Country Music

Corinne Bailey Rae CD Review

2013-05-31T14:00:00.006-07:00

From across the big pond, Corinne Bailey Rae has released her self titled Debut album and boy is it a good one.

I first caught wind of Miss Rae while watching VH-1 Soul's album release program. Where India Arie was also recently featured. On the program they featured track 1 from Rae's CD, Like A Star, and track 3 Put Your Records On and that's all it took to get my attention.

Well... that and the fact that Miss Rae is umm... let's just say easy on the eyes.

Anyway, that reality aside I really enjoy the soulful, laid back style with which she delivers her songs. Somewhat reminiscent of a favorite of mine, Sade.

The CD is a fresh new sound and filled with lyrics of love and goodness that fit Rae's voice perfectly. Also refreshing is the fact that Corinne actually wrote the majority of the songs in this, her Debut collection, and the one's she write herself she co-wrote.

It launches with a great track, Like A Star, that will definitely be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. From there Rae proceeds to display why she is destined to be considered one the great vocalists of our time.

These days it's a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.

Overall the CD Corinne Bailey Rae is an outstanding release. What I call, must have Music. I give it two thumbs up.

While this entire CD collection is outstanding the truly standout tunes are Like A Star [track 1, Put Your Records On [track 3, and Call Me When You Get This [track 6. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in Stuck On REpeat is track 9, I'd Like To. Very nice!

Release Notes:

Corinne Bailey Rae originally released her self titled CD on June 20, 2006 on the Capitol Records label.

CD track list follows:

1. Like A Star 2. Enchantment 3. Put Your Records On 4. Till It Happens To You 5. Trouble Sleeping 6. Cal l Me When You Get This 7. Choux Pastry Heart 8. Breathless 9. I'd Like To 10. Butterfly 11. Seasons Change

To listen to samples of each song on Corinne's CD Title go to: Corinne Bailey Rae CD MP3 Samples

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

Author:: Clyde Dennis
Keywords:: corinne bailey rae,Cd,Music,Debut,Sade,Vh-1,india arie,Smoothlee
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The Piano Parent Trap!

2013-05-31T14:00:00.005-07:00

My 6 year old daughter really loves the piano and wants to learn to play, but when I try to help her she gets very upset with me. What should I do?

The parent who asked the above question has fallen into a hole that I call The Piano Parent Trap!

If this is you, you dont have to feel bad. In fact you should be flattered! This is just a problem of conflicting needs. The role of Mom or Dad is very important to the emotional security of children. Your acceptance and approval is everything to them! When parents move out of the parental role into the role of piano teacher, young children can become confused and anxious. The expectations of children are that Mom and Dad will always play the specific role needed to protect their emotional security. Because children must have their emotional needs met to feel loved and secure before they can learn, they may refuse to allow a parent to be the piano teacher, even when they want to learn. And surprisingly, the ch ild who really wants to play the piano may resist a parent's help even more! So, how does a parent get out of this trap? Its not really that hard. Here are two key things you can do.

1. Find the right piano teacher.

Look for a piano teacher you feel your child will be comfortable with. This decision should never be based solely on location and price -- those are important to your convenience, but they tell you nothing about the lessons your child will receive. You should talk with the teacher to get an understanding of how they will work with your child and the type of programs they offer. You should look for a teacher with a warm enthusiastic personality that inspires confidence, and they should go out their way to say, I want to be your childs piano teacher! If upon your interview you dont get this message, keep on looking. Remember, piano teachers are not selling a product, they are the product! The right teacher for your child is someone who will bui ld a supportive relationship that challenges your child to do their best.

2. Be supportive, but dont try to be in control.

From the time your child approached the age of two they most likely have been sending you the same conflicting message over and over: I need you Let me do it myself! Get used to this because it isnt optional and it doesnt really go away when kids get older-- it just comes with the package! There are, however, a couple of options you do have that involve your making a choice. Ill lay it out for you simply. Your choices are between Door Number One and Door Number Two. If you should choose Door Number One, you are in control. If you should choose Door Number Two, you are in charge.

Now you might be thinking this is some kind of a joke -- they are the same door! But not so, they are very different! A Door Number One approach requires you to make all choices for your child without their pArticipation in the decision, such as when they should do their piano practice, what songs they should try to learn, and how fast they should progress. However, because this approach ignores childrens need for independence, they will fight for this control they may actively resist practicing at your appointed time, or could act totally passively and claim that they are just unable to learn new skills.

In contrast, a Door Number Two approach recognizes childrens needs for independence but provides needed support and guidance. It allows children to make choices among options you identify for them, which lets them do it themselves while still receiving needed protection. As a result, here is your real choice in basic terms: Behind Door Number One lurks a hungry lion, while a happy child and family are behind Door Number Two!

3. Guide yo ur child by following an authoritative, not an authoritarian approach.

An authori-tarian approach teaches power and control. In contrast to this approach, an authori-tative model teaches ownership and responsibility. These differences can be seen in the following descriptions.

Authoritarian approach

Parent is in control -- child is powerless.

Child believes parents and other adults are in control them.

Child believes others are responsible for their behavior.

Child waits for others who know more than they do to tell them what to.

Child is passive and does not assert their opinions and ideas or take initiative, or is very angry and acts out! Or, is passive and later becomes very angry!

Authoritative approach

Parent is in charge of setting appropriate consequences for their childs behaviors.

Child has the choice to make reasonable decisions within protected limits where they can learn from their mistakes.

Chi ld learns they are responsible for the consequences of their choices and learns to take initiative and trusts their ability to make intelligent decisions and act responsibly.

Child learns to be assertive and can ask adults for information and guidance when making important decisions, but accepts ownership and responsibility for their actions and decisions.

How can you stArt to use an authoritative approach to get out of the Parent Trap and open Door Number Two?

An easy way is to reverse roles. For example, after your child comes home from piano lessons, ask them to teach you what theyve learned because you want to learn it too! This lets your child be in control as they share their special piano knowledge with you. Kids cant resist this. Its just so much fun to be the teacher, and children love to reverse roles! Your young teacher will probably even correct your playing, and tell you that youre doing it all wrong, especially if you play their song perfectly! So, be wiling to make a few silly mistakes that your little teacher can have fun correcting. Just dont get defensive. I can guarantee youll get a lot of mileage out of this strategy!

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

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

Author:: Cynthia VanLandingham
Keywords:: beginner piano lessons,piano lessons for children,piano lessons for kids, children's piano books
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Understanding The Common Media File Formats

2013-05-31T14:00:00.004-07:00

Digital media has revolutionized the world of media digital media is highly portable, easily sent or transferred. Sometimes, though, the many different file formats can leave one somewhat confused. In this Article, we'll go over a few of the most common file formats.

Wave format - *.wav
The Microsoft wave format is a lossless, usually un-compressed audio format. Advantages of the wav format include is cross platform compatibility and ease of editing in various programs. The main disadvantage is a wave files large size.

MP3 format - *.mp3
The MP3 format is the most widely used audio format on the internet. An MP3 file has very good quality in relation to its file size. When creating an MP3 file, you can choose what quality level to save the file as. The MP3 format is cross-platform, and com patible with nearly all media applications.

MPEG varies, often *.mpg
The MPEG is not a single file format, but rather a video and audio encoding standard. There are quite a few different MPEG standards, MPEG-1 and MPEG-4 being the most commonly used for the average consumer.

Windows Media Video - *.wmv
The Windows Media Video format is a common media format for internet usage. It is easily created using Windows Movie Maker (which comes free on any windows computer.) Windows Media Videos can be created using a wide variation of quality settings.

Windows Media Audio - *.wma or *.asf
The Windows Media Audio format is the second most popular media format, second only to Mp3. It is very similar to MP3, except that it supports DRM (Digital rights management).

Quicktime Movie usually *.mov
The Quicktime Media formats all have a serious disadvantage, in that very few programs support them. You must have Quicktime player to play them, and onl y a very few programs can edit them. They are far less flexible than many other formats.

Get free MP4 Videos from Daily PSP Movie.

Author:: Gabriel J. Adams
Keywords:: media format,file format,digital media,digital format
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Broken Chord Piano Technique: "What It is and How to Use It"

2013-05-31T14:00:00.003-07:00

Ah, broken chords. The sound. The cascading pattern of chordal notes. It's beautiful. There's no doubt about it. And this technique is one of the easiest to learn. After all, all you need to do to create it is have a chord under your fingers and be able to break it up.

What do I mean by break it up? You've probably heard of solid chords. This is when all tones are heard at once. For example, if I finger a C Major triad and play all three keys at once, I'm playing a solid chord. But, if I break this chord up into it's 3 notes and play them one at a time you get a broken chord.

Broken chords are used frequently in New Age Piano Music. There's something about playing notes of a chord in broken style that's very appealing. Maybe it's because it makes the Piano sound fuller. Or it could be that it ju st sounds lovely.

Now, let's take a look at how we can easily create it.

In the lesson Reflections in Water, we have 4 open position chords. These chords are ideal for breaking up because they are so wide-spaced. Over two octaves of notes lay under your finger tips. Once we finger this chord position we are able to play the broken-chord style. How? By simply letting your fingers play around with the note possibilities! And there are many of them.

When you listen to me play this piece, you'll notice that it's nothing to write home about. That is, I'm not after a sophisticated sound here. I'm just gently playing around with the notes and using the element of time to create a calm ambiance. And it works! The notes float out into the air and Music is created. Not by planning or trying to come up with material but by following a few simple guidelines and letting go of the need to control the outcome.

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

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: Piano chords,Piano,Piano lessons,Piano Music,Music,Piano technique,new age Music
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How to Make Your Boring Piano Improvisations Come to Life!

2013-05-31T14:00:00.001-07:00

Do you think you need to constantly learn new techniques to get good at Piano Improvisation? Do you believe that getting one more technique under your belt will make you a better player?

Nope. Not going to happen.

If your Piano Improvisations sound boring it can only be for one reason. It's because you're bored!

It's not the Piano or the chords you know or any one of a hundred different things you tell yourself you need before you can sound good on the Piano. No. The problem is not with technique or chords. It's with you.

Listen to this - if you're bored when playing the Piano your mind is elsewhere. When this happens the Music that comes out of you will reflect this. It won't have that quality you want it to have.

The solution is to BECOME AWARE of your mental state. If you're bored or your mind is on other things, simply acknowledge this silently and refocus on the Music. If this doesn't work, get up and move on to something else. Your Piano isn't going anywhere. You can always come back to it later.

Look, I know how frustrating it can be when nothing is happening. You want to play. You feel like playing. But nothing is coming out. You're bored, frustrated, and upset. You may even think the creative muse has left the building. The truth is, there will be those times.

If nothing is coming through, forcing it won't work either. There are those who suggest you stick with it until you come out on the other side. This may or may not work. Just remember not to work against yourself and that your Piano Improvisations will come to life when you are truly present with the Music.

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: Piano,Piano Improvisation,Piano lessons,Improvisation,Music,Music lessons,new age
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Diehard Fans for Life

2013-05-30T14:00:00.006-07:00

Everytime I make a new friend, they seem to come away with marketing ideas.

Today, I got an email from one. Her name is Jen Clower-Brown. She is a fantasy artist and friend who I've worked with on a number of fantasy art projects. She wrote:

Marc,

I just received the cd I ordered of The Trial of Lancelot by Heather Dale. I haven't even given it a full listen yet, but already she has made an impression on me. Let me explain...

When I pulled out the packing receipt that was with the cd, she had hand-written a short, personal thank-you to me on the receipt! It says nothing more than Thanks Jennifer! Enjoy, Heather, but I doubt I'll be tossing out this receipt any time soon. It was just a fantastic gesture.

I realize this may be a bit tedious to keep up with, but it's worth considering for your own cd orders.

Jen Clower-Brown Course, I've been a big proponent of writing personal notes for a long time. For a while, I handled CD orders in hou se and followed her suggestion. Now, however, CDBaby handles most of our orders. Even there, it's a lot of work to follow-up each order with an email, but let me tell you it's worth it.

Fans want to know that they're not just a face in the crowd. Something as simple as Thanks Jennifer! is all it takes to make that impact to earn a diehard fan for life. That's not too tough is it? Well, follow my example, I'm gonna go catch up on sending thank you messages to our fans. They've given a part of themselves to us. And they deserve it!

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of Musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE how-to music marketing assistance.

No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly for Free. Just email subs cribe@bardscrier.com

Author:: Marc Gunn
Keywords:: Tips,Musicians,Improve,music Tips,Tips Musicians,Busking
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Creative Piano Playing 101

2013-05-30T14:00:00.005-07:00

So many Piano students worry about playing notes correctly. They think about timing, dynamics, velocity, and so on.

Yet these same students are dying for the ability to feel something real. That spark of creative energy that enervates and refreshes the spirit.

Poets know of this feeling as do painters and other creative people working in their respective fields. But what about music? Surely, we're not meant to spend months and sometimes years learning how to play other peoples music. Yet this is exactly what is being done in schools and Universities around the world.

The Piano is a marvelous instrument full of wonder. It si ts waiting to be played. And you can play it! Not like traditional schools. You can sit down and let your fingers reach for a chord that calls to you. You gently rest your hands on this chord and music; beautiful wondrous music comes forth! How different this is than trying to play something someone else has written.

Your music is alive! It's unique and fresh and born of originality! Each note perfumes the air with delicate fragrance and you feel alive with this. Your heart and mind work together as the ideal music YOUR MUSIC floats into the air. The notes surround your heart and the hearts of others as they hear it. Gone is the need to recreate yet another dead composer's music. In it's place, a feeling of quiet joy as you let go and let the music tell you where it wants to go.

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

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: creative Piano,Piano playing,Piano lessons,Piano,Piano music,music lessons
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How I Learned How To Play The Guitar After Giving Up In Disgust

2013-05-30T14:00:00.004-07:00

I was 17 at the time (the Beatles era), and it was considered cool to play the Guitar. I had a little training in Music in elementary school where I had learned how to play the trumpet. I remember that the only reason I started the trumpet was because my daddy had run across an old beat up horn that a woman was selling for $10.

So, in my junior year of high school I set about to teach myself how to play a few chords so I could strum along with Love, Love Me Do and I Want To Hold Your Hand. However, it never occurred to me that learning how to play the Guitar might just be a little different than learning the trumpet.

Actually, what happened was that I gave up after about 2 weeks and threw the old Guitar that my daddy had given me in the corner and in frustration declared I don't see how anyone c an play a Guitar.

It's funny how I remember thinking those very words. I didn't know it then but my difficulty with learning how to play was because my Guitar strings were about a half inch off the fret board and it was extremely difficult to mash the strings down. After about 1 week I was developing thick calluses on the tips of my fingers on my left hand.

My desire to play eventually overcame my initial frustration and I did go on to conquer the instrument to become quite proficient. Eventually I ended up attending the Berklee College of Music studying Guitar.

If you have a desire to play the Guitar my advice is to not give up, Eventually you'll succeed if you don't quit.

Steve McArthur

Suggested Guitar Instruction

Author:: Steve McArthur
Keywords:: Guitar, Music,
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The Lives of Classical Musicians

2013-05-30T14:00:00.003-07:00

Believe it or not, it is surprisingly easy to find classical musicians. It seems like it must be a tough life for all of these incredibly talented individuals. They train their entire lives to pursue an Art, and they have a lots of competition for relatively few jobs. Lets face it, brilliant classical musicians are about as hard to find as quality rock and roll bands. Although a great deal of these musicians make some money playing in concert halls as pArt of symphonies, most have to go out and find other means of support.

Many must work outside their field, but most of them don't. Music is a passion, a way of life. A classical piano musician might work three or four different jobs at a minimum, first in the orchestra, then as a private piano instructor, than as a session musician helping composers record their tracks, and finally as perhaps a high school or even elementary school band teacher.

Classical musicians do something else quite a bit: they work private pArties. It is not at all difficult and reasonably priced to hire classical musicians to entertain yourself and your friends for virtually any event you can think of. We recently had my daughter's graduation from college and hired a classical string quArtet to entertain. How is that for class? They were really quite lovely. My daughter Erin has always loved string music, as have the rest of us, and it provided the perfect accompaniment to her evening. The classical musicians even showed their versatility when they played some modern numbers for us to dance to. It was very enjoyable.

Of course, we knew those pArticular classical musicians through a friend of the family. They actually had grown up with my daughter, although back in those days they didn't really know each other that well. That string quArtet actually formed from a rival clique of girls from my daughters middle school. As you might imagine, or as the stereotype has it, in those days, they were kind of bookish and geeky, not at all concerned with what others thought of it to the degree that their burgers were, like the friends of Erin, but who would have known that they would have grown up to do something so wonderful. As classical musicians they furnished a wonderful ambiance for our pArty, and stayed tactfully in the background. Really, for such socially graceless girls, they scarcely disturbed anybody. I am of course being sarcastic because the truth is, they were quite lovely.

I am really glad that we knew those classical musicians because it was a truly wonderful treat poor Erin and her guests. I mean, how do you know that they are any good, and not just out to make a buck as entertainers? It is really best to hire classical musicians who you know or who you can get a recommendation for.

Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of Fine Arts. You can get interesting and informative information here at Lives of Classical Musicians

Author:: Morgan Hamilton
Keywords:: Classical Musicians
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Acoustic Drums Vs. Electronic Drums

2013-05-30T14:00:00.001-07:00

OK, I know that acoustic drums are not every drummers favorite and that electronic drums do have a part to play, BUT, what about the crack, crack that only an acoustic snare can produce. You know, that captivating sound that all drummers love. I try to like the sound of electronic drums, really I do, but when I hear the real thing I am hooked. I'm old school I guess!

Have you ever seen a marching band with an electronic drum line? Boy, they would need some serious extension cords. When playing electronic drums, be sure to always pay the light bill and pray that the soundman does not have a hangover. What I am trying to say, is acoustic drums are self-sufficient where electronic drums depend on a lot of other factors. The drummer is responsible for the sound of his own acoustics and no one else. They can be played any time any place.

The trademark of a drummer is his ability to tune his acoustics to the best sound that they will produce. Each acousti c drum has a magic spot. He is a true artist. Acoustic drums are so simple yet so profound. You take a wooden stick and strike a piece of plastic pulled tight over a wooden cylinder and let air do its thing. You bend sound waves to make the drum sound the way you like it. You can add overtones, take out overtones, muffle sound, magnify sound all with the turn of a few screws.

Acoustics are crafted instruments of beauty. Turn me loose in a drum store and I am a happy camper. I have never met an acoustic drum that I didnt like on beauty alone. Some sound much better than others do but they all have a certain type of beauty.

Acoustic drums are the real things. I don't want to call electronic drums fake drums, so I will call them imitator drums. They imitate acoustic drums. The imitator can never produce a better sound than the real thing because it is not the real thing, just the imitator. Some drummers try to get their acoustic drums to sound like electro nic drums. They got it backwards. Sad but true.

Come on guys; don't take the easy way out with electronic drums. Learn to master your acoustics. You will be glad you took the hours and hours of getting to know you kit. They will produce a sound that none can match.

Happy drumming acoustic style.

Fred Fishburne - A guy that loves playing acoustic drums. http://mcdonoughinfo.com

Author:: Fred Fishburne
Keywords:: acoustic drums, tom tom, tom toms, bass drum, kick drum, Electonic, electronic drums, Sticks
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Reincarnation: The Easy Way Out

2013-05-29T14:00:00.005-07:00

In my twenty-eight plus years on the planet, I have come to believe two fundamental principals about life: Coffee is best served black & some of the best conversations youll have will happen in bars. A perfect example of the latter occurred last week at a local pub in Chicago. I was chatting with a close friend over a pint of Harp, when he brought up the idea of reincarnation. He posed the question: When you dieif you could come back as anyone else.who would it be?

My buddy Paul, who always seems to forget his wallet on Friday nights, thought it would be nice to come back as Hugh Hefnerso he could live the life of a playboy. A solid answer as far as I was concerned. But whose shoes would I like to live in, if I had the chance? At first all I could come up with was Kermit the frog and whoever is currently dating Alyssa Milano. Then suddenly it hit me: When I die, I want to come back as Rick Rubin.

There are plenty of reasons to admire a guy like Rick. Hes an acc omplished record producer and label owner whos known around the world for his work in hip hop, heavy metal, and alternative rock. At 21, he founded Def Jam records with Russell Simmons while attending NYU. At 25, they went their separate ways and Rubin went on to start the Def American label. Hes worked with the likes of LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Slayer, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Danzig, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, & Shakirajust to name a few.

Over the last 20+ years, Rubin has become successful by developing and investing in his passion for unique music. But arguably the most impressive thing about his Career is that it seemed to develop naturally through his ability to understand and digest the medium. He essentially made a hobby his life and that is why so many people admire him. But the mor e I think about it, the more I realize....I wouldnt want to be Rick RubinId want to work with him. Id want to learn from him and become the mini beardless (and balding) version of him. In my mind its clear: Two Rubins would be better than one.

Interesting enough, many people who aspire to work in the music business are somewhat jaded. Theres a perception out there that consumers and record labels alike have become increasingly more narrow minded; that the industry as a whole has become polluted with cookie cutter artists; and that its more difficult than ever to break into the business without selling ones soul to the devil. But Id argue quite the opposite. I believe that consumers and record labels are equally salivating at the prospect of new and innovative music. Aspiring Musicians and producers have, in a way, become more empowered. Advances in home Recording have made it possible for obscure artists to develop and market their own material. Arguably, the only limi tations are ones own creative prowess, education, and networking skills. For every struggling artist out there, you can find hundreds (if not thousands) that are enjoying rather successful Careers.

Rubin is a shining example of someone who has not given in to the negative perceptions and obstacles of the business. He wasnt interested in a lot of the music being produced in the 80s, so he decided to start producing his own artists. He soon realized that he wasnt being compensated well enough by the labels he had been working with; so he went out and started his own. Obviously these ventures were quite ambitious. But if there is anything that can be learned from Rubin it is this: If youre serious about breaking into the music business, you cant sit on the sidelines waiting for your big break. Take your Career into your own hands, and seek out new opportunities instead of waiting for them to come to you. Dont rely on reincarnationthats the easy way out.

Mark Branson is a featured columnist for CareerMusician.com, a collection of resources for the aspiring music business professional. As a Musician and music aficionado, Mark's writing is meant to provide aspiring professionals with inspiration and a broader perspective of the art and business of music. Email the editor at mark@CareerMusician.com

Free syndication of this article: Feel free to run this article in your e-zine or on your web site. All I require is that you keep all links in tact and include my bio listed at the end of the article.

Author:: Mark Branson
Keywords:: music business, Recording, Musician, Career
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Lori Nuic Sparkles

2013-05-29T14:00:00.004-07:00

A Soulful vibe along with an amazing Voice is what Lori Nuic is gifted with, she got the crowd grooving as she performed at Launch Pad at the Cameron House for the first time.

This Young starlet started out by playing a big part in a high school Musical, Leader of the Pack, bringing her to the stage today and playing songs that any crowd would love.

Just to have an audience to listen to you is cool, Lori said.

The energy in the audience was amazing as this Kitchener girl sang, looking like she has been doing it for years.

Together with her eclectic Voice, she mainly plays the Guitar but also dips into the Keyboard. Before Loris performance at Launch Pad, she asked the audience for some spoons or a cowbell which she also likes play, adding a little spice to her tunes. Too bad no one had any of those instruments to spare.

Dancing was what Lori started out with taking it into University, but she said, I knew that Music was what I always wanted to do.

As a Young age Nuic learned how to play the Guitar and her Voice was discovered after Singing songs from the movie Beaches with her friend.

It doesnt seem like hard work when you love what you are doing, Lori said.

She is not the only one in her family to have such passion for Music. Loris brother is in a band and plays the drums and bass. I look up to my brother because he is a Musical genius, Nuic said.

Lori is working on her first album. To her it has been a lot of fun to create, yet stressful. You will be able to see it out in early 2005.

I will definitely be looking forward to seeing Lori at the Cameron House in the future, she has so much talent and a great personality to go with it.

Farris Green
farris@sugarcainentertainment.com
http://www.su garcainentertainment.com

Author:: Farris Green
Keywords:: Lori,Nuic,Music,Folk,Guitar,Sing,Voice,Toronto,Canada,Soul,Young,Cameron,House,Keyboard,
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Discount Drum Sets

2013-05-29T14:00:00.003-07:00

If you've decided to take up drumming, but you don't want to spend several thousand dollars on a professional drum set, you can go the discount drum set route. Thee are brand-name stArter drum sets available for under $500, as well as no so well known brands for even less. Just keep in mind that a brand name set may come with a better warranty and be easier to upgrade or sell.

The best place to stArt checking for a discounted set of drums is on the Internet. There are several sites that sell discounted drum sets at great prices. A set should include drums, cymbals, sticks and hardware. You'll also find great buys through mail-order houses. Lo ok in music stores, music magazines or check bulletin boards in your local music shop. You'll probably see some great buys.

When you go to purchase a discounted drum set look for quality. There are a few reputable brands that are worth mentioning like Union, TKO Percussion, Sunlite, Drum Workshop, Ludwig, Paiste, Sabian, Zildjian, Kaces, SKB and Evans.

The other way to go to purchase drums at discounted prices is to pick up a used set. However, there are some points to check up before you purchase drums that have been used. You must make sure that the shells are round and have no cracks. The rims and hoops should not have any dents and should be perfectly round. Lugs and tension rods should be tight and there should be none missing.

Make sure the stands and brackets are intact and hold their position, and make sure that the bass pedal is working. You will save money buying a used set, but like anything else used, you want something that is in good workin g order. If you don?t know that much about drums, take along someone who does before you purchase a used set.

Drum Sets provides detailed information on Drum Sets, Cheap Drum Sets, Electronic Drum Sets, Used Drum Sets and more. Drum Sets is affiliated with Steel Drums.

Author:: Richard Romando
Keywords:: Drum Sets, Cheap Drum Sets, Electronic Drum Sets, Used Drum Sets
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Beyonce and Destiny's Child

2013-05-29T14:00:00.002-07:00

Destinys Child: The End of the Beginning

The 90s were a fun and prosperous period in our countrys history. Clinton was President, the economy was booming, and groundbreaking musical groups ruled the airways. Destinys Child burst onto the scene in the late 90s, giving voice to a new generation of young women who were sexy, sassy and self-determined. Beyonce Knowles, Kelendria Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Luckett and LaToya Roberson were the original members of the multi-platinum, best-selling girl group of all time, Destinys Child.

1997s hit single No, No, No which sold over a million copies worldwide, ushered in a new era of independent and sophisticated women who no longer waited around for a man to make his move, but knew what she wanted and how to make it happen. Destinys Child, the title of the groups first album also featured the single With Me, showcasing the lyrics Do you ever wonder when he dont come home who he goes to see, why in the middle of the night he leaves you alone, cause everything he wants is with me. These lyrics helped to perpetuate even further the feeling that women had to step up and take what they wanted, or felt they deserved.

The chart-topping single Bills, Bills, Bills released just before the debut of Destinys Childs sophomore album The Writings on the Wall in 1999, shook many members of the male gender to their core with the lyrics, Can you pay my bills, can you pay my telephone bill, can you pay my automobile, if you did then maybe we could chill. These lyrics and other singles from the album including Bug-a-boo and Say My Name further perpetuated the groups reputation as strong and determined women. Soon after the release of The Writings On The Wall two of the groups members LaToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, left the group and where replaced by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin. Franklin left the group several months after joining, leaving Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle William s to savor the chart topping success that was destined for Destinys Child.

Before the release of Destinys Childs third album, Kelly stepped out of the group setting and recorded and released Destinys Childs first solo track, Angel which appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Down to Earth. As chance would have it, former Destinys Child members. LaToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, announced the formation of their new girl group called Angel, which never made any real contribution to the art of music. The spring of 2001 brought about the release of Destinys Childs third album Survivor hit the charts at number one. Several singles from the album, including Survivor, and Bootylicious also spent time on the charts. After the release of Destinys Child Christmas album, Eight Days of Christmas, and a remix album, aptly titled, This is the Remix, the first solo album by a group member was released. Michelle Williams gospel album, Heart to Yours, was followed by Kelly Rowlands album entitled, Simply Deep.

Then came the release of Beyonce Knowles album, entitled Dangerously in Love. The release and success of Beyonces debut solo album confirmed what fans already knew, Beyonces star was destined to outshine the competition. Dangerously in Love earned Beyonce five grammys and her song writing earned her the honor of ASCAP Songwriter of the Year in 2001 making her the first African-American woman and only the second female ever to earn such an honor. Beyonce also made a foray into the world of acting, starring opposite Mike Myers in the Austin Powers sequel Goldmember, and she co-starred in The Fighting Temptations opposite Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr.

2004 brought the group together again, as they released Destiny Fulfilled, the album that would bring the women of Destinys Child full circle, and close one of the most entertaining chapters in music history, when the group announced that this would be their last album together. Though on e chapter has closed, fans anxiously await the next chapter in the solo music lives of Michelle, Kelly and Beyonce, Destinys Child.

I am the owner of cw industries, a greek shop located in Birmingham, Alabama.

Author:: Clinton Walker
Keywords:: Beyoncy, Destiny's Child
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How to Use the Entire Piano Keyboard

2013-05-29T14:00:00.001-07:00

There are 88 keys on the Piano keyboard. Most pianists use about 1/3 of this number most of the time. Why?

Well, if you're playing sheet music, the answer lies in how the composer used the Piano. If you're creating your own music, the answer lies in experimenting with the possibilities.

Now, most of my own music is played near the middle of the keyboard. It's not planned that way but this is the area of the Piano I naturally gravitate towards when sitting down to play. Of course, I do and have used most notes available on the Piano and it would be a shame not to. But I allow the music to tell me where it wants to go. If I sit down with a predetermined agenda to play high notes, then I am not listening to my intuition.

Although I have to admit that in Lesson 5: Winter Scene I wanted to create a crisp wintry sound so I started further up the keyboard with the left hand and played higher register notes in my right. But most times, I will let my intuition guide me and 9 times out of 10 begin at the middle of the keyboard.

There is nothing wrong or uncreative about this at all. In fact, it doesn't really matter where you begin because once started, the heart and mind work together as one bringing you the ideal music. It is the only true music that could come ou t of you because you listen to what your heart wants to play. If you play a few bass notes to begin with fine. Want to start at the high end of the Piano, OK.

The key here is authenticity. Some compositions and improvisations sound contrived because they were - that is they were thought up. There really is nothing wrong per se with this approach - as long as you let the music guide you. For example, you may decide you want to do as I did and create a certain mood piece. However, once you get the general idea for the music, let it guide you to where it wants to go - that is, listen, listen, listen for what is coming next. This approach never fails and will most always yield good results.

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: Piano keyboard,Piano chords,Piano,new age music
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Start With a School Radio Station

2013-05-28T14:00:00.006-07:00

My 15-year-old nephew asked me, How and where to practice and develop one of the working skills during school time? My first thought, at that moment, was College radio station.

At 16, I joined my college radio station and began my job as an editor for an online music program. From that day, I have become acquainted with terms such as noise, sound, broadcast, frequency and so on. Luckier than many people, with that job, I could earn money for my living, besides gaining very much experience and building up many good relationships which can support my current and future career. And with such experience, now, I can give advice to my nephew or any youth who wants to stArt a career and develop their skill, knowledge in working.

Well, let me think about what we need for a college radio station. If just lis ting out, we might think that its too simple and easy: a studio, or source of program, and the transmission lines. If you are beginners, dont think you can do much and all but step by step. It was really difficult at that time when we began with various odd pieces of equipment. We stArted using the easiest means of transmission by broadcasting in the school canteen, in classes. And later, we added more ways to reach the audience. We concentrated on serving our school and at the same time extended to other colleges in the same area. Actually, the running of our school radio station was based on fund-raising and sponsorship money. Besides some necessary equipment such as Mini-discs, computers, recorders, we faced a bigger problem for a long time looking for an old, affordable multi-track mixer. We didnt have the ad vanced and efficient equipment to support our work.

The first broadcasting show of ours was a two-hour program divided into 3 smaller sections. The first one was Hello Morning with 3 tiny bulletins of 3 to 5 minutes each. In these bulletins, we presented all good and happy news. The second section was Music Dedication Program. We compiled a few collections of music and one by one was presented everyday. The third one was School loud speaker during which we announced important events of the school for the following week. Day by day, the program was extended and the coverage of the program was enlarged.

We received more orders from many schools for radio storytellers, puppeteers, live music programs, music festivals, and etc. The students who worked in the radio station were really in situation in which we could practice and develop the skills of drawing up plans, solving problems, devising strategies and many more. Two years later, our radio station was presented with a big gift from a local station: a voice changer software and a music editor software. These advanced softwares helped us handle our job properly. Instead of needing many students to join in dubbing for a story or a drama, now, we just need two technical operators and two students to make the dubbing. The old weak multi-track mixer was retired and the music editor.

We learnt how to apply these efficient tools in work. Of course, we found them very useful and interesting. We could easily record, remix music, add sound and effects, change one voice into many others. These jobs used to require many people and much time . However, applying our computers and these softwares, we could do the job well with just 4 or 5 people. We spent much time, thought and labor in this extra-curriculum job, but we loved it. We made school lessons more interesting and exciting. We created a different way for children to gain experience and helped them make a presentation in a new way. We made a radio program which was considered the voice of students, pupils in the school. We sent meaningful music messages to friends, teachers, and so on.

I join my current company, a provider of voice changer and music editor softwares, because of many reasons. One of these reasons is that I want to support many college radio stations. My friends who used to work with me in our school radio station are all having good jobs in professional.

We are very happy to give advice and guidelines to youth in stArting a school radio station or a home music studio. One of the first advices from me is that Dont wait until tomorrow what you can do today. Seize any chance you have, stArt with your dream, step by step, and you can see a clearer road for your future.

Jenny Le- a writer of Audio4fun specialized in music and recording categories. Contact her at: http://www.audio4fun.com, or media@audio4fun.com.

Author:: Jenny Le
Keywords:: school radio station, college radio station, voice changer software, music editor
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

How To Teach Guitar

2013-05-28T14:00:00.005-07:00

After you become good at playing the guitar, you might wonder if you should teach contract.

If you do want to teach guitar, you should know that you will usually be independent contractor. You will not be working for a company. You will be your own boss and you can set your hours. The downside is that you will have no insurance and that you will be responsible for your own taxes at the end of the year.

To teach guitar, you will have to know how much you are going to charge your students. The amount that is usually charged for a 30 minute lesson is $20. This means that the students will have to pay $80 a month. A pArt of this amount will have to go to the agency or the store that is helping you get students. The usually split between the store and you is 70% for you and 30% for the store. You could p ossibly get a 80%/20%. You should never settle for a 60%/40% split as it will not work out very well for you.

Another issue when it comes to teaching students is collecting payments. At some places, you will have to collect the payments. At some places, the stores are responsible for collecting payments. Who collects the payments could depend on the split. When it is 80%/20%, you will be collecting. When it is 70%/30%, the store will be collecting. You should not be collecting when it is 60%/40% split.

When you are teaching guitar, you should keep in touch with the parents of your young students. You can speak them when they are picking up or leaving off their student. You can also speak with them on the phone. Most parents want to make that they are spending money on quality lessons. When you hear the parents sitting down outside the door, you should not be talking with your student about last nights Monday Night Football game. You should be focusing on teaching guitar, not anything else. You earn your money from teaching guitar, not what is happening in the NFL.

When you teach guitar, you should know what your stores policy is about make-up lessons. If the student calls before the day of the lesson, you have to make it up. If the student does not come and has not called within 24 hours, you usually dont have to make it up.

To teach guitar, you dont have to have a degree. Even if the teach has a doctorate in music theory, it does not make them good teacher. What is important is that the students like the teacher and that the teacher is than the students that he teaches. This is all that matters and you should not worry if you have a degree or not.

When you teach guitar, you should act like a professional. You should show up on time. You should be a reliable person. You should not be strung out and unreliable. You should look professional as well. You don't have to wear a suit, but you should wear khakis and a coll ared shirt.

You should try to m make your resume look sharp. Even if you don't have serious credentials, you should try to make what you have done as good as possible. You could say that you have taught a David Smith for the last two years. You could count sitting around with your buddies as lessons. You should just try to make whatever you have done with the guitar sound as good as possible.

After you do send in your resume, you should make a phone call to follow up on your resume. You will probably have to demonstrate your skills. If you do have to demonstrate, you should probably play your most difficulty material.

Gen Mason is a guitar player from Florida. Discover free how to improve your guitar skills at Jamorama

Author:: Gen Mason
Keywords:: how to teach guitar
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

History of Hip Hop Dance

2013-05-28T14:00:00.004-07:00

Hip Hop Dance has a dynamic history. From Breakdancing to the moonwalk from michael Jackson to Krump dancing to Bboy dancing to plain old head nodding. Everyone had their own way of expressing love for hip hop dancing.

Hip Hop Dance History has people buzzing. Why you ask ? Because they are watching all these crazy Hip Hop dancing music videos on tv and they want to know the history of it. Where did this stuff come from.

The history of hip hop dance stArted with Breakdancing. It stArted around the late 1970s to early 80s. Breaking stArted in the south bronx new york. It was a form of Hip Hop dance that was used by street gangs to settle differences without using violence. This was a positive for black and peurtorican youths at the time. People were not losing there lives over bs ya know. One of the first Hip Hop Dance crews in History are the rocksteady crew.

They help usher in a new style of breakdancing that included acrobatic styles such as headspinning, windmills, backspins, waves and all that good stuff. The Rock Steady Crew dropped on the scene around 1979 to 1980.

They were encouraged by a legendary DJ by the name of Afrika Bambatta to use break dancing as a tool to achieve greatness. Afrikaa Bambatta was instrumental in pushing break dancing forward by motivating youth to pursue their love of the Art form.

Trevor BArt better known as Anglewhiz is a hip hop expert that has been rapping for 10 years and has been a bigger fan oh hip hop forever. You can check him out and what he has to say at http://www.hiphopride.com

Author:: Trevor BArt
Keywords:: History of Hip Hop Dance, Hip Hop Dance, Hip Hop Dance the History, Hip Hop, Hip Hop Moves
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Creating a Press Kit That Catches Their Eye!

2013-05-28T14:00:00.003-07:00

I get asked a lot about press kits. People want to know how to present theM, what's in theM, etc. I have been asked over and over again to write articles on the subject, so here you are: a brief crash course on press kits.

Your press kit is your calling card. It will introduce you and your band to the people you need to help Move your career forward before they Meet you or hear your Music. Make it interesting, exciting and entertaining. Make it attractive. Make it soMething that will capture their attention an d Make theM want to see, read and listen to what youve sent.

Your press kit should include reviews you have received for shows, inforMation on current venues, and any reviews froM your new CD when they are available. Include a head or group shot (black and white is the least expensive, but color really catches the eye), a bio (if you do n't have a bio, create one, or get soMeone to create one for you), a cover letter, a CD, and a business card.

Your cover letter, should be liMited to one page and should be packed full of concise well forMatted inforMation. Try to liMit your press kit to 7 or 8 pieces of inforMation. You don't want to overload theM and you want to save soMe exciteMent for later! Keep theM a little curious.

Youll want to coMpile three types of press kits: one for Major labels, one for distributors, and the other for Radio PD/MDs. (In My book, The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1, I go into Much greater how to present the different press kits to each one.) The order you place the inforMation in your folders is equally as iMportant to the reader as the content is to you. They know what theyre looking for. Your enclosures should go in the following order starting on top:

Press Kit for Major Labels
On the left side of the folder
CD
Business card (attached to the folder)
Cover letter
Head shot/Group Shot
On the right side of the folder
Bio
Reviews (Most current on top)
Any press
Lyric Sheets (very iMportant to Many A&R personnel. If you already have theM in your CD jacket dont repeat theM with another enclosure unless they specifically request separate lyric sheets. Save on postage.)

Press Kit for Radio PD/MD's
On the left side of the folder
CD (possibly two, depending on the type of station More on this in My book.)
Business card (attached to the folder)
Cover letter
Head shot/Group Shot
On the right side of the folder
Bio
Reviews (Most current on top)
Any press

A word of advice: Certain labels will not accept unsolicited Material no Matter what you do. Generally, youll need an entertainMent lawyer or Manager to subMit to theM on your behalf. Other tiMes Major labels have an established relationship with a verifiable industry contact that Must represent you. Warner Brothers is one of those and DreaMworks is another. Before you send any press kit, you need to get perMission first. If you don't get perMission, your product has a very low probability rate of ever getting to its destination and even less of a chance of getting read and listened to.

There are Musicians who think that their Music is the only thing that will speak for theM. They believe that their Music alone will open the doors to Major labels. It won't. That is just the plain truth. You Must have a proven track record as well as a certain style and look. It is after all the first thing they see before they ever listen to your Music. This is a Money Making business. The Majors are in business. They May think youre the nicest person in the world, but they still want to Make Money off of you and your contract. They aren't really interested in taking a risk on what you think is the best Music. Your CD and ticket sales will inspire theM.

So Make sure that you do your work! Get listed with Soundscan. Keep a record of all the airplay you receive (which stations are playing you), and sell, sell, sell before you subMit to labels. Your statistics are equal to you being a low-risk prospect for a Major label. Youll have already proven yourself! And, More iMportantly, youll have a Much better shot at opening the doors.

After you have sent your press kit, Make sure to follow up with a phone call to Make sure your press kit has arrived safely. Then wait three weeks before you begin follow-up calls. Don't just send the package and expect theM to call. ReMeMber, they get hundreds of packages froM Musicians just like you every single week. Follow up and get noticed but dont becoMe a pest or they will ignore you. Its a fine line and you will know it when you speak with theM. Once you get a response, whether you like the answer or not, politely thank theM and send theM a thank you card for their tiMe. They will reMeMber you and you May have perhaps gained an ally for the future!

Jaci Rae is the #1 Best Selling author of Winning Points with the WoMan in Your Life One Touchdown at a TiMe ISBN 0974622907 and The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 as well as the host of the Jaci Rae show. Dubbed by the Media as Racy Jaci because of her quick wit and The Rae of Hope, for her powerful insight, please Make sure to check her out at: http://www.jacirae.coM To hear Jacis popular show, with soMe of the top behind the scenes as well as faMous bands go to: http://www.jacirae. coM click on the weekly show link.

Author:: Jaci Rae
Keywords:: Music, indie Music, aMerican idol, Music guide, record label, Music directory, indie Music scene, M
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Hip Hop And Its Elements

2013-05-28T14:00:00.001-07:00

According to the standard definition, hip hop is a style of popular Music which came into existence in roughly the mid '70s but became a large part of modern day pop culture in the late '80s and consists of two main components: rapping (MCing) and DJing (audio mixing and scratching).

Since its beginning in the early seventies hip hop has been more than just a genre of Music that people most commonly associate it with. Hip hop is a street culture with Elements that promote self expression and participation.

Hip-hop's four Elements include; DJing , break dancing, graffiti and emceeing (what was originally known as emce e, is today known as rap). The motivations behind the creation of this culture are reflected through the nature of these Elements. Hip hop began to take a hold over black youths in America so all the Elements are unintentionally performed in a way to reflect a culture of rebellion and independence.

These four Elements are a reflection upon the environments that the people who have adopted the form are surrounded by. By using not only stories and statemen ts for graffiti and rapping but also performance techniques like break dancing and djing they present a sound and style to identify with and a voice to be heard.

The hip hop world began in the Bronx in 1971. The founder of hip-hop was rapper and first break-beat deejay Kool Herc. Soon after, Grandmaster Flash invented scratching; spinning a record back and forth creating a scratching sound. These innovations made by Kool Herc, Grand Wizard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa and other like- minded DJs of the era were the spearhead of an underground cultural movement that is now recognized as hip-hop.

Just like for graffiti artists, tagging walls wasn't about being self-consciously postmodern, for DJs, breaking wasn't some departure from the norms of soul Music, for all for these innovators it was an accidental, off-hand discovery of a way to distinguish themselves in a very direct, self-contained, and controllable way. The ideas that form this expressio n were accidental, but one can show that this element of hip hop allows artists to possess control over a track, dismantling it by the seams symbolizing destruction and rebellion. These symbols again reflect the hip hop cultures infatuation with violence and independence showing how Deejaying unintentionally constituted epistemological meaning and characteristic that are relevant to this culture. The turntable gave Hip hoppers a simple tool to make their art and they made their own decisions about made it good.

Hip hop is the term for urban based creativity and expression of culture, the turntables enabled artists to be creative with Musical sounds. The turntable is an instrument that gives artists control over mainstream Music, constituting a sense of rebellion through scratching and distorting a track. Not only does djing give artists a sense of upheaval but also liberation and freedom, Q-Bert says that the art of scratching is like a miracle- how you grab any record ed sound and manipulate it to say whatever you wantI wanted to speak the universal language of Music, so I chose the Musical instrument of the future: the turntable

Kool Herc and company began dedicating specific breaks for the dancers whose moves grew more and more innovative and complex. Competition between dancers became fierce and soon the moves were accentuated by acrobatic flips and twists, giving way to head back spins. This became known as the international phenomenon break dancing. Breaker Pee Wee Dance says Dancing is a way of being heard. It's a form of expression.

Hip hop is like the essence or soul force behind your breaking, it is the reason why you do it

Break dancing is the physical manifestation of hip hop culture. Many of the moves imitated commonly explored epistemologies of sex and violence prevalent in other Elements of hip hop. For example, breakers often adopted freeze poses, which might include presenting one's behind to an opponent, holding one's nose or grabbing one's genitals to suggest bad odor or sexual domination.

Much like graffiti, break dancing developed a contradictory relationship to dominant culture. In January 1980, one of the first published articles on break dancing covered a group of break dancers who were detained by the police for fighting and causing a disturbance in a Washington Heights area subway station. Once the police were convinced it was just a dance, the breakers were let go. As it is an unsanctioned public dance and public occupation of space, particularly by Black and Puerto Rican youths, breaking continued to draw the attention of the police again highlighting a rebellious embodiment of this culture.

Deejays often used a microphone to engage the crowd. Over time, individuals other than the Deejay joined in, delivering a message in a catchy rhyme form. By drawing attention not only to the message itself, but also how the message was conveyed, these individuals became performers in their own right, taking a place alongside Deejays and B-Boys; the emcee was born.

America has long been drawn to the symbiosis between criminal life and pop culture. This was the driving force behind the art form adopted by many hip hop emcees called Gangsta rap. Gangsta rap explores the epistemological ideas of war and battle in rap Music. From Nat Turner to Marcus Garvey, the idea of a black revolutionary army has a long history in America. In the modern era, black insurrectionaries like Malcolm X and Huey Newton embraced a radical agenda without hiding their criminal pasts the implications being that a gangsta was just a soldier who hadn't been to boot camp and that African American criminals could be transformed from a liability into an asset.

The violence and sexual materialism that characterize some rap songs are as deeply American as the hokey Music that rappers appropriate. The fact is, Americans were in love with outlaws and violence long before hip hop- think of Jesse James, Bonnie and Clyde as well and Scar face and the God Father series.

The fantasy of a black America disciplined, powerful and triumphant seemed to have died when the Panthers imploded in the early seventies, but it resurfaced in the late 1980s, when hip hop turned political, a major factor being the introduction of Gangsta rap. The African American radical army has been more a rhetorical tool than a practical reality with artists like NWA exploring the fine line between criminal violence and righteous militancy in their Music.

Sanneh says that today many hip hop artists are less interested in the fantasy of a unified black planet than in the aesthetic appeal of military culture itself. This idea raises epistemologies of what makes a true hip hop emcee, many of whom are accused of being too square, too clean-cut, too be true hip hop icons.

The importance of the messages delivered by an emcees is epitomized in the quote by Farley in his article 'Hip hop Nation', hip hop is where the voice of protest is going in the inner city and possibly far beyond.

Raps verbal texture makes it an ideal vessel to communicate ideas whether satirical, personal or political. However, as America's infatuation with rap has increased, the genres political content has withered. Earlier artists attacked white racism and challenged listeners to fight the power. But many new acts are focused almost entirely on pathologies within the black community. They rap about shooting other blacks but almost never about challenging government authority or encouraging social activism.

Wu-Tang Clans producer-rapper believes many performers are embracing the genres style-rapping- but missing its essence, the culture of hip-hop. I don't think the creativity has been big. I think the sales have been big and the exposure has been bigit's been a big year for rap. It's been a poor year for hip hop. Even Farley raises the question Is gangsta mythologizing for people already living under the gun a form of release or cultural imprisonment.

Hip hop got its starts in black America but now more than seventy per cent of hip hop albums are purchased by whites. White performers, such as Eminem, are releasing hip hop tracks that are accepted and enjoyed by both African American and non- African American supporters. The largest volume of hip hop albums has been sold to suburban kids. It is interesting that while Gangsta rap is primarily identified with a segment of society of young black males that is particularly ravaged by crime is most often purchased by suburban

Graffiti and rap were especially aggressive public displays of counter presence and voice. Each asserted the right to write-to inscribe ones identity on an environment that seemed Teflon resistant to its young people of color.

Graffiti was the voice of kids using spray paint and Magic Markers to scream for attention and make art. In the gang-ridden cities of America today, warnings about turf and threats of violence are communicated via graffiti. Eventually, the subways become the ideal forum for getting one's name known. Simple tags give way to elaborate pieces and aerosol art takes its place in hip-hop history. Graffiti began to develop elaborate individual styles, themes, formats and techniques, most of which were designed to increase visibility, individual identity, and status.

Some of the most meaningful postmodern ideas come from graffiti, for example the only limitations come from our imagination.

Train facades are central to graffiti style because graffiti artists are guerilla outlaws who thrive on risk as a facet of one's skill - the element of surprise and eluding authority among writers again creati ng a sense of cultural rebellion.

By the mid 1970s, graffiti emerged as a central example of the extent of urban decay and heightened already existing fears over a loss of control of the urban landscape. If the city could not stop these young outlaws from writing all over trains and walls, some political leaders feared, then what could the city manage?.

Graffiti is now an international phenomenon and has been adopted by many artists worldwide as a way to attract the inner city youths, and often present positive and inspirational messages. Unfortunately, the overuse of graffiti style in advertising has drained the expression of its immediacy; hip hop did not start as a career move but as a way of announcing one's existence to the world.

All four Elements of the hip-hop culture still exi st today and are forever evolving to new levels. Hip hop is a cultural revolution that bridges people together thus it is a continuously growing culture that is almost impossible to stop.

While it is these four Elements that come together to form what is formally known as the hip hop culture, one can question whether it is merely the nature of these art forms that create this culture or is hip hop based more on the cultural epistemologies that motivate and seduce its followers. These four Elements make up the name but the culture is driven by a seduction of violence and a youth culture that want their voices heard.

Rush , a participant of a breaking group in Sydney says; To me hip hop has nothing to do with the four Elements. Hip hop to me is meant to be a street culture and it your interests neglect the interests of the streets then it really isn't hip hop, so all that stuff that you see on TV that does not give anything back to street isn't really hip hop it is just entertainment People think you have to be an MC or a rapper or a break dancer or a graff artist or a DJ to be 'hip hop' but you don't have to do any of them and you can still be hip hop (Rush: 2003). However, it is important to realize that these four Elements were created to provide a physical representation and foundation used to fulfill people's desire to be seen and heard. This fact is epitomized by Davey D who says Initially all of hip hop's major facets were forms of self expression. The driving force behind all these activities was people's desire to be seen and heard.

The article was produced by the member of masterpapers.com. Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at term papers. Get some useful tips for thesis and term paper writing .

Author:: Sharon White
Keywords:: hip hop, Music, Elements
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50 Cents and His Rolls Royce Phantom

2013-05-27T14:00:00.007-07:00

Real Name: Curtis James Jackson

Date of birth: July 6, 1975

50 Cent (a.k.a. Fifty or Fiddy as pronounced in African American Vernacular English, born Curtis Jackson on July 6, 1976 in Queens, New York), is a popular African American hip-hop artist. Once almost unknown outside his hometown of southside Jamaica, Queens, he is currently signed to Eminems record label Shady Records and Dr. Dres Aftermath Entertainment. The rapper, who was the first to sign to Shady Records, was scouted before knowing Eminem. Eminem first encountered 50 Cent with MTV News reporter Sway Calloway; Eminem apparently had not heard any of 50 Cents performances before seeing him in person. He appeared on the 8 Mile soundtrack with an accompanying song and video (Wanksta) that immediately went into heavy rotation on BET, MTV, and radio stations across the country. In the opinion of many observers his continued success seems guaranteed by his large underground fanbase and the street credibi lity he has gained by appearing on almost every major mix tape sold in New York in the past few years.

Early Life

Curtis Jackson never knew his crack cocaine-addicted father, and his mother, a bisexual Queens drug dealer working under Fat Cat, was murdered when Jackson was only eight years old. Her death had a major impact on Jackson, the degree of which is speculated over by fans, and her sexuality also played a key part in Jacksons emotional growth, which he would later reference in the song Hate It or Love It off The Games album The Documentary), Comin up, I was confused, my momma kissin a girl/ Confusion occurs, comin up in a cold world. The same song also contains a mild indictment of his fathers absence, Daddy aint around, probably out committin felonies.

After his mothers death, Jackson ended up living with his grandparents, where as a teenager he became immersed in the local drug trade. Hustling around his native Jamaica, Queens neighborhood, Jackso n went by the name of Boo Boo. It was during this period of distributing narcotics that Jackson met fellow Queens native Tony Yayo, who would later become a member of Jacksons G-Unit group. In June of 1994, Jackson was arrested on felony drug charges. Being a second time offender, Jackson was able to plead out of significant prison time by accepting seven months in a shock incarceration boot camp. He would later boast about this period as his doing seven to nine.

He became a father to a son, Marquise in 1997. Jackson met up with Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC fame and was signed to his label JMJ. Jay taught him the basics and then 50 left the label in search of someone who could help him achieve his dream of rap stardom. He teamed up with the hip-hop production duo Track Masters who recognized 50 Cents talent for incisive lyrics and signed him to Columbia Records in 1999. Although he looks back on this time with displeasure (his biography refers to it as being locked up in the studio), the 18 days spent in a studio in Upstate New York produced 36 tracks which later became his breakthrough album Power of the Dollar. How to Rob, the humorous ode to robbing a slew of industry rappers (Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, Busta Rhymes (Flipmode Squad), various members of the Wu-Tang Clan, even Track Masters, and many more) was an instant hit for New York radio. Power Of The Dollar was never released, due to his shooting in 2000 and Columbia Records executives decided to drop him, claiming the shooting was negative publicity.

His Car

In the world of hip-hop, Cars maketh the star, and there is no star bigger than 50 Cent at the moment. But Fifty aint happy with whats in his garage, and he has plans to turn the car world on its head, literally. 50 Cent is about to make his Rolls-Royce Phantom a drop-top, even before the company does the work for itself...

I just want something everybody else doesnt have, declares the megastar backstage at a one-off U K concert at Rockingham race track. He then unleashes a tidal wave of how and why he is going to butcher his Phantom. I dont care if it messes up the electrical system. The roof is gonna be gone. I want something more sporty. Im not an old man. Thats why I wanna chop the roof off it. Ill leave the TVs. They had TVs in the package I got. Its fully loaded. Ill leave everything thats in there. Ill just cut the roof off. Make it into a vertible.

The man to whom 50 will turn for this ultimate chop-top is Funkmaster Flex, New York car artiste to the rap stars. The Bronx-based customiser, 50 Cents motoring mentor and restorer of the singers 65 Chevy Impala and 84 Buick Regal has been trying to talk the megastar out of what some will regard as sacrilege.

I dont think is such a good idea and its going to end up costing him almost as much as the car, predicts the host of the Ride With Funkmaster Flex cult TV show. Rather than hack the roof off the Phantom, Flex thinks it w ould be better to try and buy a production example of the stunning 100EX convertible concept car when it goes on sale in 2007. An idea 50 is having none of.

They wont give me one, he tuts with the air of a petulant teenager. Having me drive a Rolls-Royce is great for [promoting the company, but they dont see eye to eye with the kid yet.

50 (I have been warned not to call him Mr. Cent!) is flexing his considerable muscles. Less than three years since being drop-kicked to the top of the hip-hop parade with a plug from Eminem, 50 is enjoying the power of fame and spending a $100 million fortune which would run many a small country.

Fame and fortune has come at a price. In 2000, Curtis James Jackson III was shot outside his grandma New York house. Now there are more bullet wounds in his body than fingers on one of his blinged-up diamond-encrusted hands. One 9mm shell even went through his front teeth. Every time he grins I try and spot it. So far I have failed.

Specifications of Rolls Royce Phantom

Model year: 2005 Make: Rolls Royce Model: Phantom Style: RWD Base Price: 328750$ Drive Type: Rear Transmission Type: 6-Speed Automatic Engine Type: V12 Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 453 @ 5350 Torque (ft-lbs @ rpm): 531 @ 3500 Performance: 0 - 30 (sec): 2.3 0 - 45 (sec): 4.1 0 - 60 (sec): 5.9 0 - 75 (sec): 8.8 1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 14.3 @ 98 Top Speed: 150 mph

http://www.topSpeed.com
Images: http://www.topSpeed.com/news/50centsandhisRollsroycephantom-ar2363/images.html

Author:: Cristian Andrei
Keywords:: Cars, Rollsroyce, 50cent, Music, Speed
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Where the Tunes Are

2013-05-27T14:00:00.006-07:00

I am a self-anointed Music junkie; an affliction that has grown over the years. It started at an early age, when I would listen to my parents 8-track collection, which consisted of the likes of Helen Reddy, Neil Sedaka, and Dolly Parton. Eventually my older brother got into Music and he turned me on to the loud wonders of Kiss. I was obsessed with Kiss, and would listen to nothing but Kiss, and even made the bold statement that I would never buy or listen to any other Music act for the rest of my life. I get quite a chuckle when I think back to those narrow-minded days of yore.

Over the past 30 years, I would guess that at least 75% of my disposable funds have gone towards building my Music collection (which is definitely comprised of much more than rockers with painted faces). Ive got albums, cassettes, 45s, and CDs from just about every Musical genre, from the rarest of rarities to popular fodder in just about everyones stereo. I could spend hours on end in the rec ord store flipping through what they have to offer in search for some gems that need to be a part of my ever-growing collection. This process has become much easier with the advent of the Internet, which has allowed me to do my Music browsing from the comfort of home (and at times, the office).

In the past, I was more than willing to travel great lengths for the opportunity to spend time in a record store. At first that meant pedaling my bike across town, then evolved to driving to the next town where I discovered an establishment with a jaw-dropping array of new and used Music. In these days of Music downloads, its increasingly more difficult to locate a good record store, so I fell into a pattern of cyberspace purchasing. I truly loved the time spent in a physical store, getting my hands on the actual products, but the selection is much more vast in the online world.

There are a plethora of web sites out there that could whet the appetite of even the casual Mus ic collector. Thousands and thousands of Music titles are out there, many of which are rare releases and obscure bands. Even more exciting for the serious audiophiles is that many of these are in vinyl form. Sure, not many of us still possess a turntable in this day and age, but if you do, there is a virtual treasure trove to be discovered. As one of those atypical creatures that totally havent given in to the CD and the download, finding a fresh source for vinyl is a dream come true.

A wise band (okay, a one-hit wonder) once said, Video killed the radio star. That sentiment can now apply to Music sales: Downloads killed the record store. It may be tough to find a cool place to buy Music close to home, but fear not; at least you can stay home and still find some awesome tunes at your fingertips.

About the Author: When listening to cool tunes, Brian Kohlmeier is a co-founder of SwapThing.com, which changes the way people exchange goods and services through the Int ernet. SwapThing http://www.Swapthing.com is a site focused on building a strong Swap community online. The ShareThing http://www.Swapthing.com/user/Nonprofit.jsp program helps non-profits get access to item & cash donations as well as volunteers and professional services. This article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and distribute as you like. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes, that this resource text is included, and that the links above are intact.

Author:: Brian Kohlmeier
Keywords:: Swapthing, Barter, Swap, Music, new wave, heavy metal, 80s, record stores
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Why You Need to Play a Hollow Body SemiAcoustic Guitar

2013-05-27T14:00:00.005-07:00

Ok so you play Guitar or are looking to learn.but which Guitar do you buy? Its a question that Guitarists the world over ponder time and time again.

Sure theres the ever greens such as the Fender Stratocaster or the Gibson Les Paul and their inexpensive copies. But thats a well trodden path what you want is a little character a little something that makes you stand out what you want is a hollow body semi acoustic.

Why a semi acoustic?

Ok for starters a Semi Acoustic looks the business. Take a look at a Gibson 335 with its smooth double cut away design and its elegant curves. When you step on the stage with a semi acoustic people notice. Take a look at a Strat or a Les Paul then take a look at a Semi theres a stark difference first off, semis are big but more importantly they are much lighter than their solidbody, comfortable to play and pack a punch in the sound department.

Their sound

Coupled with its looks hollow-bodies have a great range of tone and musical capability. From the Epiphone Casinos beautiful Jazzy tone to the Epiphone Wildkat that packs a rockabilly punch theirs a broad range of tones that can be generated. Hollow bodies traditionally come with two Humbucker pickups. Typically the bridge pickup can produce some great rock and roll tones whilst the neck pickups are great for jazzy Charlie Christian licks.

Their price

Although for a fully fledged Gibson 335 you may need several thousand dollars, these days there are a variety of budget alternative hollow body Guitars. For example Epiphone make the Epiphone Wildkat which features a Bigsby style tremolo system for around $500. Other manufacturers such as Vintage and Ibanez all produce very good imitations of their more expensive counterparts at a much reduce d price. If you shop around youll surprised at what you can afford.

Versatility

Hollow bodies are extremely versatile and lend themselves to a wide range of musical styles for example - Chuck Berry style Rock and Roll (Gibson 335), BB King style Blues (Gibson 335), Chet Atkins Country (Gretch Country Gent), Alt-Rock Noel Gallagher (Epiphone Sheraton) and finally 60s Pop (John Lennon Epiphone Casino) semis lend themselves to a range of musical styles.

Their tradition.

Hollow body Guitars were some of the first electric Guitars manufactured. Epiphone were making adjustable pole pickup semi acoustic Guitars in the 1930s so they have a long and proud history.

So the next time your thinking of getting a new Guitar sure a Stratocaster is nice and a Les Paul has finesse but if you want a great Guitar, with great looks sound and versatility look no further than the hollow-body semi acoustic Guitars at your local store.

ShanzuGuitars.com . The site offers the latest Guitar news, resources, tools and tips for budding Guitarists everywhere.

Author:: Adrian Martin
Keywords:: Guitar, electric Guitar, Gibson, Fender, Online Tuner, Online lessons
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Composing Using Chord Charts

2013-05-27T14:00:00.003-07:00

A chord chart is a navigation tool. It's a way for the composer to chart out Musical phrases and notate where chord changes occur.

It can be anywhere from 2-bars to 200 bars or more depending on how long the composition is or how many bars it takes to notate a Musical idea.

For example, in the piece Egrets, we have an 8-bar phrase with chord changes on top. This is a chord chart. It tells the performer where the chord changes occur, what the melody is, and when to change Chords. This is all that is necessary to create a full arrangement of the Music.

We don't need to write out every single note. We use the chord changes to create fresh arrangements of how we want the Music to sound.

Notice that the first 2-bars of melody are written out. This was the initial idea. I then drew out 8-bars and finished by putting the chord changes on top. Now, whenever I want to play this little piece, I can play the initial melody and the whole thing comes together.

Of course, I could have written the whole thing out note for note, but this would have taken 30 times as long as just notating where the Chords change.

Another benefit of this method is that the Music is left elastic and fluid - that is, the aliveness of the Music comes to you each and every time you play it. Why? Because each and every note is not written out. You can play it a little differently each time and each time the Music will speak a little differently to you.

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

Author:: Edward Weiss
Keywords:: Composing,Chords,chord charts,Music,Piano,Piano lessons,
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Choosing The Right Musical Instrument For You

2013-05-27T14:00:00.001-07:00

If Music is your middle name, then Musical instruments are sure to adorn your room. Music is an excellent way to get rid of the blues. And if you are the creative type, then you can compose your own songs with Musical instruments.

Musical instruments are mainly categorized by the way they generate sound. All Musical instruments fall under one of the following string, wind, percussion and keyboard, though there may be further divisions and sub-divisions. Examples of string instruments include guitars, violins, Ukuleles and cellos. Wind instruments include pipes, sax, clarinet, flute and such other types. Drums, bongos, cymbals and bells fall under the percussions category. And keyboard instruments include pianos, harpsichords, organs and Accordions. Over 1000 Musical instrumen ts are available across the world, including folk instruments.

If you want to play on your own, then it is better to start with a Musical instrument you like, and then gradually master the instrument by joining Music classes. If you like Music in general and are not interested in specializing in any particular type of instrument then a keyboard can be the perfect choice. Electronic keyboards nowadays can produce all sorts of sound ranging from guitar tunes to drum beats. A variety of DJ equipments are also available on the market nowadays, which provide creative sound mixing options for the wannabe DJs as well as for the experienced disc jockeys.

On the other hand, if you were thinking of organizing a band then you would need different types of Musical instruments. A band normally includes a couple of string instruments, percussions and preferably a wind instrument.

You can purchase your Musical instruments online. Choose your favorite instrument from the various websites that you will find on the internet. They often offer discounts if you buy their package deals, which include various types of Musical instruments. This can be your best option if you are planning a band with your friends.

Musical instruments can be a costly affair, especially if you are planning to buy the best available on the market. These can set you back by anything from $100 to over $10000. A good Yamaha or Roland electronic keyboard may cost almost $2500. Used Musical instruments are often a good choice, especially if you are learning to play a new instrument. For beginners it is advisable t o invest in Musical instruments in the lower price range.

Musical instruments can also be made at home with items of daily use. Homemade Musical instruments mainly fall under the category of percussion instruments. You can make almost anything, from shakers and jingle bracelets to drums and tambourines. You can also make wind instruments such as comb harmonica or kazoo. These help your child to be creative and can keep them busy. And you can now have your own band at home .

If you're thinking of buying an Accordion or an Ukulele, come visit Susan's sites All About Accordions and All About Ukuleles.

Author:: Susan Jan
Keywords:: Ukulele,Accordion,Music,Musical instrument,used Musical instrument,Musical instrument store
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