All Articles

  • Four Musicians Who Are Reinventing the Piano

    Four Musicians Who Are Reinventing the Piano

    We at Soundfly love the piano. In many ways, it’s the Mother of Modern Instruments, a musical Khaleesi that’s ruled the stage for hundreds of years. Since its birth in the 1700s, the piano has appeared in almost every style of music you can think of — jazz, rock, classical, blues, cat music — and been played…

    Read more

  • Off Notes: A Magical Combination

    Off Notes: A Magical Combination

    Happy Friday! Some of our all-time favorite musical combinations come from artists referencing their idols or putting songs and styles they love into their own musical voice. This week we found remixes and covers all over the web, resulting in genre-bending collaborations that have turned music we thought we knew into something else entirely. Check out Guns…

    Read more

  • What the Heck Is a Guzheng?

    What the Heck Is a Guzheng?

    The guzheng (古筝) is one of my favorite instruments in the world. An ancient Chinese plucked-string instrument, today it’s featured prominently in both classical Chinese and modern international compositions. I think of the guzheng as a perfectly balanced mix between a harp and a zither. + Read more: Curious what the heck a theremin, shruti box, djembe, or glockenspiel…

    Read more

  • What Is Jazz Worth, Anymore?

    What Is Jazz Worth, Anymore?

    I love jazz. I love playing jazz, listening to jazz, shedding jazz, and talking with other people who love jazz, about jazz. I recently released, with my group the PLS.trio, a new modern jazz record in the style of greats such as Pat Metheny and Esbjorn Svensson. According to a review by All About Jazz, our music takes…

    Read more

  • DIY Touring Course Now on YouTube!

    DIY Touring Course Now on YouTube!

    All 17 episodes of Soundfly’s “Touring on a Shoestring” course are now available on YouTube! Check out the full playlist here. With Soundfly courses on YouTube, you can easily share single videos, embed them in your own blog, or binge watch the whole series in a single sitting! And you can skip forward through the…

    Read more

  • Off Notes: Golden Oldies

    Off Notes: Golden Oldies

    Happy Friday! This week turned out to be a nostalgic one here at Soundfly HQ — so many of my submissions came from the archives! We spent the beginning of the week exploring the history of Abbey Road, found out mid-week about the Full House reunion, and just yesterday stumbled across the Cher, Elton John, and Bette Midler…

    Read more

  • How to Improve Your Well-Being through Music

    How to Improve Your Well-Being through Music

    Dr. Victoria Williamson still remembers the first time she saw the brain scan of someone who was listening to their favorite piece of music. The scan showed a scene of intense activation — it looked like the entire brain was lit up and buzzing. The moment confirmed something she’s always believed and has since spent…

    Read more

  • Keyboard Buyer’s Guide

    Keyboard Buyer’s Guide

    So you’ve been checking out some piano lessons online (shameless plug: our beginner piano courses are totally free!) and you’ve decided to dive into the deep end. Congratulations! You’re taking the first major step toward complete keyboard wizardry! Here are some quick tips to help you on your way to buying the best instrument for your lifestyle…

    Read more

  • Off Notes: Unexpected Sounds

    Off Notes: Unexpected Sounds

    Happy Friday! Can you 3D print music? What does a Wikipedia update sound like? What does Bowie’s “Life on Mars” look like? This week we found answers to all these questions and more. Hearing music in the distinctly non-musical is a fascinating source of inspiration and has led to some stunning creations. Also, we have David Hasselhoff’s latest hit…

    Read more

  • Musicality and Improv at Tiger Speak’s Hip-Hop Jam

    Musicality and Improv at Tiger Speak’s Hip-Hop Jam

    Carter Lee and Michael Summer are the minds behind Brooklyn’s Playground Sessions Hip-Hop Jam and its host band, Tiger Speak. The concept behind the jam is an intriguing one — a live band, complete with vocals, horns, and a rhythm section, plays a set of music tributing a hip-hop legend and then the stage is opened up…

    Read more