Teacher Trick: Keeping Young Students Focused

After teaching for more than 15 years, I have come to understand that to be a good teacher, you have to be able to adapt and change your teaching habits and techniques as students and circumstances change and grow. As of late, most of my students consist of younger elementary school children, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. While teaching the younger students is enjoyable and fun, it requires a different approach than teaching older children and adults. One thing I have realized is that younger children's attention spans are not that long. Each child is different, ten minutes is a great amount of time for an activity. It is important to remember while young children may be enjoying what we do in lessons, they cannot stay on the same task for long. So I have come up with a few things that help keep them engaged while learning new concepts and reviewing things they have already learned.

Using different books:

While I use specific curriculums for the most part, I have discovered that supplementing with other books (even if it is only in lessons) helps to change things up. One of the books I like to use as a supplement is Klav-Ear for kids. This curriculum offers a completely different approach to learning the piano when compared to other curriculums I use such as Alfred's Premiere Piano Course or Little Mozarts. This method helps kids learn concepts with hands on experience and pictures they can understand rather than teaching concepts through verbal instructions and traditional music notation. Another important feature is the full exploration of the keyboard, rather than specific hand positions. I use this book with a CD in class, where they play with the CD. The songs are very interesting and fun for the children. For instance in one song they are the siren of a fire truck as it comes closer and then drives away. This is a great way to teach how to play Forte (loud) and Piano (soft) as well as Crescendo (getting louder) and Decrescendo (getting softer). I call this a game instead of an exercise to give it a different feel than just playing from another book.

Using Props

Using things other than the piano and the child's books helps to change things up as well. For instance, I use the Little Mozarts characters Beethoven Bear and Mozart Mouse for almost all my students in the beginning, regardless of the curriculum they are in. Mozart Mouse sits at the top of the Piano and Beethoven Bear sits at the bottom of the Piano to help the child visualize which side has higher sounds (the mouse) and which side has lower sounds (the bear).

Additionally, I use blocks with letters on them to drill the students on the Music Alphabet, white keys on the piano, and even reading the staves. In one activity, I place the blocks in a bag and have them draw them out one at a time, as they pull out each letter, they place that block on the piano where that key is, and then find all the keys with that same name.

Finally, I use is a small draw erase board. The kids typically love to use the board and markers. We use this to review theory concepts such as reading and rhythm we have learned in our books. I can do something as simple as asking them to draw a picture of something loud then soft, or printing the staff on the board and having them fill in notes.

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Timeline of the Guitar

As a stringed instrument, the guitar traces its roots back to as early as the 16th century in Spain, which greatly influenced its development. The "vihuela" is the ancestor of the "guitar", whcih descended from the Spanish vocabulary "guitarra". It is also strongly believed that the guitar descended from the Roman instrument "cithara" and development influenced by the four stringed instrument of the moors "the oud" and the Scandinavian "lut", another six stringed instrument.

In the seventeenth century, the four stringed "vihuela" started losing its popularity and gave way to the "regal guitar" in France, which is much more similar to the modern day guitar, although tuned much differently. In England, this was known as the five string guitar. Despite being very popular in France and England, it is believed that the fifth string was added to the "vihuela" in Spain to make the instrument more versatile and accessible to the diverse musical scene.

It is in the seventeenth century that the sixth string was added to the Italian "guitarra battente", which set trend for most of Europe. Classical guitar provides us with the closest nexus to the modern guitars. Antonio Torres cannot go unmentioned as he played an important role in developing and improving the sound and tone of the guitar. This remained as the standard construction of guitars, providing and indelible blueprint for future models. At about the same time, the development on the X-braced top guitar by German immigrant, Christian Fredrich Martin, was in motion. The metal stringed guitar, appeared in the nineteenth century promising a louder sound but was not necessarily accepted by most classical guitar fans. This resulted in the steel stringed instrument etching out its own industry. The guitar tuner was popularized as the de facto accesory in the 20th century.

Development of electric guitars provided promise for better sound through amplification. Jazz guitars were also developed during this time. Guitars have since been extensively used as a musical instrument in many countries. In jazz ensembles, it has been occasioned as a solo instrument. In modern jazz, ensembles have been joined by the bass, rhythm and lead guitar as a full group. The guitar continues to be one of the most applied musical instrument in modern music.

The future has already arrived and the Gibson robot guitar is proof of this. The guitar has the ability to tune itself in accordance with the players input. What will be next in the evolution of guitar?

If you are in need of a guitar tuner then be sure to drop by http://www.123guitartuner.com/ for a free tune-up.

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Sweelinck - Variations on Est-Ce Mars

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) was a Dutch organist and composer. His father was also an organist. The family moved to Amsterdam shortly after Jan's birth, and his father took the position of organist at the Oude Kirk (Old Church) there. Jan also was organist at the same church after the death of his father. Sweelinck was one of the first major keyboard players in Europe, and he helped establish the Northern German school of organ playing as exemplified by J.S. Bach.

He was one of the first organists to play fugues by giving the subject first, and have the other voices follow in succession. He also extended the use of the organ pedals and was one of the first to use the pedals for the voice in a fugue. He was also a very good teacher as many of his keyboard works were written for his students. His influence was widespread, as his music was known in England. He had earned the nickname 'The Orpheus Of Amsterdam' and the city fathers would bring guests from the surrounding area to hear him play.

He evidently spent his entire life in Amsterdam, but his expertise on organs was in high demand so he traveled inspecting and testing organs and giving advice on their construction. After the Calvinist Reformation of the church in Amsterdam, organ music was no longer allowed during church service. Sweelinck would give impromptu recitals on the organ an hour before and an hour after church services. These impromptu recitals were very popular, as Sweelinck would play the popular tunes of the day and then improvise variations on the tune.

Sweelinck left about 70 compositions for keyboard, and a glimpse of his powers as an improviser can be heard in these pieces. The Variations on Est-ce Mars is one such example. The tune is French and was well-known at the time. The first line of the song roughly translates to: "Is that Mars, the great god of battles, that I see?" The words may not mean much to modern ears, but Sweelinck shows his imagination and skill in the seven variations on the tune.

As with all music that is so old, there are performance practices of the time that we know little about, if anything at all. Without knowing how these pieces were actually performed, especially in a time where improvisation was much more prevalent, any modern performance may be but an approximation. Be that as it may, the music of Sweelinck and other composers of so long ago can still be listened to and appreciated, especially if a sensitive musician is playing the music. Music can be a powerful form of expression and can bridge the centuries.

Visit Musical Musings for thoughts and impressions about musicians, composers and their music. http://muswrite.blogspot.com/

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Decorating Your Night Club With the Right Club Lightings

When you choose to start a business by running a night club, there are a lot of important things that you need to consider. These include getting the right food and drinks to serve to your customers, getting the right music and DJ, and most importantly, creating a party atmosphere that would surely suit the taste of your target patrons.

In decorating night clubs and other party venues, one of the things that would surely make a great impact is having the right lighting equipments. By getting the right ones, not only will you be able to provide proper illumination, it will also serve as a decoration for the interior of your establishment. In choosing which ones to get, you might consider the following:

LED par cans - one thing that you want to show off is the stage or the dance floor in your night club. You can give emphasis on the area by lighting it up with LED par cans. They can provide the room or an area with a consistent color as well as the right illumination. This type of par can far more popular compared to other par cans, because of its features.

Compare to other par cans, getting a LED type has a lot of advantages. The first one is that it can provide different color combinations, allowing you to design your place with the right color and illumination that you want it to have. Secondly, it doesn't heat up compared to other par cans and is quite efficient in terms of energy consumption. This makes it a great choice in terms of energy costs. Also, it allows different functions like dimming and changing colors at an instant.

LED moving heads - another equipment that you're night club should really have are LED moving heads. This piece of equipment can surely turn up the party atmosphere with the light show that it can provide. Since it uses LED technology, it has the capability of combining the colors red, blue and green. These colors are the standard colors that are being combined by LED lighting equipments in order to produce different colors.

Also, LED moving heads are designed to rotate and move in varying directions, spreading light in different areas. This can surely be cool, especially if it is integrated with the music that is being played by the DJ through the use of a DMX controller.

Fog machines - also known as a smoke machine, a fog machine can be quite useful to have in enhancing the design and the ambience of your night club. Due to the refractive and reflective capabilities of smoke that is being released by the machine, it can help improve or increase the quality of the light effects in your night club. It can make them appear more solid and seem brighter.

DMX controllers - aside from the music, lights can now be controlled by DJ's or can be programmed to function in a way that you want it to function. This is made possible by getting a DMX controller for your night club. This can allow you to connect lighting equipments you have to a computer system which can synchronize their movement and effects with the music or how the DJ may want them to function.

Francisco Perry is an enthusiastic writer of EllumiGlow.com who likes to share information on nightclub lighting and DJ lights as well as related products.

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Psonar: Pay As You Go Streaming Music

Psonar is a pay for play streaming music service that provides a healthy alternative to the all you can eat buffet style of Spotify. The Cambridge, UK-based social music service is also a community in which users can discover new music, sample it and, if they want, buy it to add to their own collection. The companies pay as you go model is very appealing to the growing masses that are currently using no contract cell phone services. Their business model is very simple, you pay $5. 00 and get 500 plays.

Below are the results of a brief conversation that I recently had with Psonar CEO and VC Martin Rigsby.

Kelland: What is your background?

Martin: Our background is primarily within the technology space. Richard Urwin who is the CTO and I were kicking a few ideas around in 2008 for mobile technology and we saw how teenagers where using a lot of technologies to listen to music but it was difficult for them to manage it. So our original idea was to create a locker service for teenagers to be able to access their music from any device at anytime. But, that had a lot of problems because of licensing issues. So we had spoken with the head of digital music and Universal and he expressed his frustration because no one had come up with a model to monetize micro payments for digital music. So that was the turning point. So with Ray Anderson who is another Co-Founder is the CEO of Bango, which is a mobile payment platform and my background in finance we thought we would be able to come up with a solution.

Kelland: After that light bulb struck, how long did it actually take to launch?

Martin: We are actually in a third generation of the Psonar, but we have actually been working on this particular iteration for about 18 months.

Kelland: How has the response been?

Martin: It's been really good! The indie community particularly in the U.K. and in the U.S. have really taking a liking to it. Also, we have got a lot of positive feedback from the consumers. People love our technology as well as the iOS app. Plus our price point is really compelling.

Kelland: What is the price point per track?

Martin: To stream a track it costs you one U. S. Cent and one Euro cent. So you buy credit by using your cell phone, PayPal account or credit card. The minimum amount of credit you can buy is .49 which is 49 songs. A very important part of the whole process is you can actually give streams to other people.

Kelland: What are the advantages to using a per stream service versus a monthly all you can listen service?

Martin: For the consumer if you don't want or can't afford to commit a $120 a year, the pay per stream is a much more flexible way to consume music. Also for people who have prepaid cell phones or don't have a debit or credit card billing directly through your phone is great. Labels and artists are able to encourage people to buy their music through our new platform called "Viral Promotion."

Kelland: Explain Viral promotion to me?

Martin: The idea with "Viral Promotion" is if you have a new EP or concert you can actually send out a playlist or EP to your existing fans and they can play it once. If they want to unlock it they would have to do so by sharing it with someone else.

Kelland: What are your plans for the future?

Martin: We think we have the capacity to be the dominant player in providing people on pay as you go mobile plans with great music. And, that's actually 49% of the market in the U.K. and it's just a bit less in the U.S.

Kelland L. Drumgoole
CEO
SoSoActive.com

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How to Start Creating Dubstep Music

In order to start laying down some filthy dubstep music, you're going to need to get yourself the proper gear. There's absolutely no need at this point to go out and look for top of the line stuff suitable for the production studios of the pros like Skrillex and Flux Pavilion (if your into them). A computer purchased within the last 5 years, some decent headphones, and the right kind of software is all you'll need for now. We don't want to get carried away here.

First we have to see if you have what it takes to eventually get good enough to call yourself a dub king (or queen). Of course by that I mean will you maintain your interest in production long enough to actually get good at this stuff and lay down tracks filthier than Bear Grylls when he's thirsty?

-__-

Too far?

But seriously... too many people who try to start making electronic music get frustrated with a complex software program that is way out of their league, and lose interest in producing all together. This is just plain wrong and should never happen to you. You need to choose your software carefully based on your experience and the "feel" of the program to you.

The majority of producers today use sequencing packages which are usually referred to as DAW's (Digital Audio Workstations). These enable the artist to record sounds, arrange audio, and build a track in an intuitive workflow, and often include various plugins, or extensions to the sequencing program which can usually be downloaded around the internet, that add extra capabilities to your production environment. A good program can support plugins, but if you're just starting out, it can complicate things.

Here are some good programs to start with:

• Garageband

• Acid Pro

For those of you who have experience with the basics, are really patient with new software, or don't care what I say and want what the pros are using, try these:

• Logic

• Reason

• Ableton Live

• FL Studio

Many of these programs feature some type of free trial or sample version. It is important to check out multiple different production software to get a feel for which one might suit your needs best and will ultimately be the easiest for you to work with. Seriously try to do this, so you can avoid buyers remorse and hours of frustration later.

Now, get to work and start creating some PROPER dubstep tracks right now!

Cheers!

If you're interested in learning how to create dubstep music, as well as the best software to use, visit http://www.thedubstepcreator.com/

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I Need Beats! Is That What You're Telling Youself?

Well, if you are telling yourself," I need beats!", then you want to make sure you get the correct compositions and not just any instrumental for your projects. With your lyrics being as crucial as the beat you must understand that when you pick from the almost infinite resources online that your persona as a rapper or singer is a perfect match to the track you pick. You want to achieve maximum impact as you rehearse the delivery of your metaphors. That is if you're the type of lyricist that operates in that manner.

Here are three examples of rappers with different styles and delivery. You got rappers like Nas that go towards a more critical thinking approach when he executes his lyrical content. Now you got a rapper like Lil' Wayne that's weighs heavily on metaphoric lyrical execution. Then you got your rap artists that focus on comical humor most of the time. We all know which ones are more so comedians when they flow. Laughter in raps is just as an import element of versatility to set aside many stereotypes that many rappers endure. There is nothing wrong with speaking from the heart but consider all moods and feelings in the outline of your project.

Before you just grab any track keep in mind what expression you're looking for and don't just jump the gun and flow on anything. I've had artists that come with the attitude that they can rap about anything over any beat. Which brings us back to that hilarious movie, "Malibu's Most Wanted". The dude sucked and thought he had it all. Don't be like that and know your message and meaning you are striving for. Make your selections wisely that best fits what illustrations you are painting on the canvas of inspirational tracks.

Ask yourself the question. What lyrical thought process is the instrumental inspiring me to flow about? Be critically creative with what you would like to say on it. If so, do some research on the topic if you come across moments more than once of writers block. If you find it difficult to write lyrical content utilize resources like Rhymer.com and sites related. A good formula for crunching out full songs quickly is to put in the word you would like to rhyme with Rhymer.com's Rhyme box set to "end rhyme".

With those results browse through the words you would like to use and if you don't know what some of the words mean then click on the word and find the dictionary option on the site. With the meaning in front of you. Another technique would be to use all the words within the meaning of the word to help aid you in mashing out lyrical content in the quickness! You will be surprised as to how fast you can get your album or mixtape completed with these strategies in play!

So if you are telling yourself, " I need beats!" Then look no future and obtain your tracks from http://www.autopilotbeats.webs.com/.

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A Great (and Unknown) Neil Young Song: "Mr. Disappointment"

In this day of digital downloads, YouTube and music-sharing it seems the album (or "LP") has gone the way of the dinosaur. Music fans are simply scanning websites, cherry-picking their song selections and moving on to the next site before they even have a chance to listen to the tune they just downloaded. This revolutionary approach to obtaining music has replaced the days when music fans would purchase an album of typically ten to fourteen songs from a given artist and in the process uncover musical "gems" hiding somewhere in those tracks. "Mr. Disappointment", from Neil Young's 2002 release Are You Passionate? is one of these buried treasures.

Canadian Singer/Songwriter Neil Young made his initial splash with the bands Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Since setting out as a solo artist Young has made musical explorations into swing, electronic music, 50's style, and grunge (to name a few.) Young's 26th studio album Are You Passionate? represents his foray into soul music featuring Booker T and the MG's in addition to Young's band Crazy Horse. While many of the tracks are soul-inspired the tune "Mr. Disappointment" jumps off the collection as a Neil Young classic.

"Mr. Disappointment" opens with the slow 2/4 tempo ala by Bob Dylan on his recent work (i.e. "Mississippi", "Shooting Star".) This rhythmic "pocket" and groove is the perfect canvas for Neil's mellow, grunge-inspired electric guitar intro which we later learn is the melody for the song's chorus. But what is truly captivating is Young's vocal approach. Again, very reminiscent of recent Dylan as the song's verses are essentially spoken rather than sung. The opening line sets the mood and tone of the song: "Where did all the feelings go? What about that happy glow? Was that so long ago, when we were first in love? I didn't feel the change, everything was still the same. And when that moment came, I didn't know."

In the chorus Young changes from spoken-word to his trademark high, nasally, tenor singing voice and sadly sings: "I'd like to shake your hand, Disappointment. Looks like you win again, but this time might be the last..."

The song moves between verse and chorus juxtaposing the spoken-word with Young's singing and in-between lies Young's heart-breaking, Les Paul-toned guitar riffs. His guitar solo three quarters of the way into the piece is as beautiful as any solo Young has ever played.

From a songwriter's standpoint, Neil Young's "Mr. Disappointment" is among the most compelling and honest songs in Young's catalogue. However, it is Young's performance of this tune that makes it completely unforgettable. Surf on over to your favorite music website and check it out. But bring the Kleenex.

Kenn Morr http://www.kennmorr.com/ is an internationally acclaimed Singer/Songwriter, Performer, Producer and Author with six albums to his credit. Originally from Long Island, NY Kenn lives in the foothills of New England's Berkshire Mountains with his wife and two young sons.

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Finding the Perfect Guitar Tuner

In the dark ages, musicians had only one choice for tuning their instrument. The tuning fork was all they needed to get the guitar sounding right. We too often think that our fancy electronics make things easier, when in fact they can do the opposite. When relying on a device to 'listen for you' it gets easier to become lazy in our critical hearing skills. The tuning fork has no visual feedback, which forces the guitarist to listen intensely. This is the missing link between becoming a better player.

We now live in modern world with about a million guitar tuners to choose from. From big boxes to tiny clamp on devices and even suction based tuners. If your a live musician, it may be best to use one that is discreet and easy to access in a loud environment. I tend to use the clamp on tuners when traveling but at home may even use the built in tuner in Pro Tools. Adventurous types may opt for a chromatic tuner, which allows for access to every single note. Going even deeper are those who stray from the standard 440 tuning. Modern research has found that tuning everything to 432 can bring healing frequencies to the listener. Many of those hit songs from the 60s and 70s used this tuning across every instrument. You may also want to try 425 which is great for drones.

Regardless of which guitar tuner you choose, it's important to also get a simple tuning fork. I try to always keep one of these in D and E. This will keep your ears laser sharp and aware of the slightest changes. This does require a quiet room but you'll be a better listener for it. Even when using a modern electronic tuner, you can be aware of the aural disconnect. It kind of goes without saying, but be sure and have some fresh backup batteries. This can be a lifesaver in live or studio situations. If you are flat broke, there is still a free solution. Some have gone to great lengths to create a free online guitar tuner that can be accessed from anywhere. This means that your smartphone, tablet or laptop can be used as a tuner. The tuner is currently a flash based app but will soon be HTML5.

Best of all, this online tuner forces you to listen and get it right. After tuning by ear, try and follow up with a digital tuner to see how close you were. Keep doing this and over time your hearing will improve and this effects musicality as well. If you are interested in trying this then use our free app at 123 Guitar Tuner. It works on any computer browser or mobile browser.

If all of this sounds tight, then step on over to http://www.123guitartuner.com/ and get rockin'

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Sweet, Swing, and Artistic Integrity in 20th Century American Song

The era of American popular song that was characterized by the styles of Big Band music is an era of duality; this duality existed in the form of Swing versus Sweet music, and within these two genres, as artistic integrity versus commercial appeal. Artists such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and Duke Ellington exemplify such contrast within the Big Band era. However, the antithetical nature of art and business does not only appear during this time or within this genre music, but exists in many other periods and styles of popular American music. The musical characteristics of Sweet and Swing music parallel characteristics of other American genres, such as folk music and the topical song, bebop and "cool" jazz, and rock'n'roll, as well as suggest that opposition to hegemony is frequently juxtaposed with the aspiration for commercial success.

While the characteristics that are associated with Sweet and Swing music as separate entities of the Big Band era distinguish the two in terms of artistic integrity, it is important to note that there existed a tremendous amount of "cross-pollination" between Sweet and Swing. From a black-and-white perspective, Sweet often embodied songs that were indicative of commercial motives and mass appeal; contrastingly, Swing represented the side of Big Band music that remained committed to the creation of music as art, and rejected the immediate rewards of popularity and commercial success. In reality, the artists that are most often associated with these styles employed their efforts in both directions.

An excellent example of such efforts lies with the artist Benny Goodman. As a composer and performer for radio, he was required to create new music at an incredible rate in order to satisfy the needs of radio's mass audience. In order to do this, Goodman derived his compositions from the work of Fletcher Henderson, a little known African-American Big Band artist. While Goodman always gave Henderson credit for the role he played in creating this music, using another person's work to compose the music stripped it of its artistic and creative validity. Although Benny Goodman was instrumental in establishing jazz (Swing) music as a legitimate art form, this particular aspect of his music illustrates how music of this era sacrificed artistic ideals for commercial interests.

Relatively new forms of media such as radio made the need for mass appeal paramount during this time of American music. To this affect, even composers such as Goodman were forced to take measures that catered to this need. Similarly, Glenn Miller exemplifies this sort of appeal more than any other individual of the genre. Miller's music has been described as accessible to the whole of the American public on a level of emotional and intellectual expression. This characteristic undoubtedly contributed to his commercial success, and serves as a common characteristic of Sweet music. Even Duke Ellington, who was very loyal to the musical elements of African and jazz music, recognized how essential it was to appeal to the Sweet-oriented listener. However, all of these artists - Goodman, Miller, and Ellington - included musical characteristics that supported Swing music as a legitimate form of art music, and replaced the sole interest of financial success.

Following the period of Benny Goodman's career that was centered in radio entertainment, Goodman went on a national tour with a band that heavily preferred Swing music's definitive style. The national audience, a mass audience by all standards of the time, preferred the accessibility and sentimentality of Sweet music; this contrast in interests between the artists and their audience nearly ended Goodman's career as a Swing musician. However, Goodman maintained his approach to performing Swing music and eventually saw success with west coast audiences, subsequently climaxing with an appearance at Carnegie Hall that would mark the acceptance of jazz and Swing music as a legitimate genre of art music. Similar trends, which favor the non-commercial nature of Swing music versus Sweet music, appear with Miller and Ellington.

Like Goodman, Duke Ellington masterfully employed the theoretical advances of Western music in the creation of jazz, further supporting the genre's validity as high art in American culture. Glenn Miller went a step further, and popularized elements of jazz music in previously conservative settings such as military bands against the will of administration. Such hegemonic resistance is also present in Miller's work for film soundtracks and scores; he insisted that his music be integral in enhancing the film's story. These artists contribute to the conclusion that Sweet and Swing music were not definitely contradictory in support of either artistic integrity or commercial motives.

Using this understanding of Big Band era music as dually in support of artistic integrity and commercial success, it becomes clear that other periods and genres of American popular music exemplify similar characteristics. The period in American history that ushered in the popularity of the topical protest song is associated with artists and songwriters like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. These two individuals represent a duality in folk music of this time that is very similar to that of Sweet and Swing. On one hand, folk music had come to embody the protest of hegemonic influence and the rejection of commercial motives, but it also sought a larger audience in order to instigate the change it forwardly supported. Woody Guthrie's numerous contributions to the genre were characterized by support for the weak or oppressed citizen; while Guthrie's ideologies were in favor of a great number of people, the fact that he never polished his sound for commercial appeal suggests that his motives were far removed from those associated with economic gain. However, the sole aspiration of protest music is to instigate change, and that is not possible unless the music has public exposure. Consequently, other artists like Pete Seeger targeted wider audiences, as is apparent by the title of his album "Songs for John Doe," and portrayed less stability in their public expression of ideological opinion, suggesting external influences in the content of their music's message. The content of Seeger's songs was still representative of a minority perspective, but in general, his work was more akin to the commercial characteristics of Sweet music during the Big Band era. While protest music truly gained mass appeal during the 1960s, modern jazz immediately followed the demise of the Big Band during the late 1940s, and it too portrays characteristics like those of Sweet and Swing.

Bebop and "cool" jazz share Swing's definitive style of "hot" dance music, as well as employ similar rhythm sections as those seen in Swing bands. Although modern jazz music used a mostly standard instrumental lineup, groups experimented with other instruments like the electric guitar and flute. The presence of a flute in a jazz recording of this period is usually associated with a more commercialized modern jazz sound, which became more common in the later years of the period. In this sense, modern jazz occasionally supported the commercial motives of Sweet music. However, artists like Count Basie redeem this genre's artistic integrity; Basie implemented formal techniques of Western music such as "obliggatto," and introduced the concept of "comping" to the rhythm section. These musical techniques represent a heightened understanding of music theory, and therefore show how modern jazz is a valid form of art music in much the same way as Goodman and Ellington did for Swing.

The more recent musical phenomenon known as rock'n'roll also supports the contradictory nature of American popular music as being both artistically and commercially motivated. Rock'n'roll is a genre that inherently conjures up iconic imagery; Elvis, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones are some of the most prominent of these iconic figures. It only stands to reason that individuals and groups with such mass appeal would be accompanied by commercial initiatives that overlook the value of music as art. Indeed, there are countless t-shirts, novelties, figurines, and other merchandise associated with these artists, but rock'n'roll does contain elements that redeem its validity as a genre with artistic integrity. The musical influences of rock'n'roll consist of an extremely wide range of genres, and apply the theoretical advances that are associated with those genres. Rock'n'roll has also had a close relationship with opposition to hegemonic desires; consider The Beatles' beginnings as a group that constantly focused its music on youth, love, and other mainstream ideals, as opposed to their emergence as countercultural, drug-tolerant intellectuals. Clearly, this period also reflects the concepts that are associated with Sweet versus Swing music.

The artistic focus of Swing music in opposition to the commercial concerns of Sweet music is a pattern that appears often in American music history. While some genres lean more to one side or the other, it is clear that their value is rarely straightforward, and all of them are valid in their place in American music history despite any shortcomings in either artistic integrity or commercial success.

Brian Sullivan received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, in the field of communication, with a special interest in mass communication and media studies. As part of this program, Brian also studied musical theory, history, performance, and the impact of music on contemporary popular culture.

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Madonna: Still The World's Greatest Performer

Music has always been a large part of society and so when influential and unique individuals emerge within the music industry they inevitably become exponentially popular. One of these individuals is Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone). Born on August 16th, 1958, Madonna was one of the most influential characters in the music industry throughout the 80's and early 90's. As an American songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur she has undoubtably made a strong name for herself throughout the world.

Madonna originally started her career by singing within music groups such as Breakfast Club and Emmy but then decided to branch out on her own and create her own brand. With the release of her debut album, people all over the world started to catch onto the revolutionary music and style that Madonna brought forth. She has had an abundance of different number one hits that have topped record charts all over the world including 'Like a Prayer', 'Papa Don't Preach', 'Vogue', '4 Minutes', and 'Like a Virgin'.

Her music career isn't the only aspect of her life that has forced her into the limelight. Madonna is also a practicing actress who has had an abundance of film appearances since 1985. She has won a variety of different awards including a Golden Globe Award for her role in Evita during the year of 1996. Although Evita was a long time hit, many critics found that Madonna had fallen short of her acting career as her other film roles were titled as failures.

Although the majority of Madonna's fame was found within the 80's ad 90's, she has continued to produce catchy and lyrical music in order to continue her role as an influential person within the music industry. The most important part of Madonna was her fashion sense and her risque approach to society. Within the 80's and 90's it was very rare that people would see provocative imagery during music videos as it was classified as "inappropriate" or "controversial" but Madonna rarely cared about critical thinking like that. Creating her music videos was seen as an art project as she thrust herself into the minds of people all over the world with fashion decision and her portrayal of sexual imagery in her music and music videos.

With her half time Super Bowl XLVI performance, Madonna inevitably showed the world that she still has the ability to create new and pop centric music enjoyable by all generations. During her performance she shared the stage with new artists such as LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, and M.I.A meanwhile performing with revolutionary artists such as Cee Lo Green. With over 114 million viewers, Madonna's half time performance was catalogued as the most watched halftime show in the history of the Super Bowl. The 53 year old looked absolutely amazing while she proved once more in the 12 minute session that she is the world's greatest performer.

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The First and Last Idol - Siobhan Magnus'

On the song "Always Thinking" Siobhan Magnus, the quirky yet dignified finalist from American Idol's Season 9 sing "And I'm always thinking how I don't want to be like them....". Loud, haunting and soaring, it became my favorite from her eleven track album "Moonbaby" from Snotface Record.

With my love of 90's pop music, I can't believe I'll fall in love with a song like "Always thinking". Maybe it's the rhythm but most probably, it's because of the beautiful painting that Siobhan illustrates right before my eyes while listening to her lyrics and how she sings right from the heart. While people thought it's crazy to answer back when judges say things, I thought it's courageous for a girl with petite body to say what she felt. The song "Escape Goat", I believe is her reply to everything that they said about her.

It's not shocking that Siobhan became the very first American Idol to independently write, produce and build up her own music under her own label. The album "Moonbaby" represents all the words she long wanted to say. It's a story of her childhood, teenage life and journey to Hollywood.

On the song "Hollywood Carousel", one would understand how Hollywood happened to her totally unplanned. It is another haunting song with haunting lyrics. It gives a realization that most of the time; people fail to distinguish between physical beauty and the reality. People want to be "prancing painted pony with a porcelain face" but just like them, she's willing to rise and fall. The only difference is that she's willing to take the harder route to understand what she's really capable of. With her undeniably great vocals, she sings:

I'm going along no matter how long it lasts

I'm going far no matter how hard or fast

Several tracks from the album are wonderfully radio friendly. It is amazing how she did it without losing her uniqueness and musical identity. The song "Pure Inspiration" is a message to all people not just the ones who love her.

On the first single "Beatrice Dream" she says about how she was "tested with love and lies". "Pure Inspiration" talks about how she dealt with bullying and how it all started. It is clear how she wants to inspire young kids to stand up for themselves and teach them how to fight despite desolation. From the depths of her heart, she says "thank you" to all people who hated and loved her. There's no difference because love and lies made her want to achieve greater heights.

Ever since she got booted out from idol, many people dreamt of hearing her on the radio and getting mainstream just like the bunch of singers today. But it was clear from the start that she's challenged to do it her own way. However, she still regards the show as a foundation. The song "Moonbaby" is about her Idol tour experience. She narrates what it felt like singing on stage and seeing her fans in "glowing purple".

At the age of 21, Magnus represents the youth of today's generation. They're full of questions, eager to discover things, experiment and say what they really feel. Peculiarly, she even talked science on the song "Big Collapse". She's making it clear what the universe means to her and how she accepts the fact that she's just a small part of it. But just like other people, she has dreams and she's willing to be stretched to put these in reality.

If we're all made of matter, tell me what it matters

In the infinite world, I'm just another girl....

Stretch me like spaghetti till I find my singularity

What separates Magnus is that she understands what lies in her heart. The album made it clear that the artist easily deciphers what's right and what is wrong. With the song "Eulogy", she touches the sensitive issue of suicide and how she goes against it. For a victim of bullying and the abusive society, it could've been the easiest route but for her, it's not. It's a barrier that blocks the truth to come out. Several heart touching lines but the best says:

We are the remnants of

Of the choice you made that day

Mothers left behind

It isn't right

Vocally and melodically, "Eulogy" is probably the best. Any person who'll hear it would agree that she's one of the best voices in the music scene today with her rare vocal talent. The song "Little Blue Pill" demonstrates her wide vocal ability. Her longing sirens are unbelievable.Something that makes you want to hold on to the singer's every single breath. It's another story that only few singers would even try to narrate. It is as unique and deep as its artist. Perhaps, no other pop artist knows that a song like this could ever exist.

"Moonbaby" gave me more reasons to respect Siobhan Magnus. Her trademark vocal talent and ability is just a bonus. It's just the first dot that you'll notice in the middle of a clean white paper. What makes the album a stand out is the artist's desire to express her thoughts about her values, beliefs, the society and human situation. Subtlety, she's teaching her listeners and draws them to want to become better people. For this reason and for me, she is the first and last American idol.

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Branding and Dynamics - A Band's Map to Success

I was a hippie, a product of the 60's. I could tell another hippie very easily. If I saw a guy with long hair driving an old Volkswagen bus with a peace sign painted on the sides, I knew exactly what he was about. We had a sort of communication of the counter culture. That is branding. I know you hear that a lot. And I know you have heard that branding is more than just creating a good band name and logo. There was an entire identity of the counterculture that pervaded the country. This culture had more or less a single identity. Or I should say a single consciousness held by many thousands of young men and women. We were one. Long live peace and love. Well your band is the same.

There are three ingredients to the identity of your band. The first is based on a mission statement. I bet you never thought of that. You need to change the way you think. Your mission statement includes the bands values, vision, and ethics. This prevails all of your performances. You have to have a purpose that includes giving to others. Such a purpose involves, for the most part, in really understanding the audience and fans. If you really understand what is going on in their dynamic then your band's purpose may involve what they are wanting instead of your motives being based upon money or the band's business advancement. Money and advancement comes more easily if you, as a group, are committed to the happiness and well being of your audience. It is amazing how many groups miss this. So the group's responsibility is to exude this band-ideal. You have to totally embody your values in your behavior toward others. You have to show as well as tell others what you stand for and then follow through with your actions. This will bring you much love from fans and club owner's alike. This is the band to audience dynamic. And it is controlled by a set of values that you control, not a club owner or an audience. Please get this right. You are in control of all dynamics.

The second ingredient is the band's collective self image. If the band is happy and positive then the collective image of the group will be just that. But if the band dynamic is off, as it sometimes is, then it needs to be addressed immediately. There are always underlying issues that sometimes never get taken care of. They boil and boil until the smallest thing will bring about a break up. If you are all committed to this process and are all on board for the duration, then it is to your group's benefit to make sure that you have honest bitch sessions. Remember to set some ground rules and never ever leave a session, no matter how long it takes, with anyone feeling slighted or not understood. You have to have full agreement in your group's thinking and beliefs. And please remember that this over all band image is extremely affected by how well you are performing in your marketplace. This means how your music is not only perceived by the group, but also the perception of your product by the fans, crowds, and club owners.

The final ingredient is the total sum of the self-esteem of each individual player in relation to the sum total of the image of the band. You know the old story. Some one just does not feel like they fit in. And honestly sometimes they do not. This is where you have to be honest between each other. And I have to tell you. If you have someone in the group who is not as committed as you, no matter the playing ability, you have to let them go. This is so hard. I struggled here until I looked at my career as being in the balance and then you just have to make a decision. It is easier to put up with someone who is very talented and make excuses. But that one person can be replaced. And you are trying to make this a profession, not a high school gang of buddies. Treat it carefully.

Fear is the greatest problem of the band dynamic. Fear is the greatest problem of the human life. Fear often sets our comfort zone. We tread close and dangerously to the outer limits of our fear but do not make many break throughs. I am not talking about stage fright. That is something that all musicians have to overcome. How you do it is strictly personal. Just be careful with the alcohol and drugs. I am not going to preach. You should be smart in your day to day life as well as your stage life. I am talking about the fear of rejection, which is probably the main motivator in our musical lives. It is a monster that is often hid by enormous egos in our line of work. Be humble and thankful and treat all with respect. Do not be afraid to succeed as a professional musician. Your fear will hold you back from what is possible for you to obtain as an individual or group. Confront the fear of rejection and fear of failure by your positive thinking, speech, and actions.

Because of your multi-dimensional mind you can make your life into anything you want by simply really deciding to do so. When you really decide you will not entertain any thought contrary to the belief of success. When you really decide to be successful as a musician then your actions will positively reflect that decision. If you are making decisions that are not in line with the utmost and higher calling of musicianship, then you have to diagnose the problem. And that problem lies within the belief system of one or more members of the band. This is heavy stuff, but it is the way things get done. Do you not realize that this is exactly what is going through the minds of coaches of professional sports teams? The athletes are all given material along these same lines. The professional athlete is the same as you. They have had to program their minds for success and you do to. They started at a young age. When they played little league baseball everyone would comment on their talent. They believed in their talent. Every decision they made in their young lives was geared to become a professional athlete. They programmed their thoughts as a baseball player. They identified their self as a professional baseball player. And nothing was allowed to get in the way. You have to have the same mind set. If you take this thing any other way you will not succeed.

There is a law of habit that you should give notice to. Ninety five per cent of the things you do are because of a deep seated habit that you have developed. Newton's first law of physics states that an object at rest tends to remain at rest and an object in motion tends to remain in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. You have to be that outside force. You have to bring your energy into your beliefs and get your business in motion. It is easier to keep momentum going than to let it die and try and get it going again. Get it going and keep it going. Whatever it takes. Just do it. The good news is that whatever you want to change you can change. You have to develop the habit of success. And yes that is a habit, just as failure is a habit. Practice being successful.

Roy Gene Horne is a songwriter, musician, performer with over 30 years professional experience. He has written hundreds of songs, recorded, performed, booked, managed, and fronted his own band for all of those years. His music can be heard at http://www.littleroygene.com/ or http://www.reverbnation.com/royhorne

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Find Rap Beats For Up And Coming Mixtapes or Albums

Do you feel you've got skill and can make a living with hip hop music? Well now it's time for you to hunt down your instrumentals with high authority and skilled beat makers. There are so many online to choose from. The opportunities are endless. Is your goal to get signed to a record label? Are you doing it for popularity? In the end the answer is obviously to get paid. So now it's time to find those compositions that complement your style. Quality beats are your aim so do yourself a favor and start on the right foot.

Well, the first thing you want to keep in mind once you find rap beats for your next project is to make sure the beat is worthy of catching the listener's attention within the first ten to twenty seconds in the intro of the track. So make sure you possess a hot beat before you proceed with the content of lyrics you want to execute on the track. Delivery is key next to the intro of how a beat starts off. For example: The track "She Will" feat. Lil Wayne and Drake on "The Carter 4" is a prime example of the mere fact the effect an instrumental can set off the vibe on such a fabulous track.

In conjunction with a professional producer helping you put your demo or album together you have to go at it with an attitude that "It has to be hot from the 1rst track all the way to the last". Of course you also want to make sure the producer your establishing a relationship with that's providing the beats is a professional as well consistent with "THAT HEAT". Steer away from the newbies. Hot tracks mean high conversions with fans.

You can find producers that allow you to be able to make a profit with leases or non-exclusive beats. Just know that if you do decide to go the cheaper route with leases the beats can be resold again. If you want to own full rights of the track you would have to purchase the exclusives.

Either way you go you can put yourself out there and start getting some exposure. If your pockets are tight start off with leases and work your way up to exclusives. You got to crawl before you walk. So make a wise decision before you purchase any tracks.

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How To Write Songs: 5 Ways to Beat Writer's Block

This is part of an article series about how to write songs, which I am writing entirely from my own experience as a songwriter. I don't have any formal training and haven't studied under any great teachers in the field, but I seem to have a knack for it, and it is my passion and livelihood. I have taught a number of successful songwriting workshops and am happily pursuing a career as an independent recording artist, performer, and producer. I hope these articles help you. If you like what you see, please comment with your own songwriting tips, questions, or success stories.

In this article I will share five different techniques that have helped me to shake myself free of writer's block.

1. Take a Walk

I have written many, many songs while walking. I once wrote an entire song while delivering flyers for my home teaching business. (If you're a fan of my music, you might be interested to know that I'm talking about It All Winds Up in the Glass from Thought Experiment.)

Taking a walk is a time-honoured technique for clearing the mind. Try not to think too much about the songwriting process at first, and don't give yourself a destination. Just walk around for a while and the ideas will start to flow, like magic. It might be a good idea to take a recording device along with you to record your ideas, unless you have a very good memory. If you normally write with an instrument, like a guitar or piano, you might be surprised at how beneficial it can be to get away from your instrument for once. Which brings me to my next tip:

2. Change Instruments

If you normally write on the guitar, give the piano or keyboard a try. Even if you don't think you know how to play the piano, plunking around on the keys might give you an idea for a melody. Getting away from instruments entirely can also be helpful. We tend to fall into certain habits and patterns when we play an instrument. If we get away from them and just hum or sing to ourselves, it gives us a chance to approach songwriting from a new angle.

3. Automatic Writing

Sit down in a quiet, calm place with a pen and paper (or your computer) and just write. Write as fast as you can and do your best not to think about it. If you haven't done this before, you may feel self-conscious at first, but be patient. Once you learn to write without thinking, you will begin accessing your subconscious mind and giving it a voice. You may be very surprised at what comes out. This is a good way to come up with lyric ideas. They may need editing, but automatic writing can produce some wonderfully visceral and powerful lyrics.

4. Draw Stories From Your Life

Some of the best songs you can write will be based on your own experience. I'm talking about vivid life experiences: the very best and very worst things that have ever happened to you. What matters most, though, is not so much what has happened to you, but how you feel about it. For instance, if you had a difficult breakup, you may resist writing a song about it, thinking that it's already been done to death. If you think about your own experience of that breakup, though, you will find something unique that could make a truly beautiful song. How did the pain feel, physically, in your chest, belly or throat? What were the dreams that you had to give up? What are the images that come to your head when you think of it? Going to the heart of your own experiences can create very powerful lyrics.

5. Draw Stories from Mythology and History

Are you interested in history or mythology? If you haven't really thought about it before, this is a good time to start. There are millions of wonderful stories that make wonderful subject matter for songwriting. Singing of the deeds of heroes, the power of gods, and the fate of nations has kept songwriters busy for millennia.

If you enjoy my articles, I hope you will check out my music. Visit http://www.vanessacardui.ca/ to download your free copy of my new single. Enjoy!

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Is Online Audio Mastering Worth the Investment?

Gone are the days where record labels or artists had to create their sound in their garages or basements and attempt to create something of beauty onto what was called a demo tape. The music industry has evolved so much with the evolution of technology, such that music mastering has never been easier, or more affordable than it was in the past ten years or so. Today's musician and even today's independent record labels simply do not have access to the funding required for a professionally produced, engineered and mastered audio clip. As such, technology has advanced to the point where Audio Mastering or music mastering or any kind of CD mastering for that matter can be done in the most affordable ways possible. There are very few things that you can't do online today, and online audio mastering is making it easier than ever for today's musicians to make sure their dreams come true. Here we talk about what online audio mastering is, and whether or not it is worth the investment.

The short answer? Yes. Online audio mastering or having your music mastering done online is worth the investment if you have no access to a record label, or want your artist's work mastered in a professional way. The Internet has paved the way for audio mastering and CD mastering to reach new heights and make it possible for anybody to become a recording artist.

Mastering is known as the process that occurs to the music clips once all other processes on the clips have already been performed. Today, everybody from the big record labels to independent artist's are using mastering to polish their art. Once the music has been mixed, it will be sent for the final stage of mastering. In olden days, mastering was a very costly procedure, that could only be done once you had a record label. Back in "the day" mastering would be done with a producer, musician, and record label representative present, due to its costly nature. Today mastering can be done by anybody that has access to an online audio mastering studio.

Mastering still involves the help of a professional who will listen to your audio files with a critical and experienced ear, and tweak it according to what the record labels are interested in hearing. In most cases, mastering involves a compression process, stereo width manipulating, equalization, and a final process of limiting in order to bring the music up to the desired volume. The goal here is to ensure that the frequency of the music will play back on a radio in a way that is pleasing to a wide audience.

CD mastering or music mastering today can be accomplished by anybody that wants to pursue their dream. Online audio mastering can be done in online studios, by simply sending them your digital music files and having them do the heavy lifting for you. When you are looking to have your audio mastering done online, be sure you do your research carefully, and check out their client lists so you know you are dealing with a professional. Once you have found the audio mastering studio that resonates with your vibe, send them your tunes and start the process of making your dream come true!

Get everything you need to know about Audio Mastering right here! Save money and get all of your Audio Mastering done right the first time!

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How I Mastered Songwriting and Piano Playing Without A Piano

Back in 1986, my 6th Grade class went on a week long excursion to a facility in an area called Jackson's Point, Ontario. There were a little over 30 of us young school children, getting ready for the last of many adventurous and educational experiences throughout the year. Our teacher, Mr. Bruce Dailey, along with Ms. Procop, were the organizers of the trip. This was made possible when the Scarborough School Board gave Mr. Dailey the green light to go ahead with the field trips. The difference is that we had the blessing of all the parents to be away for over a week.

My last week-long excursion was in a place called Albion Hills, where we stayed in a very beautiful facility made of burnt umber timbers, surrounded by a beautiful everglade. That was in October of 1985. During that time, i learned how to draw Blue Jays and many other Canadian birds. But I only learned by copying from what I saw. Many of my classmates were amazed, but the more artistic ones felt that I wasn't being original. Of course though, being a boy at that age, I'd go rambunctious and tell them to take a hike. I wasn't really popular with those people. But as an adult, we're all friends now. Hey, kids are kids, right?

Anyway, things were different this time around as the excursion at Jackson's Point was months after Albion Hills. The whole class was undergoing a change in life. Hormones were flying. The Boys, instead of fighting or disagreeing with the girls (remember the word "koodies?") were suddenly interested in them. I, for one, was also interested - particularly with one tall, and very beautiful blonde girl in the class. Her name was Melanie. But I was too shy to even ask her out. She had a most wonderful smile and was very pretty.

We're now good old friends today, as we both have gone our separate walks of life and are married to different partners.

There was this glossy ebony coloured piano in a corner of the facility. Every day, she would go to the piano and play it. Most of the class would drop by and listen to her play. They'd give her loud applauses. Then Mr. Dailey would take over and dazzle us with his elaborate piano expertise. Wow, I thought. If I could play like him, I may just be able to win the heart of that girl in class.

But of course, I was extremely shy. How on earth could I impress her. Even moreso, how on earth could I ever get up to speed in playing the piano.

Just to sidestep a bit in fragment, I have two brothers who played the piano. They were taking lessons from the same teacher as my blonde female classmate was taking. Years ago, when I was four, I took lessons at the Yamaha piano schools. I didn't like it because 1.) The teacher was too strict and punishing - i saw her slap a ruler on any student's hands if that student didn't do their homework and 2.) daylight savings time meant that the lessons ended earlier. Meaning that my parents would come one hour later. When I didn't see my parents outside after class, i felt as if they had abandoned me, so I walked all the way home on my end. Crying. Imagine a little 4 year old boy, walking all the way home for almost 4 kilometers. There were stories of child kidnappings happening around that time, so when my parents found that I wasn't at the school, you can't blame them for freaking out. The police had been dispatched, looking for a little 4 year old filipino canadian boy who was missing. Well, when they found me at home, they were not only relieved. They went bezerk. Since then, I didnt' want to play piano any more. I cared more for playing the guitar, because rock guitarists were popular and cool. Playing piano was for sissies. Plus the experience left a bad taste in my mouth.

Later on, I decided to take lessons from another teacher, Mrs. Bennett, who i really enjoyed learning piano from. She always gave me the freedom to choose whatever music i wanted to learn, plus she would remind me of the importance of the technical skills. Because of her, I became a much more proficient piano player. I love Mrs. Bennett, she is like a second mother to me.

Well, Back to where I left of.

One afternoon, my blonde classmate had injured her foot during one of our outdoor activities. I think it was soccer or something of that nature. I saw the whole thing and wanted to help her, but i didn't know what to do. Mr. Dailey immediately carried her and brought her to medical attention at the nearest hospital. The next day, she was back at the facility to rejoin us, but with crutches and a bandage cast on her right ankle. Apparently, she had sprained it severely. I really cared about how she was, even more. But i was too shy to do anything about it.

Then a couple of evenings later, I decided to try my hand at the piano. I had been learning, or attempting to learn a song on the piano, called "Feelings." It was written by someone by the name of Morris, I think. My father used to play Bobby Vinton tapes, and that song stuck out most for me. How fitting for the moment that that song was. I couldn't play the song that well though, it was pretty difficult (well, any song I played was too difficult.)

Mr. Dailey saw me at the piano and decided to join me. He asked me if I really liked playing piano. I told him that I'd be willing to learn, i just want to impress my classmates (well, i didn't really tell him the REAL reason!) He said that he recognized the song I was playing. Then he showed me a different way of playing the song.

What he did, was take a chorded triad in the left hand and made it into a broken chord. It was the kind where you would play it, starting from your pinky finger and move it up to the thumb, then back to the pinky finger, before changing the chord in the next part of the sequence within a bar.

I couldn't believe what i was seeing and hearing. It sounded really good and yet, it was so simple to do. So much so, that I picked it up right on the spot. But the trick about it was that he made it simple! Then he played it differently. He showed me so many easy ways of playing the song - all by making it simple. That was the greatest gift a teacher could ever give a student - their knowledge and skills.

There's a saying by singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins and it was this: Simplicity is clarity and focus into power. He won a grammy and sold millions of records for only one song - Return to Pooh corner. The song itself was very simple, yet it became the household song for children of many generations to come.

So, I played the song "feelings" over and over again. Before I knew it, i had an audience - and they actually clapped! Even the blonde student really like it.

Imagine that. By making things simpler, I could believe in myself and in my ability to play piano. Sometimes even today, I struggle when i make it too hard on myself to write/compose a new original song. I have to remind myself to keep things simple - even in everything I do.

Anyway, the evening before we were to head back home to Toronto, I was all alone in the recreation room at the piano. I started playing a song "Heart and Soul", which so many kids, even to this day, still play. It's the easiest and simplest song in the world and anyone can learn out. Because of it's simplicity, that gave it it's staying power in the minds of those who want to play it.

I was just playing the left portion. Normally, the song would require a partner to play the melody. But I was all alone with the piano to myself. Suddenly, someone joined me to play the melody. It was Melanie. I tell you, i was nervous and kept playing. It was a dream come true for me, but I tried to stay focused on the piano, as if she wasn't there. But there she was, sitting beside me. I kept playing while my heart kept racing. I was thinking, WOW, she is so talented and pretty and here I am, not have had a shower yet! However, we sounded pretty good playing together. Then before we knew it, our classmates had joined us to listen. We both got thunderous applause.

So that was what it felt like to have a big audience appreciate your performance.

The day that we were to leave, hours before that, i started playing Heart and Soul one more time. Some of the special education classmates came to join me. While I played the left hand, one of them (His name was Daniel), played a more jazzy version of the melody. I was blown away. Even he did it using just simple chords, even if it was a step further and slightly more complex that the original melody. The amazing part about it was that he was also playing it different each and every time. That was the first time that I would be exposed to jazz piano at it's simplest.

The whole experience at Jackson's point was as growing one for me. I learned a whole lot. Not just about playing piano. Of course though, that was huge. But what I learned, of many things that I learned there, was that when you keep things simple, you have much more focus and power. When you keep things simple, you can put embellishments so much easily on top of the very thing that you are working on.

Sadly, Mr. Dailey died 16 years after that night when he taught me how to improvise and create music at the piano, rather than just play it. If he only knew how much his teaching had touched my life and playing. If it werent' for him, I probably would have never become the songwriter-piano musician that i am today. But it's the lesson I will never forget - which was to keep things simple - then everything will fall into place. Because of him, girls stand around the piano when I'm playing a song. Because of him, I got a chance to perform in front of hundreds and thousands of audiences. I do miss him and could only wish that I was able to speak to him before he left this life. I will never forget him.

But I know that he is always a part of me, whenever I put my fingers to the piano and create original music.

Rodney is a musician, an artist, a tech geek, wellness consultant and an entrepreneur. Visit his website at: http://www.healthylifepath.com/

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How To Choose A Guitar Distortion Pedal

With all the Guitar Distortion Pedals on the market today, it can be frustrating to find the right one that is best for you. This is probably one of the most asked questions as a guitar player that is still working with their sound. I honestly believe that there isn't one exact answer for this, but I can certainly shed some light on things that you'll want to be aware of when choosing your guitar distortion pedal.

One of the first things you'll need to decide is how much distortion do you want, what kind of distortion do you want, and how much tone variation do you want? All of these elements are in direct connection to the style of music that you're playing as well.

In other words, if you're playing country music and need a little extra distortion for leads, you probably won't use an extreme heavy metal pedal or Hendrix Fuzz face distortion pedal. You get the idea. Chances are you would use something that best fits your music.

With that in mind, I will say that there are several good distortion boxes that do the trick well. One great overall distortion box in the good old faithful MXR Distortion Plus. This gives a good amount of distortion without changing the color of your sound. Another great pedal to consider within the MXR line is the Micro Amp. As far as I'm concerned the MXR micro amp is a hidden gem within distortion pedals. It's actually more of an overdrive, but it pushes any amp just enough to get into a nice over-driven sound without going off the deep end. It also does not change the color of your sound.

I really like the BOSS Overdrive pedals the OD.1 and the Super Overdrive. The original OD.1 does not have a tone knob on it and it's discontinued but you can still find them on ebay. They are on of the best overdrive pedals in my opinion because they actually take the exact natural sound of the amp and simply boost all of the characteristics. This pedal works perfect with Marshall amps. The super overdrive does have a tone knob on it and allow a bit more tone shaping. This pedal is currently still available.

The best all-around distortion pedal for rock, metal, even country, is the Boss Metal Zone. WHY? Because it has a ton of distortion available and can be backed down to the littlest amount of distortion.

However, the number one reason why I say it's the best overall distortion pedal is because it has an on-board parametric equalizer section with 18db of boost and cut. This will allow you to shape almost any possible tone you can imagine, and frankly you can use this to shape your main rhythm sound.

You can take an everyday average sounding amplifier and make it scream with this pedal. It's that well-rounded. It's not un-common to see guitarists use this pedal as their main tone shaping unit, for all styles of music.

Click Link For a FREE Lead Guitar Training - Lead Guitar Secrets

Click Link For Killer Lead Guitar Skills

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Lady Gaga's Rise To Fame

The music industry is always buzzing in today's world. Teenagers in particular are keeping up to speed with the latest music artists. I'm going to go through Lady Gaga's (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) rise to fame, and where she is today.

Lady Gaga is an American pop singer, and was born and raised in New York city, America. She studied at the "Convent of the Sacred Heart", and briefly studied at "New York University's Tisch School of the Arts", before she decided she would like to do a musical career. She first began to perform in the rock scene of Manhatton's Lower East Side, and by 2007 was signed with "Steamline Records". While she was employed there an artist know as Akon noticed her outstanding vocal capabilities, and signed her on with his label, "Kon Live Distribution".

Lady Gaga is very well known for her flamboyant, crazy outfits. She is inspired by acts and artists such as, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Madonna and the Queen. She has sold an estimate of over 23 million albums and 64 million singles worldwide. Lady Gaga is also known for protesting and campaigning for rights, she is most commonly known for her work in the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) community.

Her album, "The Fame" (2008), was what brought her to prominence and fame. It had no problem topping the charts with her hit songs, "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", world - wide hits and a critical success. After she went on her first tour, "The Fame Ball", she released her second album, "The Fame Monster" (2009). The album contained the hit singles, "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Telephone". Due to the success of the album she was able to embark on her "Monster Ball Tour", which later became the highest - grossing concert tours of all time. By this time, Lady Gaga was definitely an international success.

To date, her latest album is "Born This Way" (2011). The album has topped the charts in the most major markets, and more places in the world. This album generated the smash hit songs, "Born This Way", "Judas", "The Edge of Glory" and "Marry the Night".

From performing in bars to performing on stage, Lady Gaga has become one the most highest - grossing artists of all time. She has even been nominated for a few awards at the Brits 2010 and won, best international female solo. She was also nominated for that award in the Brits 2012 but unfortunately did not win.

This is wrote from my heart and the love for the singer.

Lady Gaga Monsters - The Fan Site dedicated to bringing you the latest.

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Important Tips When Searching for a Used Trumpet for Sale

Investing in a previously used trumpet for sale can be quite a great choice - for you, your pocketbook, plus your sound. On the other hand, however, it really is simple to make a awful choice because you're definitely not purchasing a musical instrument that is all new. Remember to browse the guidelines under to make certain that your new purchase is one that will be well worth your time and efforts and money.

Examine as well as play the trumpet before you decide to spend cash. This might appear quite clear, however i guarantee you that certainly not everyone who will buy a used trumpet for sale really plays it before handing over the money to the prior owners. Why not? Well, the uptick in online sales is one thing, but also so many people are impatient and desire their trumpets right away without executing proper due diligence. Simply looking at and actively playing the trumpet could certainly make sure: it functions, it seems good enough for the cost, and it works and is not going to disintegrate, which I have seen happen before.

You possibly can tell a great deal about the condition associated with a trumpet simply by getting to be familiar with the previous owner a little bit. No, there's no need to take him out to dinner, but asking him a few of the following questions can certainly make sure that that you are obtaining a trumpet in the most suitable condition as well as the right reasons. Keep in mind, you won't want to obtain a ripped off one! When did you first start playing trumpet? (An issue all trumpet players desire to respond to!) When did you pick up the horn, and how long have you been playing it? Since you stopped playing (assuming), do you think you're doing anything to maintain it in excellent?

These kinds of concerns will go quite a distance, and also since you are the prospective buyer, you certainly possess the right to ask them. In the event that the owner turns down - you already know a little something is up with that particular used trumpet, and it can be time to look in other places. Please do not simply hand over your dollars to the first man or woman or even owner that shows you a trumpet that looks good. Research prices and make use of my the best places to search for trumpets for sale list and compare costs and conditions. There's a chance you're capable of finding another trumpet that's in a superior condition, for a similar amount. In contrast, you could see out you were about to shell out way to much money for a trumpet of the same condition which you noticed somewhere else.

I realize, it is difficult to lay away that first one that piques your attraction, but do yourself a favor make certain that you simply research prices or maybe you could bum out over it later. In general, it is quite vital to help fully grasp that you currently have quite a few alternatives on the market when buying used trumpets. Since you are the purchaser, you're the one actually in charge, and this is a thing many purchasers ignore, no matter what they can be searching for. Good luck, and revel in playing a newly purchased (for yourself) trumpet!

And lastly, if you want to get more important information about buying trumpets for sale, visit Trumpets for Sale Today and get the best prices on all types of used trumpets.

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Learn Guitar Online - You Are Cheating If You Use A Capo Myth Busted

Are you familiar with the phrase "capos are cheating?" This is one I often hear people say at guitar workshops or read in correspondence from my subscribers.

This is one of the most destructive phrases, simply because it sounds so close to the truth that it is difficult to spot the big lie here.

It's hard to believe when we live in a world so rich with information that many guitarists still cling to old wives' tales like the "capos are cheating" myth.

While most musical old wives' tales are harmless, at least one is dangerous... because those who believe it will find themselves trapped forever in the guitar "stone age".

In my work over the years, I have noticed that some people seem to have the ability to be able to constantly re-invent themselves and adapt to their changing musical environment.

Others seem to stay stuck in their playing, plodding over the same lumpy chords, boring licks and tricks; every song these guitarists' play sound the same.

As I sought to understand the strategies of these different types of people, some interesting differences made themselves clear.

What follows are lists of strategies for how to remain in the guitar "stone age" and then strategies for how to move on and thrive.

How to stay in the guitar "stone age"

* Continue to struggle with hard chord shapes - playing songs using the computer generated chord shapes presented in the sheet music regardless of how difficult the stretch is... I actually know a guy who slept with corks tapped between his left hand fingers so he could increase his stretch to play difficult guitar chords!

* Suffer from bar chord-itis - a large percentage of guitarist and unfortunately "guitar teachers" have the misconception that bar chords are superior to all other shapes and those that can play bar chords are part of the guitar playing elite.

Bar chords are appropriate in certain styles of music such as 'surf' guitar; however the quickest way to spot a "guitar playing dinosaur" is the guy who plays bar chords in every song regardless of the style of music.

Moral of the story... lock jaw of the wrist results in lock jaw of the musical brain, sore fingers and soggy sounding chords.

How to move on and thrive

* learn the language of music - every chord have a unique spelling, it is the coagulation of a particular set of notes, once you know how to construct a chord it won't matter whether if you use a capo or your foot as long as you have the correct notes under your fingers (or toes).

The deciding factor as to whether to use a capo or not will depend on the style of music and the atmosphere you want to create.

Here's a few examples of how you could play an "Ab" chord.

Ab contains following notes Ab = Ab - C - Eb

Ex 1 - style - Pop, country rock...generally this is the type of acoustic guitar sound heard on commercial radio. (Taylor Swift etc.)

Ab (capo 1st fret - using a "G" shape)

-3- (Ab)
-3- (Eb)
-0- (Ab)
-0- (Eb)
-2- (C)
-3- (Ab)

=> remember I'm indicating the pitch of the notes when using a capo on the first fret! <=

Ex 2 - style - surf music...50's and 60's guitar instrumental music (Shadows etc)

Ab (bar chord version)

-4- (Ab)
-4- (Eb)
-5- (C)
-6- (Ab)
-6- (Eb)
-4- (Ab)

Ex 3 - style - Jazz...three note style usually associated with Count Basie band (guitarist Freddie Green)

Ab (3 note version)

-X-
-X-
-5- (C)
-1- (Eb)
-X-
-4- (Ab)

* unlock the fingerboard - in order to able to create your own chord shape it's essential to know the position of the notes on the guitar fingerboard.

* listen to a variety of styles of music - as you listen to music concentrate on the sound the guitarist is making in each musical setting, remember there's no right or wrong way to play a chord we're simply wanting to contribute to the overall ensemble the best way we can.

Playing a bar chord in a Taylor Swift song won't cut it... just as using a capo on a George Benson jazz track will spoil the overall flavor of the music.

And now I'd like to invite you to get free access to my "How To Remember 1,000 Songs" eCourse. You can download the course for free at: http://www.guitarcoaching.com/

From Mike Hayes - The Guitar Coaching Guy & the Express Guitar System

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How to Repair Guitar Fret Ends

Most guitars that are taken care of never have problems with their frets, but many guitars are not properly taken care of. Guitars are left in poor environments or are dropped and damaged. Both of these guitar repairs can be avoided if you take good care of your guitars, but what do you do if your guitar already has fret problems? In this article, I will show you a few easy guitar repairs that will fix your fret problems.

Two simple problems with guitar frets are loose ends and sharp ends. Both of these problems cause your guitar to play and sound poorly. Luckily, both of these guitar repairs are fairly simple to do.

Loose fret ends

Most guitar frets are glued and pressed into the slots of the fretboard. On an unbound fretboard, you can see the sides of the tangs inlaid in the fretboard. It only makes sense that the middle of the fret is held in the fretboard the strongest. The ends are held into the fretboard the weakest because they have one edge exposed. This is the main problem. Fret ends can come loose or dislodged from the fret slot for a variety of reasons. The majority of these reasons have to do guitar abuse. Dropping your guitar or hitting it up against your amp can cause the fret ends to be disrupted. You may also have twists in your neck that slowly work the frets out of the fret slots. No matter what the cause of the loose fret ends, they need to be fixed. The loose frets need to be removed and re-glued in place.

Removing a fret is a pretty simple guitar repair. First, you will need to heat up the fret with a soldering iron. This will loosen the glue holding the it in place. Second, you can use a pair of end nippers to pull the fret out of the fretboard. Then all you have to do is clean the slot and re-glue it in place.

Sharp fret ends

What are sharp fret ends? Have you ever played your guitar in the winter and had the edge of your guitar frets poke your hands? These are called sharp fret ends. Sharp ends are caused by low humidity. When your neck and fretboard dry out, they shrink. Since the metal frets are not as reactive to the changing environment as the guitar wood is, the frets stay the same length. You will notice this because the ends will start to poke your hand, as you play up and down the neck. Severe cases will actually develop sharp fret ends that can cut your hand. All you need to do to fix sharp fret ends is either put your guitar in a room with more humidity or use a fret end file to file the edges of the frets.

You can find more easy-to-read, helpful articles and information about guitar repair at http://www.guitarrepairbench.com/. Guitar Repair Bench is a site dedicated to helping everyone learn how to repair and build his or her own guitars. Learn some new electric and acoustic guitar repairs today!

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What Is the Best Age to Start Piano Lessons?

If you have a young child and have been thinking about getting him or her started in piano lessons, you have probably heard many reports about the benefits of starting at a very young age. It is true that crucial musical development takes place in babies and toddlers starting at birth, and that children need musical stimulation from very early on in their lives.

But when you take a look at your two-and-a-half-year-old, it might be hard to imagine him or her sitting patiently on the bench through a thirty minute piano lesson. And you are probably right.

Traditionally, most piano teachers have suggested waiting until a child has started learning to read before starting them with piano instruction- around the age of five or six. The reason for this is that most methods of piano instruction have centered around teaching children to read notes off of the page from the very beginning. Younger children tend to get frustrated very quickly when faced with understanding musical symbols and trying to make their little fingers cooperate all at the same time.

But this does not mean that you should hold off on your child's music education until they start school. Enrolling your son or daughter in an early childhood music program such as Music Together or The Music Class is a great way to offer them a fun introduction to music. At the same time, they begin to develop fundamental skills in areas such as pitch and rhythm that will give them a much greater chance of success when they start formalized instruction.

The absolute earliest age I would recommend starting a child in piano lessons would be three-and-a-half years old. This should be considered only with a teacher who has lots of experience working with children at this age. A child this young will have a much shorter attention span and will need a variety of activities, both at and away from the piano, to keep that young mind interested and involved during the lesson.

The worst thing we could possibly do is make music study into a chore. For the pre-school child, music making should be a creative and fun activity. The discipline and persistence needed to succeed will be developed over time. For now, it's enough to concentrate on kindling in them a love for music and helping them to master basic musical concepts that will set the groundwork for future success.

So, what is my final advice on this subject?

First, start by exposing your child to music from the time they are born. Sing constantly to them. Play your favorite music (in all styles) on the stereo. Dance with your child. And as he or she gets a little older, around the age of one year, look for an opportunity to start an early childhood music program.

Piano lessons can wait until the child is five and he or she will do just fine. However, if you are adamant about starting at a younger age, look for a teacher with experience and training in working with younger beginners.

And most of all, for you the parent- be patient. Learning a musical instrument is a lifelong pursuit. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

Luke Bartolomeo has been involved in the nurturing and development of young musicians for over twenty years. He is the host of the weekly audio podcast Repertoire Review, which allows piano teachers and students the chance to discover new piano pieces for intermediate level students. He is on the faculty of the Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College in Chicago. He is also a developer of educational music apps. Flashnote Derby is an app he created to help students learn the names of music notes.

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Music Mixing Process 3 - Automation

What is Automation? Automation is manually adjusting volume, EQ parameters or effect parameters to achieve a multitude of goals.

These goals can be used to add a little more mid-range punch to a vocal at certain areas (listen to Nickleback, you'll hear this one everywhere) which allows the vocal to "pop" a little more.

You also might use automation to add more reverb decay at a specific point in the song for creative purposes or you might decide to add just a little more feedback on the delay at a particular solo or vocal part.

Automation can also be used as manual compression which is what we will focus on. Manually going in and taming peaks for a more natural, smoother response from the particular instrument that is being automated. The most common use for automation though happens to be vocal tracks. I don't care if you're Lara Fabian, Fergie or Sebastian Bach, chances are you got some automation, nearly every vocal gets it.

Of course a vocal can be tamed with 6dB reduction on a compressor and the explosive peaks reduced with a limiter but this method takes away from dynamics; for instance you have a lyric that says something like:

"Today is the day I fight BACK!"

Using the method described above, this can take away excitement from the word "BACK!" and doesn't help give it that push needed to really emphasize the word, so in place of heavy compression we would use automation to completely control the response of that word by manually reducing and boosting audio in specific points.

The initial plosive from the "Buh" in back would most likely get a .5-2dB reduction to reduce the plosive content yet allow it to come through in a smoother manner. The rest of the word would then be adjusted to be even in volume.

The second goal of vocal automation is to make sure that every single word, syllable and phrase is heard clearly. The vocalist is the star, they're the face of the group, thus they should be heard quite well. That thought process is not one everyone agrees on though.

Most rap artists like to have the beat slightly above and around them (as if they're surrounded) rock/country artists typically want their voices to be heard either slightly above the music or a nice, even blend. If you want your vocals buried in a mix you should not be a vocalist or rapper though. Burying vocals doesn't sound good, the beat can still be focused on while you are clearly heard. You don't hear Snoop or Dre burying their vocals do you? Didn't think so.

In essence, you can do a LOT with just one word. With automation you could reduce the initial impact of "B" and boost the "A" in back to sound like bAck! or emphasize the "ck" for a percussive timbre to the word.

I could get very in-depth on this subject but I don't feel that is necessary.

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Josh Hayward is a recording/mixing engineer currently located in Sacramento, CA, trained in Austin, TX at Arlyn Studios by those who have worked with Willie Nelson, Prince, The Black Crowes and more.

Paired with a recording arts degree from Mediatech Institute and extensive studio experience, your sonic sculpture is in the right hands and the information provided is 100% genuine.

To learn more about the author and hear examples or have any questions vist Astral Plane Studios

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How To Learn The Notes on a Piano or Keyboard in 15 Minutes?

Have you ever wondered how keyboard players memorize all the notes on the keyboard?

Has playing the keyboard been something you have wanted to do but put it off because it looks too challenging and you don't have enough spare time for playing?

Well it will please you to know that learning the notes on the piano or keyboard is quite easy. They just repeat a simple easy pattern all the way up the keyboard, regardless of what size your piano or keyboard is.

The repetitive pattern is - A B C D E F G, and this will repeat throughout the keyboard. So you have just seven notes to consider in music and this will continue up the keyboard on the white notes.

So you may be wondering where the black notes fit into all this?

Well, the black keys consist of five different notes, and these can be described as sharps or flats depending on which direction the music is travelling and also bearing in mind the key signature your song is written in.

You can actually have sharps and flats on the white notes as well, but this is for advanced players, so as a beginner just focus your time learning the sharps and flats on the black keys.

If you are using the black keys as sharps then the notes will be C# D# F# G# and A#.

If you are using the black keys as flats then the notes will be Db Eb Gb Ab and Bb.

Something else to look out for too is that you won't always be required to play all the black notes in one song. It may be you have to play one sharp or one flat, again depending on the key signature.

You will never mix sharps and flats up in your music either unless it is specified throughout the song with a change of key signature. This is indicated at the start of a new bar.

If you are unsure of how to work out any one black note but you are told it is a SHARP in your piece of music, remember that sharps are to the RIGHT of a white note.

If you are working out a black note that is described as a FLAT remember that flats are to the LEFT of a white note.

To familiarise yourself with all the different notes on the keyboard, set yourself a challenge of randomly picking individual notes. Do this from different directions, both ascending and descending. This will help to give you a feel for where all the notes are and will help you when you start to play full pieces of music.

If you are a beginner to piano or keyboard then get off on the right foot by playing some easy piano and keyboard songs to build your confidence: Easy Piano Keyboard Songs

There are some fantastic tips and resources for piano and keyboard here: Beginner Piano Keyboard Songs

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