Types of text
5.🏎️ Tempo markings
6.Additional tempo features
7.🏎️ Lyrics
8.Importing and exporting lyrics
9.Additional lyric features
10.🏎️ Chord symbols
11.Chord symbol navigation
12.Additional chord symbol features
13.Roman numeral analysis
14.Nashville numbers
15.Figured bass
16.🏎️ Fingering
17.Additional fingering features
18.Header and footer
1.🏎️ Definitions and concepts
2.Positioning and auto-place
3.🏎️ Score and staff size
4.Element scaling
5.Systems and horizontal layout
6.🏎️ Adjusting content of systems
7.Adding space within systems
8.Pages and vertical layout
9.🏎️ Adjusting content of pages
10.🏎️ Using frames for additional content
11.Additional layout features
12.Working with images
13.Using sections for multiple pieces within a score
1.🏎️ Playback controls
2.🏎️ Mixer
3.🏎️ Using Muse Sounds
4.🏎️ Using SoundFonts
5.Using VST instruments
6.Using effects
7.Customizing playback
1.🏎️ Opening and saving scores
2.Save to cloud
3.🏎️ Publish to musescore.com
4.Working with online scores
5.Project properties
6.Exporting to other formats
7.Share on audio.com
8.Importing from MusicXML
9.Importing from MIDI
10.Backup and auto save
11.Fixing corrupted files
1.General appearance
2.Toolbars and panels
3.🏎️ Palettes
4.Workspaces
5.🏎️ Keyboard shortcuts
6.🏎️ Templates and styles
7.Plugins
8.Additional customization features
1.About these tutorials
2.Piano music - part 1
3.Piano music - part 2
4.Choral score - part 1
5.Choral score - part 2
1.Overview
2.User interface changes
3.Other feature differences
4.Playback changes
Who is this for?
- Composers and arrangers seeking beautiful scores and realistic playback
- Music students looking for a university-quality education
- Musicians looking for connect and learn with others
About the creator
Marc Sabatella
Founder and director, Outside Shore Music
My name is Marc Sabatella, and I am the founder and director of Outside Shore Music - one of the longest-running music education websites in the world. From the publication of my groundbreaking Jazz Improvisation Primer in the 1990's, to my years on...