You Can Compose Your Own Music!

Whenever someone uses the word Composer, inevitably, the names of Beethoven, Bach, and other classical personages come to mind. This can be very intimidating to those who want to record their Musical thoughts and ideas down.

In fact, comparing yourself to ANY Composer will be detrimental to you. Why? Because you will always have to live up to someone's expectations of what is good Music or what is not good Music. This comparison trap will lead you nowhere and will result in a drying up of the creative spirit. The solution to this trap is to begin where you are and for most of us that means begin EASY!

I'll never forget the first time I tried to Compose something. It was for classical guitar. I tried to create something original and it took me 2 hours just to write out 4-bars of melody. Of course, I didn't know what I was doing. There has to be some kind of method that works for you. Now, the method I use today has been very easy to work with because it gives me the freedom to Compose AND improvise at the same time. I Compose using 8-bar phrases.

To do this all one has to do is write out 8-bars on a sheet of paper. Any paper will do. It doesn't have to be Music paper or manuscript. In fact, I just use a spiral bound journal with ruled lines on it. Whenever I want to memorialize an idea, I draw out 8-bars very quickly. I then improvise and allow myself the freedom to play anything that comes out of me. If I try and think something up, the Music will usually wind up sounding forced or contrived - qualities that Music is better off not having.

Once the idea (either melodic or textural) appears, I write out the first 2-bars so I remember what it is and use chords to quickly fill in the 8-bar section. After this is completed, I may draw another 8-bars and see what else comes. If nothing more is coming at this particular point, I put the journal away and come back to it later on. This method has served me well over the years and is an excellent starting method for beginning Composers.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/Composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online Piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play Piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescenceMusic.com/Pianolessons.html for a FREE Piano lesson!

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: Compose,Compose Music,Piano,Piano lessons,Piano Music,Music,Composition
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RightHand Techniques for New Age Piano

Recently, I had a student ask me to offer some techniques for using the right hand. Usually, it's the left hand that causes the most difficulty but I had to think about it because up till then, I really did not have any techniques for the right hand.

I thought about it and tried to think about what I do as far as improvising with the right hand goes. Basically there are really only a few things you can do. You can:

1. Play single note runs - this is where you just play one note at a time

2. Play arpeggios - broken chords up and down the keyboard

3. Play chords - using 3rds or sixths or any combination of the chord-scale relationship

Different genres of music use the above techniques in different ways. New Age Piano usually relies on a softer sound although there is a minimalist style that uses hard sounding chords in the right hand ala George Winston.

You see, the problem is that you have to know the numerical relationship between the root note and the rest of the notes that make up the chord to know what you're doing on the keyboard.

A book I highly recommend, although it may not be on the market anymore is Alan Swain's Four-way Keyboard system. It's not an easy instruction book, but it is one of the best for how chords are constructed - thus allowing you to know when you are playing 3rds or 4ths and so on. Not necessary for making music, but nice to know anyway.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online Piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play Piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/Pianolessons.html for a FREE Piano lesson!

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: new age Piano,right-hand technique,Piano,Piano lessons
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Loose by Nelly Furtado CD Review

Nelly Furtado has released her latest CD entitled Loose and it doesn't exactly sound like some of her past releases, but it's a very good collection.

What we're hearing here is the fact that she is of course growing as an artist. Just as it should happen with a serious artist, her Music is clearly evolving.

I developed a liking for her voice and have followed her career since the release of her first CD, Whoa Nelly, which had the mega hit Like A Bird on it.

I'm always curios to see if an artist can duplicate early career success and with the release of this her third CD I'm convinced Nelly Furtado is a performer that will be with us for some time to come.

The CD launches with an outstanding track, Afraid, that will definitely be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It's a really good song.

In fact overall Loose is an outstanding CD release and is definitely must have Music for any fan. I give it my two thumbs up. It's the kind of CD even casual Music fans will love.

The standout tunes on Loose are Maneater [track 2, Promiscuous [track 3, and Say It Right [track 8. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in Stuck On REp eat is track 12, All Good Things. Very nice!

Release Notes:

Nelly Furtado originally released Loose on June 20, 2006 on the Geffen Records label.

CD track list follows:

1. Afraid 2. Maneater 3. Promiscuous 4. Glow 5. Showtime 6. No Hay Igual 7. Te Busque 8. Say It Right 9. Do It 10. In God's Hands 11. Wait For You 12. All Good Things (Come To An End) 13. Te Busque (Spanish Version)

To listen to samples of each song on Loose by Nelly Furtado go to: Nelly Furtado CD - Loose MP3 Samples

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee is a life long Music fanatic. In addition to writing CD Reviews like this one for several Music related websites he also hosts an internet radio show, and invites you to join him daily for some of the best soul soothing smooth jazz you'll ever hear at http://www.SmoothJazz247.com

Author:: Clyde Dennis
Keywords:: nelly furtado,Loose,Cd,Review,Music,Mp3,Smoothlee
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Learn to Read Sheet Music and Forget the TAB Advice for Guitarists

Reading sheet music can be very intimidating for a beginning Guitarist. It is, after all, a brand new language composed of a lot of symbols that are new and alien. But Reading sheet music is a must for anyone who wants to be a serious Guitarist and it will take your Guitar playing well beyond anything that TAB will show you. Tablature is a crutch. It will only teach you how to play songs and compositions by rote. It is true that with Tab you will learn how to play a piece of music but in the process you are missing some of the real things that music, and being a Musician are all about.

What is the goal of a Guitarist?

Playing pieces of music is not the only goal of a Guitarist. Growth in both technical ability and creativity are just as important. When you learn a piece of music by TAB you experience a certain amount of growth but as you master the piece your growth quickly levels off. You have learned the piece and y ou practice it only to keep it sharp. When you learn a piece of music with traditional sheet music you are not just learning the notes you are also learning another language. This exercising of your mind makes you more flexible, more capable, and more creative. With time and practice you recognize keys, chords, progressions and whole host of things you would never see with TAB.

Advantages of Reading Sheet music

Hearing the music -As your skill develops and your ears sharpen you will be able to pick up a piece of written sheet music and actually hear the notes without playing the Guitar. It is a language that you have learned. For some this ability comes quickly and for others it takes years of practice.

Creativity Learning a language exercises a new part of your brain. Everyday, as you apply yourself to learning this new languag e you will grow. And this growth promotes your creativity. You are given many more tools to work with and apply to your music composition and you gain a broader, and more colorful, understanding of music.

Sight Reading - As you develop your skill in reading sheet music you will gain the ability to pick up a piece of music that you have never seen before and play it from sight. This ability makes you a competent Musician and accelerates your ability to add pieces to your repertoire.

Breadth of Repertoire - Does your taste in Guitar music deviate from the mainstream? It can be very difficult to find Tablature for pieces that are not mainstream. But you can always find the sheet music. It is the language of music.

Cross-pollination with other instruments - If you have heard a piece of music written for another instrument; like the piano, bass Guitar, cello, or anything else where would you find Guitar Tab for it? If you are able to read sheet music you can get a copy of the music, understand it, and transcribe it for your Guitar. This holds true for sub-genres of Guitar. There is an enormous amount of music available to Guitarists that are not written in Tab. Music like classical Guitar, flamenco, Spanish and progressive/experimental. Reading sheet music gives you instant access to all these flavors of Guitar.

The Ultimate Reward

As a Guitar player, or aspiring Guitar player, you know that it is not something that you study for a few weeks and are done. Playing Guitar is a life long pursuit and learning Tablature is just a short cut that enables you to play some songs. But learning to read sheet music is a skill that will have a more profound impact on your experience with the Guitar and with the music. I t will make you a better, more creative, and more capable player. It will enrich your experience with the Guitar and with the music in ways that Tab never can.

Will Kalif is the author of two self-published epic fantasy novels and an avid Classical Guitarist. You can download free samples of his work at his personal website:
Storm The Castle - Creativity and Fantasy with an edge

Or you can visit his site devoted to fantasy on the web at:
The Webs Fantasy Guide

Author:: Will Kalif
Keywords:: Guitar,sheet music, sight reading,Tablature,Tab,Musician
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The Didjeridu

In Northern Australia the Didjeridu is seen as a phallic symbol and therefore a male Instrument. Women are prohibited from playing.

Stories of the Didjeridu vary from place to place among the different language-speaking groups in this large continent.

In the beginning, in the North of Australia, a giant captured two young girls to be his wives. One day they escaped and made their way back to their tribal people.

The tribal elders knew the giant would ccme looking for his brides so they dug a huge pit along the path leading to their home camp as a trap. They waited behind an anthill.

In his anger and haste, the giant came running and fell into the pit. The tribal hunters threw their spears, mortally wounding him. The giant curled into a ball in his death throes. As he curled into himself he began to blow on his penis, making an eerie droning sound. He rolled and roared, thrashing around in the pit, the deep drone of his penis thrummed through the earth and caused the birds to fly high into the heavens.

The men wanted to recapture such a sound of power, so they searched for and found a large hollow log with the centre eaten out by termites. By blowing on one end of this hollow log, they were able to create the sound made by the giant in his death throes.

And from that time, the Didjeridu is a sacred Instrument to men, for it holds the power of the giant.

In another story from the South-East of Australia, three men were camped in the bush on a cold night in the middle of winter. One of the men, watching the fire, picked up another log to feed the flame which was getting low. As he picked up the log he found it was hollow but thought no more about it until he turned to drop it into the fire and noticed the entire length was covered with termites.

He didn't know what to do for the termites were his totem ! He couldn't throw the branch into the fire, because it would kill the termites but the fire had to be kept burning on such a night.

He carefully removed all the termites from the outside of the log by scooping them into his hand and gently placing them inside the branch. Then he raised the branch to his lips and blew the termites into the air.

And the termites blown into the air became the stars and the first Didjeridu was made.

The Didjeridu is the world's oldest known Musical Instrument. Traditionally, it's made from a branch in which white ants eat their way up through the centre towards the sunlight. The outer shell of the branch remains solid and protects the ants. Eventually the branch dies and falls to the ground. After shaping the ends and marking it with personal designs, this becomes the Didjeridu.

Many Aboriginal people believe that there is a man's spirit inside the Didjeridu - so women may not play it.

And if you listen now to the Didjeridu it will go into your ears, open your heart and lift your spirit.

About The Author

Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor, professional storyteller and a creator and guide of Rites of Passage. Her ceremonies are used in home offices, corporate boardrooms and civic functions. http://celebrant.yarralink.com

Author:: Susanna Duffy
Keywords:: Didjeridu,Music,Instrument,Australia,phallic symbol
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No Scene in Pennsylvania?

Everywhere I go, I hear the same thing: Theres no Scene in Pennsylvania. Bands beg people to come to their Shows, to help what little Scene we have. But Im not buying it.

We have a Scene in Pennsylvania - at least we have the Bands and the talent for a good Music Scene. Whats lacking, in my opinion, is the Fans and the support needed to help Bands become successful.

We have literally hundreds of Bands in central Pennsylvania. When I first started going out to see Bands in Pennsylvania, I naively thought there were only a handful of Bands performing in my area. I quickly realized my error, to say the least. I could go out to see a new band every weekend and Id never get to see them all.

Go to the events section of Myspace and search for Shows within 50 miles of your area code. Look at how man y Shows come up in the results and try to tell me theres no Scene, that theres no Music going on around here.

There are a TON of Shows every single week, every day of the week in central Pennsylvania. There are so many that I know I dont have all of them on our website. It takes me about a week to update the Calendars!

There are hard-working Musicians out there, trying to make their dreams come true. I know this. I see it at least 3 times per week when Im out at Shows. What I dont see is any support coming from Fans. Sure, there are a handful of Fans that follow a band around, and Im not talking about them here. Im also not just talkin g about going to Shows.

There are so many other areas that Musicians could use help! Just reposting bulletins on Myspace helps tremendously. (Does anyone understand thats exactly how Myspace works?) If you like a band, let people know about them! Start street teams, hand out flyers, do something! Im sick to death of kids sitting around complaining about no Scene! Its up to those kids to make the Scene!

Ive been living by a popular saying for the past year. Perhaps youve seen it: Be the Change you want to see in the world. (originally stated by Gandhi)

Im taking that phrase literally, and Id advise everyone else to do the same, and thats not just in regards to Music. If you dont like the way something is, do something to Change it. I cant guarantee that it will work, but youll have the satisfaction of knowing you tried. And you never know Sometimes big Changes can start with just one suggestion.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.com whi ch is a site for Writers.

She is also a stringer for the Standard Speaker, a Pennsylvania newspaper, and is editor of Word of Mouth Magazine.

Author:: Tonia Jordan
Keywords:: Music,Pennsylvania,Scene,Bands,Shows,Change,Fans
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Choosing the Right Music Teacher for Your Lessons

The best way to learn an instrument is to find a music teacher. In fact the best way to learn anything in life is to find a tutor of your chosen subject and to take on the task head on - to learn from actually doing.

People say that you learn from your mistakes partly true due to the fact you end up knowing what NOT to do. But I believe there is a key point missed here at least you are actually DOING something.

A teacher is someone to show you the path, the light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the day they know what they are doing and talking about you probably dont and its because of this, the fact that you put all of your trust into your teacher, that you should be very careful about ensuring the one you choose is up for the job.

Here is some advice on choosing your teacher and what to look out for.

Advice 1 - Previous Experience.

It is essential that your teacher has experience in two specific areas performing music and teachi ng music. It is important that your music teacher is actually a musician the best example I can give is this imagine that instead of learning an instrument you want to learn how to scuba dive. Would you let yourself be taught by someone who has studied diving from a book but who has never actually been under the water?

If your teacher shows that he has performed music it gives you some guarantee that they are of a high enough standard musically chances are they wouldn't have been hired if they couldnt play their instrument.

The second is teaching experience. After discussing how it is important for your teacher to have actually been, or still is involved in music it is also important that the have experience in teaching music. Teaching is a completely different art to performing. Most musicians tell me that they learn more through teaching than they do from any other source - when you teach you instantly reveal your own weak points.

The opposite of this is true as well actually how many times have you heard someone who recently passed their driving test say you dont learn how to drive until your out on the road on your own after your lessons and test (This carries over to a future article Why performing is critical to your progress as a musician.)

So make sure your teacher is both a musician and a teacher.

Advice 2 - Attitude and Personality.

It is fairly common for people to ask for character references estate agents, employers most people looking to hire someone - this is also true for finding a music teacher as at the end of the day you are hiring them to teach you.

Learning is much easier in a friendly environment did you ever notice that the Teachers at school that had a laugh and were fun often taught you the most e ach lesson? In human nature it is common to be stubborn and resilient and it is a Teachers personality and character that helps connect with you, therefore making the experience enjoyable and thus increasing the productivity of your lessons.

It is not generally going to be possible to get a character reference from a teacher but try and use your first lesson as a trial - Get to know your teacher a bit and get a general feel for the lesson if you have fun and enjoyed every minute then youve probably found a teacher with a good teaching attitude rather than if it was drab and boring.

If you can try and talk to some of your prospective Teachers regular students. See if they enjoy their lessons and what the overall comments are about the quality and attitude of the teacher.

Advice 3 - Teacher Flexibility

Again this covers more than one topic flexibility as a musician, and as a teacher.

In the long term you will eventually begin expanding your musicality. For example woodwind players generally begin learning one instrument, maybe the clarinet or saxophone. Eventually, and if they want to pursue music, they will begin learning other woodwind instruments as it is common for, say for instance a saxophone player, to play clarinet, flute and even through to oboe and bassoon.

Because of this you are going to want a teacher that can provide this in the long term. After months and years of lessons with your teacher you wont want to find that in order to progress further you need to find a new instructor and have to create the bond that you would have developed with your curre nt teacher all over again.

Positive things to look out for are:

If your teacher still has lessons and practices (even the most professional musicians still have lessons see the beginning of my article Practicing music what to do outside of your private music lessons to see how it is impossible to learn and master every aspect of music)

If your teacher teaches more than one instrument (however be wary of Teachers that teach, for instance, trumpet and flute. Whilst musicians do end up playing completely irrelevant instruments they generally will stick to teaching their primary instrument.)

If your teacher is still an active musician this is a gray area because where it is easy to assume that your teacher, not an active musician maybe is not good enough to perform music and ther efore teaches music, it is possible that your teacher prefers teaching than performing. The benefit if they are still an active musician is again they will be learning constantly and they will still be an active teacher during this period.

The other flexibility to look out for is their organisation in regards to lessons. It is positively advised that regular lessons or regular anything is good for you. Regular exercise keeps you healthy, regular sleep keeps you alert and regular lessons help improve your musical playing.

If your teacher will constantly phone up to re-arrange your lesson, often misses lessons or is often late for your lesson it will have a negative effect on you. Psychologically the fact that you havent got into a routine with your lessons and the fact that you keep getting let down will make you less enthusiastic towards your music lessons.

So find a teacher that offers many years of tuition rather than a limited number of months, and som eone who will keep regular dates and who holds his promises of this dates and times.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article will give you some food for thought if you decide to find a music teacher and just remember that unless you are enjoying and learning your instrument maybe you need a new teacher.

This article is free for reproduction providing it is left in its original form and an active link to http://www.realmusicproduction.com is present.

Edward Droscher is the founder of Real Music Production and works to develop music education systems privately and in schools. For more information or details on music instruction please visit http://www.realmusicproduction.com or email info@realmusicproduction.com

Author:: Edward Droscher
Keywords:: music teacher, Teachers, mu sic lessons, choosing teacher
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