Jazzing Up Your Leadership Style

I met New York jazzman Tim Armacost in college almost 25 years ago, at a time when we were both grappling not only with what careers we ought to pursue, but with what kind of adults we wanted to become. Tim comes from an illustrious family, boasting more than its fair share of bank presidents, ambassadors and college presidents. I would not have been surprised if he had gone into finance, diplomacy, or academia. And yet, with seemingly limitless professional options open to him, Tim chose a more modest path ? that of the jazz musician. For two decades he's been traveling the globe, pursuing his career as a professional tenor saxophonist, in such exotic locations as Amsterdam, Delhi, and Tokyo. His albums, including Live at Smalls and The Wishing Well, have received high praise from the Washington Post and Jazz Times. Fluent in Japanese, Tim is also a longtime student of Zen Buddhism; his meditation practice infuses his music and contributes strongly to his relaxed yet passionate performance style.

I asked Tim to share a few of his thoughts on team leadership ? from a jazz improv perspective. Here are his insightful comments:

"What I've learned from leading jazz groups, and from being a sideman for that matter, is that a group functions best when the leader is strong, confident, and has a vision. Within the context of that, he must also give the members of the band the feeling that they are totally free to express themselves within the boundaries of what the leader is setting out to do. I often find myself describing an improvising quartet as an excellent example of living, dynamic democracy. The jazz group was born to express the American spirit, and it has evolved into a form that is capable of expressing the spirits of communities of musicians throughout the world.

"The leader needs to pick members who will be compatible, and create an environment of mutual respect. With this in place, the sidemen can relax into a feeling of safety, from which they can explore and take risks without being judged unfairly for mistakes. If the leader is too selfish or demanding, the band members start to see themselves as just being there to do a job and collect a paycheck, and they lose respect for the leader. But more importantly, they become detached from the music and go on autopilot, ceasing to be actively expressing their own true music. On the flip side, if the leader defers too much to others in the band, the sidemen lose respect for him because they expect to be led somewhere interesting. This situation can result in everyone acting like a leader to pick up the slack in the band, and arguments over decision making and the direction of the music inevitably ensue.

"Then there's the issue of "swing". There's the fundamental level of swing where everyone is feeling the beat together, and the music has natural momentum. Then there's the next level where four artists all hearing the music in its moment of creation together generate an incredible propulsion. The rush of that stream carries each individual and the group into a place where they are all playing in a way that no one imagined before or could possibly recreate. The music is not only in the moment, it is of the moment. That's what I live for! Occasionally it happens, and I dream of the day when I can play enough and have enough work for my band to live in that place more.

"So I see the wisdom of team leadership lying in the ability to acknowledge and nurture each individual's freedom and creativity while simultaneously having the vision to create a group dynamic that takes the individuals bound together to a new and unforeseen place."

Editor's Note: Business team leaders can learn much from the world of Jazz improv. Before your next meeting, considering asking yourself the following questions:

1) Do I have a strong, confident vision for my team, and if so, what is it and have I communicated it sufficiently? Am I taking people somewhere "interesting"?

2) Do I provide my "sidemen" the freedom to express themselves within the boundaries of my vision?

3) On the flipside, do I provide so much freedom that my team members are confused about the direction they're being asked to take?

4) Do we "swing" as a team? Are we attaining, on a regular basis, that feeling of flow you get when people are functioning at their highest performance level? If not, what aspects of my leadership style might be preventing this?

Let the spirits of Miles Davis and Duke Ellington be your guide.

(Visit Tim Armacost on the web at www.timarmacost.com)

Dave Blum is the founder of Dr. Clue treasure hunts, the national leader in business teambuilding with a treasure hunt game as the core simulation.

Visit us on the web at <a target="_new" href="http://www.drclue.com">http://www.drclue.com</a>

Legal Music Downloads

On July 28, 2004, French Internet access providers and music copyright owners signed a joint national charter aimed at cracking down on illegal downloads and expanding the amount of legal music tracks available online (AFP). This is the latest in a series of moves taken across the world to combat music piracy as production labels see more and more of their profits being lost to illegal downloads of music files.

The music industry has been saying the same thing for several years now: peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks are exponentially distributing pirated music across the world through the Internet, and this constitutes a copyright infringement. In English, this means that the fact that I downloaded a Tori Amos track through Kazaa yesterday and am listening to it right now makes me a criminal. So far, so good. Quite true as well.

But the real problem is not that people do not want to pay for music. Often I sample new music off the Internet before buying the CDs. Chances are that if I like most of the album, I'm going to buy it. On the surface this is what radio stations do when they play music. The difference, however, is that it has become insanely easy for me to acquire almost-as-good-as-original quality mp3s of any track that I want to listen to, and even if I don't pay a dime, no one is there to catch me.

The principle of accountability has vanished. When one sees that there are two ways to acquire the same product, but by sacrificing a 'little' bit of quality you can get it for free without being penalized for it, what would most rational people do? P2P networks have made finding music off the Internet ridiculously easy, and most of us tend to 'forget' our social responsibility when it comes to such 'trivial' matters. To contribute to this, copy-protection techniques used on CDs by major production houses are always a step behind the latest cracking algorithms, and steps taken to prevent 'ripping' of CDs and DVDs have proven fruitless so far.

Enter music downloads of the legal kind. Disregarding the small number of 'free' legal music available for promotional purposes, more and more artists and labels have begun to provide a pay-per-download music service. In essence, you can purchase individual tracks or complete albums through a secure online transaction and then download your 'purchase' and, with variable limits to personal use, pretty much do whatever you want to do with it (Several providers digitally encode the files to prevent them from being played on other computers, or to be burned onto CD-Rs) This is both a move to encourage free-riders such as me to start acquiring 'legal' music and an economic adjustment to the digital music revolution. Developing technologies are changing the way people perceive and use music. The advent of iPod and other mp3 players has meant that more and more people are becoming accustomed to carrying around their complete music collections with the latest players offering space for around 10,000 songs. This holds frightening possibilities for record companies. There is a very real concern within the industry that the CD format is fast going out of style, and as technology evolves, consumer demands for the best 'medium' will change as well. Till a few years ago audio CDs offered unparalleled music quality, a factor record companies used to encourage people to 'buy instead of steal (download)'. However, today's high-quality digital formats mean that audio quality is comparable, and in some cases equal to, CDs. Some experts are even starting to predict that within a decade CDs will become history as digital music will evolve to a point where we will be have access to our entire music collection (hopefully paid for) wherever we want it: in our car, at work, anywhere in the house, even on the beach. Matched with promises (and the reality) of audio quality, this is a serious threat to traditional business.

Thus, providing legal music online is a means of the industry trying to position itself to take advantage of the rising trend of portable music collections. A quick glance across major online music stores tells us exactly so. While offering free-riders affordable music (allowing them to purchase only the tracks they like instead of forcing them to buy the complete album) to ensure that they do not turn to music piracy, sites like eMusic and Apple's iTunes are backing the new trend. iTunes, Apple's online music store, has the added distinction of being supported by perhaps the best mp3 player in the business, the iPod. In this combination, Apple has found a very secure marketing brand and ensured that it takes full advantage of this cross between technology and music.

Legal music downloads appear to be the perfect answer to stopping music piracy, at least the downloading kind. Therefore there is no surprise when one sees major record labels pushing to expand such services. However, recent developments tend to make us question what the overall agenda really is. After a period of consolidation of the digital music market in the last two years, albums available for download online are being priced higher than they would normally be in retail stores. It used to be that you could download a song for $0.99 and a complete album for $9.99, but now stores are setting higher prices, with tracks going for $1.50 or even $2.49 and $11.50 albums being sold for $12.50 and $13.00 online. What is going on? In positioning themselves to take advantage of changing market forces, the music industry has also hit upon another major factor in determining sales: consumer behavior. Legal music downloads offer people like me the comfort of never having to waste time in retail stores looking for my favorite track from high-school days or wondering when the latest album of Nickelback would hit the shelves. Instead, all the hassles are removed with everything easily searchable, previewable and downloadable from the comfort of my computer chair (and this baby is very, very, comfortable). Consumers may not be usually rational, but they are always looking to save the effort when it comes to making any sort of purchases. Online stores (or is it the major recording labels? Who knows?) are now cashing into this very aspect of human psychology and are beginning to charge extra for a service they are portraying now as a privilege. Having already consolidated their core target market, the time has now come to increase revenues.

Would this drive people back towards music piracy? Highly unlikely. People are not evil, or criminal, by nature. Appeals to their better nature usually work, and that is the strategy adopted by agencies like the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) who are actively involved in putting a stop to illegal music sharing. Media campaigns encouraging music lovers to pay a dollar or two for tracks instead of 'committing a crime' by downloading them for free are actually working as slowly but surely, more and more people flock to online music stores. And with existing customers sticking to this more 'comfortable' way of buying music, the industry is finally starting to win back ground it lost due to music piracy.

For more information about this topic please visit www.Every.ca admin@every.ca

Mike Ber is the owner of the Canadian Domain Name Portal called <a target="_new" href="http://www.Every.ca">http://www.Every.ca</a>. He is also a contributing author to <a target="_new" href="http://www.computermagazine.ca">Canadian Computer Magazine</a> and <a target="_new" href="http://www.Developer.ca">http://www.Developer.ca</a> website.

Guitar Practice (Part 2) - Does Practice Make Perfect?

You've probably heard the saying "practice makes perfect" and it sounds true enough, but is t really? We all know the importance of practicing a new skill in order to become proficient at it. This is especially true when it comes to playing the guitar, or any other musical instrument for that matter. But, practicing incorrectly can actually be a detriment to your progress.

How is that you say?

Because you will continue to reinforce whatever it is you practice. So, if you always practice doing something the wrong way, you will end up with the wrong result. For example, if you practice holding your hands in a poor position, it will eventually become a habit that will be difficult to correct. Poor position of either your right or left hand when practicing the guitar can create tension, thus making certain techniques more difficult to execute. Poor hand position can also increase the possibility of developing injuries that are somewhat common to musicians, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is a very debilitating injury of the wrist which can bring your guitar playing to a complete halt. When practicing, use a "cupped" hand instead of a "flat" hand to help promote a good relaxed position.

Another problem area for some students regarding guitar practice, is rhythm. Rhythm is so foundational to every aspect of music that I really can't stress its importance enough. Whether or not you know how to read music isn't the issue. But you absolutely should try to learn how to count the beats within a given measure of music in order to play the piece correctly. If you can't keep time, no one will really be able to tell what you're playing anyway. It will also be very difficult for you to play along in a band, or with other musicians who just want to "jam."

Speed is one of the biggest practice obstacles I see among my students. When speed is king, rhythm and timing are often sacrificed. It is absolutely necessary to SLOW DOWN in order to interpret the timing correctly, especially if it is a fast lick or strumming pattern. Speed also affects articulation, which simply means "to pronounce distinctly." What good is it if you can play something real fast,but do it poorly? Who is going to be impressed with that? Instead, take your time and practice playing each tone clearly, at a speed that is comfortable for you. Try using a metronome or drum machine to set a tempo. Then practice short "speed bursts" one section at a time. Keep increasing the speed until you can play the entire lick, riff or measure, etc. at the desired tempo. But, do not sacrifice hand position, rhythm or articulation in the process. These three things should receive top priority when practicing the guitar. After they are well established, work on the speed or tempo of the music.

Knowing what finger position to use when playing notes on the guitar fretboard is also important. If you use a haphazard or random approach, you will likely become confused and disoriented as you begin to move around. I tell my new students that the guitar is "upside down and backward" to give them some idea of what they're facing when it comes to learning the notes on the fretboard. Meaning that the guitar is played both horizontally and vertically, as opposed to the piano which is a linear instrument. When learning to read notes on the guitar, you must flip it upside down to match it to a fretboard diagram. Down is up and up is down when referring to direction and how it relates to the pitch of each string.

To sum things up:

1. Start Slowly
2. Develop a relaxed "cupped" hand position
3. Learn how to interpret the rhythm (timing)
4. Emphasize articulation (clarity)
5. Gradually increase speed (tempo)

So, it is true that "practice makes perfect" if you learn to develop a "perfect" practice routine. In order to do this, you will need to work on establishing your priorities and developing good practice habits. Realize that it takes time to become a good musician so don't rush the process, instead, embrace it and enjoy it.

If you keep these ideas in mind you should see a steady, progressive improvement of your overall playing in a relatively short time. You will also discover that when you develop good habits, you automatically develop good technique. Once you have established good technique, playing the guitar will seem much easier and that will make it all worthwhile in the long run.

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site as long as you include the following information:

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on buying a guitar, songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: <a target="_new" href="http://www.abclearnguitar.com">http://www.abclearnguitar.com</a>

How I Compose a Piece of Music

A number of people have asked about my own methodology for creating a complete piece of music at the piano. At the risk of oversimplification, the steps are as follows:

1. I sit down at the piano without any thought of creating something and tune in to my feelings.

2. I start to play the first thing that comes to mind. In other words, my fingers come before my brain. I let it all hang out and see where the music wants to go. If something resonates or has energy I stay with it until the energy dissipates. If the music does not seem to want to go anywhere I get up and leave.

3. Now, (assuming that I am on to something) I draw bar lines - enough for an 8-measure phrase. I then write down the chord changes on top - hopefully for the entire 8 bars. If the entire 8-bars don't come, I try for four - but I usually succeed in filling up this 8-bar space. I'll then pencil in the melody, but only the first 2-bars.

This way, I let the rest of the melody come of its own accord. The first 2-bars is enough to allow me to improvise the rest until it gels into its final form

4. After the first 8-bar section is complete (or incomplete, it doesn't matter) I'll write down another 8 or 4-bar phrase and listen for the next section of music - if there is a next section. If something comes I follow the same procedure as above.

What I usually try for in this section is contrast. Something different. In this regard, I do usually start out with a preconceived idea of what the final form of the music will be. It will be A-B-A form 90% of the time. Knowing this allows me to use the techniques of composition (repetition and contrast) better.

Although this seems to contradict the idea of letting the music tell you where it wants to go (improvisation) it is useful in composition to give shape to the music. I explain this in more detail in my online class.

5. Now, I have the rudimentary parts of the entire piece. If I only have the A section and the B section does not want to come, I leave it and come back to it. Sometimes it never comes and that's all right too. I can then combine different sections to different pieces of music and all works out. I give it a title (nature titles for me since that is my inspiration).

6. The piece is finished only after I play it a number of times and it has a chance to gel. I can't think of a better word for this process. After you play what you have written down a number of times, the music settles into what it will finally become. You just know when the piece is finished. It is an intuitive thing. Sometimes I'll repeat sections a number of times because the inspiration is fresh and because it feels right. Other pieces are very short because more repetition of a section just does not work.

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

How To Play The Violin

This article gives the essential basics for how to play the violin. Generally violins are quite commonly available instruments and it is reasonably easy to rent or buy a violin. Children may need smaller violins (from an eighth, quarter, half, three-quarters, seven-eighths up to full size) to accommodate smaller hands if they are going to be learning over an extended period.

The Basics

The bow is held in the right hand with the thumb bent underneath the frog to support it and the other hands loosely gripping the wood. There are many different holds and it its important to find one that suits your hand size and strength. The violin is held with the left hand, with the chin on the chin rest supporting most of the weight, and the fingers loosely coiled around the neck of the violin. The thumb should be relaxed but firm. The left elbow should be curved under the violin. The violin should be roughly horizontal and the right arm held high. The main methods of playing the violin are bowed and pizzicato.

Bowed

The bow should be drawn swiftly and smoothly across the strings, about halfway between the fingerboard and the bridge. A down bow starts with the hand close to the strings pulling across the string from left to right, and is generally used on strong beats. An up bow goes the opposite way, right to left, and is used on weaker beats and upbeats. However with practice down bows and up bows should be fairly difficult to distinguish. Slurs in music indicate that all notes within a slur should be played in the same bow movement. To play loud notes, the bow is pressed down harder on the string using the index finger or the bow is drawn across the string faster. To play more quietly use less pressure or draw the bow across the string slower. In classical music bowed music is indicated by the Italian term arco.

Pizzicato

To play pizzicato (often abbreviated to pizz.) the right thumb should be placed under the fingerboard and the index finger used to pull the string quickly upwards and across. For faster passages, the bow can be held while playing pizzicato, still using the index finger but without the support of the thumb. In more complex and advanced pieces, a small cross above the stave indicates the fingers of the left hand plucking the strings.

Fingering and positions

As there are no physical aids such as frets for violinists as there are for guitarists, accurate tuning comes with immense practice. On a full size violin, the tones are roughly two centimeters apart, but this is difficult to judge when playing since you are seeing from a different perspective. To aid tuning, it is very helpful to have a piano or other keyboard instrument when practicing.

The fingers of the left hand are conventionally named first (index finger) to fourth (little finger). When playing notes other than open strings (G, A, D and E), these fingers must press down hard, so that the string is shortened convincingly for a higher pitch. The standard intervals taught to beginners is tone, tone, semitone, tone (ie. G-A-B-C-D, D-E-F#-G-A, A-B-C#-D-E, and E-F#-G#-A-B). Of course the notes in between can be played by rearranging the hand position.

This is known as first position, where the first finger plays up to a tone above the open string. The next position usually taught is third position, where the first finger plays the note a perfect fourth above the open string (so, for example, third position on the A string would start on the D). All positions from first up to anywhere around tenth can be thus played, and two octaves on one string are considered fairly standard.

Looking for information about the violin? Go to: <a target="_new" href="http://www.mrviolin.com">http://www.mrviolin.com</a> 'Mr Violin' is published by Helen Baxter - The Complete A to Z Of Violin Resources!

Check out more violin articles at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.mrviolin.com/archive">http://www.mrviolin.com/archive</a>

If Setting The Gain Correctly is So Important, Why Dont Mic Preamplifiers Have Meters?

When you first learn how to use a mixing console, you will be shown how to set the gain. Your instructor - either in audio school or in the workplace - will emphasize the importance of this and kick your ass every time you get it wrong, until you can't do anything other than get it right.

Setting the gain correctly optimizes the signal level for further processing in the mixing console. EQ, inserts, auxiliary sends, routing, fading, solo and mixing all depend on having the right signal level for optimum performance, and the gain control is precisely where you set that.

But outboard microphone preamplifiers commonly only have rudimentary metering facilities - perhaps only a single 'clip' LED - or no metering at all! So how can you possibly set the gain correctly?

The answer is that firstly the preamplifier needs to be correctly designed with plenty of output level available. For example, the Manley Labs Mono and Dual Mono microphone preamplifiers can supply up to 30 dBV of output before clipping. That is one hell of a voltage in audio terms - around 30 volts, compared to normal operating level of around one volt.

It's probably fair to say that there is no way you are ever going to clip this brute of a preamp, whatever you are driving. So if there is no possibility of clipping, there is no need for metering.

Where you do need metering is in the equipment you are driving with the preamp, probably your recording system. So the procedure for setting the gain with the Manley preamp is to choose the lowest setting of gain, and also set the 'input attenuate' control to its lowest setting (the attenuator controls the level of signal going into the preamp circuit). Then reduce the amount of attenuation while watching the meter on your recorder. When you are getting a good, healthy signal level with a reasonable margin before clipping on your recording, you have the right settings.

If if the level from the mic is too low to reach a good indication on your recorder's meter, increase the gain as far as necessary but no further.

Setting the attenuator and gain controls in this way will optimize the noise and distortion performance of the preamp.

Now since this is a tube preamp with variable 'character' according to the gain setting chosen, then once you have mastered setting the gain in the technically correct way, you are free to break the rules...

When you see smoke coming from your recorder, that's when to stop!

David Mellor, <a target="_new" href="http://www.record-producer.com">Record-Producer.com</a>

How to Use the Entire Piano Keyboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Use the Entire Piano Keyboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Music Mini Course: Learn The Basics Of Reading Music On A Keyboard Instrument

Welcome to the wonderful world of music. As you begin reading this Music Mini Course it is fun to realize that you are also participating in a very important cultural aspect from around the world which has been going on for centuries. Did you know that pianos in some form have been around for over 500 years? Some of the first instruments of this kind were created in the late Medieval Period and were called clavichords. They had a very light, metallic sound because the small hand-pounded 'hammers' were made of very light weight metal-like material. These hammers struck strings of varying lengths to create different tones or pitches. The next cousin to the clavichord was the harpsichord invented by Cristofori in Italy around 1450 A.D. This keyboard instrument had a mechanism in it called the plecktrum which 'plucked' the strings and produced a slightly stronger sound than its predecessor. Whether you are playing an acoustic instrument, which is the closest relative to the history just mentioned, or an electronic keyboard, you are now participating in a centuries old musical art form.

SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS: PIANO OR KEYBOARD?

Does it matter if you apply the information in this course to a keyboard or a piano? Certainly not. The only real difference is that a full size piano has 88 keys (counting both the white and black keys). Keyboards come in several different sizes. Some have 60 keys, some even less. There are also 88 key electronic keyboards and digital pianos that produce very realistic acoustic sounds. Whatever size your instrument may be, remember that the ARRANGEMENT of the keys and the ORDER of the KEY NAMES is the same on both instruments. Rest assured that your basic knowledge of the fundamentals of music can be done very effectively either on a keyboard or a piano.

Musical Terms

Begin your musical study by becoming familiar with these very important musical terms:

BAR LINE - A vertical line which separates notes into groups

DOUBLE BAR LINE - A set of two (2) vertical lines which stand for the end of a piece of music

REPEAT SIGN - Double bar with two dots at the end of a section or piece of music which indicates that section will be played twice.

MEASURE - The distance between two bar lines.

TREBLE CLEF - The S-shaped symbol which stands for notes played with the right hand. This is also referred to as the G cleff since this inner curve of the symbol rests on the G line.

BASS CLEF - The reversed C-shaped symbol which stand for notes played with the left hand. This clef is also referred to as the F cleff since the two dots beside the clef surround the F line.

STAFF - The five lines and four spaces of both the bass and treble clefs.

QUARTER NOTE - Musical symbol with solid note head and stem which gets one count of sound.

QUARTER REST - Musical symbol resembling a sideways W which gets one count of silence.

HALF NOTE - Musical symbol with hollow note head and stem which gets two counts of sound.

HALF REST - Solid half block sitting on third line of the staff which gets two counts of silence.

DOTTED HALF NOTE - Musical symbol with hollow note head, dot and stem which gets three counts of sound.

WHOLE NOTE - Musical symbol resembling a circle on the staff which gets four counts of sound.

WHOLE REST - Solid half block hanging from the second line on the staff which gets four counts of silence.

CHORD - Two or more notes played at the same time.

BLOCKED CHORD - Two or more notes from the same chord played at the same time.

BROKEN CHORD - Two or more notes from the same chord played in sequence.

INTERVAL - The distance between two notes on the musical staff.

FINGERING - Refers to which finger number is used to play a particular note (See Chapter Two: Fingering)

CURVED FINGER - Refers to playing with a rounded finger and on the tip of each finger. This is the best position of the fingers for playing piano or keyboard because it develops finger strength and independence.

INTRODUCTION TO THE WHITE KEYS

There are only seven (7) letter names used on the piano: A B C D E F G. It is interesting to note here that no matter what instrument you play, whether it is piano, tuba or violin, ONLY the seven letter names above are used in the entire realm of music! There are two very easy ways to visualize and remember the names of the white keys on your piano and keyboard. Remember, the note names on an electronic keyboard are the same as on the acoustic piano.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

Understand that the 'CDE' note groups are always located directly underneath the two black note group. The letter name 'D' in the white key always located directly in between the two black key note groups. ANY TWO BLACK NOTE GROUP on the piano has the letter name 'D' as the white key located in between them.

KEYBOARD EXERCISE:

Go to your keyboard NOW and start to play all of the C-D-E groups from the lowest (bottom left) to the highest (top right) on your keyboard. Say C - D - E as you play each key. The F - G - A - B note groups above are located directely beneath each three black note group on any piano or keyboard. Simply locate any three black note group on your piano or keyboard and realize that the F-G-A-B white keys are located directly beneath them. Directly outside of the three black note groups are 'F' on the left hand side of the three black note group and 'B' on the right hand side of the three black note group. Just fill in the outer 'F' and 'B' with G and A and you are done!

KEYBOARD EXERCISE:

Go to your piano or keyboard NOW and find all of the F-G-A-G white keys underneath each three black note group. As above, play slowly and evenly saying the letter names as you play the F-G-A-B groups from the bottom of the piano or keyboard (low left hand end) to the top of your piano or keyboard (top right hand end). Congratulations! You now know ALL of the white key names on the piano!

TREBLE AND BASS CLEF NOTE NAMES

Both the Treble and Bass clefs each have five lines and four spaces. Learning the actual note names of each line and space (the spaces between each line) is very simple. Please memorize the sentences below for the Treble Clef Line and Space Notes: Treble Clef Line Notes (starting from the bottom line and moving up) E G B D F Every Good Boy Does Fine (the first letter of each word helps you remember the order of the notes)

Treble Clef Space Notes (starting from the first space and going up): F A C E Just remember that the treble clef spaces spell the word 'FACE'.

Bass Clef Line and Space Notes are as follows: Bass Clef Line Notes: G B D F A Great Big Dogs Fight Animals Bass Clef Space Notes: A C E G All Cars Eat Gas

Now you know all the names of the white keys on your piano or keyboard. You have also learned the actual letter names of each line and space on both the treble and bass clefs. You are now on your way to the next level of piano education. Be sure to memorize the information above and you will be ready to begin to learn to read music notation on the piano or keyboard.

Jan Durrant, Publisher and Music Teacher
<a target="_new" href="http://www.MakingMusicNow.com">http://www.MakingMusicNow.com</a>
<a href="mailto:muz@MakingMusicNow.com">muz@MakingMusicNow.com</a>

How to Create a Multi-artistic Piece - Part II

In the last article, the creation of a theme, its development, and the use of a libretto were discussed. As one may recall, the theme is the kernel of a production, which dictates the nature of the piece. And in relation to the theme, is the thematic structure that serves as a guide as to how the production will manifest. Ultimately this information is transferred to a libretto. In contrast to the previous article, the strengths and weaknesses of the arts will be addressed. Before one can choose the various media for their multi-artistic production, one must understand the arts in part and as a whole. There are three general categories that the arts can be classified, which include the auditory, visual, and linguistic. Although some art forms can be placed in two or more categories, such as poetry, fundamentally it is made of words, but can be executed vocally.

The labels applied to the categories are general. But each category consists of several genres. The auditory arts consists of music, vocals, speech for the sake of speech, samples, loops, and all other similar art forms. Just as diverse as the auditory arts, the visual arts consists of videos, paintings, movies, movement, dance, the commercial arts, and all similar art forms. Not as diverse as the auditory and visual arts, the linguistic arts consists of poetry, prose, and literature. From these descriptions, the question of how do these arts connects remains. And the answer is simple. If one were to arrange the arts into a linear spectrum, one will see that the arts go from the abstract to the tangible. Or the linear connection between the arts can be seen as going from the general to the specific. On the two extremes of this linear spectrum are the auditory and linguistic arts. Between them are the visual arts.

The auditory arts are by their very nature abstract. For example, music can only express emotion. Music is not capable of producing a tangible object. A composer can only express an abstract idea through music. Because of the abstract qualities of music, a listener can only feel music. To prove this notion that music is abstract one would only need to ask listeners what the music was expressing. As a result one will get varied answers. In addition to music only expressing emotion, it is the only current media that can impact the body as a whole. Moreover, a listener can turn their backs, close their eyes, and, in some rare cases, cover their ears towards the musical source, and still experience music. Due to these aspects of the auditory arts, they stand on the one extreme of the art spectrum.

Contrary to the auditory arts are the linguistic arts. Unlike the auditory and visual arts, the linguistic arts are capable of expressing a very specific and tangible ideas. For example, if one were to see an image of a man standing atop a hill, many would interpret this in a literal sense. Contrary to this example, if one were to hear or read the following: "Atop a hill an Afghanistan man stands looking over a valley," many would have a more definitive idea than the previous example. As one can see from the previous examples, the latter most likely invokes a definitive feeling as compared to the visual description. This is the beauty of the linguistic arts. They can invoke specific ideas that reflect the current times. And quite possibly, linguistic arts can invoke a deeper emotional response than the other arts.

In between the auditory and linguistic arts are the visual arts. Philosophically, the visual arts can express abstract and tangible ideas. Hence, because of this notion, the visual arts stand between the auditory and linguistic arts. Ultimately, visual arts balance the auditory and linguistic arts. As a demonstration of the visual arts capability of producing tangible ideas, one could look at many paintings from the 19th century and earlier. The subject material in these paintings could be touched and experienced by many. For one to see the abstract nature of the visual arts one does not need to look too far. The 20th century has produced many paintings and other visual medium that express abstract ideas. For one to experience a Jackson Pollack painting, one would have to of been in the process of creating the painting or one would have to physically touch the painting. As one can see from these two descriptions, the visual arts can express tangible and abstract ideas.

In the end, the multi-artistic theory that has been discussed represents the underpinnings to the various arts. With this artistic concept and the understanding of a theme and its development, as discussed in the previous article, one can produce a multi-artistic piece without failure. Creating such a piece is simple. It is a matter of choosing a theme, developing the theme, and finally choosing the art forms to express the production. So what are you waiting for? Start creating your production now. Grab a pen. Get a piece paper. And begin. That is where it all begins.

Andrew Hanna is the CEO & Production Manager of At Hand Productions, Inc. At Hand Productions (<a target="_new" href="http://www.AtHandProductions.com">http://www.AtHandProductions.com</a>) is a leading Philadelphia concert and theatrical production company. Andrew Hanna has 20 years of composition experience and 16 years of saxophone performance experience. His compositions range from duets to large theatrical productions such as My Journal, Requiem for the Now, and Prophecies of War.

Five Secrets to Playing in the New Age Style

1. Learn how to Improvise

Learning how to improvise is the key to playing in this style. Period. You must learn to experiment and take musical risks - within certain frameworks of course. You're not going to bang on the keys and expect to make music. This is not the kind of risk I'm talking about. Students thrive best when given a certain set of rules or guidelines to move around with.

For example, in the lesson "Reflections in Water" you are given a few chords and a specific scale to make music with. In other words, I give you a set of limits from which you play the game of improvisation. This will free you up from the thousand and one choices you could possibly have. In fact, if you didn't have a set of limitations, you probably would end up banging on the keyboard because while it is important to be free and spontaneous, it is equally important to understand how the game is played.

2. Develop the proper attitude

This one ties for first place. In my opinion, what stops most students from learning all they can from this style is the attitude that they either aren't good enough, or are not ready to learn how to improvise and play piano. Please don't think that. No one person will ever know all there is to know about any one subject let alone piano playing. You will always be growing but you must start somewhere and you must start from SIMPLE means.

Here's a quote that sums it up best: "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, but in the experts mind there are few." This means that you have an advantage over so called experienced piano players. Your attitude should always be one of receptivity. That is, never force anything to happen because when you force you are already setting yourself up for failure and disappointment.

3. Forget what you were taught

Perhaps you were taught that you must learn your scales first and that you must learn how to read music before you can do anything else. I'm here to tell you that I can't read music, yet somehow, I've been able to put out two CD's of original music! In fact, if anything, reading music will slow you down creatively! If you want to create your very own music, you must forget what you were taught about music in general and focus on learning how to improvise first and compose second. Both of which can be taught!

I think I read every book at the library on composition and improvisation and what helped me out the most was a very slim volume on chord changes using 8-bar patterns. By playing the chords in a set framework (8-bars) I was able to see how to use repetition and contrast to create with. And of course, I listened to the people I loved and learned a lot from just listening. So forget about what you were taught and start thinking about what you want to accomplish and you can do it!

4. Learn chords

You've heard it before. Learn chords and you can make music. Just learn the 144 chords and voila - you can do it all. Don't believe it! You need to learn chords, but you don't need to learn one hundred chords right away. No. You need to learn probably about 3 chords or less to begin improvising in the "new age" style. And if you think that you need to learn more than this at the beginning you are wrong.

Of course you can learn as many chords as you want but what's the point if you never use them? It's like learning a new vocabulary word each day for the sake of massaging your ego. Nice, but unnecessary.

5. Learn how to use Chords

Let's assume you've learned a few chords. Now what? What are you going to do with your new chords? You are going to use them to create music with and the best way to do that is to choose a key or mode to play in. This automatically limits your choices.

For example, let's say I sit down and start improvising and I start using a C Major 7 chord. I like what I hear but a problem arises - where do I go from here. Now this won't be a problem if you say to yourself. "OK. I started on C Major 7. Let's just stay in the Key of C Major and see what happens." Now, you are ready to go forward because you do not have a thousand and one confusing choices ahead of you. Do you see how this can free you up? You've limited yourself to using just 6 chords from the C Major scale.

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

Formal Highland Attire: The Correct Wearing of the Kilt; the National Dress of Scotland

We don't simply wear a theatrical costume; we wear the national dress of Scotland. While some people might think that any proposed definition of what is "correct" in traditional Highland dress is in some way a gross infringement of their right to express their individuality, others may be interested to know just what the standards are, even if they choose to exhibit variations on the theme. Voluntarily observing the rule and custom of the Scots in the matter of dress is one way to strengthen and to reinforce the genuine and traditional of the Highland culture that we claim to celebrate.

BLACK TIE

Formal Highland attire is in order whenever the invitation on an announcement reads "Black Tie" or "Evening Wear" requested. For men, this means the Highland equivalent of a tuxedo. Burns Nights, St. Andrews Dinners, and Dining In ceremonies are all formal affairs. This includes a kilt, either white hose or other solid primary color kilt hose, tartan kilt hose, red and white, red and black or blue and white diced kilt hose and flashes, white tux shirt (with studs and cufflinks, if appropriate), black or solid colored bow tie and one of the formal style kilt jackets such as the Prince Charlie, regulation doublet, or Argyll jacket. The Argyll jacket is particularly appropriate for an individual who doesn't want to spend a fortune on several different coats as it can be properly worn for both day and evening wear. All of these are worn with waistcoats. A dirk may be worn on the right hip with a Prince Charlie or regulation doublet with the hilt between the tashes (Inverness flaps).

For the ladies, formal Highland attire means either a hostess length kilted skirt with a fancy lace trim blouse or an evening dress (either long or tea length) with an optional tartan sash and brooch. Some evening dresses incorporate or are entirely made of tartan. In Scotland, it is traditional for younger lassies to wear white evening dresses with full skirts and tartan sashes for Scottish Country Dancing. As they become older, they graduate to black dresses. The ladies should wear their tartan sashes on the right shoulder unless they are a clan chief or a colonel of a Scottish regiment, or the wife of a clan chief or colonel of a Scottish regiment, who then wear it on the left shoulder. The exception to this rule is Scottish country dancers who wear the sash on their left shoulder for safety's sake. The rules for a lady's sash apply for both day and evening wear. Women do not wear bonnets with evening wear.

WHITE TIE

White tie for men means the formality equivalent of "tails". This requires a kilt with tartan or diced hose, white pique shirt and vest with white studs and cufflinks, and a Prince Charlie or regulation doublet, with a white bow tie. The Argyll jacket is not appropriate here. Another option, and there are many for this level of formality, would be one of the white collarless shirts with lace jabot and cuffs with one of the more formal type coats such as the Sheriffmuir or Montrose doublet. The sporran should be like that worn with black tie, except that the day/evening sporran is not considered appropriate for this level of formality.

For ladies, &quot;white tie&quot; means long evening gowns with the option of a silk tartan sash and brooch.

Kilted Skirts

Unless in the uniform of a pipe band women don't wear kilts, they wear kilted skirts, either soft pleated or knife pleated. The lighter worsted wool falls more easily into easy soft pleats and hangs better. You can just pull the gathers or soft pleats together and place a waistband on it. Length is largely a matter of taste and varies with occasion. You can put a zipper in the side or a button or even eye & hook closing (left side). If you want to wear it for evening dress you can make it floor length (or formal). As with a man's kilt, matching up the setts in knife pleating can be very tricky, but must be done properly to look good. Some ladies wear a vest or velvet jacket of dark, complimentary colors, with a plain white long sleeved blouse under it. Lace ruffles can be snapped or sewn in the sleeves and allowed to come gracefully down half way on the hands, and a lace jabot at the neck flowing out over the vest or jacket. Most items of male Highland attire are generally not considered appropriate feminine attire, including sporrans (the possible exception would be a sporran worn as a shoulder bag, which can be most tasteful and attractive), dirks, sgian dubhs, kilt hose and flashes, etc.

Military Decorations

With formal wear, miniature military medals are worn on the left lapel of the coatee or doublet. Ribbons, campaign ribbons, unit citations, or full-size medals are never worn with formal Highland attire. The exception to this rule is the Congressional Medal of Honor, which is worn around the neck in its full-size form for day or evening wear. Non-military medals and/or ribbons are not worn. It is absolutely incredible to me that this needs to be said, but experience has repeatedly shown it to be necessary and worth repeating here. The wearing of military medals or ribbons to which you are not rightfully entitled is considered the penultimate in bad manners, deeply offensive to a great many people, and may provoke the most negative of consequences socially. In Canada and the UK it can even get you arrested.

Plaids

A full plaid may be worn over left shoulder and under right arm, pulled firm to the body. The edge of the plaid should be 11&quot; from the ground at rear of the leg with fringe hanging down below this level. The lower edge of the plaid should be horizontal and parallel with ground. The leading edge of plaid and front face of plaid is secured by plaid brooch high on the left shoulder. While very striking, a full plaid is also very hot, and wrapping and securing it properly requires quite a bit of practice, and generally cannot be done without an assistant. A more common alternative, the fly plaid, may be worn on the left shoulder, usually under the epaulette and pinned with a plaid brooch. The upper edge of brooch should not be above the top of the shoulder, with the design properly aligned. An Irishman might elect to wear a brath instead of a fly plaid; essentially the same square yard of cloth but folded into a rectangle, draped over the left shoulder, and pinned with a kilmainham (penannular brooch). Plaids are always in the same tartan as the kilt and preferably purchased at the same time, as there can be differences in color from one bolt of cloth to the next, even from the same mill.

Sporrans

For formal wear the sporran should be a formal type with a silver-mounted cantle-top and fur pouch or a full fur and animal mask type (the animal masked sporran is one of the few all-purpose sporrans that can be worn with the most formal dress or the most informal wear). There is also a day/evening combination sporran that looks best when worn with the Argyll jacket, but looks a bit out of place with the more formal Prince Charlie. Sporrans are worn centrally over front apron of kilt, the cantle one hand's breadth below the waist belt buckle. The sporran should square the area between the hips and the knees and swing at a natural arc from the hip. Sporran straps go through the belt loops at the back of the kilt, and over the buckles at the sides (the belt is generally not worn through the belt loops, but over them and the sporran strap), with the pointed end of strap pointing to right hip. A military horsehair sporran is generally not worn except with a military or regulation doublet. Leather sporran straps are worn with horsehair sporrans (leather sporran straps also don't wear on the kilt quite as badly as chain straps). Hair sporrans are not trimmed to length. When a gentleman is dressed in Highland attire and dances with a lady, he should move the sporran to his left hip. For Scottish country dancing, you may want to take up your sporran belt a couple of notches. The sporran should also be moved to an unencumbered hip when sitting down to the table. This removes the sporran from harm's way so you don't spill on it and makes your lap unencumbered for a napkin. In general, it's just considered good manners.

Belts

For evening wear the belt should be of black leather and the buckle silver; generally belts will match the leather and hardware of the sporran. The belt is worn outside of the kilt's belt loops, it's top edge flush with the top of the kilt's waistband. It should be very snug, allowing only an index finger to be inserted between the belt and kilt. The buckle should be centered on the body, level from front to back, and both runners should be drawn up tight on both sides of the buckle. The belt should not cover the buttons on the rear of the doublet or tunic. Belts generally aren't worn together with waistcoats.

Hose & Flashes Argyll and diced hose are considered formal wear. Solid color hose are appropriate for almost all occasions. The color of hose and flashes should compliment both kilt and each other. If you want dressier hose but can't afford Argyll in your tartan, get a pair of the fancy cabled kilt hose with the ornate knitted hose tops (not the puffy &quot;popcorn tops&quot; of cheap pipe band hose). The top of your hose should be three fingers breadth below the outside bone at your knee, and level side to side and front to back. The leading edge of front flash may be vertically lined up with the front of the leg (in line with the center of your shoe), or just forward of the side of your leg, with no gap between the flashes. If wearing diced or Argyll hose, the leading edge of the front flash should bisect the top &quot;diamond&quot; of the pattern (which should be centered on the front of your leg). The sgian dubh is worn tucked inside the hose of right leg in the front-right portion of leg bisecting the flash. The handle should protrude only and inch or two above the top of the hose top. Staghorn sgian dubhs are not appropriate for evening dress.

Shoes

For formal wear, black gillie brogues or shoes with gilt or silver colored buckles are worn. With gillies the laces should not be wrapped up around the leg like a ballarina's slipper. Gillie laces are given two or three turns in the front, wrapped around the ankle, given two or three twists, then brought forward and tied off in front or the outside of the ankle. White spats are only worn with military and pipe band uniforms.

Bonnets

The balmoral is worn with ribbons tied; the glengarry with the ribbons left untied. The balmoral is worn level on forehead 1/2" above the eyebrows, with the cloth top pulled over right side of the head. The cockade should be centered over the left temple. The bow should be centered at the back of the head. The glengarry is traditionally worn canted to the right; 1" above the left eyebrow and 1/2" above the right eyebrow, with point of the glen centered on the head, aligned with the nose (although some regiments wear them square on the head). In Scotland, the balmoral is the more popular style, in various colors, with or without the red &quot;toorie&quot; on top. The glengarry owes its popularity to the Highland regiments and pipe bands. Civilians, officers, and pipers generally wear plain glens; enlisted ranks and drummers wear dicing. The diced (red checked) band indicates loyalty to the House of Hanover, i.e. the royal house of England. Highland civilians generally do not wear dicing. The caubeen, the traditional green bonnet of the Irish piper, is worn level on the head with the cap badge centered either over the left eye (Royal Irish Rangers) or right eye (Royal Irish Guards), with the cloth pulled over to the opposite side, similar to a balmoral. The Irish caubeen is often decorated with a "sheillah"; the harp of Erin, or a shamrock. In the Republic of Ireland, the harp is usually displayed without the crown for obvious reasons. Traditionally the only adornments should be the cockade and your clan crest worn in a strap and buckle form or your own crest if you have one. It's also common for veterans to wear their regimental badges, and sometimes firefighters and law enforcement officers their badges. It is also appropriate to adorn the bonnet with a sprig of your clan's plant badge, or rosemary on Remembrance Day, and rising no more than about 1 1/2" above the top of the badge. It's also customary for pipers to wear the red poppy on their glens for Remembrance Day, as the bass drone tends to brush them off of jacket lapels. The poppy is usually displayed forward of and on the same side as the glen badge (although I know of at least one regiment which has an aversion to anything being forward of their regimental badge; even a red poppy).

Remember that the bonnet isn't a cowboy hat; it shouldn't be the repository of your lapel pin collection. However, a friend of mine wears an old USMC collar pin on his; as it dates from his visit to the Chosin Reservoir, I don't think anyone has ever questioned his right to wear it any way he pleases. Feathers in the bonnet are traditionally reserved only for clan chiefs, clan chieftains, and armigers. Officially the rule is; a Chief wears three feathers, a chieftain wears two, and an armigerous gentleman (one who personally has a right to heraldic arms) wears one. The wearing of bonnet feathers by those who are not chiefs is generally considered presumptuous in Scotland. However, Americans, who have the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed under the second amendment of our Constitution, could arguably wear one eagle feather in good conscience. Feather hackles are awarded to regiments for battle honors or a special reason. Therefore, serious consideration and research should be given prior to hackles being worn by a civilian pipe band, much less an individual.

One last word on hats; uncover when you go indoors. It is considered bad manners to continue to wear the bonnet indoors, especially in someone's home or in church. The only exception is when you are under arms. Examples of this would be carrying a flag or tartan banner in the Kirking of the Tartans, or while playing the pipes. Pipers should uncover when not actively piping.

The Kilt

The inside and outside aprons are securely fastened by buckles, with the inner apron folding to the left, usually secured by one buckle, and the outer apron folding to the right, usually secured by two buckles (buckle the lower one loosely). Ladies' kilted skirts fold the opposite way. The kilt is not meant to be worn like blue jeans, down around the waist near the hips. The top of the waistband should be at your navel; military-cut kilts rise high enough to come to the wearer's bottom ribs. Highland dancers and Scottish country dancers often ask for a very high rise so that when they raise their hands above their heads, tartan is still seen beneath the jacket instead of a white shirt front.

The lower edge of the inner apron should not be visible. If the inner apron consistently shows from beneath the outer apron, you'll need to tighten the strap on your left hip, even if it means cutting away the buckle and moving it back a few inches. The lower edge of the kilt should break somewhere between the middle and top of the kneecap. Above the knee, and it's not a kilt, but a Catholic school-girl skirt. Below the knee, and it becomes a tea-length dress. The apron should be centered and the hem should appear even from front to rear and side-to-side. If you wear a kilt pin, the proper place to wear it is three inches from the bottom of the kilt and three inches inward from the right side of the apron. The kilt pin should only go through the top apron and not be pinned to the bottom apron. Any variation in this general area is considered OK, and if you have a double thickness on the right side of the apron, you might affix it to that area. As with the sgian dubh and the sporran, the kilt pin should be appropriate for the level of dress and the occasion. Keep in mind that kilt pins can become snagged upon all sorts of objects, potentially tearing the outer apron.

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Recording Vocals at Home

Anyone who has recorded vocals to tape knows there is a difference between a heart-felt performance, and something that does not quite cut it! There are certain steps that I take to ensure that my own performances are the best I can muster.

First and formost is get enough rest the night before. This is a given. Your body is your instrument and it has to be in tune. Sleep is by far the most important aspect.

Water is the next most important. Not only during the performance, but the day before is essential. Get hydrated. Your chords will need to stretch, and the easier it is for them, the better control you will have.

Something that many performers overlook when setting up to do a recording session is the psycological aspect of it all. This is something that every performer knows and feels, yet it is unspoken in all the advice I have ever found. I particularly like the microphone pointing down at an angle to me, and I find that I can get more 'feel' if I am singing at an upword angle. Try taking a look at how you stand, where you are facing, who is in the control room...lighting, incense, and overall mood. You may find that something completely psycological may improve your perfomance 100%. Everyone has their 'thing'.

A good performance comes not just out of the time performing to the mic, but the preparation, setup and mood of the whole session. Keep these notes in mind next time you go to lay some vocals, and you will get the best performance possible.

Chris Taylor is a rock singer for the band Vegas Temper.

<a target="_new" href="http://www.vegastemper.com">Rock Band Vegas Temper</a> and webmaster at <a target="_new" href="http://www.wmwebarts.com">Website Design at WMWEBARTS.com</a>.

Self-Expression Without Criticism

When I was 9 years old I played the Saxophone and thought I was pretty good at it. Unfortunately, I had a teacher who didn't think so and he went out of his way to make sure I knew how he felt.

One day, my mother bought me a new saxophone (it wasn't exactly new it was used) but to me, it was the best gift I ever received. Now, of course, I wanted my teacher's approval and so I showed him my new instrument.

He called it a piece of s---!

Then the tears started to flow and from that moment on, I lost all interest in playing the saxophone.

Now, mind you, I loved this instrument. I loved the honking sound it made and the way it looked. I thought it was the coolest thing on planet Earth. But, getting that kind of criticism at such a young age destroyed my spirit and I soon found myself growing very disinterested in playing the Sax.

Self-expression is a very personal thing. It's a thing that brings joy and happiness and can die very quickly if it is not protected and guarded from criticism. Even though I was a child and fragile, it is the child part of us that can become wounded if we allow others to walk over us - consciously or unconsciously.

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

Effective Band Rehearsal

If your band is in rehearsals, either preparing for gigging, or practising new songs to add to your repertoire, the chances are you will have to hire a rehearsal room. The costs of hiring a room can soon mount up if you don't organise your time effectively. You could be wasting time and money going around in circles, with a growing frustration that your band doesn't seem to be making any progress.

The answer is to set a Schedule for your rehearsals. Without a schedule it's difficult to monitor progress if in fact any is made. Disorganised rehearsals can soon turn into chaos, with everyone throwing in ideas and playing different things at the same time. The rehearsal is not the time for your guitarist to hone his right hand tapping skills, or your drummer to perfect his lightning fast paradiddles, it is valuable time for working together as a band, and should be used as such. Band members should have their own private schedules for practising instruments and learning new techniques. During a rehearsal you should all be working towards the same goal and making each other sound as good as possible. The rehearsal should never turn into a 'who can play the loudest' competition.

What should your schedule consist of?

Set goals for your rehearsal times and WRITE THEM DOWN! You should know which songs you are going to rehearse in advance. If you have planned your strategy, you will avoid getting stuck in a rut and your time will be used constructively. Songs you already know can be perfected and the little nuances worked on, stamping your own identity on cover songs and putting the finishing touches to originals.

You should make a list of 'finished' songs, 'work in progress' songs, and 'new ideas'. As each one progresses, move it up into the next category, thereby revising the schedule for your next rehearsal.

I would suggest starting with 2 or 3 songs you are happy and comfortable with, simply to give the band a positive vibe to build on, and then start work on new numbers. Set aside a certain amount of time for each song, and then move on! Don't waste time trying to perfect something that just isn't working, you can come back to it later or at the next rehearsal. Perfect the numbers that do work, and you will see positive results as your repertoire builds up considerably.

Always take regular breaks. Coming back to a number that wasn't going too well with fresh ears can often be all it needs to make a distinct improvement. If that doesn't help, there's no point in flogging a dead horse, so move it to the bottom of the list or consider dropping the song altogether and concentrating on another one.

Work on band dynamics and expression, i.e. fast, slow, loud, and quiet. Get your fills as tight and as fluent as possible. What you are working on is that elusive 'feel' that is the hallmark of a good band. Everybody should not only be playing his/her own instrument, but also actively listening to the rest of the band.

Tape your rehearsal. You don't need any fancy recording equipment - a simple tape deck and mic will be sufficient. The idea is simply for the band to be able to listen to their efforts afterwards. Listening to a song while you're not playing means you can listen more subjectively and discuss the merits. Take notes while you listen, that way you are already forming the schedule for the next rehearsal.

And finally, remember; you are in a band! As such, the sum of the parts should be greater than the individual contribution.

Tony Williams is a musician, writer, and self-confessed eBay fanatic. Take time out from the stress of band rehearsals and lighten up with MuZiCk! The irreverent rock music lexicon at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.muzick.co.uk">http://www.muzick.co.uk</a>

Formal Highland Attire: The Correct Wearing of the Kilt; the National Dress of Scotland

We don't simply wear a theatrical costume; we wear the national dress of Scotland. While some people might think that any proposed definition of what is "correct" in traditional Highland dress is in some way a gross infringement of their right to express their individuality, others may be interested to know just what the standards are, even if they choose to exhibit variations on the theme. Voluntarily observing the rule and custom of the Scots in the matter of dress is one way to strengthen and to reinforce the genuine and traditional of the Highland culture that we claim to celebrate.

BLACK TIE

Formal Highland attire is in order whenever the invitation on an announcement reads "Black Tie" or "Evening Wear" requested. For men, this means the Highland equivalent of a tuxedo. Burns Nights, St. Andrews Dinners, and Dining In ceremonies are all formal affairs. This includes a kilt, either white hose or other solid primary color kilt hose, tartan kilt hose, red and white, red and black or blue and white diced kilt hose and flashes, white tux shirt (with studs and cufflinks, if appropriate), black or solid colored bow tie and one of the formal style kilt jackets such as the Prince Charlie, regulation doublet, or Argyll jacket. The Argyll jacket is particularly appropriate for an individual who doesn't want to spend a fortune on several different coats as it can be properly worn for both day and evening wear. All of these are worn with waistcoats. A dirk may be worn on the right hip with a Prince Charlie or regulation doublet with the hilt between the tashes (Inverness flaps).

For the ladies, formal Highland attire means either a hostess length kilted skirt with a fancy lace trim blouse or an evening dress (either long or tea length) with an optional tartan sash and brooch. Some evening dresses incorporate or are entirely made of tartan. In Scotland, it is traditional for younger lassies to wear white evening dresses with full skirts and tartan sashes for Scottish Country Dancing. As they become older, they graduate to black dresses. The ladies should wear their tartan sashes on the right shoulder unless they are a clan chief or a colonel of a Scottish regiment, or the wife of a clan chief or colonel of a Scottish regiment, who then wear it on the left shoulder. The exception to this rule is Scottish country dancers who wear the sash on their left shoulder for safety's sake. The rules for a lady's sash apply for both day and evening wear. Women do not wear bonnets with evening wear.

WHITE TIE

White tie for men means the formality equivalent of "tails". This requires a kilt with tartan or diced hose, white pique shirt and vest with white studs and cufflinks, and a Prince Charlie or regulation doublet, with a white bow tie. The Argyll jacket is not appropriate here. Another option, and there are many for this level of formality, would be one of the white collarless shirts with lace jabot and cuffs with one of the more formal type coats such as the Sheriffmuir or Montrose doublet. The sporran should be like that worn with black tie, except that the day/evening sporran is not considered appropriate for this level of formality.

For ladies, &quot;white tie&quot; means long evening gowns with the option of a silk tartan sash and brooch.

Kilted Skirts

Unless in the uniform of a pipe band women don't wear kilts, they wear kilted skirts, either soft pleated or knife pleated. The lighter worsted wool falls more easily into easy soft pleats and hangs better. You can just pull the gathers or soft pleats together and place a waistband on it. Length is largely a matter of taste and varies with occasion. You can put a zipper in the side or a button or even eye & hook closing (left side). If you want to wear it for evening dress you can make it floor length (or formal). As with a man's kilt, matching up the setts in knife pleating can be very tricky, but must be done properly to look good. Some ladies wear a vest or velvet jacket of dark, complimentary colors, with a plain white long sleeved blouse under it. Lace ruffles can be snapped or sewn in the sleeves and allowed to come gracefully down half way on the hands, and a lace jabot at the neck flowing out over the vest or jacket. Most items of male Highland attire are generally not considered appropriate feminine attire, including sporrans (the possible exception would be a sporran worn as a shoulder bag, which can be most tasteful and attractive), dirks, sgian dubhs, kilt hose and flashes, etc.

Military Decorations

With formal wear, miniature military medals are worn on the left lapel of the coatee or doublet. Ribbons, campaign ribbons, unit citations, or full-size medals are never worn with formal Highland attire. The exception to this rule is the Congressional Medal of Honor, which is worn around the neck in its full-size form for day or evening wear. Non-military medals and/or ribbons are not worn. It is absolutely incredible to me that this needs to be said, but experience has repeatedly shown it to be necessary and worth repeating here. The wearing of military medals or ribbons to which you are not rightfully entitled is considered the penultimate in bad manners, deeply offensive to a great many people, and may provoke the most negative of consequences socially. In Canada and the UK it can even get you arrested.

Plaids

A full plaid may be worn over left shoulder and under right arm, pulled firm to the body. The edge of the plaid should be 11&quot; from the ground at rear of the leg with fringe hanging down below this level. The lower edge of the plaid should be horizontal and parallel with ground. The leading edge of plaid and front face of plaid is secured by plaid brooch high on the left shoulder. While very striking, a full plaid is also very hot, and wrapping and securing it properly requires quite a bit of practice, and generally cannot be done without an assistant. A more common alternative, the fly plaid, may be worn on the left shoulder, usually under the epaulette and pinned with a plaid brooch. The upper edge of brooch should not be above the top of the shoulder, with the design properly aligned. An Irishman might elect to wear a brath instead of a fly plaid; essentially the same square yard of cloth but folded into a rectangle, draped over the left shoulder, and pinned with a kilmainham (penannular brooch). Plaids are always in the same tartan as the kilt and preferably purchased at the same time, as there can be differences in color from one bolt of cloth to the next, even from the same mill.

Sporrans

For formal wear the sporran should be a formal type with a silver-mounted cantle-top and fur pouch or a full fur and animal mask type (the animal masked sporran is one of the few all-purpose sporrans that can be worn with the most formal dress or the most informal wear). There is also a day/evening combination sporran that looks best when worn with the Argyll jacket, but looks a bit out of place with the more formal Prince Charlie. Sporrans are worn centrally over front apron of kilt, the cantle one hand's breadth below the waist belt buckle. The sporran should square the area between the hips and the knees and swing at a natural arc from the hip. Sporran straps go through the belt loops at the back of the kilt, and over the buckles at the sides (the belt is generally not worn through the belt loops, but over them and the sporran strap), with the pointed end of strap pointing to right hip. A military horsehair sporran is generally not worn except with a military or regulation doublet. Leather sporran straps are worn with horsehair sporrans (leather sporran straps also don't wear on the kilt quite as badly as chain straps). Hair sporrans are not trimmed to length. When a gentleman is dressed in Highland attire and dances with a lady, he should move the sporran to his left hip. For Scottish country dancing, you may want to take up your sporran belt a couple of notches. The sporran should also be moved to an unencumbered hip when sitting down to the table. This removes the sporran from harm's way so you don't spill on it and makes your lap unencumbered for a napkin. In general, it's just considered good manners.

Belts

For evening wear the belt should be of black leather and the buckle silver; generally belts will match the leather and hardware of the sporran. The belt is worn outside of the kilt's belt loops, it's top edge flush with the top of the kilt's waistband. It should be very snug, allowing only an index finger to be inserted between the belt and kilt. The buckle should be centered on the body, level from front to back, and both runners should be drawn up tight on both sides of the buckle. The belt should not cover the buttons on the rear of the doublet or tunic. Belts generally aren't worn together with waistcoats.

Hose & Flashes Argyll and diced hose are considered formal wear. Solid color hose are appropriate for almost all occasions. The color of hose and flashes should compliment both kilt and each other. If you want dressier hose but can't afford Argyll in your tartan, get a pair of the fancy cabled kilt hose with the ornate knitted hose tops (not the puffy &quot;popcorn tops&quot; of cheap pipe band hose). The top of your hose should be three fingers breadth below the outside bone at your knee, and level side to side and front to back. The leading edge of front flash may be vertically lined up with the front of the leg (in line with the center of your shoe), or just forward of the side of your leg, with no gap between the flashes. If wearing diced or Argyll hose, the leading edge of the front flash should bisect the top &quot;diamond&quot; of the pattern (which should be centered on the front of your leg). The sgian dubh is worn tucked inside the hose of right leg in the front-right portion of leg bisecting the flash. The handle should protrude only and inch or two above the top of the hose top. Staghorn sgian dubhs are not appropriate for evening dress.

Shoes

For formal wear, black gillie brogues or shoes with gilt or silver colored buckles are worn. With gillies the laces should not be wrapped up around the leg like a ballarina's slipper. Gillie laces are given two or three turns in the front, wrapped around the ankle, given two or three twists, then brought forward and tied off in front or the outside of the ankle. White spats are only worn with military and pipe band uniforms.

Bonnets

The balmoral is worn with ribbons tied; the glengarry with the ribbons left untied. The balmoral is worn level on forehead 1/2" above the eyebrows, with the cloth top pulled over right side of the head. The cockade should be centered over the left temple. The bow should be centered at the back of the head. The glengarry is traditionally worn canted to the right; 1" above the left eyebrow and 1/2" above the right eyebrow, with point of the glen centered on the head, aligned with the nose (although some regiments wear them square on the head). In Scotland, the balmoral is the more popular style, in various colors, with or without the red &quot;toorie&quot; on top. The glengarry owes its popularity to the Highland regiments and pipe bands. Civilians, officers, and pipers generally wear plain glens; enlisted ranks and drummers wear dicing. The diced (red checked) band indicates loyalty to the House of Hanover, i.e. the royal house of England. Highland civilians generally do not wear dicing. The caubeen, the traditional green bonnet of the Irish piper, is worn level on the head with the cap badge centered either over the left eye (Royal Irish Rangers) or right eye (Royal Irish Guards), with the cloth pulled over to the opposite side, similar to a balmoral. The Irish caubeen is often decorated with a "sheillah"; the harp of Erin, or a shamrock. In the Republic of Ireland, the harp is usually displayed without the crown for obvious reasons. Traditionally the only adornments should be the cockade and your clan crest worn in a strap and buckle form or your own crest if you have one. It's also common for veterans to wear their regimental badges, and sometimes firefighters and law enforcement officers their badges. It is also appropriate to adorn the bonnet with a sprig of your clan's plant badge, or rosemary on Remembrance Day, and rising no more than about 1 1/2" above the top of the badge. It's also customary for pipers to wear the red poppy on their glens for Remembrance Day, as the bass drone tends to brush them off of jacket lapels. The poppy is usually displayed forward of and on the same side as the glen badge (although I know of at least one regiment which has an aversion to anything being forward of their regimental badge; even a red poppy).

Remember that the bonnet isn't a cowboy hat; it shouldn't be the repository of your lapel pin collection. However, a friend of mine wears an old USMC collar pin on his; as it dates from his visit to the Chosin Reservoir, I don't think anyone has ever questioned his right to wear it any way he pleases. Feathers in the bonnet are traditionally reserved only for clan chiefs, clan chieftains, and armigers. Officially the rule is; a Chief wears three feathers, a chieftain wears two, and an armigerous gentleman (one who personally has a right to heraldic arms) wears one. The wearing of bonnet feathers by those who are not chiefs is generally considered presumptuous in Scotland. However, Americans, who have the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed under the second amendment of our Constitution, could arguably wear one eagle feather in good conscience. Feather hackles are awarded to regiments for battle honors or a special reason. Therefore, serious consideration and research should be given prior to hackles being worn by a civilian pipe band, much less an individual.

One last word on hats; uncover when you go indoors. It is considered bad manners to continue to wear the bonnet indoors, especially in someone's home or in church. The only exception is when you are under arms. Examples of this would be carrying a flag or tartan banner in the Kirking of the Tartans, or while playing the pipes. Pipers should uncover when not actively piping.

The Kilt

The inside and outside aprons are securely fastened by buckles, with the inner apron folding to the left, usually secured by one buckle, and the outer apron folding to the right, usually secured by two buckles (buckle the lower one loosely). Ladies' kilted skirts fold the opposite way. The kilt is not meant to be worn like blue jeans, down around the waist near the hips. The top of the waistband should be at your navel; military-cut kilts rise high enough to come to the wearer's bottom ribs. Highland dancers and Scottish country dancers often ask for a very high rise so that when they raise their hands above their heads, tartan is still seen beneath the jacket instead of a white shirt front.

The lower edge of the inner apron should not be visible. If the inner apron consistently shows from beneath the outer apron, you'll need to tighten the strap on your left hip, even if it means cutting away the buckle and moving it back a few inches. The lower edge of the kilt should break somewhere between the middle and top of the kneecap. Above the knee, and it's not a kilt, but a Catholic school-girl skirt. Below the knee, and it becomes a tea-length dress. The apron should be centered and the hem should appear even from front to rear and side-to-side. If you wear a kilt pin, the proper place to wear it is three inches from the bottom of the kilt and three inches inward from the right side of the apron. The kilt pin should only go through the top apron and not be pinned to the bottom apron. Any variation in this general area is considered OK, and if you have a double thickness on the right side of the apron, you might affix it to that area. As with the sgian dubh and the sporran, the kilt pin should be appropriate for the level of dress and the occasion. Keep in mind that kilt pins can become snagged upon all sorts of objects, potentially tearing the outer apron.

<a target="_new" href="http://home.sprintmail.com/~ejb/Piper.htm">tampabaypiper.com</a> Bagpiper available for weddings, receptions, formal dinners, ceremonies, corporate functions, funerals, memorials, and special events of all kinds throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.

How to Be in the Moment when Playing Piano

Your best music will always come when you are in the moment and just playing the piano. Why is this? Because you have forgotten about trying to make music. Instead, you are now "making" music. A subtle but crucial difference that can be detected by most careful listeners.

The key to being in the moment when playing piano comes when the technical aspects are mastered and the player can just play. Think of sports as an example. Michael Jordan didn't have to think about how to drive the basketball to the hoop. He had done it thousands of times. Now he could allow his intuition to guide him in making the best shot.

If Andre Agassi had to think about how to hit the tennis ball, he never would be able to get it to where he wanted it.

The good thing about New Age piano playing is that technique is easily learned. For example, in your free lesson "Reflections in Water," you have 4 open position chords to play. Once the technical aspects of playing these chords is down, you are free to allow your feeling to guide you in making music. Now you are "in the moment" and can let the music tell you where it wants to go - not the other way around.

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

Flaming Guitars! Minarik Fuels The Excitement of a New Generation of Musicians

From the Telecaster to the Flying V to the Iceman to the Warlock, some guitar designs are forever branded on our consciousness, and now there's a new one: the Minarik Inferno X-treme. The body shape erupts in furious fingers of flame. If ever there was a guitar design destined to ignite the imagination of young players, especially boys and girls who want to rawk, this is it.

Not that the Inferno X-treme lacks subtlety. With scientifically placed tone chambers, this instrument can sing sweetly if that's what you desire. Or, it can live up to its appearance and enable you to carve sonic craters in the parking lot.

Although this guitar has a look that will inspire thousands of preteen statements along the lines of "Mom, that's the one I want," I suspect that tons of established players will find it useful in the studio or on the road because of its delicate balance, sleek feel, and stunning versatility. (And besides, the cunningly crafted guitar is also available in a more traditional body shape.)

"So, what's the story on Minarik Guitars?" I can hear you ask. As the designer of the B.C. Rich Goddess Warlock and several other noteworthy models, Marc Minarik already has a legacy in the business. Now heading up his own company, Minarik has the goal of fusing quality workmanship with visually exciting design concepts.

Actually, his plan is much more complex than "make it attractive and build it right." Marc Minarik is as eager to talk about the playability of his guitars as about their construction and appearance. And if you inquire about the light weight and the chambered body, he is just as pleased to demonstrate the superior nature of his firm's products.

The flame-shaped body isn't just flashy; the size and curve of the flames have been carefully calculated to positively affect the tone and balance of the instrument. The flame design is eye-candy, but it's the application of the physics of sound that makes the Minarik Inferno X-treme really hot.

With a wonderful combination of form and function, the Minarik guitar line may have some interesting side effects, like bringing vitality to retail sales, launching a new generation of guitar players, and saving music from passive pop.

Not bad for a guy with a dream about a flaming guitar.

Minarik Contact:
www.minarikguitars.com
818-383-1254
minarikguitars@aol.com

# # #

Scott G (The G-Man) proudly plays a Minarik Inferno. He creates radio commercials and composes music for songs and spots at G-Man Music & Radical Radio. A member of the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (<a target="_new" href="http://www.narip.com">http://www.narip.com</a>) and The Recording Academy (<a target="_new" href="http://www.grammy.com">http://www.grammy.com</a>), he also writes about music for the Immedia Wire Service. He is on the Web at iTunes, <a target="_new" href="http://www.delvianrecords.com">http://www.delvianrecords.com</a>, <a target="_new" href="http://www.myspace.com/thegman">http://www.myspace.com/thegman</a>, and <a target="_new" href="http://www.gmanmusic.com">http://www.gmanmusic.com</a>

The British Invasion

The Kasabian concert at the Kool Haus seemed like a concert somewhere in England (even though I haven't been there). This band out of Leicester pumped out amazing electronic, rock beats with an amazing light show. I've heard them on the radio with their hit &quot;Club Foot&quot; and have noticed them gaining more and more interest of us fellow Canadians.

After mingling in the crowd during the opening bands and at intermission I met Jeremy, straight from London, England who arrived to Toronto the night before for business. Finding out about the concert the day of, he was shocked that Kasabian was playing a venue like the Kool Haus. &quot;Kasabian is one of the top bands in the UK. They're brilliant!&quot; he said over and over.

&quot;Brilliant&quot; and &quot;fantastic&quot; were the popular words of the evening as I numerously heard not only Jeremy say, but also many others after almost every track ended.

Tom Meighan, the lead singer and the three other band mates all had the British shag and a killer sound to go with them. There is nothing better than hearing a band in concert and being exposed to the songs that you don't hear on the radio especially when you know that they are massive somewhere else in the world.

For those of you who are wondering the same as I was about 'what the heck does Kasabian mean?' they named themselves after Linda Kasabian, who was Charles Manson's getaway driver. That is about how American these boys get, everything else other than their name seemed strictly Brit.

I think that we will be hearing more of Kasabian in the future and who knows maybe their huge fame in England it may make it here to Canada, just like it has for many UK bands.

Farris Green
<a href="mailto:farris@sugarcainentertainment.com">farris@sugarcainentertainment.com</a>

The Need To Perform

I can't believe how much of the year has gone by, but all the same, it's unbelievable how much I've grown through the year and most of it, from demolishing my need to perform.

I grew up playing a lot of hockey, being captain of both my schools when I was in Nigeria and London. The highlight of my career came when I was 10 on a wonderful warm day when we were playing an outdoor hockey game. Apparently I did some really cool skill with the stick and the ball. Everyone was like &quot;wow&quot; and clapping. I didn't really understand what I did, but nevertheless it was great and I learnt something. The entire sports department were talking about it for weeks. By the way, at that point, I went on to just shoot and watch the ball roll into the goal.

That is and will remain to be an unforgettable moment for me as everyone was congratulating me for the goal and my skillful moment. However, my attention was taken in another direction. In the stands, I saw my mum. I ran up to her, and she said, &quot;That goalie never had a chance.&quot; Hearing those words, and sensing that appreciation was a real awesome feeling, and from that grew my need to be appreciated.

Needs generally come from our experiences from childhood and perhaps they are something we really wanted, and never got. All our parents certainly did the best they could and for that we are really grateful. About 95% of the human population is driven by needs, but the extent to which your particular need drives you may be the deciding factor in how successful you are.

If we relate this to the music world, from a young age, you may have never really got the opportunities you may have liked to perform and so from that grew your need to perform. When our needs are unchecked, they act as engines, driving us to behave in ways that we believe will lead to the experience of having our needs fulfilled.

When a need exists, it is either conscious or unconscious. As humans, we are the only species in this universe that are conscious that we are conscious. We are the only species that are aware that we are aware. And as humans, we are constantly striving to meet our needs. This consumes a lot of our energy. What we need to do is really understand where our needs come from and eliminating these dynamics will transform your entire life.

My need of appreciation only made me strive to be appreciated so that I can be told that I'm good and feel good. But that doesn't seem to last long as after a few seconds I need to feel good again. This wasn't really making me happier, just draining a lot of energy out of me. It's important to understand the energy we create when we have a need present in our lives. Think about when somebody gives you a call only when they need you. How does that make you feel?

When you are coming from a place of need, this is the kind energy you are giving off and thus this is the type of energy you attract back to you. Sometimes when you think that your need has gone and you're very clear about what you want to attract into your life but you still feel stuck, it is probable that if you dig deep, there is still a need that has a grip on you. Without addressing the need, we will continue to create the same problem (in different forms) until we eliminate the need.

Common needs that I've seen are the need to be liked, the need to be heard, the need to sing, the need for security, the need to have money, etc. What are your needs? What is it that you want to do, and if you don't you get upset? What do you strive to do, but although you get the result, it takes a lot of energy out of you? These are your needs. It is good to know them. Most people go through life like this, really having a need and not able to live their true, free selves. You know better. Needs are easy to see and feel, yet we are usually blind to their influence on us. If you look closer, you can find that hold. A good way to identify a particular need is to consider these questions..

1. What are the patterns of problems in your life?

2. Where do you feel most stuck?

3. What causes you to get upset most?

4. Ask someone to say what they see at work within you.

By recognising and eliminating the need of appreciation, I've been able to create my life on purpose and in harmony with my desires instead of feeding a childhood wound.

Kavit Haria is the musicians coach, working with musicians to facilitate and further their personal and professional development so that they can achieve their desired results. Kavit runs InnerRhythm, a coaching practice for musicians in London, UK and runs a free fortnightly newsletter action-packed with tools, tips and strategies to make you a successful musician. Subscribe here: <a target="_new" href="http://www.coachkavit.com">http://www.coachkavit.com</a>

Hip Hop Clothing

Celebrities now such as Outkast, a fashion wear can be a must have. Likewise gainful for celebrities included within the clothing lines world, which is how come we are in possession of these most up to date hip hop clothing lines on the market like, FuBu. With very good class hoodies & great urban clothing show rooms such jewelery will not be declined! Ecko set the standard in the hiphop world, with a imaginative collective of urban designers unendingly working on offering its customers the best in the modern urban trends. These Johnny Blaze list of hoodies, will be advertized towards boys as well as men from ages 12-40. Because of the Wu Tang Clan launch, the make has revelled critical and commercial victory. Sean John has speedily aged from an urban label towards an global brand name. GGG Unit Sneakers are sneakers contrived and commercialised by the famous Reebok Kicks Company. Famously it was a trainer conceded to rap artist 50 Cent fallowing 50cents clique G Unit brought out their debut album Beg For Mercy. These sneakers are one of the most fashionable rap marks and projected for comport.

A Gorilla Unit list might 1st very first a restricted mens clothes clothing line as much as the spring & next uncover a wide for men only main line next summer. Though a childs clothing line also a womens line could be in long term plans, the list will not be be detained to fashion as GUnit watches. First off noticed by the hip hop icon Dr.Dre, and so debut of the Slim Shady LP, his up-to-date albumn on Shady Recording label, by now got major fans of hip hop interested in Marshall Mathers. Full to the brim of dazzling lyrical hits that explore deep into the head of a dangerously maddened but extremely special artist, the songs incorporates alot of the most unforgetable and haunting controversal lyrics ever put down. And the key reason for the large success of Slim Shady.

<a target="_new" href="http://hiphop-clothing-line.com">Hip Hop Clothing</a>

The Secrets of Correctly Stringing Your Guitar

Why do you care about stringing your guitar you may ask. Well the reason is simple. It will make you sound better because if your guitar is properly strung, you will get longer natural sustain.

This is something that no fx pedal can reproduce, clean natural sustain. Of course after you have this sustain you can play with it all you want with your fx pedals.

Many guitarist make the same mistake when stringing a guitar, they don't wind enough of the string onto the tuning peg or they wind too much.

Why is this seemingly simple thing so important? Because the greater the angle between the nut (the top part of the guitar) and the tuning peg, the better the sustaining qualities of the string. Simply put, it makes you sound better. And your strings will not go out of tune as fast. Of course you can always wind too much as well, and then the strings will tend to slip out of tune easier. You want to have just the right amount.

Here is how to string your guitar.

Step 1 - Take all the strings out of the package and lay them out from the thickest to the thinnest. When you go to buy strings, always try and get the same gauge, as changing the gauge could mean problems with intonation, and may require truss rod adjustments.

Step 2 - Turn the tuning peg until the hole is in line with the neck.

Step 3 - Starting with the thickest string - The low "e", thread the string through the bridge (bottom part of the guitar). Each guitar has different ways to do this, but it is usually very easy to see where the strings go.

Step 4 - Next thread the string through the hole in the tuning peg until it is tight. Now back the string up about 3 inches so that it loosens.

Step 5 - Grab the loose part of the string with one hand and with the other start turning the tuning peg. As you turn the peg, hold the string tightly away from the guitar to insure that it wraps tightly, with no slack. This will stop the string from going out of tune as you're playing. When the string is getting tight against the fretboard, You can let go and continue to slowly turn the peg a little bit more and then top.

Step 6 - Make sure as you turn the peg that the string is winding downward, and don't let it flip over itself. Your goal is tog et about 2 1/2 to 3 full winds on each string.

Step 7 - Repeat the process with all other strings, but decrease the amount of slack a little bit each time.

All the best,

Tom Freeland
PlayGuitar.com

This is just one of the hundreds of guitar tips that you will get for free simply by becoming a member of PlayGuitar.com's Guitar Tips. Go to <a href="http://www.playguitar.com/guitartips/">http://www.playguitar.com/guitartips/</a> and fill out your info. You will be on your way to becoming a better player.

Spectral Muses Revisited: The Channeled Melodies of Rosemary Brown

Rosemary Brown (1916-2001) was a middle-aged South London widow, making ends meet as a grade school kitchen assistant, who rocketed to international fame in 1968 through a BBC broadcast recounting her purported collaborations with long-dead composers. These included Liszt, J.S. Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Schubert (who of course no longer needs spectacles), Monteverdi, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Brahms, Robert and Clara Schumann, Mozart, Grieg, and Poulenc. And after he died in 1971, Igor Stravinsky joined them.

Though Ms Brown's musical education had consisted of no more than two years of piano lessons and a couple of halfhearted trips to the opera, she went on to turn out over a thousand pieces worthy, in the estimations of a number of musicologists, of many of these legendary giants. Concert pianist Hepzibah Menuhin (Yehudi's sister), observed, "There is no question but that she is a very sincere woman. The music is absolutely in the style of these composers." Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, who studied under Sir Lennox Berkeley and Pierre Boulez and scored the film Murder on the Orient Express, said, "A lot of people can improvise, but you couldn't fake music like this without years of training."

In 1969 the BBC arranged to observe Ms Brown in the act firsthand. They sat her down on a piano bench and waited for Franz Liszt. In due course he appeared, to her anyway, and dictated a piece he called Grubelei that, like much of this material, was far beyond her technical competence to perform. Composer and Lizst specialist Humphrey Searle scrutinized Grubelei and found it to be remarkably characteristic of Lizst's last few years. "It is highly chromatic," he later recalled, "and one hand is written in 5/4 time against 3/2 in the other. The latter is not a thing that Liszt ever did as far as I know, but it is the sort of thing he might have done."

I'm no expert here but from what I've heard of Rosemary Brown's music it certainly sounds convincing. At the very least we have a stupendous volume of splendid musical parodies in front of us, and it remains to be explained how someone of such prosaic means could have produced them non-supernaturally. I am rather surprised that Ms Brown reported no contact with Sir Edward Elgar, her country's most cherished composer, whose unparalleled orchestrations would have been supremely difficult to mimic. Or, similarly, Ralph Vaughn Williams or Sir Charles H.H. Parry or Fritz Delius (who once snarled, "Grieg had more music in his little finger than Stravinsky has in his whole body."). In any case, you the living can contact Romana-Hamburg and judge for yourself. They offer the documentary Music from Beyond on DVD and a corresponding CD compilation of 40 of Brown's piano pieces, 38 of them performed by Gerhard Helzel.

The preceding article comes from the "Curious Thing of the Week" section of my website. <a target="_new" href="http://www.curiousnotions.com">http://www.curiousnotions.com</a>

One Way to Improve Your Music Journalist Relationship

Boy, I really detest how some people do websites. Bands are some of the worst. Seems like any band that wants to look "professional" feels they must create a website using pop-ups and flash. Why? Cuz that's what the Majors do?

I tried to go to a friend's website today to find his email address. He's in a band. "Click here if you have a pop-up stopper." Now is that a stupid way to start a website or what?

So I clicked... dreading the outcome... For the next minute the minute flash loaded... A MINUTE!

Meanwhile, I was enjoying some wonderful music by Angelo Branduardi, a wonderful Italian world folk musician. Then "BLLAAAAARRRR." The frickin flash program was trying to play music that was causing problems with the music I was enjoying... All I wanted was an email address, not a headache!

I find it intriguing. Do you really WANT to alienate journalists?

I publish this newsletter and the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine, and I have to steer clear of Flash websites, because they cause problems. I skip them. NO Band is so good that I'm willing to put up with that crap!

Not to mention Flash websites hinder my ability to review the band. You see, when I start researching a band, I go to their website, copy and paste some info about the band, finish my comments, and voila! There is NO copy and pasting available with Flash. Again, you've cut your opportunities for getting decent reviews in half.

I know you want to take advantage of the cool technology available, but technology is useless unless it is used with intelligence. So seriously folks, lay off the Flash websites!

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

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Piano Lessons Can be Fun!

There are essentially two ways to learn piano - note reading or chords. For those who want to spend years learning how to play other peoples music, note reading is the way to go.

For those who want to create their own special music, chord understanding is a must - and much easier to learn. It is far better to learn how to make music first than it is to read it on a piece of paper.

Imagine a writer forced to copy another novelists work. Insane right? But that's essentially what people do when they recreate another composers work. It is not a creative act but a recreative one because while the pianist's interpretation may be artistic, it does not mean that he created something original.

I'm not saying that great composer's works should not be recreated for others listening pleasure. I am saying that it's a good idea to understand that there is quite a difference between Beethoven composing something and someone else playing it.

Having said that, the benefit of learning how to make music first is that you understand the underlying principles of the thing. For example, let's go back to our fiction writer. If he looks at another novelist's work and the structure of the work, then he is beginning to see how the thing is made. This is entirely different than what goes on in the classical music world where a performer can read music, but does not know the principles that go into it's making.

Learn piano the easy way first. Learn how to first improvise, then compose your own music. This skill is invaluable even if you do read music because you begin to see how the thing is made and once you can see this, your appreciation of it will increase tenfold!

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

Why New Musicians (Rappers) Fail: Three Reasons and Solutions

Despite the title of this article, the purpose of it is actually to HELP new emcees AVOID some common traps on their journey to learning how to rap better. You can come up with a million reasons why new rappers fail?or why any artist fails for that matter, but we've boiled the list down to three specific to new emcees.

The three reasons simply put are:

1) The Hobby Factor
2) The Experience Factor
3) The Focus Problem

Through dealing with countless aspiring rappers, we at The State of Hip Hop have noticed that most problems emcees face can in one way or another be traced to these three root troubles.

Simply stating the problems is of use, but of more use is what I'm sure you all are looking for?a solution.

So let's begin?

1) The Hobby Factor:

Millions of people around the world play poker. Of those, only a few thousand are professional. The remainder would probably like to be?they sincerely like the game, yet they don't have a passion for it?for them, poker remains simply a hobby.

This is the case with a good many aspiring emcees. They love rap, they have favorite rappers, know all the words to their songs?but in reality, hip-hop is simply their hobby ? enjoyable entertainment. Even so, there is nothing wrong with this.

There are a good many rappers who are successful and yet don't take rap very seriously. For every KRS-One and Common Sense, you have a pair of Ying Yang Twins or a Master P.

The idea of &quot;not taking rap seriously&quot; does not necessarily refer to the art of rhyme, but instead to rap as a career or business opportunity. So while Master P may not rack his brain trying to craft the most amazing rhyme, he does seriously analyze marketing strategies, distribution outlets, promotional events, etc?all part of the rap game.

But I'm jumping ahead. You may not think this pertains to you. You may think, &quot;I'll worry about that if and when I get that far.&quot; But therein lies the problem?a mind that is not preparing itself for the big picture. It goes back to the old &quot;thinking ten steps ahead&quot; philosophy.

Some common signs that a new rapper is stuck in this rut are that they try and come up with good ideas, have writer's block, and stop. Or come up with a few bars or verses, think they're no good, get upset, give up for a while, and pick the pen up again in a couple of days or weeks. For these people rap is a hobby.

Rap is made a hobby by others because they are afraid to fail at it...Remember this! And it applies to everything you do; Success is achieved only after many failures. If you can't handle failure, you're not ready for success.

The Hobby Factor - Solution:

Make rap a priority, set some time aside to dedicate to it. This doesn't mean &quot;forget all your other responsibilities, but do write every day. Writing every day sounds very simple, agreed, but it is rarely practiced. The practice becomes understood to be &quot;write a hot verse/song every day&quot;?which it is not.

&quot;Write every day&quot; simply means that. Write down your freestyles, a poem, the opening page of a short story, ideas for a song, literally anything! You'll be amazed at how drastically this will speed up your learning curve.

Another good idea is to change your entire frame of mind. Let's say you're living at home with your parents. Things are pretty straight, you're not starving. You plan on being a mechanical engineer?What then is motivating you to improve your raps?

Now let's say you got your girlfriend pregnant, are living partially on the streets, working two jobs to eek out a living?and you see rap as your way out. Well now you got some fire under your ass don't you?

The point is not that you need to be in any particular circumstance to be a good rapper?but that if your situation isn't motivating you, you need to force that motivation on you by some other means.

Rap with a hunger?like you literally need it to eat! Don't treat it like a pastime. Whether you end up becoming a successful musician or not, the time you dedicated is never wasted. Good rap skills and song writing skills are amazingly beneficial to developing a good ability to express yourself in any field.

2) The Experience Factor:

This problem is very common among new rappers.

In the hood you might hear a 12-year-old kid spitting a raw 16 bars. That's because 12 in the hood is like 21 anywhere else.

A lot of new emcees are hesitant about what to actually write about because of a lack of experience. They haven't really seen the world first hand. It's hard to write good raps when you don't really know yourself yet?because part of what a rap does is communicate to the listener the personality and character of the rapper. Still, not knowing who you are is nothing to be ashamed of.

So while the 21 year old from the outskirts of New Zealand may be intelligent, he may not be quite sure he knows who he is, what he stands for and what really matters to him, perhaps precisely because he thinks too much.

On the other hand, the 12 year old from the slums of Tokyo may be illiterate, irrational, and arrogant, but he has already come to understand himself?he's comfortable in knowing who he is (regardless of whether he is wrong or has limited his growth).

The Experience Factor - Solution:

Have fun, live, read, and think about who you are.

The best way around this obstacle, really, is just to put yourself into various situations, open your ears to knew ideas, learn your history, etc?All the while asking questions, analyzing things, finding out what in this world matters to you?

Everyone gets around this problem eventually, but for many it's too late. Try to understand who you are at any given time, and spit your rhymes in that image?amped up a few notches?that's what makes it art ;)

3) The Focus Problem:

We've realized that a lot of people who are interested in rapping are simply naturally artistic and expressive. I personally have always enjoyed drawing since I was a child and could always appreciate a well-written book as well as various types of music.

Being as I grew up in the &quot;hip-hop generation&quot; I naturally gravitated towards the art form of rapping. I loved it, the rhyme, the rhythm, the meaning and wordplay?

However, I actually dove into my obsession with rap before I fully developed any of my previous interests.

There is a negative side effect or problem that comes about here.

An aspiring rapper, for example, might be naturally more skilled at or inclined to being a poet, novelist, journalist, public speaker or other type of musician. He or she might then decide to pursue an interest in rap, essentially ignoring their other talents. This is not fundamentally problematic, however?

Rap is NOT (contrary to some beliefs) the same as poetry. It is poetry and more. There are innumerous factors involved in making good rap music. One factor is the fact that it is a form of music?which separates it from other forms of literature on a number of levels.

Furthermore the skills necessary to writing well, speaking well, etc?are all forgone if one decides to skip these optional outlets for expression. This is a HUGE mistake.

The Focus Problem - Solution:

Stay on track and stick to what you're good at.

This not only applies to the above-mentioned outlets of expression but ANY outlet of expression. Dance, art, ANYTHING. You will learn tremendously from these. I can't even begin to explain how much you'll be missing out on if you decide to forgo these means of expression.

Everything that you learn about being a good public speaker, for example, can be effectively applied to rap?whatever you learn about developing a good storyline?can be used in rap, non-verbal communication techniques you might subconsciously pick up in dance class?they help in rap?the list goes on and on.

So there you have it, 3 of the biggest reasons why new rappers fail or quit?

Another additional reason why rappers fail to succeed is that they don't fully understand the business of music. Our section www.thestateofhiphop.com/rap-industry.html can begin to help you understand the workings of the music business. We'll refrain from further detail until a future article.

Until next time, stay on the grind and you should be fine?

See you around!

-prof

TheStateofHipHop.com was created out of the tremendous worldwide demand for practical advice, pointers, rap tips, and more that aspiring musicians need on their journey to learn to rap. Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.TheStateofHipHop.com">http://www.TheStateofHipHop.com</a> for more great articles, tips and information on the music business all 100% free!

Hip Hop fans, don't forget to sign up for our FREE E-Zine where you'll get free hot new and classic rap songs sent to you, rap tips, hip hop news, rapper and producer interviews and more! Check it out at <a target="_new" href="http://www.TheStateofHipHop.com">http://www.TheStateofHipHop.com</a>

Copyright ? 2005 TheStateofHipHop.com All Rights Reserved

The Ostinato - What It is and How to Use It

Ostinato means "repeating pattern" and is used frequently in all types of music. For New Age piano players, it provides a great way to lay down the background of the piece while the right-hand improvises a melody!

For example, in the lesson "Winter Scene," we have a repeating pattern going on in the left-hand using 2 chords. And 2 chords are all that is needed to create a few minutes of music!

Interest is maintained by the right-hand melody. How long you could actually play this ostinato and maintain interest is a whole new topic but the secret to really keeping the improvisation going is to stay in the present and trust your intuition.

The music will naturally wind down when you start becoming bored or indifferent and/or no new material wants to come. Then the improvisation is over and the music has played itself out.

The good thing about using an ostinato to create with is that it's quite easy to develop a harmonic background over which you can improvise your melodies. The bad thing is that it tends to stagnate over time. That's when you either stop playing, or introduce new material - something that adds contrast.

If you wanted, you could introduce another ostinato pattern, or go for something completely different, but you'd probably want to let your intuition guide you in this. You shouldn't try to come up with material but instead, just improvise and see what comes up. A completely different, and much more effective approach!

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

The Case Against Traditional Piano Lessons

How would you like to spend 4 years in a University learning how to play other peoples music? If you think this is ridiculous, you're right! Because that's what thousands of piano music students do each day.

They sit in front of their piano or keyboard with sheet music of a dead composer in front of them. Then they are told to "play it right." Have you ever heard of such nonsense? Imagine a budding writer forced to copy another novelists work? In essence, this is what classical piano students do. They copy.

Although many think this is a creative act, it is not. It is a re-creative one. It's purpose? To give people who are told how to listen to music a chance to hear what is considered "good" music. Only in classical music is there such pomposity. And it exists because a very few people wish to hear the classics.

Let me tell you something. I love classical music. But I don't spend my time trying to recreate what has already been created. No. Instead, I want to connect with my own source and allow the music that is inside me to come out. I want to be creative too! And my philosophy is that anyone can be "a composer."

All it takes is the desire to create - to want to hear ones authentic self expressed through music. Difficult? Not at all! It's as easy as putting fingers to keys and playing. Hard to believe but true. You see, music students have been cheated from the get go by an academic snobbism that destroys the spirit and the will to create.

The suggestion is that the best music has already been created so why bother. The answer is crucial to our own well being. We bother because it makes us feel good. That is all that is required and that is all that is needed to make music.

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

Facts about Betty Kresin, Eminems grandmother

Betty Kresin, Eminem's grandmother from the maternal side , got married at the age of 14. She got six children from 3 different marriages. She first married Bob Nelson. She gave birth to her daughter Debbie in 1955.She accuses her first husband, Bob Nelson, of being verbally abusive. Both moved to Warren, Michigan, to be closer to Betty's stepmother .Despite the problems the couple esperienced, she gave Bob two more sons, Todd and Steven.They divorced in the early 60's and Betty came back to her hometown St Joseph, where she met Ron Gilpin, her second husband.She had two more children with him. One of them is Betti Schmitt (Eminem's aunt and Debbie's half sister), who is still in touch and in good terms with Eminem. Ron Gilpin was an alcoholic who used to beat up his whole family. Violence was part of their daily life. Ron left his family in 1968.Dramas surrounded Betty's family. In 1991, Todd Nelson killed his brother-in-law, Mike Harris in self defense case. He was sentenced to jail for 8 years.Betty 's sixth child from a third marriage, Ronnie Polkingharn , was Eminem's uncle and closest friend. He committed suicide in 1991.<BR><BR>Eminem grew up for a while at his grandmom's home. She talks about his harsh conditions of living in Detroit :<BR><BR> ? It was a poor school and they wanted his shoes. He was one of the only white children going to this segregated school. And one time they took the shoes off his feet and he had to come home in a snowstorm with no shoes on. But the story people keep asking me - "he was unconscious and almost died and all these doctors...", now I know nothing about this and I'm his grandmother. ?<BR><BR>People should think twice before calling Marshall a racist.<BR><BR>Betty was angry with Marshall because he never attended to Ronnie's funeral. In fact, Marshall went depressive and swallowed a bottle of Tylenol and survived to another suicide attempt. He was unable to go to Ronnie's funeral, his pain was too immense.But Betty didn't know what happened during this period.<BR><BR><BR>"I was kind of bitter about him writing about my dead son, because the last five years of my deceased boy, Marshall had not even seen him. Marshall - Eminem - and my son Ronnie were very close. He idolised Ronnie and Ronnie loved him. He never even came to Ronnie's funeral and he has never put the first flower on Ronnie's grave. He doesn't do anything - he won't go near the grave. The chain that Marshall wears around his neck, the dog-tag - that was Ronnie's. I gave him the dog-tag, he makes duplicates, he sells them now, and that really broke my heart because this is something sacred to me that I gave the boy. If my son could speak to you today from the grave he would say, "Marshall stop some of the garbage, make up with your family, life's too short"."<BR><BR>Marshall had a good relationship to his granny until he wanted to use Ronnie's voice on a tape. He intented to do this as a tribute to his deceased uncle, but Betty thought he was disrespectful towards her son. In 2002 , both reconciled. Betty Kresin is currently writing a book on her grandson which shall be entitled ? The Tie That Binds ?.<BR><BR>Betty says she's proud of her grandson and that she stands on his side.<BR><BR>

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I do teach English and German at public schools. I am an Eminem biographer and a freelance music journalist.

Interview With An Up And Coming Musician From Toronto

Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com is delighted to have as our guest, Dan Goldman, Guitarist, Song Writer, Poet, Arranger and a musician of many other talents.

Dan is here to discuss his world of music and travels.

Norm:

When did your passion for music begin? What keeps you going?

Dan:

I can't quite remember when my passion began. It seems to have been an inborn appreciation. My earliest memories are of listening to old records and 8-track recordings that my parents had kicking around the house - anything from Kenny Rogers to Neil Diamond sparked my interest at the time. My father played piano, and I always loved listening to his romantic, albeit, slightly schmaltzy touch. I'd press my ear against the soundboard to get the most out of the vibrations.

Norm:

Who were the musicians that influenced you?

Dan:

There are too many to mention; but if I had to narrow it down, I'd say, in order of appearance: The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, my uncle Issac, Classical guitar repertoire including Bach and most of the Spanish composers, Joni Mitchell, Jim Hall, Bill Frisell and on and on.I'm currently into Wilco, Joanna Newsom, Lisa Germano, to name a few.

Norm:

When on tour, do you notice any differences in audiences from one city to the next, and if so, would you say that this may due to their geographical location. For example, how would you compare audiences in Vancouver to those in Toronto or Montreal insofar as your music is concerned?

Dan:

Yes, I'd say the main difference lies in how saturated the market is. In Calgary, for instance, where there isn't as much traffic in terms of touring bands, I tend to get a warmer and more appreciative reception than in Toronto, where, although I play plenty of great gigs, the audiences are somewhat numbed by the sheer volume of musicians around. Then again, performances are always different and anything I think is the rule is always put into question as soon as I play an unexpectedly great gig in the least likely situation.

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles do you encounter while traveling and performing? How did you overcome these challenges?

Dan:

I get nervous a lot. I'm fine when I'm actually performing, but I generally get stressed a couple of hours before the show. It's really important for me to eat and rest appropriately so that the stress doesn't take a toll on my performances. I generally try to put aside a certain amount of time every day that I'm on tour to warming up or to my sitting (meditation) practice.

Norm:

Which is your favorite city to perform in? Why?

Dan:

I can't say that I have one. Anywhere where the people are receptive and supportive becomes the best city.

Norm

How do you get the inspiration for your song and music writing?

Dan:

I love music. It's not hard to get inspired, what's hard is following through and staying consistent with my writing practice. I find that the only way to get to where I want to be expression-wise is to spend the time it takes; and you never know how long that's going to be, so you just keep going!

Norm:

What was the first piece of music you ever wrote? What was the reaction?

Dan:

I can't remember. It was probably something in the classical guitar idiom. I've always made sure to ask people who I knew would be supportive - a stacked deck, if you will, in my favor.

Norm:

Do you set yourself daily, weekly, yearly goals? If so, what are some of your goals?

Dan:

Yes, I definitely have to set daily goals, otherwise a whole day passes me buy, and I feel like I've done nothing. These goals are rewarding because I can say, for example, I'm going to work on words for an hour, and then at the end of the hour I've done it - it might all be shit, but at least I've stayed with it, and it'll likely turn into something good at some point. In contrast, saying that I want to tour the world by the time I'm 33 is a bit more difficult to materialize. Ultimately, I know that if I keep writing and touring, I will get led to greater accomplishments in my craft as well as a greater fan base with more touring opportunities.

Norm:

You are a guitarist, song writer, poet, and arranger. Which of the above do you prefer and why?

Dan:

At this point, I'm a singer-songwriter. It's what I practice on a daily basis, and it's how I'm starting to become known.

Norm:

I understand that in Canada there are Music Festival Travel Grants as well as other travel grants that assist professional Canadian musicians to perform at festivals outside their province or territory of residence.

Apparently, these grants are given to introduce experience artists to new audiences at an early stage of their career to a wider public. Have you ever received this assistance and if so, could you tell our audience how beneficial have they been from the point of view of furthering your career?

Dan:

Yes, I've received some assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and it has been extremely helpful. I got a tour grant last year, for instance, which allowed me to tour across the country. Although the tour wasn't as well organized as I'd hoped for, it did provide me with a new network of people across the country who have since become very supportive, including my current manager, Candace Elder.

Norm:

Do you think there is some kind of a connection between music and travel?

Dan:

Absolutely. Traveling, whether physical or emotional, provides a new perspective, or a new backdrop, if you will, to your old script. It makes your story seem a little more vibrant, and therefore, worthy of being documented, which of course, is one of the main purposes of art.

Norm

What is next for Dan Goldman and is there anything you wish to add that we have not covered?

Dan:

I have a tour beginning in August that I hope will bring me from coast to coast. I'm also working on some new songs and am really excited to record them in the new year.

Thanks Dan and good luck with all of your future endeavors. Thanks Norm

To read more about Dan or listen to his music check out his site at <a target="_new" Href="http://www.dangoldman.ca">www.dangoldman.ca</a>

Norm Goldman is the Editor of the travel site, <a target="_new" href="http://www.sketchandtravel.com">http://www.sketchandtravel.com</a> and the book reviewing site, <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookpleasures.com">http://www.bookpleasures.com</a>.

Norm is also a travel writer and together with his artist wife, Lily Azerad-Goldman, the couple meld words with art focusing on romantic destinations.

Bluegrass Music - Alive and Well in the Appalachians

One of the Appalachian Mountain region's greatest contributions to the world is Bluegrass music. Born in hills and hollows, Bluegrass is simply mountain folk music with heavy Celtic influences.

Today, you can hear the sweet harmonies of Bluegrass instruments and smooth vocals throughout the United States, and indeed the world. Bluegrass festivals abound, featuring performers from all over the globe. But the heart and soul of Bluegrass remains securely in the Appalachian region.

During the warmer months the tight rhythms of the banjo, mandolin, fiddle, flat-top guitar, upright bass, and dobro echo off the hills and buildings of many small towns and cities. You'll often find Bluegrass being played at festivals, fairs, street corners, and front porches at most any time of the day.

The future of Bluegrass looks bright as well because many of the performers in the region are youngsters who started playing an instrument at a very young age. It is quite common to find families spanning several generations playing Bluegrass together just for fun.

If you have never had the opportunity to experience a live Bluegrass show, you owe it to yourself to do so. You'll hear this traditional Appalachian sound and most likely be hooked!

About The Author

Rick Rouse is the owner of RLROUSE Directory & Informational Resources. Visit <a href="http://www.rlrouse.com/bluegrass/" target="_new">http://www.rlrouse.com/bluegrass/</a> for more information about Bluegrass music.

The Joy of Spontaneous Expression

Do you remember finger-painting as a child? How fun it was. How exciting to be able to dip your fingers into a color that called out to you and put it on paper. The excitement of it all came from the feeling that you were an explorer, looking into uncharted territories of your own creative source.

Now music can be that way too! All that is necessary is to understand that you don't need any special talent or ability to create music with. Two chords are enough to begin experiencing the joy of spontaneous expression. In the lesson "Oriental Sunrise" we have 2 chords to play around with. And two chords are more than enough to create with

The problem that most adults have is the ability to relinquish control. They want to be able to make decisions and direct the music to where they want it to go. And of course, they lose the ability to create. Why? Because they believe they must make decisions as to what notes to play, what chords, how fast, etc. It can be very threatening for some to allow for "mistakes."

Many adults feel that they must be perfect. But it is this perfectionism that destroys the spirit and stops any creative impetus dead in its tracks. The solution to all of this is to remember the finger-painting child within each of us. Each of us knows intuitively what colors call to us the most. The key is to be able to trust that intuition, and let it guide you!

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

Guitar Buying - The Pros and Cons of Vintage vs. Reissue

To most people, owning the "genuine article" is the only thing that will suffice. As a guitar player, and one who appreciates classic "vintage" instruments, I can fully understand this point of view. I can't think of a single guitarist who wouldn't absolutely adore playing a real 50's Les Paul or Stratocaster. However, becoming the proud owner of a true vintage instrument does have its drawbacks.

First of all, there's the price of admission. The increasingly strong demand for vintage instruments has driven their prices through the roof and out of reach for most of us. Top quality, well taken care of original instruments from the 50's and 60's can approach the cost of a new car, or in some cases a small house!

Another problem facing vintage instruments is their questionable reliability. Although they were built to stand the test of time, a vintage instrument will almost always prove to be more delicate and fragile than a later, more modern version. This may not be of great importance to a guitar collector, but if you're planning to gig with a 50 year old, highly valued piece of guitar history, you may want to think again.

Fortunately there is an alternative for those of us who love vintage instruments, but find them either too expensive or too impractical for our purposes. I am referring to the latest crop of vintage guitar replicas, or as they are better known, "reissues".

Both Gibson and Fender maintain separate production facilities known as "Custom Shops", were they produce replicas of our favorite oldies with great skill and care. These guitars are made of the finest woods, and are almost entirely built by hand using time honored techniques. The electronics are custom manufactured to be as true and faithful to the original instrument as is humanly possible.

The cost of these Custom Shop guitars are high when compared to their production line variants, but they are still far below the cost of the real thing. They come complete with a full warranty, the durability of a new instrument, and sparkling clean looks. I own several reissue guitars from both Gibson and Fender, and can truthfully say that I am very impressed with the quality and painstaking level of detail that these guitars possess. The use of high quality woods give them a tone which is a cut above the norm, and knowing that parts are readily available helps add some peace of mind.

When all things are considered, buying a reissue guitar is in most cases the next best thing to owning the original. Although nothing will ever replace the "vibe" and nostalgia associated with the real deal, the high cost and impracticality of a vintage instrument for everyday use, makes owning a reissue a very attractive alternative. Will a reissue ever sound like its well aged 50 year old counterpart? Probably not, but for us players with an appreciation for classic instruments, a Custom Shop reissue from the original manufacturer is very hard to beat.

? Written By: Michael Casamento

Michael Casamento is the founder of Guitar Pages Online - a comprehensive resource for guitars and guitar related merchandise on the Internet.

For more information visit:<a target="_new" href="http://www.guitarpagesonline.com">http://www.guitarpagesonline.com</a>

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

Learn To Play The Piano Better By Learning To Arrange Chords & Chord Progressions

Piano arranging is the process by which you take a written piece of music and rework it with chords, adding new bass accompaniment, fills, or even slightly altering the song's structure. And while it's a process that takes years to truly master, anyone with a basic education in piano and a working knowledge of a few key techniques can create an inventive, satisfying arrangement. It all boils down to one thing: chord recognition. And anyone who plays a little piano can learn piano chords to add excitement to their piano playing.

Most people learn to play the piano by playing just the written music. Playing by written music is exactly what the phrase says it is -- playing the exact notation on a piece of sheet music. But playing by chord symbol is a little different. Instead of following the harmony note by note, you follow the chord symbols (i.e. C7 or F) written above the harmonies, filling in the gaps with...well, whatever you want as long as it sticks to those chords. Of course, you'll still read the melody (it is, after all, often what makes the song recognizable) but even that is completely open to interpretation. Playing by chord symbol allows you a freedom that playing by written music simply doesn't. The freedom to create. The freedom to invent. The freedom to arrange chord patterns in the way you want.

Does that mean playing by written music is less important than playing by chord symbol? Absolutely not! The ability to play by written music is an extremely valuable skill, one that even some of the most famous musicians don't possess. And while you don't necessarily need to know the skill backwards and forwards to create great arrangements, it's a tremendous help.

Think about it this way. Some of the most revered modern artists create paintings that look very simple, very rudimentary. But the majority of those artists went to art school for years before they began creating that sort of work. They learned the fundamentals of drawing and painting, of color composition and light; they learned to draw or paint something exactly as it actually looks. Only after they mastered those skills did they move on to create the simple, yet often innovative, work that hangs in galleries and museums -- work that still abides by several basic principles. They learned the craft before bringing their imagination into it; after all, you have to understand the rules in order to break them.

So after you have learned the basics of reading piano sheet music, consider learning chords and chord symbols (such as G7, Fm, etc.) and chord progressions. There are many places online where you can learn all about chords ? just type in &quot;chords&quot; or &quot;chord piano&quot; into your search browser, and you will find several to choose from. When you can both read the written sheet music and then add chords and chord progressions to your piano playing, you have the very best of all musical worlds.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and products such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He can be reached at <a target="_new" href="http://www.chordpiano.com">http://www.chordpiano.com</a>. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Piano Chord Progressions" with over 56,650 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to <a target="_new" href="http://www.playpiano.com">http://www.playpiano.com</a>.

If Seals Can Sing, Why Cant You?

It sounds like a side show, doesn't it? It does to me. But it's true; researchers have discovered that some varieties of seals really do sing. Indeed, male leopard seals have been heard singing complex melodies in their lonely search for a mate. Likewise, male Weddell seals, which are a very social creature, lure their mate by improvising original melodies the way a master musician would in front of an audience.

Hearing that seals sing really shouldn't surprise any of us. Music is a central element of life. Walk through the forest at night in the eastern part of the United States and you can't help but be moved by the symphony of sound that is created when each woodland creature sings its part.

Music moves us, often in ways that we don't understand. For example who hasn't been calmed by the sound of quiet singing such as a lullaby? But more than that, who can explain why cows produce more milk and chickens lay more eggs when listening to certain songs like The Blue Danube? I've seen many studies that verify that these observations are true, but none that I've seen fully explain why.

Fortunately, we don't really have to understand why singing and music in general is so central to the world we live in to benefit from it. I doubt that Mozart or Beethoven understood it, but we have all benefited from the works of these two masters, both of whom seem to have benefited from listening to the birds sing. As a matter of fact, many people believe that Beethoven actually stole the opening to his Violin Concerto in D, Opus 61 from the song of the European Blackbird! Maybe, maybe not. But we know from Mozart's own notebooks that he played the last movement of his Piano Concerto in G Major to his pet starling who then sang the passage back to Mozart with revisions that impressed the master. Now that's singing worth noting!

So sing already! Join all of God's creatures in singing and making melody. In the animal kingdom that singing comes in all forms so there's no reason that any of us can't join in. We might as well, the more we learn of the world around us, the more we learn that singing and making music is central to life.

If seals can sing, so can you!

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His book-CD-DVD course titled <a target="_new" href="http://www.pianoplaying.com/">"How To Dress Up Naked Music On The Piano!"</a> has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled <a target="_new" href="http://www.playpiano.com/">"Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions"</a> with over 58,300 current subscribers.

Is Rhapsody Music Downloads Service Getting A Good Rhap?

Rhapsody music, from RealNetworks is one of several reputable legal digital services for legal music downloads. In order to download online music or hear songs from them you have to pay for them first. In Rhapsody's case, the cost is $9.99 per month after a 14 day free trial (the cost may reduced if you purchase it quarterly). Along with Rhapsody, these also include iTunes, Musicnet, Musicnow, wal-mart downloads, and the newly revived Napster.

The <a target="_new" href="http://download-latest-online-music.com/rhapsody-downloads.html">Rhapsody music service</a> consists of over 1.2 million music downloads tracks in its catalog, thanks to nitching deals with all five label giants and over 500 independent labels.

Its fully-featured jukebox that makes Rhapsody music downloads searches a snap and importing tunes from, let's say, a CD easy. Other elegant features include the ability to incorporate different files such as MP3, WMA, AAC (M4A), and RealAudio to your main Library. And you can mix these files in the library any way you like and develop different playlists after you import tracks and/or stream or download online music.

I'm very sure that the Rhapsody music downloads service will only improve with time.

So how did it all start?

Well, we need to rewind the clock some four years ago...

During that time iTunes did not exist, and Napster's outlawed ancestor had reached its demise a few months prior. Nonetheless, there was... drumroll... Rhapsody .

While part of listen.com, the <a target="_new" href="http://download-latest-online-music.com/rhapsody-downloads.html">Rhapsody music downloads service</a> was launched in December 2001. It wasn't until July, however, that songs from all major labels became part of its diverse catalog. RealNetworks acquired listen.com in August 2003. After thus changing the name to RealRhapsody, the service regained its classic title, "Rhapsody".

Downloading the software is fairly straight forward. Be advised, however, that this software is not Mac compatible. The music downloads and streamed tracks from Rhapsody are compatible with Windows Media devices which, of course, are only found on Windows PC's and compatible portable devices.

The interface consists of your simple Play, Stop, etc. functions on the upper left-hand corner of your screen. Next to this is track information including: the title, the artist, and the album. A brief bio plays to the right of the track interface.

So how do you search for your favorite artist or song? Easy... just type it in the Search bar and press &quot;Go&quot;. Once you have found your song, you usually can INSTANTLY play it without downloading it - i.e., you can stream it. In some cases, you can automatically download online music while you listen to the stream. Note: sometimes when you press play, a "!" will appear in a triangle meaning that the stream is unavailable. In this case, you need to press the "+" sign. This adds the track to your Library where you can access it from there and add it to your playlist in the form of music downloads.

That said, the streams are of such excellent quality it seems the song is already downloaded on your computer.

If you don't want the song to be played immediately (such as if you're in the middle of listening to another song) you can just press the "+" sign to the left of the song title. Again, this will automatically store the song to the main library. In order to bring it to the playlist, you will have to open up the Library first and then drag the song to your playlist, much the same as how you would do with any other digital music downloads service.

If your library is large, don't worry. The library search tool is similar to that of iTunes - very easy to find your tune or artist in order to stream or download online music.

OK. So these are some of the handy-dandy features of Rhapsody. But do they contribute to a pleasant experience for music downloads fans?

Stay tuned for my next article...

<a target="_new" href="http://download-latest-online-music.com/rhapsody-downloads.html">http://www.download-latest-online-music.com</a>

5 Ways to Enjoy Your Music Files

OK, say you've got one thousand of your favorite MP3 songs sitting in your hard disk. What's the best way to enjoy those files? Most of us probably will use the Windows Media Player to listen to those files. but did you know there are other more innovative and interesting ways playback MP3, WMA and WAV files?

Let's take a look at the five methods.

Use MusicMatch Jukebox

If you think most that most PC programs for playing digital music look like the built-in Windows Media Player, think again. There are programs out there that go far beyond the Windows Media Player in functionality. One great example is Musicmatch Jukebox from Musicmatch. Musicmatch Jukebox is quite simply the world's best digital music player. It supports playback of various music formats like audio CDs, MP3s, Internet streams, WMAs, WAV files and more. You also get CD burning, music ripping and music organizing capabilities. The Plus version even allows you to automatically tag your music files with detailed info and album art!

Use a Portable MP3 Player

Portable music players like the Apple iPod, Creative Nomad and Rio Nitrus have taken the market by storm. You don't have to be confined to your desktop PC or laptop to listen to digital music! The portable music players can allow you to take your music anywhere. The compact size of MP3 and WMA music formats means that you can literally take a jukebox of thousands of songs whereever you go! You may also want to check out my review of the top 5 portable music players here. There are also other portable music options, including handphones with MP3 support.

Use a PDA

The latest Pocket PC or Palm-based personal digital assistants (PDAs) can also act as music players. Pop in a large memory card (e.g. 64 MB) and you can store many MP3 or WMA files. Then hook up a headphone, launch the music software in the PDA and you're good to go! I personally own a HP iPaq 2210 which effectively keeps track of my appointments and doubles up as a music player.

Use Your Car Stereo

This is my favorite way of listening to my MP3 collection. I recently bought a car stereo that can playback native MP3 songs. This means that I can pop in a data CD containing hundreds of MP3 files and the car stereo will play them! This does not work on conventional car stereos. If you own a conventional car stereo, but still want to listen to your MP3 songs, one way is to create an audio CD from your music files first. The car stereo will then have no problem interpreting and playing back the audio CD. Of course, in this case, you'll be limited to about 14 to 17 tracks of music only.

Use Your Home Stereo

If you're a music lover, you probably already have a home stereo. Use it to listen to your MP3 music files! However, take note that Like car stereos, conventional home stereos will not be able to play back native MP3 songs. You will need a newer home stereo set with MP3 playback capability. New models from Kenwood, Panasonic, Pioneer and Sony usually have MP3 support.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways to enjoy that digital music collection of yours. My favorite methods of listening to digital audio files is via a portable music player or the car stereo. Of course, you may have your own preference - some people like to listen to music off their desktop PC or laptop. Decide which method(s) is suitable for you and go for it!

About The Author

Gary Hendricks - <a href="http://digital-music-guide.com" target="_new">http://digital-music-guide.com</a>

<a href="mailto:gary_hendricks@digital-music-guide.com">gary_hendricks@digital-music-guide.com</a>

Building A Good Relationship With Your Guitar

The guitar is considered the friendliest musical instrument there is. It is because the guitar is the handiest musical instrument that could stand on its own. A group can enjoy music with just a guitar even without the accompaniment of winds and percussions. The term &quot;acoustic&quot; is referred to, in the music context of today, the rendition of songs in all the glory of guitars. No percussion and piano and other instruments needed, just guitars. Sometimes, it can be the jamming of more than just one guitar. Acoustic is a favorite type of music today because of its relaxed and soulful rendition of songs.

The guitar can be carried everywhere and is one of the easiest instrument to be learned in no time. All you need is a songbook or song hits and you're ready to take the stage and perform to your heart's desire. It may sound so easy and can be done in a snap, however, playing a guitar is an art that needs to be perfected with constant practice. There are basic steps you need to know before mastering playing the guitar.

Basically, a guitar is like a friend you need to familiarize yourself with. Get to know the guitar and you'll be able to make good music together. For beginners, the first lesson starts with getting to know the guitar and its parts. Some examples of different types of guitars are the electric guitar, the base guitar, the 12-string guitars and the non-electric acoustical guitar.

Parts of a guitar:

Head ? is where the tuning keys are found. The strings are wound up around pegs which can be twisted to loosen or tighten the strings.

Tuning Keys ? are the keys which hold the strings. These keys are twisted to adjust the tones of the strings

Nut ? found at the edge of the fret board on which the strings pass before wrapping around the tuning keys

Fret board ? is where pitch and expression of the tones are controlled.

Frets ? 19 divisions on which fingers are placed

Little Metallic Bars/Fret bars ? thin metallic bars dividing the frets

Neck ? accommodates the fret board

Sounding Board ? the body of the guitar

Sounding Hole (Rosette) ? sounds produced are resonated. This serves as the amplifier of the acoustical guitar

Strings ? are of different sizes made up of either steel or nylon which are the foremost cause of sounds

Bridge ? the part where the strings are attached opposite. It is found at the body of the guitar.

Tuning the guitar is the next thing a guitar player should know. It is where he can further intensify his mastery and familiarity with the guitar. It is a gift if a person has the remarkable natural ability of hearing. He can determine if the guitar has good quality through hearing its tune for the first time. However, there are people who do not posses that certain gift. But there are other ways of tuning the guitar. One way is the ordinary method.

The first step to the ordinary method of tuning the guitar is finding a tuning instrument like a piano or an organ to base the tune.

<ul>

<li>The E chord or the 6th string should be based on the sound of the lower &quot;mi&quot; key of the piano or organ.

<li>Press the same string on the fifth fret, which makes it the A and base its sound on the sound of the &quot;la&quot; key of the piano or organ.

<li>Press the 5th string on the fifth fret, which makes it the D and base its sound on the sound of the &quot;re&quot; key of the piano or organ.

<li>Press the 4th string on the fifth fret, which makes it the G and base its sound on the sound of the &quot;so&quot; key of the piano or organ.

<li>Press the 3rd string on the fourth fret, which makes it the B and base its sound on the &quot;ti&quot; key of the piano or organ.

<li>Press the 2nd string on the 5th fret, which makes it the e and base its sound on the higher &quot;mi&quot; key of the piano or keyboard.

</ul>

Make sure that every string's tune sounds just like the sound of its corresponding key on the keyboard. And with that, you now know how to tune your guitar!

Knowing the parts of a guitar and learning how to tune it are vital aspects in picking or choosing very good quality of guitar. In choosing your own guitar, you must first try the accuracy of the frets. To do this, you must tighten all the six strings and check to hear a full tone when strummed or plucked.

Then do a complete scale for each string by, first, plucking the open string, then press the 2nd fret (of the same string), then the fourth fret, fifth fret, seventh fret, ninth fret, eleventh fret and twelfth fret. Each scale must produce the exact sound of the musical scale: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. The sound when the twelfth fret is pressed must be one octave higher than the sound when the open string is plucked. This process is called the mechanical test.

After completing the mechanical test, the next step is tuning the guitar. Since you already know the process in tuning, what you must achieve is to look for the fullness or roundness of the tone and not the loudness.

Lastly, the next thing you must consider in finding the best guitar for you is the comfort you will achieve while playing it. Choose a guitar that would require you to exert minimal pressure in pressing the frets in order to produce a full and booming sound. In this way, you would avoid blistering your fingertips which would make your practices easy, enjoyable and painless.

About The Author

The writer, Ismael D. Tabije, runs the website <a href="http://www.song-lyrics-with-guitar-chords.com" target="_new">www.song-lyrics-with-guitar-chords.com</a> that features guitar lessons, guitar chords, guitar song books, guitar sales and unlimited MP3 music and video downloads.

Common Thoughts That Kill Inspiration

Do you sit down at the piano and feel anxiety or peace? Are you anxious to begin creating or does the thought of being at your instrument bring you a sense of well being? It all begins with what you're telling yourself. If you think that what you are doing is not good enough, it's sure to kill off that quiet little motor of inspiration.

The thought of not good enough can put you into a deep freeze. It can stifle creativity and keep you stuck in doubt - a very nasty place to be in. Let's examine this thought of not good enough.

The first question that comes to mind is 'not good enough for whom?' Who are you comparing yourself to? If you hold yourself up to someone think about why that is. For example, I admire the playing of George Winston, but I'm not him and don't expect to be. His right hand technique is amazing and as much as I want to be able to play that succinctly, I just can't do it.

I accept that and really don't care so much about it. What's important to me is to be able to connect with my own creative source. This is the thought that keeps me grounded. If I begin to compare myself to another than I'm hopelessly lost and not focusing on what is truly important.

Another thought that kills inspiration is 'I'm not ready.' When will you be ready? Ten years from now? Next week? The fact is you don't need years of technical expertise to begin creating. If you wait another week or month or year to start, you will never begin and the world will miss out on your own unique voice. You are ready the moment you sit down to play. It all depends on what your goals are.

If your goal is to create a piece of music to perform for others, it will be ready after a certain amount of time. You, however, must be ready now. This means sitting down at the piano and being present in the moment. It all adds up bit by bit.

And last but not least is the thought that you don't know enough. Here's some news. You will never know everything and you will always be learning more. It never ends. I don't know everything there is to know about theory, chords, and harmony. Nobody does. But it doesn't stop me from experiencing the joy that comes from creating. This is your birthright and every creator's birthright.

Don't let the idea that you don't know enough stop you from your music. Even if you just learn what is in the free piano course you know enough to begin composing, improvising and creating. Fortunately, in the new age style, you don't need to know sophisticated chord voicing or how to read music. You can jump right in and taste how sweet the act of creation is right away.

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

Creating Within Limits

When I first started playing the piano I wanted to learn how to compose. The idea that I could create something tangible really appealed to me.

So much so that I read everything I could get my hands on to learn the great art of musical composition. The problem was that these books assumed that you knew certain things like form, structure, harmony, and counterpoint. What a disappointment! It was hard trying to take the feelings I had on the inside and put them down on paper.

The real problem was that I had it backwards. Instead of trying to learn composition first, I needed to learn how to improvise - how to free the inner voice from criticism and judgement so I could be free to create the music that was inside of me.

And so I began to read about how to improvise, Again, I was disappointed. I couldn't find good books on the subject, or books that would show me how to play in the New Age style - the style I loved. Eventually, I stumbled on a simple book that showed how to play using chord changes with 8-bar phrases. Now, here was something I could do! All I had to do now was learn chords. Once I knew how to play a few chords I began to see that in order to really be creative there had to be a set of limitations. An irony, yet one that works!

By playing chord changes within a set framework, I was learning how to create within limits. Even so called "free improvisation" has certain rules. For example, you may decide that you'll improvise using the chords and scale of D Major. That's creating within limits. It's not necessary to use limits to create music, but it definitely helps one to focus in on expressing yourself. Instead of thinking about what to play, you've already made that decision and are now free to create.

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

Learn to Play the Piano

Rocket Piano is a very professionally done piano lesson package. It includes a number of ebooks, audio tracks, and video tracks to support the instructional material. In addition, there's a ton of extras, all extremely well-done, and described below. The product is simple to download, and is perfectly paced for the introductory piano student. It runs on Windows and Macs, so it doesn't matter what kind of computer you have. In a word, if you want to learn to play, you'd be nuts to pass on this. I highly recommend it. Read on for the details.

Chapter One - Piano Facts and History

Don't skip this chapter. It's full of really interesting facts about the piano and includes a bit of history, a lot of physical facts about the instrument that the beginning piano lesson student should know, and some great diagrams that show the mechanics of how a piano produces sound. There's also a nice section about the pedals, which you don't find in most courses, that actually explains what the pedals are for and how they work. All in all, a great introduction.

Chapter Two - The Basics

Chapter Two provides all the basic information you'll need to get started in the right direction. It has the most complete description of how to sit at the piano that I've come across so far. You get the idea very easily from the included diagram that shows the proper position for your head, back, arms, and legs. Pay attention students There's nothing worse than seeing a beginning player struggling because of a slouch or being too high or too low in relation to the keyboard. Chapter Two continues with an explanation of proper hand position, and dispels the popular myth that you need very long fingers to play well. The author correctly points out that finger strength and agility are far more important characteristics than finger length. The standard and necessary assignment of numbers to each finger is included too, accompanied by a very good diagram. No confusion possible here. The layout of the keyboard is explained next, again with very clear graphics, and then the connection between the finger numbering system and the keyboard is introduced with some very simple exercises - so after only sixteen pages of background, the new student is actually using the keyboard. Note reading is introduced next with a very clear and simple approach that starts with the definition of a note, and then introduces the concept of rhythm. The notation for whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes is illustrated, and the standard duration of each is explained. What follows is a series of easy exercises to reinforce the basic concepts of note type and duration. Audio clips are available for each exercise to assure the student that they are proceeding correctly.

Chapter Three - The Musical Alphabet

Chapter Three starts with a graphic of the keyboard with all the notes labeled and then shows you the middle C hand position, followed by a short exercise that gets both hands going to familiarize the student with middle C and the surrounding notes. Chapter Three also introduces time signatures, the other component of rhythm. Good examples follow the explanation, and there are a few practice exercises, again with sample audio tracks. The rest of the chapters in the book are just as good and cover such topics as:

* the musical staff
* intervals
* sharps and flats
* playing scales
* rhythm
* arpeggios, and more.

Okay...if I review any more Chapters, you won't need the package, But I do want to tell you about the extras that come with Rocket Piano. First of all, there's a Music Theory Game called Jayde Musica that is really wonderful. When you start up the game, notes move past you on the screen from right to left and your job is to identify them before they scroll off the left-hand side of the display. You can click on the name of the note with your mouse, hit the letter on your keyboard that corresponds to the note(s) displayed, or type the number that you'll see associated with each note. The game has an Options menu that lets you control the level of difficulty (basically the speed at which the notes move), and there's even a high score screen that records your name once you start to excel. Kids love this stuff. This kind of game makes learning to read notes so painless, that there just isn't any excuse anymore

And it gets better...the second extra is another game called Keycelerator which helps you learn chord nomenclature and keyboard patterns. The game consists of a display of a chord pattern on the left of the display, and four choices on the right - a multiple choice test...the choices are shown as keyboard segments with different notes depressed. So if you can read the notes of the chord, you then pick the notes that represent the chord from the set of four choices; much more fun than studying a chord manual. The game keeps score and has a number of options you can control. (I'm not bragging, but I got a perfect score on my first test :)

The next extra is called Chordinator , which is designed to improve your chord recognition abilities. Structured much like Keycelerator , but the answer choices are in the form of chord names, not notes on the keyboard. Okay, I missed one on this game, but it was only because my finger slipped off the mouse and hit the wrong choice :) ...99/100 isn't bad though, right?

The next extra is really addictive It's called Perfect Your Pitch - it's an ear-training tool to help you home your pitch recognition skills. It plays a series of four notes and you have to pick the right choice from a set of four answers. It really is a lot fun. My score wasn't perfect on this one, and I had to force myself to stop ....like eating ice cream As you ear gets sharper it gets much easier to play songs by ear , and you'll start to recognize note combinations in common melodies and songs on the radio...just like learning a new language. This one is highly recommended. But don't ignore the other parts of the course while you try to perfect you pitch recognition abilities.

There's yet another bonus included called Advanced Learning Techniques for the Piano , but I think the little book is misnamed I think you should read this first when you get the package, and I also think this little gem is worth the cost of the package all by itself. What it tells you is how to practice - a topic that is completely ignored by most teaching packages - even by a lot of teachers I think it's one of the most important aspects of learning to play any instrument. Read it as soon as you get Rocket Piano. If you're just starting out, the insights you'll pick up here will save you a lot of frustration.

The Metronome program (another bonus) is really well-done. Just turn up the volume and save yourself the cost of a physical metronome. The graphics are marvelous.

If you like jazz, after you've gone through the basic Rocket Piano book, take a look at the add-on called Introduction to Jazz Piano . It has eight informative chapters that cover everything from jazz rhythms to chord progressions to syncopation. If you're not familiar with those terms, don't worry Start with the basic Rocket Piano book and then dive into the more advanced Jazz book.

So, my advice to you is to start your own personal countdown, and then blast your musical knowledge and your playing skills to new heights with this piano lesson package. Think about it...you get all the stuff described above for less than the cost of one or two private lessons.

Peter Cullen is the Webmaster at <a target="_new" href="http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com">http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com</a> and an avid amateur pianist. The site reviews piano lesson offerings on the Web and offers many other piano-related resources.

They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano... but When I Started to Play...

Remember the old ad that used to run endlessly in magazines and newspapers:

"They laughed when I sat down at the piano...but when I started to play..." ?

I remember very well the first time I played piano for a group. They DID laugh. It was a disaster. I overheard the leader say "Let's get somebody with some rhythm in there to play."

Ouch!

That hurt. But I told myself right then and there that I would learn to play the piano so well that no one would ever laugh at me again.

Guess what?

Nobody laughs anymore. And they don't laugh at my students, either.

Why?

Because I discovered...

-- The BACKDOOR to piano playing --

What in the world is the "backdoor to piano playing?

Chords.

Chords are a way in to the world of piano playing without having to go through the front door: years and years of scales, drills, rote practicing, etc. Chords are really a shortcut to understanding and playing music without all the formal training.

Formal training is fine if you have the time and money. But most adults don't want to wait forever before they can play something enjoyable on the piano. I took lessons when I was a kid, but found it boring. Not only that, but all I could do was play the written music exactly as it was written. Without the sheet music in front of me, I didn't have a clue what to do. So I lost interest in piano playing until the incident described above. But shortly after that, I had the opportunity to play in a school combo -- but to do that, I had to learn chords, and learn them fast.

I didn't really know where to turn, so I sent for a $2. chord chart advertised in Popular Mechanics, and within hours after I got it I was playing the Dm7 chord and the C6 chord in my left hand while I played the tune with my right hand. Talk about excited! Within a few weeks I could play dozens of songs using chords. And I discovered that my sight-reading speed greatly improved at the same time, because now I understood what I was seeing on the printed page!

So I came in through the back door instead, and now I enjoy what I used to hate! Why? Because I understand what I'm doing because now I understand chords and chord progressions. I eventually went on to get advanced degrees in music and literature from Southern Oregon University -- and it was easy because of all I had learned about music theory and harmony due to playing and understanding chords.

Can you do the same? There's really no reason why you can't if you have the desire. Start looking at sheet music with new eyes: look for notes that make up chords and then analyze those chords. Before long you'll start seeing a pattern of recurring chords ? in other words, chord progressions. Do this for a few months while simultaneously learning about chords and how they are formed, and music will take on a new dimension for you. You'll no longer view sheet music as something you are tied to, but rather you'll see it as a map that you can follow to create the sounds and styles you choose.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and products such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He can be reached at <a target="_new" href="http://www.pianolessonsbyvideo.com">http://www.pianolessonsbyvideo.com</a>

He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,700 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free two-year subscription by going to <a target="_new" href="http://www.playpiano.com">http://www.playpiano.com</a>.

The British Invasion

The Kasabian concert at the Kool Haus seemed like a concert somewhere in England (even though I haven't been there). This band out of Leicester pumped out amazing electronic, rock beats with an amazing light show. I've heard them on the radio with their hit &quot;Club Foot&quot; and have noticed them gaining more and more interest of us fellow Canadians.

After mingling in the crowd during the opening bands and at intermission I met Jeremy, straight from London, England who arrived to Toronto the night before for business. Finding out about the concert the day of, he was shocked that Kasabian was playing a venue like the Kool Haus. &quot;Kasabian is one of the top bands in the UK. They're brilliant!&quot; he said over and over.

&quot;Brilliant&quot; and &quot;fantastic&quot; were the popular words of the evening as I numerously heard not only Jeremy say, but also many others after almost every track ended.

Tom Meighan, the lead singer and the three other band mates all had the British shag and a killer sound to go with them. There is nothing better than hearing a band in concert and being exposed to the songs that you don't hear on the radio especially when you know that they are massive somewhere else in the world.

For those of you who are wondering the same as I was about 'what the heck does Kasabian mean?' they named themselves after Linda Kasabian, who was Charles Manson's getaway driver. That is about how American these boys get, everything else other than their name seemed strictly Brit.

I think that we will be hearing more of Kasabian in the future and who knows maybe their huge fame in England it may make it here to Canada, just like it has for many UK bands.

Farris Green
<a href="mailto:farris@sugarcainentertainment.com">farris@sugarcainentertainment.com</a>

A Brief History of Gongs

The gong is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. Archaeologists have unearthed gongs built almost four thousand years ago. No wonder when we hear a gong we feel like we are being touched in our soul.

The earliest written mention of the gong was in China in the 6th century. In these ancient documents the Chinese claim that another culture from Central Asia introduced it to them. While we can't be certain which culture created the gong, it's safe to say the sound resonated with the Chinese and that they made the gong their own.

The Chinese used gongs for many ceremonial functions. They were struck to announce when the Emperor or other important political and religious figures arrived. Military leaders also used gongs to gather men together for battle.

The gong and its music then migrated from China to Java -- the term gong is actually Javanese in origin -- and became established in Indonesia by the 9th century.

The Javanese made their gongs in a new way that was much different from the large flat Chinese gongs; they used deep turned-down rims with a raised knob in the center. The Indonesians also developed a style of playing many of their gongs at once, in a percussion orchestra known as a gamelan. In gamelan, the gongs are usually different sizes, with each one tuned to a different specific pitch.

Gongs migrated slowly from Asia to Africa ?- they didn't have the Internet and airplanes to speed things along back then -- and finally arrived in Europe in the eighteenth century.

The style of gong that Europeans first saw and heard was the big Chinese gong of indefinite pitch that you have probably seen in the back of orchestras.

Though now a regular part of the percussion section in Western orchestras, the first symphony to include one was Mirabeau, written by the French composer Francois Gossec, in 1791. Debussy became the first major composer to incorporate the sounds into his symphonies.

Andrew Borakove is a media writer and a gong aficionado. He is also the proprietor of Gongs Unlimited, the only internet store devoted solely to gongs. <a target="_new" href="http://www.gongs-unlimited.com">http://www.gongs-unlimited.com</a>

Learning to Play the Piano with Chords Part 2

Do you want to learn how to play chords on the piano? Can you already read sheet music or basic notes on the treble and or bass clef?

Do you look at the notes on a piece of sheet music and are unable to name the chords?

Or do you look at a piece of sheet music, see the letter "C" and are not sure which notes to play?

If you answered yes to the first and second question this is easy to remedy. Knowing which chords are being represented by notes in sheet music comes with practice just like reading the basic notes does.

Chords are three or more notes played together. When you see these groups of notes on sheet music start saying aloud which chord is being represented. Of course in the beginning this will go slowly. You could start daily for about 15 minutes and probably quickly become proficient in a matter of weeks (if you are already reading sheet music). You will need a chord chart so that you know which chords you are reading. Visit my website at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us and go to the free downloads page for a chord chart of the primary chords in each key. This is notation not the keyboard picture. This will help you to quickly see chords in notated music.

If your problem is the third question then this is even easier to remedy. You will be amazed how quickly your hands memorize the positions needed to play chords. Using the chord chart located at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us in the free downloads page. This chart lists the primary chords in each key in music notation or written out on the grand staff.

Daily practice will also make you more proficient here. But instead of reading the bass clef in sheet music to know what chords look like written out, take an easy song that stays in one key and that lists the chord letters above the melody. Go through the chord chart and find the primary chords for that key. Practice playing those chords several times and then try them with the song. Work on a new key as soon as you feel proficient in the current one. Go through the chords using the circle of fifths or fourths (also a copy of this at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us in the free downloads page). In no time at all you will be comfortable playing these chords and ready to move on to more!

Kemi is a church pianist and author of the book <a target="_new" href="http://www.lulu.com/content/121356">The Struggling Church Pianist</a>. Visit her website and download some free musician tools at <a target="_new" href="http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us">http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us</a>

How to Improvise Using a Few Chords

When a painter is getting ready to paint, a color palette is usually chosen first. For example, if a forest is to be painted, the artist may choose browns, greens, and blues for the sky. Once the palette is chosen, it makes it easier to create the painting. Why? Because color decisions are now out of the way.

We can apply this concept to music as well. In particular, New Age piano playing. In your lesson, Reflections in Water, we have four chords to play with and we have the order in which they are to be played. Now, all that is required "to paint" your sound portrait is the ability to take these chords and play around with them.

Once the decision about what chords to play and how to play them are out of the way, you can now focus on making music. This is how I created Reflections in Water. I knew that the piece would be in the Key of C. I then chose a few chords from this key and fooled around with them.

It can be very confusing for the beginner in improvisation.

There are so many choices and ways to go about making music. This is why limiting choice is important. Also, it is equally important to begin by using simple means. Many students think that if they can't compose like Beethoven or Mozart, they are untalented. Get rid of this idea quickly. Everyone starts from simple means and it's a good idea to begin your experience in improvisation the same way.

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

Arranging for New Age Piano

A while back, I wrote an article that compared flower arranging to music arranging. While this may seem a world apart, it really isn't.

In flower arranging, the goal is to create a pleasing whole using different flowers, colors, textures, etc. If you've ever seen a beautiful flower arrangement, you'll know what I mean. The eye takes in the various contrasts and colors and is pleased when it forms into one satisfying whole.

In music the object is the same. When arranging a piece for New Age piano, we work with sections. We can label the sections (A) and (B) and then "arrange" the sections into an order. The most common order is ABA form. It has the benefits of simplicity and is a good place to start with New Age piano.

Most times, I'll use an 8-bar phrase for the (A) section. This gets repeated 2 or 3 times. Then it's time for some contrast - the (B) section. This can be a 4 or 8-bar phrase depending on taste. Then the (A) section is repeated one last time.

Now, there are other elements that go into our arrangement such as introductions, transitions, and endings. Using these elements, we can create a pleasing musical arrangement that satisfies the minds need for order and beauty creating art!

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

The Dos and Donts of Getting Your Child to Love Learning an Instrument

We all know that music can be inspiring, entertaining, and exhilarating. There are few things more enjoyable than listening to good music. If you're lucky enough to be able to play a musical instrument, you know the joy that can come from strumming those strings, tapping those keys, or blowing those reeds. It's immeasurable. But, with all the amazing aspects of music, why is it such a struggle to get your child to enjoy learning how to play an instrument? Some children naturally enjoy the learning process, while others rally against it like it with all their will.

If you're the parent of such a willful musical holdout, thankfully for you there are simple ways to help your child love learning an instrument. For your benefit (and sanity), I'd like to share the following tips-the Do's and Don'ts of getting your child to love learning an instrument-so that music is always a pleasure to your family's ears.

What to Do If You Want Your Child to Enjoy Learning an Instrument

If you want your child to enjoy playing, then you should:

? Always give the highest compliments for progress and commitment

? Spend time listening to your child practice and play without criticizing

? Share your favorite music with your child

? Make music a part of your everyday (e.g., visit places where a variety of music can be appreciated like concerts and recitals)

? Provide the best equipment you can afford for your child and make sure the instrument is well-maintained

? Encourage your child to talk with you about his or her lessons

? After practice has been completed, encourage your child to experiment with music

? Make available the opportunity for your child to play for others without pressuring him or her to do so

What Not to Do If You Want Your Child to Enjoy Learning an Instrument

If you want your child to enjoy playing, then you can't:

? Have unreasonable expectations for progress

? Turn practice into a penalty

? Make your child perform for others when they say &quot;no&quot;

? Provide substandard equipment and think your child will be able to play like a virtuoso on it

? Criticize or make fun of small mistakes in your child's playing

? Make apologies to others if your child doesn't play perfectly

What to Do If Your Child Doesn't Want to Practice

If your child is losing interest in playing, practicing, and/or performing, there are a number of things you can do as a parent to help remedy the situation.

? Talk with your child. Find out why your child doesn't seem as interested in playing any more. Refrain from criticizing, but be sure to ask plenty of questions to see if you can get to the heart of the matter. Does your child not like his or her teacher? Choice of instrument? Time of practice? Type of music? Length of practice?

? If your child is taking formal music lessons, speak with the teacher and brainstorm ways to create renewed interest

? Assess why it's important to you for your child to learn an instrument and make sure it's your child's decision to play as well as yours

? Start wheeling and dealing. Talk out an agreement with your child. If your child will commit to continue with lessons for a set period of time, he or she can choose to quit after fulfilling that commitment

? Be the best cheerleader you can be. Your enthusiasm, support, and compliments can make all the difference in the world to your child. Be their number one fan!

Ultimately, you just want our kids to learn a love for music as well as a love for learning, right? There are few more satisfying experiences than when a child learns both of these life lessons. Do everything you can to foster a passion for learning and music in your home.

Knowing what to do and what not to do is so important if want to grow as a harmonious and happy family. You can do it.

Starting from the top now, and a one, a one, a one-two-three-four?

Jon Butt is the publisher of <a target="_new" href="http://www.the-musical-instruments-guide.com">Musical Instruments Guide</a> , a free resource dedicated to all things musical. From electric guitars to drum sets, tubas to bagpipes, and every musical accessory in-between, the <a target="_new" href="http://www.the-musical-instruments-guide.com/sheet-music.html">Musical Instruments Guide</a> is packed full of informative articles, find top-rated musical instruments and online merchants

Learn to Play the Piano

Rocket Piano is a very professionally done piano lesson package. It includes a number of ebooks, audio tracks, and video tracks to support the instructional material. In addition, there's a ton of extras, all extremely well-done, and described below. The product is simple to download, and is perfectly paced for the introductory piano student. It runs on Windows and Macs, so it doesn't matter what kind of computer you have. In a word, if you want to learn to play, you'd be nuts to pass on this. I highly recommend it. Read on for the details.

Chapter One - Piano Facts and History

Don't skip this chapter. It's full of really interesting facts about the piano and includes a bit of history, a lot of physical facts about the instrument that the beginning piano lesson student should know, and some great diagrams that show the mechanics of how a piano produces sound. There's also a nice section about the pedals, which you don't find in most courses, that actually explains what the pedals are for and how they work. All in all, a great introduction.

Chapter Two - The Basics

Chapter Two provides all the basic information you'll need to get started in the right direction. It has the most complete description of how to sit at the piano that I've come across so far. You get the idea very easily from the included diagram that shows the proper position for your head, back, arms, and legs. Pay attention students There's nothing worse than seeing a beginning player struggling because of a slouch or being too high or too low in relation to the keyboard. Chapter Two continues with an explanation of proper hand position, and dispels the popular myth that you need very long fingers to play well. The author correctly points out that finger strength and agility are far more important characteristics than finger length. The standard and necessary assignment of numbers to each finger is included too, accompanied by a very good diagram. No confusion possible here. The layout of the keyboard is explained next, again with very clear graphics, and then the connection between the finger numbering system and the keyboard is introduced with some very simple exercises - so after only sixteen pages of background, the new student is actually using the keyboard. Note reading is introduced next with a very clear and simple approach that starts with the definition of a note, and then introduces the concept of rhythm. The notation for whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes is illustrated, and the standard duration of each is explained. What follows is a series of easy exercises to reinforce the basic concepts of note type and duration. Audio clips are available for each exercise to assure the student that they are proceeding correctly.

Chapter Three - The Musical Alphabet

Chapter Three starts with a graphic of the keyboard with all the notes labeled and then shows you the middle C hand position, followed by a short exercise that gets both hands going to familiarize the student with middle C and the surrounding notes. Chapter Three also introduces time signatures, the other component of rhythm. Good examples follow the explanation, and there are a few practice exercises, again with sample audio tracks. The rest of the chapters in the book are just as good and cover such topics as:

* the musical staff
* intervals
* sharps and flats
* playing scales
* rhythm
* arpeggios, and more.

Okay...if I review any more Chapters, you won't need the package, But I do want to tell you about the extras that come with Rocket Piano. First of all, there's a Music Theory Game called Jayde Musica that is really wonderful. When you start up the game, notes move past you on the screen from right to left and your job is to identify them before they scroll off the left-hand side of the display. You can click on the name of the note with your mouse, hit the letter on your keyboard that corresponds to the note(s) displayed, or type the number that you'll see associated with each note. The game has an Options menu that lets you control the level of difficulty (basically the speed at which the notes move), and there's even a high score screen that records your name once you start to excel. Kids love this stuff. This kind of game makes learning to read notes so painless, that there just isn't any excuse anymore

And it gets better...the second extra is another game called Keycelerator which helps you learn chord nomenclature and keyboard patterns. The game consists of a display of a chord pattern on the left of the display, and four choices on the right - a multiple choice test...the choices are shown as keyboard segments with different notes depressed. So if you can read the notes of the chord, you then pick the notes that represent the chord from the set of four choices; much more fun than studying a chord manual. The game keeps score and has a number of options you can control. (I'm not bragging, but I got a perfect score on my first test :)

The next extra is called Chordinator , which is designed to improve your chord recognition abilities. Structured much like Keycelerator , but the answer choices are in the form of chord names, not notes on the keyboard. Okay, I missed one on this game, but it was only because my finger slipped off the mouse and hit the wrong choice :) ...99/100 isn't bad though, right?

The next extra is really addictive It's called Perfect Your Pitch - it's an ear-training tool to help you home your pitch recognition skills. It plays a series of four notes and you have to pick the right choice from a set of four answers. It really is a lot fun. My score wasn't perfect on this one, and I had to force myself to stop ....like eating ice cream As you ear gets sharper it gets much easier to play songs by ear , and you'll start to recognize note combinations in common melodies and songs on the radio...just like learning a new language. This one is highly recommended. But don't ignore the other parts of the course while you try to perfect you pitch recognition abilities.

There's yet another bonus included called Advanced Learning Techniques for the Piano , but I think the little book is misnamed I think you should read this first when you get the package, and I also think this little gem is worth the cost of the package all by itself. What it tells you is how to practice - a topic that is completely ignored by most teaching packages - even by a lot of teachers I think it's one of the most important aspects of learning to play any instrument. Read it as soon as you get Rocket Piano. If you're just starting out, the insights you'll pick up here will save you a lot of frustration.

The Metronome program (another bonus) is really well-done. Just turn up the volume and save yourself the cost of a physical metronome. The graphics are marvelous.

If you like jazz, after you've gone through the basic Rocket Piano book, take a look at the add-on called Introduction to Jazz Piano . It has eight informative chapters that cover everything from jazz rhythms to chord progressions to syncopation. If you're not familiar with those terms, don't worry Start with the basic Rocket Piano book and then dive into the more advanced Jazz book.

So, my advice to you is to start your own personal countdown, and then blast your musical knowledge and your playing skills to new heights with this piano lesson package. Think about it...you get all the stuff described above for less than the cost of one or two private lessons.

Peter Cullen is the Webmaster at <a target="_new" href="http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com">http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com</a> and an avid amateur pianist. The site reviews piano lesson offerings on the Web and offers many other piano-related resources.

Guitar Performance - Make The Most of It!

Getting ready for any type of guitar performance can be a little scary at first, but if you are well prepared, you will find the experience much easier to handle. Whether you're playing with a band, or by yourself; are a seasoned performer, or a rookie; there are several things you can do to make the most of your performance. First and foremost, realize that you are not the first one on the block to ever feel jittery about playing your guitar in public. It's a common experience among musicians, and being a little nervous can even work in your favor.

There is always a mysterious struggle that goes on inside me when I'm about to give a performance. I think it's something akin to the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde phenomenon. Two voices bantering for my attention, the good guy and the bad guy. Mr. Hyde tells me that I must be out of my mind. What makes me think I'm good enough to get up on a stage and play my guitar before an audience? Who do I think I am anyway? On the other hand, Dr. Jekyl tells me that I've worked hard practicing my guitar and know the material well. It will be fun to share what I've got with others so they can enjoy hearing it too. Be brave, live life to the fullest and go for it!

Because I am basically a shy person, it would be much easier for me not to play my guitar in public. But there is a certain drive, almost a need I have, to express myself through music; especially with regard to playing my own material. Yes, there is a certain risk involved; it's called being vulnerable. Anything could happen... A string could break (been there), you might forget the words or chords to the song (been there), you might make a mistake and have to start over (been there too). But no matter what happens, the world will go on and you will discover that people are very supportive and encouraging overall. I'm always amazed when I get positive feedback over a performance that I thought was absolutely awful. It provides me with more incentive to continue on.

So how can you make the most of your guitar performance? Below I've put together several suggestions for you to consider. They are in no particular order of importance. Some may be relevant to you at certain times and irrelevant at others. Just take what you need and ignore the rest.

1. Develop a repertoire (song list) of approximately ten to twelve songs and memorize them.

2. Make sure you select songs with different tempos and rhythms for your performance in order to create and sustain interest from your audience.

3. Pick songs with varying degrees of difficulty, but don't overestimate yourself. Be realistic about your own ability. You want to pick songs that you enjoy and are able to play well on your guitar when no one is watching. If you find that you are constantly making mistakes in a particular song, give yourself more time to get it down before actually performing it in public.

4. Practice playing with distractions. You will be amazed at how beneficial this can be. I remember playing at an outdoor concert once where the band that was to follow mine was warming up right behind us! Tamborines and all. One of the bandmembers actually started asking me questions about my guitar performance and wanted to know how I learned to play like that! It was very weird, but all I could do was ignore her. After that experience and a few others like it, I began practicing my repertoire with the T.V. and radio turned up pretty loud to mimic such distractions.

5. Start your performance off with something that you find easy to play on the guitar and graduate to the more difficult pieces later. This will help you to warm up your fingers and get comfortable with being on stage. I usually like to start with a strong, upbeat song in order to gain the attention of the audience and rid my stomach of butterflys.

6. Get a good night's sleep the night before your performance if at all possible. That will help keep you fresh and alert and also reduce your level of anxiety.

7. Avoid drinking too much alcohol or caffeine.

8. Have all your clothes, equipment, contact information and directions ready the night before.

9. Always have extra strings, pics and guitar batteries, etc. in your gig bag.

10. Relax, take a deep breath and try to enjoy yourself. After all, it's just another part of the learning process and tomorrow's a brand new day!

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site as long as you include the following information:

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: <a target="_new" href="http://www.abclearnguitar.com">http://www.abclearnguitar.com</a>

Flaming Guitars! Minarik Fuels The Excitement of a New Generation of Musicians

From the Telecaster to the Flying V to the Iceman to the Warlock, some guitar designs are forever branded on our consciousness, and now there's a new one: the Minarik Inferno X-treme. The body shape erupts in furious fingers of flame. If ever there was a guitar design destined to ignite the imagination of young players, especially boys and girls who want to rawk, this is it.

Not that the Inferno X-treme lacks subtlety. With scientifically placed tone chambers, this instrument can sing sweetly if that's what you desire. Or, it can live up to its appearance and enable you to carve sonic craters in the parking lot.

Although this guitar has a look that will inspire thousands of preteen statements along the lines of "Mom, that's the one I want," I suspect that tons of established players will find it useful in the studio or on the road because of its delicate balance, sleek feel, and stunning versatility. (And besides, the cunningly crafted guitar is also available in a more traditional body shape.)

"So, what's the story on Minarik Guitars?" I can hear you ask. As the designer of the B.C. Rich Goddess Warlock and several other noteworthy models, Marc Minarik already has a legacy in the business. Now heading up his own company, Minarik has the goal of fusing quality workmanship with visually exciting design concepts.

Actually, his plan is much more complex than "make it attractive and build it right." Marc Minarik is as eager to talk about the playability of his guitars as about their construction and appearance. And if you inquire about the light weight and the chambered body, he is just as pleased to demonstrate the superior nature of his firm's products.

The flame-shaped body isn't just flashy; the size and curve of the flames have been carefully calculated to positively affect the tone and balance of the instrument. The flame design is eye-candy, but it's the application of the physics of sound that makes the Minarik Inferno X-treme really hot.

With a wonderful combination of form and function, the Minarik guitar line may have some interesting side effects, like bringing vitality to retail sales, launching a new generation of guitar players, and saving music from passive pop.

Not bad for a guy with a dream about a flaming guitar.

Minarik Contact:
www.minarikguitars.com
818-383-1254
minarikguitars@aol.com

# # #

Scott G (The G-Man) proudly plays a Minarik Inferno. He creates radio commercials and composes music for songs and spots at G-Man Music & Radical Radio. A member of the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (<a target="_new" href="http://www.narip.com">http://www.narip.com</a>) and The Recording Academy (<a target="_new" href="http://www.grammy.com">http://www.grammy.com</a>), he also writes about music for the Immedia Wire Service. He is on the Web at iTunes, <a target="_new" href="http://www.delvianrecords.com">http://www.delvianrecords.com</a>, <a target="_new" href="http://www.myspace.com/thegman">http://www.myspace.com/thegman</a>, and <a target="_new" href="http://www.gmanmusic.com">http://www.gmanmusic.com</a>

Music Industry Insider: Tess Taylor of NARIP and LAMN

Members of LAMN (founded in 1988) and NARIP (founded in 1998), are able to more quickly gain the insight, knowledge, and contact information they need for career development and career enhancement.

The success of both organizations extends well beyond their names ? both LAMN and NARIP have members across the country and around the globe. Offices have opened in Canada, New York, and London, with additional cities getting in line.

Prior to Taylor's development of these influential organizations, there was no formal entity that addressed the educational, networking, or mentoring functions necessary to nurture a new generation for the music industry. Each of these factors is important, but there is no doubt which one Taylor values most: "Networking is what this business - all business, really - is about," she states. "If you want to get ahead, you've got to know people. You can be a genius but remain entrenched in obscurity and poverty unless you get out there and let people know who you are."

LAMN:

LAMN is a multifaceted resource for newcomers to the music business, as well as an avenue for students to learn more about the industry and how they might break into it. LAMN sponsors industry gatherings, workshops and seminars with top executives from all areas of the music business.

NARIP:

To qualify to become a member of NARIP, you must be a professional in the record industry. "I realized that, beyond organizations like the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) which is a lobbying body that focuses on legislation, there wasn't an organization that served the needs of those whose careers are completely in the record industry," Taylor stated.

The Beginnings.

"The idea for the Los Angeles Music Network goes back to my first job in the business, with Avalon Attractions, a big concert promoter in Southern California," says Taylor. "Every spoke of the music industry wheel comes together to make a concert happen. Here I was, fresh out of college, and I had access to just about every possible type of professional - from radio to press to record company personnel, from artist managers to the artists themselves."

Taylor looked around for an association through which she could meet the people she interacted with on the phone. "I was very surprised not to find anything of real value, so I started putting together little meet-and-greets among the people I was dealing with," she says. "At first, there were only about three or four of us, but it grew. That was the seed that led to my building the professional relationships I have today, not to mention the Job Bank and my mailing list. It's the best in the business."

Some of what LAMN and NARIP do overlaps, and Taylor regularly employs NARIP members for LAMN panels and other functions, and to mentor LAMN members. However, she is keen to provide the right kind of experiences for each group.

For NARIP members, her approach is to take on a continuing-education role. "We should never stop learning and, no matter how much experience we may have, there's always something else or another point of view that we can absorb and appreciate," Taylor says.

Pianist-turned-executive:

A classically-trained pianist, Taylor is also is an instructor, music business lecturer and speaker at institutions such as the Harvard Business School, New York University, the Caltech/MIT Enterprise Forum, Berklee College of Music, University of California Los Angeles (Entertainment Studies & Performing Arts), University of Southern California, Academy of Contemporary Music (Guildford, London), California State University at Chico, Middle Tennessee State University, Music and Entertainment Industry Educator's Association International Symposium (2000 and 2002), University of Hawaii, California State University at Pomona, the Pepperdine University School of Business and others. A popular guest speaker and participant in industry conferences internationally, she served as Conference Chair for Musicom4, a music technology symposium (1998), and as keynote speaker for Berklee College of Music Summer Conference (2003)

She is a consultant to InsideSessions, a joint venture between the Universal Music Group and Penguin Putnam, and sits on numerous international charity and industry boards of directors. She is a frequent talent judge at US and international talent competitions and has recently participated on panels for Universal Talent Prague (Czech Republic 2003) and for the Golden Magnolia International Song Festival (Baton Rouge 2003).

As a writer and contributor, her analyses have appeared recently in Billboard Magazine, Radio & Records, USA Today, Newsweek, Source Magazine, the Chicago Sun Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News, Daily Variety, Musician Magazine, Wired, Lip Service Magazine, Los Angeles Business Journal and wire services such as Reuters Ltd., and in international business press (Capital Magazine [Spain], Challenges / Le Nouvel Observateur [France]). She has been a featured expert on National Public Radio's "Hollywood Wrap," the Fox News Channel, Samm Brown's "For The Record" on KPFK 90.7-FM, Ira Fistell's talk radio program on KRLA 1110-AM and in other news media.

Contact:

Tess Taylor can be reached at (818) 769-7007 or via email at tess@narip.com.

Scott G (The G-Man) writes and produces radio commercials from G-Man Music & Radical Radio. With albums on Delvian Records, iTunes, Amazon, and many other online stores, he also composes music that is played in clubs, on college radio stations, and on commercials. A member of NARAS (the Grammy organization) and NARIP (National Association of Record Industry Professionals), he writes about music, advertising, marketing, communications, advertainment, and digital distribution for the Immedia Wire Service and MusicDish.com. Samples of his songs and commercials are on his site at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.gmanmusic.com">http://www.gmanmusic.com</a>

Les Paul Vintage Gibson Guitars

Les Paul vintage Gibson guitars were first produced in 1952. These guitars were the first solid body electric that Gibson had made. The 1952 version of the Les Paul vintage guitar has a gold top nitro-cellulose lacquer finish, and no serial number. This Gibson was designed by Les and included Kluson tuners, a pair of P90 pickups, and retailed for $210.

These Gibson vintage guitars were simply called 'Les Paul' models, and later became known as Gold Tops because of the finish. Most Les Paul Gibson vintage Gold Tops have a gold colored maple top with natural back, a few guitars were made that had the gold finished all over.

In 1954 Gibson launched the Les Paul Custom vintage guitar. The Les Paul Custom has an ebony fretboard, with elaborate bindings on the guitar body and headstock. Among some guitarists this Gibson vintage acquired the name 'black beauty' because of its gold plated hardware and black finish. The Custom was the first fitted with a tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece.

The Les Paul Junior has a flat, uncarved mahogany body with no binding. The Junior guitar is equipped with a single P90 pickup, along with an old wraparound combined bridge/tailpiece. Some Les Paul Juniors were referred to as Les Paul TV models because of their blond/yellow finish instead of a sunburst. On stage live these TV models always attraction attention.

Copyright ? JJ PERSISTENT PUBLISHING, INC.

PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the included copyright and author's resource box with live website links.

Jeremy Hier is the Business Manager and Webmaster of <a href="http://www.best-guitar-deals.com/" target="_blank">Best Guitar Deals</a> Jeremy Hier is a freelance writer and regular contributer He likes to offer his advice and tips to consumers looking to purchase <a href="http://www.best-guitar-deals.com/acoustic-guitar.html" target="_blank">acoustic guitars</a> and <a href="http://www.best-guitar-deals.com/electric-guitar.html" target="_blank">electric guitars</a>

Guitar Buying - The Pros and Cons of Vintage vs. Reissue

To most people, owning the "genuine article" is the only thing that will suffice. As a guitar player, and one who appreciates classic "vintage" instruments, I can fully understand this point of view. I can't think of a single guitarist who wouldn't absolutely adore playing a real 50's Les Paul or Stratocaster. However, becoming the proud owner of a true vintage instrument does have its drawbacks.

First of all, there's the price of admission. The increasingly strong demand for vintage instruments has driven their prices through the roof and out of reach for most of us. Top quality, well taken care of original instruments from the 50's and 60's can approach the cost of a new car, or in some cases a small house!

Another problem facing vintage instruments is their questionable reliability. Although they were built to stand the test of time, a vintage instrument will almost always prove to be more delicate and fragile than a later, more modern version. This may not be of great importance to a guitar collector, but if you're planning to gig with a 50 year old, highly valued piece of guitar history, you may want to think again.

Fortunately there is an alternative for those of us who love vintage instruments, but find them either too expensive or too impractical for our purposes. I am referring to the latest crop of vintage guitar replicas, or as they are better known, "reissues".

Both Gibson and Fender maintain separate production facilities known as "Custom Shops", were they produce replicas of our favorite oldies with great skill and care. These guitars are made of the finest woods, and are almost entirely built by hand using time honored techniques. The electronics are custom manufactured to be as true and faithful to the original instrument as is humanly possible.

The cost of these Custom Shop guitars are high when compared to their production line variants, but they are still far below the cost of the real thing. They come complete with a full warranty, the durability of a new instrument, and sparkling clean looks. I own several reissue guitars from both Gibson and Fender, and can truthfully say that I am very impressed with the quality and painstaking level of detail that these guitars possess. The use of high quality woods give them a tone which is a cut above the norm, and knowing that parts are readily available helps add some peace of mind.

When all things are considered, buying a reissue guitar is in most cases the next best thing to owning the original. Although nothing will ever replace the "vibe" and nostalgia associated with the real deal, the high cost and impracticality of a vintage instrument for everyday use, makes owning a reissue a very attractive alternative. Will a reissue ever sound like its well aged 50 year old counterpart? Probably not, but for us players with an appreciation for classic instruments, a Custom Shop reissue from the original manufacturer is very hard to beat.

? Written By: Michael Casamento

Michael Casamento is the founder of Guitar Pages Online - a comprehensive resource for guitars and guitar related merchandise on the Internet.

For more information visit:<a target="_new" href="http://www.guitarpagesonline.com">http://www.guitarpagesonline.com</a>

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

Suzuki Violin Vs Traditional Violin

The Suzuki violin method has come to dominate the way violin is taught in America and throughout much of the world. Mention the Suzuki violin method to music educators, and you will get a variety of responses. While it is common for some teachers to mix elements of Suzuki violin method with the traditional approach other teachers either love or hate the Suzuki method. Let's examine the Suzuki violin versus the traditional violin below.

The Suzuki violin study method emphasizes passive modes of learning - watching and listening. Before engaging in formal study, Suzuki violin students are exposed to recordings of the first and subsequent pieces they will play, as well as recordings of great performances from the general classical repertory. This continues when students begin formal study and as they progress. Recordings are played as "background music", for hours each day and at low volume levels. Here, the thinking is that exposure to recordings is similar to the effect of immersion that naturally occurs in the process of primary language acquisition. Successful study is enhanced by prolonged repeated exposure. Suzuki violin students develop an internal model of the music to be studied. They memorize the music and internalize the nuances of pitch, tone, timing, articulation, and dynamics demonstrated in recorded performances.

Traditional violin study favors a type of training that virtually ignores passive learning approaches. While students may be encouraged to listen to recordings of the more advanced repertory played by concert artists or symphony orchestras, beginning students are generally not given the opportunity to listen to recordings of the beginning pieces that they are or will be studying.

Suzuki violin incorporates the passive mode in class. Before Suzuki violin students ever receive the violin, they observe others who are doing what they will eventually do. Even after receiving and working with the violin, they continue to observe others in the masterclass setting and group lessons. While, the more traditional violin lessons are modeled on an environment of isolation. When students do interact, competition between individual students is often used as a means to motivate them. Cooperative learning techniques are neglected or ignored. With the one-on-one model, students don't get much opportunity to study and play music with peers.

The Suzuki violin method imparts technical skills needed to play the violin in a way that has similarities with the approach used in traditional Asian martial arts. There is meticulous attention to form, detail, and movement and it is usually taught by a master who has been handed the skills by other masters. Suzuki formulated a highly original violin technique that is radical and remarkably efficient. He has disseminated these ideas to teachers and students in the form of "teaching points" - specific descriptions, each dealing with a single aspect of technique and recommended exercises for its mastery. In the process of renovating violin study, Suzuki dramatically improved the way the violin is technically mastered.

Looking for information about the violin? Go to: <a target="_new" href="http://www.mrviolin.com">http://www.mrviolin.com</a> 'Mr Violin' is published by Helen Baxter - The Complete A to Z Of Violin Resources! Check out more violin articles at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.mrviolin.com/archive">http://www.mrviolin.com/archive</a>

Internet Jams

Today's technology for the recording musician has been getting better and better with each passing month it seems. Software and computer interfaces are getting much less sophisticated and more user friendly for the average Joe. And,let's not forget, less expensive.

Software like Acid Pro 4.0 is what I use to create and upload music to the web. I've been using products from Sonic Foundry Sony) for 4 years now. Their software products are superb to say the least. I highly recommend this software to build your music creations.

Acidplanet is where I upload my music and Video for the whole world to see and hear. As a member, you can upload music and video files for free.

Software like Vegas Video (also made by Sonic Foundry-Sony), it is what I use to create music videos.

Now, don't get me wrong? this is the software I use and recommend. There are many reliable programs out there to choose from.

I've been doing some online music collaborations as of late myself. This has been a great experience for me. However, as with anything else, there is a learning curve.

So... I thought I'd pass some simple tips that will help anchor you to a basic format you can start with.

These are common sense tips that I'm giving here and they work well if you follow this basic format everytime.

First, you need you find a website that has musicians who have the same interest you do. Yes, "online music collaborations."

"Musician Forum Boards are a great place to start. Here are just a few that will help get you started."

Guitar Noise Forums has recently created a page called, appropriately enough, Online Jams and Collaborations. It's pretty much a bulletin board where you can hook up with others who are interested in putting together an online jam, hosted by another site. You can join in on a jam or announce one of your own.

&quot;GuitarDuel.com is a site for guitarists of all ability levels to display their work. The best part is that it's free to join, but we'll have weekly contests with real prize money," says site creator, Don Harrold.

The appeal of GarageBand.com is the unique way in which it uses the Internet to find talented new groups.

Artistopia is committed to building the ultimate end-all solution for music artists, musicians, songwriters, and industry professionals to develop and do business in one spot. Armed with comprehensive membership plans, industry experts, expert technologist, business management, and solid online presence, Artistopia is leading the frontier in online artist development.

Whenever a site such as these have a Forum Board, use them to find other artist that have the same taste as you. I usually introduce myself right away after signing up. It doesn't take long until you find some really cool musicians that are more than willing for an online collaboration. Acidplanet.com is where I upload my tunes.

Once I get on the Forum Board, I'll look for topics of discussions. Songwriting Topics, Recording Topics etc. This is where you'll find folks to collaborate with.

A great why to start is by taking a consensus. Throw the idea out there with some guidelines established. Remember, it's all in the approach. Then, folks need to hear what you are working on first, just to find out if it's something they can get into...

My first "collabs" were done by posting backing tracks for others to download and do their own thing with..

Some of the top players on AP really had a good time with that, and it grew into something way beyond what I intended. Very cool?

You can do the same thing by building the backing track, and listing the lyrics you want in the song description.

You'll probably get a lot more folks involved if you let them post the songs on their own pages too...

To collaborate with others takes time. Just being vague and asking for a collaboration will probably not get very many responses. Having your ideas laid out before hand would probably get more responses. Most good musicians I know are looking to be challenged a little when it comes to making music. Remember, it's got be worth while I'm sure.

Any "collaboration" is a community effort between people, with equal input and participation throughout the project.

A great approach would be to post a subject idea for a group project, discuss ideas posted by participating members on that subject, and come to a consensus on:

1. What the outline of the song should be (genre, instrumentation, time signature, tempo, key, section layout of verses/choruses/bridges/solos).

2. Which people will contribute what parts and instruments

3. Where the finished parts of each collaborator will be uploaded to

4. Who is responsible for collecting/mixing/mastering the parts

5. A timeline for when parts need to be done to keep the project moving smoothly

6. What profile the song will be uploaded to

7. A "project head" to oversee the entire process and make sure things are running smoothly, communication is consistent and informative, and every participant is included equally in the project.

"Hope these tips and guidelines help you get you on the right track."

Internet Jams By <a target="_new" href="http://www.guitarz-for-ever.com">Scott Thomas</a>

Scott Thomas
Managing Editor
<a target="_new" href="http://www.guitarz-for-ever.com">Guitarz Forever.com</a>

Five Steps to Protecting Your Music and Your Money

There are a lot of independent labels out there waiting to use a talented musician to make quick money. The offers may seem hard to refuse, especially if you are a struggling artist or band that has struggled to get a record deal. A little money and exposure may seem great for the moment, but you run a high risk of getting contractually bound to that record label for the rest of your life. If a better deal comes along later, you may not be able to accept it, or you may get robbed of your rightful percentages.

All of this I learned the hard way. I was very fortunate to be able to get myself out of trouble and get a fresh start in the music business. I also took time to educate myself through books and the experiences of others, as well as mys own, to conceive a plan on how to avoid a repeat of what happened once before. This plan I believe will be very helpful for you ambitious artists pursuing your dreams. It is put into five easy steps, but make sure to read the details listed within each step.

1. Copyright your music

This is one of the most important things you can do to protect your music. Take the time, fill out the forms. There have been many instances where a person wrote a song and nothing ever came of it. Years later a signed band steals their song and remakes it. The original artist had it copywritten and sues the other record label for thousands if not millions of dollars. Instant riches! Protect your tunes.

2. Understand what you really want from your music

Figure out whether you are looking to sell your songs to record companies, or be the band and artist who performs the songs. There is good money in just writing songs for other bands. Ask for a percentage if that is your decision, because that will generally make you much more money in the long run than an up front payment. The only thing you sacrifice by writing instead of performing is the fame and exposure. Also, determine how much you stand behind your music. Are you willing to allow the record company to make several changes to your songs and try to mold you into &quot;their sound&quot;? How much do you believe in your product?

3. Get a contract lawyer and agent

You need an agent to represent your band to the record labels. This person doesn't need to be an established agent in the business. It can be a friend or relative if they can talk assertively and won't make any quick decisions without consulting the band. The record companies only want to talk to one person, not three, four, or five members of a band. It gets too confusing for them and they don't have the time. Make sure they are looking out for your best interests and not theirs.

A contract lawyer is especially important. Just call around and find a local lawyer who specializes in contracts. When it comes time to sign the dotted line, make sure the lawyer is by your side. Don't sign any contracts or documents until you and your lawyer have taken time to read them thoroughly and make a decision. If a record company is rushing you to sign any papers, walk away. Patience should be allowed to you if they are truly interested. If they rush you, they are planning to manipulate you.

4. Promote yourself tirelessly

Artists have been discovered a number of different ways. Every band has a different story. Use every media avenue you can to expose yourself nationally. Unless you live in L.A., New York, or Atlanta, local exposure isn't going to be enough. Think big with your music!

5. When offers are made, research them well before committing

Don't take the first offer made to you, only unless it's a major record label and you researched what they offer very well. Signing bonuses are nice, but long term percentages are most important. Every artist gets a different percent with their label. The longer you have been in the business, the better your percents will get. Don't get too greedy. Aim high and let them work you down. Twenty-five percent on the total profits on you album is very high. Most bands don't get that. Remember, the suits and ties are the ones who make the big money. Without them, you are just selling CD's out of the back of your trunk. If you don't write your music, your percentages won't be near twenty-five percent. Singer/songwriters make more money.

Good luck as you venture into the formidable music industry. There are several independent labels that are legit, but there are thousands of them that aren't. Be careful and try to follow these steps listed above. I hope you can gain good fortune using these five steps.

Jeromie Frost is a singer, songwriter and recording artist. His story and music can be accessed at <a target="_new" href="http://www.jeromiefrost.com">http://www.jeromiefrost.com</a>

How Any DJ Can Increase Their Gigs and Profits By This Simple Strategy

The DJ industry is very competitive. There are many DJ's who are making huge amounts of money and then there are other DJ's who are struggling to find any gigs at all.

If there are some DJ's who are thriving with their business and you are not, there is something you can do to change that completely around where you become booked with as many gigs as you can handle.

To do this, you have to understand how to use a concept and differentiate yourself from the other DJ's.

So I need to ask you this question.

How different are you from any other DJ?

Do you provide services or products that another DJ doesn't? Do you provide better quality? Do you have the cheapest rates? Do you offer follow up services? Do you offer advice? Do you offer more solutions?

What do you offer your customer's that is different from your competitors?

This is the million-dollar question you need to be asking yourself.

A lot of dj's don't have any idea how they are different from their competitors. The answer is usually ? 'we offer great service and excellent sound quality' or 'we offer the best range of music'. This is not being different from your competitor's as this would be exactly the same answer they would say.

The problem is you look the same as everyone else.

If you look the same as your competitors, how does your customer know whom to choose? They just choose whoever don't they?

I will put it simple. Pretend all of your competitors and yourself were in a room and a customer opens the door and has to choose only one of you. Your competitors and yourself scream out ? 'pick me, pick me'. The funny thing is you don't get picked because the customer didn't even see you. You all 'looked' the same.

To overcome this, you need to be unique. Stand out from the crowd and be different. Be different means you are going to get noticed. But you have to go a lot further than that. You have to develop a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

A USP is some area of your business that offers a solution to your customer's problems. A USP is the reason why a customer does business with you. It determines whether they choose you or not. Not only that it allows you to charge above your competitors without losing any customers. This way, you don't get bogged down in a price war and lose profits.

There are several areas that could be a USP for a business:

Price

? At Electric DJ Services, we offer the lowest price. Guaranteed.

? At Joe's DJ World, we offer the cheapest prices. If you find it cheaper somewhere else, we will match it and give 5% off our price

Service

? At 'Dj Sound', we are open longer than any other DJ from 8.00am to 11.00p everyday

? At 'hillside sound quality' we understand that sometimes your guests at parties want to hear certain tracks. Well have nearly all tracks available and we will play upon request. And if we don't have it available you get an extra ? hr of our playing time.

Value

? When you book us for any children's party, you get a free dance video thrown in for each child to take home.

? Our business services provide the best sound quality there is. If you find that our sound quality isn't the best you heard, you don't pay. We stand behind our equipment 100%

Exclusivity

? At 'Big Bens' DJ services, we only use a special sound system that there is only three other companies are using in the world.

? At Electric DJ's, we have the largest range of music tracks available anywhere.

By having any of these areas (you may have a niche one) allows for customer to choose someone who is providing the benefit and solution that they are after.

How do you choose an USP?

That comes down to understanding your customers. What are their needs, wants and desires? What questions do your customers ask themselves before they buy? For example:

Why should I choose this business?
What are they going to do for me?
What promises will they make for me?
What exceptions will be granted for me?
How much value are they going to add to my life?
What cost is it?
What support systems are in place?
How convenient is it to use this business?
Will I suffer any consequences from going to this business?
How much pleasure will I receive from doing business here?

And so on.

Find out what your customers wants. ASK THEM.

The easiest way to develop your USP is to find out what is your customer's problems are in dealing with your competitors and solve that problem.

Here's how Jay Abraham describes how to put it into practice.

You know how?

Well, what we do?

? You know how you have to wait in a line for over 20mins in banks to be served. Well, what we do is if anyone has been waiting in line for more than 10mins in our bank, we credit your account $10.

? You know how most mechanics need your car overnight to fix and leave you stranded without a car. Well, what we do is supply you with a car to use overnight so you wont be inconvenienced.

? You know how most personal trainers charge you and if you don't get to your desire weight, they charge you more sessions. Well, what we do is if you don't reach your desired weight within a given period, you don't pay any money until you reach your desired weight.

Now your turn. Grab a piece of paper and write a few responses.

You now how??.

Well what we do is??

It's that easy. Find a problem that your customer's are experiencing with a competitor and solve it. You have then developed your USP.

You must therefore investigate what your competitors are doing. For instance:

You must know how they are treating their customers.
What they are offering them?
What their prices are?
What extra benefits do their customers get?
What support and advice do they get?
Where are they letting their customers down?

By knowing these answers is very powerful. It allows you the feedback on how to develop your business and not fall in the trap that your competitors are setting for themselves.

You must do the opposite to what they are doing. Offer more solutions than your competitor is the key. Offer more value. Offer more convenience. Offer more advice. Offer more.

Now you can understand that when most DJ's say our USP is that we offer better quality and service, this doesn't stand up because that is what your competitor is also offering. You must fine a problem in the quality or service and solve that area.

If you don't do this, you will become a business of 'pick me, pick me'.

When someone goes to the Yellow Pages, they are looking for a solution aren't they? They are trying to find someone to provide that solution.

This is what a customer's says ? &quot; I want?and who can provide that for me?&quot;

What does your yellow pages or advertising say? Does it tell your customers you have a solution to their problem? Or does it just describe the features?

You must advertise your USP everywhere

In every little bit of your marketing, you must state your USP.

It is no use having a killer USP that will bring an unlimited amount of customers if nobody knows about it.

It must be in your sales letters, headlines, when you answer the phones (if applicable), your ads, your yellow pages ad, your brochure etc?

Everyone must know what it is.

How about having this as your headline:

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Or

Most DJ's don't take request. Well with any of our DJ's they take all requests no matter how old the song is. (USP: Service)

Everyone knows what you are on about.

Owen Nicholson has been showing DJ's all over the world how to increase their gigs and profits. For a free report on 'Advertising Mistakes that DJ's Make', go to <a target="_new" href="http://www.disc-jockey-profits.com">http://www.disc-jockey-profits.com</a>

Musicians Injuries: OUCH, It Hurts When I Play (But Please Dont Tell Me To Stop!)

This article takes a look at musicians' injuries. For an expert perspective, I interviewed Dr. Sarah Mickeler, B.Mus., D.C. Dr. Mickeler is a former professional musician and a chiropractor who concentrates on musicians' injuries in her practice.

1) What led you to specialize in musicians' injuries?

I have a very personal connection to musician's injuries. I had trained as a classical clarinet player and it was during my undergrad that I started to have all sorts of problems from playing too much and with poor posture. Unfortunately, I was told, as many others are, that I should just play through the pain and that maybe it would get better! Of course, it didn't, and it eventually led to the demise of my career as a clarinetist, because I was totally unable to hold up my instrument. So, I decided to pick a new career that would help others musicians - and hopefully before they got to the point that I was at! Chiropractic appealed to me because of the whole health care paradigm that it embodies - as chiropractors, we diagnose and fix the cause, rather than masking the symptoms.

2) What is different about treating musicians than treating the general population?

Often, what I tell people who don't understand the specifics of musicians' injuries, is that "it takes one to know one". As a musician, it can be very difficult to explain to a physician or physiotherapist or even another chiropractor what the mechanics look like when you are playing your instrument. But when someone comes into my office and says that they play flute, or guitar, or tuba, or whatever, I know exactly what the physical component of playing their instrument involves. That is a very important first step.

Secondly, not only do you have to be able to have a good understanding of what playing that instrument involves, but you have to be able to see that person play. Even if someone tells me they play violin (I automatically think: "ok, so they will be leaning their head to the left and have right shoulder problems, etc..."), I am often shocked to see how over the years of playing they have contorted themselves into a little pretzel while they play!

So, on the first or second visit, all of my musicians bring in their instruments and I do a thorough playing analysis to see what it is that they're doing right and wrong. It could be that their posture is contributing to their injury. Or maybe there's something about the instrument that we could change; it might just need a minor adjustment in the thumb rest or a key positioning.

For instance, I have very small hands and found it difficult to reach some of the alternate fingering keys on my clarinet - so I had them sawed off and re-soldered on in a different direction so I could reach them.

Thirdly, it is important to recognize that there are some really common reasons for performance injuries. The most common ones are a change in repertoire, a change in the instrument (such as a new mouthpiece or something similar), a change in practice time or an upcoming recital. If we can pinpoint what it is that the performer has been doing differently lately to contribute to their injury, that helps immensely.

And lastly, it is so important to realize, especially for freelance artists, that you can't just tell them to take a muscle relaxant, and take a few weeks off. If these people took a few weeks off, they wouldn't have a roof over their head or food on the table. While it's occasionally absolutely imperative that a break be taken, most of the time I take a holistic approach to treating performers and change and fix what we can, within the obvious limitations of current gigs and upcoming events.

3) What's the most common injury that you see in your office?

In my office, there is a tie for the most common injury. The first is upper back/shoulder/neck pain - I lump these together because those terms can mean the same thing to a lot of people - often someone will come in and say that their shoulder hurts and point to the pain, but to me what they're pointing to is actually their upper back or lower neck. This one is often a function of poor posture or poor practice ergonomics. If we can figure out how to improve the overall posture and ergonomic situation then this tends to resolve quickly.

And the second most common injury is hand and arm pain. You would not believe how many people walk into my office with numb and tingly hands and fingers - which can be very scary if you're the one to experience it - to find out that the problem isn't actually their hands and fingers at all, but it's a little further up the arm and can be quite easily treated once properly diagnosed. Or they come in with tennis elbow - but they have never held a tennis racket in their life! In my office, I call tennis and golfer's elbow "musician's elbow" because it is a repetitive strain injury. It is really, really common and surprisingly easy to treat.

4) What can musicians do to prevent injury?

First of all, don't be a hero! There is just no reason to practice for hours on end without a break. Always remember to take a little break for every 30 minutes that you are playing. Secondly, don't play through pain. The pain signal is there to tell you that you are doing something wrong. Playing through it is not going to get you anywhere - other than in more pain and in worse shape down the road. Thirdly, be aware of your ergonomics. If you sit to play, does your chair fit you properly? In rehearsal, do you have to strain at all to see both the stand and the conductor? Are your arms contorted oddly in order to be able to play properly? This is not good. And lastly, seek the help of a professional who can not only help you with the injuries that you are currently dealing with, but can help you avoid future injury and optimize your overall performance.

You can find out more about Dr. Sarah Mickeler and her Toronto-based chiropractic practice concentrating on musicians' injuries at http://www.drsarah.ca.

To echo Sarah's advice, please pay attention to any pain signals your body is sending you! Admitting you're having a physical problem doesn't make you any less of a musician ? it means you're a very smart musician with years of playing ahead of you!!

This article was originally published on the Muses Muse Songwriter's Resource website (February 2005) <a target="_new" href="http://www.musesmuse.com">http://www.musesmuse.com</a>.

(c) Copyright Linda Dessau, 2005.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. To receive her free monthly newsletter, "Everyday Artist", subscribe at <a target="_new" href="http://www.genuinecoaching.com/artist-newsletter.html">http://www.genuinecoaching.com/artist-newsletter.html</a>

Creating Your Own Unique Music

Have you ever dreamed of penning your own compositions? Writing music has been a dream of mine for the longest time. And it's a dream I am fortunate enough to have realized.

The idea of having a finished piece of music in front of you is exciting to say the least, but many students rush the process and end up with music that is less than what they originally thought of.

The way around this "compostion trap" as I like to call it is to be able to sit down at the piano or keyboard and be able to play for at least 15-20 minutes without judging what is coming out of you. Once you can do this, your ability to capture musical ideas as they first came to you increase.

First thoughts are powerful!

Your first ideas will ALWAYS BE YOUR BEST IDEAS! Why? Because this music comes straight from the heart and does not have the censorship of the critical mind attached to it. Always improvise first, then memoralize your ideas if you wish. I do this by jotting down an 8-bar section. Once the melody is recognized, I pencil in the first 2-bars and try to fill up the 8-bars with chord changes.

Once I have the first 8-bars, the whole piece is practically done. I usually do not finish a piece in one sitting, however, I do make it a point to at least get 8 bars of music down. This is a very doable goal and one you can accomplish as well!

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

Common Thoughts That Kill Inspiration

Do you sit down at the piano and feel anxiety or peace? Are you anxious to begin creating or does the thought of being at your instrument bring you a sense of well being? It all begins with what you're telling yourself. If you think that what you are doing is not good enough, it's sure to kill off that quiet little motor of inspiration.

The thought of not good enough can put you into a deep freeze. It can stifle creativity and keep you stuck in doubt - a very nasty place to be in. Let's examine this thought of not good enough.

The first question that comes to mind is 'not good enough for whom?' Who are you comparing yourself to? If you hold yourself up to someone think about why that is. For example, I admire the playing of George Winston, but I'm not him and don't expect to be. His right hand technique is amazing and as much as I want to be able to play that succinctly, I just can't do it.

I accept that and really don't care so much about it. What's important to me is to be able to connect with my own creative source. This is the thought that keeps me grounded. If I begin to compare myself to another than I'm hopelessly lost and not focusing on what is truly important.

Another thought that kills inspiration is 'I'm not ready.' When will you be ready? Ten years from now? Next week? The fact is you don't need years of technical expertise to begin creating. If you wait another week or month or year to start, you will never begin and the world will miss out on your own unique voice. You are ready the moment you sit down to play. It all depends on what your goals are.

If your goal is to create a piece of music to perform for others, it will be ready after a certain amount of time. You, however, must be ready now. This means sitting down at the piano and being present in the moment. It all adds up bit by bit.

And last but not least is the thought that you don't know enough. Here's some news. You will never know everything and you will always be learning more. It never ends. I don't know everything there is to know about theory, chords, and harmony. Nobody does. But it doesn't stop me from experiencing the joy that comes from creating. This is your birthright and every creator's birthright.

Don't let the idea that you don't know enough stop you from your music. Even if you just learn what is in the free piano course you know enough to begin composing, improvising and creating. Fortunately, in the new age style, you don't need to know sophisticated chord voicing or how to read music. You can jump right in and taste how sweet the act of creation is right away.

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

Learn to Read Music Online

If you or anyone you know wants to learn to read music, it's a lot easier to do than it used to be. The Internet gives us all access to almost unlimited information, and can deliver an incredible array of products and tools right to our desktops. Not surprisingly, there are some really clever products out there that can help you learn to read notes.

&quot;Piano is Fun&quot; from Anthony Fernando is a great beginner package for a very reasonable price that will teach you how to read music. The knowledge and practice available here would cost many times the purchase price ($24.95) in personal lessons. Included in the price are free lifetime upgrades and a 30 day money-back guarantee.

Purchase and Installation

Purchase and installation are both a snap. The entire process takes no more than five minutes and is virtually foolproof. So, what's in the product? A series of lessons and practice games that teach you how to read music and make it fun! And that's quite an accomplishment! Most students find it an awesome, dreadful task, but it really doesn't have to be, as this product demonstrates. When you start the program, you might think that the product is just for kids. Well, it is great for kids, but it's also fun for anyone that wants to learn to read music for the piano. My own bass clef reading skills fade in and out, and I actually enjoyed clicking through the lessons and "games" (review tests).

Getting Started

The basic package features a series of twenty lessons that start very simply and progress through both the treble and bass clefs. The graphics are big and bright and easy to read. There are good sound and visual effects - enough to keep your interest up but not so much that it distracts from the point of learning the notes. The way to get started with the product is to take the tour, which explains the layout of the lessons and the "games" that are used as review tests for each of the twenty lessons. As a student progresses through each lesson, awards are given and displayed on a separate screen - great little reinforcers to keep you going.

Menu and Options

The main menu is completely self-explanatory and includes a button for "Start Here" which leads to the "tour", a "Lessons" button, which leads to the twenty lessons, an "Options" button (explained below) and buttons for advanced tests called the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Challenges. The Options button lets you control what happens when a correct answer is entered (there are a few different choices), and contains an option for teachers that allows the addition or deletion of a student's name. It is also possible for a "teacher" to construct "custom" lessons that operate like the other lessons. The option is in choosing the notes that are presented in the test. So, if you want your child or student to concentrate on recognizing certain notes, you can easily create exercises that contain only those notes. There is also a sound option that lets you turn on or off the sound effects that accompany parts of the program.

Extra Challenging Exercises

The Bronze, Silver, and Gold Challenge exercises are more note recognition tests but with the notes passing across the screen at a faster pace, obviously requiring a quicker response from the user. If a student can master these, there isn't much doubt that they know their notes.

So that's about it! This program doesn't balance your checkbook, manage your portfolio, or vacuum your carpet, but it never claimed to! If you want to learn to read music, or have a child that's about to start lessons or just shows interest, this product is a great buy. Imagine your piano teacher's surprise when your 5 year old shows up knowing how to read music on both the treble and bass clefs! She'll fall off her piano bench! By the way, my son, who has been taking lessons for two years, came home from school yesterday and ASKED if he could use the Piano is Fun program! Think about that!

Peter Cullen is the Webmaster at <a target="_new" href="http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com">http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com</a>. The site reviews piano lesson offerings on the Web and offers may other piano-related resources.

RIAA Files Second Wave of Lawsuits

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has launched a second wave of lawsuits against users of internet2 (a specialized high speed version of the internet that makes it ideal for file sharing). By adding 20 new schools to the list, RIAA has greatly expanded the number of students involved in the case.

"As long as students continue to corrupt this specialized academic network for the flagrant theft of music, we will continue to make it clear that there are consequences for these unlawful actions," said Cary Sherman, President, RIAA. "With the multitude of legal music alternatives available to students today, there is simply no excuse for this ongoing, illegal downloading on college campuses."

RIAA is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes our members' creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States.

"Whether it's done on a computer at home or one in a college dorm room, the act of theft is one and the same," said Sherman. "These lawsuits have had a significant educational impact on the public and have helped to arrest the staggering growth of digital music theft. We will continue to aggressively pursue them."

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The King of the Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson Still Stands at the Crossroads

Probably the most enigmatic Singer and Guitarist of the twentieth Century is now one of the most revered and respected of all Musicians who make up the Genre of the 'Blues'. I speak of course about the wonderful Robert Leroy Johnson. Born in 1911 in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, in a Deep South plantation, he, in his pitifully short life, has become one of the founding Fathers of the Blues.

He recorded only 36 sides over a period of a couple of months between November 1936 and June 1937 in San Antonio Texas. These remarkable recordings still bring tears to the eyes of Blues aficionados the world over and shaped the face of the music of today.

The post-war Blues of Chicago owe a great debt to Robert Johnson and it is sad to think what might have been had he lived! In just a few short years he matured from a young black guitarist into a superstar of his day. The often repeated legend was perpetuated by his contemporaries that he sold his soul to the Devil in return for his amazing guitar techniques.

His story is one of hardship tinged with great success in his own locality of the Delta and women were said to be rendered helpless as he sang his compositions. His death at the hand of a jealous husband at the age of twenty seven robbed the world of one of Americas finest ever Musicians and Blues artists.

Years after his death, in 1938, a photograph was unearthed, one of only two in existence. It shows not only his inimitable style of dress but quite remarkable slender fingers which helped him to achieve his unique mastery of the bottleneck guitar technique. He is pictured in a chalk?stripe suit which would have been somewhat overstated for a man in his position at that time. When I first saw that photograph the one thing above all else, that stood out were his beautiful long fingers that enveloped the guitar fingerboard and obviously caressed it as though it was a Woman helpless in his arms!

What about his subject matter? well nothing much has changed in the passing of time; the age old, painful process of unrequited love; of restless yearnings to move on down the line to pastures new; to unfaithful liaisons; and of course much sexual innuendo.

Robert Johnson's skill as a poet of the time and place is absolutely unsurpassed in my estimation! For sure he borrowed words, phrases, and guitar licks from his peers, but moulded them into something quite unique that not only stands the test of time but has a relevance to today's Rock music.

There cannot be any Blues Band on this Planet that has not been influenced by Johnson and his music and this is a testament to the greatness of the man! The list of recordings of Johnson's songs by modern artists is endless and forms the backbone of the resurgence of the Blues in the early sixties in Britain and continues to this day! Most of the long lasting Bands of the R,n,B revolution of 62, 63, and on into the seventies have recorded several of Roberts songs. Notable amongst these would be The Rolling Stones, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream,The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Elmore James, and many more. Johnson's songs transcribed particularly well to the new Electric guitar line-ups of the fifties and on into the sixties. Probably one of the most popular of his songs, which I can't imagine anyone not having heard in a modern format, is of course Crossroad Blues.

This song was recorded live at the Fillmore in San Francisco in 1968 by the great Eric Clapton, and his two buddies, Jack Bruce on bass and stickman, Ginger Baker. This song also featured in Cream's farewell concert at the Albert Hall in London in 1969. I doubt whether Johnson envisaged this treatment of his song when he wrote it or that his poetry would one day be the cornerstone of the Blues Revival of the Sixties.

It is a poignant end to his story that the great impresario John Hammond, who later went onto sign ?up a young Bob Dylan in 1962, was just too late when he searched for Robert to appear in the momentous concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938. Robert Johnson was dead but his spirit and his music will live on for ever in the hearts and minds of the lovers of the music we call THE BLUES .

? Robin Piggott 2004 Key to the Highway Publications.

Robin Piggott is a professional Driving Instructor based in Limerick,Ireland.He is a life-long disciple of the Blues and is hard put to choose between his Gibson and his Car as the most treasured possession.His web site is designed for Learner Drivers and visitors to Ireland.

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Surf Waves With Jack Johnson

Lately I've been listening to some pretty cool music by some beach bum named Jack Johnson. The tunes he plays really touch a chord within me. They are just so honest and selfless, like stories being told by a wise old palm tree that has endured countless days of peaceful monotony, and yet have also experienced the rare tropical storm with gale force winds. I decided to have a look for his website, as I have come to know that humans have written about just about anything of interest on the Internet.

I found out some interesting things about this soft, rhythmic flowing voice and guitarist on his official site, http://www.jackjohnsonmusic.com. The guy is hardly a beach bum; he's been a pro surfer, is a popular surfing film producer, and the weirdest tidbit of knowledge is the fact that he didn't really want to be a famous musician at all! He'd rather surf some waves, and maybe that's why his music is so natural and unforced-he hasn't let his popularity affect his priorities.

The site has got all your average categories: Photos, biography, news, show dates, forum, and music/film releases. The part that grabbed me the most was found in the Photos section, a small link entitled Articles. Here there were postings of actual news releases about Johnson from tiny local papers to big magazines. After recording one song that he usually just played for fun on surf video trips with band G-Love, that one track became the single hit track from their album. After turning down million dollar record deals to keep his already enjoyable surfing, filmmaking lifestyle, he recorded his first album with a tiny record label.

Look, I won't go on and on about his story, you can check it out yourself, or better yet get his album called 'On and on'. I just reckon it's cool how you can add dimensions to your views of reality by surfing the waves of the Internet. To find out a little about the true identities of people you admire for their achievements is just one small aspect of the Internet. Surf's up man! It's time to ride the big, hard to get to waves of our minds.

Jesse S. Somer
<a target="_new" href="http://www.m6.net">http://www.m6.net</a>
Jesse S. Somer is a peaceful soul who has surfed the occasional downhill road as well as virtual tidal wave.

Music Industry Secrets Revealed - How To Become Succesful The Music Industry Without A Record Deal

Before the internet, unsigned music artists couldnt make a living, off the thing they love and enjoy the most: Their music! They would have to send in demos to major record companys, hoping that the CEO's would love their music and actually call them up on the phone offering them a recorddeal! But what they dont know is that the CEO's dont give a f*#% about music!! They ONLY offer recordeals to artists who they know will become succesfull!

To say it in another way: They NEVER risk millions of dollars on bands that they dont see any future with!

Today there's thousands, maybe millions of music artists looking for a way to make a living off their music. Those artists may now have a chance!

Former A&R Agent - Interscope Records, Fisnik Imeraj has written an eBook explaining just what the unsigned music artists should do! Publish their own music! Thats right! Since the internet is already invented, then why not take advantage of it?

In his new book Fisnik Imeraj explains to the ambitious artists how they can publish their own music on the internet, and keep 100% of their profits themselfs! He explains every part of music publishing on the internet! From creating a website to marketing their music! And the best part is that any artist can start with virtually NO money!!

If you ever dreamed of becoming a successful music artist, you should definately purchase this book! It might change your life! The book can be downloaded instantly after payment on <a target="_new" href="http://www.deluxepass.dk">http://www.deluxepass.dk</a>

Fisnik Imeraj has worked along with THE biggest names in the music industry! He now reveals everything about music publishing on his new book "Music Industry Secrets Revealed!" How to become successful in the music industry without a recorddeal!

How Many Chords Are There, Anyway?

Since chords (the main component of harmony) are one of the three most vital elements of music ? the others being melody and rhythm ? it would be useful to know how many chords there are. And it doesn't matter whether you play piano or guitar or some other instrument ? chords are chords.

It's certainly not necessary to learn all the chords in the whole wide world, but it is necessary to learn some of them ? at least enough to allow you to harmonize the songs you would like to play.

But meanwhile, there are 3 chords -- just 3 -- that you absolutely, positively have to know. If you don't know these three, there's hardly a song in the whole world that you could play. But by knowing just 3 chords, you can play hundreds, if not thousands of songs! And those chords are simply the primary chords in any given key:

?The I chord (the chord built on the 1st degree of the scale)

?The IV chord (the chord built on the 4th degree of the scale)

?The V chord (the chord built on the 5th degree of the scale)

For example, if you were playing in the Key of C, the I chord would be C (c, e, g), the IV chord would be F (f, a, c), and the V chord would be G (g, b, d).

But as you probably know, there are thousands of other chords, so it would be helpful to at least know of their existence and maybe someday learn them.

So here goes:

Since there are 12 major keys one can play in (not counting enharmonic keys ? keys that sound the same but are written differently), there are:

*12 major triads (a triad is a 3 note chord)

*12 minor triads

*12 diminished triads

*12 augmented triads

*12 diminished 7th chords (4 note chords)

*12 major 6th chords

*12 minor 6th chords

*12 dominant 7th chords

*12 major 7th chords

*12 minor 7th chords

*12 half-diminished chords

*12 9th chords

*12 flat 9th chords

*12 9th/major 7th chords

*12 9th/minor 7th chords

*12 11th chords

*12 13th chords

*12 suspensions

*12 flat 5th chords

*12 flat 5th maj 7th chords

If that's not enough chords for you, remember that each chord can be inverted ? turned upside down. So multiply all the triad chords by 3, and all the 4 note chords by 4, and all the 5 note chords by 5?.

Then there are:

? poly-chords ? chords that combine two or more other chords, and

? voicings ? the way chords are positioned on the piano keyboard

And that's just in one octave. A standard piano has 7 octaves, so multiply all that by 7 and you get the answer to how many chords there really are:

More than you can count.

But again, you don't need to know them all. Just master enough so that you can play the songs you want to play, then gradually over time learn more and more chords. Your musical world will continue to grow and maturity as a musician will become obvious to others.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music courses for adults. His low-cost CD ROM software titled <a target="_new" href="http://www.keyboardchords.com/">"Duane Shinn's Instant Piano Chord Finder Chart!"</a> is used by musicians around the world. He is also the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled <a target="_new" href="http://www.playpiano.com/">"Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions"</a> with over 60,000 current subscribers.