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Marion Meadows Dressed To Chill Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-23T21:47:00.000+07:00

Dressed To Chill is the latest release from Smooth Jazz Superstar Marion Meadows, and is another winner by this talented musician.Unfortunately, it’s not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Dressed To Chill. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.This CD grabs your attention right from the outset with Dressed To Chill and won’t let go until the very last note of the very last song To Love Her, which is another great track by the way.Dressed To Chill is a pleasantly varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are him own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you’ve got one of Marion Meadows’s most impressive releases ever.Marion Meadows possesses the characteristic of being able to win you over with him talent alone. The kind of artist I frankly just flat out enjoy listening to.If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this album. Overall Dressed To Chill is an a great release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with one single track.Listen to and I think you’ll agree that the song choices are excellent, the production is outstanding and Marion Meadows is clearly in top form.While this entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 1 - Dressed To Chill, track 3 - Dance With My Daughter, and track 9 - Scent Of A Woman.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6 - I Believe I Can Fly. Great track!Dressed To Chill Release Notes:Marion Meadows originally released Dressed To Chill on May 23, 2006 on the Heads Up Records label.CD Track List Follows:1. Dressed To Chill 2. Remember Me 3. Dance With My Daughter 4. Miss Know It All 5. Bounce 6. I Believe I Can Fly 7. Coco Flow 8. Just My Style 9. Scent Of A Woman 10. Steppers ... Let's Do This 11. 1000 Dreams 12. To Love Her

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 07/07/2007 ][ viewed 60 times ]

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Keiko Matsui Piano Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-23T21:42:00.000+07:00

Piano is the latest Smooth Jazz CD realeased by the richly talented Keiko Matsui who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Keiko Matsui fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one.Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Piano. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.The nice thing about a CD like this is with this level of talent even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite genre you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist.Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.Smooth Jazz music fans will recognize some of the well known guests that have been assembled to play along with Matsui on several of the tracks. Artists like Derek Nakamoto just to name a couple.If you're a Keiko Matsui fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don't even have to be a fan of Matsui, or even Smooth Jazz to know is good. It's just good music. Period.Listen and I think you'll agree that the song choices are excellent, the production is outstanding and Keiko Matsui is clearly in top form.While this entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 1 - Presence Of The Moon, track 3 - Whisper From The Mirror, and track 5 - Light Above The TreesMy SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 10 - See You There. This is a great track!Piano Release Notes:Keiko Matsui originally released Piano on May 6, 2003 on the Sony Wonder label.CD Track List Follows:1. Presence Of The Moon 2. Water Lily 3. Whisper From The Mirror 4. Between The Moons 5. Light Above The Trees 6. Doll 7. Beyond The Light 8. Trees 9. Forever, Forever 10. See You There 11. Dawn 12. Distance 13. Be With Me Personnel: Keiko Matsui (piano); Derek Nakamoto (programming). Recorded at Power House Studio, Tokyo, Japan.

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 08/07/2007 ][ viewed 59 times ]

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Keiko Matsui Deep Blue Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-23T21:36:00.001+07:00

The exceptionally talented Smooth Jazz artist Keiko Matsui has released her CD entitled Deep Blue. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Keiko Matsui fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Deep Blue Keiko Matsui's artistic excellence is on full display as Matsui has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be her best work to date.The CD launches with an outstanding track, Deep Blue, that I anticipate will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track.I wish it weren't the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Deep Blue. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Keiko Matsui's most impressive releases ever.Deep Blue is a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly superb artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are her own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They're all here.If you're a Keiko Matsui fan, or just a fan of Smooth Jazz music this is a CD your collection simply should not be without.While the entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 2 - Water For The Tribe, track 3 - Across The Sun, and track 8 - Crescent Night Dream.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 9 - To The Indian Sea. Great track!Deep Blue Release Notes:Keiko Matsui originally released Deep Blue on July 17, 2001 on the Narada label.CD Track List Follows:1. Deep Blue 2. Water For The Tribe 3. Across The Sun 4. Trees 5. Mediterranean Eyes 6. Rose In Morocco 7. Moonflower 8. Crescent Night Dream 9. To The Indian Sea 10. Mystic Dance Personnel includes: Keiko Matsui (piano); Kazu Matsui (shakuhachi); Derek Nakamoto (synthesizer, programming). Engineers include: Derek Nakamoto, Craig Burbidge, David Keonig. Principally recorded at Bindu Studios, Santa Monica, California.

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 09/07/2007 ][ viewed 44 times ]

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Evanescence Fallen Rock Music CD Review

2008-02-13T21:46:00.000+07:00

Fallen is the latest Rock CD put out by the highly group Evanescence and they have once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I’m confident Evanescence fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one.Unfortunately, it’s not everyday that I get a CD for review that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Fallen. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.Fallen is a nicely varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard.If you're even mildly into Rock music you'll enjoy this album. Overall Fallen is an outstanding release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with one single track.Overall Fallen is outstanding from beginning to end. One of those CDs that after a few listens the songs are just etched into your memory. A must have for the Rock fan. Really sensational from beginning to end.While the entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 2 - Bring Me To Life, track 4 - My Immortal, and track 8 - Taking Over Me.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 10 - My Last Breath. This is a great track!Fallen Release Notes:Evanescence originally released Fallen on Mar 04, 2003 on the Wind-Up Records label.CD Track List Follows:1. Going Under 2. Bring Me To Life 3. Everybody's Fool 4. My Immortal 5. Haunted 6. Tourniquet 7. Imaginary 8. Taking Over Me 9. Hello 10. My Last Breath 11. Whisper Evanescence: Amy Lee (vocals); Ben Moody (guitar, percussion, programming). Additional personnel: Paul McCoy (vocals); David Hodges (piano, keyboards, programming); Francesco DiCosmo (bass); Josh Freese, Rocky Gray (drums); Zac Baird, Chris Johnson (programming).

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 22/06/2007 ][ viewed 85 times ]

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Gerald Albright New Beginnings Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-13T21:40:00.001+07:00

The exceptionally talented Smooth Jazz artist Gerald Albright has released him CD entitled New Beginnings. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Gerald Albright fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of New Beginnings Gerald Albright’s artistic excellence is on full display as Albright has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date.This one will grab your attention right from the beginning with We Got The Groove and doesn't let go until the very last note of the very last song Georgia On My Mind, which is another great track by the way.New Beginnings is a nicely varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are him own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.Gerald Albright has been a super star in the Smooth Jazz genre for quite some time now and New Beginnings is an excellent illustration as to why.Gerald Albright possesses the characteristic of being able to win you over with him talent alone. The kind of artist I really enjoy listening to.Listen to New Beginnings and I believe you’ll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Gerald Albright is clearly in top form. So much so that if you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this album.While this entire album is really very good some of my favorites are track 1 - We Got The Groove, track 3 - Deep Into My Soul, and track 9 - Last But Not LeastMy SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 4 - And The Beat Goes On. Great track!New Beginnings Release Notes:Gerald Albright originally released New Beginnings on Mar 28, 2006 on the Concord Records label.CD Track List Follows:1. We Got The Groove 2. New Beginnings 3. Deep Into My Soul 4. And The Beat Goes On 5. Georgia On My Mind 6. Take Your Time 7. I Want Somebody 8. You Are My Love 9. Last But Not Least 10. I Need You 11. Big Shoes 12. Georgia On My Mind (Reprise)

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 22/06/2007 ][ viewed 76 times ]

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Peter White Confidential Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-13T21:35:00.001+07:00

Confidential is the latest Smooth Jazz CD put out by the richly talented Peter White who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Peter White fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one.I wish it weren't the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Confidential. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.These days it's a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.Smooth Jazz music fans will recognize some of the well known guests that have been assembled to play along with White on several of the tracks. Artists like Christopher Cross and Mindi Abair just to name a couple.If you're a Peter White fan, or just a fan of Smooth Jazz music this is a CD your collection simply should not be without.Listen to this CD and I believe you'll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Peter White is clearly in top form. So much so that if you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this CD.While the entire CD is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 2 - Talkin' Bout Love, track 3 - How Does It Feel, and track 6 - Lost Without Your Love.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 9 - Jump On It. Wow!Confidential Release Notes:Peter White originally released Confidential on Mar 23, 2004 on the Columbia label.CD Track List Follows:1. Coast Road Drive 2. Talkin' Bout Love 3. How Does It Feel 4. She's In Love 5. Are You Mine 6. Lost Without Your Love 7. Confidential 8. Swept Away 9. Jump On It 10. Stormfront 11. Endless Journey Personnel: Peter White (various instruments, programming); Christopher Cross, David Sparkman (vocals); Mindi Abair (soprano saxophone); Joel Peskin (saxophone, flute); Michael Paulo (saxophone); Chris Botti, Jerry Hey (trumpet); Steven Hoffman (trombone); DC, Rex Rideout (keyboards, programming); Paul Brown (electric guitar); Matthew Hager (guitar, bass, programming); Roberto vally (bass); Steve Ferrone (drums); Paulinho Da Costa, Lenny Castro (percussion). Producers include: Peter White, DC, Paul Brown, Matthew Hager, Brian Culbertson.By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 23/06/2007 ][ viewed 81 times ]

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Roger Waters Tickets

2008-02-13T21:27:00.000+07:00

English rock musician; singer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter, and composer, George Roger Waters was born September 6, 1943. Roger Waters founded Pink Floyd and assumed control after Syd Barrett’s departure in 1968. He became their main songwriter, bass player, vocalist and the mastermind behind the majority of the band's songs, concept albums and many of Pink Floyd's symbols including the Pink Floyd Pigs and the marching hammers. His personal input led the band to FM radio immortality with the Psychedelic masterpieces ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ (1973) and ‘The Wall’(1979), not to mention a string of hugely selling records that were the ONLY music to listen to for thousands of tripping teenagers from the 1970s well into the '80s. This made Roger Waters the most arrogant as well as the most brilliant figure in rock music. Waters' lyrics exorcised his personal anguish caused by his father’s death during World War II and also addressed the pressures of rock stardom and the resulting alienation of the artist from his audience. The introspective nature of these lyrics often led to accusations of indulgence, which in part led to the break-up on the Pink Floyd in 1983. Following the bitter split, Waters began a moderately successful solo career by producing electronically innovative records, tinkering with the Rock Opera genre with varying results. Roger Water released three studio albums and staged one of the largest concerts ever, The Wall Concert in Berlin in 1990. ‘The Pros And Cons Of Hitchhiking’ was his first official solo album that was a marked departure from his usual bitter lyrics. Eric Clapton made a guest appearance on the album. Roger Waters wrote and performed the soundtrack to the Raymond Briggs animated anti-nuclear war film, When The Wind Blows in 1986. Waters masterminded a massive performance of ‘The Wall’ by the remains of the Berlin Wall in July 1990 as part of a project in aid of the Leonard Cheshire Memorial Fund For Disaster Relief. This was Waters’ ambitious event that was televised around the world featuring a host of star guests including performances by Van Morrison, Cyndi Lauper, Sin‚ad O'Connor and Joni Mitchell, plus actors Albert Finney and Tim Curry. Roger Waters dedicated 1992"s ‘Amused To Death’ to the memory of a late World War II soldier. During this Roger Waters was in bitter litigation with other members of his former group as he unsuccessfully tried to stop them using the Pink Floyd name. Someone still has to find a way of healing the rift between Waters and the remaining members of the Pink Floyd. Despite no new recordings, Waters did tour the USA during the summer of 1999. Several of the performances were later compiled on ‘In The Flesh’. Roger Waters released an opera, Ça Ira and joined Pink Floyd at the Live 8 concert in London, on July 2, 2005 for the first public performance including Waters in 24 years. Waters teamed up with big guns Ennio Morricone and Eddie Van Halen for a single featured on the soundtrack for Tim Roth's new movie, The Legend of 1900.

By ticket mayor [ 24/06/2007 ][ viewed 55 times ]

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Bon Jovi Tickets

2008-02-13T21:22:00.000+07:00

Bon Jovi – a rock band from New Jersey, is named after the lead singer and founder of the group Jon Bon Jovi. The group originally made a bash in the l80s. The band has taken on their success legacy ever since as one of the world's most popular and successful rock bands throughout the 1990s and 2000s. They won their first Grammy in 2007 for "Best Country Collaboration" for "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and had formerly been nominated for two other Grammy Awards, both for their 2000 smash hit It's My Life. Bon Jovi has sold more than 35 million albums in the United States, and over 120 million albums worldwide, and has played live concerts in almost all over the globe. Bon Jovi has released nine studio albums, 2 best of albums, a live album, and a box set, with a tenth studio album due for release in 2007. Bon Jovi's biggest selling album is Slippery When Wet. The band has had seven number one albums on the European charts, six on the World Charts, two #1 albums in the USA and five number one albums in the UK and also throughout Australia, Japan, Canada and Germany. Bon Jovi hit numbers include "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer", "Wanted Dead or Alive", "Bad Medicine', "I'll Be There for You", "Keep the Faith", "Bed of Roses", "Always", "It's My Life", "Everyday", "Have a Nice Day" and "Who Says You Can't Go Home". Jon Bon Jovi began taking his first piano and guitar lessons at 13, Al Perinello - his neighbor. At that same age, Bon Jovi founded his first band, called Raze. Jon registered in an all-boys Catholic school St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey but left since he wasinterested in attending public school. He went on to attend Sayreville War Memorial High School. At sixteen, Bon Jovi met David Bryan (born David Bryan Rashbaum) and together, founded a 12-piece cover band titled Atlantic City Expressway. They played at New Jersey clubs. Still in his adolescence, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones. By the summer of 82, Jon took a job at the Power Station Studios, a Manhattan recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi (the authentic spelling), was the co-owner. Jon made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier) and sent them out to many record companies, but failed to make an impact. In 1983, Bon Jovi visited the local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple" in Lake Success, New York. He spoke directly to the D.J., Chip Hobart, who suggested Bon Jovi let WAPP include the song "Runaway" on a compilation album of local homegrown talent. Bon Jovi was reluctant but eventually gave them the song on which Bon Jovi had used studio musicians - known as "The All Star Review", to play on the track "Runaway" (which was written in 1980). The song began to get airplay in the New York metro area, followed by other stations. Jon now needed a band. The soon-to-be Bon Jovi didn't come together until March of 1983. Bon Jovi gave David Bryan a call, who further called bassist Alec John Such and skilled drummer Tico Torres. Dave Sabo (a.k.a. The Snake) - Bon Jovi's neighbor,played the lead guitar for the band. One night after a show, Richie Sambora met with Bon Jovi backstage and told him that he should be the guitarist. Though, not with much intention, told him to learn the material and show up for rehearsal. After hearing Sambora, Bon Jovi was overwhelmed; in that moment, Sambora became the band's leading guitarist. Before that, Sambora had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had just been called up to audition for Kiss. He also played on the album Lessons with the band Message, which was re-released on CD through Long Island Records in 1995. Message was originally signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label, although the album was never released. Tico Torres was also an veteran musician, having recorded with Miles Davis and playing live with Phantom's Opera, The Marvelettes, and Chuck Berry. He had played on 26 records and had recently recorded with Franke and the Knockouts. David Bryan was a natural recruit. He had quit the band he and Bon Jovi founded and went to college for pre-med studies. There it occurred to him that he should pursue music full-time, and thus got admission in the exalted Juilliard School, for music in New York. When Bon Jovi told his ol’ pal, bryan realizing this is it!, he gave a green signal to the offer. The Bon Jovi lineup, included Jon Bon Jovi (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Richie Sambora (lead guitar, backing vocals), David Bryan (keyboard, acking vocals) Tico Torres (drums, percussion), and Alec John Such (bass guitar, backing vocals). Once Bon Jovi had put together his band and began playing showcases and opening for local talent, they caught the attention of record executive Derek Shulman, who signed John to Mercury Records, part of the PolyGram company. John Bongiovi then made alteration in his name, replacing the gi in Bongiovi to a j, and also removed the h in john, thus became known as Jon Bon Jovi. With the help of their new manager Doc McGhee, the band's debut album, Bon Jovi, was released on January 21, 1984 and attained over 500,000 sales and was also released in the UK. The group also made an opening for ZZ Top at the Madison Square Garden , and for Scorpions and Kiss in Europe. They also made an appearance on American Bandstand. In 1985, Bon Jovi's second album 7800° Fahrenheit was released, but the received minor success. After a nearly three-year break, Bon Jovi regrouped in 1999 to begin work on their next studio album. Their 2000 release, Crush, enjoyed awesome success both in the US and overseas, crediting to the major hit-single"It's My Life". Crush, which also produced such hits as "Say It Isn't So" and "Thank You for Loving Me", soon became the band's most successful studio album. The Crush Tour, initially consisted of only 60 or so shows and was extended due to Bon Jovi's pristine fame, with the band remaining on tour through mid-2001. While on tour, Bon Jovi released a collection of live performances from throughout their career in an album, titled One Wild Night: Live 1985-2001. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the band performed as part of the historic star-studded The Concert for New York City benefit concert for victims and their families. They performed an acoustic medley of "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" with a stirring finale of "It's My Life". In late 2002, Bounce, the band's follow-up to Crush, hit stores. Though not as famous as its forerunner, the album did produce the hit singles, "Everyday" and "Misunderstood". The album featured eight demo and live tracks. With the end of the Have A Nice Day Tour, Bon Jovi began to throw around ideas for their next project. Among the potential offerings were going to Nashville to record with country stars, a second greatest hits CD, a new studio album, and even new movies. In November 2006, Jon Bon Jovi revealed that the band were back in the studio working on a new album, and will be touring again. Bon Jovi have confirmed that there will be no world tour or concert to promote the new album, making it the first studio album of original material not to be followed by a promotional tour since 7800° Fahrenheit released over twenty years ago. On March 19, 2007, Bon Jovi released news that their new album, titled as Lost Highway, would be released worldwide on June 19, 2007. The first single from the new album, "(You Want to) Make A Memory" was released to radio stations on March 20, 2007. To promote the new album, Bon Jovi will appear at the 6th annual CMT Awards in Nashville on April 16th, on American Idol on May 2nd, and at one of the Live Earth concerts on July 7th. Other songs confirmed for the album are the title track "Lost Highway", which is currently available as part of the Wild Hogs soundtrack, and "We Got It Goin' On", a duet with Big & Rich, which is the theme song for the new Arena Football League Season on ESPN. Bon Jovi will also have the privilege to be the first to perform at the new O2 Arena (formerly the Millenium Dome) when it opens to the public on June 24th. Bon Jovi Tickets sold through our site For more information

By ticket mayor [ 24/06/2007 ][ viewed 54 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Composing Your First Piano Work

2008-02-13T21:11:00.000+07:00

Composing. Every pianist has heard the word and knows what it means, but few can do it well. Some try their whole lives to be able to compose one piece of music, and others seem to be able to crank out beautiful compositions all the time. And, while it seems to come naturally to some, how do they constantly produce beautiful melodies, instrumentals, and wondrous music that can take us far away.These gifted musicians have a certain way that they create their piano compositions and they use this method for every composition that they create. No one can tell you your specific formula for creating a great musical composition, since there are many different steps and areas to think about when you are ready to compose. To help you find your method, here are the main components of composition and a bit about each one to show you exactly what is involved with each area of composition.Theme – What is your composition about? What are you trying to convey to the listener? Springtime, a thunderstorm, another country, love, sadness? There are millions of different themes and emotions that music can evoke in any listener, and you should have a general idea of what your composition will be about. Once you have this theme for your music, you'll find that the composition process will go a lot easier. While you are creating the other areas of your piano score, keep your theme in mind so you don't stray from it. Write it down on a sheet of paper and keep it in front of you, almost like a goal that you are trying to reach with your composition. The theme is the life of your composition and you should always keep it close to your heart, and your fingers, while you work.Melody – When you decided to compose a piece of music, you probably already had a small strain of music in your mind. This strain is your melody and should be the focal point of your composition. It was probably this strain that led you to your theme or vise versa, and the two should always work hand in hand. For example, if your theme is love, then a cacophony of percussion and hard hitting notes isn’t the best way to go about conveying your love to the listener. But, wonderful melodies that melt the heart with soft and warm winds and piano strains would be better suited to create an atmosphere of love in your composition. Once your theme and melody are aligned, the rest of your composition will be a lot easier to create. Use your base melody and expand on it throughout the piece, allowing it to grow and move you where it wants you to go. Your melody will help you move to your chorus, which will be the next focal point of your composition.Chorus – This is the strain of music that will be repeated at least twice in your composition. It can be as simple as a few lines of music, or as complex as a whole page, depending on the length and the theme of your music. The chorus is the one area of your composition that every listener will recognize the second time they hear it and know that it is the chorus. It is also where your theme and melody should meet flawlessly and allow your listener to see that thunderstorm, hear those springtime birds, or visualize those waves crashing on the beach. The chorus is what will keep your composition together and give you a base to work from for the remaining parts of the work.Introduction – The intro into your composition is not a “must have” item. Some composers will not create a piece without one, while it doesn't matter at all to others. The intro can help you bring your listener into the composition and help to set the overall mood of the piece. Thunderstorms usually start with a light rain, so you can use an intro to set the mood and the ambiance for your storm. But, they also can come on suddenly, with a surprising crash and brightness that can be blinding, so you can do with an intro and throw your listener into the eye of the storm. Either way, the introduction is up to the composer and should bring your listener into your work. Bridge – The bridge is the part of your composition that will bring two sections of music together that wouldn't otherwise fit. In most musical works, the bridge is used to take a pause to help the listener reflect on previous parts of the piano score. It is used between the melody and the chorus, and in many other areas throughout different compositions, and is only a small strain of notes that will “bridge” other pieces of the piano composition together.Instruments – A good composer knows his instruments, their ranges, their sounds, their pitches, and so on. It doesn't matter if you are only composing for the piano or for an entire orchestra, knowing your instruments and their abilities will help you to create great melodic strains that will melt together flawlessly. Along with the instrument comes the musician, and you should also consider who will be playing your composition when you are creating it. If you are writing for the piano, you don't need to consider things such as length of breath, but instead you should think about the average player's abilities, positions of the notes on the ivories, and their stamina for continuing long and complex strains of music. Knowing your instruments will help you to become a better composer.Changes – Once you have developed a melody, theme, and so on, you will start to place these items into your piano composition. But, creating a piece of music that is a completely repetitive pattern does get a bit boring, so you will need to change things up a bit. By changing up a part of your composition, you will help to keep the listener in the moment and really listening to your work, instead of drifting off somewhere. You can create a second melody to compliment the first, and insert it into your composition without warning to create a change in the overall sound in certain parts, or you can insert a completely different chorus or bridge that will help to change up a transition into another area.Once you have these basic areas of composition down, other areas can then be worked in. Things such as your personal style will play a huge role in the overall sound and composition, but is completely different from composer to composer, and no one can tell you how to create your own individual style. With your own personal style of composing, you'll find the pattern that you prefer, be it Melody, Chorus, Bridge, Melody, Chorus, Bridge, Ending, or be it something completely random and different. By simply sitting down at the piano, with a tape recorder, and a pen and paper, you will be taking the first step into completing a piano masterpiece that you can be proud of for the rest of your life.

By Chris Carlin [ 24/06/2007 ][ viewed 67 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Pieces Of A Dream Pillow Talk Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-07T23:19:00.001+07:00

Pillow Talk is the latest release from Pieces Of A Dream, and I can only think of one word to describe this CD - AWESOME!I wish it weren't the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD for review that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Pillow Talk. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.Pillow Talk has a nicely varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard.One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Pieces Of A Dream most impressive releases ever.Overall Pillow Talk is an outstanding release. Quite possibly Pieces Of A Dream's best to date. Really spectacular from beginning to end. If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this album.While the entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 2 - Forward Emotion, track 6 - Wake Up Call, and track 8 - These 3 Words.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 9 - In That Mood. What a nice track!Pillow Talk Release Notes:Pieces Of A Dream originally released Pillow Talk on Mar 28, 2006 on the Heads Up Records label.CD Track List Follows:1. House Arrest 2. Forward Emotion 3. Triflin' 4. Sincere 5. Sailing 6. Wake Up Call 7. Teresa 8. Those 3 Words 9. In That Mood 10. Attitude 11. Your Love 12. Pillow Talk Pieces Of A Dream: Ramona Dunlap (vocals); Eddie Baccus Jr. (saxophone); James Lloyd (piano, keyboards, programming); David Dyson (bass guitar); Curtis Harmon (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Cherie Mitchell, Scott Mann (vocals); David Cullen, Todd Parsnow (guitar); Tony Watson Jr. (saxophone); Bernie Sims (keyboards). Recording information: From Above Music, Youngstown, Ohio.

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 24/06/2007 ][ viewed 82 times ]

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Pieces Of A Dream Pillow Talk Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

2008-02-07T23:15:00.000+07:00

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 24/06/2007 ][ viewed 80 times ]

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Beth Orton Comfort Of Strangers Pop Music CD Review

2008-02-07T23:12:00.000+07:00

Comfort Of Strangers is the latest Pop CD put out by the highly talented Beth Orton who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Beth Orton fans, and Pop fans alike will be pleased with this one.I wish it weren,t the case but, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Comfort Of Strangers. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.Comfort Of Strangers is a pleasantly varied, mix of 14 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are her own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They're all here.One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Beth Orton's most impressive releases ever.This is a first rate CD, delivering a little something for everyone. I give it my highest recommendation. It's quite simply great listening. A must buy if you're even mildly into Pop music.If you're a Beth Orton fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don't even have to be a fan of Orton, or even Pop to know is good. It's just good music. Period.While this entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 3 - Heartland Truckstop, track 5 - Comfort Of Strangers, and track 10 - Safe In Your Arms.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6 - Shadow Of A Doubt. Outstanding!Comfort Of Strangers Release Notes:Beth Orton originally released Comfort Of Strangers on Feb 7, 2006 on the Astralwerks label.CD Track List Follows:1. Worms 2. Countenance 3. Heartland Truckstop 4. Rectify 5. Comfort Of Strangers 6. Shadow Of A Doubt 7. Conceived 8. Absinthe 9. A Place Aside 10. Safe In Your Arms 11. Shopping Trolley 12. Feral 13. Heart Of Soul 14. Pieces Of Sky Personnel: Beth Orton; TJ Doherty, Tim B.. Recording information: Sear Sound Studio, New York, New York (2005).

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 25/06/2007 ][ viewed 73 times ]

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Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way Country Music CD Review

2008-02-07T23:08:00.000+07:00

Not sure what’s happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Taking The Long Way gets. Taking The Long Way simply put is one of their best CDs to date.It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all.Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.The CD opens with a great track, The Long Way Around, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track.Dixie Chicks is one of those groups that have the ability to just bowl you over with their collective talent. The kind of musicians it’s really a treat to be able to listen to.If you’re a Dixie Chicks fan, or just a fan of Country music this is a CD your collection simply should not be without.One of the really nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you’ve got one of Dixie Chicks most impressive releases ever.While this entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 1 - The Long Way Around, track 3 - Not Ready To Make Nice, and track 10 - Voice Inside My Head.My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 7 - Lubbock Or Leave It. Good stuff!Taking The Long Way Release Notes:Dixie Chicks originally released Taking The Long Way on May 23, 2006 on the Open Wide Records label.CD Track List Follows:1. The Long Way Around 2. Easy Silence 3. Not Ready To Make Nice 4. Everybody Knows 5. Bitter End 6. Lullaby 7. Lubbock Or Leave It 8. Silent House 9. Favorite Year 10. Voice Inside My Head 11. I Like It 12. Baby Hold On 13. So Hard 14. I Hope Personnel: John Mayer , Keb' Mo', Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Bonnie Raitt, Chad Smith.

By Clyde Dennis Dennis [ 25/06/2007 ][ viewed 81 times ]

Free MP3 downloads are a music lover’s delight

2008-02-05T23:22:00.000+07:00

As the world becomes a smaller place music enthusiasts also widen their horizon. Earlier I could not imagine head banging to Anthrax but thanks to some of my friends I have been exposed to some hard metal and surprised myself by actually enjoying some tracks. However this brings me to the question of how can a person experiment with different genres of music without actually going through the tedious and expensive task of accumulating audio cds of different kinds of music? The internet provides the answer to this query. The World Wide Web is the largest database of information on any category and music being one of the most popular categories, it is needless to mention the enormous volume of information that is available on this category of entertainment. The revolutionary concept ion the internet world of music was carried out in the in the 90’s in the form of MPEG -1 Audio Layer 3, which is more commonly known as MP3, a popular audio encoding format. And now free MP3 downloads are the order of the day. Internet today has become a haven for music enthusiasts with every conceivable kind of music genre finding a place in the web. The easy availability of legally free MP3 downloads are like a dream come true for the music lover. A person can now easily experiment with different genres by getting free MP3 downloads of maybe a song or two from that segment and deciding for himself whether he likes and prefers that kind of music or not. Also the free MP3 downloads have given rise to numerous online music libraries where the members can simply interchange and exchange MP3 versions of their favorite song by just a click of the mouse. The free MP3 downloads help music lover’s to add to their collection and also give variety to the songs available with a particular person. Also many a times, we like only one or two songs in a particular album but are forced to buy the entire album if we want to possess that specific song we liked. Availability of free MP3 downloads has eliminated this problem. Now a music lover has the choice of collecting only the specific song he likes instead of spending money on the entire album.Now thanks to free MP3 downloads, gone are the days when a student had to save up on sufficient pocket money to buy an album of his choice. Now the moment he hears a song he likes, he simply needs to go on to the internet, log onto any of the reputable music websites and download a MP3 version of that song and that too, completely free of cost. Widening the choices available to a music aficionado, the free MP3 downloads have expanded the range and scope of international music. This is a great opportunity not only for the listeners but the artistes and performers as well which gives them instant popularity and recognition and also enlarges the market that can be catered to by the artistes. So at the end of the day, free MP3 downloads herald well for everyone connected to the internet.

By Tom Janison [ 24/07/2007 ][ viewed 47 times ]

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Get the inspiration from Free MP3 Downloads

2008-02-05T23:18:00.000+07:00

“There's music in the sighing of a reed;There's music in the gushing of a rill;There's music in all things, if men had ears:Their earth is but an echo of the spheres”.This illustrious quote by Lord Byron can be the reflection of the love of so many music lovers for music. It is only music lovers who understand the meaning of music and music in any form appeals to them and makes them fall in love with music all over again. Music indeed is eternal and continues living in the hearts of all the music lovers for ages together. In fact, music is one of the purest forms of art and this pure form entices all. Art and technology are different sides of the same coin and move hand in hand. With the dawn of internet, art seems to have had a rebirth. This is evident through the Free MP3 Downloads sites that enable music lovers to have their own collection of their favorite songs. Free MP3 Downloads sites are the best option to go in for to stay connected to music and to find music of any genre and any age.Music has always been the sole inspirational factor for all music lovers. Music has its own importance in the lives of the ones who live for music and find their inspiration in music. Music lovers live in their own world and these Free MP3 Downloads sites have helped these music lovers unite from various parts of the world for the sole purpose of being connected to music. These Free Mp3 Downloads sites actually work at the command of your fingers. The free MP3 downloads can be downloaded at the press of a button and this can be done from anywhere and at any point of time. Free MP3 downloads have made it trouble-free for music lovers to download and save and listen to all their much loved songs that they have been looking for ages but had no clue about where they could find them.In fact, this Free MP3 Downloads facilitates the free downloading of any song from any language and definitely, age of the song is no hindrance for any music lover to find the song. Downloading one’s favorite song from any free mp3 downloads websites is not at all a tedious and a hectic task. All you will have to do is come across a free MP3 downloads website that has your favorite songs and then simply download the songs that you want to and then store these downloaded songs in your personal computer or your laptop. Once these free MP3 downloads are stored up in your system you can get pleasure from these songs whenever and wherever you feel like.Apart from downloading free songs from these free mp3 downloads websites and portals you can put up your song in the site so that people get access to your songs. In fact, this can prove to be an excellent platform for aspiring singers and musicians as hundreds of people access these free mp3 downloads sites on a daily basis. Once your song is up on the website, people can actually listen to your song and if it has the strength to survive, then you can be rest assured of good responses. After all “music is the poetry of the air”-Richter

By Tom Janison [ 25/07/2007 ][ viewed 49 times ]

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Justin Timberlake Bringing Sexy Back to North America

2008-02-05T00:01:00.000+07:00

With unwavering demand and his tour virtually sold out, Justin Timberlake will perform a second North American leg beginning August 6th in Tennessee and winding down September 17th in Los Angeles. The ‘FutureSex / LoveShow’ tour, which follows on the heels of widely successful North American and European legs, features opening act Good Charlotte and will include 16 US and seven Canadian dates. Justin received rave reviews earlier this year for the first leg of his North American tour which kicked off January 8th in San Diego and ran for 38 dates. Chartattack.com reports that 556,246 tickets to the 'FutureSex/LoveShow' were sold throughout the 28 date schedule. The Rod Stewart 'Rockin' In The Round' tour which began January 12th and carried on for 61 dates followed behind with 371,277 seats. In contrast, Pollstar.com’s mid year tour report, announced Timberlake's tour as the second highest grossing tour of the year at $42.3 million, just behind Stewart at $48.1 million. The average ticket price to see Justin Timberlake was $73.83 trailing Rod Stewart at $76.93. The European leg of JT's tour, which launched April 24th in Belfast, Ireland, featured 39 shows throughout Europe and wrapped up with an acclaimed four shows at London's O2 Arena in early July. Following up their own highly successful world tour covering parts of Europe, Japan, Asia and Latin America, multi-platinum rockers Good Charlotte will open for all 23 of the final North American shows, as posted on the bands official site. The boys will head down under for six shows in Australia throughout the month of October, following their stint with Timberlake.The two and half hour show, complete with 14 backup dancers, kicks off with Justin ‘appearing’ at centre stage with the help of an underground elevator. The stage is set up in the round with catwalks pointing off in four directions providing a larger than usual amount of front row-esque seating options and creating a visually appealing 360-degree multi-media viewing experience. The exclusive area surrounding the front of the stage sold as General Admission VIP and dubbed 'The SexyBack Dance Club', will provide 300 fans an up close and personal view of the former Mouskateer. While the VIP area is standing room only, there are also 44 bar stools, considered front row floor seats. These 44 stools are the only seats in the VIP area and are privy to two full-service bars are that are built into the stage design. Keep in mind, the stage bars are cash bars and you may be asked to provide identification when purchasing alcohol. As well, fans buying regular General Admission Standing tickets will be blocked from entering this exclusive area. Sheer screens, which project words such as, Future, Sex, Love and Sound surround the three stages set up in the middle of the arena floor. The screens which unmethodically cover the stage during points of the show, have been featured in previous concerts during the hit song, ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’, during which JT showcases his ivory skills on a piano. In most arenas the two side catwalks reach up to between rows 6 and 10, depending on the venue. So when purchasing tickets keep in mind that a higher numbered seat isn't necessarily bad, row six may actually be the equivalent to row one, due to stage design. Upper level or balcony seating is sure to provide a sensational birds eye view covering every inch of the multi-layered stage design. Stops in Montreal and Toronto this August will mark the third shows in each city this year alone. Timberlake last played to Western Canada during 2003’s 'Justified and Stripped' tour, his joint production with Christina Aguilera. However, fans in Vancouver were left disappointed when the tour had trouble crossing the border and had to cancel a show at the Pacific Coliseum. Tickets to the August 28th show in Edmonton and September 5th show in Vancouver, are sold out at the box office, with the exception of the VIP Bar Stools. Fans not wanting to pay the sky high barstool prices, still have access to preferred seating in the secondary market.

By Terri Dueck [ 26/07/2007 ][ viewed 37 times ]

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Syd Barret

2008-02-04T23:57:00.000+07:00

In August 2006 a sixty year old, bald, stocky bachelor with a face at once stern and sensitive died of diabetes. He was living on his own in his home-town: the genteel city of Cambridge, England, world widely known for its university, which, in the UK, is rivaled only by the equally venerable one in Oxford.His name was Syd Barret. Or was it? No. His name was Roger Keith Barret, known as Rog to the few people he bothered to see, mostly his family. Syd Barrett is the name the world will remember him by.He was a living legend. Now he is a dead legend.Let me outline the birth of this legend in a few words.Do you know the magnolia?What makes its beauty so special is not only its features, but also that it blooms very early, and very short. In those seminal years of pop/rock music, the mid sixties, Barrett’s songs and music shared the same properties. As founding father and undisputed leader of a band called Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett was a pivotal figure in the emerging psychedelic scene in London, and, via his records, the rest of the world.It was a time when the world, in the words of Keith Richards, suddenly turned from black and white into Technicolor. And Syd Barrett was a most colourful being indeed, to the ear, to the eye and to the mind in equal measures. Brought up quite liberally, with well to do parents, and a particularly doting mother, young Syd was as gifted as he was attractive, and a humorous, impish fellow at that. Experimenting with a few things almost no one had heard of in these days, like LSD –until the sixties mainly used by the CIA as sort of a truth serum drug- and the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, the I Ching, his main occupations were painting and music. Painting came first, the music and songs that would make him famous came second in those early days.In the music industry many things had changed in the slipstream of the Beatles fame. Musicians were no longer puppets on a string of shady, cynically-minded Tin Pan Alley-types, churning out product for whoever laid the money down. There was a new playfulness and originality in the music of the Beatles and also a completely un-self-conscious integrity, mainly brought about by the fact that the Beatles wrote their own songs, and became a role model for that. It was the Kennedy era. People were in some ways starting to be encouraged by the authorities to think for themselves and not to do simply what the same authorities expected them to do, which, of course, implies a paradox with a vengeance, but, lucky for those times, it took a while for us all to realize.Back to our story. So the Beatle phenomenon became a trailblazer for a whole gamut of gifted young bands, all into writing their own material: The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Who, who does not know their names.Barrett’s Pink Floyd rose to fame a few years after the first batch of post Beatles bands. And in those heady days a few years made an enormous difference. Swinging London was already turning psychedelic and of that era Barrett was, is, and always will be one of the finest relics. It all went by so fast…Syd Barrett was an almost devout non-believer in discipline, and had a frame of mind and body not heavy duty enough for the rough life of a rock star. Within two blasting years his behavior had become so erratic that he could not rationally function anymore in the band that was his brainchild. Forgetting guitars everywhere, sometimes refusing to speak to anyone, standing on stage like a statue, playing just one chord. Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason had to incorporate guitarist David Gilmour, a good friend of the whole band, and already a highly rated session player. A short while the band was a five some, David Gilmour delivering the sonic good, and Syd Barrett as a sort of far-out ornament. Then the idea was that he would be the home staying genius, with the other boys on the road a la Brian Wilson, but it al expired, Syd being so deranged that he temporarily became an inmate of the Terrapin Asylum, after which followed a few years in London, living in various trippy bohemian settings. During that time he did manage to create two albums that are still enjoyed by quite a few good ears: “The Madcap Laughs” and “Barrett’s” quirky, very asymmetrical songs with strangely evocative lyrics about almost nothing/everything, after which he stopped making music altogether. He ended up where he started, in Cambridge, living with his mother, and after her death on his own, picking up painting again and writing a history of art for his own enjoyment, without the slightest idea to let others read it, let alone publicize it.All his life he had the status of a cult hero, also because his old band, Pink Floyd, became hugely successful in the line-up with David Gilmour, and the standard bearers of, let’s say, adult rock: always competent, creative, even poetic, skilfully performed on state of the art hardware, but with the elusive x-factor, which makes things creep under your skin, considerably reduced.A short career and a long retirement.He regained his inner balance sufficiently to live as a quiet, withdrawn, strange but not crazy citizen, sustained by the royalties of his compositions on Pink Floyd’s and his own records. According to his family he could even be said to live with his very own brand of satisfaction. Syd Barrett will always be remembered as one of the most enigmatic characters in the pantheon of modern Western popular music.

By Harry Rackers [ 26/07/2007 ][ viewed 25 times ]

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Avril Lavigne’s music appeals top the mass

2008-02-04T23:47:00.000+07:00

Avril Lavigne’s music is not just any other singer in the music word, but she is someone who has done very well in her career. The huge number of fan and the large number of her record albums sold is a testimony to this. Avril Ramona Lavigne Whibley is popularly known to fans as Avril Lavigne’s music or simply Avril. She belonged to a family of devout Christians and very early, when she was just a kid of two her musical talents were spotted by her mother. Back in those days, Avril used to sing with her mother in the church choir and it was here that her mother spotted her wonderful singing talents. Avril took part in many singing competitions and she won one, where she got a chance to sing with fellow Canadian singer Shania Twain. This was one of the beigest breaks in her singing career. She sang the song What Made you Say That appearing on stage along with Shania and this was just the beginning.Avril was discovered professionally by her first manager Cliff Fabri while she was singing at a Chapter s Bookstore in Ontario. Avril’s first album was Let Go, released in the United States in the year 2002. This album witnessed phenomenal success and went on to be at the top of the charts in several places like Canada, Australia and United Kingdom. This is a record and Avril went on to become the youngest female soloist at the age of 18 years to have a number one album in the United Kingdom at that time. This album went on achieve many more records subsequently, it reached the multi platinum status and after that was certified as having reached the status of triple platinum after two weeks. The album sold more than 1 million copies worldwide and turned out to be the best selling album of a female artist who debuted in 2002. A single from the album complicated want on to reach the top of the charts in Australia. In America Avril’s single reached the top of the Hot 100 Billboard countdown besides being one of the best selling singles in Canada that year. Under My Skin was Avril’s next album which was released in the year 2004. The album debuted at the top in Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia, Thailand, United States, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and many other places. The album sold more then 300,000 copies in the first week itself in the United States. Most of the lyrics of the album were written by Lavigne in collaboration with Chantal Kreviazuk, a Canadian songwriter. Avril has won many awards in her short singing career till date. Some of the major awards won by her are MTV Awards, Juno Awards, World Music Award and Grammy Awards. Avril has also worked in movies like Over the Hedge and The Flock. Right now Avril is married to Deryck Whibley, a Canadian singer. Avril Lavigne’s musical journey ahs been very successful though it is pretty early to say how she her future albums will do and if she can carry over her success or not. With the amount of talent that she has, it appears she is here to stay for a long time and entertain her fans.

By Tom Janison [ 26/07/2007 ][ viewed 38 times ]

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Asian Music

2008-02-04T23:41:00.000+07:00

Early Asian music was commonly used as live entertainment in all sorts of situations, from courts to theaters. It has evolved a lot over the years, always with new and interesting instruments to compliment the music. Some signature instruments of asian music include the formidable Taiko drums, Dizi and Sheng woodwind instruments, the Diyingehu and Gaohu string instruments, and the Haegum – the famous Korean fiddle. Over the years, these and many other instruments have created the ever-changing Asian music used for religious and entertainment purposes. Many of the songs, including the instrumentation and lyrics, are meant to tell epic stories or tales of love. Vietnamese music in particular has many theatrical tones. Modern Asian music has many negative stereotypes surrounding it. What first comes to mind is probably “disposable pop”, meaning generic artists, boy bands, or girl bands that follow a formulaic approach to making music, treating it more like a commercial industry and less like an art or passion. However, there have been some extremely influential and creative Asian bands in the last decades. Crazy Japanese noise-rockers Boredoms have caused copycats all over the world. The Yellow Magic Orchestra redefined electronic music. Even the ultra-cutesy girl bands like Morning Musume have created new genres of happy “idol” pop. Asian music has a rich and deep history, with more of a background than most other regions. Whether you are sitting down to listen to composers like Tan Dun or Jiang Li, or if you’re listening to the latest electro-pop straight from Japan, you’re sure to find an interesting experience that will please your musical taste. Asia has always been on the cutting edge of music and new genres, and it appears that it will continue to do so in the future. So look up a few Asian bands or composers in whatever genre you prefer, and familiarize yourself with some alternative choices.

By Will Chueng [ 27/07/2007 ][ viewed 36 times ]

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Spice Girls reuniting for a tour

2008-02-04T23:37:00.000+07:00

The Spice Girls infused the music with a fiercely independent, feminist stance that was equal parts Madonna, post-riot girl alternative rock feminism, and a co-opting of the good-times-all-the-time stance of England's new lad culture. The group also became chart-toppers throughout Europe in 1996, before concentrating in America in early 1997.The Spice Girls signed a contract to Virgin Records, but they were without a manager, which made recording a debut album nearly impossible. All five members moved into a house and went on the ‘dole’ as they searched for a manager. By the end of 1995, the group had signed with Annie Lennox's manager Simon Fuller, and began writing songs with Elliot Kennedy. "Wannabe," Spice Girls' first single, was released in the summer of 1996, and it became the first debut single by an all-female band to enter the charts at number one in England. It remained at number one for seven weeks, and by the end of the year, "Wannabe" had hit number one in 21 other countries. Their second single, "Say You'll Be There," entered the charts at number one in the fall, selling 200,000 copies a week. Spice, their debut album, was released at the end of the year, accompanied by their first ballad, "2 Become 1." Both the album and single went directly to #1, staying there for several weeks. Having topped the charts in virtually every other country in the Western world, The Spice Girls concentrated on America in early 1997, releasing "Wannabe" in January and the album Spice in February. The Spice Girls became massive stars in the U.S. as well and when Spiceworld, their second album, appeared later in the year in conjunction with their feature film of the same name they propelled to even bigger fame. However, in May 1998, Geri Halliwell departed from the band, not citing major reasons for leaving the group. Still not deterred by the absence of Ginger Spice, Spice Girls trudged on. By Christmas, Spice Girls scored a number one hit with Goodbye. Soon the Spice Girls because more noticeable for their social status than their singing, and they took a well-deserved break. The following year, the girls headed back into the studio with high-profile producers Rodney Jerkins, Terry Lewis, and Jimmy Jam to record a follow-up to their pop-friendly Spiceworld. Spice Girls' creative power overruled media scrutiny so that they could fully focus on the new R&B sound they were trying for and a the new collaboration united the foursome once again to release the third album Forever, which hit American shores in fall 2000. The group began to splinter not long after the release of Forever, which made little impact outside of the UK where it only had one hit single - the chart-topping double-sided single Holler/Let Love Lead the Way - before the Spice Girls stopped promoting the album. Just three months after the album's November 2000 release, the band announced that they were separating in February of 2001. Over the next few years, the Spice Girls may not have existed as a group but they were never out of various taboild headlines in the UK and the US. After years of persistent rumors of a reunion - peaking heavily yet never materializing for Bob Geldolf's 2005 charity event Live 8 -- the Spice Girls announced in June 2007 that they would be reuniting for an eleven-concert tour beginning that December in Los Angeles, which would be accompanied by a new greatest hits album and documentary. Make sure to buy your spice girls concert tickets early as they are sure to sellout fast with this limited engagement tour.

By Rich Stephenson [ 30/07/2007 ][ viewed 50 times ]

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Hilary Duff going on a music concert tour

2008-02-02T23:23:00.001+07:00

Hilary Duff was born in Houston, Texas on September 28, 1987 and after her mother encouraged her to take an acting class as a child, alongside her older sister, Haylie, both girls won parts in various local theatre productions. At the ages of eight and six, the Duff sisters participated in the ballet The Nutcracker Suite with Columbus Ballet Met in San Antonio. The siblings became more enthusiastic about the idea of acting professionally and eventually relocated to California with their mother. After several years of auditions and meetings, the Duff sisters were cast in several television commercials and shortly after that Hilary got her big break. After her big break on the Disney show Lizzie McGuire, Hilary turned her sights to a music career. Hilary’s first album was Santa Claus Lane (2002), a collection of Christmas songs that included duets with Lil' Romeo, Christina Milian, and her sister Haylie. The album reached the lower half of the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart and was certified gold. Hilary's second album and first studio album, Metamorphosis (2003), reached #1 on the U.S. and Canadian charts. It became one of the biggest selling albums of the year in the U.S. and has since gone to sell over 3.7 million copies. The lead single, "So Yesterday " was a top ten hit in several countries and its music video received heavy airplay on MTV; its follow-up, "Come Clean", became Duff's first top forty U.S. hit and reached the top twenty elsewhere. In late 2003 Hilary embarked on her first concert tour, the Metamorphosis Club Tour. All shows on the tour were sold out, a feat neither Britney Spears nor Christina Aguilera achieved that year.Hilary co-wrote tracks on her third album, the self-titled Hilary Duff, which she said had an edgier, rock feel than Metamorphosis. It was released on her seventeenth birthday and debuted at number two in the U.S. and at number one in Canada. The album sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. in eight months, but its only U.S. single, "Fly", failed to chart on the Hot 100, despite being accompanied by a popular video. "Fly" reached the top forty in Australia, where the album produced a second top forty single, "Someone's Watching over Me”. Hilary’s fourth album, Most Wanted was released in 2005 and it comprised her favorite tracks from her previous two albums, remixes, and new songs inspired by pop-rock musicians such as The Killers and Muse. The lead single, "Wake Up", became Duff's highest peaking single on the U.S. Hot 100 at the time, and its video received heavy rotation on MTV. The album itself debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became her third number-one debut in Canada. For Hilary’s latest album that was released in 2007, Dignity, she co-wrote material with Kara DioGuardi, who co-produced the album with Rhett Lawrence, Richard "Humpty" Vission, Tim & Bob and others. She has been quoted saying that the music on this album is different than anything else she has done in the past. The album has done well-topping the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart-a first for Hilary. The album reached the top five in the U.S. and Canada, the top twenty in Australia and the top forty in the UK. Hilary can be seen on tour in the latter part of 2007 all over the United States. Buying Hilary Duff concert tickets from a ticket broker like Barry's Tickets is suggested as tickets should sellout fast for this event.

By Rich Stephenson [ 31/07/2007 ][ viewed 80 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Slipknot – Spreading The Sickness In 2008!

2008-02-02T00:21:00.000+07:00

Slipknot are a 9 piece heavy metal band from des Moines, Iowa and were the first band to be signed to Ross Robinson's I AM Records imprint through Roadrunner Records. A masked Des Moines nine-piece… Obviously not your usual rock band! But when you think about it now it seems like nothing, but I was thirteen when the first major Slipknot album came out. Slipknot are a great metal band and their live shows are un-miss able and are one of the few bands working today whose live show transcends the medium - a Slipknot show is an event unto itself. The nine-members of Slipknot are known for wearing nefarious masks and matching jumpsuits during every public appearance, but don't think it's all a gimmick. Slipknot are trying to say that you shouldn't give a fuck, or be judged by others and you shouldn't answer to anyone or anything. Do you think Slipknot are satanic? Once again: SLIPKNOT ARE NOT SATANISTS AND THEY ARE NOT ANTI-CHRISTIANS! Side ProjectsYou see, those side projects (Murderdolls, To My Surprise and Stone Sour) have been done, Slipknot are back, and fans are in for a surprise. Taylor showed some of his Stone Sour side on the last Slipknot album, "Vol. 3". I stared in disbelief at the very possibility of a Slipknot album without a single swearword. The guitars, when they are heavy, are slow power chords played in typical progressions that you would hear on all previous Slipknot albums. The latest Slipknot album will really need to prove this in my eyes.New Studio AlbumOn April 19, 2007, the band's website posted a news article stating that a new Slipknot album will surface in 2008. It's better than it's made out to be, because this album is a Slipknot album which makes a lot of people expecting a lot of anger. The good news is, Joey Jordison Promises it will be the "Heaviest Slipknot Album". SLIPKNOT are working on new album, which means new masks, new attitude, new sickness; Slipknot are back and loving every minute. But of course SLIPKNOT are set to take on their critics on their new album and will they be up for the challenge?Everybody thinks that Slipknot music is stupid and freely violent. Fans will immediately "get it", while those with pre-conceived agendas will be challenged to re-think their definition of what Slipknot are all about!

By ashley humphreys [ 01/08/2007 ][ viewed 46 times ]

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Types and uses of Audio Interface Device

2008-02-02T00:18:00.000+07:00

Audio interface devices permit a user to send audio signals to a computer for processing, recording, or for further carrying out commands. Audio interface devices like microphones permit users to communicate with computer in order to record any voice message or for the reason to navigate software. Other kinds of audio interface devices are made to input a computer with a CD audio basis, digital audio, or MIDI instrument such as a synthesizer. Microphones are the most usual audio interface devices and are used with line-in or microphone-in settings inside the recording software package. Most working systems, incorporating Windows, come with essential recording potential built in. You could records spoken messages, oral notes, make audio journals or as well create pod casts. You could further modify sound events on your working system by making your own new wave files. Apart from recording, audio interface devices are as well used with speech acknowledgment software. Even in this case a microphone is used to communicate with the software. Once the software is trained to identify your voice, it could automatically carry out commands for you other than having to use a keyboard. When you read out a letter, for instance, speech identifying software could decode your spoken words into a written document. This is really versatile for anyone who is not a typist, or who has an associated disability.Audio interface devices could as well be used to move pre-recorded music to your system. Using CD-in or line-in (depending), you could move tracks from a cassette tape, CD, stereo tuner, or phonograph to your system. Once transferred, the track could be used on a moveable music player, re-burned to a fresh CD of favorites, or added to a digital library.Audio interface devices add an amazing deal of flexibility and workability to the computer. High-end sound cards may as well offer your more input ports for audio interface devices than budget cards. If you have a fastidious project in mind, discover the possibilities with your current hardware and an apt software package before assuming an upgrade would be necessary. For many projects essential hardware is really adequate.

By Rocky vj [ 02/08/2007 ][ viewed 39 times ]

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The Allman Brothers Band Tickets

2008-02-02T00:13:00.000+07:00

The Allman Brothers Band is a band from Macon, Georgia. The band is labeled as "the principal architects of Southern rock." by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (http://www.ticketnest.com/concert-tickets/Rock-and-Roll-Hall-of-Fame/index.php ). The band was originally formed in 1969. Two years later, Rolling Stone's George Kimball described them as "the best damn rock and roll band this country has produced in the past five years." The band has earned worldwide recognition for its impressive jamming and improvisational abilities.Eleven Gold and five Platinum albums are to the credit of the band between 1971 and 2005. The band is still very popular. It continues to record and tour to the present day. Band historyBeginningsOn March 26, 1969, the band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida. It comprised of Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar), Gregg Allman (vocals, organ), Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums) and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). The actual Allman brothers, Duane and Gregg, had originally been in a garage band called the Escorts. They were later joined by Allman Joys and the Hour Glass. The Hour Glass had released two failed albums from Liberty Records. Duane Allman, with a stint as a session guitarist in Muscle Shoals, Alabama on Johnny Jenkins Ton-Ton Macoute album behind him, started jamming with Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks and Berry Oakley in Jacksonville. The nucleus of the band was formed when Duane brought in Jaimoe, a drummer he had played with before. Gregg was in Los Angeles, fulfilling the Hour Glass contract with Liberty Records. Duane summoned him back to Jacksonville to "fill out the band and sing." Loss and triumphDuane Allman could not live long after the Fillmore East album was certified gold. He was killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 in Macon, Georgia. The loss of their leader was a huge set back for the band. But the group quickly decided to carry on. At the same time, the album continued to gain FM radio airplay, with stations even playing 13-minute and 23-minute selections. Turmoil and dissolutionThe personality conflicts of the band members led to disintegration of the band. However. Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts both began solo careers, while Allman married Cher, separated quickly, reconciled, and eventually separated again. Drug abuse took its toll on the entire band. Musically, Betts and Leavell were pulling in opposite directions. The tension resulted in the uneven Win, Lose or Draw (1975), with some members not participating on all tracks or doing so only from afar. A stop-start take on Muddy Waters' "Can't Lose What You Never Had", Betts' instrumental "High Falls", and Allman's Jackson Browne-influenced title song are the few stand-out tracks. RevivalIn 1989, Spurred by Allman's recent FM radio solo success, the release of archival material by PolyGram, and the start of regular appearances on the American summer outdoor amphitheatre circuit, the Allman Brothers reunited and returned to popular consciousness of the American public.The current Allman Brothers Band lineup include Warren Haynes (guitar, vocals), Johnny Neel (keyboards and harmonica), and Allen Woody (bass guitar) joined originals Allman, Betts, Jaimoe and Trucks. The Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks lineup were successful in continuing the band's connection with younger music fans via concert pairings with popular jam bands moe. and The String Cheese Incident, among others. At the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2003 and 2005, the Allman Brothers were a major attraction. Wanee Music Festival is the Allmans?s own two day festival at the Spirit of Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida which is being staged since 2005. The Allmans, Gov't Mule and The Derek Trucks Band perform on different stages along with younger roots artists the North Mississippi Allstars, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, Nickel Creek, and many others. Various advertising campaigns and television programs have used Allman Brothers' songs. "Jessica" is used in both formats of the BBC television series Top Gear. Awards and recognitionThe Allman Brothers have been successful in earning international fame and winning many prestigious awards and recognitions. Here is the list of their achievements:-

By Sara Sara [ 02/08/2007 ][ viewed 52 times ]

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Is It Better to Learn With Sheet Music or By Ear?

2008-02-02T00:09:00.000+07:00

Is It Better to Learn With Sheet Music or By Ear?When you pick up and instrument, especially the piano, there is much to learn before you can truly play some of the greatest works ever written. Some musicians have the wonderful ability to play something simply by hearing it, while others have to work at it constantly reading sheet music. During music studies, everyone learns about those amazing composers, such as Mozart, who played and composed great works without ever looking at sheet music when they began to play. But, how do you learn to play by ear like the greats do? Do you learn with sheet music or do you try to learn by ear? And, what about the piano and music teachers? Should they teach beginning musicians to learn by sheet music or should they teach them to learn by ear? There are advocates for both sides, as there are people who have the ability to learn both ways.Every piano player, and musician in general, needs to learn how to read sheet music. It doesn't matter if you are playing for yourself or a concert hall, dabbling or composing, a good musician knows how to read sheet music. Learning to read sheet music will help you in your musical career by allowing you access to every piano work out there and allowing you the ability to compose or write any type of music you prefer. Sheet music also helps improve hand-eye coordination and will help you to instantly translate what notes are and what they sound like. Knowing how to see, hear, and play music will help you later learn by ear when you simply hear a piece of music.There are people who learn both ways, just like there are music teachers who will teach both ways. For intermediate or advanced piano players, learning by ear will be easier and come more naturally to them, especially since they have been playing for a while and already know the notes and sounds. But, most music teachers will have you learn by sheet music first. You will hear the notes, as well as see them on paper in front of you, so you can begin to memorize them and be able to identify them as you play. Beginning piano players will be able to learn notes, sounds, pitches, and finger positions on the keys by learning from sheet music before they begin to learn by ear. There are literally thousands of works to help new piano players learn the fundamentals of piano playing that will give them the ability to learn by ear later in their career.The music teachers who will teach you by sheet music first will normally start with scales and positions so the beginner can learn how everything sounds and where it is. From there, beginning piano players will move on to more complicated works that will help them to learn strains, chords, and more. Once a piano player has the basic notes and sounds down, it will be easier to pick up music by ear. Learning to play by ear can take years for some people to master, while learning by sheet music is fairly easy to master once you learn how to do it.Once a piano player learns to read by sheet music, they can pick up any work and learn to play it. Even those extremely complicated works can be learned when practiced enough. Other works can be perfected and played over and over until they are memorized, and a budding composer can begin to write their own music since they now know how to read the music and play it as well. But what about those naturally talented to play the piano, doesn't it just come to them?There are always those musically gifted people who can sit down and pick out a melody simply by ear. For these musicians, they learn better by ear, since their brain is predisposed to learning the sounds instead of the written works. These players will need a piano teacher who can teach them to play by ear, and then to read music. Most people who are naturally talented to play music by ear will sometimes have a hard time learning to read sheet music, so they will need a teacher who is strong in both to help them become a well-rounded musician. There are great learning tapes and other piano techniques that you can use to learn by ear as you begin to master this area of piano playing.Learning to play by sheet music and then by ear is one of the great traits that any piano player can master if they work hard enough at it. Most of the great jazz piano players of the past had to teach themselves to play the piano and then learned sheet music. And, most jazz piano players of modern times learn the opposite way. But, no matter which way they learned, being a great jazz player means that you have to learn to improvise, and you cannot do that without being able to play by ear. Improvisation is something that comes after years of practice and study, and once you are able to master it on the piano, you can play anything, with any group of musicians.How you or your students learn will depend on their natural talent and what they aspire to be in their musical career. Every musician should learn to play from both sheet music and play by ear, to give them the ability to do anything that they want with their piano. No matter what you want to do with your abilities to play the piano, you should be able to learn from both sheet music and by ear, so you are able to work and play in any situation. Being able to learn from both sides is a great way to become one of the well-rounded piano players who can pick up and play any piece of music.

By Chris Carlin [ 02/08/2007 ][ viewed 41 times ]

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Want to play guitar like the pros? Part 1 - Chords

2008-02-02T00:05:00.001+07:00

Many consider playing the guitar seems easy, and for others playing the guitar seems hard.A popular part of playing the guitar is chords. Whether it's strumming them, plucking them or anything else you have to have a basic understanding of chords.All chords aren't the same. Power chords are a good way to begin learning chords, and advancing to normal chords is usually the best way to master them.The chords in guitar songs are almost always strummed. The only time when they are not strummed is when they are played separately, and in that situation the notes are usually plucked.If each note of the chord is picked individually, the composer might even decide to skip some notes.A lot of chords can begin from power chords, which are just 2 notes. Power chords are mostly used by the younger players with small hands. If the person cannot stretch there hands out for the whole chord, then they can just play two strings that will just produce the same sound.Although the chord and power chord produce the both sound, they are both very different. The power chord will always have at least 2 notes, but the power chord will not have more notes than the normal chord. For example, let's say someone was playing the E minor chord. The E minor chord consists of the 2nd fret in both the 5th and 4th strings. That form is usually the most common form of the E chord, but it can also be considered a power chord. Power chords usually give the most basic sound possible. If you add more depth to the chord, it will become a normal chord. In order to do that, you have to add more notes that are part of the power chord. Let's go back to the E chord example. The two notes are B and E. In order to do this, you have to know the fret board. To add more depth to this power chord, you must add more B and E notes to the chord. The 6th and first strings open are both E notes. By adding those notes, you now have 3 E notes, and 1 B note. To make it even, you would need to add 3 more B notes. The 2nd string open is also B, and so is the 4th fret of the 3rd string. To do this chord, the persons hand would have to stretch from the 2nd to 4th fret. For people with big hands, that would be considered easy. But for others, a power chord would seem like an easier option. Learning the chords isn't the only lesson that needs to be learned for chords. Switching to different chords is also a big part of playing them, especially if a song requires lots of different chords. A good way to practice the speed of switching chords is to rest your fingers in the position of the chords. Going back and forth, without playing the chords, will help you gain speed. This can be done while watching your favorite TV show, or outdoors just to relax. After a few minutes of switching, you can add more and more chords. Finally, when you can switch fast enough, you can start to play the chords. Start out slow, but every time you accomplish perfection with the speed, bump yourself a little bit faster. In the end, you will be able to play chords and switch chords a lot faster than you started out with. Improvement is the key!

By David Woodford [ 03/08/2007 ][ viewed 30 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

10 Tips For Selecting A Guitar Lesson Program

2008-01-30T22:20:00.000+07:00

When I began guitar lessons over forty years ago there were few choices for learning to play the guitar. You either bought a book and taught yourself or you called the local music store to set up lessons with a randomly selected live teacher.I was only eight years old when I met my first guitar instructor and I remember it like it was yesterday. He was a part time lounge guitarist that always smelled like cigarette smoke and definitely didn’t enjoy teaching kids. He was impatient, grouchy and didn’t hesitate to yell at me when I nervously chewed on my guitar pick. I didn’t understand him, I didn’t enjoy the lessons and soon wanted to quit. Fortunately my mother understood the problem and talked me into continuing with a different teacher. I was luckier with my second teacher, Miss Mosier. She was a twenty-something hippy that loved kids as much as she loved to teach. I actually began to look forward to my lessons. When she introduced a little finger picking exercise that lead to playing an old Bluegrass song called Buck Dancers Choice, I was hooked. Finally, I was actually learning to play guitar and having fun!Today, due to inexpensive video technology, there are many options that take the guess work out of learning to play guitar. Now it is possible to bring world class instructors into your home to teach guitar for less money and often in less time then it takes to learn from a randomly selected local instructor.Here are 10 tips for selecting a guitar lesson program: 1. The Medium: find a dvd based or online guitar lesson program that offers both video and audio lessons with a book as a reference guide. This combination should work well whether your primary learning style is reading, listening, watching or a combination of all three.2. Good Production Values: the video lessons should be thoughtfully organized. There should be lots of close ups of both of the instructors hands as they demonstrate each lesson. The audio needs to be clear so that each note and chord can be distinctly heard.3. Skill Level: If you are a rank beginner make sure that the guitar lesson program states that it is geared for beginners. A beginning guitar program should teach the parts of the guitar, re-stringing and tuning as well as the fundamentals of scales, chords, keys, reading tabs and playing songs. If you are interested in a specialized program like Blues Guitar Lessons check to see what level of skills are required before you begin.4. The Instructor: ideally should have experience as recording studio musician as well as touring with a band. A college degree in education and lots of hands-on teaching experience are equally important.5. Music Theory Instruction: should be peppered through out the guitar course. A basic understanding of how scales, keys and chords work can free you from the limitations of just memorizing songs. This can provide the musical tools necessary for writing songs and improvising solos over just about any kind of music.6. Guided Practice Sessions: this means that the video instructor first teaches you a system for practicing the guitar then plays along with you to help establish good habits. Much enjoyment and progress can be lost due to poor practice routines. In fact, I would be willing to bet that a high percentage of the people that quit do so because of a poor understanding of good practice fundamentals. Only one guitar lesson course that I am aware of gets this exactly right.7. Jam Tracks: these are usually short recorded songs or rhythm tracks that provide a way for a guitar student to practice playing with a band. Jam Tracks can be invaluable for learning to play rhythm guitar parts in synch with other musicians or while improvising solos.8. Individual Pacing: a guitar lesson program should provide an environment where the student can learn at a pace that is ideal for their individual learning style.9. Fun: that’s exactly right, a guitar lesson program should be fun. If it isn’t fun early in the program it will be hard to stay motivated long enough to develop even basic guitar skills.10. Price: expect to pay about $130 to $200 for a top-notch, dvd based, guitar lesson program that is aimed at rank beginners through intermediate acoustic and electric guitar students. There are many lesson programs available in the $30 to $60 range that have some of the important benefits mentioned above but I have found most of them to be somewhat incomplete and inconvenient. For detailed guitar lesson reviews go to a website like CompareGuitarLessons.com.While a great, organized, video guitar lesson program taught by a top instructor can be critical to learning to play the guitar there are also a few other essentials: - Start out with the highest quality guitar you can afford. Too often cheap beginner guitars won’t stay in tune, are hard to play and just don’t sound very good. A guitar that is priced in the $200 to $500 range will be much more satisfying to play. Why make learning guitar harder than necessary? - Expect that playing the guitar will feel awkward at first but that slowly it will become easier and smoother. Don’t quit. Practice frequently in short bursts of 10 to 20 minutes. When your hands are sore or you start to become frustrated take a break.- Learn how to practice like a professional: this is a significant weakness of many, if not most, guitar lesson programs. Rarely is there enough emphasis on learning how to practice effectively. A good practice routine should have a definite structure and purpose with fun activities at the end as a motivator. Practice sessions that are generally short, frequent and fun usually stimulate rapid learning. For more information on this topic read an article called “Learn To Play Guitar Twice As Fast In Only Half The Time” at CompareGuitarLessons.com.

By John Mackinnon [ 03/08/2007 ][ viewed 35 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Ayahuasca Shaman, Musician, and Peruvian Mystic, Alonso del Rio Interviewed

2008-01-30T22:16:00.000+07:00

Alonso del Rio is a powerful maestro who interweaves Shipibo and other icaros with sacred music of his own to lead you on your journey; he is both a talented musician and an inspiring communicator of the Amazonian shamanic world. He first came into contact with ayahuasca in 1979 after spending three years working with huachuma (San Pedro). This was when he met Don Benito Arevalo, a grand Shipibo shaman with whom he developed a long relationship, and who gave him his first teachings in ayahuasca and other medicinal plants.Later, taking ayahuasca alone as part of his traditional teaching, he says: "I didn't feel comfortable reproducing the chants that I'd learned with my maestro, so one night I picked up my guitar and began to play what came to me and the result was surprising. From then on I was never without my guitar at ceremonies and over the years many songs came to me, set to different rhythms for ceremonies and incorporating teachings and revelations from the medicine itself.” He has published three CDs to date. Alonso lives in the sacred valley of Cusco where he runs a healing centre and a primary school for local children.The potential and purpose of AyahuascaFor most traditional shamans, ayahuasca is a tool for diagnosing illness, and as curanderos, (healers) they will mediate with plant spirits to heal their clients both physically and spiritually. More ‘popular’ urban shamans can also use their magical powers to change your luck, for example attracting money or a lover. On this retreat we would like to develop another aspect, perhaps even more serious, and use the plants as powerful tools for self knowledge. Amongst all the spiritual paths that the world offers, Alonso believes that, at this time, teacher plants are the best way for people to gain a deep knowledge of themselves and at the same time this can solve some problems that other paths cannot.During his 30 years experience with ayahuasca and San Pedro, Alonso never wanted to be a shaman or attain magical powers but rather gain self development through self knowledge. He will share his discoveries to help us ‘undo’ the mental programming and the cultural conditioning (family and ancestral) which models our minds. Ayahuasca is a powerful tool for being happy and free, says Alonso, The retreat we are holding with Alonso, could equally suit a person who has some background in Buddhism, yoga or mysticism.It is a space for having contact with divinity without intermediaries or interpretations. Ayahuasca allows you to be gently introspective, to see your fears, worries and everything that makes you suffer! It can take you back through your life to show you at what moment the suffering took hold in your body and in your memory, how it has made you live on a superficial level because underneath there is too much pain, and as we don’t want to feel pain, how we condemn ourselves to living on the surface. With ayahuasca we can enter the pain at the time when we were children, when we experienced the first traumas and agonies of life, and cleanse it by forgiving the whole chain of events and the people who made us suffer. Traumatic experiences are inevitable in life, but what we cannot afford to do is live with resentment and blame people, as this ruins our relationships.Some people may not be satisfied with the life they lead. Ayahuasca enables them to see their priorities. Is it following a spiritual path that you want most, or making money? Do you want to start a family or do you want to pursue your career? Constantly doing what is expected of us we cause suffering. The answers are all inside us. We must live by what we profoundly want. Ayahuasca clarifies your priorities and feelings, which are neither good nor bad in and of them selves.Conversation with AlonsoThere are many myths about the origin of Ayahuasca and there is even one which has been growing fast in the West, that Ayahuasca is what we need to get us out of the mess we’re in! But can it work for Westerners the same way if they are outside the cultural context and all the associated beliefs that go with it?I think it works but its different. The mind of a person brought up in the selva without much contact with the Western world, probably born about 50 or 70 years ago, as are the majority of traditional maestros, have lived without watching TV and other Western influences. His mind is very different from your or my mind. So to have access to the same visions, the same codes is difficult. But what I have found is that the expansion of the consciousness and the power that the plant gives you to understand many things is perfectly valid. The magical space to which we are taken - call it the ‘unconscious’ or any term you want to use depending on your psychological model - is one where all the kingdoms of nature can communicate. That is people can talk to plants, and plants with minerals, minerals to animals and animals with humans… all in the same language. It is a very real communication and one of the greatest mysteries which exists. This is something which an English person, or a Peruvian born in Lima can experience just as an Amazonian person. Because you can do it without speaking in a native dialect, it doesn’t go through the mind but between one spirit and another.Some Westerners have done themselves harm by not respecting the diet properly, and some have tried to make special exceptions for foreigners.Yes its true, and the main point they have missed is respect, respect for a tradition. Its not that there is one diet for a native and another for a Westerner. There is one diet not two! Its more than what you eat, its sex and other things too. Otherwise anyone could come along and pretend that it was a bridge to a wonderful sexual experience! There is no limit to the imagination of some New Age gurus. If you follow these traditions which have been tried and tested for thousands of years and then you want to make modifications, then probably you can do it. But first you need the nobility to undergo the full rigors of the tradition, then you can have the authority to alter things for your people. But if you can’t hack doing a proper diet, then you are not in a position to underrate it.There was a group of Germans who after sessions with Guillermo, would go to the disco, assuming they had come down from the effects of the ayahuasca. They would dance to the very loud music. It gives you an idea of how mistaken you can get from not respecting the tradition. You need to prepare your mind and body to receive all the information which comes to you, otherwise it might destroy you like lightening burns up a tree.As you continue to work with plant diets, you have more intense experiences, and at the same time you develop a greater capacity to resist them, until you can take the strongest plants and live more in the other reality and to be able to return to your self, to your body.Alonso relates an Ashuar MythIn the time of the ancestors there was a ladder, like a rope which connected the world of the Ashuar with the upper world. Here lived other beings just like the Ashuar but they were spirits. These beings were very powerful and could transform themselves into anything they wanted. One day Moon-man cut this ladder so that the people could no longer communicate with their spirits above, and thus they lost their power. Moon man refers to the way of relating to all things in everyday reality through the mind. This is what gives 'everyday reality' its often disempowering quality, 'its out there and we cannot change it'. In other words the mind came between man and the spirit world. The Ayahuasca is the broken rope, but it is always there.In all cultures there is a recollection of an era when people could talk with the spirits directly. Then civilization arrives, and holds reason as the highest human achievement. What is not rational, does not exist, and that is what has reigned until today. For 2000 years we have suffered this kind of tyranny of reason. If its not logical its not worthy of us. The next step in our evolution is the reconciliation of these two things, and will be the union of reason with intuition. It will generate a new development in humanity leading to other states of consciousness and knowledge.So what are we to make of taboos, supposedly irrational, but they must have served some purpose because our ancestors were not stupid?In some cases they may have become distorted in some way but generally they come from something real, so its best to respect them without rationalizing them. If we try to do that we are already on the wrong track.

By Howard G Charing [ 04/08/2007 ][ viewed 51 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Become a Great Guitar Player

2008-01-30T22:10:00.000+07:00

If you want to become a great guitar player, you need to focus on the three most important things to guitar playing: knowledge, skills, and love. Having one or two out of three is not an option. It is all or nothing and those are what it takes to become a great guitar player.Working on Your KnowledgeLearn how to read different style of guitar notes. To take advantage of various instructional guitar pieces, you should familiarize yourself with the many ways guitar playing is thought. For instance, you could come across with lessons made up of numbers and letters instead of letters and musical notes. In this case, numbers are used for finger reference while certain letters do not represent chords but positioning. O is for Open, X is for not playing strings, and T stands for your thumb.Familiarize yourself with the history of guitar making and playing. Learning the evolution of guitars will help you appreciate more the features of your present guitar and maximize its uses. Being familiar with its history lets you know now what people in the past were missing and the potential of the guitar you are holding. It is easier to create magic when you know what your wand is capable of, do you think?As for guitar playing, familiarizing yourself with the different styles of guitar players of old and new will help you develop your own unique style, recognize which features you wish to integrate in your brand of playing and learning from past mistakes.Take advantage of technology. Instead of focusing exclusively on old paper based lessons, you can also purchase audio and video guitar lessons. You can also purchase guitar learning software programs that will automatically let you know what could be wrong with your playing and the proper solution to it.Working on Your SkillsTeach your fingers to dance. In other words, work on keeping your fingers flexible. There be doing all the work so it is important that they are able to tread lightly or heavily as needed. Practice finger exercises daily to keep them quick and nimble.Know how to relax. Beginners often experience tension, stress, and pressure when playing the guitar after a long period of time because there holding their bodies too stiffly. Another lesson in connection to this is positioning. Know the correct positions for your body and fingers when playing the guitar.One common problem experienced by amateur guitarists is finger lockup. Sometimes, tension building from an elevated arm travels to your fingers and force them to lock up. When this happens, people usually just force their fingers to continue playing the song without pause. This is wrong.Know how to play both acoustic and electric guitars. It never hurts to know both and being ambidextrous at least in terms of guitar type will let you appreciate what your preferred guitar type has and the other do not while helping you recognize what yours do not have and allowing you to compensate for it.Working on Your LoveListen to guitar intensive songs. Try identifying the chords there using to train your ears.Hang out once in a while with people with similar interests. Talking about your favorite topic with people who are able to understand and share your love will make you a better player.Rather, you should stop playing and concentrate on moving your fingers gradually back into its original position. Then, move to the next chord position ever so slowly. Work on getting sensation back to your fingers. Follow this tip and you will play better afterwards.

By Ronald Firquain [ 04/08/2007 ][ viewed 47 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How To Start a Hip-Hop Record Label

2008-01-29T22:59:00.000+07:00

Are you thinking of starting your very own Hip-Hop independent record label? Do you need help with any or all of the necessary steps required to take on such a task? Are you tired of just dreaming about your own business? In this article I will go through some of the basics of what is needed to start your own independent Hip Hop Record Label.Nowadays, Hip-Hop is enjoyed all over the world, Hip-Hop artists are still growing in number and Hip-Hop music is sold worldwide in stores and online. In short, Hip Hop is hot.Owning a Hip Hop record label is a dream of many, from the artist who wants to get his music heard, to the manager or producer that has found the next hot thing. If you want to know how to start your own label, the first thing you will need is information. Not only the information on how to start a record label but also the information needed to make your business a success. It can be very challenging trying to figure out the best way to implement your love of hip hop into a real business.Before learning how to start your independent record label, you need to create a clear plan for success that anyone with ambition and proper financing can apply. You need to develop a business plan that covers the basics for getting your business off the ground.Although starting a record label is not as hard as you might think, it is a risky business and you should not venture into it if you are not well prepared. Start off with a bit of research - look at the other releases within your genre and think about what you could be offering that they are not. One of the best things you can do is to plan ahead.You can begin small and just put out your own music on your own label. A lot of bands and artists start their own record label to have more control of what they release. As with any start up business you will need a lot of patience. You must be prepared to compete against major labels and other independent record label producers.In the end, running a label just takes a bit of understanding, experience, organization and timing. But to turn your dream of starting a Hip-Hop record label into a reality, you have to take action and you have to start today. As Wayne Gretzky said: You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

By Robert Hills [ 05/08/2007 ][ viewed 65 times ]

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San Diego DJ Entertainment DJ Wedding Band Format Provides A Unique And Memorable Experience

2008-01-29T22:56:00.000+07:00

That was the greatest San Diego DJ party I've been to!............your friends and guests!That's right! That's what your friends and guests will say about your party when your San Diego DJ looks great, sounds incredible and keeps the dance floor packed all night. That's what San Diego's Entertainment company, "A Touch Of Class Music" specialize in. All styles of music, from big band to today's hits, they will have you dancing in the aisles. (Over 50,000 titles).A Touch Of Class Music Entertainment, a San Diego Entertainment company, owned and operated by Barry Cohen, has been fortunate to play for hundreds of happy satisfied bride and grooms for the last ten years and it is there goal to be able to play for you. Playing the right music at the right time is the key to jump starting all the fun and romance at any wedding reception or special event. They know music. They are not only full time professional award-winning San Diego DJ's and MC's, but they are also professional musicians and singers. They know how important it is to play the music you want to hear. They have the experience it takes to combine a wide variety of music styles with lively announcements that will energize your party and make a lasting impression on your guests.It's your party. And it's your music. You should have a comfortable feeling from the San Diego DJ you hire for your special occasion. They make sure your celebration is a huge success. When you hire them as your professional San Diego DJ, the most important attributes are there personality and experience. They have the talent and confidence to interact with your group in a fun, professional way. They are able to stay on schedule and to be flexible on the fly. They can also change the performance style to meet your needs. They only use the latest cutting-edge, professional hi-tech, state-of-the-art digital sound and lighting systems.A Touch Of Class Music entertainment is also a single-source talent consulting and booking service. A service built on years of experience and around the clients individual needs. They have access to the finest live bands in the San Diego area. Plus, they offer Live band and DJ combo packages for any event.Barry Cohen knows what it takes to make a party successful. Just ask any of his long list of clients. In fact he encourages you to call any of his references and to meet with him in person. He also books entertainment for Private Celebrations * Philanthropic Galas * Corporate Events * Concerts *Show Production * Weddings.

By Cris Cohen [ 06/08/2007 ][ viewed 47 times ]

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Digitalization of Entertainment

2008-01-29T22:54:00.000+07:00

Consumers have moved rapidly to adopting digital formats for consuming entertainment-related content. The most obvious example of this is music and video downloads, with Apple’s iTunes and YouTube as leading examples. Apple has sold more than one billion songs via its iTunes music store and it continues to demonstrate a spectacular rate of growth. Over 30,000,000 individuals have purchased an iPod portable music device, and tens of millions of other consumers use one of dozens of other portable devices to listen to music. Other platforms for listening to music are equally successful, and in the case of Microsoft’s Windows Media Player even more dominant with over 90,000,000 systems running the software globally. Real Networks Rhapsody, and Yahoo! Music represent other major entrants in this space. In addition to those companies selling licensed music downloads for a fee, peer-to-peer networks such as Limewire and Morpheus claim to have tens of millions of users sharing music and other files on a continual basis.As consumers have become comfortable purchasing (and stealing) music online, they are now beginning to download other digital forms of entertainment, including music videos, short-subject films, television shows, and even full-length Hollywood pictures. Traditional media companies have recognized the opportunity to establish new revenue streams and leverage old assets by enabling consumers to download television programming for a fee, and the adoption rate appears to match the early days of music downloading. The increasing penetration of broadband connections (over 50 million homes in the US), advances in software that enables high-quality downloads, and content companies recognizing an enormous opportunity to distribute directly and inexpensively to consumers has created a tidal shift in the number of digital media assets available for download to computers, handheld devices, and even cell phones. Companies such as YouTube are at the forefront of the intersection of video entertainment and the fragmentation of media due to the empowerment of the consumer. Hundreds of millions of videos are downloaded weekly from YouTube (as well as dozens of competitors), and a significant portion of those videos are not “professionally” produced. More importantly, new talent in various entertainment fields are being discovered through these distribution platforms and forever changing how entertainment is conceived, produced, distributed, and valued.

By Justin burge [ 08/08/2007 ][ viewed 34 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Want To Give Boost To Your Music? There Is A Way Out

2008-01-29T22:52:00.000+07:00

Are you a budding music professional, trying to make a mark in life? Well, you would already have experienced the initial pains of trying to establish a foothold in the industry. It is not easy if you do not have a past back ground or support of the veterans in the field. You have to be on your own and carve out a niche for yourself. Let us learn a few of the important lessons about making a beginning in the field.First things first. Always remember that your music has to reach out to people and not the other way round. Thus you have to make extra efforts, at least initially, so that people have access to your music. They should be able to notice your potential and abilities without much fuss. Is it possible to do so without having to spend a great deal? It is very much possible. Make your own music club. Perform in colleges and universities and above all use your greatest friend- the internet. If you want to strike the right chord, you must upload your music on various internet sites such as iTunes etc. This way people can experience and enjoy your music and, in fact, do their own music recording of your album without much effort. Digital music sale is the new buzzword in the music industry. More and more people want to download music into their iPods and other players. This saves time and effort and is hugely convenient. So unless you have your music on music sites, you can never reach out at least to begin with. Remember that the challenge for you at this stage is to create hype, a buzz and an aura about your talent. It is better to have a digital music recording of your album and put it on the web for sale. Many of the budding talents have benefited by taking this route. By allowing people to digitally download music, you touch their lives in so many ways. It is also possible to take this route so that people who have listened to your music elsewhere can have one address to look at to reach you. No need to store your albums at music stores. They may also be wary to give you a break at least initially. You will have to spend money in creating records and CDs and request these guys to give you a shelf in their stores. Instead just ask them to give you a chance to perform and have your music at websites allowing people free and easy access. Is it not a great way to boost your music sales?A little publicity does not harm anybody - least of all a budding music professional. You have to create your own niche. Everyone has gone through the same grind. Your local radio station or even a night club disc jockey is a great friend to create a buzz about your music. Once people notice you, it is a self perpetuating cycle. Happy music sales!!!

By Sarika Kabra [ 08/08/2007 ][ viewed 61 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Contemporary Christian Music Analyzed By The Numbers

2008-01-29T22:50:00.000+07:00

It seems to me that there has been a void in the documentation of contemporary Christian music. Over the years, I have found only a handful of quality resources on the subject. CCM has really taken off in popularity over the last 10 years. But what about all the great music from the early 1970's through the mid-1990's? As more and more people enjoy the likes of Jeremy Camp, Relient K, and Casting Crowns, a growing crowd of people will want to know the history of the movement.This has prompted me to launch a new website, http://www.topchristianhits.org that seeks to bring back the classics by analyzing the airplay and sales charts from 1978 to present. One might call it an objective overview of the past. What were the top ten songs of 1979? Who had the number one album of the 1990's? Who were the top 100 artists of the 1980's? (By the way, DeGarmo & Key came in at #18). The site is still in its infancy stages and begins as a part-time endeavor. However, I would love to see it grow into a full-time ministry of bringing Christian classics (and ultimately, the gospel) to the masses. I'm a stats guy, so I love digging through old charts and tabulating the various rankings. In fact, I am currently publishing a weekly Christian Top 40 chart on the website that combines a variety of airplay and sales charts into one composite chart.Just today I was listening to some old cassettes and enjoyed "Shotgun Angel" by Daniel Amos, "Did I Forget To Say?" by Tim Miner, and "Watercolor Ponies" by Wayne Watson. I have to admit, I hadn't heard the Wayne Watson classic for quite some time and it moved me. Now that my kids are growing up, the song touches me in a very different way than it did when it first came out.All this said, I invite you to check out the website and enjoy the journey with me.

By Nate Ohman [ 10/08/2007 ][ viewed 35 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Contemporary Christian Music 2000-2007: By The Numbers

2008-01-29T22:48:00.000+07:00

Contemporary Christian music charts in the 1980’s were dominated by the likes of Sandi Patti, Amy Grant, Twila Paris and the Imperials. In the 1990’s, Point Of Grace, DC Talk, Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith led the way. But what about this decade? A look at the chart data reveals an interesting landscape in contemporary Christian music from the years 2000 to 2007. The following information was compiled from the CCM Update and Radio & Records Christian AC airplay charts: MercyMe, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, and Mark Schultz have all charted seven number one songs so far this decade. Avalon and Casting Crowns are right behind with six number one songs apiece. “East To West”, the latest release by Casting Crowns looks to be a lock to reach the summit, thus moving them into a 5-way tie at the top. Finally, Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin, Rachel Lampa, and the Newsboys round out the top ten with four number ones each.When analyzing the number of weeks spent in the top spot, Casting Crowns is currently on top with 48 weeks notched in the top spot so far this decade. MercyMe is second with 39 weeks at number one. “Bring The Rain” is currently holding down the top spot adding to their total each week. Next in line is Jeremy Camp with 33 weeks at number one. Steven Curtis Chapman has spent 32 weeks in the top spot and may soon add to the total with “Miracle Of The Moment”. Rounding out the top ten are Third Day (28 weeks), Mark Schultz (25 weeks), Chris Tomlin (22 weeks), Avalon (17 weeks), Newsboys (12 weeks), and Rachel Lampa (8 weeks).Jeremy Camp has scored the longest running number one song so far this decade with "Take You Back”. It spent a remarkable 15 weeks at number one back in the spring of 2005. Chris Tomlin’s “Made To Worship” topped the charts for 14 weeks last fall. “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns began its 13 week run at the top in November of 2004. “Praise You In This Storm” and “Lifesong” both by Casting Crowns, “Walk By Faith” by Jeremy Camp, “Word Of God Speak” by MercyMe, and “Mountain Of God” by Third Day each enjoyed a 10 week run at number one.Regardless of how the final quarter of the decade plays out, the clear winners are the millions of fans who have been blessed by a plethora of phenomenal Christian music. To see the complete list of all the number one Christian AC songs of the decade and the current Christian Top 40 chart check out

By Nate Ohman [ 10/08/2007 ][ viewed 30 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Salsa Dancing and Salsa Dance Wear

2008-01-29T22:45:00.000+07:00

Salsa dancing is a high energy, high impact, and exotic style of dance that that is as addictive to watch as it is to perform. Cuba gets the credit for Salsa’s origins in the 1950’s but it was the influence of Puerto Rico and many of the nearby Caribbean islands that made Salsa what it is today. By the 1970’s Salsa’s popularity really began to take off. This is the period when the term Salsa was the term used to describe this style of dance. Since then, this dance has become more and more popular for its sexy moves, excellent exercise, and the exciting music that comes with it.As Salsa has become more popular so has the need for the dance wear that is needed when you dance. Shoes are one of the most important parts of dance wear for the dancer. Dance shoes differ from regular in many ways. First regular shoes are designed to look attractive as its first priority, and then they are made to be as comfortable as possible. Of course, compromises have to be made. The most beautiful shoes are certainly not necessarily comfortable if not uncomfortable and they will not be made for high impact activities. Dance shoes on the other hand, are designed from the beginning for comfort, grip on slick surfaces, light weight, and durability. After these features are designed into the shoe, then the looks of the shoe are developed. There are shoes available that are just as sexy and beautiful as regular shoe but are comfortable, durable, and light enough to dance in. In addition, you don’t necessarily have to pay more to have all of these features. Websites such as http://www.saveondancewear.com has a full selection of dance shoes at deep discounted prices to make them as affordable as regular shoes!The next most important piece of dance wear you will absolutely have to have is your dance outfit. Much like shoes, the outfits made for dancing are greatly different than outfits made for regular wear and tear. Just as a runner would not run in blue jeans, a dancer would not Salsa dance in a formal dress. Dance wear is designed for ease of movement, comfort, and durability. With the exotic designs and styles of the outfits desired for salsa dancing, it is important to find a store that specializes in Salsa dance wear. The owners at http://www.saveondancewear.com state on their site, “With over 25 years in the dance industry we understand what dancers look for. Over the years we couldn't find the quality, uniqueness, and prices we desired. We now can offer it to all dancers.”Finally, you will want to get your dance wear accessories to go with your dance outfit, you will need to find durable jewelry that can stand up to the rigors of the intense moves that Salsa dancing demands. Bags and purses are available that are designed with dance wear storage in mind. These will have heavy duty components as well as extra large pockets for ease of use. Once you have your dance wear together it’s time to get out and dance!

By lazy submit [ 11/08/2007 ][ viewed 62 times ]

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Lindsay Lohan Suffers from Americanitis

2008-01-29T22:42:00.000+07:00

Lindsay Lohan today is retching her guts out and cleaning toilets at the Cirque Lodge Rehabilitation Center in Orem, Utah. Having chased and caught the American Dream of fame, fortune, movie and music stardom Lindsay was left with a painful empty feeling which she chose to eliminate with the cheap thrills of booze and cocaine. 91 percent of the world’s poppy plants are grown in Afghanistan. These poppy plants are turrned into heroin and wind up on the streets of America, leading to violent crime and incarceration and their toll personally and financially on all Americans. The United States of America conquered Afghanistan 4 years ago and the poppy production has increased since then. These poppy plants are used to finance Al Qaeda. Why hasn’t President Bush given the order to root out every poppy plant in Afghanistan? What’s in it for the administration to keep America’s poor minorities hooked on smack and locked behind bars? What did Lindsay Lohan’s poppy Michael Lohan do to cause his daughter Lindsay to tumble into the abyss? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?Americanitis is the inflamation of the American. The American mind today is burning in a self made Hell. Feel your brain cells exploding like a suicide bomber playing “Blow me up for Virgins.” The Old Testament, revered as Holy Scripture by Christianity, Islam and Judaism tells many stories. Every year on the Day of Atonement, the highest of all holidays, Yom Kippur, the High How are You Jewish Priest took a goat into the desert. The High Priest laid his hands upon the head of the goat and transferred all of the sins of the Jewish people into the goat. This is the origin of Jewish guilt and neuroses, the theme of every Woody Allen movie. The guilty goat was then sent to carry the sins of the Jewish people away into the sands of the desert, thereby cleansing the Jewish people of their sins. The Jesus died for your sins theorem is an extrapalotion of the scape goat mishegus.The reason that people need scape goats is because it’s too painful to admit your own sins. Jesus Christ hammered home over and over the importance of obeying the 10 commandments. The self proclaimed Holy American Christian Right led the charge into Iraq. This is the majority of the American people. Despite the 10 commandments, the American people idolize Lindsay Lohan, drive on the Sabbath, do not honor their fathers, have murdered 1 million innocent Iraqi men, women and children even though they had zero to do with 9/11, commit adultery, are trying to steal the Iraqis’ oil, have repeatedly beared false witness against the Iraqi people and coveted the oil of the Iraqi people and the fame and fortune of Linday Lohan. God of Mount Sinai, worshipped by every Christian, Muslim and Jew carved in stone Himself that if people broke his 10 commandments He would punish them, their children, their grandchildren and their great grandchildren. Rather than admit their own crimes against humanity the American people are scape goating and blaming the Muslims, the terrorists, Al Qaeda, Hamas, the Axis of Evil, Syria, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, the Republicans, the Democrats and anyone else they can think of for their own sins. It is important to get to the root of our problems and then weed them out permanently. The root cause of the Iraq War, leading to the Iran War and then to nuclear world war 3, the Apocalypse, the extinction of life on Earth forever in the aftermath of nuclear world war 3, nuclear winter then ultraviolet summer is the human brain. If not for the existence of human beings the Earth would be a real live paradise for the next few billion years, with crystal clear streams, lush forests and fresh sparkling air. Where did we go wrong? What invention of the human brain triggered the transformation of our beautiful planet into the wasteland of Mars, which used to have its own beautiful oceans? Now all Mars is good for is to resurface the courts at Roland Garros, Roger Federer’s Waterloo. The invention of the human brain which is causing the Iraq War, global warming and Lindsay Lohan’s impending incarceration is the car. For 5 million years human beings got along beautifully without cars. Now we are all car junkies. We are like coke junkies standing outside of a drug store Jonesing with excruciating withdrawal symptoms until we can no longer stand the pain and we break into the drug store. Iraq is the drug store, the gasoline station we Americans have broken into. If the people of Earth do not stop driving cars immediately then we human beings will soon cause the extinction of life on earth forever with another of our brilliant inventions, weapons of mass destruction. We are like the big guy in “Of Mice and Men” who didn’t realize his own stength and power and accidentaly killed his pet mouse. Obviously if one person stops driving, it will not save the world. However, if everyone on Earth stops driving, and disposes of the weapons of mass destruction, it will save life on Earth. All it would take would be 200 people representing 200 countries to stand up tomorrow at the United Nations and announcing that effective immediately each country will be banning cars and disarming. It’s that simple.

By Karen Fish [ 12/08/2007 ][ viewed 78 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How To Really Sell CDs Online

2008-01-29T22:39:00.000+07:00

I'm about to tell you a new and highly effective way to sell CDs online from your own website. Listen up because I usually put this stuff into an ebook and sell it for gobs of dough, but frankly I haven't got time to write a book right now. However, I do want to share this knowledge with you because it works. The question is, how serious are you about your career? because if you don't have any real commitment and focus then no amount of articles and tips you read will help you. But if you want to rise to the occasion. Read on...Unlike other motivators, gurus or success coaches, I will never give you academic theories, untried or untested ideas. On the contrary, in fact, the only ideas I will share with you will be those that I have personally tried out and had success with. That's why I get excited, because I see results, and mostly they are light bulb moments. "Why on earth didn't I think of that before?" is usually the afterthought. Over the last seven years I have had an enormous amount of success both as a musician and as an Internet marketer. I say that not to brag, but because I want you to to know that if I can do it, then so can you. We are living in a new age. Truly, the geek will inherit the earth. I guarantee that only the proactive 'details oriented', 'out-of-the-box-thinkers' will really have success over the next few years. Watch if you don't believe me.OK, so where do we start? Do you have a website? Good. Do you have a web designer? If so, he or she must read this because for the most part web designers are not Internet marketers, they make pretty web pages. If you do your own web work (and I highly recommend that you learn), all the better.I am now going to propose to you that you now have two websites dedicated to your band or act, instead of just one. First, you must have your 'calling card' website. You know, your site at www.yourdomain.com that contains all the good basic info about you that fans can read. I'll talk about the other site in a moment.Ideally visitors should be finding your main website from a ton of inbound links from other sites. Rather than just getting any old link from another site to point to you, do all that you can to get a 'golden' link. By this I mean a highly visible link on a highly trafficked page. Do a joint venture if needs be by promoting their site from yours and so on. But get good solid substantial links from other sites whose demographic would be interested in you. Ask those questions!If you want to score high in the search engines, make sure that other sites display your keyword in their anchor text. In other words, if you want to score high in Google when someone searches on 'punk bands', then make sure that that keyword is in the anchor text of the inbound link. (More on this in huge detail in the "Indie Artist DIY Smartkit" http://www.aandronline.com/smartkit )OK, now you have a steady flow of traffic to your website. Of course you need to make the site fascinating and seductive. Here's what you need to understand about your site;The only reason you have a website online is to collect names and email addresses so you can direct market to your fans! Sure you want to tell them where and when you will be playing, show them photos etc. But effectively, you do this by direct marketing through email, forming a personal relationship with your fans one by one. And they will love you for it. More on this in a sec.So the trick now is to figure out how to capture a new visitor. How do you seduce them into your lair? so to speak. Once you have a committed, interested new fan, you can turn this new person into a purchaser, and if you do it right, a fan who will purchase from you time and time again. You do want to make money as a musician, right?So the secret is getting them to give you their name and email address so your automated system can do the rest. Enter the second website I was just telling you about...The second website is what we can refer to as a 'Member's Area". Most commercial or corporate online sites that have a member's area charge a recurring fee to be admitted. You however, are not going to do that. Your member's area will be absolutely free. All they have to do is subscribe. When they subscribe, they get access to this other site (which can be all part of the same domain) and of course you then have autoresponders set up so you can, over the course of a period of time (usually about 2 weeks), seduce them into buying from you. Works like a charm. Read on...OK, so this member's area sounds really cold and lifeless doesn't it? Doesn't even sound particularly interesting. This is where you have to put on your creative hat. Don't call it a member's area. Personally, I call mine "Backstage", but you could call it anything you like. How about "V.I.P. Only". Or "Private Invite Only". Imagine you are opening a really hip new nightclub and you want only a certain style of person there. Imagine a selective New York nightclub where there is always a line outside and only the beautiful and famous people get to come in. By the way, did you know that there is never usually a need for a line outside a nightclub? How many times have you lined up for half an hour, then been admitted and walked into a half full club? The club is creating a perception that they are extremely popular. But no, all clubs do it because it makes them look good. Adopt this way of thinking for your website. Make it a real 'inside thing'. Kind of like you have to know somebody to get in. There is a website called www.smallworld.com who have successfully done this, and everybody of course is clamoring to be a part of this highly exclusive place. It is brilliant marketing.So think about this other new site of yours. What do you call it? How will it be? What do fans have to do to get in? Think about this. It's your world. Make it fascinating and exclusive. Then build this other member's site and make it something folks want to come back to. The truth is, you now have their contact info so it almost doesn't matter to you what they do, but you do want them to remain in your world, so think about what you could do to grab their attention. I'll give you some ideas.Your main website will have all the basic stuff like; About you, bio, photos, tour info, subscribe to newsletter, blah blah blah. All good stuff. But this other private site of yours has to contain highly personal, intimate and fascinating stuff that fans can pore over, that they can't get from your main site. In short, there has to be a seductive and 'slam dunk' reason why a visitor would give up their contact info. Let's face it, with spam issues, it takes a lot these days. Here are a few ideas.We are living in a youtube world right now. There is every reason to make videos and it's easy to do, and dirt cheap. So...*Have a band member shoot video of you before and after gigs, hanging out, sound checking, chatting to fans, doing stupid and embarrassing stuff. Make youtube videos and embed them on your VIP member's site.*Make audio interviews for fans to click on. *Have a photos library and build it over time. *Have a reading room where fans can read glowing (and not so glowing) reviews of your albums and shows.*Have a band blog or message board where fans can personally interact. Make all band members participate. Build personal relationships with your fans.*Give away free music. *Think of anything else fun and creative that fans would want to see in your private room online. If you are the meek or mild type,you know, all introverted and shy and bashful. Here's what I have to say to you; Turn that around pal, because you have to be larger than life! Fans want it that way. They want stars and they want to put their stars on pedestals and worship them. Even if you feel a little insecure in this department, do not translate that online. BE LARGER THAN LIFE! The reason I say this is because you have to be confident enough to think that your fans actually want to know more about you.OK finally, you have completed your private member's room. On your original website (www.yourname.com) you are going to coax your visitors to your private site area. You can do this on every page of your original website. You can see this whole marketing process on my personal site at www.chrisstandring.com and you can see my "Backstage" private VIP area at www.chrisstandring.com/backstage There, you will see the use of a new marketing idea called Peel-Away-Ads. In the top far right of all my web pages their is a seductive script that makes you want to click on the link that takes you to the Backstage sign up page. You could also place banners and clever text links wherever appropriate. Be creative here. This whole private member's area is an intriguing idea for visitors because up until now, most bands offer things like "Subscribe to our newsletter so we can tell you where and when we are playing". Is this enough anymore? Absolutely not. We have to be creative. And what do you do when you have your new fan's contact information? You set up a series of autoresponders that do all the work for you. What this essentially means is, a series of emails written by you personally that gets sent out over a period of time that you specify. Once a week over a period of say 7 weeks, seems to work. You set up these emails like newsletters where you talk about different things your band is doing, or has done. Mostly over time you are going to talk about your CD(s) that you want them to know all about and of course preview and finally buy. Anytime you have something new to tell your fans, you send out a broadcast email. Whenever your new CD comes out, you have a growing list of subscribers to sell it to. Direct targeted online marketing. This is the world you now live in. If you want to really get into marketing online in a serious way, and do it right from the start, and sell a boatload of CDs online, all the fine details can be found in my Indie Artist DIY Smartkit. http://www.aandronline.com/smartkit/index.html - I talk about all the pitfalls of marketing online and how you can avoid them from the start. This stuff isn't going to happen for you overnight, but it will happen, and you can sell a lot of albums if you do it right. Go get 'em!

By Chris Standring [ 13/08/2007 ][ viewed 30 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How To Start Recording Your Voice At Home

2008-01-29T22:37:00.000+07:00

If you have spent the major part of your life entertaining your friends with your lovely voice, maybe it is time for your talent to reach out to more people around the world. All you need is a home recording studio that you can set up with the least bit of effort.Here are few tips of live recording that you could follow:-Live recording is done through what is called "audio" which is an actual music recording of a live sound, just like a tape recording. Let us see what all gadgets are required to fulfill your dream.i) Digital multitrack recorder ii) Microphone. iii) Audio interface/sound card. iv) Studio headphones Gadget 1 - Get your digital multitrack recorder or software multitrack sequencer.Decide where you want to record your audio. Here are some of the considerations. If you wish to use your computer's program, that's great and lot of money is saved. With a good quality sound card, you can record at very high fidelity. But you have to be careful as there are some significant possible downsides. First and foremost, computers are sometimes unreliable, especially if you are using an older version for high end work that needs more memory. You are unlikely to enjoy losing lots of time and hard work when the computer freezes that becomes more likely the more you demand CPU power for multiple tracks and adding things such as reverb and echo. Go for upgrading your computer with a bigger hard disk and RAM as well as an additional Audio/Graphics card to enhance you r work experience. If buying a new computer, go for a high-end processor for the best results. Using a mouse to run computer programs is just fine, but it may not be so convenient for the job of digital music recording. Simple 4 to 8 track projects may be possible, but you will need proper equipment for higher end work.On the other hand, using an external digital multitrack recorder has many advantages – as they are more reliable, easier to mix with because they have those old familiar faders, and generally are of higher sound quality. They also come with internal effects such as reverb, delay, chorus, which can crash the computers. The disadvantages are of course the cost, albeit not so bad, and the limited number of tracks (usually 8 to 24).Another consideration is that with an external device, you must make sure it has a proper connection and synchronization capability with the computer programs. Digital multitracks often utilize V-takes as well, which means you can record a number of versions of track 1 bass, for example, and choose the one to activate for your final mix.Once you've analyzed your needs, you can go and get the home recording studio recorder or program you wish to work with. An external controller board is required if you are using a software analyzer which will give you real faders for mix down, which can relieve you of the inconvenience of the mouse. In part two of this article, we shall examine the rest of the essential gadgets required by you for successful music recording. Keep your voice in shape till then, for you will soon be traveling on the highway to a successful career in the world of music.

By Sarika Kabra [ 17/08/2007 ][ viewed 74 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How to throw an 80's theme party

2008-01-29T22:34:00.000+07:00

So how fun would it be to go all out and throw an 80's theme party? Do you remember the days of the Rubik's Cube, Pac-Man, big hair bands, phrases like "totally awesome", and of course you can't forget Ferris Bueller? If you remember any of these you're on the right track, but it takes a few key ingredients to throw a sensational 80's party!Costumes are requiredMake it clear on the invite you must come in 80's gear or you are not allowed to enter. It shouldn't be too difficult to come up with a trashy look from the 80's. Think of Madonna, Miami Vice, White Snake, Blondie, and anyone from "Pretty in Pink". The key here is the bigger and bolder the better. Remember BIG HAIR, for women it was a competition to see who could produce the biggest hair-do. For men it was spiked and wild! If you need some suggestions try leg-warmers, rolled up jeans, "Member's Only" jackets, leather cutoffs, wristbands, and jelly bracelets. Now that's style!The Movies and TV of the 80'sBe sure to include movies and TV shows from the 80's in the background to set the mood. Shows like the "A-Team", "Knight Rider", and "Mash" are good. Also include movies like "Pretty in Pink", "Ferris Bueller", "Real Genius", and others as this visual can help set the tone of the party. Games of the 80'sDon't forget the video games! Many stores carry small Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, and other portable retro style video games. Also, nothing beats a good game of Twister. Work these into your party and maybe even a little 80's trivia! The Music of the 80'sThis is the most important aspect of your theme party. It is critical to have the right music as the 80's decade was defined by the music. From the Cure, to Depeche Mode, to Debbie Gibson, to A-HA, and the Bangles, the 80's was a decade full of unique and fun music. Stay away from karaoke because it always ends up being the drunk trying to sing that takes away from the party. While at times this can be entertaining it can quickly deteriorate. Hire a professional Houston DJ to perform at your party and look for one that specializes in 80's music. Whether you want the pop sound or the alternative club sound of the 80's, a good 80's disc jockey should be able make the party come alive "like totally!" Sorry I couldn't resist.

By Don Crass [ 17/08/2007 ][ viewed 35 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Make The Most Of Your Talent And Build A Career

2008-01-29T22:32:00.000+07:00

Hope you have been practicing singing in the past week and are now prepared to take on the nuances of getting on with the real thing- the actual recording.Moving on from where we left off the last time around – here are the rest of the gadgets you will need to set up your very own recording studio.Gadget 2 - Your Microphone:Be aware that your standard windows microphone is not adequate. You’ll need one that will record your music perfectly. Microphones are the most important feature in recording your music because their quality varies widely and they are what you hear. The most famous and best budget microphone ever is the Shure SM58 Microphone. For its cost it sure beats many of the several times more expensive ones, like the thousand dollar Neumann, hollow.There is a wide range of microphones available such as condensers, dynamics, tubes and many more .It has been observed that live mics are not always great for the studio. Generally, wide diagram condensers are what you want for vocals. That again you have to decide seeing your pocket. Remember that if you are going to record in groups, or different types of instruments, you'll require more than one microphone.Gadget 3 - Audio Interface Recording Sound Card:Much as we have seemingly maligned the computer, it is still required even if you'll be recording externally as you'll still need to get the sound into the computer for audio mastering, burning, MP3 upload or whatever else. If you want to get it in a high quality, some of the factors to look for are types of input, quality and connectivity. Before pursuing this further, let me tell you what is the difference between digital and analog. Analog is the actual sound transmitted in wave form, while digital translates the sounds into a numeric code for transmission that is then re-converted to analog at the listener’s end. What ever you sing, the analog signal of your actual sound has to be translated into the digital format so the computer can record it. The sound card does that translation.The advantage of using a digital multitrack is that it doesn’t lose music recording quality when copied to another device. Your digital multitrack can send it's music out digitally, so its better to have a sound card that can accept digital data as well.Gadget 4 - Studio Headphones, Playback Gear:As you’ll be playing the new vocals with the backing tracks you have to make sure your backing tracks are synchronized to the device you will be recording your vocals to. A computer program generally does this automatically. If, however, you are using a multitrack with a computer, your synchronization may need to be tweaked a wee little bit. While doing your home recording, all you will be required to do is connect the computer and multitrack via a MIDI cable and then specifying on each (the program and the multitrack) which sync signal (MMC, MTC, SMPTE) is sent/received. Besides, you also need to check the frame rate, which device is the master (the one that when you press play on it, the other plays as well), and whether pressing ‘Play’ on the master starts playback at the beginning or at the song position of the master (depending on what you want).I do hope the tips provided in this article have been useful to the cause. So do keep me informed whenever you come out with your first digital sound track!

By Sarika Kabra [ 21/08/2007 ][ viewed 64 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

HD Disc Jockeys

2008-01-28T23:26:00.000+07:00

In today's world it is essential that disc jockey's keep pace with technology. What began as a DJ lugging vinyl crates to gigs has moved to compact discs, and now to computer hard drives (HD). With products like Serato Scratchlive™, FinalScratch™, and Virtual DJ, today's DJ's have vinyl-like feel with the convenience of a large music library.Do HD products take away from a DJ's artistic ability?Most of the HD products do not take away from the art of being a disc jockey because they still do not do the work for you. While there are some products that will automatically beat match the music for you, there are other products like Serato Scratchlive™ that take great pride in preserving the true feel of vinyl. These products further enhance the capabilities of the disc jockey by giving them new more powerful tools like time compression / expansion, auto gain control, music waveforms, drum beat analysis, and more. As well as giving the DJ complete access to a virtually unlimited library of music. HD products also give the DJ the ability to remix his/her music and have it immediately available in the library. This coupled with effects processing and other sophisticated tools, gives the HD DJ a significant advantage over traditional vinyl or CD DJs.How does it work?These products use specially encoded vinyl records and/or CDs. These records are time coded with the position of the song with respect to the needle location or play location. The time coded medium is played like a normal DJ device, but instead of playing music it is sending the time code to the computer. The computer then translates this code and applies the result to the song on the hard drive. This means when a DJ scratches, backspins, skips, or stops the record so does the song on the hard drive. This results in a very realistic feel and even masks the fact that the song is actually being played on a computer.What does the future hold?Video, light controls, effects processing, and many more things are possible with this technology. While some may argue its reliability or quality when compared to previous mediums, the fact remains that this technology is here to stay and it is bringing today's DJ into the future. The days of lugging vinyl to an event are over!

By Don Crass [ 23/08/2007 ][ viewed 26 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Learn To Play Guitar Online – Is It Better or Not?

2008-01-28T23:24:00.000+07:00

With the new modern guitar lessons you can learn to play guitar online. But is it better than taking the traditional guitar lessons? I have been playing for over 10 years and I think there has never been an easier method to learn and master guitar.Now there is no need to haul your guitar out to a music school across town to take your weekly lesson. Plus it was rather expensive. I started with blue book number 1 and learned the hard way. These days I hardly ever actually read music. I have learned to play by ear and tabs make learning a song really fast.So how are these online lessons? In the opinion of over 30 people we interviewed every one of them said they would rather take lessons online or download a guitar course and learn at home.At times it can be a pain sitting in front of the computer trying to play. But overall it sure beats the alternatives. We have watched new students with no experience playing the guitar begin playing popular songs in just a few weeks. You can learn at your own pace and repeat lessons until you master them. If you feel like taking your lesson at 3 in the morning, no problem. As long as your neighbors don’t mind. Or you can pick up a good set of headphones, if you are playing an electric guitar.Electric or acoustic? For beginners it is easier to learn and play an electric guitar. The necks are smaller and you will have to use less pressure. Once you learn you will be able to play either one. Another great thing about taking online guitar lessons is no one can hear how bad you sound. When I was learning I hated when someone listened to me play. Of course once you get better you will be playing for your friends and family.If you haven’t bought a guitar yet it is recommended that you get the best guitar you can afford to buy. Do not buy a cheap knock off. The action will be terrible, meaning the strings will be high and require a lot of pressure to get a clean sounding note. Most cheap guitars sound terrible and buzz. You are better off buying a decent used guitar if you can’t afford a brand new name brand.So get yourself a guitar if you don’t already have one, sing up and download your lessons and get to work. Guitar playing is one of the greatest hobbies. Once you get into your lessons you leave all your problems behind and escape into the world of music.

By Mike Tucker [ 29/08/2007 ][ viewed 39 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How To Select A Good Disc Jockey For Your Wedding Function

2008-01-28T23:21:00.000+07:00

Whatever be the occasion, one of the surest ways of putting life into a party is by having some lively, foot tapping music. Nothing like tapping the feet to the beat of the Samba or jiving away to drive away those blues. And one individual who can really make all of this happen to your very own party is the disc jockey. Since so much depends on him, it may well be worth spending a little time on choosing the right person.If you are planning to throw a party for your wedding in the coming month, and you are having nightmares after having recently attending a DJ party of your friend, don’t lose heart for help is at hand! No do not panic - I will tell you how to go about choosing the right DJ for your memorable day. Here are few guidelines to decide on real good one and hopefully put all your fears to end.In House Disc Jockeys: The other option is to check from your function venue, as most of them will recommend a good disc jockey that they have seen performing. A few arrange it themselves as an added service to the client. After all, their reputation depends upon the disc jockey. Sometimes a bad DJ can spoil the effect of the good catering done by the hotels, so it is likely they would like you to have the best to give them a good reputation.Disc Jockey Agencies : Disc jockey agencies have many disc jockeys on their books with recording studio equipment predominantly owned byx the agency. Or they maybe having some contracts with other DJs also. But choosing a DJ through them can be a risky affair as the quality may vary from company to company, and within the company, amongst individuals. Some may be very good but some of their DJ staff they may not have been even heard or seen for months, so they can be short of good quality. Moreover, some of these employees are poorly paid so they find it very hard to maintain a class as they try to cut on the cost of their music collection. Some, in an effort to cut costs, will even resort to illegally copying music onto tapes, compact discs or mini discs. This being the case, they find it hard to keep motivated and interested enough to deliver a superior level of attention, service and entertainment.Some of the agencies have also been known to have music software and can forward you a list of songs but again it depends upon the DJ. If unfortunately you get a wrong selection then you are left at the mercy of a Disc Joker instead of a Disc Jockey.Another factor to be borne in mind is the personal attention given to you. The DJ should also be smart enough so as to recognize who are the important people in a party (they always are eg; the parents of the newly wedded couple), and play special music for them when they come on the dance floor.In part two of this article, we shall see some more options of Disc Jockeys available to you. We shall also see some of the tips that will help you make a wise decision for selecting the right person to make your party a roaring success.

By Sarika Kabra [ 29/08/2007 ][ viewed 58 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Growth of Social Networks

2008-01-28T23:19:00.000+07:00

The commercial growth of the Internet is largely due to consumers’ ability to create relationships with other people that live anywhere in the world based on a common interest. In the 1990’s, sites such as Tripod and Geocities were excellent examples of how massive destination sites could be established by providing the ability to express oneself via the Internet. Other businesses such as eBay have also leveraged this phenomenon by building networks of buyers and sellers of all types of products and services, with tremendous success. Early teen-focused social networking sites such as Bolt and College Club helped to pave the way in determining which utilities resonated with younger consumers seeking to create online profiles and establish networks of friends based on similar interests.As online networking became socially acceptable among the vast majority of teens, new sites such as Friendster, MySpace, and Facebook took advantage of this phenomenon and became leading examples of social networking sites that reached young consumers. Other businesses such as IGN successfully focused on specific interests such as gaming. The end result is that sites such as MySpace and IGN are among the most popular sites on the Internet, with only the major portals such as Yahoo and Google surpassing them in terms of total page views and traffic. Social networking sites have also become acceptable among advertisers. MySpace, for example, is expected to generate an over $1 Billion in advertising revenue from 2006 through 2008. Advertisers are attracted to these sites for their ability to draw a massive audience of hard-to-reach young consumers and in a format that combines traditional advertising with direct marketing. Furthermore, the more advanced social networks are able to target advertising based on the profiles of the consumers using the service, providing advertisers with highly targeted messaging in an environment that young consumers spend hours a day within consuming various entertainment. However, due to the general subject matter of sites like MySpace, many advertisers continue to shy away from making major commitments as they are rife with nudity, profanity, and other subject matter not appropriate for advertisers. Other more specific social networking sites such as Bolt and Facebook tend to have greater sell-through and deeper relationships with major advertisers as their content has traditionally been more controlled and targeted. The growth of social networks can be seen as technology better facilitating a basic social need. Yet, this trend has created another channel for advertisers to bring their product to market. But as this trend continues some would say that saturation becomes a risk and if so will that alienate the very users that make these sites so valuable?

By Justin burge [ 30/08/2007 ][ viewed 21 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Avoiding a Wedding Day Disaster with Your Disc Jockey

2008-01-28T23:17:00.000+07:00

A wedding day disaster with your disc jockey can be easily avoided if you follow a few key steps to ensure you have the proper entertainment for your event. All DJ’s ARE the SameA common misconception is that some brides believe all DJ’s are the same, “they all play music right”? While all DJ’s do play music, they each have their own unique talent. It is important that you realize your DJ is doing more than just playing music at your reception. The DJ must coordinate the events so that it all runs according to plan. This includes making announcements, working with the wedding coordinator or venue, and entertaining your guests so that they do not leave after the cutting of the cake. This combined with ensuring you are in the right place at the right time for photographs is the whole reason you hire a DJ. A band is simply not capable of managing these duties.How Much Do DJ’s Cost?The price you pay for a DJ varies greatly depending on where you live, but you should expect to pay anywhere from $500 - $2000 depending on the DJ talent, the equipment (ie Lights, Fog Machine, Bubble Machine, etc), and the time of year. Top talent can get booked up to a year in advance so it’s important that you quickly determine how much you want to spend and begin looking ahead of time. You should secure your venue and DJ first. Be wary of a DJ that lowers his price to get your business. Talented DJ’s have a set price for weddings and typically will not move much on the price. Make sure you budget at least 5% for your disc jockey. Keep in mind the cheapest DJ is not necessarily the best deal.Get It in WritingProfessional disc jockey services will provide you with a contract that includes the price for everything included in the event. Make sure you go over everything with the DJ at the pre-event consultation and that the contract includes the name and contact number of the DJ that will be at your event. Ask if the DJ takes requests. Ask if the DJ has backup equipment or DJ’s. Whatever you want the DJ to do be sure you put it in writing so that he/she will know exactly what is expected of them.Planning, Planning, PlanningMost DJ’s work well on a schedule of events so the more you can plan the better chance the event will go as intended.

By Don Crass [ 05/09/2007 ][ viewed 36 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

It Is Your Wedding - Make It An Occasion To Remember

2008-01-28T23:14:00.000+07:00

I’m sure you would have enjoyed reading my previous article on selecting the right disc jockey for your wedding function. Welcome to part two of how to select the right disc jockey for your get-together.Single Unit Disc Jockeys: Single Unit Disc Jockeys are aspiring professionals, and are often intransigent music lovers. This does not make these die-hard music lovers any less than their more famous professional cousins. On the flip side, the use of much simpler studio equipment may result in their not having enough back up of the songs required. Then keep in mind that they are not professionals and are comparatively less responsible. While you may end up saving a few pennies here, it is best to try out the competence of such a person before you hire him. Ask him for references or a trial performance before you make your final decision.Many may however, buck the popular perception about their work. A number of single unit disc jockeys provide a totally professional experience despite having made most of their music in home recording studio, and have a wide variety of music, sufficient experience to handle any situation, back-up equipment and contingency plans in case of an unforeseen event. It is better to enquire about them from your friends before booking them.Yellow pages, Friends or Relatives: This motley collection of professional references is the easiest way to contact a Disc Jockey but then again it is your luck as everyone has his own choice. Of course, from the yellow pages, you can get the telephone numbers and the addresses of the DJs but then you have little idea about the better ones!!! Do not get disheartened as we have a solution to this also. Here are few tips to keep in mind while talking to them 1. It is important to create a rapport with the Disc Jockey over the phone. Take notice of their way of speaking and approach - after all it depicts their style and personality which is a part of their profession. 2. Are they returning to your phone calls? Were they prompt in doing so? This again shows proficiency in their field and their approach towards work.3. Then ask references from them of the people who have heard them and who would be able to tell you better.4. Enquire about the equipments they are using. Check up if he uses his own studio equipment so that to mix his own music or he uses premixed music. This can give you an idea about the talent of that person. 5. You also have to check whether they have digital music recording or normal recording. This is likely to affect the quality of the music produced.6. The dress they are going to wear. If it is a formal party, they should be decently dressed. Informal parties may allow them a little more leeway. Be sure to tell the Disc Jockey to dress formally if it is going to be a formal affair.7. Some of the DJs have their own troupes and they show their own dance performances. You can check from them if they offer the facility. It could add a bit of spice to your party.Make your special day all the more so by making the right choice of professional to liven up your function. Come what may, it is an occasion you are going to recount any number of nostalgic times – so ensure it is the best possible! Have a great party!

By Sarika Kabra [ 05/09/2007 ][ viewed 61 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Wedding DJs in Michigan: Tips on Hiring the Right One

2008-01-28T23:12:00.000+07:00

Congratulations on your engagement, it is now time to interview the different wedding DJs in Michigan! You may be a little overwhelmed with the options and probably do not know where to start looking for a professional entertainer, but here are a couple of things to keep in mind when interviewing disc jockey companies.1.) The Reputation and ReferencesSome DJs in Michigan perform as full-time professionals, most work part-time and probably will not be as committed to your wedding reception. Make sure you can view or contact several references from previous clients from within the last year. You will be able to find out if the entertainer is dedicated to your day before you trust them with to much responsibility.2.) Will You Get More with others or LESS?The basic stereotype for wedding DJs in Michigan is that they only play music. Some companies do more than just play music, but ask yourself out loud.Who will be responsible for my wedding coordination and other important details?! Who will make sure that the other vendors are informed about my wedding itinerary?! When I fill out my wedding itinerary is it easy, detailed, and planned online?! How will my disc jockey play the guest song requests, is this done ahead of time?! Will they give me Wedding Planning Advice, or just play music?! Do they have an Online Music Area that I can browse AND sample songs from?! What type of music selection will they offer me?! Are their songs kept current with today’s trends for my guests?! Do they have other options or services that other companies do not offer?! Am I given a Wedding Song List where I can also sample formal dance suggestions?! As you can see, entertainment accounts for more than just playing music, so the right question to ask is out of all the wedding DJs in Michigan, how can this company help personalize my day by saving me time and money!3.) Who has the Right AttitudeThere is more going on behind the scenes than you can imagine. To find out if your DJ can hold up to your expectations ask yourself out loud.Are they the right company to represent myself, family & friends at my ONE wedding?! Do they treat other professionals with respect and refer other vendors that they trust?! Do they have the right personality to fit my vision and goals?! Do they upgrade their equipment or invest into their company with new technology?! Do they have the right customer service & reach me within 24hrs of me calling them?! Do I get the chance to meet my DJ before my party?! Do they specialize as a Michigan Wedding DJ?! 4.) Do they have a Commitment to ExcellenceDo not trust your top rate day to a second rate service. To find out if they can backup what they say ask yourself out loud.Is there a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE offered with their services?! Do they go over the MONEY BACK GUARANTEE with me in detail?! What is included in the MONEY BACK GUARANTEE?! What happens if my DJ arrives late?! Will they bring state-of-the-art backup equipment to my event?! Do they honor or encourage positive music requests?! Do they buy any important songs I might request beforehand?! Will they be available for me to talk with them if I have questions?! Have they ever had to enforce their MONEY BACK GUARANTEE before?! 5.) What They Do not Want You to Know about PricesPrice and package selection are important, and should be a consideration when it comes to booking a wedding DJs in Michigan. There should be a no pressure approach when giving you information about choosing entertainment. You need to speak with several different companies to find a service that matches your budget and goals. When you interview DJs in Michigan, you will find a difference in pricing as well as the services offered.If their prices are average then will their services also be average?! Are there hidden fees for setup, teardown, load-in, or the meetings?! Are they sending a low rate DJ last minute to cover your wedding?! Will they cancel on you the week of, to book a higher rate party?! 6.) And most importantly...Do not forget to have fun. This should be an easy and fun decision for you!

By Robert Reno [ 05/09/2007 ][ viewed 65 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Mp3 Reviews - First Step Towards Mp3 Downloads

2008-01-28T23:10:00.000+07:00

Throughout time music has kept us going, providing comfort in times of joy or sadness, anger or happiness. Today, due to the Internet, music enthusiasts from all over the world can find the music they like, in mp3 format and download it without wasting too much time or effort.When music started to be promoted as mp3s, no one was aware how much credit this format was going to receive. Having a high-quality audio sound and being small, it has attracted millions of users to the Internet and the mp3 download industry developed more and more. As there were too many websites that offered mp3 download options, some Internet users considered that a online review service would be more than useful. Nowadays, we have several kinds of such services presented on the Internet, but not all of them are reliable. When it comes to mp3 reviews, it is highly important to choose a website that offers only up-to-date and relevant information. Their judgment should be based on objective factors and they should make clear why you should trust that specific website.It is more than obvious that the music industry and mp3 download sites have benefited a lot from such websites. Mp3 reviews helped a lot of people find the best site that can satisfy their music needs, offering unlimited access to a wide variety of music genres and all sorts of bonuses. As with any other service provided by the Internet, if you are willing to pay a fee, there is no limit to how much you can download. Every mp3 site reviewed by such a professional service undergoes a serious analysis and the results can vary a great deal. These experts test them for themselves and this is why you can consider their opinion more than valuable. They are ready to explain every element regarding the mp3 download site, including available music and movies sources, technical support provided and in some cases, anti-virus protection. Mp3 reviews are certainly useful if you are downloading music from the Internet and you want to find out what is really happening online.Music downloads, especially in the mp3 format, reached sky limits in the last couple of years and the numbers continue to rise. The popularity of mp3 downloads depends on a lot of factors, including the unlimited access to all kinds of music, bands and albums. The best thing is that you can get all the help you need, advanced assistance and protection from malicious programs. If you want to find out which is the best site for music download, then all you have to do is enter online and read the available mp3 reviews. No doubt you will be amazed with the complexity of the presentation, finding out why an extensive library of music collection is so important and don't forget to read about the privacy policy. These websites are filled with interesting details about music downloads, especially mp3 format. You can get all the information you want, including the one regarding software tools, such as CD burning software and even music download software. You can get it all…. not to mention all the music in the world that you like!

By Bill Johnson [ 05/09/2007 ][ viewed 56 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Successful Proms Require the Right Disc Jockey

2008-01-28T23:08:00.000+07:00

One of the most important days in a teenager’s life is of course senior prom. High school prom is by far the biggest event of the year and it is important to choose the right entertainment. Today’s high school proms are high-end events based on a theme, with concert type lighting, special effects, and many high end elements. When choosing a DJ for your event you should make sure they too are professionals and capable of handling the music and the lights for your prom.Finding the Right Disc JockeyFirst work with your prom committee and determine what kind of music you want. Asking the student body or committee is the best choice as they are in tune with current music. Make sure you DJ’s library is current and that he has enough sound for the number of couples expected. If you require any special lighting, fog, or other effect be sure your DJ includes this in his/her price and make sure it you have it in writing in your contract. You should expect to pay between $1000 and $2000 for a disc jockey for your prom depending on the number of students you are expecting.Ask the DJ for Theme IdeasDJ’s have seen many different party themes and can help you with ideas for planning yours. There are also prom kits that can be purchased from various catalogs, but typically they will be expensive and will require a lot of work to assemble. Disc Jockey’s can provide ideas and additional lighting to enhance the over-all theme from simple color washes to intricate wall projections or video.Proper Planning Yields a Successful PromIf you’re responsible for planning the prom you want to ensure everything goes according to plan. This requires an experience professional that can run your show and make you forever famous. Be sure to book your DJ in advance. December is a good time to start looking for a DJ when you prom is the following May. Remember parents are always concerned about what their teenager is doing after the prom so plan accordingly and hopefully the students will stay until the end.

By Don Crass [ 05/09/2007 ][ viewed 81 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

San Diego Wedding Dj and Variety Dance Band Entertainment

2008-01-28T22:51:00.000+07:00

That was the greatest San Diego DJ party I've been to!............your friends and guests!That's right! That's what your friends and guests will say about your party when your San Diego DJ looks great, sounds incredible and keeps the dance floor packed all night. That's what San Diego's Entertainment company, "A Touch Of Class Music" specialize in. All styles of music, from big band to today's hits, they will have you dancing in the aisles. (Over 50,000 titles).A Touch Of Class Music Entertainment, a San Diego Entertainment company, owned and operated by Barry Cohen, has been fortunate to play for hundreds of happy satisfied bride and grooms for the last ten years and it is there goal to be able to play for you. Playing the right music at the right time is the key to jump starting all the fun and romance at any wedding reception or special event. They know music. They are not only full time professional award-winning San Diego DJ's and MC's, but they are also professional musicians and singers. They know how important it is to play the music you want to hear. They have the experience it takes to combine a wide variety of music styles with lively announcements that will energize your party and make a lasting impression on your guests.It's your party. And it's your music. You should have a comfortable feeling from the San Diego DJ you hire for your special occasion. They make sure your celebration is a huge success. When you hire them as your professional San Diego DJ, the most important attributes are there personality and experience. They have the talent and confidence to interact with your group in a fun, professional way. They are able to stay on schedule and to be flexible on the fly. They can also change the performance style to meet your needs. They only use the latest cutting-edge, professional hi-tech, state-of-the-art digital sound and lighting systems.A Touch Of Class Music entertainment is also a single-source talent consulting and booking service. A service built on years of experience and around the clients individual needs. They have access to the finest live bands in the San Diego area. Plus, they offer Live band and DJ combo packages for any event.Barry Cohen knows what it takes to make a party successful. Just ask any of his long list of clients. In fact he encourages you to call any of his references and to meet with him in person. He also books entertainment for Private Celebrations / Philanthropic Galas / Corporate Events / Concerts /Show Production / Weddings.

By Cris Cohen [ 07/09/2007 ][ viewed 45 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Music for Healing and Relaxation

2008-01-27T22:34:00.000+07:00

Sound and music have been used for millennia to create change. Tribal drums and chanting, mantras, and hymns all have known effects on consciousness. But it is not all "in our minds", sound and music also affect our bodies. Snake charmers and fire walkers can attest to how sound and music can alter consciousness and make the body impervious to damage.And now, so can scientists. Science has devised modern ways to use sound. The military transmits radio frequency waves to submarines under the polar ice cap using sound wave theory. Nikola Tesla was a true master of "harmonic resonance." He could bring down a tall building with a hand-held jigger (a mechanical device that produces a jolting motion) set to the building's resonant frequency and located in the basement on a structural beam. Earthquake-proof buildings are designed with unequal distances between floors, which disrupts this resonant frequency. Ultrasound is used in medicine to determine the presence of abnormalities or potential problems in a fetus, dissolve kidney stones, and detect cancer.Obviously vibrational theory is no longer solely the domain of mystics and clairvoyants. Take the now-popular video and book, "The Secret". Larry King, Ellen Degeneres and Oprah have devoted tv shows to this phenomenon that is currently all the rage. But Dr. David Hawkins conducted research for 29 years and explains this power of attraction in his book "Power vs. Force". Dr. Hawkins demonstrated that a person's "vibration" mirrors his mental state and his body becomes stronger or weaker accordingly. Hawkins writes, "Music is in some ways the most subtle of the arts, for it's the least concrete. However, in bypassing left-brain rationality to appeal directly to our subconscious right-brain sense of pattern, it's at the same time the most visceral and emotional. It also provides the easiest example of how attractor patterns order reality." In layman's terms, we can use music to raise our power to attract positive experiences in life, including health, wealth and happiness. The healing power of music can aid us in the realization of our innate birthright to be healthy, wealthy and wise.Pure science, delving into the mysteries of the mind and how music affects specific areas and functions of the brain, opens the door to many avenues of exploration in treating and curing various diseases and conditions. The metaphysical journey to balance and harmony via music is being translated into a physical science. Music as a complex form of sound vibrations is being studied as a way to communicate with those who cannot speak, and even with those who cannot hear. There are therefore many areas to be explored in discovering the healing power of music.

By Daniel Kobialka [ 11/09/2007 ][ viewed 38 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Using Legal Music Download Sites For Your Mp3 Player

2008-01-27T22:32:00.000+07:00

Modern technology makes music more accessible than ever, with a huge percentage of people now downloading music from the internet onto their MP3 player. Many people use file sharing sites to obtain their MP3 player files, but these sites do not have copyright ownership. This alters the stability and quality of the product, and can also lead to legal proceedings being brought against the user. Therefore, the best way to download music to your audio player is to find a legitimate site.Online MP3 player downloads from a legitimate site have the benefit of being licensed by either the record company or the artist. This means that there is no infringement of copyright laws and so enables many benefits for the user. Approximately 35% of all MP3 player owners now use this method to download music files. Of course, licensed MP3 file downloads come with a price tag but this is minimal when compared with the cost of CDs and minidisks. There are two ways of paying for MP3 player downloads. The first is one off fee or monthly payment that acts as a subscription. This method enables subscribers to download unlimited music files to their audio devices, and is cost effective for any consumer who requires regular use of the services. The second method of payment entails a pay per download or burn scenario. This is more cost effective for those who will use file downloads less frequently. Either payment method will enable the user to reap the benefits of legitimate MP3 file downloads. The main benefits of using a legitimate MP3 player download site is that the sound quality is the best possible as state of the art digital recording equipment is used. The download speed is also excellent, and many download sites have great additional extras such as MP3 ripping and MP3 tagging services. Licensed MP3 player files will not corrupt part of the way through, and so you can be confident in the service received. The licensing means that the download site will not be closed due to copyright infringement, which is common amongst file sharing sites. One of the main benefits of using a legitimate site is that there is little risk of encountering and picking up a virus. Licensed MP3 player download sites have advanced security measures which are updated frequently to ensure the best possible product is received by customers. There is also better privacy guaranteed, with spyware detected and removed, keeping customers safe from risk. Of course there are some disadvantages to be had. Licensed MP3 player download sites have a much smaller selection of music available than the file sharing sites. There are also very few licensed mp3 download sites available, so there is little choice in terms of which service provider you can use. However, the quality of the sites available is very good, so this should not be a problem. The cost involved with licensed MP3 player sites is off putting to many, but overall the advantages of subscribing outweigh the disadvantages. The licensed site guarantees a quality product for your audio player, which is safe for your computer and which follows laws and regulations. It is fast, accessible and cost effective.Many MP3 player download sites offer free trials of its product and services so that you can test the site thoroughly before committing to any purchase. This involves being able to download a specified number of MP3 files or being able to use the services for a set length of time before a payment is required. To be more informed, read reviews of the sites before trialling their product as this will save you time. This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

By Roberto Sedycias [ 15/09/2007 ][ viewed 66 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Get the most out of your performing arts competition experience.

2008-01-27T22:30:00.000+07:00

With all the competition out there today it is not enough to have a good voice or a lot of talent. You must also know how to monopolize and showcase the talent you have and minimize your weaknesses. Have you ever went to a competition and sang your heart out and still ended up being beat by someone with less talent and wonder why? Well there could be many reasons this occurred. Anything from the mood of the judges that day to simple little changes in your performance that could have changed the whole out look of the judges. In this brief article I am going to go over a few of the most common mistakes performers make when they go to competition.1. Song choice: Choosing the right song for your voice is paramount in the competition world. You can not just choose a song because you like it. For example I love pop music however I do not sound my best when I sing in that style. A song must be suited to your voice, style, and range. Sounds Simple doesn’t it. However this is the biggest downfall that most performers make. You should know your vocal range and stay within it. Nothing is more damaging to a performance than a performer coming out on stage and screaming at the judges. If you do not know how to establish your vocal range find yourself a vocal instructor/coach to do so for you. Which Brings Me to my next point…2. Did you have a qualified source critic your song choice and performance before you took it to the stage: Many performers feel that they have performed long enough that they no longer need a teacher/coach. That could not be further from the truth. Most successful performers have a coach/teacher on staff. They are a qualified and unbiased source of critic. While your friends and family are a great audience they do not have the skills or the education to truly judge you in this case. I find family and friends to either go one way or the other. Either they tell you everything sounds wonderful or they tend to over critic. Just because mom always wanted to hear you sing a certain song and she thinks it would be a fun piece does not mean that it is the song you should use to perform. You should always perform your song for someone qualified to judge you before you perform it for a audience. After you practice a piece to death you tend to miss obvious mistakes that others can pick up on. This second pair of ears is not only helpful but necessary for a great performance.3. Did you pick a song that is right for the competition you are entering? You must know your judges and your audience. For example if you are performing in a local County Fair competition, singing a piece by Josh Groban may not be your best choice. Most likely the judges will not be educated in this form of music and will not enjoy it nor will those in attendance. It is not only important to win over your judges but the audience as well. It is harder for a judge to give you a bad score if you have the audience behind you. Just a side note on these types of competitions. Just remember most of these judges are not trained. They tend to be people they have found wondering around the fair grounds … so do not take the criticism to heart. Try to use these arenas for fun and experience not for professional criticism.4.Did you dress for the Performance? Although flip flops may be in fashion there is no place for them on the stage. No matter what type of song you are singing you need to dress your best or at least the part. We live in a society wear appearance is very important. It is very well possible if they do not like your appearance you will score lower. Also be aware of your body type. Not everyone can wear anything they want. You do not need to be a size 2 to give a impressive performance but if you are a 16 and you go out on stage in a less than flattering outfit I can Guarantee it will affect your score. 5. Did you stage your performance properly: Every performance should be rehearsed just as you will perform it on stage. That being said many performers over stage their piece. It is not necessary to run all over the stage and move your hands to every word. It can be very distracting. When choreographing hand movements in to your performance make sure you are not coming a crossed as one of the “Pips” and signing every word. The audience is not deaf. You do not need these types of movements to get your point across. Sometime a song simply calls to stand still and perform with your face. Have a purpose to every movement.6. Practice: The more you practice a piece the more comfortable you will be performing it. I realize learning a new piece is fun but be sure you have had enough time to learn it well enough to be able to perform it well.7. Can you relate to the song?: Performing is all about telling a story to your audience. If you can not relate to the feelings of the song it will be very hard for the audience to believe what you are trying to sell them. For example a 4 yr old is going to have a hard time convincing a audience that she is crying every night over her broken heart. Most 4 yr olds only know the love of a parent and can not relate to this kind of love and should not be singing about it. Choose a piece of music you can relate to.8.Did you leave it all on the stage? When you got done with your performance did you feel like you really worked at it? If you can not answer yes to this question I can tell you without a doubt this is the reason you did not win. As a performer you have to go out on stage and perform with your heart or the audience will not watch. Remember this is your job. Treat it as one. Also be aware of how you are acting off stage as well. There are many performers that loose points by simply acting up back stage or in front of the judges. Be careful of what you say or do the moment you hit the arena you are performing in.All this being said remember we perform first and foremost for the love of the Art of performing. If you are enjoying yourself and loving what you do then you have already won. When it stops being fun that is the time to find another passion. Music should be something that drives you and is a part of who you are. Enjoy yourself!

By Barry Pendley [ 17/09/2007 ][ viewed 27 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

mp3 players

2008-01-27T22:28:00.000+07:00

Mp3 players have become the new "must have" accessory for almost everyone. People of all ages use MP3 players. They're easy to use, extremely portable and are capable of storing all your music so you're never without your favourite beats anywhere you go! There are 2 different types of memory found in MP3 players: Flash Memory (smaller capacities) and hard drives (larger capacities).The benefits of a flash MP3 player over a hard drive MP3 player are that MP3 players which use flash memory are generally lighter in weight and more portable. Flash memory based MP3 players contains no moving parts, which means the MP3 player is 100% skip free. The most popular examples of flash memory players currently available include the iPod Nano, iPod shuffle and Creative Zen Stone MP3 players.Hard drive MP3 players are used in larger capacity units such as the iPod 30GB, 60GB and 80GB with video playback. MP3 players with rely on hard drive memory are able to offer a much higher memory capacity which basically means you can store more songs, photos and video files.The largest amount of memory in a flash based MP3 player is currently 8GB (enough for about 2500 songs). This has increased significantly as memory chips have become cheaper in the market and also more stable in that they can handle higher stress levels. This means that they are able to have large amounts of data synchronised to them at any one time then before. The popularity of flash memory based MP3 players is growing significantly as larger and larger memory capacities are being made available to consumers.Samsung are soon expected the break the 8GB memory size barrier although none of their planned new MP3 player releases are set to launch with a memory size greater than 8GB. The Samsung YP-P2 MP3 player will be available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB from launch in late September 2007 as will the YP-T10 and the YP-S5 – a highly anticipated follow up to the YP-K5 MP3 player which features a slide out speaker. All of Samsung’s new releases are set to feature Bluetooth and video playback functions.As the market has developed, manufacturers have introduced an array of new features in their MP3 players. Things like Bluetooth which allows you to connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth enabled headset device giving you a wireless MP3 listening experience. Video playback is now a common feature found in most higher end MP3 players. This means that not only can you listen to music on the go, you can watch your favourite movies or TV episodes. Many websites now allow video downloads as well as music downloads which makes it easy as pie to have everything on the move with you. Alternatively, consumers are able to rip music from their own CD collection and even movies from their own DVD’s although this can sometimes prove to be a little long-winded.

By Amar Kapoor [ 18/09/2007 ][ viewed 25 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Canadian Music Laws - All Talk With Little Substance

2008-01-27T22:23:00.000+07:00

Music software firms have got together in Canada to try and cut short the burgeoning free peer-to-peer music sharing in its tracks. They have succeeded in getting some legal and tax concessions in support of their cause. Take a look.There is much talk that peer-to-peer is music download is responsible for declining music sales. While there may be some amount of truth to the statement, a large part of the decibels raised may well be due to good old plain rhetoric. Industry numbers suggest that the popularity of latest gizmos like DVDs, retail chain distribution changes, and reduced prices of CDs in the retail market all have been playing their own role in the so-called woes. The woes themselves may not be entirely true themselves, as the music industry has seen fair amount of growth in recent years.It can also be said with reasonable surety that Canadian artists’ royalty losses have been offset by the private copying levy system. The Canadian Private Copying Collective alone has collected millions of dollars over the past few years with much of that revenue earmarked for Canadian artists.Laws that require people to pay for simple music software goodies like the popular iTunes have the potential of nipping a nascent industry in the bud. Whereas Apple iTunes may well be able to survive the pressure by using its deep pockets, smaller players may not be so lucky. Copyright rules require music download industry to submit more than 40% of their revenue to the collectives.Incredible as it may seem, even the 40% of gross revenues as envisioned by these tariffs may not cover all the rights that are associated with commercial music download services. It remains well within the realm of possibility that other groups, including collectives representing music performers and producers, may come forward to demand their piece of the cake by further cutting into online music services’ revenues.While the well established players have settlements that have been well negotiated to their advantage with the record labels, it is the development of a viable economic model that the future growth of the industry depends on. The much maligned peer to peer downloads are actually already subject to a fair amount of compensation through the levy on private copying. The actual threat lies elsewhere – the collectives that essentially are poised to capture a very large share of the tiny market. For tariff options, the webcasters and the online games industry are the ones in limelight. Others have been eyeing the multi-million online sharing music industry. As much as 25% of revenues, however, continue to come from the online websites that offer music sharing with free music software. The reproduction rights over online music are also being targeted to generate additional revenue in this vast field. Audio webcast sites that feature content similar to conventional radio stations, as well as from established radio stations that webcast their signal also well in the line of fire. Of course, there are different rates of taxes for different online services – varying from five percent to as high as twenty-five percent. Be sure to be familiar with the laws before you go for the next download. It will help you stay out of trouble and keep your worries at bay. Best wishes, and happy downloading!

By Sarika Kabra [ 21/09/2007 ][ viewed 44 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Let The Music Play With Mp3 Player

2008-01-27T22:20:00.000+07:00

Music is the ultimate source of entertainment for many people in the world. It is one of the most effective sources of refreshing and de-stressing oneself, when one is burdened with stress and anxiety. It has always been on top of people`s popular priorities, to listen to music as a regular part of their lives. The invention of gadgets like Mp3 player and iPod has now enabled them to listen to their favorite music, even when they are on the move. This very fact has largely contributed to the growing popularity of the Mp3 player devices among many people across the globe.Nowadays, Mp3 player manufactures are coming up with the different types of designs to suit the varied needs of all customers. Customers these days have become more prudent than ever before and now they want to choose gadgets that are multi-purpose in use. For instance, there are sunglasses with Mp3 player devices, Mp3 player with GPS (global tracking system) and many other useful combinations. These combined devices not only help users to save their budgets but also offer them comfort of using or carrying them. On the other hand, the manufactures are also able to introduce their products to customers with different features which, in turn, establish their credibility in the market as well. Hence, the whole market of music-oriented gadgets and devices are just growing day by day.Depending on their functions, Mp3 player gadgets can serve a wide-range of purposes. A recently held study shows that an average teenager spends about U$350 a year on consumer electronic devices, whereas that of an adult sums up to U$1,200. Usually, customers have different buying behaviors and they take different features into account while they buy audio devices. For example, some people want to listen to music while they are working out on the treadmill, and some people want to amuse themselves by listening to their favorite tracks while commuting on public transport. Due to this difference in the life-style of people, manufactures are coming up with Mp3 player devices of different shapes, sizes, styles and storage features.Since almost all the Mp3 player manufacturers are offering devices with the same features, making their products stand out from the rest is becoming an issue with them. Hence, now they are launching their products in different sleek designs and sizes to attract the attention of their prospective buyers. As a matter of fact, market research studies show that excepting for a few discerning buyers, most of them are influenced by the looks and design of the product. Hence, the audio player marketers are vying with each other to get the customers` attention by introducing their audio player devices with unique and sleek designs. As a result, we can find that most Mp3 player products are getting smaller in size day by day and their looks are just getting swankier. Mp3 player storage capacity and battery life are some of the important features one should look for. Moreover, file format is not also a problem as most of these portable audio devices play all types of music files. Despite all these Mp3 player features, people have now started picking only those music devices that have multiple functions. For example, products that do not have either a video player or GPS or a camera are less likely to attract the buyers these days. Many others customers are also searching for Mp3 player products with a screen facility to choose and play their favorite tracks whenever they want. So before you buy an Mp3 player, know what else you want from it apart from music. This will help you decide whether you should go for a mono-purpose or multi-purpose audio device player.This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

By Roberto Sedycias [ 26/09/2007 ][ viewed 45 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Learn guitar online- tips for choose a great online guitar program

2008-01-27T22:18:00.000+07:00

Playing the guitar, as you probably all ready know, has become a very popular hobby all over the world. Many young people are interested in playing the latest songs and possibly even starting a band with their friends or family. Many more people are interested in playing the classics songs from their youth and have a strong desire to learn to play the guitar. Most people do not always have the money to take private lessons and many people do not have the discipline to teach themselves.An incredibly cheap and effective alternative to private lessons is to learn guitar online. You may be surprised to learn that there are more useful resources online than offline. There are many quality websites that can offer you great lessons for a low one time charge between $20-$200. This one investment will give you all the learning material and software you could ever need for a lifetime of learning. Most private guitar studios charge between $20-$30 per hour so buying an online program can save you hundreds in the long run.Tips for learning guitar onlineThe world wide web has literally thousands of places to learn guitar online. While this presents lots of great opportunities it can also cause mass confusion. It is quite easy to find great online guitar lessons for a very reasonable price. By simply doing a search on a popular search engine like Google, MSN or Yahoo you will be able to find some possible lessons. Also, ask around on popular guitar forums. There you will be able to get honest reviews of many popular programs. Be sure to not be afraid to spend a few extra dollars to get a good quality program. You do not want to regret the program you buy because you were looking to save $20.Choose a program with many diverse learning tools. Don’t only choose a program with just ebooks (electronic books viewable on your PC). Choose a program with ebooks (which can be printed as well), audio demonstrations, video demonstrations, online guitar tuners (if you don’t have one), guitar ear training software and other guitar or music related tools.Also, check out who is teaching the guitar program. You will obviously want to get lessons from someone who has been playing and teaching guitar for a few years. Again, ask questions on forums and be specific what you are interested in learning. Do not be afraid to contact the guitar program owner through email or by phone.Be sure to look for testimonials on the guitar programs website from members who have had good success learning from that program. Also, take a look at how long this company has been around. Obviously, a company that has been in business online for the last 10 years will be better than the new company that just started up.There are many opportunities to learn guitar online. The number one tip I can give is to do a little research in finding the correct guitar program to learn from. With a great program you will be able to learn guitar online fast and have a great time doing so.

By Matt Cook [ 03/10/2007 ][ viewed 56 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Learning to play guitar online or offline, which is right for you?

2008-01-27T22:15:00.000+07:00

Are you interested in learning to play guitar? Are you considering taking private lessons or possibly learning online? Many people never learn how to play guitar because they cannot afford private guitar lessons or simply do not have the time. Others would like to learn to play guitar online from the comfort of their own home and save a few bucks in the process but have trouble knowing where to look for online lessons.Most private guitar teachers charge between $20-$25 per hour. If you take one lesson a week you will be looking at $80-$100 per month. Finding the right guitar teacher can be easy as long as you communicate what you are trying to accomplish on the guitar and how quickly you want to progress. Many guitar teachers will give one free lesson. Use this time to ask many questions and explain exactly what you want to be able to do in one month, two months or a year down the road. There is nothing worse than taking lessons from an unprepared instructor who has no plan for you. But make sure you have a plan for yourself. If you have no idea where you want to start or what you want to play, thank is ok. Your teacher will be able to give you some advice on which direction to take.If taking private lessons is not an option for you at this time you may want to consider learning to play guitar online. The main problem most people face is finding the right information on the internet to learn guitar. Many people find it hard to sort through the myriad bad lessons. The process of learning where to learn guitar can be much more difficult online, where you have thousands of choices. Many online guitar lessons come in ebooks, videos or interactive training software.It is very important that you quickly decide which direction you would like to take with your guitar playing. Maybe you are wanting to play a few songs for your family and friends. Maybe you have decided on one exact style you would like to focus on such as jazz, classical or rock.No matter which style you are interested you will be able to find online guitar lessons to suite your needs. Online guitar lessons have some major benefits over off line private guitar lessons. With online guitar lessons you can watch or read the lessons over and over until you fully understand it. Also, you can practice from the comfort of your own home with no pressure of learning last weeks lesson. You will also pay much less for online guitar lessons or software.As long as you purchase a package that has all the benefits you are looking for you will have no problem learning guitar online. Take advantage of your computer and internet connection. This great resource where you can be learning to play guitar without any real commitments.

By Matt Cook [ 03/10/2007 ][ viewed 26 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Where You Are From Will Always Be An Integral Part Of Your Life

2008-01-27T22:12:00.000+07:00

Being from a specific city, town, or neighborhood is one of the biggest factors in molding one’s life. When we are born alls we know is that we must eat and sleep in order to live. Later on in life, you start to realize more about your life, including your family and your surroundings. Your family and surroundings are molded from essentially the same thing; your city, town or neighborhood, so it is hard not to follow the same path as others in your geographical location. Growing up you look up to others around you and you think that the way you live is the way everybody in the world lives, or at least should live. This mentality comes from everybody around you being from generally from the same walk of life and doing the mostly the same things. Now your outlook is the same as your peers, both older and younger, because this way of life is all you know. Whether you are living in the East side of Beverly Hills or the West side of Chicago you think that the way you live is the right way and you take pride in your city, town, or neighborhood.Throughout your life you will always revert back to where you’re from, whether it is comparing with a friend or co-worker how you were raised or what you’re parents did for a living. As most grow up they stay in the same area to be around family, friends and familiar surroundings. Some venture out and see what life is like outside of their cities or towns. Although these people left their hometowns to go elsewhere, they will always have a little bit of wherever they are from inside of them. There is a popular saying that goes; you can take the boy out of Brooklyn but you can’t take Brooklyn out of the boy! This is a great saying and can be used for any city, town or neighborhood around the world. Going back to the “My dad can beat up your dad” mindset, we as people can always find something great about our hometown, whether it is a hard work ethic or great ocean views, our hometown is usually one up on others. This pride in our hometowns can carry over into our personal and business relationships in new cities or towns that we venture to throughout life. We gravitate towards people from similar backgrounds as us and find a common bond if we believe they are like us. Finding people like you and sticking with them often leads to the generalization that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, because if you come from a rich town, you will most likely always be around wealthy people. On the other hand growing up in an inner city around underprivileged people will lead most to staying on the same track as their families and peers, mainly because it is all they know. This can pose a problem in society for some and can lead to very happy lives for others. There are always people out there that want more and go get it but there are some that have so much love around them that material objects don’t mean anything to them.There are now websites scattered around the web that let people express themselves and their love for their hometowns no matter where they are or what they’re like. This new way of showing your love for your hometown lets people show off their roots while traveling to other parts of the world or country, away at college, or simply around town!

By Kevin James [ 03/10/2007 ][ viewed 23 times ]

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Disc Jockeys And What It Needs To Become One

2008-01-27T22:10:00.000+07:00

The making of a disc jockey is a journey not traversed by many. If you are planning to take up this profession or simply interested in what a disc jockey is all about, read on to enhance your knowledge.A disc jockey or a DJ is a person who selects and plays prerecorded music for an audience. In 1934 American commentator Waller Winchell coined the term “disc jockey” the combination of “disc” referring to disc and “jockey” which is the operator of a machine.In 1943 Jimmy Savile launched the worlds first DJ dance party playing Jazz records in England. In 1947 he became the first DJ to use twin turntables for continuous play.In 1947 the “Whiskey-a-go-go” night club opened in Paris, France, considered to be the world’s first discotheque or disco deriving its name from the French word, meaning a nightclub where the featured entertainment is recorded music rather than an onstage band.There are several types of disc jockeys –MCs Reggae disc jockeys- In Reggae the DJ is a vocalist raps, beat boxes or chats over digital music recording.Radio jockey – They introduce and play music that is broadcasted on AM, FM, shortwave or digital stations.Mobile disc jockeys- They travel with a portable sound system and play at a variety of functions like birthday parties, marriages, and a variety of other events.Club Jockey- Select and play music in a bar, club, disco or a rave.Hip hop jockeys- They select and play music with multiple turntables with one or more backup.DJ equipments:A sound system for amplification of, or broadcasting of the music.A minimum of two devices to play sound recording for alternate back and forth to create continuous playback of music.Headphones used to play one recording while the other is being played to the audience.The music recording is done in a DJ preferred medium( eg. Vinyl records compact discs, computer media files.A DJ mixer, an electronic two channel mixer with a cross mixer with a cross fader to go from one song to another.A Microphone so that the DJ can introduce songs and speak to the audience. Several techniques are used by DJs as means to better mix of prerecorded music like cueing or audio mixing of two or more sound sources. Club DJs use turntable techniques like cutting, scratching, needle drops etc.Hire a DJ to enjoy the evening with your friends or to jive away the blues that have been troubling you for long. Use this unique performer to enhance the mood of your wedding, birthday or anniversary party.

By Sarika Kabra [ 04/10/2007 ][ viewed 58 times ]

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Album covers have become a necessity in today's music industry

2008-01-27T00:01:00.000+07:00

Album covers have become a necessity in today's music industry. A common fixture in today's album before getting into the song collection itself, album covers, not only protects the cd or dvd inside the case, they also serve advertorial purposes and communicate the artistic expressions of the artists. With the growth that the music industry have seen these past decades, we have also seen how album covers evolved into an artistic medium. It became a "trademark" or "signature" not only of the album being advertised, but also of the artists who dutifully went from concept to creation of the album cover design.Album art, also known as cd or DVD art, (depending actually on what it serves), has several purposes. As mentioned above, it serves advertising purposes. What better way to advertise the content of a cd or DVD than through its album covers? With excellent graphics, the possibility of the album to be picked up and checked by a customer just browsing through the products in a music store is high. The inclusion of quality photographs and the presence of a thematic unity with the album's content also increase the chances of increasing album sales. Not that customers buy albums because of the cover alone, but it sure is considered a factor in catching the customer's eye, where the advertising begins.Aside from graphics and photographs, a cd and DVD cover that includes an insert of the songs' lyrics or movie synopsis together with the cd or DVD could also be a plus feature. This points out to a known fact that musical consumers want a quick glimpse of the contents of a movie or know the lyrics of a song. Then, add to that feature, a little information about the singer or "behind the scenes" of the album or movie. Customers are fans, too. Surely, they feel the curiosity of a fan or a movie lover, in some way. Putting such information make the album worth buying and keeping as collector's item. Layouts also matter. Logical, readable layouts, where the colors and text arrangements are not straining to the eyes are an asset in the business of graphic design.Album cover is not only a good advertising strategy for the album itself, but provides good representation to the cover designers itself. As already mentioned, cd or DVD cover designers are able to express themselves in their designs. They are also able to set the trends in album artistic design, thus, paving the way for more business opportunities in the future like the chance to work with big recording companies. Successful businesses thrive through a excellent representation, which always precedes reputation-building.CD and DVD covers also protect the content of the album. It makes album content last longer than the usual, making it perfect for collection. With its record surface readily damaged, stored information may be erased with irresponsible handling. To make sure this will not happen, CD and DVD covers were invented. Today, aside from the album cover, also included is a protective covering on the CD and DVD surface itself.

By Adrian Larrsen [ 05/10/2007 ][ viewed 26 times ]

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Musical concert linkin park ticket way for entertainment

2008-01-26T23:57:00.000+07:00

One of the greatest and most influential alternative rock bands of all time, Linkin Park is from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, this band has sold more than forty million albums worldwide and has won two Grammys as well. The band currently consists of six band members – Chester Bennington (lead vocals), Mike Shinoda (emcee, vocals, rhythm guitar), Brad Delson (lead guitar), Dave “Phoenix” Farrell (bass guitar, backing vocals), Joe Hahn (turntables, programming, samples, beats) and Rob Bourdon (drums, keyboard/piano). Linkin Park shot into fame with the launch of “Hybrid Theory”. The album was released on October 24th, 2000 and got instant recognition. The band sold more than 4.8 million records during its debut year, earning it the status of best-selling album of 2001, while singles such as Crawling and One Step Closer established themselves as staples among alternative rock radio playlists during the year. Additionally, other singles from the album were featured in movies such as Dracula 2000, Little Nicky, and Valentine. Hybrid Theory was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, including best new artist, best rock album, and best hard rock performance (for Crawling). MTV also awarded the band their Best Rock Video and Best Direction awards for In the End.Other highly acclaimed albums of the band include “Xero Sampler Tape”, “Reanimation”, “Meteora”, “Collision Course” and “Minutes to Midnight”. Linkin Park are coming to town! Get ready to rock as Linkin Park bring their high-octane show to a stage near you. Various online shopping sites are here to make sure you have a great seat as Linkin Park blows through your town. Many of them have established themselves as very friendly online musical concert ticket providers. So, what are you waiting for? Buy concert Linkin Park tickets online today. Cheap Linkin Park concert tickets will be shipped to you at your doorsteps.

By Fletcher Mak [ 06/10/2007 ][ viewed 45 times ]

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Album Cover Design

2008-01-26T23:54:00.000+07:00

What makes a good album cover design? Is it the graphics, the photographs, the layout or the text? Whatever it is, the visual impact is what these elements try to consider. Excellent graphics, well-conceptualized layout design, superb photographs, and readable text, especially with the lyrics of the songs, if included, all make up an album not only worth buying but worth keeping as well. The trouble with most manufacturers today is that too little space is given to the designer for his album art. Many times, musicians are so involved with the designing process that the artist is not free enough to create. Winning their trust, which take some time, is what album artists usually do so they could create, invent, and discover original ways of expression in this popular medium. Results of intervention into the cd and DVD cover designs by musicians or big record labels are relative. In some cases, they produce bad results. In other cases, they prove to devastate the artistic integrity and ingenuity of the album cover designer. This may sound like an exaggeration, but it has long been established that artists, in this case album artists, must have the freedom to exercise his or her aesthetic discrimination. This is not to say that album cover designers must deviate from what the record label or recording artist wants. It would certainly be bad for business. But "artistic space" or the freedom required of DVD or CD designer for artistic self-expression.Since most musicians are concerned about the entire outcome of the album, it would be wise for the artist to consult with them from time to time. Contrary to what most people think, this saves more time and effort than actually producing something that in the end will not be approved by the record label or musician. Most of the time, musicians are just vocal of the design they want for the album cover to create a thematic mood for the album. As an artist, the cd or DVD cover designer must build concepts around a certain theme. And a good, logical basis for a design theme would be the content of the album. No one could explain the concept of the album's songs except the singer. Thus, a collaboration is always welcome.This, in turn, affects the working relationship because compromising your original design would be tainted by the musician's or record label's. This is the concern of most album artists, as already mentioned above. The challenge is to create a design that is a consensus between designer and musician. Does the musician want that his or her songs would be included in the lyrics? Which photographs would jive with the theme of the entire album? What mood should be generated in light of the mood achieved in the songs? By answering questions like these, creativity can be directed to something that will please the record label-client and even artist itself. Themes can be a good starting in designing an album. And of course, because a musician who has an obvious bias to his work, he would certainly approve of a design tailored after the album content itself.

By Adrian Larrsen [ 07/10/2007 ][ viewed 24 times ]

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Yahoo's New Music Lyrics System

2008-01-26T23:51:00.000+07:00

In today's world, many people turn to the internet to find information about any subject that one may think about. One subject that is increasing in popularity is searching for full music lyrics to all and any genres of songs. This is fairly simple to accomplish with a simple search in Google, but some people worry that in the very near future, this may or may not be changing. Yahoo recently announced a new feature that would allow users to search music lyrics from their site. Yahoo has obtained licensing for tons of artists from many different record labels. In exchange for the allowed use of the music lyrics, Yahoo provides a portion of all advertising revenue gained from the site to the artists and record labels. Some owners of other music lyrics websites have worried that Yahoo's new system will take away a large portion of their site's traffic. One website I contacted even suggested that they would have to take an additional approach, such as offering a new mobile-based lyrics system for cell-phone users, in response to the loss of advertising revenue due to Yahoo's new music lyrics system. Additionally, some lyrics websites are disallowed from posting lyrics to certain artists or bands due to copyright issues. Yahoo's system is an attempt to get around this problem and offers music lyrics to any song the user would want to search for. While Yahoo's approach is an elegant solution, there are still a couple of drawbacks to their music lyrics system. Part of the deal agreed upon by Yahoo and various record labels include the requirement for all lyrics to be in picture format versus pure text. This is mainly to prevent users from copying and pasting the text of lyrics and to prevent online robots from crawling their webpage with the sole intent to steal the text of the lyrics. This also has a drawback, as mentioned above. Since the lyrics are in picture format, search engines will not be able to see the text in the lyrics, and searches where users enter a verse from their favorite song will not return a result from Yahoo's system. Yahoo's music lyrics search also suffers from the fact that the "typical" internet user just doesn't know about it. With Google being the current king of search engines, a good portion of internet users have no idea that Yahoo offers such a system. These users will continue to search for music lyrics as they always have in the past, through a typical Google search. This, coupled with the fact that 90% of search engine traffic comes from Google, will mean that although Yahoo's system is a nice approach, many online music lyrics websites will not be as heavily hit as some once thought after Yahoo's announcement. One thing is for certain: unless Yahoo takes over as the king of search engines, most users will continue to find music lyrics online in the same fashion they have used in the past, through Google.

By Razvan Jr [ 08/10/2007 ][ viewed 58 times ]

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CD and DVD Covers as an Art

2008-01-25T23:16:00.000+07:00

It all began with the rise of the music industry in the latter part of the 20th century. Popular music started hitting the charts of each continent and so did the demand for albums that are not only noted for the quality of music they contained, but worth keeping in a collection because of its unique design. Thus, CD and DVD cover design evolved into an art in itself, as it became a medium of artistic expression. In fact, it became more than an artistic expression, but a means of building a name for the artist itself, aside from the musician or the record label itself. CD and DVD cover design is basically a sub-field in graphic design. A method of visual communication, it uses the elements of texts and images to present or represent information. In this case, what are being represented is the record company and the musician, not to mention, the cover designer himself. This is why it is considered an effective way of advertising. For the recording company and musician, it inevitably opens the opportunity for better representation to consumers. For the cover designer, it makes room for more clients asking you to have their albums designed. While this means revenue, it also has its own set of challenges.One challenge is creating a work environment wherein artist and musician meet both standards and agree on a design when contradictions surface. There are times when a musician and a record label want to set and create a certain mood in the album cover. But sometimes, a freethinking artist would have a contrasting idea to the original design presented to him or her by the musician. One solution to resolve this conflict is by drawing a consensus between CD and DVD cover designer and musician. Being both artists in their own fields of specialization, both is sure to understand the integrity involved in such work. Letting the graphics sing in tune with the theme is a sure way to start this.Thematic unity aside from understanding between musician and cover artist is usually based on the mood and content of the album. Every talented album artist knows that. Every album artist also knows that themes are best generated from content. This is the only to get approved by a record label or musician whom an artist have to convince first that the or she really knows what he or she is doing. This is an important consideration to make when we realize that most of the time, album artists have a false preoccupation of artistic compromises, without even realizing that sometimes, art requires a kind of sacrifice, which is a sign of an artist's discipline. In this way, album art could be rightfully called an art. Craftsmanship is no longer a problem in this computer age, too. With the invention of more advanced graphic design softwares, tools to create one's original and to express one's ingenuity is made more easy. With such things available at the artists' creative use, possibilities in album art as well as on its financial side have become open. In a way, CD and DVD covers can really be considered art.

By Adrian Larrsen [ 08/10/2007 ][ viewed 21 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Dirty Dancing the Musical Concert in London

2008-01-25T23:14:00.000+07:00

Londoner's love for the theatre needs no elaboration upon. Now one can easily imagine what tumult it would have created there after the announcement that the worldwide smash hit Dirty Dancing the musical is going to hit London soon! After its release in 1987, the film went on to gain an iconic status and its theatre version is creating no fewer waves in venues throughout the world. The film Dirty Dancing starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze is a film dedicated to dancing and its songs created such rage that they still top people's favourite lists. All the swashbuckling hits from the film's soundtrack, including Do You Love Me, She's like the Wind and Time of My Life, are featured in the stage show along with some new numbers. With over 41 million soundtrack albums sold to date, the theatre is expected to witness roaring applauses at the beginning of each blockbuster song that the artists would be performing on. The story of the film has been rewritten for the stage, but certain magical moments and beautiful scenes of the original script are retained. A Romantic musical, Dirty Dancing is the story of Baby and the love she shared with her dance teacher Johnny. The end of this classic love story demonstrates the strength of love to conquer all barriers. Since the movie is dedicated to dance, the moves in the movie are breathtakingly sensual and the same has been replicated in the theatre version of the story. In Australia the show has already enjoyed runaway success. The shows were consistently sold out for the entire period of 14 months. In London too, if advance bookings are any indications, the show would be spectacularly successful and stampedes are predicted at the entrance gate of the theatres! Dirty Dancing tickets are on sale now for London shows at the Aldwych Theatre. Preview shows begin from 29th September with Dirty Dancing the Musical having a grand opening on 24th October.

By Fletcher Mak [ 08/10/2007 ][ viewed 38 times ]

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Bruce Springsteen Tickets

2008-01-24T22:03:00.000+07:00

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen, born on September 23, 1949 is a popular American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known for his unique music style of heartland rock mixed with pop and deep lyrics. His ability to write songs about the lives and emotions of ordinary people and particularly his own life in his home town of New Jersey, has hit home not only with the American public but has gained him recognition the world over. The stars musical talent and songwriting ability has earned him numerous awards, including fifteen Grammy Awards and an Oscar, and over 60 million albums sold in the US alone. His most famous albums are Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A. In addition to his music style, it was Springsteen's lyrics, often about common men and women struggling to make ends meet that made him popular with his fans. Through his music he has also gradually identified himself with progressive politics. Springsteen is also noted for his support of various relief and rebuilding efforts in New Jersey and elsewhere, and for his response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, greatly reflected in his album The Rising. Springsteen's recordings have typically been a mix of commercially successful rock albums and somber folk-oriented music. Much of the star?s iconic status stems from his concerts and marathon shows in which he and the E Street Band alternate between intense love songs, inspiring anthems and lively rock and roll tunes, with Springsteen narrating deeply emotional stories in between. Springsteen earned himself the famous nickname "The Boss," early on in his career, when while playing club gigs in the 60s he took on the task of collecting and distributing the band?s nightly pay. Although he was originally reported to dislike the name he still refers to himself as ?the Boss? during his stage performances. Springsteen?s Early Life Springsteen was born in 1949 in Freehold, New Jersey. His father, Douglas Frederick Springsteen, was a bus driver and his mother, Adele Ann Zirilli, a legal secretary of Italian ancestry. He was the middle child of three siblings, older sister Virginia and younger sister, Pamela. Springsteen was raised a Roman Catholic and was sent to attended the St. Rose of Lima parochial school in Freehold Borough. However, from an early age Springsteen had a difficult time at school unable to get along with the teachers and other students. In the ninth grade he transferred to the public Freehold Borough High School, but again did not fit in. Although Springsteen managed to complete high school, his uneasiness and inability to fit in prevented him from attending his own graduation ceremony. Springsteen attempted college but dropped out soon after. The start of his music careerSpringsteen began to show his inclination towards music at the tender age of seven. Encouraged by his mother, he learnt how to play the guitar and eventually became the lead guitarist of a small band called the Castiles at the age of 16. From 1969 to 1971 Springsteen joined a band called Child and performed in various clubs around New Jersey, meeting a number of musicians who would later go on to form the core of the famous E Street Band. During this time Springsteen formed a number of bands including Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom, the Sundance Blues Band and the Bruce Springsteen Band. It was in 1972 that Springsteen received his big break when he attracted the attention of manager Mike Appel and signed a record deal with Columbia Records with the help of John Hammond who had also signed on Bob Dylan in the early 60s. http://www.ticketnest.com In January 1973, Springsteen released his debut album titled Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Although the album established Springsteen as a talented musician and songwriter the album sales were slow. In 1973, he released his second album, The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. Again, the album gained critical acclaim but was not a commercial success. In 1974, famous music critic Jon Landau, after seeing a Springsteen performance at the Harvard Square Theater described the young musician as ?the future of rock and roll?. Landau subsequently went on the become Springsteen?s manager and producer and in 1975 helped release the epic album Born to Run with hit singles such as Born to Run and Thunder Road. After a break of a few years, Springsteen released his fourth album Darkness on the Edge of Town in 1978 which was regarded as one of Springsteen?s best records. By the late 1970s, Springsteen had esatblished himself as not only a talented musician but a talented songwriter who also began writing hit songs for other artists including Manfred Mann?s Earth Band, Patti Smith and the Pointer Sisters. Springsteen also devoted himself to serveral humanitarian causes including joining the Musicians United for Safe Energy and Anti-Nuclear Power in September 1979. he went on to produce an album titled No Nukes and then a documentary with the same name which marked Springsteen?s first association with political matters. In 1980, Springsteen released another album, The River, which continued to focus on the life of working class people and resulted in a hit single ?Hungry Heart?. The album faired well commercially and was followed by a long local and international tour throughout Europe and major cities in the US. Springsteen?s success in the 80s got him on the cover Rolling Stone Magazine but his subsequent album Nebraska in 1982 was in stark contrast to his previous rock and roll style with only solo accoustic songs. The material was reportedly written in a depressed state and expressed a harsh depiction of American life. The 90s to 2000sThe early 90s marked big changes in Springsteen?s life. In 1991, Springsteen won an Academy Award and multiple Grammy Awards for his famous song "Streets of Philadelphia" used in the soundtrack of the movie Philadelphia. The same year Springsteen married Scialfa and now has three children. In 1992, Springsteen released two albums simultaneously ? Human Touch and Lucky Town. In 2000 Springsteen went on his famous Reunion Tour with the E Street Band with the finale of the tour sold out at New York City's Madison Square Garden. It also led to controversy over one of his songs "American Skin (41 Shots)", which was about the police shooting of Amadou Diallo. The final shows at Madison Square Garden were recorded and made into an HBO Concert, with corresponding DVD and album releases named Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in New York City. In 2002, Springsteen released an album called The Rising which focused on the September 11 attacks. The album gained critical acclaim and was a commercial success and became Springsteen?s best selling album in 15 years. Throughout 2000, Springsteen continued to tour across the US and Europe to promote his new album. While the singer had maintained a loyal fan base all over the world and particularly in Europe, his popularity in some parts of the US had faded. However, still in high demand along the US coast, Springsteen played for an extraordinary ten nights at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey, with an unprecedented number of tickets sold. Springsteen?s most recent work was in April 2006 when he released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. This was an American roots music project that focused on 15 songs made popular by the radical musical activism of Peter Seeger. The album was recorded with the help of a large ensemble of musicians, including Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell, and The Miami Horns from past efforts. In contrast to previous albums, this one was recorded in just three one-day sessions. The final recordings even include Springsteen calling out key changes to the band as they make their way through the tracks. Ticket Nest guarantees one of the lowest prices for Bruce Springsteen tickets anywhere. But we don't skimp on service and support. We know that you want the lowest price and our large volume of ticket sales justifies the lower margins. We pass on the savings to you, our valued customers. It is our strong hope that you will buy our tickets only after comparing our value of service as well as our low prices. We want to hear from you if your experience is anything less than PERFECT. We pledge to provide you cheapest Bruce Springsteen tickets. These Bruce Springsteen tickets can be purchased via our secure server. The tickets will be sent via Fed-EX. The inventory for the tickets is updated as fast as our server allows. However, on rare occasions, your ticket may not be available. We will contact you and try our best to accommodate you.For more information about Bruce Springsteen Tickets visit:

By Sara Sara [ 09/10/2007 ][ viewed 39 times ]

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MySpace Bots: Speed up the process of some particular task on Myspace

2008-01-24T22:00:00.000+07:00

MySpace is one of the largest Social Networking sites and the popularity that is increasing day by day does not go to only one person but to the whole group that is making Myspace so interesting. The different features and the tools that are a part of Myspace to make user friendly for those who are already the members of Myspace and for those who wants to become the member are very little and so the lion’s share of the credit goes to the third party developers that have created specialized MySpace Bots (an automated program for doing some particular task, often over a network).The most basic feature on the site MySpace is the friend adder that has been developed by some third party developers which help to speed up the process of adding friends plus a friend adder is usually an investment of less than a hundred dollars. Another recent introduction of Web 2.0 a blog which is one of the fastest growing trends allows every profile to have their own blog. Wordpress, Drupal, and Google's Blogger also helps to create blogs but to stay with the latest trends what can be better than going for Web 2.0 on your MySpace profile.What if you were a marketer and it was necessary to have multiple MySpace profiles which will be performing illegal acts against TOS? If you are a marketer then you might want to look for a MySpace Bot that has a lots of desirable features required for marketing all in one software solution otherwise it will become highly expensive for system resources you would use if you had a different Bot for each function. Make sure that you that there is a Profile Grabber when you are looking for a MySpace Bot that will help you to download and use Myspace Layouts or Myspace profiles of your match in less time. You should also look for a Bot that has a message randomizer which would be a fantastic solution for you to send out a different message to all the different members of business community that you are linked with or invitation to those who have the same interest as yours. Another important feature called CAPTCHA is something meant to discard people who use Bots to create accounts or to send out marketing messages are being used by many sites. There are Bots that successfully avoid such features developed by the third party developers and charged a lot on doing CAPTCHA bypass.

By john anderson [ 15/10/2007 ][ viewed 34 times ]

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Fast And Free Music – The Way Of The Future

2008-01-24T21:58:00.000+07:00

Free and Fast MP3 downloads are the rage of the town. And I am not talking about one or two towns here – this observation is true to a multitude of towns all over the world. From Seattle to Tokyo, from Detroit to Sydney, MP3 is the way to be. And the fact that it is all mostly free makes it all the more popular. Good quality and fast download music software has made its presence felt like there is no tomorrow. While the voices raising concern over propriety rights and copyright infringements are also justified in their concern, the fact of the matter is that attempts to download music free of cost have reached a level of popularity unparalleled in history. The beauty of it all is – the attempts are successful as well.Barely one step above their free cousins are cheap MP3 players available on the net. You need to scarcely spend a few dollars and you can download music software adorning your PC that will play the latest and the best music as if you are playing it live in an amphitheater. There is a huge variety of options available with each such player. You can choose a skin of your choice – some even allow you to design one of your own. The graphics of the song can be set to suit your mood, so even the hardest of rock can be made to croon like an opera singer. There are, of course, different options for different genres of music. You can choose between pop and rock, vocal and instrumental, classical and new – fangled, and of course a large variety of others – I could run out of space and yet continue with the list. Then there is the added option provided by many players, of even selecting the ambience in which you want to hear your music. Decide whether you want to hear Brian Adams in a room setting, or would prefer him to perform for you in a hall, or a stadium maybe? All options are available at the click of a button. Not to forget the multitude of graphics options available to you while your computer is playing your favorite songs – you have a choice between simple themes like waterfalls and fountains, to complex ones like spacecraft, fire and battery particle animations that can take your breath away, leaving you wondering which is better – the music or the visualizations! Software like the Windows Media Player come bundled with the operating system itself and has an extremely large variety of options in itself. Others that are available on the internet, however, add greatly to the features available for use, making the Media Player look pale in comparison.There is a massive desire in the public to have safe downloads, and the growth of the latest cheap as well as free music software has kept pace with the speed at which the music industry has spread on the internet. Cheap is not always safe, but the options available are growing. More about this aspect in my next article. Do not forget to sign in again next week!

By Sarika Kabra [ 16/10/2007 ][ viewed 46 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Eric Clapton A Living Legend

2008-01-24T21:55:00.000+07:00

When you think about music, what do you think of first? Which aspects of music are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge. Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture. Eric Clapton was born March 30th, 1945 inRipley England, U.K.He was the illegitimate son of Patricia MollyClapton and Edward Fryer, a Canadian soldier stationed in England. Patricia left Eric in the custody of his grandparents, Rose and Jack Clapp. Patricia moved to Germany where she eventually married another Canadian soldier named Frank McDonald. Eric was raised believing that his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister. At thetender age of nine the truth was reveled to him by his grandmother.His formal education consisted of being expelled from the Kingston College of art at the ripe old age of seventeen for playing guitar in class. He then took a job as a manual laborer and spent most of his free time playing the electric guitar. Clapton eventually joined a number of British blues bands, including the Roosters and Casey Jones, and rose to prominence as a member of the YardbirdsEric withdrew from the spotlight in the early seventies, Trying to overcome an addition he took the advice of PeterTownsend and underwent an effective electro-acupuncture treat-ment. He was fully rehabilitated and then landed a role in the rock opera-TommyUnfortunately the 1980's brought Eric sliding deeper and deeper into a serious drinking problem even thou this period of his lifebrought some of his most successful albums--Another Ticket (1981), Money and Cigarettes (1983), Behind the Sun (1985), August (1986), Journeyman[1989]In the following decade he again suffered another personal tragedy when guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and Clapton road crew members Colin Smythe and Nigel Browne--all close friends of Clapton's--were killed in a helicopter crash. A few months after this tragedy, fate was going to deal him another blow when his own son,Conner,fell forty-nine stories from Del Santo's Manhattan high-rise apartment to his death.Clapton channeled his shattering grief into writing the 1992 Grammy-winning tribute to his son, "Tears in Heaven." Another album, "From The Cradle", came out in 1994 and marked his return to the raw blue standards. In 1997 he was honored with the Record of the year and best male pop vocal performance grammys for "Change the world".And in the next coming years,success just seemed to follow him no matter where he went.The only triple inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He is often described as an authentic musical genius,but at what a personal price? There's no doubt that the topic of music can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about music, you may find what you're looking for in the next article.

By andrew conway [ 22/10/2007 ][ viewed 25 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Online Music Sharing

2008-01-24T21:53:00.000+07:00

Floating around in the Internet, all just a mouse click away, are hundreds and hundreds of songs, the songs that you love, the soundtrack of your life, that favorite ditty, the melody you first heard as a kid and have loved ever since, the album that you grew up on. It is all so very available smack dab in the middle of cyber space. No need for a trip to the neighborhood music shop.See, there is no question that the advent of the World Wide Web has changed the way we all live; it has brought us into a brand new age. But no change wrought by the Internet has had wider impact than the complete transformation of the music world. We have really come quite long wat since the days of LP albums and, ugh, eight-track tapes. The way we all listen to music has changed, and it is continuing to change along with the explosion in social networking on the Internet. Do you want to ride the wave of that change? You can, simply by plugging in to the latest trend in online music.What’s the name of that trend? It’s called music sharing. Remember sharing? That one thing they kept stressing back in kindergarten? The only difference nowadays is that sharing is not about letting some other kid have a turn with the Speak-n-Spell; now it refers to the very coolest thing to do with your tunes. And the nice part is – everybody else is sharing their music too! See, just imagine all the songs you love – and not just those old stand-bys, not merely the songs you know by heart and could pretty much sing in your sleep, but also all the songs you love but don’t own, or that catchy modern tune you caught on the radio, that haunting melody you recognize but can’t quite place. You can find it all on the Internet, where the people who want to share those tunes with you want you to share your music with them.It’s a music revolution – and it’s oh-so-simple!

By Kevin Cantera [ 22/10/2007 ][ viewed 19 times ]

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Cracking Down on Hip Hop

2008-01-23T22:53:00.000+07:00

The hip hop genre has not exactly been known for having a squeaky clean, morally upright, unassailably wholesome image. We hear of rappers getting arrested for weapons charges or assault every now and then. A good number of hip hop lyrics tell of (and even glorify) guns, drugs, violence, misogynist behavior, and a hodge podge of anti-authority sentiments. And of course, the killings of high profile rap artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur have become landmark incidents that established the notoriety of hip hop.Along with the progression of hip hop personalities getting embroiled in gangster-esque incidents came rumors that a task force has been formed by the New York Police Department focused specifically on the rap industry. Major newspapers reported that a team of NYPD detectives were assigned to monitor hip hop events, feuds, and even rap lyrics. Artists have complained that they were being subjected to police surveillance.The NYPD has repeatedly denied the existence of such unit but talks of the hip hop cops are still far from dying down. The revelations of retired NYPD detective Derrick Parker that he was the one who started comprehensive investigations on the hip hop industry further fueled the controversy. Parker said that it was his duty to compile all information relating to hip hop and interview artists who were involved in criminal cases. He clarified though that it wasn't as large as the purported full-blown task force that was reported in the media but was merely another scope of the Intelligence Division's Gang Unit.In 2004, it was reported that the a three-day hip hop training session was held and attended by police officers from New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. In the said seminar, six-inch binders containing information on rappers with criminal records were distributed to the attendees. A Miami police sergeant said the seminar involved training on what look for in rap lyrics, monitoring radio and TV stations, and surveying hip hop concerts.To further compound the existence of a hip hop squad, another voluminous document on rapper profiles was made public. This time, it was a 500-page dossier containing rap artists' mug shots, home addresses, license plate and social security numbers, criminal histories, arrest details, frequented locations, and known associates. The dossier, which bore the logo of the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, was published online and was also featured on the documentary Rap Sheet: Hip Hop and the Cops.Not a few rappers and civil rights activists bemoaned these acts as racial profiling and unnecessary intrusion to privacy. Police refused to comment on the dossier but reasoned that familiarizing themselves with the hip hop industry was just a part of doing their job. They said that the unsolved murders of famous hip hop artists was reason enough to monitor this particular genre of the music industry. As Derrick Parker put it, they simply don't want another rapper killed.Some rap personalities place the blame on the rappers themselves for the supposed surveillance. DMC, considered as one of the pioneers of hip hop, pointed out the rappers' self-aggrandized gangster image was one of the reasons police are tailing them. Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man also commented that rap songs which glorify violence and guns aren't any help either.On October 2007, rapper T.I. was arrested for illegal gun possession while the month before that, The Game was taken into custody for allegedly pretending to be an undercover cop. Last July, Remy Ma turned herself in to police after being involved in a shooting incident. While these episodes are not representative of the whole hip hop industry, police believe that these are more than enough to keep them watching.

By Kristien Wilkinson [ 22/10/2007 ][ viewed 27 times ]

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Dressing Up in Hip Hop

2008-01-23T22:51:00.000+07:00

From baggy jeans and bling blings to classic gangster-inspired suits and bowler hats, a distinct and evolving fashion style has always been an indispensable element of the hip hop industry. Hip hop fashion traces its roots to the clothing style of African-American youths. Since then it has drawn its influences from hip hop scenes in different parts of the United States, from California to New York, as well as from various elements of underground and popular culture.One of the earlier clothing styles in hip hop was the sportswear coupled with conspicuous jewelry which became the signature look for old school rap. Tracksuits, bomber jackets, berets, Doc Martens, and sneakers were some of the common apparel then. Men sported gold chains while women wore large gold earrings. The sports apparel of Adidas, Nike, and Le Coq Sportif were some of the commonly patronized brands in the 1980s. The 1990s saw the growing popularity of more sportswear from Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Polo, Calvin Klein, and Nautica. This particular fashion style became known as the urban streetwear and was further supplied by such brands as FUBU, Ecko Unlimited, Walker Wear, and Boss Jeans.The emergence of gangsta rap as a sub-genre of hip hop fueled another fashion statement, this time inspired by the clothing styles of street thugs and prison inmates. Gangsta rappers started wearing baggy pants, bandannas, and tattoos. Not a few conservatives reacted negatively to the sagging pants and low-hanging waistlines. A religious group tried to combat the fashion style by giving out belts while others sought to make it illegal.Other hip hop personalities opted for the classy gangster look and wore double-breasted suits, bowler hats, silk shirts, and alligator-skin shoes. This Mafioso-inspired image was popularized by the Notorious B.I.G. and Sean Combs a.k.a. Diddy, with the latter becoming known as the Shiny Suit Man.Recent trends in hip hop apparel show the influence of hipster and preppy styles. Oversized shirts were replaced with tighter-fitting short-sleeved shirts, tracksuits were traded for sports coats, and tighter denims were favored over sagging jeans. Some of the popular accessories are large belt buckles and skull and skeleton ornaments. Decorated hoodies, fitted caps, and trucker hats are also commonly worn.Heavy jewelry has also become an enduring mark of hip hop fashion, symbolizing an ostentatious display of fame and wealth. Known in hip hop slang as bling bling, these flashy accessories became ubiquitous fashion icons and common semiotic elements in a lot of music videos. Gold jewelry was the craze in the 80s but it was eventually edged out by silver and platinum. Grills or removable metal teeth coverings also became popular among celebrities.With the development of hip hop fashion, rap artists eventually ventured into the clothing business and started producing their own labels. The rap group Wu-Tang Clan has its Wu-Wear, Damon Dash and Jay-Z have Rocawear, and Diddy has Sean John. Diddy also bagged the 2003 Menswear Designer of the Year Award given by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Other hip hop personalities with their own clothing lines are Eminem, 50 Cent, Russell Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, and OutKast.

By Kristien Wilkinson [ 22/10/2007 ][ viewed 30 times ]

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Madonna Confirms Deal with Live Nation

2008-01-23T22:49:00.000+07:00

The news is confirmed now. Madonna has entered into a global partnership with the Live Nation and is soon to become the founding artist in LN's new Artist Nation division. Michael Rapino, the Live Nation president on 16th October made the deal public. The superstar will receive a combination of both cash and stocks in this multi-media group in return for the rights to sell three studio albums, license her name and promote concert tours.According to Rapino, "The idea that an iconic artist like Madonna would pick a promoter to be a long-term partner with truly validates our business model". The deal is for a period of 10 years and would encompass all the future businesses of Madonna, including music and music-related businesses, new studio albums, merchandising, fan clubs/Web sites, touring, television and film projects and other sponsorship agreements. Michael Rapino further states that a lot of resources have been put in to build this Artist Nation division and that his team has been able to prove to Madonna the execution capacity at Artist Nation. Valued in published reports as worth $120 million, the deal has had its share of detractors. But Rapino states that the Wall Street is yet not aware of the implication of such a global deal. Fogel, producer of Madonna's last three worldwide tours, was the key broker in the deal. When asked about Madonna and her contractual obligations, Fogel says that Madonna is an immensely committed, creative and a competitive artist. She has delivered at all levels during her entire career and they are taking it forward from here. According to the Diva herself, this deal is a very exciting one and will make her fans connect with her in unlimited and unprecedented ways. She further goes on to state that the paradigm shift in the music industry is acceptable to her and she’s ready to go on with the flow. She finished the discussion by further adding that “Live Nation has offered me a true partnership and, after 25 years in the business, I feel that I deserve that."

By Fletcher Mak [ 22/10/2007 ][ viewed 43 times ]

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Beginning Guitar to Transform Your Little Tunes Into Beautiful Songs

2008-01-23T22:47:00.000+07:00

Before you can actually play the guitar properly though, you will need to have beginning guitar lessons as well as a guitar! On the face of it, as an instrument the guitar doesn’t seem to have much to recommend it to someone who’s looking to buy this instrument. However, all this can change from the very first moment you begin your first guitar lessons. Beginning guitar players should not become discouraged even before they take their first lessons. These lessons are ones where you will have the opportunity of learning the theoretical aspect of guitar playing as well as being able to pluck at the strings to produce a pleasant sound.You will be able to find instructors who can give you beginning guitar lessons from your local community and also from your local newspapers. These are not the only ways that you can learn about beginning guitar lessons. There are numerous books and audio tapes and CDs which will also provide this facility to you.As with all of these beginning guitar books, CDs and lessons, the main fact that needs to be understood is that you should feel comfortable and confident of your ability to learn and play the guitar. Without this confidence you will not be able to understand the various instructions that you are given in your guitar lesson. For this reason if you are learning to play the guitar from an instructor you should be able to ask the instructor for advice and help if you feel that you are missing out on some point of the lesson. Since you can’t ask books or audio or DVD lessons for help you should be able to look or listen to the various steps and see where you fingers should be placed on the guitar and what chord each guitar string signifies.Also once you are comfortable holding the guitar and you have learned to identify the various chords in your beginning guitar lessons, you can then proceed to learn how to combine these basic chords together to produce a little song or a tune. As your beginning guitar lessons progress, you will gain the chance of trying out different styles of music. These different styles are well recognized sounds like that of jazz, rap, blues, rock ’n’ roll and many others. With so many interesting facets of guitar playing to try out it is not that surprising that people love listening to the sound of a guitar. Having beginning guitar lessons is one of the best ways you can learn to play guitar and transform your little tunes into beautiful songs.

By Muna wa Wanjiru [ 24/10/2007 ][ viewed 38 times ]

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Going Indie: Hip Hop and the Independent Labels

2008-01-23T22:44:00.000+07:00

For a struggling musician who dreams of making it big, securing a record deal with a major label is definitely one of the golden opportunities that shouldn't be passed up. The same thing could just as well be said for hip hop artists. What with flashy cars, heavy jewelry, and ostentatious displays of wealth constantly dominating the hip hop image, a multi-million dollar contract with a giant music company is just a logical and financially necessary part of the package. But recent trends have shown that being affiliated with a major record label isn't always as rewarding, both career and money-wise, and going independent doesn't always mean being obscure and penniless.Back in the days when hip hop was still an emerging genre in the mainstream music industry, most artists were initially signed to independent record labels in the East Coast. Def Jam Recordings was one of the most notable labels at the time. Other active indie labels in the hip hop scene were Jive, Tommy Boy, No Limit, Cash Money, Rawkus, and Profile. In the late 80s up to the mid-90s, the popularity of hip hop soared and it became evident that the genre could sell albums and was not just a negligible offshoot of block party music from the ghettos. Major record labels started noticing the trend and jumped in. BMG acquired a minority stake in Jive and eventually owned the label in 2002. Def Jam came under the ownership of Universal Music Group while other indie companies signed distribution deals with major record labels.The corporate takeover of hip hop led to increased spending, from inordinate expenses for music videos to the luxurious pampering of big-time rappers. Huge amounts were spent on production, promotion, and distribution of albums. Of course, these came with the expectation that album sales would yield a fat return. The landscape changed with the advent of technology that enabled consumers to just download music from the internet or copy it from CDs. Records stores were closing down as CD sales continued to dip. With the decrease in album sales, there was barely enough to cover overhead costs of production. For the artist, this means smaller proceeds even if the album sold 200,000 copies or was a certified gold.This is where the advantage of an independent label comes in. With an indie, the cost of making an album is lower so even if the copies sold are fewer than those of a major label, the profits are still much more decent. Consequently, the artists also earn more and they have more artistic control of their material.This has led a number of rappers to leave their corporate nests and venture into the indie labels. East Coast rapper Fat Joe, for instance, personally handled the production, marketing, and distribution of his music under his own Terror Squad Entertainment. He signed a distribution deal with Virgin Records which grants him higher percentage of the profits and allows him to retain ownership of his master tapes. Cormega is another rapper who went from major label to indie. He put up his own label, Legal Hustle Records, after being released from a contract with Def Jam. Just like Fat Joe, Cormega said that he earns more now as an independent rapper than when he was signed to a major label.The renewed growth of independent labels is seen as a welcome avenue of diversification amidst the corporate hegemony of the music industry. It also provides an opportunity for artists who may otherwise go unnoticed by major labels. With the constant talk of the death of hip hop, this indie trend could very well be the music genre's hope for resurrection.

By Kristien Wilkinson [ 25/10/2007 ][ viewed 35 times ]

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Music Sharing is a New Hot Space

2008-01-23T22:42:00.000+07:00

Online music is finally getting in tune and it sure is an exciting time to be a music fan.Downloaded songs, once the scourge of the music industry, have gone completely legitimate and now the next great wave crossing the Internet is all about sharing music over the World Wide Web. It is a great place to be! With the industry's support, some of the biggest computing and Internet companies have launched music-download stores and portable digital-music players.Downloading and sharing songs through file-sharing programs was once a dangerous pastime back when the recording industry began filing lawsuits against hundreds of users for copyright infringement. Several surveys by research firms suggested that file-sharing activity slowed after the Recording Industry Association of America launched its legal campaign. In a recent poll, taken by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in November and December, only 14 percent of respondents said they downloaded music (through file-sharing networks or for-pay services), compared to 29 percent in the spring.Even the most successful download service, Apple's iTunes Music Store, is dwarfed by the traffic on file-sharing networks. The trend, which is catching on from coast to coast and everywhere in between, is a reflection of just how portable music has become – and how sharing it with others is becoming easier than ever. It's fairly basic stuff.Experts who track technology trends say they're not surprised people are sharing more music. It's the same thing as sharing a hot new 45 or tape or CD. Some have accused a new wave of music listeners of shutting out the world with their headphones but technology is actually encouraging people to socialize because it is set up for people to meet other people – not isolate them.The Internet has also changed the dynamics of music sales, with musicians no longer having to rely on distributors or chain stores. They can sell their music on their own Web site, through sites that offer downloads, and through new retailers. The Internet is a great equalizer in a lot of ways. A lot more people can participate. In fact, some musicians grumble that the business has become a little too open, with so much music available that it supersaturates the market.But there are a lot of people for whom this music is important. And now, you can share with, and meet those people, people just like you, at a great new site that will change the way you think about music forever.

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Jazz Music: Discover the Incoherence within!

2008-01-23T22:39:00.000+07:00

William Shakespeare has well said “ He who hath no music in him is fit for treasons and spoils.” This statement looks so true and it very right in its own sense. In the early modernist era, a genre of music known as the Jazz music went on to become pretty popular and it is popular still. The Jazz music is marked by the incoherence of words and music. There is no sense of music and it looks more like a cacophony. However, Jazz music gained momentum and it became one of the most popular style of music in those days. And the rest is history. Jazz music, till date is one of the most popular style of singing and you would find a lot of patrons of Jazz music. Let us acquaint ourselves with the history of the Jazz music .The early 20th century was marked by sorrow, dilemma and depression. With the death of queen Victoria in 1901, the Edwardian Era began which was a gloomy phase in the history. Then the second half of 20th century witnessed an immense sense of isolation and alienation with modernism and the World War I. Thomas Stern Eliot refers to the coherence of the Jazz music in so much incoherent world. The time, when everything seem to go wrong and nothing was in place, Jazz music became the soul of music and reflected the cacophony of the times. Again, World War II sabotaged the values and ethics of humanity and the human suffering was beyond endurance. Then the great economic depression lead to sadness and material loss. Then the advent of post modernism, the Jazz music had become so much in sync with the times that it became the voice of the deserted humanity and hapless individuals. You can find some of the best Jazz music CDs on World Wide Web and find some of the famous music of your choice. From Robert Wyatt to Amy Winehouse, Jonie Mitchell to James Morrison, find out more about the music and its relevance! When you need your choicest jazz music CD, consider Internet as your best option!

By Jacob Marshal [ 26/10/2007 ][ viewed 34 times ]

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How to Harness the Rich Diversity of Background Music For Myspace

2008-01-23T22:37:00.000+07:00

There are of course ways for you to go about doing this, but perhaps you should first read the terms and conditions of using any music within your MySpace pages. You should also be aware that these affect your choice of music and what you can play on the cyberspace MySpace airwaves. For one thing, you can in no way, form or manner upload or play any songs which are copyrighted, without the express permission of the copyright holder. This means that even if you went and bought a music CD from the store, or bought songs (legally) off of an internet site such as Yahoo! or iTunes or some such place, you cannot play or upload those songs onto MySpace. You might have bought them, but you don’t have express copyright permission to use them for anything other than your own listening pleasure. Therefore if you don’t want to get kicked out of MySpace for eternity and have all of your MySpace privileges revoked, then you will want to stay away from uploading such copyrighted songs as your background music for MySpace. When you get over this little glitch in your grand plans to make a great sounding as well as great looking profile page by adding your favorite numbers as background music for MySpace, you might then want to take a look at the budding artists who are featured on the MySpace Music pages. You will then have the ability to choose from among these many talented artists’ offerings, the kind of music that you want as background music for MySpace profile pages. If you’re still kind of disappointed that you aren’t able to upload your favorite chart hits, there’s really no need. You will definitely find at least a few songs which grabs your attention, featured on MySpace. There is a rich diversity to these songs which you are bound to appreciate and to make your life easier, and to make it easier for you to get the background music for MySpace that you want, you also have the ability to choose from different genres. This will most definitely make it easier for you to find the music that you like and which you would prefer to have playing on your profile pages. And to make your life even easier, to add the music which you find on the MySpace Music pages, all you need to do is to click on the “Add” button. When you’re done with the entire process you will then have the background music for MySpace that you want, and people coming to your MySpace pages will have something to listen to while they go through your pages.

By Muna wa Wanjiru [ 27/10/2007 ][ viewed 40 times ]

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Grab a copy of East Of Angel Town

2008-01-22T22:25:00.000+07:00

All the fans of Peter Cincotti would be pretty excited to hear about the launch of his debut album East of Angel which has hit the music stores all across the world. The young singer is enjoying all the attention and some mixed reviews from its admirers and critics. The music of this album has also been given by the artist himself. It looks as if it is a great start for Cincotti who is just 24 and has become a well known singer with his album.East of Angel Town has become quite popular and it is going to turn the fortune for this New Yorker. It has followed by his previous releases like Peter Cincotti, and On the Moon. East of Angel Town is going to be one of the major hit amongst the music lovers. This latest album has come up as a result of the association with celebrated producer and 14 time Grammy award winner David Foster and Humberto Garcia and Jochem van der Saag. East of Angel Town has been adorned with the quality music which is both classical and moder and hence looks really well in this album. His single Goodbye Philadelphia is in to top ten chartbusters of France.The listeners would find a great deal of variety in the songs which give flavours of pop, blues, funk and jazz. The songs that are there in the album are Angel Town, Goodbye Philadelphia, Be Careful, Cinderella Beautiful, Make It Our Alive, December Boys, U B U, Another Falling Star, Broken Children, Man On A Mission, Always Watching You, Witch's Brew, The Country Life. So, buy yourself a copy of Peter Cincotti's East of Angel Town and enjoy the non stop music. You can also grab its copy from the World Wide Web through the various online shops.

By Jacob Marshal [ 29/10/2007 ][ viewed 36 times ]

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Cashing In on Hip Hop

2008-01-22T22:22:00.000+07:00

The last few years were not a good time for the music industry in terms of album sales. No genre has taken this harder than hip hop, which dropped 44 percent in sales since 2000 and accounted for a mere 10 percent of the total music sales. Despite this, the cash still kept coming in for the hip hop moguls who went beyond being rappers and became big-time entrepreneurs.In the Forbes' list of hip hop cash kings, the top earners were artists who didn't just produce albums and go on concert tours; they were head honchos of multi-million empires which were banked on the entire hip hop and pop culture. These personalities put their stamp on everything, from sneakers to vitamin water, so much so that were already brands in themselves. The current top earner in the hip hop industry is Def Jam Recordings CEO Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z. After a supposed retirement in 2003, the rapper staged a recording comeback three years later with his 11th studio album Kingdom Come. The album fared well with 680,000 copies sold on its first week, topping the US Billboard chart.Album sales are nothing but a small fraction of Jay-Z's wealth though. In March 2007, the rapper earned $204 million, before taxes, in the sale of his clothing brand Rocawear to the Iconix Brand Group. He will still manage the marketing, licensing, and product development of the label and will pocket another $35 million if the brand performs well for the next three to five years.The business-savvy rapper also co-owns the franchise of 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar, as well as a small stake in the NBA team New Jersey Nets. In October 2006, he was named co-brand director for Budweiser Select after his single was featured in an Anheuser Busch ad. He also earns about $13 million annually for the distribution of the Scottish vodka Armadale. His income for 2006 was estimated at $34 million. All in all, Jay-Z's wealth as of 2007 amounted to $547 million dollars.Sean Combs, now known simply as Diddy after a series of name changes, is the second wealthiest hip hop entertainer although he placed third in the Forbes list of top hip hop earners for 2006. With an estimated net worth of $358 million, Diddy rules over an empire consisting of the record label Bad Boy Records, the Sean John clothing line, the Unforgivable cologne, and two restaurants called Justin's. Forbes placed his earnings for 2006 at $28 million.Another hip hop millionaire worth an estimated $200 million is 50 Cent. His G-Unit includes a clothing company, a sneakers brand, video games, and a line of fiction. He also owned 10 percent of Glaceau, a line of beverages. When Coca Cola purchased the brand for $4.1 billion, 50 Cent reportedly got $100 million (before taxes). The rapper also owns a condom line and is involved in a number of films. He landed on the number two spot of the Forbes list with a 2006 income of $32 million.Time magazine once branded hip hop as capitalism with a beat. If so, then these rhyming millionaires are at the helm of it.

By Kristien Wilkinson [ 30/10/2007 ][ viewed 26 times ]

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Digital Video Downloads

2008-01-22T22:19:00.000+07:00

One of the hottest trends in the cyber world is the explosions of video downloads from the Internet, to your computer, your iPod-style entertainment device, or, more and more, to your cell phone. Microsoft has launched its version, MSN Video Downloads, which gives video junkies all kinds daily television programming, including video content from MSNBC.com, Food Network, FOX Sports and IFILM Corp., for download to Windows Mobile -based devices. Since the launch of the Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Center, more than 20 new content partners, including CinemaNow Inc., MLB.com, MSNBC.com, MSN Music, MTV Networks Music, Napster Inc., SnapStream Media Inc. and TiVo Inc., have agreed to make video available online specifically formatted for Windows Mobile-based multimedia devices.People subscribing to Microsoft’s premium service can select the content they want to receive from the Web site. Digital videos are downloaded daily to a Windows Media Player 10 library, ready to be synchronized with Portable Media Centers and other devices. The video content is compliant with devices that play video, and is optimized for Portable Media Centers.Google Video lets you search a growing archive of televised content – everything from sports events to dinosaur documentaries to news programs. In addition to televised content, Google also lets you host video from anyone who wants to upload content. The upload program lets you submit videos electronically to Google Video, as long as you own the necessary rights (including copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and any other relevant rights for your content). Just use the upload tool to send your videos to Google. Before going live, your video has to go through a number of steps which you can track through your account. After uploading your video, you must enter information about your video, including its title and description. After verification, your video will be made available for users to search, preview, purchase, and play. At any time after you upload your video to Google, you'll have the opportunity to add more videos, update the information about each video, or remove your video from the program.

By Kevin Cantera [ 31/10/2007 ][ viewed 24 times ]

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

2008-01-22T22:16:00.000+07:00

Folk music as an art form is a tradition handed down to us down the generations. Not something to be found in the history books, this music reflects the struggles of society as it evolved. The working class, which was the originator of most folk songs, is as omnipresent today as it always was. Even someone at the top of the corporate ladder today will be surprised how well a song that was composed during the slave age reflects on his struggle. Therein lies the beauty of these timeless lyrics. One of the most underestimated, yet essential forms of music, folk music acts as a safety valve for the society. By giving an outlet to the feelings of the people, it perhaps avoids other possibly violent forms of dissent. So what is this folk music all about? While you may have heard about jazz, the blues, and of course rock and pop, no serious music buff can afford to ignore this form of music. Some of this music deals with folk stories that have been handed down the generations, again by word of mouth. They may not even be found in books, yet recount in graphic detail the victories of the heroes of the age in which they originated. To the extent, that you may even call it ‘oral history’ of the sect to which the song belongs.Most folk music reflects the times in which it was composed. Thus you are sure to find music talking about slave culture, the civil war, the great depression, and so on. While you may not find it being played very often by your favorite disc jockey, songs like ‘We Shall Overcome’ are extremely popular otherwise, and reflect the struggle of life that is common to any age irrespective of the times in which they were composed. The songs reflect the eternal hope of the human race, that hardships shall not last and the world has much more to offer than the current set of struggles.In recent times in American history, the depressing thirties gave rise to a number of contemporary folk songs. The songs pertaining to this period reflect the American psyche of the age, talking about workers struggle, child labor laws, and the eight-hour working day. The songs worked as a counter to the rough environment in which the workers found themselves, and hordes of them would gather around a fire or in community halls to sing songs that would give them hope.Folk music is now commercially available in music stores, though you may have to ask around a bit as everyone may not be keeping it. A little more research, and you would definitely find folk music relating to your own community, and you can relate to it all the more. Play it on your car audio to perk up your spirits when you are feeling down. The extremely simple lyrics and tunes that are easy to hum along make them interesting companions that have the potential of making you feel lighter as well. Just about any music software will play the songs, and you can play whether you are in your car, or feeling down in your office after the boss just gave you a dressing down.Folk music doesn’t restrict itself to only struggles, but touches other aspects of life as well such as the intricate human family relationships, love etc. After a wonderful date with your beloved, you will be surprised how beautiful the lyrics sound, and how true they seem to your own happy situation! For that, of course, you have to fall in love first. The lucky ones that already are know what I am talking about – don’t you?So go ahead and widen your horizons about your perceptions of music. If you feel better during low times in the bargain, well, I would have achieved my aim of writing this article.

By Sarika Kabra [ 31/10/2007 ][ viewed 58 times ]

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Paul Potts The Best New Music Talent Of 2007

2008-01-22T22:14:00.000+07:00

He looked like an unlikely star when he took to the stage in front of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan. But as Paul Potts began Nessun Dorma for the judges of the Britain's Got Talent show the power of his astonishing performance left few in doubt that this was no ordinary singer. He received a standing ovation from the 2000 people in the audience and left Amanda Holden with tears of joy rolling down her face. Even Simon Coswell and Piers Morgan were pleasantly surprised. He went on to win the talent show and received the chance to perform in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance 2007. Paul also received a record deal from Simon Coswell. His first C.D. is called 'One Chance"Paul was born in 1971 in Bristol from Port Talbot in south Whales. He had appeared in four amateur opera productions and in a concert for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and had plans for a summer tour with the Orchestra. Potts is said to have first sung Opera in 1999 in a karaoke competition,[when he was 28 years old] dressed as Pavarotti, although he had said during the show that his voice had always been a source of solace in the past when bullied, so he would have sung from a younger age. That same year he appeared in the Michael Barrymore talent show "My Kind of Music". Although he did not win the competition, he won £8,000, which helped to pay for singing lessons in Italy. For the Bath UK based amateur company Bath Opera, he has performed on four occasions in the roles of Don Basilio (Marriage of Figaro), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and the title role in Verdi's Don Carlos, and Turandot as Prince of Persia and Herald. He also sang for the Royal Philharmonic in front of an audience of 15,000 and toured Northern Italy as a soloist. However, after spending £20,000 on his career hopes, including a masterclass in which he sang for Luciano Pavarotti, doctors discovered a benign tumor during treatment for appendicitis in 2003. Then, shortly after his recovery, he broke his collar bone in a bike accident Instead of thinking about singing, he was lying on the sofa in agony. Now when he goes on stage his wife of 4 years Julie doesn't want people to say "break a leg" because Paul probably would. For a time he worked as a shelf-stacker in Tesco and ended up as the manager at Bridgend's Carphone Warehouse, After winning Britains Got Talent, Paul has been busy circling the globe on promotion tours. It is amazing how fast his life has changed since the show. He is one of those rare individuals that has found out what can only be described as an "Over Night Success" His videos on the Internet have already received over 10 million views. He is a person who has been blessed with a great talent and deserves as much recogition as he is receiving. I do believe that there is a little Paul Potts in every one of us.

By andrew conway [ 01/11/2007 ][ viewed 28 times ]

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Who Do You Think Is The Greatest Music Producer Who Ever Lived?

2008-01-22T22:11:00.000+07:00

Harvey Philip Spector,who was later to be called the greatest music producer in the world, was born December 26, 1940 in the Bronx, New York. His grandfather, a Russian Jew named Spekter, emigrated to the United States and his name was changed to Spector at Ellis Island. The family was lower middle class. His father Benjamin, because of the family's indebtedness, committed suicide in 1949. In 1953, Bertha Specter, with Phil and his older sister Shirley, moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a seamstress. With little to interest him in high school he was drawn to music studying guitar and piano. He excelled on the guitar, piano, drums, bass and French horn. Spector was drawn to the local rhythm and blues scene. Phil soon joined a group of would-be-musicians hanging around the studios where he met Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, two songwriters that were beginning to have some success producing singles for the Robins on the Spark label. After graduating from Fairfax High school in 1958 Spector began taking courses to become a court reporter. However, he soon decided that this wasn't the direction he wanted. Next Spector turned to Marshall Leib,They both shared the love of rock and roll music.Another student at Los Angeles City College, Harvey Goldstein, was promised that he could sing bass. Annette Kleinbard, a sixteen year old student at Fairfax High, joined the first two hour session. She was devoted to recording of Spector's "Don't You Worry My Little Pet." With demo in hand Spector approached his neighbor Lew Bedell, co-owner of Era Records with Herb Newsome. Bedell and Newsome had started Dore Records,with the intention of recording rock and roll, only a month or two before Spector arrived with his demo. Spector and friends signed a four record deal that offered royalties of a cent and one-half per sold copy. Dore mailed five hundred copies of the single to radio stations in early August, 1958. The A-side was still "You Don't Know My Little Pet." In September, a dee jay in Fargo, North Dakota, flipped the single and played "To Know Him Is To Love Him." Soon an order came into Dore offices from a distributor requesting eighteen thousand copies.Radio stations across the country began playing "To Know Him Is To Love Him." The record was reviewed in the music press and was on the national music charts only a week later.The Teddy Bears were invited to appear on "American Bandstand" in October. There was a slight problem as there was no invitation for Harvey Goldstein because Goldstein had been dropped from the group Goldstein sued Dore and the Teddy Bears eventually settling out of court for a share of the royalties the group would earn over the next ten years. The Teddy Bears appeared on "Bandstand" and "To Know Him Is To Love Him" became a number one record, selling more than a million copies before Christmas. "Wonderful, Lovable You," their second record was released late in 1959. They appeared on the The Perry Como Show on January 3, 1960 where they sang "To Know Him Him Is To Love Him" and "It's Only a Paper Moon." Spector had a falling out with Dore over royalties. Spector and the Teddy Bears signed with Imperial Records and their first single "I Don't Need You Anymore" was released in mid-January. Spector then teamed up with Lester Sill. Sill had started his own company, Trey Records, along with Lee Hazlewood. Sill had Spector come into the studio to record in an attempt to come up with a hit record. but the group couldn't use the Teddy Bear name, so the Trey singles were issued by the Spectors Three. Neither sold and Spector dismissed the other two and called it quits as far a being a recording star. Kleinbard was involved in an auto accident in September 1959, but recovered and attempted a solo singing career. She had a number of recording contracts, but enjoyed success as a songwriter. She was a co-writer of "The Nights the Lights Went Out In Georgia" a gold record by Vicki Lawrence In 1973 and a country hit for Reba McEntire in 1992. She also co-wrote "Hey Little Cobra" for the Ripchords and "Gonna Fly Now" the theme from the first Rocky movie. She helped write theme songs for Sophie's Choice and Mr. Mom. Over the years she has been nominated for two Academy Awards and four Emmys. Leib played guitar on a couple of Duane Eddy sessions. He also was musical supervisor for a few low budget films in the 70s. He and Kleinbard worked together on the score for the film "Tulips." Phil Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Spector went on to be recognized as a genius when it came to record production. But the recent events in Phil Spector's life has turned his world upside down. He was charged with murder in the shooting death of Lana Clarkson, a 40 year old B movie actress found dead in Spector's mansion in 2003. But the first trial ended in a hung jury and a retrial is set for the 67 year old sometime in 2008.

By andrew conway [ 02/11/2007 ][ viewed 35 times ]

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George Bush Interview I Wrote Britney Spears Radar and Gimme More

2008-01-22T00:08:00.000+07:00

George Bush just gave the following interview to Rolling Stone Magazine, due out in the January edition:Courtney Friel: “Mr. President, thank you so much for agreeing to give this exclusive interview to Rolling Stone Magazine. I hardly know where to begin. I don’t think that an active President of the United States has ever hit #1 on the charts before. Tell us, how did you become involved with Britney Spears’ new chart topping album “Blackout”?”George Bush: “Thank you Courtney. Let me just say that that pink top you are wearing is extremely groovy. I find that when giving interviews like this it’s extremely important to get into the groove. President Musharraf is quite the groovester. We just gave him $10 billion and he used it to jail the court. I admire his chutzpah. Actually I have been a big fan of hip hop ever since I owned the Texas Rangers. One day I was at third base and what seemed like an easy catch one hopped right over my glove. I didn’t think it was too hip when Nolan Ryan called me “Butterfingers” so I called him “Curveball”. He thought that I called him “Cueball” and we got into quite a little scuffle there. Jeb helped me out and then he introduced me to Britney Spears.”“In 1994 when Fay Vincent retired I applied to become Commissioner of Baseball. The owners turned me down and I decided to run for Governor of Texas. Nolan Ryan was on my campaign staff. I defeated Ann Richards who said that I had no grasp of the issues and “It’s difficult to run against someone who doesn’t have a clue.” Well today I am the President of the Free World and where is she?”Courtney Friel: “I believe that she died last year of cancer of the esophagus.”George Bush: “My point exactly. She’s 6 feet under and I’m topping the charts. “Gimme Gimme, Gimme more. Gimme Gimme, Gimme more.” You know Courtney, I’m really getting sick of all the insults. President Putin is running around telling everyone that I’m a madman running around with a razor and that my goal is to take over the entire world. Actually that was Dick’s idea and he told me that Iraq would be a gimme. Now he’s telling me that Iran and Pakistan are going to be gimmes. You have to rely on your team Courtney otherwise where would we be now?”Courtney Friel: “Mr. President, if you don’t mind me asking but what is the true identity of the walrus? Many believe that it was Paul. Others believe that it was Craig Stadler. President Putin is now telling everyone that the lyrics you wrote for Britney Spears song ‘Radar’ from Britney Spears #1 album “Blackout” are a veiled reference to your missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic which President Putin is now comparing to the Cuban Misssile Crisis and you are running around worrying everyone about Nuclear World War III. I’m getting my nails done next Thursday and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind holding off until then.”George Bush: “I’ll take care of it Courtney. No one ever accused me of being the Manicurist in Chief. Britney Spears and the kids and I were sitting in the studio in the White House and Britney wanted to call the song “Raider” over K-Fed raiding her money and taking her children and all, and I thought that we should call it “Radar” to please our Halliburton and Carlysle friends so we agreed to compromise; the song was called “Radar” but when Britney sang it she pronounced it “Raider”’, kind of like “Nucular”, if you know what I mean. I mean Al Gore says that he won the Presidency, and then he wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Tell me, how does making a movie about so called Global Warming qualify a person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Isn’t it like mixing baseballs and basketballs Courtney? Can you explain it to me?”Courtney Friel: “I have no clue Mr. President. What did you mean in ‘Gimme More’ when you wrote ‘Centre of attention, even when you’re up against the wall, You got me in a crazy position, If you’re on a mission, You got my permission, I just can’t control myself, more, they want more? Well I’ll give them more’? Is the United States up against the wall now, are you up against the wall now, are you talking about the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China, the Green Monster?”George Bush: “Forget the wall Courtney. Don’t worry about the wall. Have you ever heard of Humpty Dumpty. Well Britney didn’t really like the ‘Humpty Dumpty’ lyrics, and neither did the twins, so we settled on those. The key words to focus on Courtney are ‘They want more, Well I’ll give them more.” You see Courtney, up until now Britney Spears and I have both been playing with our hands tied behind our backs. Courtney, you have no idea how powerful I really am. Have you heard of the word ‘Superpower’? I have so many 100 megaton nuclear rockets that split into 8 in midair, so many biological weapons and chemical weapons of mass destruction that I could blackout the sun from the sky for one year of nuclear winter, and end life on earth forever in 30 minutes, all by saying one word. I am so powerful it’s ridiculous. I could eat Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for breakfast Courtney.”Courtney Friel: “Don’t forget about my nails Mr. President.”George Bush: “Don’t worry Courtney, you’re in good hands. ‘Gimme Gimme, Gimme more. Gimme Gimme, Gimme More. Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme.”

By Karen Fish [ 06/11/2007 ][ viewed 32 times ]

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Belly Dancing Is A Glorious Way To Lose Your Inhibitions

2008-01-22T00:06:00.000+07:00

Belly dancing per se has been around for centuries and the very word brings to mind images of lithe women rolling their bodies sinuously to the call of music. Its origin seems to drift historically between oriental or inspired by the Romany gypsies. Today, however, belly dancing is more of a celebration of myriad cultures, which seeks to incorporate the best of all the cultures that have laid a claim on belly dancing. Tribal belly dancing is this beautiful, passionate fusion of cultures that glorifies the passionate self within the dancer. Tribal belly dancing has evolved with the years as more and more people are discovering the exhilarating experience of stylized dance that actually frees up the muscular structure of the body by doing amazing movements and can the mind be far behind. Tribal belly dance can make the most stoic of women relate to the inner free spirit within herself and spin free with the pulsating moves that the dance demands. The very name tribal belly dance has a primordial ring to it that releases one from the dreary life and transports the dancer to another level that enhances her, both personally and physically.Tribal belly dancing costumes actually have such color and grace that every belly dancer wearing them is going to feel at one with her essential womanliness. These belly dancing costumes are overtly flowing, colorful and gracefully gorgeous. They gladden every woman with the flowing lines and gauzy veils that emphasize feminity. Finger cymbals called zills are worn to click between the fingers and the jewelery is exotic and bold. The tribal jewelery includes headpieces that are made of beaten silver or copper and are fairly large and help keep the head scarf in place. There are belts made of coins and semi-precious stones.American tribal style belly dance has evolved from their fascination for the exotic rhythms and the music. There is a distinctive stylization to the American version of tribal fusion belly dance that somehow has a touch of Hollywood. Belly dancing is now a hugely popular dance form in the US for the simple reason that in today’s world, women do not get a chance to flaunt their essential feminine nature and by doing the tribal fusion belly dance, they are subconsciously reaching out to the core of their essential womanhood.Belly dance festivals, workshops and festivals, not to mention belly dance holidays, give ample opportunity to learn the craft whole heartedly and with dedication within a specified time frame. The art form of this dance has inspired several amateurs to seriously pursue the more advanced forms of belly dancing across the countries where it has originated. Most of the steps in the tribal belly dance are circular motions that are isolated in one body part at a time. The dancer gyrates and shimmies using clever muscle control to keep the rhythm going effortlessly. As you get better at belly dancing, flexibility is increased and tricks using coins and swords are popular to demonstrate the use of muscles especially in the belly and hips.Tribal belly dancing whether American tribal fusion or otherwise, internalizes the rhythms and the outflow of emotion. It is channeled into an improvised dance that has its own uniqueness and cannot be learnt by rote. Each dancer makes a personal experience with the music and communicates with an individual style. It is more of a communication with the audience on a one to one basis and this is what adds to the simplicity and fluid sensuality of the dance. It is a misconception that tribal belly dancing is only sensual in appeal; it is actually a very mature demonstration that is not coy and at the same time is imbued with a rare dignity.Many women in the US and Europe turn to tribal belly dancing because they treat it as a kind of self empowerment tool that heals as it teaches. Being able to belly dance is a healing medium for mind, body and soul. It frees them from their inner demons whether they have issues that need healing or otherwise. There is something very uplifting in challenging one’s ability to learn a new medium and frees the spirit in music. It is a spiritual release that endows well being of mind and body.Tribal belly dancing even though fairly young in inception; it is growing in leaps and bounds. It has been embraced for being a multicultural offering that is exquisite in its bold definitions and delicate message. It may seem very blatant but actually has a lingering sweetness that has not been lost through the centuries of evolving to what it is today.

By Angela Noble [ 06/11/2007 ][ viewed 18 times ]

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East of Angel Town: Coming Soon to Lull Your Musical Soul

2008-01-22T00:04:00.000+07:00

Young American rock/pop singer, Peter Cincotti is going to release his next album “East of Angel” very soon. Slated for a releasing date on February 12, 2008, the album is expected to draw Cincotti's fans more intoxicatedly than ever. “East of Angel Town” is said to feature punchy, dynamic, and more edgy sound, simultaneously classic and modern. Peter Cincotti, who is 24 years of age, has already won much laurels and accolades for his exciting musical stuff. Cincotti is not only a singer, he is also a songwriter, affluent pianist, and a good actor. Born on July 11, 1983 in New York, Cincotti laid his hand on the piano at the tender age of three. Since then there is no looking back for this musical prodigy. Ornamented with good acting capabilities, Cincotti appeared in a small role in the 2004 Bobby Darin biopic “Beyond the Sea” and contributed to the film's soundtrack. He also grabbed a small role as piano player in planetarium in the blockbuster “Spider-Man 2”. His song "December Boys" is featured in the 2007 film “December Boys”, starring Daniel Radcliffe.“Peter Cincotti”, the debut album of Cincotti, is a compilation of traditional and popular jazz favourites. His second album, “On the Moon” featured some of the artist's own songs.The soon-to-be-released “East of Angel Town” features all his original works. This new work began when Cincotti teamed up with noted producer and fourteen-time Grammy winner David Foster, producer Humberto Gatica, and producer/sound designer Jochem van der Saag. Now all eyes are on “East of Angel Town”, which will tell stories woven into melodies that are both individual and universal.“This album is very much about the old and the new. Not only within the songs themselves, but also in the way we recorded them. I wanted to combine the classic way of live recording with the many elements of modern production” - says the singer himself.

By Jacob Marshal [ 07/11/2007 ][ viewed 37 times ]

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Making Money From Your Love For Music – A Little Differently

2008-01-22T00:02:00.000+07:00

You appeared for the audition, but did not make it yet again? Never mind. It is definitely not the end of life. You can still live your passion in music and yet make a decent living. While you may not be singing or strumming the guitar like you always wanted to, you will be in touch with the one thing that matters most to you – music. All you need is an internet connection and a little basic knowledge of computers.After all, this article is not to make you morose, or to make you give up your passion. It is about much more – how not to let your failure overtake you. To look for alternative options if one does not work out. So what if you could not make it to the top of the charts, or even didn’t get selected for the local club program. Look for other options to exploit your talent.One of the ways you can change your line and still be in touch with your passion is affiliate marketing. There is money to be made on the net, and you may just be getting started.So what is affiliate marketing all about? There are millions of websites – it is a virtual universe out there. Each of these websites is trying to vie for the attention of the viewer. A fair number of these are commercial websites that are interested in selling something to the viewer, but would like to get more viewers to increase their chances of a sale. This is where you come in.In step one, sign up as an affiliate of the website. To keep in touch with your passion, you could choose one which sells music software. This way you would also get to know the latest in the world of music downloads. The site could be offering paid or free music software, depending upon its policy and ultimate objectives. Now as an affiliate, your job is to get traffic to the site.Affiliate market works in two basic levels – one is by directly crediting any sales that the visitor directed by you to your account. The second method is to get more affiliates for the website, which in turn gives them a compounding effect.One good way to make affiliate marketing work is to have a link on your own website for the visitors to click and get to the target website. Having gone through your website, the visitor will be credited to you by virtue of a special affiliate number the website would assign to the link.Now if this visitor decides to download music from the site, you automatically get entitled to a share of the profits. The share will vary with the site, and varies greatly. Try to go for the more popular sites even if they offer a less share, as the chances of a sale being made are greater in their case. Popular sites like eBay and Amazon make much greater sales than their lesser known counterparts. So don’t worry if you are not able to make it directly in the music world – you can still be in touch and earn your living at the same time.

By Sarika Kabra [ 14/11/2007 ][ viewed 28 times ]

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The most popular broadway tickets

2008-01-22T00:00:00.000+07:00

The most popular tickets when it comes to the Broadway shows are the ones that are mainly based on several discounts; it is all about a discount ticket code that can be used in order to purchase concert tickets. This ticket code is actually a discount coupon that comes without its clipping. These discount codes mainly exist for the present Broadway shows; they are given out for various marketing purposes in order to generate higher sales for these shows. Many people are not aware of the existence of these ordinary discounts; they are always available and every person can actually buy concert tickets at the Broadway shows. These discount codes are to be used especially because they are likely to provide a quite easy way in order to get substantial discounts for the broadway tickets; these codes are to be bought in advance and you will also feel assured that your tickets are secured ahead every show time. No waiting in line is likely to be needed when choosing to buy the discount codes in advance. The Broadway discounts will provide the bearer with the necessary opportunity in order to get all the big discounts off their regular price, namely the normal price for the broadway tickets. These discounts are likely to be listed in special guides that are to be searched for in order to provide yourself with all the necessary information; you will learn everything about the best deals that you can actually make when looking for concert tickets.These discount codes may entitle every bearer to a discount that can reach 30% or even 60% of the entire face value of every Broadway ticket; the discount codes are to be used at every box office or you may choose to use them with the ticket agencies even if these agencies are more likely to charge you some extra fees. Many concert tickets may be used for mezzanine seats or orchestra seats thanks to their codes; these codes can last up to a couple of weeks or months and the promoter will be given the opportunity to judge every success that comes along with every Broadway show. The promoter can also have the opportunity to judge even the success of these discount codes in order to decide whether to change his offers to the audience or not. You have to be aware that, when it comes to broadway tickets, you may be provided with two types of discount codes. The first type is considered as being the most popular and will come as a sort of email promoter; individual promoters will be thus paid in order to send all these offers to their own leads. Every promoter will be paid for each email he sends to his lead; these leads will mainly consist in the promoter’s client list. The promoter will not be interested in showing the offer to a third party because the discount codes are not to be lent out to other people. The promoter will also be happy to send his offer on the behalf of his own customers. The second type when it comes to the main discount codes is the one that is to be found in the case of the so-called direct avenue model; this share model is used in order for the promoter to receive a certain percentage of all the tickets he manages to sell by using the established discount code. The promoter will market the entire discount code and will get a particular percentage of his sells; people who are interested in buying broadway tickets will also be delighted buy the two opportunities that are likely to be provided be every promoter.The est way to attend a Broadway show is to get the so-called Standing Room Only ticket; this ticket is quite and its average cost will be discounted. But the catch when it comes to this special discounted ticket is that you will not get a real seat to the Broadway show; the ticket holders are usually lined up against a special short partition that is to be found at the back of the performing orchestra. The holders will be allowed to see the show from this place; but these SRO seats may be way in the back of the theatre or even at its sides thus making the view to be partially obstructed during the show.On occasion, the usher may allow you to sit down even if you are a SRO holder; this is likely to happen especially when a seat is empty but this opportunity appears quite rarely. You should not count on its appearance because the theatre is likely to be full at every Broadway performance. Therefore, you are more likely to stand up for the entire and full length of the Broadway show; this condition can be quite challenging and you have to make sure that you are up to its expectations.

By Rick Martin [ 15/11/2007 ][ viewed 30 times ]

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Radio - General Entertainment.

2008-01-21T23:57:00.000+07:00

Radio is a general source of Entertainment. It gives audio or listening pleasure. Hence it enjoys a bit lower popularity than television in home which offers audio visual entertainment. It offers many amusements to the listener. Music, songs, comedy, sports commentaries, drama and talk shows are some of the common popular amusements. It also offers news to to keep you updated on events. Music is the main form of amusement offered by radio. It provides modern music like hip hop, rock, pop, trance for the teens and youngs. New releases are also featured here.It provides music for middle aged and seniors as well. Country music, soul, melodies, ballads, instrumentals and oldies cater to their choice. It also serves classical music, christian, gospel and traditional folk music to the listeners. Comedy include short verbal situational encounters. They are usually different awkward situations. Verbal comedy where punch lines are delivered for the audience humor.Drama offer short social stories. They include dialogues laced with social messages which finds acceptance among general people. Sports is another important form of entertainment offered by radio. It broadcasts running commentary of live sports. It covers popular sports like football, cricket, tennis etc. Offers Regular news aired by popular news channels like BBC and CNN keeps you updated on the happenings around the world.Talk shows feature interviews with celebrities. Features puzzles and riddles during the show. The contestants can solve the puzzles and riddles to win prizes. A good amount of competition is there. FM radio stations have become popular as they offer entertainment round the clock.

By Ajoy Saah Saah [ 16/11/2007 ][ viewed 21 times ]

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A Tribute To Simon And Garfunkel

2008-01-20T20:53:00.000+07:00

The most successful folk-rock duo of the 1960s, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel crafted a series of memorable hit albums and singles featuring their choirboy harmonies, ringing acoustic and electric guitars, and Simon's acute, finely wrought songwriting. They met in elementary school in 1953, when they both appeared in the school play Alice in Wonderland.They formed the group Tom and Jerry in 1957, and had their first taste of success with the minor hit "Hey Schoolgirl." The duo split up, and Simon continued to struggle to make it in the music business as a songwriter and occasional performer, sometimes using the names of Jerry Landis or Tico & the Triumphs. When they re-teamed, it was as a folk duo, though Simon's pop roots would serve the act well in their material's synthesis of folk and pop influences. Signing to Columbia, they recorded an initially unsuccessful acoustic debut (as Simon and Garfunkel, not Tom and Jerry) in 1964, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. They again went their separate ways, Simon moving to England, where he played the folk circuit and recorded an obscure solo album. Then with the help of Tom Wilson they reunited and made a serious go at a recording career, Simon returning from the U.K. to the U.S. In 1966 and 1967 they were regular visitors to the pop charts with some of the best folk-rock of the era, including "Homeward Bound," "I Am a Rock," and "A Hazy Shade of Winter." Their final studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, was an enormous hit, topping the charts for ten weeks, and containing four hit singles (the title track, "The Boxer," "Cecilia," and "El Condor Pasa").A 1981 concert in New York's Central Park attracted half a million fans, and was commemorated with a live album; they also toured in the early '80s, but a planned studio was canceled. Simon and Garfunkel were among the most popular recording artists of the 1960s, and are best known for their songs "The Sound of Mrs Robinson",[The Theme Song Of The Graduate] "Bridge over Troubled Water" and "The Boxer." They have received several Grammys and are inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2007). In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Simon and Garfunkel #40 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

By andrew conway [ 16/11/2007 ][ viewed 24 times ]
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Voted The World's Best Band In 1978

2008-01-20T20:51:00.000+07:00

The Bee Gees The Bee Gees are three brothers: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb; three outstanding songwriters, singers, producers and musicians.They have been rated as one of the best musical acts of all time.They were best rated band in the world in 1978. They were born on the Isle of Man to English parents, lived in Manchester, England and moved to Brisbane, Australia during their childhood years, where they began their musical careers. Their worldwide success came when they returned to England and signed with producer Robert Stigwood. It has been estimated that the Bee Gees' record sales total more than 220 million, easily making them part of the list of best-selling music artists. In 1958 The entire family moved to Australia, settling in the Brisbane area.1960, the Brothers were given their own half-hour weekly television show in Brisbane when Barry was still only 13, and the twins were 10! In 1963, they signed their first recording contract with Festival ]Records in Australia. They released their first Bee Gees written single, "Three Kisses of Love", and wrote songs for other artists the Bee Gees had been voted the top songwriting team in Australia in both 1965 and 1966. Yes, they had been named Australia's best group in 1966. In January, 1967, the Gibb family journeyed back to Great Britain. While on this journey, the Bee Gees finally got their first #1 in Australia with "Spicks and Specks" By 1969, after numerous hits, the stress of working together and other personal matters, the group split up. It would take 15 months for the group to come back together again. Two Years On", the next Bee Gees album. That album contained "Lonely Days", which became the Brothers first #1 single in the US, and their first gold US single.The 1972 album "To Whom It May Concern" produced the single "Run To Me", another huge hit. By 1975 The Brothers Gibb were back on top, commercially and creatively, as "Main Course" went gold and platinum, both "Nights on Broadway" and "Jive Talkin'" shot to #1, and "Jive Talkin'" was a gold single. 1976's "Children of the World" went gold and platinum, both "You Should Be Dancing" and "Love So Right" were gold singles, and "You Should Be Dancing" went to #1 as well. The movie "Grease" opens with the theme song, "Grease," added for the movie and written by Barry Gibb of the BeeGees and performed by Frankie Valli. Who could ever forget that movie? Saturday Night Fever" gained the music which propelled it into the stratosphere. The soundtrack to "SNF" became the best-selling album ever (a title it held until Michael Jackson's "Thriller" took over), and it remains the best-selling soundtrack album to this day. They keep on performing hit after hit and they were named the best rated band in 1978.On March 10, 1988, younger brother Andy died at age 30 from myocardial, an inflammation of the heart muscle due to a recent viral infection. Maurice, who had been the musical director of the Bee Gees during their final years as a group, died suddenly on January 12, 2003, from a strangulated intestine.They then decided to retire the groups name. This article, by no means,has covered all of the great hits that this family has had over the more than 4 decades that they were performing. The Bee Gees,in my opinion, were one of the greatest performing families of all times.

By andrew conway [ 19/11/2007 ][ viewed 26 times ]

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Finding the Best MP3 Players

2008-01-20T20:48:00.000+07:00

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, then you most likely heard or seen an MP3 player. An MP3 player is a remarkable and incredibly popular type of digital device that is able to store, organize, and play digital music files. Incredibly popular in the technologically advanced world of today, they are known as being the most recent in an incredible evolution of music formats that have helped people around the world enjoy music even more.MP3 players are very convenient, as most are so small they can fit snugly in your pocket or bag, and most players allow you to quickly and easily create personalized music lists and carry thousands of different songs wherever you go.Where to BuyIf you are interested in learning about where you can go to buy MP3 players, then you should know that you have a lot of different options to choose from. MP3 players are sold at every electronic store. They are also now being sold at grocery stores, drug stores, and even some corner stores are getting in on the sale of MP3 players. You can do an Internet search on popular MP3 players and compare brands, prices, and features before you venture to the store. The Internet is a great resource for information on all things electronic.Most electronic stores offer MP3 players from the best brand name companies in the world, including HP, Apple, Samsung, Belkin, and Creative Labs, and you can even buy directly off their website if this is more convenient for you.Find a company with a solid reputation and a good return policy. You are purchasing an electronic device, after all, and it is commonly known that sometimes damage does occur in transit and is not realized until after the sale has already been made. Any store, whether retail or Internet, should honor that product should this scenario occur.The Best of the BestRegardless of where you are interested in buying your MP3 players from, there are a few models in particular that stand out and are just generally a better MP3 player than some. In doing your research prior to your purchase you will easily come across this type of information. One MP3 player available was created by the leaders in flash memory and is a very attractive, modern-looking flash-based player that provides absolutely everything that you need in order to play your music in vibrant color. Some players even support Microsoft PlaysForSure subscription music, which is truly a great feature. The most important thing to realize is just how many fantastic options you have available when it comes to MP3 players. If you take the time to browse around at a few different outlets, you will find the particular one you’ve been searching for with the features that you want for a very affordable price. The industry is forever changing and introducing new and upgraded electronic products at a fairly decent pace. Keep that in mind when purchasing your MP3 player, because in a few months time there will be a new "must have" model for sale.

By Ursula McLean [ 19/11/2007 ][ viewed 23 times ]

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Features Of Your MP4 Player

2008-01-20T20:45:00.000+07:00

When MP3s came into the market, they were a huge hit. They were small and portable, and owners could listen to all their favorite music while on the move. Now you have the MP4 player, such as iPod, with even more advanced, attractive features! With the MP4 player (iPod), you can not only listen to your favorite songs, you can also watch your favorite movies, music videos, and TV shows, along with all your MP3 songs. It can do other things as well - you can listen to FM radio stations, you can record voice notes, and on some devices, you can even read your favorite ebooks. Since 1993, when the MP3 technology was first introduced in to the market, it had been the most important music format. The recent introduction of the MP4 with its more compressed audio format has again changed the way digital sound is perceived. Most people might not be aware of how the MP4 differs from the MP3 and think that MP4s are more compressed and hence smaller than the audio files in the MP3 format; others assume that these two represent different technologies. There are both common features as well as distinctions between MP3 and MP4 players. The most important point that comes to the mind when you compare the two, is that the MP4 format has properties that make up for all the shortfalls of the MP3, and the quality of perception of the files in the MP4 format is much better when compared to the MP3. Basically, MP4 is a container. So it has the capability to carry video as well as audio files. So the basic difference is that the MP4 contains the audio and video at the same time while the MP3 format can support only the audio files. The MP4 player (iPod) allows you to realize something bigger and better than anything you can imagine. It is a new concept known as Structured Audio, and it is a mode of describing sound in the most ultra-modern way. The MP4 technology supports a quality of sound that represents the future standard for a variety of multimedia applications, including computer music and gaming audio; hence one can think of the MP4 as the next step in the evolution of the file format that started with the MP3. There are many types of MP4 players in the market. They are very light and have small screens of 1.2 inch, however some of them may have screens of up to 2 inches. The speakers are built inside the players and there are earphone sockets as well. It is not unusual to find OLED display characteristics. OLED produces brighter and sharper images as compared to LCD images. A great characteristic of MP4 players (iPod) is that there are not innumerable buttons for the various commands. Only a few buttons are sufficient for the purpose. The memory is quite large at 8 GB for flash based and 100 GB in case of micro based hard drive. The latest MP4 players (iPod) even support third party, flash memory cards, which are external... they even have USB support. Earphones and other accessories are also available with the MP4, but at times the quality may not be up to the mark. Because of it capability of delivering both video and audio at the same time, MP4 devices (iPod) can offer an even greater range of features such as email, web browsing, instant messaging, music and video download, digital camera, bluetooth wireless technology and many more. Multiple language options and gaming capability add to its versatility. Features such as voice recording enable MP4 devices to be used not only for entertainment but also for professional purposes. This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

By Roberto Sedycias [ 20/11/2007 ][ viewed 25 times ]

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Hip Hop Beats Article-Why Doesn't My Hip Hop Beat or Song Sound like a Commercial CD?

2008-01-20T20:39:00.000+07:00

Disclaimer#1-WARNING LABEL-This article is not meant to cure or diagnose any sonic problems of your Hip Hop beats or rap masterpiece, but is intended to give you ideas of possible troubled areas to look at, and help you self diagnose things in the future from and engineering stand point. Whoa!Usually, when an artist comes in to our room, they might bring in a demo groove or beat on CD, and the question will pop up time and time again, "Yo Home Skillet, why does my demo sound so muddy", or "How come it doesn't sound like a store bought CD? Disclaimer #2 This article is assuming that you are producing music in a nice room with maybe some treatments (i.e. foam) on your walls, using real studio monitors, in other words my brothers and sisters, I'm assuming that you can trust the room and the monitors to tell you the truth. Nuff said! Moving on.Are you with me so far?When you're listening to your favorite rapper or hip hop artist on the radio, you can feel that kick, that pop of the claps or snare and, you are loving the bass drop, right? Folk, you hear those elements, and you think, "How do they get such a deep, deep bass and kick sound", "How do they juggle all the other frequencies so it don't sound muddy."Are you ready for this?Let's say you've got a simple kick and clap beat, with a tight hat, nice fat bass, maybe some bell sounds and so flo in the background. Don't touch the EQ just yet.1. I'll begin by setting my master fader to its detent spot.2. Listening at 85db, or if you got neighbors to keep happy, just go for as loud as possible without damaging your ears or the monitors.3. At your optimal level of volume, start adjusting the faders of the kicks, the snare or claps, add the hats. Go for a volume that makes those elements feel right. Very Important!4. Slip the bass in under the kick drum, till it feels good. Hopefully it's starting to breathe at this point. It's that feel thing again.5. Add your bells, keyboards sounds. Is it happening? It's gotta feel right at your optimal volume. If it does not feel right something will have to change in the arrangement.6. At this point I would take the master fader down to almost completely off just to listen at a quite level to see if you can still hear everything in the arrangement. Also listen for anything that might be jumping out of the mix. If it sounds good at this point Playa, your doing great.7. Let's bring the master fader back to optimal position. In you workstation/mixer hopefully you'll have EQ available, so lets start with our bells. Now, your first thought might be that the bells are high pitched right, so let's add a ton of high end EQ. Big no no! Instead, lets remove some, or maybe all of the dirty, dirty low end off of those bells. On such a high pitched instrument like those bells, there isn't anything really going on below 150 hertz, so roll it out Man! While your track is playing take it slow and let's start by rolling off with your low cut filter or maybe your bass shelving knob till the bells start to clear up. You may not need anything below 150 hertz. You be the judge. Use you ears. If it sound good, it is good. I said you may not need anything below 150hertz, but go higher if you think it sounds good. If you were using a piano instead of bells, try the same. By removing the dirty mud, you are really cleaning up your sound. Can you dig it?You know your ready for this!You can try this with the kick and snare, claps, and hats as well, just use caution and don't take out to much or it will sound harsh and very painful to listen to. Can you dig that? As far as the bass, depending on the sound of the bass itself, try cutting some of the really low garbage at the bottom first, then if it needs a little help try boosting a little somewhere around 100 hertz to start. Remember, when it feels right, then it is right.I'm saving compression, panning, effects and limiting for a future article, meanwhile I hope this will help you get started in the right direction.

By Charles Outlaw [ 20/11/2007 ][ viewed 23 times ]

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Hindi Bollywood Music - An Interesting History

2008-01-20T20:25:00.000+07:00

Hindi Music from Bollywood has had an interesting past and is poised to explode into the world arena over the next decade. This article takes a journey in the past of Hindi music, explores the important landmarks and takes a quick peek into its future.Music transcends all geographic barriers. It has no cultural , religious and ethnic boundaries- and depending on one's taste, it touches the very inner core of our souls.This musical montage with melody as the leitmotif at times charges us up helping us shape our attitudes and at other times, brings sweet memories back to lighten up our day. I have been a big follower of Hindi music ever since I can remember. Being also classically trained in Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music, I have a deep connection with Indian music. Bollywood music has had a long interesting journey. Starting with the 50's and 60's where actors and actresses sung their own songs. The 70's and 80's were marked by Lata Mangeshkar's timeless melodies, Mohd. Rafi's butter-sweet voice and R.D. Burman's ahead-of-their-times dance numbers. The 90's were, to me, a phase of transition for Bollywood music where the influence of western music and instruments gradually increased and brought with it, several new flavors. The term Indi-pop got coined in that time as well starting a whole new era where artists could now release their own music albums. It is hard to believe that prior to the 90's there were very few mainstream Hindi music albums and the popular music was generally from Bollywood movies. The new millennium stands for the most amount of creativity that I have seen in Hindi music. Composers took the liberty to combine flavors of American, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Urdu, Arabic and several other countries and created beautiful blends - never before seen in Bollywood. The most successful composer in the new millennium has been A.R. Rehman. His music was the perfect blend of the West and the East but with the Indian flavor that made it so different. Album after album and movie after movie that be composed for were hits and to this day, he is the most successful composer of our times.His most memorable albums are Roja, Bombay, Vande Mataram and most recently, Guru.The future holds a lot more for Bollywood music. Today, Hindi music plays on radio around the world. The top Indian composers are in international demand and compose music for movies and albums in Hollywood and Europe as well. With Indian models getting recognition in recent years, Aishwarya Rai was Miss World and Sushmita Sen was Miss Universe) and movie hits such as Bend It Like Beckham and Monsoon Wedding directed by Indians, they are definitely on the verge of taking off in a big way. But that is only scratching the surface. Indian music has a 5000 year heritage, longer than most other forms of music and there are hundreds of music forms in India that are unexplored and unseen by the rest of the world. The next couple of decades will see Indian music gain prominence in the world arena. With the availability of portals such as YouTube, releasing music has never been easier. Raaga.com and MusicIndiaOnline.com have huge collections of Indian music online as well.

By Srini Venkat [ 20/11/2007 ][ viewed 24 times ]

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The City of Live Music

2008-01-20T20:21:00.000+07:00

Anyone who lives in Austin knows why the city council adopted the slogan “live music capital of the world” in 1991. For those just visiting, the city offers many opportunities to find out.The famed music scene of Austin began in the 60s and 70s at the Vulcan Gas Company. Musicians played country music here to crowds of loud and enthusiastic fans. Willie Nelson moved to Austin in 1965 and kick started his career in front of these audiences. He went on to become one of the most successful country music artists of all time. Not long after, the Vulcan Gas Company became known as the Armadillo World Headquarters, or just The Armadillo, and Austin’s music really took off.As the music scene grew more popular, Austin gained a reputation for welcoming struggling artists. Bands and singers knew they would find receptive audiences at numerous informal establishments and the type of music played expanded to include jazz, blues, rock and roll, and everything in between.The music scene in Austin has fostered the career of many now famous musicians. Perhaps the most legendary, Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of the most influential blues guitarists in the world. He first played at Antone’s, the club founded by his mentor and record producer, Clifford Antone.Television and annual festivals have helped Austin develop into the live music capital. The show Austin City Limits first aired on PBS in 1975. The live music experience showcased the variety of artists heard in Austin and helped significantly to grow the city’s music reputation. Almost every kind of music imaginable can be heard at the three day Austin City Limits Music Festival held every September. Since its inception in 2002, it has become one of the premier music festivals in the country.The Sixth Street area of downtown Austin houses the largest collection of live music venues and is the location of the South by Southwest Festival. SXSW, as it is known, is a music and film festival that has generated more revenue than even the Texas Longhorn’s home games. Certainly, the times of year that coincide with the music festivals are the most exciting for fans of live music. At any other time of year, tourists may be disappointed with the atmosphere of the famed Sixth Street area. Several of the original, small music venues have closed and in their place are more profitable bars and clubs.While some may believe the eclectic, small feel of Austin’s music scene is waning, others still revel in the live entertainment.

By Dane Smith [ 21/11/2007 ][ viewed 22 times ]

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