An Introduction to CD Mastering

While many people think that the mixing of the separate audio tracks is the final step, a recording must be mastered well in order to sound good. CD mastering is the last chance for creative input when creating a compact disc. After a disc is mastered, it can be printed, reproduced, and sold.

The process of mastering a CD includes several steps. The first step is putting the songs, called tracks at this point, in order. Next, the volume is leveled for all of the songs. The length of time between songs is also adjusted, and any editing on the intros and ends of the songs (such as fades and crossfades, etc.). Also, any unlisted, secret songs, usually known as hidden tracks, are added at this point.

There are several ways to master a CD. First, the mix can be sent to a professional CD mastering engineer, which is what professional musicians with major recording contracts usually do. These mastering engineers often work in their own mastering facilities, wh ich are different from standard recording studios, in that they have much less gear and are designed for the best playback of the mix as possible in order to fix any slight discrepancies.

Aside from professional CD mastering engineers, CDs can be mastered at home using computer software. This option is usually more realistic for unsigned Artists or musicians who are just stArting out. Depending on the quality of the software and the skill of the person doing the mastering, the CD may sound great or it may sound muddy and unprofessional.

Online CD mastering is another option. CDs mastered online can be a great time-time, in that, instead of sending a mix to a mastering engineer, the mix is sent over the Internet. This option requires a high-speed Internet connection.

Free CD mastering is obviously the cheapest way to master a CD. Artists may want to use free mastering programs on demos or other early recordings that Artists use to send to record labels to generate interest. Many CD burning programs included on many computers can be used to do basic but necessary mastering functions.

The difference between a professional sounding CD and an amateurish recording is often found in the mastering. All of the songs played on the radio are extensively mastered in order to sou nd slicker and more listenable.

CD Mastering Info provides detailed information on CD mastering engineers, facilities, and software, as well as online and free CD mastering. CD Mastering Info is affiliated with Original Content.

Author:: Thomas Morva
Keywords:: cd mastering, cd mastering engineers, cd mastering facilities
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David Gilmour Continues The Pink Floyd Legacy

The onstage reunion of the band members of legendary British group Pink Floyd at last years Live 8 concert sparked rumours of the band possibly reforming to record a new album.

Sadly that wasnt to be, but Guitarist David Gilmour gives those holding out hope a glimpse of what may have been on his new solo album On An Island.

It has only been 22 years since his last solo release but like his one time protege Kate Bush, whos own recent new album had loyal fans waiting over 12 years, its been well worth the wait.

The album which mixes jazz, folk and Gilmour's soaring rock Guitar, has been described as very Pink Floydian.

The opening track Castellorizon is reminiscent of Signs of Life from 1987s A Momentary Lapse of Reason while the title track, On An Island, sparks instant comparisons to Shine on You Crazy Diamond from 1975s Wish You Were Here with the atmospheric instrumental building around the haunting lyric.

Red Sky At Night, another soaring i nstrumental could sit comfortably against other Gilmour favorites like The Great Gig In The Sky from the legendary 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon, while Take A Breath evokes memories of Learning to Fly from Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Guest appearances include Jools Holland, David Crosby and Graham Nash, ex-Floyd members Richard Wright and Guy Pratt, and Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music co-producing.

Much of the album was recorded in Gilmours private studio aboard his houseboat named Astoria and co-written with his wife, Polly Samson.

Gilmour mave have mellowed somewhat since his last solo release About Face in 1984 which featured tracks like Murder and All Lovers are Deranged. After all On An Island was released in the U.K. on the same day as his 60th birthday.

But his definitive Guitar style and soothingly haunting lyrics still recall the classic Pink Floyd elements, making this new release well worth a listen.

Peter Shuttlewood is the author o f webzine freshread which contains articles on Popular Culture with an Australian slant. freshread - the everyday in a fresh way.

Author:: Peter Shuttlewood
Keywords:: Music, Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, Guitar, pop Music, Review,
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Guitar Can Be Easier Really

Im on a mission. To convert.

To convert Guitar players and aspiring Guitar players to open-D. Its the tuning so important to Guitar in the last number of decades, but too often, so overlooked by the mainstream. Standard tuning has a stranglehold on the business of learning Guitar. The reason, to me, remains unclear.

As a starting point, an open tuning is clearly the logical choice. What easier way to begin to play Guitar, but with an open, major chord? How much more confidence could an aspiring Guitarist (of any age, but more on that later) need than to be able to play a nice sounding chord without putting finger to fret? Thats what you get when you start with an open tuning.

My personal story went like this. Frustrated novice Guitar player (n ovice for years on end!). Gets nowhere with Guitar for years. Does research (i.e. reads Guitar magazines). Realizes many of the greats played in alternate tunings (K. Richard, J. Mitchell, E. James, R. Johnson, R. Cooder, J. Page, etc, etc.). Re-tunes Guitar until he finds one that works open-D. Presto! Light bulb comes on, a better Guitar player is hatched.

Open tunings are mentioned, frequently enough, in magazines articles, transcriptions, books and the like. But very seldom or never have I seen an outright promotion of their use as a stand-alone approach to Guitar (my god, even Keith switches to standard tuning every now and again!). And open-D, the most logical of all starting points, is rarely mentioned at all. I have yet, in 20+ years of public performance, have anyone come up to me and say How about that you play just like I do, in open-D. People do come up, but the comments are almost always, You sure use some funny chord positions or Are you playing in a different tuning. Amazingly, many Guitar players associate open tuning with more difficult. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, to make the transition from standard tuning is a bit of a learning curve, but once youre there, POW! Youll never want to play any other way (although just adding proficiency on an open tuning to your standard tuning is a giant leap).

Which brings us back to beginners. No matter what the age, a beginner, whether 6 or 60 years old will find open-D an easier way to start playing Guitar. It is so obvious. Focus on the strum without any fingers on the fretboard, and then work your way up to one finger on the fretboard (the basic major chord in open-D is just one finger). What a way to develop early confidence. The t ruth is, and I am living proof, you would never have to make the flip to standard tuning. But if you wanted to, its just small tweak up to standard sort of drop-D tuning with three other minor adjustments back and forth, to and from standard E A D G B E, to D A D F# D.

One question that arises why open-D, then, of all the potential starting points? The absolute simplest choice may be, for easier understanding of theory, keys and harmony might be open-C C G C E G C, but that gets a tad floppy sounding, as the Guitar strings are so slackened. Going the other way to open-E E B E G# B E might be going too far the other way, though its used. Open-D seems the perfect choice! For singers wanting to accompany themselves, of course, it becomes an issue of vocal range tied to the Guitar tuning. A capo may be in order.

Frank Foxx is a semi-professional Guitar player who plays exclusively in the tuning of open-D. He has written a Guitar method book, extolling the virtues of what he considers to be the most versatile and easiest of all Guitar tunings, entitled Guitar-eze A Simpler Approach to Playing the Guitar. His website is http://www.easierGuitar.com. He keeps a blog at http://open-d.blogspot.com dedicated to helping Guitarists and aspiring Guitarists see the light.

Author:: Frank Foxx
Keywords:: play Guitar,learn Guitar,Guitar play,Guitar learn,learn to play Guitar,how to play Guitar,Guitar
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How to Play the Violin

Learning how to play the violin can be a difficult but rewarding experience. Playing the violin takes a large amount of knowledge and skill. Violinists must know how to hold the violin, how to finger the notes, and how to sound the notes.

Holding the violin properly is very important. If a violinist holds the instrument incorrectly, it will be uncomfortable and more difficult to play. The left arm is curved underneath the body around over the neck, so that the hand and fingers are over the strings. The chin rest is placed between the left shoulder and chin. The right arm is then brought up in front of the face in order to bow or pluck the strings.

Once the violinist knows how to hold the violin, they can learn about fingering the notes. Violins do not have frets such as those found on guitar s; players must practice and train their ears until they know exactly where the notes are on the fingerboard. There are four positions on the violin; the first position is furthest away from the players face and sounds low-pitched notes. The fourth position produces the highest notes and is further up the neck. The strings are tuned, from lowest to highest, G, D, A, E. Violinists can play open strings, which means they play a string with out pressing on it, or they can change the tone of the string by applying pressure.

There are several ways of sounding notes once they are fingered. Violinists can drag the bow across the string or strings they wish to play, creating a long, steady sound. They can also play pizzicato, which involves plucking the strings with the fingers of the right hand, creating a sudden, staccato sound.

Just knowing how to play the violin is not enough. Violinists must also be able to know what to play as well. Violinists should also be able to read music or play by ear, assuring that they will sound good when playing in a group with other musicians.

Violins Info provides detailed information about antique and electric Violins, violin music, sheet music, strings, and shops; violin makers and repair; and explanations of how to play the violin and a short history of the violin. Violins Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Author:: Richard Romando
Keywords:: Violins, electric Violins, violin music
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Hip Hop And Rap

According to Wikipedia Dictionary, Rapping, the rhythmic delivery of rhymes, is one of the four central elements of hip-hop culture. Rap can be delivered over a beat or over human beatboxing. A rapper may also perform a capella without any accompaniment. Due to its increasing popularity, rapping has also been assimilated into other musical forms.

Rap serves as the voice of a community; it is a vehicle for expressing resentment and hardship, as individuals often dont have access to mainstream media. Its history is allied with the defiant stance of its creators, who portray themselves within a subjugated context. Since sex and violence sell, there are Artists who employ rap for monetary gains. However, critics who dismiss rap as offensive deny the voice of a community that may be offensive, in that they the mselves feel slighted.

The early practitioners of rap were first- or second-generation Americans of Caribbean descent. Herc and Hollywood are accredited with introducing the Jamaican style of cutting and mixing into the musical culture of the Bronx. While he was cutting with two turntables, Herc would perform with the mic; his pArties gained popularity and were often recorded; duplicate tapes flooded the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, spawning similar acts. Among the new breed of DJs was Afrika Bambaataa, the first Black Muslim rapper. By using rock records, he took rap beyond black youth culture.

In 1979, the first rap records appeared: King Tim III and Rapper's Delight. During the mid-1980s, rap moved from the fringes of hip-hop culture to the mainstream music industry, as white musicians embraced the new genre. In 1986, rap reached the Top 10 on the Billboard pop chArts with (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To PArty!) and Walk This Way. In the late 1980s, a segment of rap became politicized. Alongside political rap came gangsta rap, which glamorized the outlaw lifestyle. Today, however, rap has become eclectic and exhibits a capacity to draw from any musical form.

Hip Hop provides detailed information on Hip Hop, Hip Hop And Rap, Hip Hop Music, R&B Hip Hop and more. Hip Hop is affiliated with Karaoke Music.

Author:: Kevin Stith
Keywords:: Hip Hop, Hip Hop And Rap, Hip Hop Music, R&B Hip Hop
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Singers and Bands The Artist Showcase

After attending countless artist showcases through the years as a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, Ive decided to touch on some practical ideas that will help promote your artist career and give you an increased chance at a possible record deal. After exploring much of the information available online, I determined to stay with easily grasped concepts and ideas that would help Artists avoid some of the common mistakes.

First lets make it clear that not every act deserves an artist showcase, at least not in the light of pandering to record labels in an ongoing campaign to secure a record deal. If youve read any of my articles, you know I try to tell it like it is and so once again, I will not shy away from the truth that not every artist deserves an outlet to showcase their talent. The reason is not simply because the band is no good, but because maybe there is not a maturity or serious quality from the members or a definitive goal in pla ce that everyone is rallying around. Other reasons may include lack of a unique playing quality or an act that is simply playing cover tunes. Lets talk about cover tunes for a minute.

Dont play cover tunes unless they are specifically asked for, or unless you are a cover band playing wedding Gigs, etc. If you are truly looking to get a record deal, then showcase your own music. This notion that your audience can relate to you and your band simply because you are playing music that everyone knows is false and misguided logic. Would you have cared, the first time you heard one of your favorite groups, that you knew any of the material I bet not. You were so into the music and groove you wanted to hear more and buy the record. You think of big groups today that at one point were nobody, and just imag ine hearing them for the first time, would it have mattered? I bet Im right again. Moral of the story, play your own music.

Before you begin to look at the possibility of a showcase, look at your objectives. Each showcase doesnt necessarily have to be about the record deal, but that should certainly be your ultimate objective and therefore, everything that you bring to the table ought to encompass and revolve around that goal. For example, you might showcase a particular groove and set of songs, which you would like to take out on the track and test. Is the audience really digging it or is it not you. Likewise, you can showcase for a lesser goal, but yet an important stepping stone to a record deal signing like pushing upcoming events or visibility to obtain additional bookings, etc.

As you start planning a showcase, who will attend? Friends or will music industry personnel be present? Each artist showcase ought to be driven by a marketing approach. Do y ou have an artist logo, professional bios, pictures and press kits made? These can not be a friend of the group did it for us, looking press kits. They have to shine and look pro like music industry individuals are already in play and are looking at your act. Dont overlook these elements. You might check out artist press kits, bios and press blurb writing at ReelMusician.com.

How will you go about promoting your showcase? You have to look beyond stapling flyers to telephone polls, etc. Have you thought about creating a jingle or station ID or local radio personality piece for free in hopes that you will get some radio and TV exposure? You ought to look at local radio stations and write a mix according to the style of the station and your band see if you cant get some promotion that way. Cable TV advertiSing is fairly inexpensive. You might consider going in with everyone in the band and buying some advertiSing from cable or local TV stations.

If you don t already have it, and Im sure most do, get your web site up and going and make sure that you have a page for upcoming events along with pictures, bio, contact page. Websites do not have to be expensive. You can get your website hosted for $5 - $10 a month. You most likely wont get a lot of traffic, but you will get credibility with the public and within the music industry crowd This will prove to be invaluable later on down the road.

What will your showcase consist of and what can you do to stand out from the crowd? Your act needs to look like theyve been at this for years with a comfort level exuding from who the band is. How long is the showcase? Youve heard the old expression, always leave the crowd wanting to hear more. Far better to do a rather short showcase with knock out tunes then a lengthy, drawn out, cant wait to get out of there, gig. Work with your song lineup and tweak the number and length of your set at rehearsal until it feels right. Have ever ything figured right up front. Whos going to speak when and try to hit all of the what ifs, as much as you can. You want this showcase to wow the listeners and create some momentum and energy.

Re-think your image and make sure that it matches who you are. People are not that stupid and can almost immediately recognize when an image is forced and manipulated and not natural to the group. Better to have a natural image, true to who you are, than an image that you think just has to go with your style of music.

In cloSing, make each and every showcase count, with calculated marketing and a thought through line-up so when the music industry execs start showing up, they have something to go back to the office with!

Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and is the founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@Reelmusician.com or 615-300-5030. In addition, Free e-books The Jingle Singers Guide , and Secrets To Great Song Demos, may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com

Author:: Tom Gauger
Keywords:: Artists, Singers, Sing, studio Singers, artist showcase, Reelmusician, Gigs, artist record deals,
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How To Change Your Guitar Strings

Changing your guitar strings might make you feel a litte uncomfortable if you have never done it before, but it's really quite simple and should become a regular part of your guitar care routine. Before you do anything, first take time to make some personal observations such as:

1. Which way do you have to turn the tuning keys to tighten or loosen the strings?

2. How are the strings aligned from the nut to the bridge?

3. Which is the heaviest string?

Taking mental notes will probably save you some frustration and make the job much easier.

Below you will find some helpful steps to follow for changing your strings. Once you've changed your guitar strings a couple of times your confidence should begin to grow and you won't need to refer to these steps any longer. I like to remove all of the guitar strings in order to give my guitar a thorough cleaning, but you can remove and replace them one at a time if you prefer.

Guitar Care and Maintena nce Tools:

- Needle-nose Plyers (to cut string ends)
- String Winder
- Soft Cotton Cloth
- Guitar Cleaning Polish (do not use furniture polish, oils, or wax)

REMOVING THE STRINGS

Acoustic Steel String Guitar-

1. Using the string winder , begin slowly loosening the string(s) until completely slack.

2. With the needle-nose plyers, carefully grab the string from the capstan (the part it winds around) and pull through the hole until it is free.

3. Taking the string winder again, use the cut-out at the end of it to grab the pin at the bridge. Gently pull the pin until it comes out of the hole.

4. Continue this process until all the strings are removed.

5. Clean guitar surface thoroughly.

Classic Nylon String Guitar-

Follow steps one and two above. When you come to step three, take your needle-nose plyers and carefully loosen the figure eight knot at the bridge. Pull the string free.

Electric Guitar-

Follow the same procedure as described for an acoustic steel string guitar. However, if you have an electric guitar with a movable bridge you may want to take it to your local music store and have them show you how to do it safely. If the bridge is moved from it's correct position you will not be able to tune your guitar after restringing it.

RE-STRINGING YOUR GUITAR

Acoustic Steel String Guitar-

1. Bend the ball end of the string slightly and place it inside the hole below the bridge. Some steel string guitars do not have pins. When this is the case, just pull the string throught the hole.

2. Line up the string with any grooves in the pin. Insert the pin into the hole, making sure it is secure.

3. Take the other end and insert into the hole on the capstan.

4. Pull the string through leaving a fair amount of slack between the capstan and the bridge.

5. Bend the string at the point it comes through the capstan to keep it secure.

6. Watching out for your eyes, begin turning the key with your left hand. Once you get it started it may be easier to use the string winder. (For safety reasons, you might want to cut off any excess string. I usually wait until after they're all on to do this).

7. As you are winding, apply some tension to the string with your right hand to help keep it taught. Make sure you are winding in the right direction! On the bass strings you will be winding counter-clockwise (away from you). On the treble strings you will go the opposite direction.

8. Continue to wind each string until all the slack is taken up. Do not worry about tuning yet.

9. Cut off all excess string length.

Classic Nylon String Guitar-

1. Put the string through the top of the hole found just below the bridge.

2. Pull about 3 inches through.

3. Bringing the string up over the tie block, pass it underneath itself at the original point of entry.

4. Come down over the tie block again and wrap the end of the string around itself in a figure eight type pattern.

5. Insert the other end of the string down through the hole on the capstan.

6. Wrap the string around the back and then underneath itself in order to secure it in place.

7. As described above, begin turning the key with your left hand while maintaining some tension with the other until all the slack is taken up. With a classical guitar you will wind clockwise on the bass strings and the treble strings.

8. Keep the string as straight as possible as it continues from the capstan through the nut and down onto the neck.

9. You should not have any excess string length, but if you do, cut it off.

Electric Guitar-

Follow the same procedure as described for the acoustic steel string guitar.

I hope you found this information to be helpful. Remember, establishing a good guitar care routine will insure many long years of musical fun and enjoym ent!

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site as long as you include the following information:

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been Writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on songWriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: http://www.abclearnguitar.com

Author:: Kathy Unruh
Keywords:: article submission, Articles, Writers, Writing, Publishing, Ezine, Email marketing, Email newsletter, Email
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3 Tips to Marketing Your Music on the Internet

The internet has revolutionized the way we do business. You can stArt an online business for less than $100.00 and stArt earning a decent amount of income off of it. Because of this, there has been an explosion in the 'Internet Marketing' world. I don't consider myself an internet marketer, but I've studied many of them and have learned some 'out of the box' techniques that you can easily apply towards bands. Here are just a few of the many tips I can give you:

• Give First
  One way to get something from other is to give to them first. In music, one way to build a fan base is to play at venues that do not charge a cover and invite p eople to come as your guest. You definately don't want to play a lot of venues for free, so you need to somehow communicate that you are doing this for your audience without saying it outright. You could say, Hey guys, just to show you are appreciation, Flaming Onions would like to personally invite you to this special concert just for you! It's totally free, so bring your friends and we'll see you there! They will come, because they believe that this is a gift from you and the won't want to miss out!
  
  Another way to give first is through our products. Giving away products has gotten a lot easier since the development of the internet. Digital music is HUGE! Better yet, it costs nothing to duplicate. Have you thought about giving away one or two songs from your new album? What do you think would happen if you did, and left your fan's favorites available only if they purchased it? First of all, they're going to love the fact that you gave them pArt of your album for free! It's almost like a free trial that they get to keep. Because you were willing to do this for them, they will be more likely to buy it from you. Give first, and they will give back to you!



• Cross-selling/Up-selling
  Have you ever gone to McDonalds, ordered a burger and received the question, Would you like fries with that? Have you ever ordered one of their value meals and received the question Would you like to Super-Size that? What you heard, while innocent enough, was an amazing marketing concept that has been used by online merchants everywhere!
  It is a way to increase sales to the same customer (who has bought a product) by introducing other products in your product range. If customers buy a Flaming Onions CD, you can ask if they want to buy a Flaming Onions t-shirt as well. Seems simple enough, but let's think a little more out of the box. Let's say the Flaming Onions' CD sells for $15 and brings in a profit of $10 per album. Let's also assume that their t-shirts sell for $10 and bring in a profit of $6 per shirt. What if the Flaming Onions Value Pack (consisting of 1 autographed CD, 1 tshirt, and the album emailed to them in MP3 format with bonus track for their iPod and a desktop background pic for their computer) sells for $25? I'm willing to bet that this approach sells more. The digital products, as I mentioned above, cost nothing to duplicate. You profit would be the same, but I guarantee you would sell more!



• Email List
  This is probably the most important tool that is used by online businesses. Internet Marketers swear by email lists and base many, if not all, of their systems around them. The concept is simple, you offer a list for fans to keep track of your band and all they have to do is give you their Name and email address. You now have a way to directly communicate to them, and better yet, they wanted it! You can promote upcoming shows and album releases. You can create contests and drawings for those that are signed up. You can give those who are signed up a special discount on merchandise. The possibilities are endless. One thing to remember is to only send them things they would want to know. They signed up to hear more about you, so they don't want to receive any forwards stating that if they sign up for this offer, they can receive a free laptop, blah, blah, blah! Don't abuse your list. Take care of them. This is an elite group of people who wanted to be a pArt of your success, so treat them that way.

Like I said these are just a few things you can do to market your music online (and even a little offline). Be creative and have fun with it. To help you out, here are a few resources to check out:

• GigMinder: MySpace Edition - a free, automated mailing list for MySpace bands
• Music Marketing Cheat Sheet Deluxe Package - discover the secret formulas that the most successful Internet marketers have used to make vast fortunes online applied to musicians!
• The Professional Musician's Internet Guide - The bible for musicians wishing to take advantage of all of the opportunities the Internet offers for promotion, sale and distribution of music

FullTimeBand.com is a company that was stArted in June, 2006 with a simple automated mailing list program called GigMinder. GigMinder was created for a musician friend and was used to remind fans of upcoming gigs for the coming week. FullTimeBand.com has made this tool available for all bands and fans to use for free. FullTimeBand.com is planning on creating many more tools to assist bands in aiding in their everyday promotional and management chores. You may vist their site at http://www.fulltimeband.com. You can sign up fot eh GigMinder - MySpace Edition for FREE at http://www.fulltimeband.com/msgigminder.

Author:: Mike Cotton
Keywords:: music business, internet marketing
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Piano Lesson for Young Children Chromatic Scale

I frequently hear concerns from parents of young piano students about their childs hearing. The most common question asked is, Does my child have a good ear?

I usually respond with something like, They look alright to me. Does she have two? There are some common myths which often mislead parents and encourage them to look for their students musical limitations. While there may be some value in this, there are a lot more warnings in literature and folklore that suggest If you look for problems, problems will find you.

In my opinion, it is better to first consider the possibilities. Before testing your young childs musical ear make sure they understand basic concepts such as high and low and up and down in musical terms. If you ask a four year old to play a high note on the piano, they are most likely to raise their hand in the air and say, how high?

You can give your young child in piano lessons a chance to develop their musical ear and talent with time and patience. You can also play these fun games at home with your child.

The first game is called Copy Cat. Give your child this introduction:

Copy Cat is a lot like Simon Says. Do you remember that game? Lets both put our right hand in C position on the piano. Play a couple of notes, Sally, any notes you want to play in C position. Then Ill try to copy what you played.

Do this for a while and then reverse the game. You play a few notes and have your child be the Copy Cat. This is a great way to develop your childs musical ear and have a lot of fun with them at the piano as well.

The Second game is called Jacobs Ladder. Play Middle C and then step up Jacobs Ladder playing all of the white and black keys one at time, in order until you get to the next C. This is twelve half-steps, or a Chromatic Scale. Then step down Jacobs Ladder back to Middle C. After you have done this a few times, let your child try stepping up and down Jacobs L adder on the piano.

Next have your child in piano lessons close their eyes while you play Jacobs Ladder. Tell your child to raise their hand if you skip a rung on the ladder. Make sure you also give your child a turn at being the teacher! Kids love to reverse roles. This is another effective technique to develop your childs musical ear in a fun and easy way.

By playing these games together youll be seeking your childs musical potential - and you will find it!

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources Youll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their free internet newsletter so you can download free piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, a nd inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, AlbeArt Littlebud. Young students follow along with AlbeArt to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

Author:: Cynthia VanLandingham
Keywords:: beginner piano lessons,piano lessons for children,piano lessons for kids, children's piano books
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Who's Gonna Love You When Your Looks Are Gone?

The intricate workings of a great legendary mind like Paul Simon still remains a mystery when we embark on the journey through his most recent Album Surprise. This extraordinary Album must be first categorized and a myth must be dispelled. Since the incredible impact of the definitive Graceland, way back it 1986, we have been left in limbo state, not far from the feeling of floating on a World Music trip so much to the extreme that his next three Albums (Concert In The Park Live; November 1991, Songs From The Capeman; November 1997 and Youre The One, October 2000) have quiet simply passed us by. So why was it that this Album, quite Surprised us in 2006? What on Earth was it that made us sit up so rigidly?

It could be the fact that this small proportioned, geeky guy resembling an English teacher is turning sixty five in October this year? It could well be. Simon has yet again, enchanted us with his commitment to modern music. He could, lets face it, have quite easily tripped out on stage every so many years and enlightened us with renditions of 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover and possibly Mother And Child, both unique records in their own right, but it can be a smoother path to tread at a certain age in an artists life than embark on the cold, unfriendly route of dipping old toes into the sea of youthful culture.

Therefore, we should embrace this man who has allowed us to participate in his life long campaign to awaken us both politically and culturally, as well as bathe us in his spiritual knack of producing such music to let us dream and expand our sometimes, narrow minds.

This title, perhaps, says it all. What does it mean to us, to hear someone say Surprise! We are alarmed, astonished and completely taken aback. Well, in that case, I have summed up this whole Album in just those few words. Graceland it is not. A bolt from the blue, it most definitely is.

The perfection and simplicity of a babys face stands out at us, staring hard into us, from this pure Album cover. Just this picture, automatically conjures up questions in the listeners head; is the child Surprised? Is it the Surprise of a birth of a child? To me, the idea of re-birth springs to mind and it is this thoughts that stays with me throughout the Album.

It would suggest that the impression we get on hearing this Album is just that. The feeling of re-birth. Simon is certainly finding new feet on his journey through these songs. Or perhaps, it is just the easy feeling of slipping into comfortable, new shoes. Staying faithfully with Warner Bros yet again and producing the Album himself, he gives us a small collection of songs; eleven in total, and therefore, it is down to us to make up our own minds as to whether these shoes look good enough on him.

In topical moods of the current state of the planet through the eyes of a wise, mature artist, the pictures within the cover booklet are simple, touched wi th strong, sobering undertones. We see a picture of a giant wave from the sea about to drown a sleepy coastline resort. An American City engulfed with smoke. A young boys ear, just in shot of the camera. A man getting drenched up another throwing a bucket of water over him. An Ape-like couple, with arms around each other. A missile plummeting into the sea. The face of an Oriental baby. Foxgloves growing on the side of a hill covered in ferns. A photograph of a family, dropped onto the dirt of a footpath. The reflection of the Empire State Building in a puddle at night. A very young photograph of the man himself, and lastly, the delightful face of a happy little girl, playing. These images are thought provoking and dare I say it, reminding us of events, that in todays daily life, we have seemed to have forgotten.

Yet it is these images that, in a certain light, are reflections of the musical content within. Although it is wrong to equal a piece of music or a simple song to a World disaster, it is fusion of the music and the pictures that we see, that shape a definition of what the world looks like through the eyes of this man.

The Album opens with a question. The song, How Can You Live In The North East?, takes on a swirling crescendo of heavy guitar riffs and plundering drums. These lyrics are in true Simon style, he immediately bombards the listener with question after question of religion and creed. Touching on every note that identifies a human being, this song could be seen as quite intrusive, yet somewhere there is a moral. The mood is somewhat depressing through this track and the next. We wonder, as listeners, where Simon thought he was going with this Album. He seems to have a lot to say. We witness abstract sounds and disjointed noises that we could probably only get to hear from artists such as Coldplay or David Gray. The theme is reflective and sorrowful, yet dont let this put you off. Simons music creates messages for us, so there we must take note and appreciate what this man has to say.

Simon, who is famous for dipping his talented fingers into the sounds of the musical world taps away at our humorous bones with Outrageous, which, lyrically, touches briefly on the comedy of You Can Call Me Al, from Graceland. He chants, Whos gonna love you when your looks are gone? which will create a smile on any face. The theme is funky and straight to the point. It is light, happy and a welcomed Simon trait. We embrace him at the delightful, familiar sounds that we already recognise as Paul Simon.

Wading further out into the sea of current sounds, Simon dares to play with some of the more up to date funkier styles of just drums beats and a voice. Little a compliment is noted here and an experimental play with a Princes idea of a high pitched vocal also, surprisingly, works. So, in deep thought, we understand the need to come down to Earth in slow motion in Wartim e Prayers. Gentle and beautifully crafted around the style of acoustic guitar and angelic voice that is Paul Simon. Joined by the warm, arm hair moving voices of the Jessy Dixon Singers, this song is as powerful as a Michael Jackson planet based anthem. It glides up and down and along our musical spines like ripples on a still lake. Simon wraps his arms around the World in this track. Soulful we find him in this mood and through the calypso themes of Beautiful, also. Simon still captivates us with his unusual, church like vocals. His voice, like Elvis, will, I dont think, ever leave him.

These drifting, coming together moods travel along the rest of this retrospective Album. Throughout these tracks, Simon is joined with some of the finest musicians he could have ever laid his hands on. There is a handful here who also appeared on Graceland. So it is with no Surprise that in Another Galaxy, we find these men handing out their extraordinary sounds like audible fairy dust to our ears.

This track has a delicate country tone to it, about as prominent as Dire Straits ever got to country, yet this track will probably stun you into motionless poise the most. There is a distant element that captures the ears more than the rest. A hint of this far away theme is also present in Once Upon A Time The Was An Ocean. These titles are again, of such simplicity that the ignite our minds with World issues of Global Warming, War, pain, happiness and beauty. All elements it would seem, make up the fundamentals of a human being today.

We Ill just skip the boring parts chapters one, two and three and get to the place where you can read my face and my biography.. is the opening lines of the heavy groove livened Thats Me, Laced with scraping guitar string sounds at first, this track is quite literally, a mini autobiography including the first flush of young love. It would appear that he has question himself throughout this Album. He is almost asking to justify himself for being here. We wonder actually, if Simon has now reached a point in his career where he feels introspective of his work. We all get a brief notion to analyse ourselves as some point in our lives, and I feel that this was the very time for Paul Simon.

Perhaps the track that makes the Album complete in the listeners mind is Father And Daughter, heavy on the bass, it is, however, a gentle, rocking piece with country tones and foot tapping themes. It is unassuming and as non offensive as any track could ever get. It is the very elements that we love so much about Simon; a strong reflection back to reality. It is almost as if Simon is realising his own ability to produce a song that it both warm, welcoming and embracing of a love and a life. Not just his own, although, touching on his own ideas and feelings has always lead to his finest work. This track can only be yet another brush with his own reality. Used as the ending tr ack of The Wild Thornberries, (the movie) it is as just as fitting for a childs cartoon as it is the ending for such a sobering, adult Album.

On another reflection, one would be quite disappointed to hear this Album come to a calming close. We have been allowed yet again, to wander through the mind of this unique and giving artist who still, today, campaigns on his political trail through the baron lands of Africa and the rest of the World. Over the years, Simon has become an institution, both musically and politically. He has moved us and at the same time, presented us with sounds, ideas and musicians we would have still, not ever heard or. He is a legacy to how music should be written, produced and appreciated. Effortlessly, smoothly and completely cherished.

So for those of you who were expecting an old man with lost talent, no originality and a lack of funds

I will let the inside page of the cover booklet say it all

Tracks;

How Can You Live In The North East?
Everything About It Is A Love Song,
Outrageous,
Sure Dont Feel Like Love,
Wartime Prayers,
Beautiful,
I Dont Believe,
Another Galaxy,
Once Upon A Time There Was An Ocean,
Thats Me,
Father And Daughter.

Paul Simon - Words/Music/Production
Sonic landscape and addition words and music - Brian Eno
Bass - Pino Palladino/Abraham Laboriel/Alex Al
Drums - Steve Gadd/Robin Dimaggio
Harmonium - Gil Goldstein
Electric guitar - Bill Frisell
Fretless Bass - Leo Abrahams
Percussion - Jamey Haddad
Warner Bros. 2006

Michelle Duffy 'sam1942' 2006 Ciao/dooyoo and everywhere else

Michelle is a freelance writer and owner of the websites, http://www.generationsounds.co.uk and its successful sister, Never Mind The Bloggers at paperback-writer29.tripod.com She has been writing over the last year, for five major consumer websites across the world and is one of t he only two music category advisors for one website in the U.K. She has also written her first novel which is now awaiting publication. Her websites promote young, amateur bands and their fan clubs whilst also Reviewing them for local press releases. She has also recently launched the blogs, 'The Ramblings Of An Old Rocker,' 'Bohemian Waffle,' The Rhythm Rock And Blues Machine' and The Mopeds Musings. She is currently working on a third website.

Author:: Michelle Duffy
Keywords:: Paul Simon, Surprise, Album, Review
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Why Is Audio Mastering Important?

If you have read my last article, What does an Audio engineer do when mastering music?, you already know what is involved in the professional mastering process. To re-cap what that article said to all who havent read it, the mastering process adds polish to your songs and makes them sonically cohesive. A lot of albums are recorded and then thrown on a disc, sans mastering. While this works fine, by no means do I recommend it. There are a few reasons why I wouldnt recommend doing this.

1.Mastering adds a professional, commercial sound to your songs or album. All of your favorite albums and bands you hear on the radio have had their Audio mastered by a professional mastering engineer before it was sent to CD manufacturing facility. This makes sure that you hear all the CD recordings low-end bass, mid-range, and highs crisply.

2.Audio mastering allows another set of ears to evaluate your Audio. Having another skilled Audio technician listen to you recording is alw ays a plus. They can bring a fresh perspective and ideas to your album production. Your recording and mixing engineers spent hours and hours listening to your music, someone who was not present and has a skilled ear can point out and help better the quality of your finished project.

Audio mastering is a vital step in the recording and CD manufacturing process. This article should help you understand why professional mastering is a step you should not leave out of your next recording project. All commercially released Audio CDs utilize the CD mastering process, and you should do the same.

Jason Cole and DiskFaktory Mastering offer great services and information regarding Audio engineering and CD mastering. Get the professional mastering information you are seeking now by visiting http://diskfaktory-mastering.com/evaluation.htm

Author:: Jason Cole
Keywords:: Cd mastering, Audio mastering, professional mastering, Cd duplication, dvd duplication, Audio, Cd
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

They Don't Make Singers Like That Anymore!

Thomas Edison made the first recording of a human voice on December 6, 1877, but he did not record a singer. The first great singer to be recorded was Enrico Caruso, and he made over 250 sound recordings. There may have been Singers prior to Caruso who were even better virtuosos but we have no way of knowing that because sound recording is the definitive judge of a singer's ability. In recording studios, it has often been said that tape don't lie. Even the best recording engineers cannot make a good singer sound like a great singer. Skipping briefly through the jazz era, a few great Singers who deserve honorable mention are Billy Hol iday, Al Jolson, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett. The concept of what constitutes a great singer is subjective, but the key qualities a great singer must possess are range, timing, phrasing, pitch, timbre, emotional impact and originality of style.

Elvis Presley was the first great rock and roll singer. His first hit record in 1954 entitled That's All Right was a blues song written by Arthur Crudup and it proved that Elvis had a unique quality in his voice. Songs like Jailhouse Rock and All Shook Up demonstrated that Elvis was the epitome of rock and roll, and songs like Are You Lonesome Tonight and Can't Help Falling in Love showed the world that Elvis could put the emotion of love into a vocal track with intense male sexuality. With one of his last blazing bursts of energy in 1972, Elvis proved that he was still a hunk-a hunk-a Burning Love during his twilight years. Elvis can be credited for breaking down the racial barrier that existed for black Singers within the record companies in the 1950's. Little Richard said, He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldnt let black music through. He opened the door for black music. Elvis opened many doors. He let Pandora out of her box and girls all over the country began to scream at the very sight of Elvis. Much has been written about the King of Rock and Roll and his impact on our culture, but the focus of this article is on a unique vocal quality that has not received attention. Elvis pioneered many instantly memorable vocal mannerisms that shall hereinafter be collectively referred to as the rock and roll vocal schtick. It is possible that Elvis picked up his vocal schtick from Otis Blackwell, the songwriter who wrote many of Elvis' early hit records, because Otis sang his original songs on the demos that Elvis listened to and Otis originated much of the phrasing that Elvis recorded. But much water has passed under the bridge since those days and we may never know whether the Memphis chicken's schtick preceded the Otis egg.

The word schtick is derived from a Yiddish word and it refers to various bits of business that cause an entertainer to be instantly memorable. Prior to Elvis introducing the concept into rock and roll, it was very common in the movie business for actors to achieve fame by virtue of their schtick. Jack Benny became notorious for being stingy and a bad violin player even though in real life, he tipped lavishly and he was an expert violin player. Groucho Marx had his stooped strutting, his lascivious eyebrow raising, and his cigar. Elvis had his gyrating hips and his out of control, shaking leg, but he also put a new kind of mannerism into his singing. On All Shook Up, he turned Mm mm mm, oh oh oh, yeah yeah yeah! into a memorab le chorus, predating the Beatles famous yeah yeah yeah's by about 10 years. Predating Elvis by four years, Fats Domino had already developed his signature vocal style by the time he hit the R & B charts in 1950 with The Fat Man which sold over a million copies. One year after Elvis opened the door with That's All Right, Fats crossed over into the mainstream with Ain't That a Shame in 1955, and soon millions of people found their threeee-ill on Blueberry heeee-ill. That there is rock and roll vocal schtick in a nutshell, and countless Singers picked right up on the groove.

In the 1950's, original vocal styles literally oozed out of the radio every day. Tony Williams, the lead singer for The Platters, was a truly great singer who had it all - range, timing, phrasing, pitch, timbre, emotional impact an d originality of style. As a professionally trained singer, Tony was able to express the emotional essence of previously recorded songs like Smoke Gets in Your Eyes with professional style and grace, but he also influenced the new rock and roll vocal style. In the number one selling hit record, Only You, Tony could have sung the words Only you can make this change in me using straightforward and traditional phrasing, but instead he sung cand-a make this change in me and threw in a bit of schtick. Marty Robbins and Ben E. King were also two seminal rock and roll Singers who embodied all the qualities that define a great singer.

There were many other outstanding Singers during the 1950's but the most sublime singer of them all was Smokey Robinson. In addition to every other quality previously discussed, Smokey sang complex blues melismas as if God told him the secret and said Smokey, you will make everybody think this is easy. Nobody can sing like Smokey Robinson, nobody can duplicate his vocals, and when Linda Ronstadt recorded her version of Ooh Baby Baby, she had to white out his melismas because she had too much sense to even try to duplicate him. Buddy Holly, among his many achievements, may be credited for introducing the hiccup into rock and roll vocals (fantastic schtick). But the award for Most Outrageous Rock and Roll Schtick of All Time goes to Little Richard for a wop-bop-a-loo-mop alop-bam-boom and his earth shaking, high pitched woo's that Paul McCartney duplicated with enormous commercial success. Other great primal rock and roll Singers of the 1950's who deserve Most Honorable Mention include Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee, Del Shannon, Jimmy Jones, Frankie Valli, and the list goes on and on.

The great Singers of rock and roll peaked during the 1960's and 1970's with John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, and Janis Joplin. Robert Plant's 12 year career with Led Zeppelin began with the band's formation in 1968 and continued until John Bonham's death in 1980. That fatal day may have been the turning point in the history of great rock and roll Singers because even though some very good Singers achieved fame and success after 1980, none are in the same exalted league with the Great Ones. Discussing each of the great Singers could generate an entire article for each one of them, but suffice it to say that history has already passed judgment on them and declared their venerable status. In terms of the key vocal qualities defined in the first paragraph of this page, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin must also receive honorable mention. But in terms of the sheer number of hit records and brilliant vocals that incorporate all the qualities of a world class singer, Pa ul McCartney is arguably the best rock and roll singer of all time. It's always nice to end a treatise with a provocative pronouncement like that one, and then to immediately disappear into oblivion before anyone can throw a tomato.

Peter Cross is a singer/songwriter/producer/Web Master. You can find this article at: They don't make Singers like that anymore! and his home page at: Rock and Roll with an Immortal Soul. The best of Peter Cross CD is entitled A Hard Day at The Orifice. All work protected by Library of Congress Registration No. TXu1-257-177.

Author:: Peter Cross
Keywords:: classic rock and roll music, Singers< /a>, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

The Care And Cleaning Of A Student Model Trumpet

After a new trumpet student has selected a student model instrument, that particular trumpet will need to be cleaned periodically for optimum performance. In my experience, cleaning the student model trumpet once or twice per month in warm bath water should be sufficient. First, gently take the trumpet apart and place the valves in a safe place to the side. I usually wrap the valves in a clean cotton cloth such as an old white tee-shirt. Keep the valves as scratch free as possible by wrapping them separate from one another. Next, run warm water through the slides and body of the trumpet as you fill the bath tub. Add a mild dish washing detergent to the warm water. Let the trumpet soak in the warm soapy water for a couple of hours. When you are ready to complete your cleaning of the trumpet, again run warm water through all of the slides and the body of the trumpet. Dry each slide as well as any excess water from the body of the trumpet. Apply a high quality tuning slide gr ease to ALL of the slides as you gently push them back into the body of the trumpet. Wipe away any excess grease from the slides and body of the trumpet.

Wash the mouthpiece off with warm soapy water and utilize a special mouthpiece brush to gently scrub the inside of the mouthpiece. Rinse the mouthpiece with warm water and dry.

Gently wipe the valves off with a clean cotton cloth. Put several drops of valve oil on each valve and place them back into the body of the trumpet. It is very important that the valves are aligned exactly as they came out of the trumpet when putting them back in the body of the trumpet. Each valve should be marked with a number to indicate which valve slot it goes back into and also the direction the valve should be facing when screwed back into the body of the trumpet. After the valves and all slides have been correctly placed into the trumpet turn the trumpet upside down and place a few more drops of oil into each valve port through t he small hole located on the bottom of each valve port. Play test the trumpet to make sure the valves are screwed into the body correctly and place the trumpet back into the case.

Be aware of your spit valve corks and their need to be replaced after sufficient wear.

Russell Dixon is a professional trumpet player with thirty five years of playing and teaching experience. For further questions regarding any aspect of the trumpet ... contact Rusty by email on his website at http://www.TrumpetGig.com.

Author:: Russell Dixon
Keywords:: Trumpets, student model Trumpets, clean a trumpet, musical instruments, clean an instrument
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Right Hand Guitar Playing Tip

This lesson can open for you a secret of high-speed Guitar playing. If take the given technique for 2-3 weeks you'll feel progress in high-speed playing of complex passages.

The given principle of development of techniques was tested not by one generation of Guitarists and not only Guitarists...

In this lesson we shall concern high-speed technics. Skilled Guitarists alredy know that the basic brake in development of Guitar high-speed technics is the right hand. Therefore when playing the most ultra-high-speed passages for simplification Guitarists play legato (i.e. the right hand does not take some notes, it is done with fingers of the left hand by receptions pull-off, hammer-on).

How to achieve speed?

For this purpose it is necessary for Guitar ist to develop technics of the right hand - fast alternation of pick stroke upwards-downwards (a variable stroke). The more quickly the right hand will make alternating strokes, the quicker the playing will be.

It is necessary to begin from the most usual tremolo (fast recurrence of one note).

Triplets are the most effective way of learning to play a tremolo. Try to begin each of your lessons with a tremolo. It develops (and well warms up) the right hand. The tremolo notes must sound dynamically equal (all sounding notes of equal loudness) and with equal tempo.

For example, you wish to learn a high-speed passage. I offer the following simple blues phrase in A as an example:

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First you need to learn in slow tempo and in convenient key with rational pick strokes.

After you've done it, play a tremolo of each note, i.e. each note in a passage it is necessary to take three times (if it is the eighth) like this:

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The tre molo should be loud (a silent tremolo does not make effect). Play thus 10 - 15 minutes (with small breaks) up to feeling of weariness in your right hand. The weariness speaks that muscles work as they must do. In my experience each student playing given technique, develops his own nuances. The right hand as though itself finds the most convenient position while playing, - it is only necessary to force it to work. When you are good at playing this passage with tremolo, try to play it in the original.

I often hear a question: How many it is necessary to be engaged so that to come to high speed? - It's individually. For someone it's necessary 2 hours, for another 2 days, and for someone it is not necessary at all (i'm kidding :-). Here introspection is necessary, that is you should feel improvement of technics. Clearly one, that the most effective way - gold exercise for the right hand.

Play your own passages by this principle, solos, improvizations, rock, jazz an d blues phrases... If you have great patience, you will see huge advantage of this technique and feel the results. If you do not see any result most likely you were engaged either incorrectly or insufficiently long. Though it is possible to play legato or tapping, but it sounds less brightly and energetically.

Yuri Nikitin Guitar instructor, music writer and webmaster. Find more free Guitar lessons in varios styles at http://www.Guitar-lesson-online.net

Au thor:: Yuri Nikitin
Keywords:: Guitar, Guitar lessons, music lessons
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Can YOU Play All The Major Chords On The Piano In 3 Seconds Or Less?

Did you have any idea how easy it is to learn ALL the major Chords (there are 12 of them) and be able to play them in seconds -- not hours or days or weeks or months or years?

Some people go through their entire lives not being sure about what such and such a major chord is -- and it's all so unnecessary, because you can memorize them in just a few minutes, and learn to play them in 12 seconds or less - one second per major chord.

I have had many private students over the years who could play them all in as little as 5 seconds -- one little gal (she was about 12 at the time) had particularly fast hands, and could play them in - believe it or not - 3 seconds! I have slow hands with fat fingers, and yet I can play them in something like 5 or 6 seconds. So if I can do it with little fat hands and chubby short fingers, you can too.

First, here's what the major Chords look like on the staff: I hope you noticed that 3 of the major Chords were made of all white keys: C F G. And I hope you noticed that 3 of the major Chords were made of white keys on the outside, with a black key in the middle: D E A. And did you notice that 3 of the major Chords were like an Oreo cookie? Black on the outside, white on the inside? Db Eb Ab. That only leaves 3 major Chords, one of which is all black, and one of which is white, black, black, and the other the reverse -- black, white, white. Gb (all black) B (white, black, black) Bb (black, white, white). And that's it..

Practice playing the first 3 major Chords over and over until you can move between them smoothly and quickly. Then practice the next 3 major Chords -- then the next 3 -- then the last 3. After you can play them by 3's, practice playing the first 6 without stopping. Then practice the first 9 without stopping. Then finally practice playing all 12 without stopping.

There's no particular virtue, of course, in playing them quickly, except for the fact that it makes you confident you can find them in a hurry when you need them in a song. But you'll find that as your confidence grows, your enjoyment and competence in Piano playing will grow commensurately.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and Piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His book-CD-DVD course titled www.chordPiano.com/>How To Play Chord Piano In Ten Days! has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled www.playPiano.com/Amazing Piano Lesson Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions with over 70,000 current subscribers.

Author:: Duane Shinn
Keywords:: major Chords, Chords, Piano
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

How to Control the Music Download Madness

After following the trend of users coming on to the internet to download movies, many resources stArted to come out offering you the latests downloads. At the very beggining this was great for most users.

After a while, people stArted to take advantage of this. They stArted adding pop ups, illegal spy software, among many other things to their sites. You downloaded an mp3 file and you got the file, but with it you had a shiny new browser window that told you to buy viagra everytime you surfed the web.

Fortunately, other resources came out. Legal Resources. Places were you can come inside and download music in a safe way, in a way you can trust.

These are cost effective, and if you compare it to the damage that could be caused by downloading the files from an illegal source, then the legal sources will outweight their value by tenfold.

When you're downloading for and Mp3 music file online, there are a few things you will want to look for:

1) The quality of the Mp3. File quality can range anywhere from 20 kbps which is blurry quality to 320 kbps which is basically CD quality. You should aim for downloading music files that are above 128 kbps. Anything below that will have a trashy background that will not sound great when you burn it onto a CD.

2) You internet speed must be in a good shape. Sometimes it's necessary to restArt your computer to get it back to optimum speed before attempting to download any mp3 file. You'll want anything over 3 kb/s to get the song in under 10 minutes.

3) Check you computer to make sure you have enough space on the drive you're downloading your file. There's nothing more annoying than getting to 75 percent of the download only to find out that you didn't have enough room in your C: Drive. Nowadays with our hard drive's spaces growing this is more unsual but it's best to make sure before you stArt.

4) Make sure you don't make illegal copies of the music you're downloading. The best way to download music is to use them as samples for a music album. You download a music file, see if you like it, and if you do, you go ahead and buy the record. If you don't then sample on to the next band. This way we keep the music industry going and it's an all round win win situation.

All and all, downloading music is a great experience and you can even learn about new bands that you'll want to go to the concert or buy the album later. Just make sure you do it from a legal source and keep your copies to yourself.

Learn how to Download Music with Charles Cruz CEO of Download Music Online (http://www.systemmastery.com/DownloadMusicOnline.html) Educating people on how to properly Download Mp3 Music.

Author:: Charles Cruz
Keywords:: download music, download mp3, download free music, music downloads
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Setting Up Your Own Internet Radio Station

Radio has been lagging for some years now, seeming to be a dinosaur compared to streaming internet radio, podcasting, XM satellite radio, and the plethora of other technologies that have reared their heads in the past 10 years. One of these new technologies is basically the same thing as old-school AM/FM radio, and that is internet radio. They both serve the same basic function, except with internet radio, you can set up your own station and play the music you want to play. I find this to be really exciting. So, with this knowledge in hand, how would one go about setting up their own internet radio station?

Internet radio stations use streaming audio technology to deliver audio content to your listeners. Basically, streaming audio is a more efficient and effective solution for delivering audio content. Instead of someone having to download the full audio file to listen to it, it is streamed off of a server so the end user can listen to the content live instead of hav ing the files data stored on their computer. There are special servers that deliver streaming media, and most ISPs have streaming media abilities, so you need to ask your internet provider first to make sure that youll be able to do so.

This tutorial is concerned with setting up and working a internet radio station utilizing pre-recorded content. (You can also broadcast live, but thats another tutorial in itself.) So, lets jump right into what hardware youll need to get going.

Gear youll need to get going:

1.CD Player Youll most likely be using and audio player on your computer, such as Real Player. You can set-up your playlist as you see fit. Some ISPs offer streaming radio services that utilize your media player playlist to figure out what you want played, and when to play it. You will need to check with your ISP to find out the details, as every one is different.

2.CD ripping software (To gather your audio files) I personally use Windows Media Pl ayer to rip my audio cds, it seems to be the easiest Ive come across. Please keep in mind that there are special rules for broadcasting copyrighted content, and you will be liable if you broadcast any copyrighted content.

3.Audio editing software If you decide to record anything yourself, station identification bits and the like, youll need a microphone too. I use Sony Soundforge for any audio editing, as its a very simple, intuitive program. This will also benefit you if youd like to censor any of the songs, or add anything to them. It also helps out if you want to cut down on the songs file sizes. You can pull a .wav file into Soundforge and output a compressed MP3 file in seconds.

4.A standard hosting account with an ISP Every ISP is different, so youll have to check with yours. All you really need to ask is if they support streaming internet radio, and if they do, youre good to go.

This is a very simplified guide to setting up and internet radio stati on, but it should be an adequate primer if you have no knowledge of streaming internet radio. There are many programs out there, free and paid, that will help you get the job done too. There is a great repository of resources over at http://www.webdevelopersjournal.com/software/multimediagoodies.html that I suggest you check out. Anyways, I learned a lot writing this article, I hope you learned just as much reading it.

Jason Cole and DiskFaktory Jams offer free downloadable music videos and music lyrics. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting DFJams.com.

Author:: Jason Cole
Keywords:: free MP3 downloads, Musicians, music lyrics, jamroom lyrics
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Sing Jingles Your Singing Investment

After being in the music business as long as I have, you meet a lot of people many of whom are extremely gifted and others, well there are others to. As a professional jingle Singer, former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and founder of ReelMusician.com, Ive heard it all The excuses that is. Many individuals want the glamorous lifestyle of Studio singing work, but they dont want to make the investment that is needed to put them on the map singing commercials. Lets spend a few minutes looking at a typical investment to get you started singing jingles and general session work.

By now, youve seen all kinds of services, prices and wonder what you should do in terms of your Singer reel. Lets spend a few minutes exploring what you shouldnt do. The biggest mistake new Singers mak e is to assume that their friends Studio is going to get the job done That might work for a rough draft or even a fairly polished song or artist demo, but when you want to play in the game with the big cats singing commercials, you better have a Singer reel that sounds like downtown. You cant afford not to have an incredible Singer reel out there and chances are, your friend cant write or figure out what the jingle producers are looking for and what will catch their attention. There are jingles that are sung professionally on the air and then there are the Singer reels that have to establish credibility with producers and writers and believe it or not, sometimes there is a big difference on what you should include on your reel and what you shouldnt even though it sounds like current commercials. Remembe r you have to grab their attention and that may or might not be different from the niche of jingles currently in vogue.

How much should a jingle cost and where do I go? Great questions. There will be significant difference in prices when youre looking to record your singing reel. There are plenty of folks online who will try to charge you a mint and you wouldnt be any better off with them as opposed to your friends Studio. At ReelMusician.com we try our best to offer affordable jingle reels for Singers trying to break into the market and deliver the demos that just knock your socks off. We dont let anything leave the Studio unti l it meets the needs of the Singer capitalizing on their strengths and weaknesses. When you are looking to record your first demo always ask for samples or at least listen to them online and you might ask them for references.

How much should I plan on spending to get my jingle reel done right? You should plan on investing a minimum of $500 and really push to spend closer to a $1,000 when its all said and done. Just to give you an idea, at ReelMusician.com, and because of the demand our prices will most likely increase shortly, we start out with jingle singing packages of (3) for $290, (5) for $380 and (7) for $495. You will have to include Studio time to record your lead Vocals on these tracks, which doesnt have to cost an arm and a leg, but you might figure an additional $200 - $300 and then the cost of making your CD. Most individuals burn their own CDs with easy software that creates the jewel cover artwork. Thats a realistic picture of your costs. And believe me, were not getting rich at those prices. Think about it and divide the total cost by the number of jingles and its actually very affordable and cost effective. For individuals really willing to make an investment in their singing career, its a great way to go. What stops most individuals from following a very doable dream? Im not sure I have all of the answers.

Many individuals have the dream, but not the follow through. Many yet, have the dream, but are willing to spend $5 - $7 for an appetizer a couple of times a week and blow all kinds of money frivolously before they are willing to make a real investment in their future. You will find that most individuals fall into what I call the I have a dream, but refuse to follow up with any significant resources to make it happen even though I spen d all kinds of money on drinks at the bar, and many other a sundry of frivolous spending. These individuals will often make the call to ReelMusician.com asking if we represent folks for commercials, but when told of the basic costs and needs of a professionally written and produced jingle Singer reel, tell you that they will, think about it and get back with you. They have no intention of getting back with you because they spend their money on what they want to spend their money on And so we cant help them, nor should we. We try as best we can to help individuals who are really putting forth their best effort not because they are spending money with us, but because they have the dream and are really going after it.

Your investment in your singing career will also require a start up time investment of meeting with jingle Singers in your area to get their ideas, contacts, etc as well as finding the key players in your immediate area who are writing commercials and in dustrial music. Once you have established or are building your singing base in your area, you will want to branch out and do the same in other markets. You will want to follow up in markets that tend to pay well if you are going to travel like Chicago, L.A., New York, Atlanta, Dallas, etc. You will need to keep a simple contact sheet either in your computer or on paper and keep up with the conversations, telephone numbers and all contact information. Your follow up will be key.

In closing, get the best possible jingle Singer reel, with a great looking CD cover, and follow up with individuals like Ive just described and you will be well on your way to singing Studio and commercial work! Email us and let us know how youre doing.

Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morri s Agency and founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@Reelmusician.com. Free e-books The Jingle Singers Guide, and Secrets To Great Song Demos, may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com

Author:: Tom Gauger
Keywords:: Singer, sing jingles, sing commercials, Gigs, Studio work, Reelmusician.com, Artists, Vocal, Studio
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NUMetal: Style's Specific Features

The NU-Metal trend was for the first time introduced in the early 1990s on the peak of formation of new hard Music mainstream. The NU-Metal is also called agro metal, or NU-Metal using the traditional heavy metal umlaut. It typically fuses influences from the Grunge and alternative metal of the early 1990s with hip hop, electronic Music and other metal genres, most often thrash metal and groove metal.

The Popularity and perceived vast commercialization of such Music in the late 1990s and early 2000s led to widespread negative associations with the term NU-Metal, which in turn led to many Fans and Artists rejecting it. The trend claims to have been existing for 12 years, which is also the age of Founders of NU-Metal the Korn. Dreads, tattoos, long hair were coined to represent NU-Metal among wid e fan-base. They served indicators of new subcultures of the Metal. Speaking about peculiar features of NU-Metal, Id like to point out vocal as the leading one. It should be a kind of extraordinary. For instance, not everyone understands a term to sing growl, and yet just a few have succeeded in doing this.

Those Musicians, who managed to represent their vocal skills at the golden age of alternative boom in the USA were beneficial of being acclaimed well-known representatives of NU-Metal. For example, front man of Korn John David is hard to mimic. The trend also envisages shifting to different tones.

After arranging front man, the band plaid experimental guitars, following NU-Metal. Its ether distortion digital effects or acoustics, they applied. This was initially represented by Korn. Twelve years of their activity faced a mix of dazzling innovations, perplexing and meeting Fans needs.

The band remained at the peak though the Music scene saw increase of ba nds, following the trend. The best CD album, released by Korn Follow The Leader promoted NU-Metal abroad. NU-Metal requested certain images. They say, descent Music requires descent appearance. Their followers strived to display brand new images, different from those of Korn. The NU-Metal is promoted by Limp Bizkit, Linking Park, Slipknot, P.O.D., Papa Roach and others.

Article source:

NU-Metal: Styles Specific Features. Music Babylon is a site with lyrics, discographies, Artists' biographies, Music forum and some articles for those who's interested.

Author:: Mark Renton
Keywords:: Grunge, alternative metal, thrash metal, groove metal, Popularity, Music, Fans, Artists, Founders
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