Pop Songs... Whatever You Want.

One love song represents millions of word

When you're learning about something new, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of relevant information available, so you may have heard that there are plenty of song types and what benefit that we can get from them, apart from being entertainment media. This informative article should help you focus on the central points as well as to provide you more information about what types of love songs, which available out there in order to fulfill you willingness to success with love.

For someone who is in love, it is really hard to explain about their feeling to his or her partners, so there are some ways of telling your partner that you are really love him or her but just not by the old traditional ways, instead, you can use love songs. In the next article, you could find some of the tips about how to choose fantastic love songs to represent your million of words and success with love. Love songs often express our love when we can't find the words to express it ourselves. Love songs are songs about love. However, using love songs to tell what you want to tell your beloved person, is may be the best way, especially for people who lack of confident and unable to find the solution for this. However, it might not be working for some group now, especially for very young teenagers who may have more interesting ways of doing it due to there is more and more technological advance these days. However, using love songs, telling from my own experience still working fine and can be used any time and any where, this is because music has very strong impact, the person who you send message to not only appreciate the words that you want to communicate but he or she will really appreciate the meaning and the lyrics as well as melody of the song. See how much you can learn about how to choose perfect love songs to represent your words when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

Therefore, the rest of us, I presumed that we are still appreciating this traditional ways of telling love to people. Now the next step is you will have to choose the love song that suitable to represent your message. I have to say that it is really necessary for you to get to know about the type of songs that is your partner’s favorite. This is because he or she will appreciate the song that is their favorite rather than just choosing what your want. However, sometimes it is really difficult to get to know this so the only simple guideline I could give here is that you can see the age of your partner, if you are in teenage or young adult, you may use pop songs, if you are older people, then you can use Jazz or classic songs. There's no doubt that the topic of how to choose perfect love songs to represent your words can be fascinating.

Rock-&-Roll Surrogate

Years ago, upon my first-ever arrival in Paris, there was no doubt as to where I would begin my itinerary ...

I went immediately to the Père Lachaise cemetery.

That's the final resting place of such luminaries as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Sarah Berhhardt and Chopin. If I had been there during daylight, I'm sure I would have taken my time to pay my respects to each of them and others. However, it was around 1.00am, and this was a pilgrimage to what's become more of a shrine than a grave.

This is where Jim Morrison of the Doors is buried.

James Dean lived fast and died young. Kurt Cobain had succumbed, by his own hand, to stress and recurrent abdominal pains. Marilyn Monroe took too many pills. Mama Cass choked on that fateful ham sandwich. Keith Moon simply exploded from self-indulgence.

Jim Morrison was different. He lived hard so we didn't have to.

I believe that there are those among us who live life on the edge for the sole purpose of conveying that experience to everyone else. I don't think they make a conscious decision to do so, but the circumstances of their existence drew them to it. They embody a collusion of talent, freedom, credibility and forum. From that mixture, fate then intercedes and legends are forged.

This role doesn't need to end in the ultimate cost of mortality. Look at Lou Reed. An underground poet laureate who was anointed as such by Andy Warhol, Reed could also arguably be called the godfather of punk --- a genre which ultimately influences popular music to this day --- who then became a Rock-&-Roll Animal before settling into married life and relative tranquility. He's a writer-cum-musician who returned the value of word economy to lyrics (the Ramones owe a huge debt to him), who lionized the shadowy annals of altered states and culminated it by allegedly shooting heroin on stage. Somehow, the nihilistic creator of Sweet Jane, the opiate chronicler of White Light/White Heat, the dark playwright of Berlin, managed to survive. I'm sure no one is more pleased with that result than him.

Morrison, on the other hand, never seemed to care.

His obsession was with a mystic dimension that seemingly co-existed with visceral reality and his determination was to channel it. This endeavor has been well-accounted both in Danny Sugarman's book, 'No One Here Gets Out Alive,' and Oliver Stone's cinematic version of it, logically entitled, 'The Doors.'

Morrison did Break on Through to the Other Side and became The Lizard King. His lifestyle and lyrics served as a catalyst for both new age and outrage. The Doors framed his visions in catchy tunes that were a cornerstone of their era. Their music worked for breezy listening, for intense audiophilia and for all levels in between. When Morrison would sing, "I woke up this morning and got myself a beer," there was no doubting his presence in the original Hard Rock Café and that breakfast was going to be his lightest meal of the day.

With a legacy like that, I guess it's no surprise that rumors circulated about the French authorities wanting to evict him from such an esteemed cemetary as Père Lachaise. However, during my visit, I was told by a watchful gendarme that the graves were purchased in perpetuity, so he and his colleagues would man many a midnight patrol to monitor the Morrison mourners. From what I saw and have come to know, that is a full-time nocturnal posting.

Even at the late hour, I was one of around a dozen who surrounded Morrison's headstone. Someone's ghettoblaster churned through a litany of Doors songs, candles and flashlights provided an eerily appropriate atmosphere, and even though a strong waft of 60s-ish aroma was ever present, the constables kept their distance as long as the tokers kept themselves discreet. The composition of the entourage was constantly changing; the comings and goings were hardly acknowledged. Instead, the conversations were perpetual and free-form. On occasion, someone would recall a personal memory involving a Doors song, but preferred topics were more along the lines of the consciousness Morrison seemed intent on raising. Lyrics were analyzed and musical passages were toasted. All of this was done in hushed tones, not necessarily out of respect, but because no one wanted to upstage the ghettoblaster's ongoing soundtrack.

I was there for two hours. No one exchanged names or details. There were different points of view expressed, but no arguments. Literary references and musical influences peppered the dialog with a subtle intensity that would have made him proud. The effect of everyone's comments seemed both thoughtful and theraputic, as they put Morrison's escapades and compositions into deep personal perspectives; there was no doubt he had indeed, in some manner, become an extension of each of their lives and they felt they were enriched because of it.

My lasting memory of that night was the notion that Jim Morrison probably would have preferred being the focal point for those introspective testaments rather than for the massive din of a Doors concert.

If so, maybe that meant he finally got what he wanted. In a way, then, so did we.

Rap Beats And Hip Hop - How To Set Yourself Apart From The Rest Of The Aspiring Rappers And Singers

If you want to set yourself apart from the crowded field of rappers, hip hop artists and other aspiring performers you have to make good music. It has to have a solid structure. It has to seize the subconscious of its listeners and remain there after they are done listening. In order to accomplish this, you need killer rap beats.

In an industry where the beat rules, you can not afford to grab just any old hip hop instrumentals, rap beats or r & b instrumentals. You need pro beats. There are online services that can provide you with that major label sound. Make sure what they offer is a expert sound. You need professional beats.

Realize from the beginning you need to have a firm grasp of what beats are and which hip hop beats you need. It has to transport you and your audience. If it fails to do this, it will be of no benefit.

Initially, you will probably need to experiment. This means downloading a variety of hot new and old beats. Select from a variety of different types, musically and stylistically. Simple, sometimes is more effective, particularly in rap or hip hop. The question is what approach or style do you require.

Are you into west or east coast styles of Rap? Is your approach to be R & B-based or jazz in flavor? The genres do blend and there are multiple subgenres, but it is important you select according to your own recognizable personality. Be sure before you start messing with the beats, you know your personal musical style. Your beats need to reflect this aspect. In this way, you can keep it real.

Yet, there are other dynamics to consider. You have to marry the beat to several other factors. These include the nature of the lyrics or words you plan to use, the requirements of the audience and the marketability or not, of the overall composition. If you cant find the beat to fill these needs, you wont be able to lay down the music on tape or live. It is all about everyone identifying with and claiming the beat.

Once you have resolved the factors and arrived at a decision, begin the process of putting together a complete musical package. Do not download and use just any hot beat. Select them according to your own, newly established criteria. The result will help you blow your audiences away.

The final piece of the puzzle is practice. You need to perfect your music, hone your skills. Take the beat and work it. Rearrange it when necessary and transpose it from section to section to make it work. Structure and restructure it. Test it canned and test it live. Be prepared, even when it works, to go back over it again. Working that much harder will help give you an edge over the competition. By continuously working on improving your sound, your persona and your craft, you will stand apart from others with the same goals a place in the music world.

There is no better way to develop as a artist than by purchasing hot sounding rap beats and hip hop beats instrumentals - after all the major artist all buy beats for a reason as well and understand the importance of great hip hop beats and rap beats.

A Brief History of the Fender Guitar Company

Besides the Gibson Les Paul Guitar, there is probably no more renowned Electric Guitar than the Fender. The Fender Stratocaster and Fender Telecaster electrics are the company's two most famous models and played by "rock gods" the world over (the Telecaster is especially favored by modern Country and Blues musicians, too), although Fender also makes steel string and classical guitars as well as bass guitars.

The Fender company also produces top of the line amplifiers.

Guitar players and makers began experimenting with amplification in the 1920s because the acoustic guitar's sound in a jazz band was being totally swamped by the rest of the band. Eventually, in the 1940s, Leo Fender, an electronics expert and inventor from California, created the first instrument amplifiers to have built-in tone controls. However, Fender also understood that in order to fit in with modern music the guitar itself was going to need to be given a vastly greater range of tonal colors and sheer power. In 1951, Fender may have saved the guitar from oblivion in widely listened to music when he introduced his Fender Broadcaster, which was the forerunner to the Telecaster. In that same year Fender produced the electric Precision bass guitar.

In 1954, Fender emerged with what would become the most renowned rock 'n' roll guitar in history: the Stratocaster.

Unfortunately, in 1965 Leo Fender was in failing health and sold his company to the CBS corporation. Although CBS was able to put its giant marketing and advertising budget behind the Fender line of amps and guitars to make them the premier modern guitar music equipment, CBS also failed to actually comprehend music and musicians, and by 1973 the quality of the newly produced legendary Stratocasters was definitely sinking. Today's Fender "Strat" collectors and players covet pre-1973 Strats, and even more they prize "pre-CBS" models.

With the Strat known for its exquisite tone, range of colors, and great action, in 1977 CBS added the five-way pickup selector switch to the Strat, giving the possible combination of pickup-use and the resulting tonal coloration even more variety, in hopes of keeping the Strat commercially competitive.

By the early 1980s, CBS/Fender began producing the "Squire" Strat, which is a deliberately second-rate and much less expensive version of the Stratocaster. The Squire was made in response to pricing competition from Japanese guitar makers.

In 1981, CBS took steps to try to re-invent Fender. William Schultz was selected as the new President of Fender and he and his assistants had a five-year business designed to focus heavily on R&D and advertising to take Fender back to the heights of the guitar world. However, by 1985 CBS was getting out of all non-broadcast media industries and with the help of some investors Schultz bought Fender from the giant corporation.

Having nothing but the patent and old Fender guitars in stock, eventually Bill Schultz built two new Fender manufacturing plants in Corona, California and Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. The idea was to keep all manufacturing close to home to control quality and keep shipping costs down to make Fender more affordable. No more would Fenders be made by cheap labor in Japan.

Fender went on to acquire legendary Sunn amplification and its Lake Oswego, Oregon manufacturing plants in 1987, and in 1991 the company moved its headquarters from Corona to Scottsdale, Arizona. In 1995 Fender bought out the renowned Guild Guitar company and acquired its massive manufacturing plant in Westerly, Rhode Island.

Today Fender is back on top in the world of electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitars, and amplifiers. The company has facilities in California, Arizona, Tennessee, New York, Rhode Island, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; London, England; Dusseldorf, Germany; Suresnes, France; Brussels, Japan, Korea, and China.

Tupac Shakur: A Shining Beacon in Hip Hop

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born Lesane Crooks on June 19th, 1971. The man so affectionately known as the godfather of West Coast gangster rap was raised by his mother, Afeni Shakur. Afeni was a dedicated black panther and gave birth to Tupac while behind bars. Tupac's life wouldn't get any easier.

He grew up poor and with a mother that had a crack addiction. Tupac, however, was a survivor. He enjoyed reading, poetry and literature. His love for the arts soon landed him a scholarship to the Baltimore School of Arts in which he stared in his first play as the lead for the play "Raisin in the Sun."

After going through school, Tupac landed a job as a back up dancer for the up and coming rap group Digital Underground. He got the honor of touring the country with the group and soon discovered his own skills on the microphone when Digital Underground allowed him to rap on one of their singles entitled "Same Song." This was Tupac's big break.

Tupac was later signed to Death Row Records, which was owned by the notorious thug Suge Knight. Tupac prospered on the label with his debut 1991 record "2pacalypse Now." The album was certified gold and went on to sell millions of copies.

Tupac's short career and life was ended on September 7, 1996. He was shot after attending a fight in Las Vegas. On the Vegas Strip, a car pulled up to his black Mercedes at a red light and opened fire. Tupac was killed and Suge Knight escaped with minor wounds. To this day, the killer has not been found and there are no suspects.

Throughout all the legal trouble, controversial lyrics and his gangster lifestyle, Tupac was a role model. He demonstrated love for his people and for all people by funding inner-city programs for youth and for adults. Tupac was known to be very kind to his fans of all ages and races. He proved to be a "Rose That Grew from Concrete" in making something of his rough life. He is inspiration to all.

This is a short synopsis of a man whose passion, drive, emotion, positive contributions and life can barely be described in a novel.
Follow your dreams.

The Benefits Of Learning Music Theory

That's music to my ear is a common phrase used to express a person's emotional response to how a particular tune can make them feel. Some people listen to music all the time. Some study the art of playing an instrument. It's therapeutic; it's enriching; it's a way of creating moods in any environmental setting. If you are interested in music for more than the pure enjoyment people get out of listening to it, then learning about music theory is an ideal mode for you.

Music theory can be an important attribute in a person's life, for many reasons. People often ask, "Is music theory necessary?" "Why do we need it?"

First of all, even though you don't have to understand how to read sheet music to perform as a musician, you will need an understanding of music theory. It opens so many other doors for you in the world of music. Music theory will not show you how to understand music, but with music theory you will be able to communicate musical ideas, explore music in whole new ways, and redefine the tremendous scope that entails the magical world of music.

Music theory allows you to voice your opinion with others in the field, expand your musical horizon. Give a little input to a fellow musician and you'll get something in return.

Notations And Communicating With Other Musicians

Music lovers all develop a keen sense of awareness, musically speaking. Sometimes, musicians explain that if they study music theory, then it'll stunt their creativity. Wrong! The world's greatest composers were all masters of music theory: Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, J.S. Bach. These experts composed a keen understanding of the theoretical concepts. Years were spent studying the concept, down to some of the smallest details.

Music can be played by ear, picking out tunes without the aid of written music. Your ears can be your guide. The reason this is brought to light is that some musicians with strong theoretical training often disregard the art of playing by ear.

Think of playing music by ear this way: We're all born as non-verbal creations. Communication begins with crying, making sounds, displaying body language. Parents quickly become experts on baby talk. It's an innate sense. Over time, language develops by mimicking sounds. Toddlers don't learn nouns and verbs; they learn to speak by example. Music can be the same way. Hence, the reason so many people pay top dollar for live performances. It's invigorating, magical.

Understanding Harmony And Chord Progression

Chord progression and harmony, two features of music theory, help broaden any musician, regardless of their genre of study. Chord progression is a series of chords that are used to harmonize music. All compositions use chord progression. Those that improvise - which, as already mentioned, adds charm and magic to the environment of music - invent brand new melodies that blend in with an existing chord. It's a musical transition, something that must be practiced, repeatedly. The great composers and musicians develop chord progressions and transitions until it becomes natural, a second-natured maneuver.

If a musician improvises in a more interconnected manner, these new melodies show the musician the progression as one whole unit, and not a series of bumpy transitions. The more practice that goes into this aspect of music learning theory, the more interesting substitutions they will develop along the way. Once the concept of chord progression and its structure is understood, it will be easier to remember. Jazz musicians, therefore, show a keen interest in the study and analysis of chord progression.

The study of music theory will show musicians and musical scholars that the objective, initially, is not to consider an entire composition in one sitting. Instead, musicians, students and teachers alike, view a chord progression in segments, or units. These units correspond to musical sections known as stanzas.

A stanza is the complete statement and development of a single musical idea. It's a fairly simple act of dividing pieces into small manageable sections, with the melody itself forming, or suggesting the boundaries for sound.

Tonality, another element of chord progression, means different things to different people. Some would consider it to be this: any piece of music with a well-defined key center. Others envision any music that uses the conventional chords as tonal.

Music without the use of chords in a functional manner to reinforce a tonal center is not tonal. It is referred to as non-tonal music. The names of these styles are not always agreed upon between musical connoisseurs. But expressing difference is one key element that makes music such a beautiful art form, with countless possibilities.

So, if you are considering studying music, be it to play an instrument, teach music, or simply hone in on personal curiosity, learning music theory is a must for you.

Home Recording Guitar - Why You Need A Mic Pre-Amp

The signal that a microphone picks up is actually very low, and needs to be boosted for it to be used with your recording device. This is exactly what a mic-preamp does; it boosts the signal to a level that is useable for recording.

Initially, you'll probably want to use the pre-amps built into your mixer or interface, if you happen to have either, as it will save money. However, these kinds of preamps are often of a fairly low quality. Basically, with mic preamps, you pay for sound quality. Musicians after the absolute best quality sound could well spend $3000 on a preamp. If however you are just starting out and have perhaps a budget of $1000 you could use the preamps on your mixer or your audio interface.

It’s not only budget that affects the output quality on the preamp, you must also know how correctly set levels etc. Let’s talk a little about the features you’ll find on most mic preamps, and some tips to ensure you get the optimal sound.

Input -

Set the input to high as possible providing the meters are not crossing into the red. Having the levels reaching red is introducing distortion, which is going to go through the entire signal path. Meaning that when you listen back to your recording on the computer, you’re likely to hear a lot of crackling noises. So again, push the signal as high as possible but do not let it enter the red.

Pad -

This is a great feature if you are recording sounds other than guitar. For instance if you were to mic a loud sound source like snare drum even with the input turned all the way down the levels may still be hitting red. Select this feature and it will help to tame the sound further and make it useable.

Phantom Power -

This is a power source that is sent through a mic cable to a microphone that needs it, such as a condenser mic. It’s good to note that some fairly cheap preamps only offer +30v, and some condenser mics may not perform to their best at this level. It’s nice to have phantom power built in to your mic preamp otherwise you would have to get a separate phantom power source.

Number Of Preamps -

This can range from one single preamp right through to eight preamps in one box. What you are recording will generally determine how many you will need. Vocals are usually recorded in mono, whilst acoustic guitars could be recorded in stereo. Perhaps you are recording an entire band and require one for each amplifier and vocalist, along with several for the drums.

High Pass Filtering -

This generally means that all the highs will pass through while the lows are cut. Mics pick up an astounding amount of bass so this is a great feature to have. Of course, this can be corrected using software, though you may as well resolve the problem at the source so you don’t have to worry about it later.

Hopefully this has given you an insight to what a mic preamp does, and what features to look for when shopping around. Have a read through the bullet points again and compare your list of needs with the features of available on a variety of preamps. Hopefully you will be able to find a product that suits your needs.

Listening To Your Home Recordings Using Monitors

Monitors are basically speakers that you use when mixing down, also known as "studio monitors".

Studio monitors are designed to create an accurate audio image of your track, with no unnatural emphasis of particular frequencies, whereas hi-fi speakers are designed to make all audio material sound quite pleasing to the ear.

The point of using monitors is not for them to make your music sound good, but to give you a true representation of it, so you can make it sound good in software. Near-field monitors are made to reproduce music in your studio in such a way so that when you hear it sounding good, it will sound good on boom boxes, stereo systems and car radios etc.

Finding Good Monitors –

A good idea is to take some CD’s you are familiar with to a music store. Assuming that you're listening to monitors that have been well reviewed for mixing, I'd listen for clarity and shimmer and good bass tones, and I wouldn't want to hear distortion, buzzing, or excess thumping.

Play with the volume, you should be able to clearly here the sound without rattles and buzzes at both very high, and very low levels. When listening through you good monitors you may hear subtle things that you never noticed before, instruments will jump out at you.

There are two main types of monitors used for home recording, there is active and passive. Active monitors have an integrated power amplifier that has been optimised to work properly with the speakers. Passive monitors (a.k.a. “speakers”) need an external power amp. If you happen to have a good one lying around, it's generally cheaper to buy passive monitors.

Active Monitors are usually considered the safest option for sound quality, and are the most popular choice amongst first-time buyers.

Monitor Placement –

Now you know a little about monitors, and what’s available to you, it’s important you position them correctly in your recording environment. Not only does the placement within the room play a large role in the sound you hear, but also where you are sat in relation to them.

You should try to achieve a sound that will closely reproduce that of the stereo field. To do this you must place your monitors so they are sitting on two points of an imaginary triangle about six feet apart, with your head being the third point of the triangle.

The monitors should be positioned to face inwards slightly, and be mounted vertically so that the cone of the speaker is level with your ears.

Also pay attention to where you place the monitors within the actual room itself. Generally you should try to avoid placing them in corners as this can amplify the bass frequencies and may result in an overly boomy sound. It may also be worth investing in speaker stands as they will help prevent any resonance that may occur come from them being placed on a table or desk. Also, make sure they are securely fixed down to stop any vibrations.

To test the positioning of your monitors, grab a few CD’s and listen to how the sound comes out. Try to listen for any unbalances, such as the bass sounding to heavy or the hi-notes sound too tinny. Have a play around with the positioning until you are happy that you have found a balanced sound.

A good set of headphones is mandatory to help finesse the audio sound you are looking for. It is unlikely you will be recording in an acoustically designed room or on the best playback monitors. If you are unable to afford high quality monitors then a pair of top of the range headphones is a must.

A good set of headphones will set you back around $125-300. Make sure the headphones are “closed back” design meaning they have no holes on the outside of the headphones. Open back headphones are prone to a lot of leakage.

The Many Genres of Christian Music

We all probably know a couple religious hymns, but today's fast-paced society is changing, and so is the style of music we listen to. Christian music has developed tremendously over the last century to represent the changing style of music that we enjoy. Contemporary music offers up-to-date music styles with the same traditional Christian message within the lyrics. In fact, Contemporary Christian music is growing quickly in popularity, and so is the number of subgenres offered to those interested in listening. In this article we discuss a few of the newer genres in Christian music.

Contemporary

Contemporary music literally covers all genres of new age Christian music, but is most commonly associated with a new movement of Christian music that has alternative rock, pop, and country sounds. The contemporary movement began in the 1960s, with this type of music then referred to as Jesus music. Some Christians dispute whether or not the contemporary tones fit into their religion, but contemporary is a popular genre that gives Protestant listeners an alternative faith-based style of music. The growth of contemporary styles has been strong since the mid 1990s, and newer artists and subgenres help to continue the expansion of Christian music.

Hip Hop

Christian hip hop, or gospel rap, is a unique genre of Christian music. Due to the often sinful nature of mainstream rap lyrics, it has been a tough road for Christian rap artists to gain popularity. However, beginning in the 1990s Christian rap has become popular with the younger generation looking for an uplifting form of music that reflects their urban lifestyle. The most popular innovators among Christian hip hop artists would likely be DC Talk, who took the music scene by storm in the late 1980s before making a switch to a more pop sound in the mid 1990s. Christian hip hop is a fabulous way for Christians to spread their faith to kids from the street and other youth looking for a fresh music genre.

Gospel

If gospel music does not fill your sole with spirit, then I am not sure what can! Gospel music is uplifting, inspiring, and fun to listen to. When most think of gospel music, churches in the south come to mind. In fact, gospel music has been thought to have started during times of slavery in the late 1800s. The genre of gospel became more defined and gained popularity in the first quarter of the twentieth century, and is now listened to worldwide. Gospel music is known for its strong vocals surrounded by electric guitars, bass, and drums. Gospel music thrives today and is certainly considered a staple of Christian music.

Christian Rock

Christian rock music covers a lot of ground with many different subgenres contained within the rock category. The "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll" explosion in the 1960s certainly made many Christians wary of jumping into the rock scene, but by the early 1970s Christian rock bands began to separate themselves from a demonic image, and instead produced Christian lyrics with rock tones. Today many bands are considered Christian rock artists, some more devoted to the Christian title than others. Although some might not realize this, the band U2 was a catalyst for Christian rock in the 1990s based on their enormous success beginning in the 1980s.

This is hardly a complete list of Christian music genres, but sampling some of these genres will give you a good taste of the great listening Christian music offers. Finding your favorite genre is important and will certainly enhance your experience. Being able to listen to your favorite Christian bands at home or on the go is a relaxing way to worship throughout the day.

Easy Folk Songs To Play On Guitar

Folk music is one of the easiest and most fun musical styles for the beginner guitar player to get into. You can enjoy it almost immediately and, through folk songs you can express your own feelings and uplift the emotions of your audience. Folk music is basically about daily life. Sometimes the songs are based on spirituals like Michael Row The Boat Ashore, social change like If I Had A Hammer or tales of love like Lemon Tree.

For the singer and guitar player an important thing to remember about folk music is that it acts as focal point for a number of people to get together and undergo an uplifting of the emotions by taking part in group singing. We are all familiar with the scenario of a family or school sports team helping to pass the time on a road trip by singing 99 Bottles of Beer. Yankee Doodle, Shoo Fly, This Old Man, She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain, Three Blind Mice, Buffalo Gals, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, Hush, Little Baby, Lazy Mary, Bingo, I've Been Working' on the Railroad, On Top of Old Smokey, London Bridge, The Farmer in the Dell, The Crawdad Song, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Rock-A-Bye Baby, The Riddle Song, Oh! Susanna, Mister Frog Went A-Courtin' and Frere Jacques are all simple folk songs that are loved by everybody and can be easily played on the guitar.

Another famous folk song is Banks Of The Ohio which is a gruesome ballad about a young girl being murdered by a rejected suitor. There are many such songs dealing with love gone wrong leading to murder. Greensleeves is an English folk song with dubious subject matter. Dating from the sixteenth century, many musicologists suggest that it is about a lady of loose virtue. House Of The Rising Sun is a song about wasted life but judging by its popularity it is responsible for bringing people much happiness. Another easy folk song is Foggy Mountain Top which contains all the elements of a great folk song - unrequited love, a crime of passion and remorse for a wasted life.

To play these easy folk songs you can simply use a plectrum to accompany your singing by strumming chords. But there are easy fingerstyle guitar techniques that you will find to be quite effective. The simplest is to play the bass note of each chord followed by a down stroke with the first finger across the third, second and first strings. A variation on this technique is to pluck the treble strings instead of strumming them. In practice, you will find yourself using a combination of these two methods. From here, with a little help from some internet research, you will find that you can expand your fingerstyle technique to using the thumb, first, second and third fingers to pick melodic accompaniment to your folk songs. A very popular and easy to play folk guitar style is called Clawhammer. In this technique your thumb plays a regular pattern while the fingers pluck a melody or accompaniment on the treble strings. To find some tabs and videos featuring these methods of playing folk songs, just try searching for "guitar finger picking".

For more inspiration in your search for easy folk songs to play on the guitar, try searching some famous folk artists on the internet. Some good ones to start with are Burl Ives, The Weavers, Peter Paul And Mary, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

How Can I Produce My Own Song?

Have you been asking yourself, "how can I produce my own song"? Now, you can find the answer to the question out easily. You can do it at home. According to the Independent Musicians Network, you can learn how to produce your own songs and sell those songs yourself. Independent Musicians Network offers the opportunity to create your own music, produce your music, and sell your music online. You can learn the art of audio production, promote your music to hundreds of sites, and work with affiliates that will help you to promote and advertise your product. I'll bet you never thought that it would be this easy. Well, all good things are always surprising, right?

Producing your own music at home has never been easier or more enjoyable. For more information on how you can produce your own song, visit the official website of the Independent Musicians Network and get started making music in your home right now. Better yet, get ready to market it and make some money at it also. Hopefully this has given you some answers to your question, "how can I produce my own song"!

Rap Posters: Let The Music Never Die

Rap is an element in hip-hop music. It is one of the distinguishing features of hip hop music that makes it so different from the rest. Both the musical terms are used synonymously which, shows the indispensable relation between the two. The popularity of this traditional New York music form is so strong that it can be felt in the hearts of millions of fans even today. The best way in which, people have been feeding their craving for their favourite rap music artists is through Posters. Rap posters are in great demand. The craze for these posters is such that some of them are even sold for hundreds and thousands.

Rap Posters of artists, both the legends and the current players are is great demand. Fan clubs of these rap performers purchase these posters for any cost. To many such overt fans, the right of possession of the rarest posters is more than any other treasure in the world. With such maddening demand for these rap posters, the price of these wall-papers in different sizes are flying sky high too.These Hip Hop Posters are available at music stores, stationary stores, online poster websites where you can either download them, or ask for shipping them to your address. Traditional rap posters and posters of the latest rap singers are both amazingly popular. For the hip hop fans, these posters are like pride possessions. They can do anything to get them.

Getting these posters off-line ie, at your nearest store will be slightly difficult as it will mean a lot of hunting. This is because people run a black market of these posters. They are picked from the suppliers and sold to double the rate to people who want to buy them. A better and a safer way of shopping for these rap posters is to find them online. There are several online stores that sell these posters in all shapes and sizes and also ship it to your home.

All About Alternative: Best Alternative Music Festivals

Music festivals, in theory, are one of the greatest modern inventions. The sun comes out, and so do the masses - including this year's biggest musicians. Drinks flow, friends gather, and a whole hog of comedy events are usually thrown in just in case spirits begin to flag. Yet, why is it for every one festival lover, there are five who seem to detest the word itself?

The empty plastic cups, filled with suspicious liquids, that fly through the air and hit unsuspecting fans on the head may have something to do with it; as might the rowdy teenagers that tent trample – and the rain of course. Either way, overcrowded or commercial festivals tend to put people off, and give music festivals a bad name in the process. It's all rather lucky then, that a wide range of wacky and wondrous, alternative festivals have sprung up all over the world, and resurrected the idea of the truly mind-blowing summer festival experience.

The very nature of an 'alternative' festival suggests diversity and encompasses a range of themes. If you're a folk fan, then the Cambridge Folk Festival is the biggest event on the British calendar, playing host to the shining stars of folk in the beautiful British countryside. In terms of dance, then Exit festival, held in the grounds of a spectacular fortress in Serbia, features every possible DJ set you could dream of.

Alternative festivals do not have to be alternative merely in terms of their musical style. Amsterdam's Lowlands, held in the Dutch countryside, and Germany's Haldern Pop Festival, attract tweed indie-pop outfits who regularly tour Europe in their own right – it's the stunning European countryside, the refreshing range of local beer, and most importantly the intimacy of these events that make them different.

Some festivals take the idea of 'alternative' to a new level altogether; and subvert festival ethos from the inside. Roskilde is Denmark's answer to Glastonbury. Bands such as Radiohead flock to the stage, at this non – profit knees - up; and all proceeds go to humanitarian causes, instead of the big sponsors. If you're looking to make a more individual stand then dirty little techno festivals, Czech-Tech, Italia-Tech and Bulgaria-Tech are becoming better known. Roll up to the respective country, follow the baseline (wherever that might be) and you may just stumble upon the greatest free party of your life. This may be a little too loud if you've got little ones, but ditch the excuses as plenty of alternative festivals provide magical entertainment for children too, such as the Isle of White's fancy dress showdown, Bestival.

Whether it's unusual music, location, or festival set-up that you're seeking, alternative can mean what you want it too right now; so head out on tour this summer- just like your favourite band.

The Fray: How to Save a Life - Free Piano Sheet Music

Have you been looking around for the Fray's How to Save a Life free piano sheet music? You're now in luck, because I've found a wonderful website that is loaded with free sheet music for you to download. The name of the site is the Sheet Music Info Site, located at sheetmusicinfosite.com. At the site, you can go down the navigation bar on the left side of the webpage and locate practically any kind of sheet music that you would like to download for free.

The navigation bar includes choices for free sheet music by instruments, such as the piano, the guitar, as well as other instruments. The free piano sheet music section of the navigation bar is where you should begin your search for locating the free piano sheet music for the Fray's How to Save a Life song. While you're at it, you can download any other free sheet music from the site that you would like. Sounds like a great place to go shopping for sheet music, especially since it's free.

Making Audible Music For Your Nose With Effective Oil Recipes

There are a lot of benefits to aromatherapy. Perhaps you want to help heal minor problems. Perhaps you want a sensual massage. Perhaps you need to calm down or wake up. Or perhaps you want to smell something pleasing. Whatever your reason, you will soon discover that your nose has its own likes and dislikes. What essential oil recipes work for one person might not work for you, much in the same way jazz music is both loved and hated.

You have to spend some time learning what scents you like and what you don’t. This way you can make your own essential oil recipes that best benefit you. Notes Of Scent Creating your own essential oil recipes can be a lot of fun for many people, like playing or listening to music. With your first essential oil recipes, stick with just three oils until you get the hang of it. Otherwise, they will clash. Also, considering the price of some essential oils, it will be a lot cheaper. There are three kinds of oils that you need in your mix to make it the most effective. These types of essential oils are called notes. You need a top note, and a middle note, and a base note.

You can also make some good essential oil recipes with one top note and two middles. Experiment and see what works best for you. Note what scents bring about what kind of feelings brought up in you. It’s safer to blend essential oils with a carrier oil like olive or jojoba than just to use the pure essential oils if you mean to put the oil on your body. It’s also a lot less expensive! When burning oils for their scent alone, it is best to use the pure essential oils.

Top notes are like the lead vocals of an essential oil recipe. They are usually the first thing you notice. They also don’t last too long, letting the other notes take over. Many fruity and floral scents fall into this category. Common top note essential oils are lemon, bergamot, eucalyptus and orange. Middle Notes Middle notes are like the guitars in a band. They are more subtle than top notes and tend to last a lot longer. Spicy, floral and herbal kind of essential oils tend to fall into this category. Some are listed as middle notes OR base notes, depending on what aromatherapy book you read. Smell them and determine for yourself how long the scent lasts in your essential oil recipes.

Common middle note oils are lavender, geranium, patchouli, rose and rosemary. Base Notes Base note scents are the percussion and rhythm of the scent band. They provide the beat that the rest of the band has to follow. The base note oils linger the longest in you essential oil recipes. Many spicy and woody scents fall into this category. Common base note oils are sandalwood, cypress, frankincense and myrrh. Some also list patchouli and even rose in this category.

Sound Controlling Music Gear

Music is something that knows no discrimination. It is enjoyed by almost everyone in this world. It is in fact a rarity to find someone who does not love music. From time immemorial human beings have been engaged in creating music through a variety of instruments. With the passage of time and the advancement of science and technology, people are now not only creating music with the help of instruments but also enhancing the sound quality through sound controlling music gear.

There are several types of music gear available that help in improving the sound quality of an instrument. These equipment are in high demand amongst the musicians and performers worldwide as they make the audience experience superb sound quality.

The most popular sound controlling music gear are amplifiers, microphones, hi-fi mixers, graphic equalizers, and speakers, to name a few. These equipment have different functions with different technologies and are needed in different situations and for different purposes.

An audio amplifier, for example, is a gear meant to increase low power audio signals to a point appropriate for driving loudspeakers and is the ultimate stage in a characteristic audio playback chain. In this collection of amplifiers, mention may be made of valve audio amplifier, audiophile, single-ended triode, tone control circuits, etc.

A microphone, also referred to as the mike or mic, is an acoustic to electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. Generally, in the case of vocal rendition, the vocal sound is converted into electric signal by a microphone, and then subsequently made to be a part of the entire sound system.

A loudspeaker, or simply a speaker, consists of an electromechanical transducer that changes an electrical signal into sound. The term loudspeaker can refer to individual devices, and complete systems consisting of an enclosure incorporating one or more drivers and additional devices. Loudspeakers are the most variable elements in any audio system, and are responsible for marked audible differences between otherwise identical sound systems.

A mixer is a type of electronic equipment used for combining or mixing, routing and changing the level, tonality and the dynamics of audio signals. There are generally two types of mixers, the analog and the digital.

Another sound controlling music gear often in demand is the tone control circuit. It is an electronic circuit that helps in adjusting an audio signal before it is fed to speakers, headphones or recording devices by way of an amplifier. Often referred to as filters, these circuits help to elevate or assuage the high and low frequencies of the signal.

Multi channel audio is yet another example of a sound controlling music gear that utilizes the techniques for expanding and enriching the sound of audio playback by recording additional sound channels to reproduce the enhanced sound on additional speakers. Popularly known as the surround sound technology, it is the multi channel technology applied to channels surrounding the audience to give them a real life feel.

There are also many other types of equipment that are used to improve the sound quality of musical performances. These sound controlling music gear come in various names and with a range of functions and techniques. Several brands of such gadgets are available in the market as music companies are constantly trying to improve upon their technological and qualitative aspects, offering musicians, performers, and the audience a newer experience of sound quality.

The Odd Time music - History And Development Drummers Guide.

Though most music is composed and played in common time signatures (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8), it's not unusual to find music played or composed in odd time signatures (5/4, 5/8, 7/4, 7/8, 11/8, etc). For thousands of years, odd time meters have added richness to musical genres in every part of the world. Here we will explore the history of odd time meters in popular music, their role in music today, and the correct approach to understanding and playing them.

It is important to understand time signatures, that is, what the numbers in them mean. The top number tells how many beats there are per measure, while the bottom number tells what kind of note lasts for one beat. So, in the most common time signature, 4/4, the top "4" indicates four beats per measure, and the bottom "4" indicates that a quarter note lasts for one beat. Further, the top number may be any number within reason, while the bottom number is restricted to a small range of even numbers (i.e. 2, 4, 8, 16, and less commonly 32, 64, and even 128), with "2" representing a half note, "4" representing a quarter note, etc. In the early periods of jazz and Rock n' Roll, songs were, almost always composed and played in common meters. However, by the middle of the 20th century, odd time meters were often employed in Jazz.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet was among the first to compose songs with odd meters (e.g. "Take Five", by Paul Desmond). Another pioneer was Don Ellis, who used odd time signatures in his Big Band Jazz compositions such as "Strawberry Soup". The early 1970s saw a handful of "Progressive Rock" groups use a wide variety of odd time meters. Kansas, Rush, Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant, and Frank Zappa and his Mothers of Invention are a few of the pioneers who continue to influence countless musicians (e.g. Sting with Vinny Colaiuta on "St. Augustine in Hell" and "Seven Days"). Bands such as Dream Theater, Queensryche, Spock's Beard, Fates Warning, King's X, Soundgarden, and Tool all use odd time meters today. In addition, New Age artists such as Yanni and John Tesh expose a very different audience to such meters. With odd time meters, the role of the drum set player continues to be to establish a strong groove with solid time.

There are two practical approaches to counting the 5/4 time signature: subdividing the measure into familiar time signatures or counting all five beats within the measure. In subdividing, the most common approach is to divide the five quarter notes into groups 2 and 3 or 3 and 2. A less common, but appropriate method in some songs (primarily Progressive Rock), is to count 4 and 1 and/or all five quarter notes. This are not only rock patterns but perhaps the most famous odd time Jazz drum pattern (by famed drummer Joe Morello, from "Take Five"). The practical tempo range for 5/4 time is roughly quarter note equal from one hundred sharp to one hundred and thirty two beats per minute.

Classical Guitar: How to improve your Right Hand Playing

Right hand technique is often the most overlooked part of a classical guitarist’s skill yet it is the most important. Improving your right hand will transform your playing from mechanical to brilliant and expressive. Here are some tips and techniques that will help you improve.

Your left hand determines the note and your right hand determines just about everything else from tone, to timbre, volume, texture and all the subtleties of the sound that comes from your classical guitar. Yet it is often overlooked when it comes to practice. If you want to really improve your classical guitar playing you need to start focusing on right hand technique. Here are some tips and tricks on how to do it.

Practice the types of strokes
A lot of beginner guitarists don’t realize that there are two different types of right hand strokes you can perform. The first stroke (and most common) is the free stroke where the finger doesn’t contact anything after plucking the string. The second type of stroke is the rest stroke where the finger comes to rest on the next string down after plucking. Practice your scales and arpeggios using both types of strokes.

Walking across the strings
You can set up your own exercises that will dramatically improve your right hand play and I recommend you do walking exercises at the beginning of every practice session.
Walking exercises are simply exercises where you play across all six strings in varying finger patterns. You can do this without stopping any of the strings with your left hand (open) or you can do scales.

Heres how to do it: Simply pluck down then up the six strings alternating between your index and middle fingers. Easy enough right? You started out with your index finger plucking the bass E string right? Now change that up and start your plucking by using your middle finger on the bass E string! It feels quite a bit different doesn't it? Now do a three-finger pattern using index, middle and ring finger. And of course mix that pattern up by starting with a finger other than your index. This will probably feel a little awkward at first but keep at it. With a simple practice exercise like this your classical guitar playing will improve dramatically.

Free pdf written by a master
There is a series of studies called 120 right hand exercises for classical guitar. Matteo Carcassi wrote these studies and they are in the free public domain. The exercises vary in difficulty so are appropriate for beginners to advanced. You can slowly work your way through them over time. Using these studies is a great way to improve right hand play and also improve sight-reading skills.

A Recommended Book
If you are looking for more guidance on improving your play I recommend you get a book by Scott Tennant called “Pumping Nylon”. I own it and have made it a part of my regular practice sessions. It has a lot of practical exercises for both the right and left hand. In 2006 a new version of this book aimed at beginners was published. There is also a nice DVD version available if you are a visual style learner.

Because the left hand is closer to your eyes, and because most people are right handed focusing on improvement of the right hand is often overlooked. But if you really want to take your classical guitar playing to the next level you should make a conscious effort to improve your right hand technique. Your speed of playing, clarity, and ability to express with the instrument will be greatly enhanced.

6 Tips For Better Guitar Playing

In this article I hope to demonstrate a few tips that will, with any luck, put you on the correct approach to developing into a proficient guitar player. If you can take into account that to play well involves a lot of practice and dedication then these tips will give you a head start. It takes arduous work and perseverance to the learn guitar and there is no fast and easy way, but some procedures are much more adept than others, resulting in quicker advancement. The main chief tip, though, is no matter what you do don't admit defeat

Set Aside Your Own Space
Distractions can play havoc with your concentration and focus, making any practise session worthless. Learning to play the guitar is hard enough so make it easier by finding a space where you can be alone without any outside noise or interruptions.

Equipment
Ensuring that your guitar is tuned correctly is paramount at the beginning of any practise session. Preparation is essential to good guitar playing and it is imperative to make certain that your instrument is in good condition

Understand Your Instrument
Surprising, as it might seem, not all guitars are the same, every one has a different tone and sound. Learn to know and understand your guitar, what every part is called and its different function. Appreciate your instrument and, although it’s an inanimate object, learn to respect and care for it. Even though you might not appreciate it now it will make you a better and more experienced guitar player.

Recognise Your Level Of Expertise
Frustration can soon set in when, after a few weeks of practising and learning, you cant play the same tunes as Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page or any of your other guitar heroes. Realism has to kick in somewhere and the sooner the better. Learning to play the guitar is not an overnight thing. It takes time. Start with sensible goals, leave the advanced playing until later and progression will come with a growth in confidence. Show persistence at this point and you will reap the benefits later and it will be even more rewarding.

Pick Your Style
Being able to play a piece of music made famous by one of your favorite guitarists is an unbeatable sensation. When, and only when, you have completed the fundamentals and you are set to move on to something harder it’s time pick a style of music you like and can identify with. Most songs are generally accessible as sheet music from a variety of sources and it’s another level in your education. This is an exhilarating stage in your progress.

Set Goals
One of the best ways to focus you concentration on you progress is to set mini targets. Pick a time period for when you are going to play your first song in front of family and friends and let them know about it. This helps give a reason for your practise sessions and certainly grabs your attention the closer to the date of your debut performance. Once you have performed and enjoyed being in the spotlight it will give you a boost in confidence. It’s no surprise, but your playing will improve after.

Keep in mind, learning to play the guitar is a continual progression, but should always be fun, and if you continue to advance consistently there is no knowing how talented you can grow to be. With any luck, these tips will prove useful and you will have many years of playing satisfaction.

Easter Songs For Musicals For Schools Make Great Learning For Kids

Appreciating music at a young age is healthy. It keeps the heart and soul of the younger ones vibrant and alive and can be a very good medium to reach out to kids. Music for Schools Ltd. offers a well composed collection of Easter songs and musicals for schools for children.

Not all schools have the necessary talents to write a really good musical. Many are pressed for time. Music for Schools Ltd. fills this gap. Music is an important part of the educational life of kids in school. Things are never complete without the musicals for schools. The musicals signal the start, mid-year, and culmination of a school year.

Music for Schools Ltd. is offering a collection of songs for your Christmas musical, summer musical, and Easter musical. It does not collect any performance fees and it allows the school to make copies of their musical package, but solely for rehearsal and performance purposes. It gives the schools the right to utilize the musicals for schools in public performances, but only within the confines of the school and its local community.

The Easter musical is set amidst contemporary settings, which includes a television newsroom and the latest happenings in Jerusalem. The Easter songs are composed to fit the rhythm and beat of the young. Upbeat and bouncy, these are the type of songs that kids aged between seven and eleven will identify with. The script is interspersed with inspiring and affecting songs which reflects the tone of this significant celebration.

Music for Schools Ltd. introduces excellent sheet music and full lyrics on the net. The musicals for schools come with a comprehensive CD that features performed versions for rehearsals and backing tracks for the school presentations. The sheet music is carefully arranged for piano, guitar, and keyboard accompaniment.

The Easter songs provide the opportunity for the children to learn about the Easter story through a series of songs. This is a great way for them to think about the biblical event. All the songs in the CD can also be used for school congregations and for other school presentations.

The CD has the sung versions to accompany rehearsals and the prerecorded musical accompaniment for the school performance. The Easter songs can stand alone for performances or can be used as background music for interpretative reading or narrations.

Schools which buy these Easter songs are allowed to save and print or photocopy the lyrics for each song which are downloadable.

Music for Schools Ltd. delivers a fast and quick service at competitive prices. The prompt and efficient service serves as a mark of dedication and commitment for the highest level of customer service. Aside from the excellent service, the quality of the product is superior and second to none. Music for Schools Ltd. offers a wide variety of musical compositions online. There is always something for your every need. The online files are readily available using friendly tools for navigation. With just a click of the mouse you get to see what you are looking for.

By: Hall Andrew

The Essential Mix - 16 Years Of Dance Music History

For the last sixteen years the Essential Mix radio show has chartered the development of the dance music genre. This radio show broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in the UK started out in 1993 and is still running to this day. It has had a huge influence on the music scene and is still just as relevant today. Thanks to the internet it is now listened to all over the world, uniting people of different cultures with the common theme of a love for electronic music.

Originally devised by Eddie Gordan in 1993 who saw an opportunity to create a show that would feature a diverse range of music. The show capitalised on the success of the dance music scene in the UK which was continually growing at the time. Inspired by other similar shows on Kiss 100 in the UK and Hot 97 in New York, Eddie wanted to showcase different DJ's every week with a two hour continuous mix. This was possible as the BBC is funded through tax payers money, hence no need for advertisements interrupting the show. There was no pressure to replicate a club mix as Eddie encouraged the DJ's to be as free as possible with their music selection. This helped create such legendary mixes as Paul Oakenfold's award winning Goa mix or David Holmes' mix from 1997.

Since the first show to present day the Essential Mix has been hosted by Pete Tong. A well respect DJ in his own right, Pete introduces all the mixes as well as being the featured DJ in many shows over the last 16 years. Often the mixes are recorded in the studio, but Radio 1 has also been heavily involved with taking the Essential Mix on the road and recording live from clubs or big events. Initially the live shows started out by touring the top UK clubs, but as house music spread around the globe, the Essential Mix has gone with it. Mixes have now been aired from all over the world - Ibiza, Australia, North America, South Africa, and other European countries. The Essential Mix and Radio 1 have developed a special relationship with Ibiza in particular, broadcasting from the island every year since 1995. This started out as a show taken from a recording of a set at Amnesia, but has grown into Radio 1 practically taking over the island for the Summer. Pete Tong broadcasts his Essential Selection show from Cafe Mambo each week in the summer and Radio 1 is involved in holding huge parties to broadcast extended mixes on the radio.

In 1996 the Radio 1 website started up and this now gives people all over the world the chance to listen to the show, building on the shows fan base. Now in its 16th year the show is still as popular as ever. With many people interested in finding out what music has been played on the show and collecting all the old mixes.

By: EssentialMixArchive

The Fray: How to Save a Life - Free Piano Sheet Music

Have you been looking around for the Fray's How to Save a Life free piano sheet music? You're now in luck, because I've found a wonderful website that is loaded with free sheet music for you to download. The name of the site is the Sheet Music Info Site, located at sheetmusicinfosite.com. At the site, you can go down the navigation bar on the left side of the webpage and locate practically any kind of sheet music that you would like to download for free.

The navigation bar includes choices for free sheet music by instruments, such as the piano, the guitar, as well as other instruments. The free piano sheet music section of the navigation bar is where you should begin your search for locating the free piano sheet music for the Fray's How to Save a Life song. While you're at it, you can download any other free sheet music from the site that you would like. Sounds like a great place to go shopping for sheet music, especially since it's free.

Rock Music And Kids, Is It A Good Combination?

When children are young, it is easy to control the type of music they listen to. Mostly, children listen to what the parents do. Parents may choose to listen to music written specifically for kids, but at other times, the family may listen to whoever set the stereo station last.

The question becomes: Is Rock music safe for children?

Nearly all the best-selling albums of all time are Rock. But is this 'rebellious' genre of music having a positive or negative impact on children and society?

As with just about every subject, there are many pros and cons.

The fact is: Rock is a form of art that promotes creativity and expression. Many songs have very poetic lyrics and send off great messages to people. A big message sent through music these days is world change.

In 1985, Live Aid was put on by many rock musicians from Black Sabbath to U2. It raised over 232 million dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia and was inspired by the song 'The Tide is Turning' by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd.

Even today, many bands put on benefits for a plethora of causes. Several bands have toured in Iraq to perform for our troops overseas. Also many rock benefit concerts were put on to raise money after the 9-11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake.

Bands also promote Christianity in their music, especially in today's day and age. Popular bands, such as P.O.D., Flyleaf, Pillar, and many others, widely and openly promote religion through their music. And other bands, such as Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle, subtly promote it through their poetic and abstract lyrics.

Looking at their generosity of both their talent and money, it is clear that many Artists have chosen to spread joy. Are there other benefits?

Music in general, as well as Rock, can inspire children to pick up a healthy hobby of playing music. Learning an instrument helps a child find a form of creativity they can express in an unimaginable amount of ways. Even if they aren't going to become the next icon, enjoying music can often grant the listener or player an outlet for emotional issues or traumatic events as life progresses.

However, much like all good things, inevitably, you will also find the bad.

Many artists express their feelings through morbid and perverse metaphors and talk about dark taboo subjects. These artists have a breathtaking talent that people should be open to, but they are simply not for children.

Parental advisories can't always be trusted. For instance, the songs 'Digital Bath' and 'Lhabia' by Deftones talks about a daydream of grisly melancholic acts, acted out of boredom. This album has no parental advisory on it at all. Yet, that same band has songs against drugs, racism, and other positive influences, but is also not for young children.

As much as the R.I.A.A. tries to help, they are not the parents of America.

As our children start to discovery their own taste in music, parents need to monitor the content and words. Maybe your child has found a singer or band that they really like. You have listened to the song and approve. Make sure when you buy that CD though, you carefully listen to all of the songs or simply purchase the one song that you approved.

Rock seems to be the most controversial but it also has many positive influences that should be taken in to consideration. There are some negatives that come with it, and those should be filtered out by the parents.

As a family and society, we do not want record companies, or anyone else for that matter, to decide what we feel is appropriate or not. We enjoy the privilege of making that decision. We do appreciate their input, hence the labeling. But, when it comes down to it, we are the parents; we will take responsibility for what our children are plugging in their ears.

So, the next time your child wants to listen to a song they like, instead of immediately refusing, listen with both ears. You will learn much of what your child likes and dislikes. You will gain insight into the thinking of your child. You will also learn what to absolutely deny your child.

By: Chris Lowrey

Top 10 Ways To Effectively Practice Piano

1) Looking for the top 10 ways to effectively practice piano?

Let us start by admitting piano practice isn't always fun. At times, it can be as grueling a task as mopping the floor or teaching your York Terrier to roll over (even when he hasn't done it for the hundredth time). The key thing about piano practice however, is that it isn't really supposed to fun -- it's supposed to improve your skills. That doesn't mean that practicing the piano **can't** be fun. We've even written an article describing how to **make** it fun. This article however, focuses on how to make practice more effective. And effective practice often accompanies a little thing we like to call, "dedication."

2) Plan your practice time and set goals.

Yup - as with every thing else under the sun, perfection at the piano requires a dedicated set time of practice. So take a look at your schedule and **make** time (don't 'squeeze' time) to practice. Make sure that this time slot is uninterrupted and void of frivolous phone calls or visits from friends and family. Put the terrier in the back yard and unplug the phone. This is how to build "you" time, or more correctly, time to strengthen the love affair between you and your instrument. On such a lovely date, you may want to finally figure out a passage that has been troubling you, or you may want build your basic skills. If it will help, write into your schedule book, the task that you'd like to master on each day that you practice. That way when you look at your planner, you'll remember how even Beethoven started out!

3) Play With Your Metronome.

Don't forget the metronome. Metronomes are designed to strengthen your rhythm skills and if you insist on playing without one, you're destined to produce inconsistent music (no matter how well you can count). Put your trust into the mechanics of a metronome and you'll stay on beat, every time.

4) Get Smooth

After a while, you may notice that your metronome is getting on your nerves. If so, chances are you've either got it turned up too loud, or you've advanced so much, you're ready to concentrate on other aspects of piano music -- like smoothness for example. During this phase of your lessons, your rhythm and timing have obviously improved, and now you're more interested in playing with emotion than following a steady beat. This doesn't mean that the metronome is useless however. It simply means that you can start focusing on letting your music flow. Turn the metronome down to its lowest level and refer to it only when you're nervous about getting off beat.

5) Practice in front of others.

Talk about getting nervous! Failing to regularly play in front of others will only turn you into a master among one: (yourself)! Get used to entertaining small crowds and you'll eventually gain the courage to play for a crowd of a thousand. With just a few more years of experience, you'll soon solo at the symphony!

6) Kill the mistakes.

This is where practicing in front of others really pays off because if you make a mistake, you can be sure you'll hear about it. And as daunting as this may seem, it's actually a good thing. You certainly want to catch and correct mistakes before you solidify them as a permanent fixture in a public performance.

7) Practice Every Day

Yes, even when you're tired, grumpy, or just plain don't feel good, you must practice every day. You don't have to produce a masterpiece every time you sit down to play the piano, but you can at least run through the drills. This will help keep your fingers limber and your pedal-work coordinated with your hands. Of course when you're feeling up to it, go on and rock the house! Just don't skip a day. Not even one. The masters didn't!

8) Work the Right Hand.

Since the right hand often plays the most intricate part of a song, you'll want to exercise it as much as possible. Take it slow if need be and then speed up to the right tempo when you're ready.

9) Speed It Up

There's an interesting theory in the piano community that claims playing faster, increases skills. This is a theory of course that only works after you've mastered a piece at tempo you're comfortable with. And it's idea claims that "speed playing" makes music appear easier to play than it really is.

10) Chill

You'll never master the piano if you continuously play it while tense, angry, or nervous. Certain pieces of music require that its musicians relax. If you never learn how to relax during practice, your tense, angry, or nervous condition will eventually become your personal playing style. And the music that you play will instill the same condition within your audience. Yikes! Learn how to relax your wrist, hands, shoulders and arms. Find a comfortable position and learn how to smile while you're playing. Yes, playing the piano is hard work, but it should never be forced.

Record Yourself.

Strengthen both your playing and listening skills by recording yourself playing the piano. Depending on how good you are, you may be in for a pleasant or terrifying experience. If the former - don't stop improving. If the latter - don't give up. After enough practice, you'll improve on your own without the aid of a tape recorder -- and you'll do so the instant that you press a key.


By: Brian Shelton

Top 10 ways to make piano lessons fun

Looking for the top 10 ways to make piano lessons fun?

1. Go With The Flow. Sometimes it's easier to practice piano lessons when they reflect the mood that we're in. If it's a sunny day outside, play some music that complements the weather. If you're excited about a raise at work or a high grade at school, play some music that complements your achievement. Even if you're feeling a bit blue, complementary music may prove to be therapeutic and help you cope with whatever has got you down. On the flip side, much of what's "fun" is creative, so turn the tables and go against the current atmosphere if you dare. Care to brighten up a stormy night outside? Play some of the most cheerful music you can find!

2. Play music for your lover. Many of the songs we have today were written for someone else. In fact, love is the theme among a lot of the music we play even when there aren't any accompanying lyrics. So see how your performance improves by thinking of a lost love, your current lover, or even your fantasy lover while playing. If you don't notice any significant improvement, you'll have to admit it was fun thinking about it!

3. Try different kinds of music. Get out of a rut you're in by playing music you're not familiar with. As challenging as that idea may be, lively pieces can make practice fun as long as you relax with it. Try some pop music from the 50s or some cool R & B tunes from the early 60s. A little 'old school' Diana Ross or Aretha Franklin is often enough to make anything fun!

4. Expose yourself to foreign music. Chances are you'll find some of the most unique pieces of music originating outside of the United States. For whatever reason, there just isn't enough of it infiltrating into mainstream radio. But that just kind of makes it more special, doesn't it? Wrap your ears around some of this stuff and you'll learn how other cultures exploit the unique sounds of the piano. Perhaps you'll pick up a few new techniques along the way.

5. Play something else. See how well you can adapt other instruments into a simulated piano just by pressing specific parts of it. The electronic piano is an obvious choice, but why not get crazy and run your fingers across the keyboard you're sitting behind for example. A windowsill? A coffee table? Your chosen victims may not produce any sound, but it's this very lack of pitch that will focus your thoughts on finger placement. Go figure!

6. Play with a partner. Are two pianists better than one? Well in all honesty, it depends on how well they get along! If you can find a partner who complements your playing style, then congratulations -- the two of you shall make beautiful music together. Literally. If not, consider playing alongside a violinist, tuba player, or someone who can sing really well. Remember that the key behind this strategy is to have fun with everything from choosing music all the way to entertaining a small crowd or two.

7. Play along with the songs that you hear. This strategy could be more challenging than fun, but if approached with the right mindset, you just might find yourself giggling all while you learn new things at the same time. If you're a little bored with your current collection of CD's, try playing along with songs on the radio or TV. You'll find the jingles that accompany TV commercials especially entertaining.

8. Write your own music. This is another challenging way to practice the piano -- but it will at least strengthen your skills. Just don't try to write a masterpiece in one day.

9. Improvise when you've mastered a song. Instead of writing your own music from scratch, try improving the music that already exists with a little improv. Take a somber piece and attempt to liven it with a few interesting runs. Or do the exact opposite with a happy piece. Insert some questionable yet interesting and thought-provoking pauses into a piece where there ought not be any. In other words, have fun!

10. Switch the genre. What would a Chopin piece sound like in a gospel church? How about a Gershwin piece? What if you were to play it with an MC Hammer twist? Try changing the rhythm of a song and see what you get. A lot of the creative pieces we have are the result of mixing different elements of music together into one.

What else can you add to this list of top 10 ways to make piano lessons fun?


By: Brian Shelton

The Early Rock Music - History And Development Drummers Guide

Rock music in all its variations is arguably the most popular, identifiable, and universal style of music throughout the world. Due to the enormous number of Rock n' Roll composers, musicians, and bands, it is impossible to cite every major influence in this genre.

The names of many 20th century popular music styles were originally slang terms with sexual connotations (e.g. Swing, Jazz, Bop). Rock n' Roll is no exception. In the early 1950s, as jazz became more of a listening music played by small ensembles, audiences sought music which provided an unwavering and obvious pulse for dancing. This factor, as well as the appeal of a lead singer emphasizing lyrics and the advancing development and use of electric instruments (guitar, bass, etc.) played with high energy, and with a heavy drumming backbeat, all contributed to the beginnings of Rock n' Roll. Though Alan Freed, an early 1950s disc jockey from Cleveland, Ohio, is often credited with coining the term "Rock n' Roll", it can be traced back much further, at least as far back as the song written by Richard Whiting in 1934 entitled "Rock and Roll." The style really didn't come into its own, however, until the 1950s. A series of early hits, including "Sixty Minute Man," by the Dominoes, and several by Bill Haley and the Comets (notably "Rock Around the Clock"), grabbed the attention of American youth.

As the new music gained popularity, musicians such as Antoine "Fats" Domino, Little Richard (Richard Penniman), and Chuck Berry emerged as its stars. In addition, with Elvis Presley's phenomenal rise, Rock n' Roll produced its first superstar. The music continued to gain popularity throughout the remainder of the decade with such artists as Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and many Rockabilly musicians, such as Carl Perkins, rising to prominence. By the early 1960s, Surf music had become very popular, and by the mid 1960s, Soul Music, and more especially "The Motown Sound", were also very popular. These driving forces of early and mid 1960s pop music firmly established Rock music's signature "straight" feel as opposed to the "swung" feel of the Jazz bands of the 1930s and 1940s and West Coast and Jump Blues, made popular in the 1940s and early 1950s by artists such as T-Bone Walker. By the 1960s, Rock n' Roll had also found a large audience in Britain, inspiring the formation of many British bands and the "British Invasion" of the U.S. music scene.

"Beatlemania" and the Beatles' continuing success were perhaps the best indications of Rock n' Roll's universal appeal and lasting popularity. "The British Invasion" also coincided with an emphasis on bands rather than individual musicians. But, paradoxically, some of the more famous names in drumming history came to prominence in this period: Ringo Starr (The Beatles), Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones), Mick Avory (The Kinks), and Keith Moon (The Who). The mid to late 1960s saw a proliferation of Rock bands with prominent drummers, including Cream (Ginger Baker), The Doors (John Densmore), Jimi Hendrix (Mitch Mitchell and later Buddy Miles), and The Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann). By this time, Rock drumming began to deviate from a simple and recognizable beat to include more challenging rhythms and fills requiring greater technical skill, with the "concert drum solo" becoming a common feature of Rock performances. By the beginning of the 1970s, several bands had become well established: Led Zeppelin (with prominent drummer John Bonham), Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath-that are considered founders of the Heavy Metal style. Another category that had attained wide popularity by the early 1970s was Progressive Rock, a style of music and drumming characterized by lengthier compositions, odd time signatures, and an even higher level of musicianship.

By: Eric Starr

Classical Guitar: How to improve your Right Hand Playing

Right hand technique is often the most overlooked part of a classical guitarist’s skill yet it is the most important. Improving your right hand will transform your playing from mechanical to brilliant and expressive. Here are some tips and techniques that will help you improve.

Your left hand determines the note and your right hand determines just about everything else from tone, to timbre, volume, texture and all the subtleties of the sound that comes from your classical guitar. Yet it is often overlooked when it comes to practice. If you want to really improve your classical guitar playing you need to start focusing on right hand technique. Here are some tips and tricks on how to do it.

Practice the types of strokes
A lot of beginner guitarists don’t realize that there are two different types of right hand strokes you can perform. The first stroke (and most common) is the free stroke where the finger doesn’t contact anything after plucking the string. The second type of stroke is the rest stroke where the finger comes to rest on the next string down after plucking. Practice your scales and arpeggios using both types of strokes.

Walking across the strings
You can set up your own exercises that will dramatically improve your right hand play and I recommend you do walking exercises at the beginning of every practice session.
Walking exercises are simply exercises where you play across all six strings in varying finger patterns. You can do this without stopping any of the strings with your left hand (open) or you can do scales.

Heres how to do it: Simply pluck down then up the six strings alternating between your index and middle fingers. Easy enough right? You started out with your index finger plucking the bass E string right? Now change that up and start your plucking by using your middle finger on the bass E string! It feels quite a bit different doesn't it? Now do a three-finger pattern using index, middle and ring finger. And of course mix that pattern up by starting with a finger other than your index. This will probably feel a little awkward at first but keep at it. With a simple practice exercise like this your classical guitar playing will improve dramatically.

Free pdf written by a master
There is a series of studies called 120 right hand exercises for classical guitar. Matteo Carcassi wrote these studies and they are in the free public domain. The exercises vary in difficulty so are appropriate for beginners to advanced. You can slowly work your way through them over time. Using these studies is a great way to improve right hand play and also improve sight-reading skills.

A Recommended Book
If you are looking for more guidance on improving your play I recommend you get a book by Scott Tennant called “Pumping Nylon”. I own it and have made it a part of my regular practice sessions. It has a lot of practical exercises for both the right and left hand. In 2006 a new version of this book aimed at beginners was published. There is also a nice DVD version available if you are a visual style learner.

Because the left hand is closer to your eyes, and because most people are right handed focusing on improvement of the right hand is often overlooked. But if you really want to take your classical guitar playing to the next level you should make a conscious effort to improve your right hand technique. Your speed of playing, clarity, and ability to express with the instrument will be greatly enhanced.

By: Will Kalif

How To Create A Sound Effect Library: Step One, Recording Sound Effects

In order to record sound effects for a personal or professional sound effect library one needs two things: sound itself and an object with which to record sound. The former should not be a problem finding as sound permeates existence. The later is easily available in a variety of formats and forms, though a basic handheld digital unit with a T shaped stereo microphone is the simplest and most efficient. Personally I’ve tried all sorts of pricey gear and mics throughout my sonic adventures only to discover that a solid $150 to $400 handheld digital recorder no larger than an old-school cassette tape box suffices to create sounds good enough for placement in any film, tv, and media project. In addition, these units run on battery power and the recorded files can generally be dragged onto your desktop via USB.

Be aware, however, that any device you use must record up to at least a 48k sample rate. Always record at the highest bit and sample rate possible because video uses audio with a 48k sample rate, not 44.1k. Any 44.1k samples you have will have to be upconverted to be used in a video production and this process always runs the risk of audio damage. Because of these potential problems with lower quality files, 48k sound effects are generally valued more by video editors and thus command a higher sale price should you choose to sell your sounds online.

There are two basic types of sound effects that you will be recording: “hits” and “ambiences.” Hits are single short sonic events such as a slap, gun-shot, or dog bark. Ambiences are longer background elements such as ocean waves, restaurant environments, or playground noises. In creating a library it is most valuable to have many of both types as they are both used in sound design. You will find that ambiences are the easiest to obtain as you merely have to go to a new location such as a supermarket or post office and just stand there and record. Hits need a little more forethought and preparation such as collecting the items you’d like to record or stalking the neighbor’s dog for that perfect dog bark.

The basics of recording a sound effect is literally as simple as hitting the record button. However, there are several tips to keep in mind in order to get the best recordings possible. First, make sure that you record as “hot” as possible, meaning with the loudest signal that does not clip or overload the microphone. If you notice a red LED light blinking when recording it means that your incoming signal is too hot and you will want to pull back your mic a bit from the source. You want the loudest signal without distortion. Related to this, it would also be wise to purchase a 10dB pad that fits between your mic and digital recorder will enable you to record sounds with high decibel levels, such as jet engines or weapons. The pad lowers the incoming signal by 10dB and can be found online for $20.

Second, try to keep background noises at a minimum. However, don’t be too obsessive over a “pure” recording because these background sounds can often afford surprising results such as an unexpected car honk, bird call or human noise. Also, much of the background noise can be filtered out when editing your recordings to create the sound effect product. The point here is to keep unwanted noise to a minimum but not so much that you might lose the opportunity for some unique recordings and slow yourself down being overly strict about the “perfect” recording environment.

Third, wind will ruin any recording so protect the mic with a windscreen or simply keep your recorder out of the wind by using physical barriers such as trees, walls, or even your jacket. Sometimes wind noise can be cut out during editing with a high pass filter and cutting frequencies below 200-500 khz but for the most part wind will destroy your recording efforts. Finally, your efforts can also be compromised if you have inadvertently recorded music in the background, such as the music played in a restaurant. This music is copyrighted and if it appears in your ambience recordings you will be violating copyright law and such recordings are essentially unusable.

These tips are simple and meant to point an aspiring sound effect artist in the right direction toward the creation of a sound effect library for use or for sale online. Future articles will discuss the process of editing, categorizing, and marketing these raw recordings.

By: SFXsource