Rabu, 11 November 2009

Mp3 And Its Advantages

music...
Few things in my life do I use more often and enjoy than my mp3 music player. Well, maybe its not all that great, but I do really love the idea of mp3 music players. I’m so tired of CDs I could just scream. Sure, they’re way better than the different forms of music storage mediums that came before, but that’s not saying a whole lot. There’s nothing more frustrating than putting on your favorite CD only to hear it skip like crazy during the best songs.

Even taking extremely good care of my CDs, they still somehow get scratched all the time. Furthermore, just trying to keep all my CDs organized is a major hassle. I think I’ve spent many hours putting CDs away in different folds and organizing the different CD cases, and while this used to be kind of fun back when I was in high school and didn’t own many albums, now that I’ve got a large collection it is a total drag. For these reasons alone, I’ve been a big fan of mp3 music players since they first started hitting markets several years ago.

The first mp3 music players were ridiculously expensive, but I just had to have one. Maybe I’m just a technology junkie, or maybe I had just finally had enough of CDs. I do remember the first mp3 music players came out shortly after I’d had my main CD holding folder filled with 90% of the music I’d collected over the years stolen. I’m sure that also had something to do with my decision to make the plunge and get an mp3 music player. I’d already spent a small fortune rebuilding my CD collection, so I guess I figured why not spend another small fortune, get an mp3 music player, and never have to worry about stolen or scratched CDs again?

While I haven’t been worrying much about stolen or scratched CDs since then, I have been worrying about crappy mp3 music players a lot. The first one I bought was such a piece of garbage compared to the newer ones, its not even funny. Fortunately, the mp3 music player I have now is pretty sweet. It’s made by Panasonic, works with my car and has all sorts of neat little features.

Of course, now that the mp3 music players have gotten good, Apple just had to come out with something better. Their iPods are in fact pretty nice, but they of course have their own spiffy music format that doesn’t work with other mp3 music players. Isn’t that just so typically Apple?

What Music Executives Accomplish

music...
If there's any profession in the world that's more maligned than music executive, it's probably along the lines of "Nigerian Spammer" or "Bail Bondsman". Let's shed some light on the subject. Music executives are like executives at any other company – they have to maintain a steady stream of product rollouts and keep customers attuned and regularly buying their core brands. In the case of music execs, those core brands are recording artists.

Most people don't buy Britney Spears' albums because they're published by Atlantic Records, they buy Britney's albums because they're by Britney, and the reason for that is because music executives learned how to package her singing talent, age, prior career as a Disney "good girl" and nascent sex appeal into a product that sold millions of albums.Music executives are the gateways of popular taste and are responsible to their shareholders for delivering profits. Unfortunately, those profits are coming under siege – and have been for more than a decade.



You see, the concept that you can sell music relies on the fact that making copies of music is expensive enough or difficult enough that people will pay money for a legitimate copy rather than make their own. On this basic principle, music companies have built an edifice of production gear, recording contracts and more…and the rise of the MP3 digital music format has kicked the underpinnings out from beneath them.They're now trying to put the genie back in the bottle, with Digital Rights Management and copy protection, their professional organization is trying to use copyright laws as a blunt club, and in general, they're building a lot of negative publicity for their industry.

There's a lot at stake, more so than those who make parody videos about music executives trying to preserve their multi-million dollar bonuses. One of them is making sure that artists are compensated for their work on an ongoing basis. You wouldn't do your job for free, yet most people seem to feel that music should just be freely downloadable off the internet with no compensation going to the artists.

In light of this, there's a growing movement towards online media stores, like Apple iTunes or Rhapsody, places where customers can buy songs individually, legally, in a convenient way. These have had a great deal of success, but the money they've taken in hasn't matched the declining revenue from CD sales, and that has the shareholders of music companies worried.

Guitars - From The Beginning

music...
Guitars are one of the most common instruments that music lovers choose to play. You can recreate sounds from your childhood or from the past after learning a few simple cords to strum. However, learning to play such an intricate instrument such as the guitar is the same with everything else; it takes a large amount of practice and determination. You have to be willing to practice on a daily basis in order to excel with the instrument. If you do not have the time to practice, then learning the basics of beginner guitar is probably not for you. But, if you take the time to go forth with the instrument, you will be amazed at how well you can be playing in such a short amount of time.

Your first step is to decide how you are going to learn to play the guitar. If you have had any previous musical experience, such as knowing how to read music, then the process with go much more smoothly. You can teach yourself with a beginner’s guitar book; however, if you have a person to help you it will be much easier. If you are not able to read music, many of the beginner books will show you how to do that as well.

While purchasing a guitar online might allow you to find a better deal, it is often a better choice to ask a local music store for suggestions, or your instructor. The strings on some of the guitars are very hard to hold down for beginners, and you cannot learn to play on these types of strings until you have built up enough calluses on your fingers.

Many beginner guitars have strings that are slightly more loose to help with the learning process. It might not be a wise choice to purchase a very expensive guitar your first time around. You need to make sure that the investment will be worth it, and you will not know this until you have mastered the art of the guitar. However, keep in mind that extremely cheap guitars are harder to keep tuned and often harder to play.

One thing that can help you excel is to listen to guitar solos in songs. Listening is usually the best type of learning. Many instructors also recommend this and they will usually have you choose a song that you want to learn and request that you listen to it over and over again. Choose wisely, because a very hard song is not always the best option. You have to go slowly and learn the basics first.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis is a great song that is simple for all beginners to learn. The song made the top 10 list in the U.S. and the hot top 100 in 1995 when it was first released. You can search online for the guitar tabs to the song on search engines such as Google. Neil Young’s song “Heart of Gold” is another easy song to learn. It made the Rolling Stone top 500 list, and it has a deep meaning. Overall, the song is easy and very popular for beginner guitarists. There are many sites online that allow you to download these songs for free so that you can listen to them.

The desire to learn the guitar is often not enough in order to learn. You also have to have determination and the ability to have patience when you are not able to get it right the first time. Try not to get frustrated, and know that your fingers will eventually toughen up enough for you to be able to play on any guitar. The first steps are the hardest, but after you learn, it is like riding a bicycle; you will never be able to forget.

Guitars - From The Beginning

music...
Guitars are one of the most common instruments that music lovers choose to play. You can recreate sounds from your childhood or from the past after learning a few simple cords to strum. However, learning to play such an intricate instrument such as the guitar is the same with everything else; it takes a large amount of practice and determination. You have to be willing to practice on a daily basis in order to excel with the instrument. If you do not have the time to practice, then learning the basics of beginner guitar is probably not for you. But, if you take the time to go forth with the instrument, you will be amazed at how well you can be playing in such a short amount of time.

Your first step is to decide how you are going to learn to play the guitar. If you have had any previous musical experience, such as knowing how to read music, then the process with go much more smoothly. You can teach yourself with a beginner’s guitar book; however, if you have a person to help you it will be much easier. If you are not able to read music, many of the beginner books will show you how to do that as well.

While purchasing a guitar online might allow you to find a better deal, it is often a better choice to ask a local music store for suggestions, or your instructor. The strings on some of the guitars are very hard to hold down for beginners, and you cannot learn to play on these types of strings until you have built up enough calluses on your fingers.

Many beginner guitars have strings that are slightly more loose to help with the learning process. It might not be a wise choice to purchase a very expensive guitar your first time around. You need to make sure that the investment will be worth it, and you will not know this until you have mastered the art of the guitar. However, keep in mind that extremely cheap guitars are harder to keep tuned and often harder to play.

One thing that can help you excel is to listen to guitar solos in songs. Listening is usually the best type of learning. Many instructors also recommend this and they will usually have you choose a song that you want to learn and request that you listen to it over and over again. Choose wisely, because a very hard song is not always the best option. You have to go slowly and learn the basics first.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis is a great song that is simple for all beginners to learn. The song made the top 10 list in the U.S. and the hot top 100 in 1995 when it was first released. You can search online for the guitar tabs to the song on search engines such as Google. Neil Young’s song “Heart of Gold” is another easy song to learn. It made the Rolling Stone top 500 list, and it has a deep meaning. Overall, the song is easy and very popular for beginner guitarists. There are many sites online that allow you to download these songs for free so that you can listen to them.

The desire to learn the guitar is often not enough in order to learn. You also have to have determination and the ability to have patience when you are not able to get it right the first time. Try not to get frustrated, and know that your fingers will eventually toughen up enough for you to be able to play on any guitar. The first steps are the hardest, but after you learn, it is like riding a bicycle; you will never be able to forget.

Music Lessons For Your Young

music...
If you are a parent of a young child, then now is the perfect time to introduce music. Some theories have even proven that if you play music to your baby while it is in the womb or when it is an infant then it will improve all types of things, such as their IQ and their motor skills. Before your child becomes impressionable through schooling and other children, you should introduce them to music while they still have such an open and fresh mind.

For this purpose, music lessons are an asset. It is an effective way to help your child learn to play any type of instrument, and you might find out that your child is very gifted when it comes to the art of music. Figuring out where to begin with music lessons is usually the hardest step for parents. They are unsure which instrument to purchase for their child and they are unsure as to which teacher to choose or who might be safe for their child.

It is first important to understand what happens in a typical lesson environment. The teacher, or experienced musician, helps share his or her expertise on the instrument with the student. During the lesson, the teacher observes the difficulties that the student might be having as well as noticing their strengths. The teacher will then introduce newer and harder concepts as the student progresses, which can only happen with practice and homework.

One factor to keep in mind if you are considering music lessons is that they do require much more commitment both on your part and your child as opposed to cub scouts or dance lessons. This is due to the fact that most of the learning is your child’s responsibility. It is up to them how advanced they become with the instrument, and it is based on how often they practice. One thing that many children forget is that they are supposed to practice at home, not just with their teacher. Without the practice, your child’s progress will not excel and you will end up paying more money than you expected for the teacher’s time.

You should also remember that this is supposed to be fun for a child. While practice does make perfect, never force your child to do something such as practice. While you should encourage it, forcing them only makes them dislike the instrument that much more. Their heart truly has to be in it in order for them to excel at the art. Usually, as your child gains confidence and starts to see how well they are doing with the instrument, then they will eventually become very passionate. Having them partake in music lessons not only gives them the confidence but it will help with their focus and concentration in school.

Usually, children at the age of 7 and up will be the best candidates for music lessons because they already have a desire to learn, have great listening skills, and a willingness to practice. Younger children also advance well in music lessons, but it is more common if they are in a group environment that is slightly more playful. Starting your children young in a music class will help them gain a passion for the art and prepare them for regular music lessons when they are a little older. You can also have your own music time at home if you have younger children. Encourage them to sing silly songs, make home-made musical instruments, or even buy them a kid sized instrument.

No matter what you decide to do, remember that music lessons will be a valuable investment towards your child’s future. You need to be prepared to commit to it just as they will so that you can make sure they attend the classes and are positive about practicing. With your guidance and patience, your child could be on their way to being the next musical genius.

Music Lessons For Your Young

music...
If you are a parent of a young child, then now is the perfect time to introduce music. Some theories have even proven that if you play music to your baby while it is in the womb or when it is an infant then it will improve all types of things, such as their IQ and their motor skills. Before your child becomes impressionable through schooling and other children, you should introduce them to music while they still have such an open and fresh mind.

For this purpose, music lessons are an asset. It is an effective way to help your child learn to play any type of instrument, and you might find out that your child is very gifted when it comes to the art of music. Figuring out where to begin with music lessons is usually the hardest step for parents. They are unsure which instrument to purchase for their child and they are unsure as to which teacher to choose or who might be safe for their child.

It is first important to understand what happens in a typical lesson environment. The teacher, or experienced musician, helps share his or her expertise on the instrument with the student. During the lesson, the teacher observes the difficulties that the student might be having as well as noticing their strengths. The teacher will then introduce newer and harder concepts as the student progresses, which can only happen with practice and homework.

One factor to keep in mind if you are considering music lessons is that they do require much more commitment both on your part and your child as opposed to cub scouts or dance lessons. This is due to the fact that most of the learning is your child’s responsibility. It is up to them how advanced they become with the instrument, and it is based on how often they practice. One thing that many children forget is that they are supposed to practice at home, not just with their teacher. Without the practice, your child’s progress will not excel and you will end up paying more money than you expected for the teacher’s time.

You should also remember that this is supposed to be fun for a child. While practice does make perfect, never force your child to do something such as practice. While you should encourage it, forcing them only makes them dislike the instrument that much more. Their heart truly has to be in it in order for them to excel at the art. Usually, as your child gains confidence and starts to see how well they are doing with the instrument, then they will eventually become very passionate. Having them partake in music lessons not only gives them the confidence but it will help with their focus and concentration in school.

Usually, children at the age of 7 and up will be the best candidates for music lessons because they already have a desire to learn, have great listening skills, and a willingness to practice. Younger children also advance well in music lessons, but it is more common if they are in a group environment that is slightly more playful. Starting your children young in a music class will help them gain a passion for the art and prepare them for regular music lessons when they are a little older. You can also have your own music time at home if you have younger children. Encourage them to sing silly songs, make home-made musical instruments, or even buy them a kid sized instrument.

No matter what you decide to do, remember that music lessons will be a valuable investment towards your child’s future. You need to be prepared to commit to it just as they will so that you can make sure they attend the classes and are positive about practicing. With your guidance and patience, your child could be on their way to being the next musical genius.

Music Lessons For Your Young

music...
If you are a parent of a young child, then now is the perfect time to introduce music. Some theories have even proven that if you play music to your baby while it is in the womb or when it is an infant then it will improve all types of things, such as their IQ and their motor skills. Before your child becomes impressionable through schooling and other children, you should introduce them to music while they still have such an open and fresh mind.

For this purpose, music lessons are an asset. It is an effective way to help your child learn to play any type of instrument, and you might find out that your child is very gifted when it comes to the art of music. Figuring out where to begin with music lessons is usually the hardest step for parents. They are unsure which instrument to purchase for their child and they are unsure as to which teacher to choose or who might be safe for their child.

It is first important to understand what happens in a typical lesson environment. The teacher, or experienced musician, helps share his or her expertise on the instrument with the student. During the lesson, the teacher observes the difficulties that the student might be having as well as noticing their strengths. The teacher will then introduce newer and harder concepts as the student progresses, which can only happen with practice and homework.

One factor to keep in mind if you are considering music lessons is that they do require much more commitment both on your part and your child as opposed to cub scouts or dance lessons. This is due to the fact that most of the learning is your child’s responsibility. It is up to them how advanced they become with the instrument, and it is based on how often they practice. One thing that many children forget is that they are supposed to practice at home, not just with their teacher. Without the practice, your child’s progress will not excel and you will end up paying more money than you expected for the teacher’s time.

You should also remember that this is supposed to be fun for a child. While practice does make perfect, never force your child to do something such as practice. While you should encourage it, forcing them only makes them dislike the instrument that much more. Their heart truly has to be in it in order for them to excel at the art. Usually, as your child gains confidence and starts to see how well they are doing with the instrument, then they will eventually become very passionate. Having them partake in music lessons not only gives them the confidence but it will help with their focus and concentration in school.

Usually, children at the age of 7 and up will be the best candidates for music lessons because they already have a desire to learn, have great listening skills, and a willingness to practice. Younger children also advance well in music lessons, but it is more common if they are in a group environment that is slightly more playful. Starting your children young in a music class will help them gain a passion for the art and prepare them for regular music lessons when they are a little older. You can also have your own music time at home if you have younger children. Encourage them to sing silly songs, make home-made musical instruments, or even buy them a kid sized instrument.

No matter what you decide to do, remember that music lessons will be a valuable investment towards your child’s future. You need to be prepared to commit to it just as they will so that you can make sure they attend the classes and are positive about practicing. With your guidance and patience, your child could be on their way to being the next musical genius.

The Care And Maintenance Of Your Guitar Strings

music...
Metal guitar strings are subjected to many conditions that shorten their life. The life of guitar strings can be extended with care and proper maintenance. This article will help you extend the life of your guitar strings.

Guitar strings can lose their tonal quality prematurely due to factors that include:

*Stretching

*Wear

*Corrosion

Stretching: Guitar strings naturally stretch during tuning and while playing the guitar. Over time strings slowly lose their elasticity and their tone quality. Guitar strings that are stretched no longer produce rich tone or harmonic overtones. As a result, the guitar becomes difficult to tune and the sound of the strings become dull and lifeless.

Wear: Guitar strings wear during the process of playing. This process comes from moving the metal strings against the metal frets on the fretboard. Of the two most common types of strings, wound and plain steel, wound strings are more susceptible to fret wear. Wound guitar strings tend to "flat-spot" more rapidly than plain steel strings. If left unchecked, the flat spots can create breaks in the windings of the strings. Flat spots and broken windings will decrease tonal quality and can also cause the strings to "buzz".

Corrosion: Metal guitar strings are subject to tarnish, rust and corrosion. Metal guitar strings are also subject to the body chemistry of the individual guitar player. Individuals with higher acid levels in their pH will get less life from their guitar strings due to an accelerated rate of string corrosion.

There are several things guitar players can do to get extended life from their guitar strings. Taking the time to follow these simple steps will ensure that you get the most from your strings and reduce the cost associated with premature string failure.

*Do not over-stretch your strings during the tuning process.

*Be careful not to crimp the strings at the tuner peg when replacing the guitar strings.

*Periodically, check the condition of the guitar bridge and bridge saddle to avoid breaking a string during the replacement process.

*Monitor the condition of your guitar frets and replace any frets that develop excessive wear or sharp edges.

*Always clean your guitar strings when you finish playing the guitar.

It is impossible to say how long a new set of guitar strings should last. The life of guitar strings depend on many factors and variables. It is possible to extend the life of guitar strings through proper care and maintenance. Be sure to take the time to care for your guitar strings and you will get the longest life from each set.

When the time comes to replace the strings, choose quality replacements and change the strings carefully.



A. Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

music.com

music...
Whether you admit it or not, music imbeds our daily life, weaving its beauty and emotion through our thoughts, activities and memories. So if you're interested in music theory, music appreciation, Beethoven, Mozart, or other composers, artists and performers, we hope you'll spend some time with here and learn from these music articles of note for all ages and tastes.

When I first started studying the history of music, I did not realize what I was getting into. I had thought that music history was somewhat of a trivial pursuit. In fact, I only took my history of classical music class because I needed the credits. I did not realize how completely fascinating music history is. You see, in our culture many of us do not really learn to understand music. For much of the world, music is a language, but for us it is something that we consumed passively. When I began to learn about the history of Western music, however, it changed all that for me. I have had some experience playing musical instruments, but I have never mastered one enough to really understand what music is all about. This class showed me.

When most of us think about the history of music, we think of the history of rock music. We assume that the history is simple because the music is simple. In fact, neither is the case. The history of music, whether you're talking about classical music, rock music, jazz music, or any other kind, is always complicated. New chord structures are introduced bringing with them new ways of understanding the world. New rhythmic patterns are introduced, bringing with them new ways of understanding time. And music reflects all of it.

Even when the class was over, I could not stop learning about the history of music. It had whetted my appetite, and I wanted more. I got all the music history books that I could find. I even began to research forms of music that had not interested me before in the hopes of enhancing my musical knowledge further. Although I was in school studying toward something very different – a degree in engineering – I had thought about giving it up and going back to get a degree in musicology. That is how much I am fascinated by the subject.

If you have never taken a course in the history of music, you don't know what you are missing out on. The radio will never sound the same to you again. Everything will seem much more rich, much more luminous, and much more important. A new song can reflect a new way of being, and a new way of imagining life in the world. This is what learning about the history of music means to many of us.

Sabtu, 07 November 2009

play bass

music...
Why Learn to Play the Bass Guitar?


Music,Hobbies,Education
The main reason why people should learn to play the bass is because you should be different, what I mean by this is in a typical band the bass is the most overlooked instrument, the guitar being the most popular, followed by the drums.

So, why does no one pick the bass then? There are many reasons and everyone will have their own reason why. The two main reasons are: People think the bass guitar is too easy and the guitar is just way cooler to play.

The bass guitar is as hard as you make it, it can be an easy instrument to learn, but it is very hard to be able to master. There are so many bass players and basslines out there, all varying in difficulty. Compare these two basslines: "Blink 182 - First Date" and "Rancid - Maxwell Murder" Two very completely different approaches, the first song just follows the root note while the other song follows more of a scale and also contains a bass solo.

So, why actually play the bass? As the bass guitar is the least thought of instrument in a band it is easier to find a band that needs a bassist, for every bass player there will be around 10 guitar players, so with many more guitar players there are always bands that need a bassist.

If you know a friend who plays the guitar or even the drums then you could buy a bass and then you could jam together, either learning cover songs or making your own up. The drums and bass go very well together so playing with a drummer is always the best.

Have a listen to your favourite band, or song. The bassline may be way cooler than you thought. There are many songs out there that are based around the bassline and taking that away would make the song incomplete and less compelling to listen to. This point alone can get more people picking up the bass guitar to give it a try.

Bands need a bass player without one the song would sound very empty and incomplete and the bass helps to fill the gap between the drums and the guitar.

The bass falls into both categorise of being a hard instrument and being and easy one. If you want an easy instrument to start and learn then great, you can play very simple bass lines that sound great and everyone will recognize in a matter of days, in fact, with some people in a matter of a few hours to learn.

If you want a challenge then the bass can also offer that, there are many basslines out there that require years of practice to master and there is also new material and styles to learn.

Slap bass is a very unique style that is played on the bass guitar and no other instrument can get that unique sound. There are many funk bassists out there that have mastered this technique and have brought a whole new approach to playing the bass guitar.

I would encourage anyone that wishes to learn an instrument to try and learn the bass or at least look more in to it rather than crossing it of their list of instrument that they could learn to play.

For more information about learning how to play bass then visit play bass for free online bass lessons.

no titlle

music...
Making the Most out of Online Guitar Lessons


Entertainment,Music
Online guitar lessons are beneficial for any guitar player, but mostly for those beginners that have busy lives. Even though you are dying to learn to play guitar, there might be times when it is just too hard to squeeze in the time to sit down and learn. That is what is so great about online guitar lessons. Most guitar lessons for beginners walk you through the basics of the guitar, like how to hold it and how to read the tabs. Guitar lessons for beginners are typically slower and more detailed. This is helpful because it allows you to move at your own pace in learning how to play guitar.

When you are searching for online guitar lessons to take, you should search for ones that also provide more advanced lessons that you can work towards. As you progress from the guitar lessons for beginners into more advanced lessons, you will find that the guitar is easier to play than you thought, and you can begin to develop your own sense of style. There are many ways to take advantage of playing the guitar in your own style. It will give your music more personality and will help you to work on the guitar skills that will make your style stand out more. With online guitar lessons, it will be much easier to find out what type of style you are and what you will excel at.

cinta music

music...
Online Resources for a Motivated Guitar Teacher


Education,Music,Art and Culture
Do you want instant access to free guitar teacher resources online? Well, if you are a guitar teacher or at least a wannabe who wishes and plans to take guitar teaching to the next level, read on, change the way you teach and make it more creative, innovative and interesting. In here, you will get unique ideas and interactive classroom activities appropriate for guitar teaching. Coming up with these kinds of activities can really increase students’ levels of motivation and interest. Please feel free to check out my personal list:

Music Teachers’ Websites Find the most reliable websites or blogs that can provide you the resources and the ideas that you need to help you meet your academic objectives. In these pages, you will be able to read some posts related in your search for the latest and most effective strategies and most useful inputs.

By merely reading the posts online, you can contact with the first-hand users, your fellow music teachers, studio owners and the likes. These people probably experience the same things on their own, deal with the same problems and conflicts that you currently have, and can ultimately share their thoughts and ideas to you. With that, you may take their words and experiences into consideration but not totally influencing your decisions and techniques.

Music Teacher Software These online programs and applications, which are highly designed for music or even guitar teachers, can help you manage your schedule, organize your lessons, handle administrative tasks, and many others automatically and electronically without compromising quality, accuracy and efficiency of the results. Automatic updates on changes, upgrades and modifications are being sent to you on a regular basis; yet, you still have the full control over it – monitoring and managing all your music teaching needs.

Online forums and discussions An internet forum is an online discussion site that can also be referred as a message board. Originated as the contemporary equivalent of bulletin board and a technological evolution of the like, these online forums and discussions are web-based applications that are comprised of user-generated contents. People participating in an internet forum or online board may cultivate social bonds and interest groups for a topic may form from the discussions. Live chats and conferences may also be held in these media of communication.

E-book Library for Guitar Teachers I am sure you have heard about e-books (electronic books) that are usually in e-text forms, downloadable and readable through personal computers, laptops, notebooks and even cellular phones. Mostly in pdf format, e-books are electronically published, simultaneously produced and generally made available to a wide variety of readers. Though e-books focus on a limited topic or area, these online digital books are exclusively designed for a more specific audience. Like in our case, music or guitar teachers have their own sets or lists of available e-books online.

Jumat, 06 November 2009

music...
How To Compose Music - Creative Ideas

Starting a composition is a difficult task. Getting your inspirations, thinking creatively, applying your creative thoughts to your music and supplementing your ideas with additional composition are all difficult tasks to accomplish.

For starters, your current state of mind will greatly affect the music you write – whether you feel angry, joyful or sad chances are your musical composition will in some way reflect this mood.

Different times of day and different seasons affect your composing as well as current affairs and any stress’s you might have.

The variety of factors that can influence your composition periods are immense and hopefully these few pointers will demonstrate some methods of breaking out of the psychological restraints placed on you.

• Colours – If you are looking to compose a piece of music based around a certain mood find a relevant colour that matches for instance orange gives the impression of energy and drive. Eventually you will learn to bias your mood to suit the composition you are aiming for.
• Character – it is well known for actors to really get inside the character they are portraying through their acting. Understanding key emotions and various behaviours help the actors ‘ live ‘ as their proposed character. If you are creating a theme for a character (think darth vaders theme tune) you need to be demonstrating and describing that character through sound. If you follow the same process as an actor would you will eventually unravel hidden details that will help refine your composition, make it more realist and detailed and allow for it to be much more creative and expressive.
• Nature – a lot of creativity and inspiration can be got by observing nature. From birds communicating through a song like speech to the rustle of leaves in a summer breeze. Trying to emulate nature is an excellent way to begin a sound-scope – or incorporating nature into a character theme for example to express an angelic quality, singing like the birds (fast trills on piccolo or glissandos on the violin)
• Memories – another great source to tap into is your memories. A lot of emotion will go into compositions that are personal in some way to yourself. Spend a few minutes reflecting on your past – try to imagine the memory in great detail – sounds, smells, colours the weather – anything that will give you a good image and story to compose about.

These are just a few sources for inspiration – use your imagination – it has never ending possibilities!

With so many possibilities to compose about and now that your creativity is running, the next area to discuss is music theory.
The last thing that you want to happen is to have all these wonderfully creative ideas for your composition but being held back by the lack of musical knowledge.

A rugby player could develop his passing techniques and his scrum techniques but if he doesn’t know the rules of the game he won’t be able to perform during a game.

Although music composition and as a whole is not bound by any rules you still need the knowledge of writing music – in the same way as a poet needs a knowledge of his language to write a poem.

Some of the key areas you should know about and be constantly revising are:

• The Staff, Bar Lines, Clefs, Time Signatures.
• Note Values, Rests, Phrasing, Rhythm
• Articulation, Instrument Specific Techniques (pizz, con sord)
• Key Signatures, Circle of Fifths, Accidentals, Cadences
• Major, Minor, Diminished, Pentatonic, Diatonic Scales
• Modes
• Chords, Extensions, Inversions, Sequences, Arpeggios
• Instrument Ranges, Timbres of Each Instrument, Difficult Areas of an Instrument (The break on clarinet for instance or seventh position for trombones)

Of course it is not absolutely essential you know about all of this but it will mean that your creativity is weakened due to lack of a means to fully communicate.

Use music theory books – go through them and notate comments on the pages, take notes on to blank flash cards to memorize scales and extended chords, use past music theory exam papers to test and analyze your knowledge and then act on your weak areas, purchase a aural perception CD to recognize different cadences and the general sounds achieved from different combinations of notes and chords – there are many ways to learn all of this but find the way that you are comfortable with and stick to it.

Finally the last piece of advice in this article is to keep your composing active.

Aim to compose a short piece of music each day, maybe before you go to bed you can reflect on your day through a composition. Mix it up – compose for different orchestrations and different abilities.

Composing is challenging but by keeping active like this will greatly benefit you and your compositions – and you never know – you may accidentally stumble upon your masterpiece!



This article is free for reproduction providing that it maintains its original form and an active link to www.realmusicproduction.com is present. Edward Droscher is the founder of Real Music Production and works to develop music education systems privately and in schools as well as composing and arranging music for film, TV, and musical theatre. For more information or details on music composition please visit www.realmusicproduction.com/composition.php

Kamis, 05 November 2009

musik

music...
11 Damaging Mistakes Guitar Players Make and How To Avoid Them
by: Tom Hess

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Do you know how some guitar players practice most days of the week, work hard, and are passionate about their guitar playing, but they always struggle to be able to play guitar the way they want? They are frustrated because they don’t improve fast enough, begin doubting their guitar playing potential, or even feel discouraged or angry with themselves when thinking about how long it is taking them to become a better guitar player.

Can you relate to that? I sure can, I just described myself 15 years ago.

There are specific reasons why guitar players go through such frustration and disappointment. Here are 11 key mistakes guitar players make and repeat over and over again that you should definitely avoid.

1. Teaching Yourself To Play Guitar. Many people attempt to teach themselves how to play guitar. Yes, it’s true that some well known players were ‘somewhat’ self taught, but I do not suggest following that strategy even if your favorite player was self taught. If you are 100% sure that you can build powerfully effective learning and training systems on your own, that's great. However, if you are like most of us, doing it alone is the hardest, most time-consuming, stressful, and frustrating way to learn anything. This is a mistake that you should avoid. Some guitar players think it will impress others if they say, "I am a self taught guitar player". That statement might impress a few inexperienced people, but being self taught is not a 'badge of honor'. Would you rather impress others with your guitar playing or with an unimportant statement about your guitar playing? I'm not criticizing self taught guitar players, I'm only saying that there is no advantage to being self taug ht… and no, it is not true that being 'self taught' makes us more 'original'. In fact, the opposite is usually true.

2. Taking Guitar Lessons From Ineffective Guitar Teachers. Unfortunately, most electric guitar teachers receive ZERO training on how to teach guitar. What is worse is that the vast majority of teachers do little or nothing to improve their guitar teaching skills. Want some proof? Use google’s keyword tool . Type in this keyword phrase: ‘improve guitar teaching skills’, ‘guitar teaching skills’, or ‘guitar teaching training’ and you will find that less than 10 searches per month are done for these topics at google! Of course there are some highly effective electric guitar teachers around, but there are a whole lot more ineffective teachers. Here is a free resource on how to tell the difference between the good guitar teachers and the mediocre ones, free guide: how to find a guitar teacher: http://tomhess.net/HowToChooseAGuitarTeacher.aspx

3. Seeking New Guitar Information (tricks, tips, tab) Without A Proven Strategy To Reach Your Specific Musical Goals. We need information, advice, help and music to play, but without a proven strategic learning and training process that is specific to you, your skill level, your musical style and what you want to be able to do as a guitar player, information won’t get you where you want to go. It is better to first seek help in developing a customized strategy for you to become a better guitar player. After that strategy is in place, then it is time to deal with learning the right information.

4. Not Knowing Specifically What You Want To Be Able To Play. Most guitar players are not specific enough when they think about (or tell others about) what they want to be able to do with their guitar. To say, "I want to play whatever I wish to play” is too vague. How can you (or your guitar teacher) develop a specific and effective guitar training strategy unless the goals you have are specific? It's like saying you want to be a great athlete, how can you effectively train with such a vague goal? Sure there are things you can do to become faster, stronger, more flexible or whatever, but it's much easier if you first get specific such as, I want to train to be a gymnast, or a long distance runner, or a body builder. Yes you can still improve without a strategy, but it will take a lot longer and be much more frustrating. You can always change your goal later if you discover you want to do something else instead.

5. Not Enough Focus On Things That Matter Most To Making You A Better Guitar Player. Have you fallen into the trap of practicing guitar without focusing on the specific things that can quickly begin to improve your guitar playing? Many people really do not understand and apply this concept in enough detail…. for example, I have a student named Mark who used to take lessons from another teacher in the past. Mark was studying sweep picking arpeggios with his previous teacher, and was making some progress. However Mark did not understand what ‘specific’ things he needed to focus on first before attempting to master the sweep picking arpeggios he was practicing. This was holding him back and making him feel very frustrated. Mark’s previous teacher only knew how to ‘teach’ arpeggios and general sweep picking concepts. He did not really know how to “train” Mark with the specific things to focus on and how to overcome the challenges Mark was having. If you would like to see a small sample of this check out this short sweep picking video lesson: http://tomhess.net/3StringArpeggiosLessonFull.aspx.

6. Too Much Focus On Things That Are Not Core To Your Goals. In addition to not focusing on specific things, many guitar players focus on the ‘wrong things’. Some enthusiastic guitar players become temporarily obsessed with things which are distractions from other things that could be helping their guitar playing much more. Here is an example: I used to get so frustrated and angry when I could not play something perfectly, I’d lock myself in my guitar practice room and say, “I’m not coming out of this room until I master this damn lick if it takes me the next 19 hours! No breaks! No food! No human contact! I’m gonna nail this!” And I did master it. On the surface, it might seem like I was on the right track and practicing in a good way…. But in reality, I was spending my time only to stop being angry and frustrated. I was not investing my guitar practice time wisely by focusing on the things that mattered most to making a better guitar player. In other words, my perseverance was commendable, but my strategy to master important long-term goals was weak. I allowed myself to be distracted. I don’t make this same mistake anymore, and I urge you to also avoid it! Focus on the things that really matter for your guitar playing right now. If you are not sure how to do this, seek out a proven guitar teacher today.

7. Focusing On The Right Things, But in The Wrong Order. This is a common mistake that even many advanced guitar players make which causes a lot of wasted time and frustration. Imagine you want to improve your ability to create your own cool guitar solos. Let’s assume that you are advanced enough to truly understand all the primary and secondary elements of composing guitar solos (or you have a guitar teacher to help you). Each of the many elements need to be learned and/or practiced in order to easily create awesome solos that you like. Where should you begin? What should you focus on first, second, third? Which of these things should you practice simultaneously? There is always a specific order in which musical skills should be learned and mastered in order to EXPLODE your musical skills. Unfortunately, that order is totally different for every person, style of music, musical goal, skill set and knowledge, so giving an example here would be pointless. My advice, find the b est teacher you can and study with him/her in order to be able to do what you want to do with your guitar much faster and easier.

8. Not Isolating Problem Areas. Few guitar players are aware of the small things that hold them back in big ways. Because these little imperfections seem insignificant to us, we often ignore them. The truth is, small hinges open big doors. In the video mentioned above I explained how allowing your guitar pick to lose its momentum when you are ‘not picking’ a note on the guitar makes your playing slow and sloppy…. which will make you feel very frustrated. This is why I was sure to make a special point to help you avoid that mistake. Check out the small sample sweep picking video for more details: http://tomhess.net/3StringArpeggiosLessonFull.aspx .

9. Learning And Practicing Guitar In A Step By Step Linear Process. Does following a linear step by step approach to learning, practicing and mastering guitar seem like common sense good to you? Yes it does… And that is why guitar players who follow such a path are NOT great guitar players. I’m going to let you in an insider’s secret… The truth is, following a linear approach to learning guitar, practicing guitar, and mastering guitar is the NUMBER ONE REASON WHY “GOOD GUITAR PLAYERS” STRUGGLE TO BECOME “GREAT GUITAR PLAYERS”… I originally thought I would write an article on this one point alone, but I think you will learn this concept better in another short video I recorded while I was doing a recent guitar instructional clinic tour a few months ago. Check out this free sample from my clinic on how to practice guitar http://tomhess.net/LinearVsGeometricApproach.aspx .

10. Practicing Guitar In The Same Way Your Favorite Guitar Players Practice Guitar. Have you ever read about how your favorite guitar players practice guitar and then tried to repeat the same practice routine? Yes, I’ve made this mistake too! It seems natural to use a similar guitar practice schedule that our favorite guitar players are using. This is a mistake, because your current guitar skill level and knowledge of music is probably very different from your favorite player. His/her challenges and needs are likely not the same as yours.

Professional guitar players practice for different reasons than most amateur players do. For example, before recording a new album I will practice very differently compared to the period before going on tour. Once I’m actually on tour my practice routine changes drastically again. The rest of the year my practicing schedule changes yet again. This happens because in each case my challenges and goals are totally different. When my guitar students ask me, “Tom, how do you practice guitar?” I’m careful not to let my students assume that they should practice the same way that I do. Your practice schedule and strategy needs to be built around YOU and you only! If you need help building your own practice schedule, email me directly.

11. Learning From Too Many Different Sources Of Information. There will always be many learning opportunities and various paths to take, but it is critical that you do not get distracted into following a piece of advice from one person, then another piece of advice from another person and then follow more resources from somewhere else and so on and so on... while different people may have some good ideas to offer, the fact is, distraction is a big reason why many guitar players who are actively learning, don't really move forward quickly... these people are always busy following totally different resources, teachers, philosophies, instructional videos, free online guitar lessons, but all of this leads them to take one step forward, then 2 steps to the right, then one step forward, then 3 steps to the left, then one step backward, then two to the right, then 1 step forward and then another step to the left...

An illustration of this is shown below. The first path is obviously the most direct way to arrive to your goals. The second path is the inefficient approach filled with many distractions that come from various pieces of advice from many sources:

http://tomhess.net/files/images/articles/11BigMistakes/StepsToGoals.jpg

Once you have an effective strategy to become the guitar player you want to be, ALWAYS stay focused on it (unless your goals radically change)!! The very best way to do this is to have ONE primary guitar teacher who helps you to become the musician you really want to be.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't take advice from other people too, but you should have one 'primary' source of information, training and coaching, and see the other advice as an additional resource, but do not become distracted by it.

Download this free guide on how to find the best guitar teacher with proven teaching strategies, proven training strategies and proven results so that you become the awesome guitar player you want to be and play the guitar the way you’ve always wanted to play.