Shadowing Practice: Relax and enjoy: Talking about music (Adv) | SBS Learn English - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
231 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Relax and Enjoy is a breezy summer collection of episodes made to keep you company during our summer break.
2
The episode you're about to hear was first released in May 23 and it's all about music.
3
Chat about songs you love and learn the phrase to catch a gig for those concerts you just can't miss.
4
Learning English helps me to talk about music.
5
SBS acknowledges the traditional custodians of country and their connections and continuous care for the skies,
6
lands and waterways throughout Australia.
7
My name is Josipa and I think you are going to love this episode
8
because we will learn to talk about a timeless, universal language that everyone can understand.
9
Yes, you've got it.
10
We are going to talk about music.
11
Does that strike a chord with you?
12
If something strikes a chord with us, it creates a strong and personal connection.
13
And we can use this phrase to strike a chord when talking about anything, not just music.
14
We can use it when experiences or words really touch us and bring back memories or familiar feelings,
15
just like a beautiful chord, a group of notes, played on a musical instrument.
16
And talking about musical instruments, our producer from Melbourne, Dori Wang,
17
met with a very special person who knows a lot about it.
18
My name's Ben.
19
I am a professional conductor of orchestras and I'm the principal conductor in residence at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
20
So that's my main job here in Melbourne.
21
Ben sounds fun and I can't wait to hear what a professional conductor really does.
22
I'm sure there's more to his job than just waving his hands in front of an orchestra.
23
We'll hear from him and Dory later.
24
Now it's time for us to expand our English skills and practice phrases that can help us talk about music.
25
As you will hear, Alan and Claire have hit the right note.
26
That is, they have done something exactly right.
27
They have prepared a set of phrases that fits perfectly with our topic today.
28
The phrase, to hit the right note, means to do or say something that is exactly appropriate for a particular situation.
29
Let's first hear how they are talking about going to see a live performance performance.
30
Hey, there's a cool band doing 80s covers this weekend.
31
I'm keen to catch their gig.
32
Do you want to come along?
33
Sure, I'd love to.
34
I love all those 1980 classics I can bop along to.
35
It'll be a blast.
36
Awesome, Claire.
37
It's gonna be epic.
38
I'd love to join Alan and Claire to hear that exciting band.
39
The band they are talking about will be performing a repertoire of songs from the 1980s.
40
A repertoire is the collection of songs that musicians can play.
41
But before I ask them if I can come along, let's look into the phrases they used.
42
Alan said, Hey, there's a cool band doing 80s covers this weekend, and I'm keen to catch their gig.
43
These covers are songs that were popular in the 1980s that are being performed or recorded by a different artist or band.
44
In music, a cover is a new interpretation of an existing song performed by a different artist or group.
45
Alan also said, I'm keen to catch their gig.
46
If you're keen to catch a gig, you really want to go to a concert.
47
very eager to attend a gig is a live performance by a musician
48
or group but it can also mean a temporary often informal job for example
49
if i have just started a casual job delivering food i could say i've started doing some food delivery gigs
50
but let's go back talking about music a gig is usually used for bands,
51
while concert is often used for classical music, theatre and musicals.
52
Claire said, Sure, I'd love to.
53
I love all those 1980 classics I can bop along to.
54
It'll be a blast.
55
Classic tunes are popular songs from the past that are well known and still well loved.
56
To bob along to music means to dance along in time to the music.
57
It'll be a blast.
58
If you are having a blast, you are having a great time.
59
Now let's hear how Ellen and Claire talk about contemporary music.
60
That is, music that is currently being created and played.
61
Hey mate, have you heard that new album by Tash Sultana?
62
Yeah, I gave it a listen.
63
I love it.
64
It's got such a chilled vibe.
65
Perfect for a lazy Sunday arvo.
66
Totally agree.
67
I'm really into them.
68
Plenty to learn from this dialogue, so let's go straight to work.
69
Claire said...
70
Hey mate, have you heard that new album by Tash Sultana?
71
This is a casual way of asking someone if they are aware of or have listened to a recently released album,
72
a collection of songs, by an artist called Tash Sultana.
73
Yeah, I gave it a listen.
74
It's got such a chilled vibe, perfect for a lazy Sunday arvo.
75
If something has a chilled vibe, it is very calming and relaxed.
76
And when something is perfect for a lazy arvo,
77
it is an ideal fit for a leisurely Sunday afternoon when people often want to relax.
78
Totally agree.
79
I'm really into them.
80
If you're really into something, you really like it a lot.
81
Contemporary music is modern and reflects current trends and styles
82
From K-pop and rock to Indian electronic and so much more Contemporary music is constantly evolving Classical music,
83
in contrast, has stood the test of time
84
This means that although it was written in the past People still love it and still listen to it
85
I know Claire is a big fan of classical music.
86
Not sure about Alan, though.
87
Let's find out.
88
Have you ever listened to classical music?
89
Not really.
90
What's so special about it?
91
Classical music is timeless and has a rich history.
92
I went to a performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra last night.
93
The conductor was amazing.
94
Sounds interesting.
95
What piece did they play?
96
They performed Beethoven's Symphony No. 5.
97
It was stunning.
98
The precision and dynamics of the orchestra were impressive.
99
As I thought, Alan, like me, is not very familiar with classical music.
100
So we have to learn from Claire.
101
She said...
102
Classical music is timeless and has a rich history.
103
Timeless means something that still feels current and relevant, even though it might be old.
104
So timeless music is not affected by the passage of time.
105
People still love to listen to it, even though it was written a long time ago.
106
We can say it has stood the test of time.
107
So when talking about music, we can say that a piece of music is timeless
108
if people still listen it and enjoy it even though it was written a long time ago.
109
Alan then asked Claire.
110
What piece did they play?
111
In music, a piece is an individual song or composition.
112
And do you know the difference between a song and composition?
113
Songs typically include lyrics.
114
That is, they have words that are meant to be sung with vocals.
115
If a piece has vocals, it means that someone is singing.
116
Songs usually have a melody and lyrics can sometimes tell a story.
117
But we can use the word composition to refer to any type of musical work, whether or not it has lyrics.
118
If it doesn't have any, we can call it an instrumental piece.
119
Compositions are not limited to a particular genre,
120
but can include anything from experimental or electronic music to pop songs to symphonies to solo pieces.
121
Symphonies are larger musical pieces written for and usually played by a full orchestra,
122
while solos are musical performances by a single instrument or voice.
123
Claire said she went to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's performance of
124
That's Beethoven's Symphony No. 5,
125
one of the best known compositions in classical music and one of the most frequently played symphonies.
126
Classical pieces like this one are also called works.
127
For example, after listening to this symphony, you could say, what a moving work.
128
If a work is moving, then it strikes a chord with us, it touches our feelings.
129
And I guess it is a lot of work to write and play something like that.
130
Do you remember what Claire said about the orchestra's performance?
131
The precision and dynamics of the orchestra were impressive.
132
This means that the orchestra played with great accuracy and control,
133
and that their ability to vary how loud and softly the instruments played was impressive.
134
This is very important when so many artists are playing together in an orchestra, and it is often the conductor who makes all the difference,
135
because he or she are conducting and directing how the different instruments are played.
136
Our superstar producer, Dori Vang, spoke to Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's principal conductor-in-residence, Ben Northey.
137
This is what she asked him first.
138
What does a conductor really do?
139
Well, it's weird, isn't it?
140
Because people might see a conductor on TV or in a movie
141
and they're just waving their arms around in front of an orchestra and everyone thinks, what are they doing?
142
What's going on?
143
How is that possibly making a difference to the music?
144
Because it does look kind of weird, I have to say.
145
But there's a language that we're using that's nonverbal.
146
You know, it's interesting talking to your audience about this
147
because it's about body language and that's a big part of communication, isn't it?
148
You know, and conductors, we communicate without words all the time.
149
So my job with the musicians, and sometimes I'm standing in front of an orchestra of 100 musicians together,
150
and they have to make music as one thing, as one orchestra, not a hundred individuals.
151
And to do that, sometimes they need a conductor to follow.
152
So I'm like a unifier.
153
I'm somebody who brings the orchestra together.
154
I do that by giving them the tempo or the speed of the music.
155
So with my right hand, I'm beating time.
156
So I mark the beats of a bar.
157
So if the music is big, big, big, big, I show this with the beats of my right hand.
158
And then I can also show many other things that affect the way they play,
159
such as the dynamics, like the louds and the softs of the music.
160
All kinds of different articulations of notes.
161
So shorts and longs and smooth and, you know, kind of angle, the phrases, all kinds of things you can show as a conductor.
162
I tell you one thing I would say, going to a live concert is different than listening to music on your device.
163
Because you're sharing the experience with other people at the same time.
164
So that collective experience of hearing the music together
165
and feeling the same things perhaps at the same time and just seeing musicians make music in real time, it's a totally different thing.
166
You know, seeing how music is made.
167
Like when we have children, for example, come along and see the orchestra for the first time, some of them have never understood how the sounds are made.
168
They don't understand there's people behind those instruments.
169
and that's the best thing about music.
170
It's the humanity of the music.
171
It comes through the instrument and then we're communicating with each other as human beings.
172
And that's what I love about the connection of a live concert.
173
There's nothing like it.
174
It's magic.
175
It's different.
176
And you always walk away inspired.
177
You know, you feel better about the world.
178
It's like you've had a good feeling, a good experience.
179
Yeah.
180
So what's your favorite music genre?
181
And what do you enjoy most about it?
182
Well, I love classical music because that's my job.
183
I love classical music because of the emotional response I get from it.
184
And I find it really interesting and intellectually challenging.
185
You know, it makes my mind work.
186
But I also sometimes don't want to listen on that level.
187
I just want to hear something that's going to relax me.
188
And so I might listen to, you know, some soft piano jazz music or something.
189
Or like my kids, they love electronic music that's all computer games
190
and sometimes we listen to that in the car
191
and we're all kind of like bopping away to the music
192
and so every music's got a place where it I think it works you know and
193
even the just the non-western musical world is vast and an area
194
that I don't understand everything about you know so I'm learning about
195
that you know Indian classical music
196
or all of the Asian musical cultures like Chinese music we're doing many more of these collaborations.
197
First Nations, Indigenous music here in Australia, we're all on this kind of discovery together about different music.
198
That's what I see music as doing.
199
It can bring us together.
200
So it has a social function.
201
It makes us understand, it builds understanding between cultures because we all share music.
202
I agree with Ben.
203
Music brings us together, much like learning English does.
204
So, let's practice phrases we covered in this episode.
205
See if you remember the meaning before hearing the answer.
206
What does it mean to strike a chord?
207
To strike a chord means to strongly connect with someone's emotions or experiences.
208
What does it mean to hit the right note?
209
To hit the right note means to do or say something that's exactly appropriate or well suited for a particular situation.
210
You can join me now in repeating after Claire and Alan phrases we can use when talking about contemporary music.
211
Hey, there's a cool band doing 80s covers this weekend.
212
I'm keen to catch their gig.
213
I love all those 1980 classics I can bop along to.
214
It'll be a blast.
215
It's going to be epic.
216
Have you heard the new album by Tash Sultana?
217
It's got such a chilled vibe.
218
Perfect for a lazy Sunday arvo.
219
I'm really into them.
220
We also covered some phrases to talk about classical music.
221
Classical music is timeless and has a rich history.
222
I went to a performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra last night.
223
The precision and dynamics of the orchestra were impressive.
224
The conductor was amazing.
225
What a moving work!
226
For learning notes and transcripts, visit the SBS Learn English website, where you can also find a quiz to test your listening and understanding skills.
227
And if you want to get in touch with us, reach out on Facebook.
228
We are SBS Learn English.
229
I'm Josipa.
230
Thank you for learning English with me.
231
SPS Learn English helps Australians to speak, understand and connect.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
A21
Bonus Practice: #104 Talking about school exams | NAPLAN | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A2Bonus Practice: #118 Losing a job (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A22
Bonus Practice: #111 Water problems at home? Talking to a plumber (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Bonus Practice: #115 Working on the side (Med) | SBS Learn English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
#108 Talking about the cost of living | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Bonus Practice: #102 Getting organised (Med) | SBS Learn English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B1قسمت SBS Learn English ۱۰۷: محافظت از حیاتوحش | صحبت درباره طبیعت و حیوانات | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B1MiniPod: Man On! | Words we use | SBS Learn English
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
#105 Celebrating small wins at work | SBS Learn English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B12
Bonus Practice: #119 Talking about hay fever (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B11
Bonus Practice: #108 Talking about the cost of living | SBS Learn English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
Bonus Practice: #103 Talking about online dating (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B1How to answer the 2026 Census English proficiency question | Bonus episode | SBS Learn English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
A22
Bonus Practice: #110 Trying on shoes (Med) | SBS Learn English
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B12
Bonus Practice: #109 Talking about ageing parents (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A22
MiniPod: Call it a day | Words we use | SBS Learn English
Business EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B1Bonus Practice: #106 Mmm or Hmm? Trying new and unusual food | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B11
Bonus Practice: #114 Talking about the Census and data security (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
Bonus Practice: #116 Visiting a vet (Med) | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
#106 Mmm or Hmm? Trying new and unusual food | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B23
248 sentences
B2 English Conversation: Why Can't We Relax?
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
48 sentences
Speak Out B2. Unit 3D. BBC Street Interview. 3rd edition.
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B288
31 sentences
Luyện nghe tiếng anh về những câu chuyện hằng ngày cùng imleafsun - Section 11 | English Corner
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B12
64 sentences
REPLAY: American English Sentence Rhythm | Clap 👏 Your Way to Better Rhythm! #americanaccent
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B27
38 sentences
UNIT 9 CD2 TRACK 2 COMPLETE FIRST
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B12
16 sentences
English in a Minute: Music to My Ears
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B24
303 sentences
Learn Real Life English: My Hobbies
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B22
158 sentences
English Phrases for Daily Conversation (Practice Small Talk!)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B19,632
11 sentences
How to Improve Your English by Listening to Music
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B26
80 sentences
Can You Understand This English? | Advanced Listening Practice
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B212
16 sentences
Luyện nghe tiếng anh chủ đề: A Relaxing time #luyệnnghetiếnganh#learning
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Relax and enjoy: Talking about music”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: orchestra, classical, conductor, Claire, song. This video has 231 sentences and 2453 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:16. The speaker talks at a steady 127 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| orchestra noun | /ˈɔː.kɪs.tɹə/ | A large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including some from strings, woodwind, brass and/or percussion; the instruments… |
| conductor noun | /kənˈdʌktɚ/ | One who conducts or leads; a guide; a director. |
| symphony noun | /ˈsɪm.fə.ni/ | An extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra. |
| timeless adjective | Eternal. | |
| chord noun | /kɔɹd/ | A harmonic set of three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. |
| bind verb | /ˈbaɪ̯nd/ | To tie; to confine by any ligature. |
| musician noun | /mjuˈzɪʃən/ | A composer, conductor, or performer of music; specifically, a person who sings and/or plays a musical instrument as a hobby, occupation, or profession. |
| keen adjective | /kin/ | Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested. |
| arvo noun | /ˈɐː.vəʉ/ | Afternoon. |
| vibe noun | /vaɪb/ | An atmosphere or aura felt to belong to a person, place or thing. |
| dynamics noun | /dɑɪˈnæm.ɪks/ | The branch of mechanics that is concerned with the effects of forces on the motion of objects. |
| chill verb | /tʃɪl/ | To lower the temperature of something; to cool. |
| precision noun | /pɹɪˈsɪʒ.ən/ | The state of being precise or exact; especially, both exact and accurate. |
| repertoire noun | /ˈɹɛp.əɹ.twɑɹ/ | A list of dramas, operas, pieces, parts, etc., which a company or a person has rehearsed and is prepared to perform or display. |
| vocal adjective | /ˈvoʊ̯.kəl/ | Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come along verb | To accompany. | |
| bring back verb | /ˈbɹɪŋ bæk/ | To fetch something. |
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. | |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. | |
| walk away verb | To withdraw from a problematic situation. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Does that strike a chord with you?
- I'm keen to catch their gig.
- Do you want to come along?
- Alan also said, I'm keen to catch their gig.
- Have you ever listened to classical music?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have hit · have done · have prepared |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being performed · is usually used · is often used |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who knows · somebody who brings |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 45 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, we're, it'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: musician /mjuˈzɪʃən/, precision /pɹɪˈsɪʒ.ən/, genre /ˈ(d)ʒɑnɹə/, articulation /ɑɹˌtɪk.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, leisurely /ˈliʒɚli/
- Long words — get the stress right: articulation /ɑɹˌtɪk.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, instrumental /ɪnstɹəˈmɛntəl/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like orchestra, conductor, symphony.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.