Live sound engineer Ken “Pooch” Van Druten is pictured sitting behind a mixing console.

Live Sound Engineer: A Day in the Life on Tour

Ken “Pooch” Van Druten has worked as front of house engineer and production master behind Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Justin Bieber, Iron Maiden, KISS, Guns N’ Roses, Linkin Park, and many more. In this course excerpt he details exactly what a an average day (and night) on the job is like. Spoiler: It’s anything but average!

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A piano is shown with holiday lights sparkling on the keys and in the background.

How to Write Original Holiday Songs

’Tis the season to spice up your catalog of originals with holiday songwriting tips courtesy of songwriter Brady Rymer, Berklee Online songwriting instructors Andrea Stolpe and Jimmy Kachulis, as well as Berklee’s Joe Bennett, who helped compose what is winkingly known as “the happiest Christmas song, according to science.”

An illuminated jack o' lantern wearing headphones sits on top of a soundboard surrounded by purple smoke, all to celebrate the spooky music of Halloween.

Scary Music: This Spooky Playlist Will Slay at Your Halloween Party

Faculty members at Berklee Online offer their most haunting and bone-chilling scary music recommendations just in time for Halloween.

Sound engineer Toby Francis stands at the console, mixing front of house for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Sound Engineer Toby Francis on Working FOH for Ariana, Aerosmith, Kanye, and More

Toby Francis wrote his Berklee Online sound engineering course between front-of-house gigs for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In this extensive discussion he shares tales that were a little too gritty for the course.

‘Thinking Out Loud’ about Copyright and Ed Sheeran with E. Michael Harrington

Forensic Musicologist and Berklee Online instructor E. Michael Harrington—a witness in the “Blurred Lines” case—on why he wouldn’t testify that Ed Sheeran violated “Let’s Get It On” copyright. … He was asked twice!

An illustration of a snare drum with a heart on it, two drum sticks in and X formation are behind the snare.

Best Drum Songs—According to Berklee Online Faculty

We polled members of the Drum Department at Berklee on the drum grooves they love the most. Some of the usual suspects are there—Ringo and Bonzo—but some of their choices may surprise you. Drumroll, please! …

A picture of a heart inside the strings of an acoustic guitar, showcasing the love that Berklee Online instructors have for guitar.

Best Guitar Songs—According to Berklee Online Faculty

We polled members of the Guitar Department at Berklee on the guitar-based songs they love the most. Some of the usual suspects are there—Hendrix and Van Halen, etc.—but you may be surprised by some of the songs that strike a chord with your instructors, including some acoustic picks!

Andrea Stolpe

Andrea Stolpe Wins UPCEA Exemplary Teaching Award

Andrea Stolpe has won the 2022 Exemplary Teaching Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. This award honors a professional, continuing, or online education faculty member for outstanding teaching.

Vicente Avella on Exploring the ‘Physics of Light’

Musicians have explored light and darkness since, well, probably the beginning of light and darkness. Or at least since the beginning of music. But composer, pianist, and Berklee Online instructor Vicente Avella is doing something different with his new “Physics of Light” album.

Emmy Award statue close-up

Berklee Online Collaborators Win 2022 Daytime Emmy Award

Berklee Online course authors Brad Hatfield and Gaye Tolan Hatfield have earned a 2022 Daytime Emmy Award, along with Lydia Harrell, Jeff Meegan, and RC Cates, for “Outstanding Original Song.” The winning track is titled “Grateful For It All” and appeared on the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.”