Product Details

• Actors: Dan Huckabee
• Directors: Dan Huckabee
• Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Musicians Workshop
• DVD Release Date: January 13, 2003
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000088UNG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,102 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

American Harmonica August 1998 by Phil Lloyd

If you’re looking for a quick method to make the most progress on your instrument, watch the Formula of Music

Product Description

Learn how music really works! Can you hear music? If your answer is no...you can learn! "Whenever I hear a new song on the radio, I already know how to play it the moment I hear it!" It's as easy as watching TV! Music is as simple as first grade math, but a lot more fun! Sounds magic—but the truth is, all good musicians can do that! And so can you, after we've shown you what to listen for. Watching this video will make you musically enlightened! Most of us start by taking a few lessons on an instrument, or by trying to figure out how to play on our own. You will gain an ear for harmony & melody, plus knowledge of the mechanics, as well as the language of musical terms. Everything is laid out in the most logical order, with the easiest examples to practice on. The best thing about it is that it's so much fun, you'll forget you're studying! Be that guy who everyone thinks is a natural-born talent! Now you can learn on your own without being at the mercy of teachers & books. You'll have music in you coming out your ears! Learn ear training, the Nashville Numbering System, Perfect Pitch, history of the formula, voicing, how to figure out the chords to any song, how to recognize intervals, tempered scale, circles of 4ths & 5ths, and much more! It will give you the understanding that the pros have! It's really just 4 years of college music theory condensed down into 2-hours of just watching TV. Find out why those great musicians are so talented and join 'em yourself! It's not such a mystery if you know what you're doing. Split screen close ups & video graphics put it right in your lap! No matter what instrument you are learning, this video Will HELP!!!

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Informative. Learn the structure of music..., January 27, 2005

By 

Mack_T_Knife "dbmcsd" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Understanding the Formula of Music (DVD)

From the Musician's Workshop

This instructional program first came out in 1998 on video, and has been reissued now on DVD. Dan Huckabee has gone to great lengths to demystify how music works. And if you're willing to listen to him, he will succeed in presenting this for you.

One of the more unusual aspects of this product is that there is no book. With no book to supplement the information. Huckabee challenged himself successfully with the task of presenting this information in a way that could be understood as you hear it. He suggests a series of exercises to put these musical concepts to work immediately. And when you apply what he says it can and will make sense. He effectively emphasizes using your ears. His insightful method blends a traditional theoretical approach to understanding music, with the grassroots aural tradition that is common among folk, blues, rock players.

This is a very extensive work, over two hours long covering elementary music fundamentals--scales, chords, harmony. And it expands into more advanced matters of ear training, inversions, intermediate chords, and arranging. In the DVD format, it immediately becomes not only user friendly, but fun to visit and revisit.

Huckabee himself has an extraordinary background--a music degree from the University of North Texas; 1976 National Dobro Champion: toured with the Allman Brothers: and has authored 250 instructional music products. Here's a lifetime of diversified and powerful musical experiences, distilled and clearly presented in two hours.--MM

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Huckabee on the art of music, December 20, 2005

By 

strings2go (WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding the Formula of Music (DVD)

I've been playing guitar and banjo for just about a year now. I own more than a half dozen instructional videos. Besides this Huckabee dvd, I have others by Kaufman, Grossman, Sokolow, Keith, and Star. Although I have found them all to be helpful, I would have to say that the most valuable of the lot is "The Formula of Music."

This set of lessons is very well thought out and executed. Huckabee emphasizes the fundamentals of music theory rather than providing tabs of particular songs. He shows how listening and discerning the orderly structure of music is critical to the development of a good musical understanding. Because his approach is truly foundational, it adds leverage to all one's other efforts to learn an instrument. By teaching the art of music rather than simply presenting particular songs, Huckabee fosters independence in his students.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear, simple and to the point!, February 8, 2008

By 

Johnny (Mandeville, LA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Understanding the Formula of Music (DVD)

Pay no attention to the review with the narration commments, I almost didn't buy this DVD becuause of it.

I'm really glad I did. The delivery is fine *and,* this is as user friendly and clear as you are likely to get .

It starts with a simple, step-by-step approach with enough review that you start to get it after a few minutes.

It's shot in split screen so you see keyboard and guitar examples as he's playing them.

Just have your keyboard or guitar there with you as you watch and hit pause when you want to practice a bit.

The basics are presented in keys and numbers so you see the relationship between chords, notes and keys easily.

This is a very thorough DVD. Moving from the basics to pitch, harmonies 4ths and 5ths...and it will definitely spice up your playing and create new ideas for songs.

I am not a professional musician, but this was a huge help for me in understanding how to become a better songwriter, and what to look for when trying to learn new songs.

Also, I got a keyboard for Christmas but didn't know how to play it. Though this is not a "how to play piano" dvd, I am learning enough to hack my way through a song.

The only critism I could give is that the song examples are not exactly current material. I assume this is to avoid copyright and royalty issues.

Regardless, the melodies are clear enough and the instruction is straight forward and to the point enough that you will understand music theory and if you play any instrument it will help your playing tremendously.