Sunday, June 22, 2008

Blues Music History

Blues is probably the purest American music ever produced and along with its jazz counterpart is the only true American music form. Its roots lie in the work songs of West African slaves in the South. When they toiled hard in the fields of South plantation owners, these slaves built a call and response method of singing, thus lending rhythm to the drudgery of their lives. These came to be called field hollers and became the basis of all blues music to follow. After the Civil War ended, the blacks could either work as field labor or become traveling minstrels. So quite a few ended up being the latter performing at all-nighters, fish-frys and juke joints, relying on their stamina and mental repertoire of many blues songs.

Powerful Blues Music Is Officially Born

While the lyrics of blues songs seem soulful and sad, the music itself is quite powerful and emotive filled with rhythm and celebrating the life of black Americans. What makes this kind of music appealing is its reflection of their daily lives, talking about sex, drinking, poverty, love lost, hard labor anything they experienced.

Among the first documented blues is W C Handys Memphis Blues in 1909. The music grew in popularity and when the 78-RPM phonograph came in the late 1920s Paramount, Aristocrat and other record labels recorded some of the famous country blues artists. Around 1941-1943, field recordings of blues men were made in their surroundings by famous blues folklorist Alan Lomax. This is significant because thats how the white folks got introduced to the blues. Budding artists got exposure to some national record labels.

Blues Travels North

The blacks migrated North during the Great Depression along the route of the Illinois Central Railroad toward Chicago, bringing with them blues music. With huge crowds gathering to enjoy this, performers like Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf switched to electric guitars and also included drum sets to their bands. This became even more powerful than the original blues. There was a lull until the late 1950s when The Kingston Trio recorded the chart topper, Tom Dooley, and gave birth to the folk revival in 1958. The Newport Folk Festival then brought back folk and blues music to the white American people till 1966.

What followed later was a merging of blues with rock forming the rock blues bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Some artists faithful to the form were The Rolling Stones, John Mayall, Led Zeppelin.

Types of Blues Music

There are four types of blues music. The Deltas blues is said to be the original being played by the black men from the Mississippi delta region, using the piano or harmonica. The style was a call and response lyrical framing. Then we have the Chicago Blues, which used electric amplification of voice using mics, drum sets and electric guitars. The Texas Blues are similar to the Chicago blues. In the early 1960s originated the Blues-rock, which was directly influenced by the Delta and Chicago blues.

by

Werner Wichmann - http://www.electricguitarz.com

Get Ready for that Job Employment Telephone Screening Interview

In a quest to save money, time and travel costs some firms and employment service agencies are now adopting "Telephone Job Screening Interviews" as a more and more standard and accepted job employment screening technique. If you expect to be interviewed by phone, prepare by getting a member of your "network" to "role-play" the interviewer. Practice delivering your answers and answering typical run of the mill standard interviewing questions. After all there are very little variations in interview questions and interviewing style in these workups. It is if all these interview "technicians" all read the same book and attended the same school.

If you have submitted resumes or applications, then you should be prepared to expect and handle a call from an interviewer at almost any time. Ensure that you have a businesslike outgoing voice mail message with your name and/ or phone number. Make sure that all of your housemates know to answer the phone professionally and take messages if necessary. Return calls promptly and be prepared to interview immediately or to leave a message with your full contact information and availability.

In order to succeed in a telephone interview there are a number of preambles.

First you must be prepared to take an interview at almost any time, and on the spot. Post your resume and short written spiel or script somewhere in your home so that it can be found accessed and read and referred to in a flash of time. Have paper and pen (pens) handy so that you can write down names and information on the spot. Otherwise you will forget important information - such as names and phone number of contacts. Keep a log of your calls. Transfer this and the contact information, as well as phone notes promptly to your notes which you can store on your computer, in an easily remembered as well as accessible record.

If you do need a moment to collect yourself, politely ask the interviewer to hold for a brief moment while you move to a quiet location. Eliminate all distractions and background noises.

During the phone interview process it best to focus the call on why you are interested in working that or that prospective employer. Obviously this can and should be done on pre interview research. Make it a point to understand and comprehend the employer's product, services, current developments in the marketplace and business practices and philosophies.

Always, always be professional, courteous and friendly. It is best not to try to lead or "control" the conversation. Let the caller lead the conversation, but ask questions of your own.

Maintain pose and posture as if that very person was standing alongside you, personally interviewing you in that very room, at that very moment. Stand up, smile and speak directly into the mouthpiece of the telephone while you are talking. This will give your voice more energy and a most pleasant tone. Never smoke, eat or chew gum while on the phone.

Beware of yes / no answers. They give no real information or elaborate about your abilities. Similarly be factual in your questions. The rule is to be brief but thorough.
In the same way if you find that you need time to think about a question or series of questions, it is best to avoid using repetitive phrases to "buy "time. There is nothing wrong in noting "I need some to think about that".

Lastly when the interview wraps up, ask what the next step or steps are. Directly tell the interviewer that you are available for a face-to-face interview at his or her earliest convenience. Follow up on the phone interview. Call back on or two days later. At that point thank the interviewer for his or her time. Restate your interest in the employment position. When you do the follow-up always try to leave the information directly with that very person or job contact. Only as a last resort leave this message by voice mail, fax or email. These are easily forgotten in the whole job employment filling process.
Always be prepared and on the ball for a telephone screening job employment interview.

Shaun Stevens -Winnipeg Job Shark

http://www.winnipegjobshark.com

http://www.jerkbossesihaveknown.com

http://www.albertajobshark.com

Guitar Jam

What in the heck is guitar jam? It almost sounds like something you would have with toast and tea. Well, I'm just being silly. You already know that it's slang to describe playing guitar with other musicians.

But did you know that jamming with others is one of the best ways to learn
new songs and licks on guitar? In fact, much of my own early education was gained this way. Back then, I used to take my guitar almost everywhere I went. As you can imagine, this gave me lots of opportunities to jam with other musicians I'd meet.

A simple guitar jam session can also lead to more serious collaboration. One of my very first original songs was co-written with a friend. She came up with a line for the chorus and I wrote all the verses. The chorus line she wrote was the inspiration I needed to spark my own creativity. After that I continued to write more songs. Perhaps this wouldn't have happened if we had
never gotten together in the first place.

Can jamming take the place of professional guitar lessons? Well, I'm not looking to work myself out of a job yet, but the truth is, many famous guitar players never had formal lessons. What they often did have was opportunity. Eric Clapton and Jimi Henddrix for example, had the chance to jam with some of their blues heroes while they were developing their guitar skills. They were a bit obsessive/compulsive when it came to practicing too. Which only goes to show that, whatever path you take, the road to becoming a great guitarist doesn't "just happen" overnight. It takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. But, in my opinion, guitar lessons can help make the trip a little smoother and easier.

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:http://www.abclearnguitar.com

My Morning Jacket - Sooner

Reigniting our popular bootleg feature with a great MMJ set... My Morning Jacket 10-23-2005 Murat Theater Indianapolis, IN Disc 1 01 - Intro 02 - Wordless Chorus 03 - It Beats 4 U 04 - Gideon 05 -… (in post Bootleg Justice - My Morning Jacket Live @ Murat Theater in Indianapolis, IN (10.23.2005) from Musical Justice. Download this at eMusic Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

Getting free mp3 downloadable music from file sharing programs is extremely popular. It's estimated that as many as sixty (60) million music lovers like you get music for your mp3 player or iPod this way. But have you ever considered the issues involved with downloading your favorite songs from file sharing programs? If you haven't shared any music files yet, you really need to know the benefits and risks; and I wrote this article to provide you with an overview of what's involved in getting mp3 downloadable music from file sharing programs.

The Benefits of Downloading Music From MP3 File Sharing Programs

The biggest draw to getting music from mp3 file sharing programs is the ability to download music you would ordinarily have to buy for free. Along with getting the music you want for free, there is no limit to the number of files or the size of the files you can download. Also, current p2p file sharing technology makes it possible for users to quickly search for, download and share music files at lightning speeds.

As exciting as it is to be able to search for, find and get fast downloads of the music you want for free, there are downsides to getting mp3 downloadable music from file sharing programs.

The Risks Involved In Downloading Music Files From MP3 File Sharing Programs

The greatest risks surrounding downloading music files from mp3 file sharing programs involves spyware and getting sued for copyright infringement. Many popular file sharing programs expose users of the p2p (peer to peer) network to spyware, adware and computer viruses. They are free open source programs or freeware, and as such, they may be bundled with spyware that slows down your computers' performance or adware that tracks and reports your online activities. Additional computer security risks come from the files of other users in the p2p network. However, the most controversial aspect of getting mp3 downloadable music from file sharing programs involves the sharing and/or distribution of copyrighted works that hasn't been legally licensed by the mp3 file sharing program or service. If you download and share copyrighted music that hasn't properly licensed for digital distribution, you expose yourself to possibly getting sued by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for copyright infringement.

While the computer spyware and lawsuit risks are serious, there are steps a determined mp3 file sharing program user can take to reduce or even eliminate those risks.

Clearly the draw, as well as the excitement of getting free mp3 music from p2p file sharing programs is hard to resist. On the other hand, the risks to your hardware and personal finances are hard to ignore. However, if your desire for unlimited free mp3 music outweighs your concern about these risks, getting mp3 downloadable music from file sharing programs might be the way for you to go.

Getting mp3 downloadable music from file sharing programs can provide a certain thrill, but the risks to your computer, your files and information can't be overlooked. If your concern about these risks outweigh the thrill of scoring free mp3 music this way, you should check out my online guide on how to download legal mp3 music.

History of Indie Music - 1960's

Tracing the roots of independent artists is difficult, because there have been artists who have long bucked the trends put upon them by monied powers in order to do what they feel right. Minstrels in medieval Europe and poets in the Islamic empire risked more than their livelihoods if they did not kowtow to the demands of the tyrants in charge (the ancient equivalent of modern big labels); they stood a good chance of being killed and mutilated as well.

Modern indie artists do not exactly take their lives in their hands when they sit down at a piano and record a genuine version of a heart felt song, but they do embody the spirit of the rebellious minstrel, refusing to compromise for the sake of a bag of gold.

In fact, some of the musicians and composers known to us today were what could be considered indie artists. Mozart was laughed at for his style in many different countries; it was not until his death that his work began to be played first in Germany and then around the world.

When it comes to modern indie music, the scene began when the big labels started to monopolize everything that they believed could make money. Elvis generation got a bit of a free ride; the music was so new, and the energy so unexpectedly unbridled, that those in power had no idea how to tame it. The latter half of the 1960s would see that change, however. Bands played on the radio and the records sold in stores all had a common theme, if not a duplicate sound. In fact, the history of indie music, however much fans want to deny it, is shaped by popular music as much as the shape of popular music is changed by indie artists. Typically, there have been three music formats that you can find on the radio; although the formats may change, there will always only be three kinds of music. In the 1960s, the big format was pop, a little bit of R&B, and rock ala the Rolling Stones. Peace, love, and anti-war ruled the day, even among the rebels.

And into that scene stepped the band known as the Velvet Underground. This is one of the most obvious examples of a band that was way ahead of its time. The main members of the band, in fact, are still regarded as some of the most influential artists by musicians today (think Lou Reed). The music of the Velvet Underground was markedly different in message and in structure than that being produced by studios at the time; their songs varied from fast to slow, pulsating to melodic. Their messages switched from songs about drug use to individual takes on law enforcement. In short, they sang about everything everyone else did not. The band sold very few records, but a movement was under way. If you listen to a Velvet Underground song, you might be surprised that it was created in the era of the Beatles instead of the era of Cobain, and that is what indie music is all about; the pioneers.

It is important to note that independent labels have always been present whenever records have been sold, and perhaps now more than ever to recognize that there are artists in all genres of music that choose to turn their backs on the big business and focus instead on their music.

IndieUpdate.com is the Indie Music blog. IndieUpdate provides news, reviews and more on indie music, independent artists, independent labels, and anything else related to the indie music scene. Bookmark us or subscribe to our feed today and stay in tune!

Music For Your Wedding - How To Choose What's Best For You

Music is an important part of the
celebration of your marriage. Throughout history, music has been used for
weddings to bring the community together with sounds and rhythms that have the
power to surpass age and status buriers, uniting everyone in support of your
marriage.

When choosing music for your wedding (in addition to your personal preferences)
its important to consider the musical tastes and desires of your guests. A good
point to consider is that your wedding (reception and/or ceremony) is an
opportunity for you to give back to your guests for their participation and
support, so choose a musical selection that will appeal the most to your guests.

Music is also a great stress reliever or ice breaker because it helps people
to relax and transition from what is often a very formal situation to an
environment where people can express themselves more fully.

There are 2 general types of music available for a modern wedding, they are:

1) A DJ

2) Live Musicians

A DJ (which stands for Disk Jockey) is a person who plays CDs through a sound
system at your reception and provides stage lighting for additional effect. The
advantage to hiring a DJ is that they are typically less expensive than live
musicians, and you can have all the songs that you want played for your
reception.

The disadvantages to hiring a DJ are that the music can sometimes seem a bit
generic or un-lively, and may be inappropriate for your ceremony. Some people
may also feel that DJ music is cheesy or uninteresting due to the lack of
musical flexibility and depending on the DJs individual approach - you may or
may not want to have them emcee for the reception.

Hiring live musicians is the other option you have for your wedding music. This
is typically more expensive and may involve a bit more planning than a DJ, but
can be a very uplifting resource for you and your wedding guests.

How do you envision your wedding reception? Do you want to dance with your
guests or are you intend to have a more subdued event? If you dont want
dancing, you may choose classical or jazz musicians to entertain - This could
include a string quartet, a harpist, pianist or any other type of soloist.
(Soloists are often the first choice for wedding ceremonies as well).

If you DO intend for there to be dancing as a part of your wedding celebration
theres nothing better for this than a live dance band! The advantage to hiring
a live band for your reception is that there is a certain synergy that occurs
when live musicians perform together that cannot be achieved with a DJ, and live
musicians can are also able to adapt to the vibe of the room playing faster,
slower, louder or softer depending on the preferences of you and your guests.

Skilled wedding musicians can also allow for members of the wedding party to participate by singing along or joining in with the band. This can add a great
deal of value to your wedding reception by creating the great Kodak Moments
that everyone will remember for years and years to come.

Take your time and consider the options carefully. Use the internet to research
your options and look in local wedding trade journals for musician and DJ
listings before you hire. Make a list of questions and concerns that you may
have and ask them of your perspective entertainers.

Your wedding day is YOUR DAY make it great with music that compliments
the theme and emotion that you want reflected at your wedding.

Donovan Kovar is the president and booking manager forGreatLiveMusic.com - Providing Professional, High Quality Musical Entertainment For Weddings In Minnesota And Surrounding Areas. VisitGreatLiveMusic.com for more information.

My Morning Jacket - Lay Low

Reigniting our popular bootleg feature with a great MMJ set... My Morning Jacket 10-23-2005 Murat Theater Indianapolis, IN Disc 1 01 - Intro 02 - Wordless Chorus 03 - It Beats 4 U 04 - Gideon 05 -… (in post Bootleg Justice - My Morning Jacket Live @ Murat Theater in Indianapolis, IN (10.23.2005) from Musical Justice. )

At last female bass players are emerging! As a male bass player and music teacher I'd like to present some of my observations regarding the emergence of female bass players over the past 32 years. (That's how long I've been teaching music).

In 1976 there was hardly a female bass player in sight. This applied across the board, in any music genre. Things were changing, however, in all walks of life. Emancipation of both males and females was a priority in many minds. Especially art forms were undergoing the (r)evolution instigated in a huge way in the 1960s, and music was a driving voice.

The bass guitar had only been commercially available for about twenty years - just one generation. It is a lot less cumbersome than the double bass, and apparently more suited to petite hands. The double bass, however, after being set up correctly, is only slightly more physically demanding. Both instruments fulfill the same function in almost all musics: to provide the centre of rhythm and pitch.

My main comparative observation - so far - has been that females intuitively have a superior sense of both rhythm and pitch (sorry guys). That's a killer combination, because the result is usually melodic bass playing (I'm in heaven!).

In my teaching, I've gone from zero female bass students to about 15%, which roughly equates to the real world of music performance and recording. I would love to see this percentage increase dramatically - because I love bass and I know what girls on bass can do.

Besides being an innovative and highly respected music educator, George Urbaszek plays double bass, guitar, bass guitar and bassitar. He has over 3000 performances and 120 recording sessions to his credit and has toured Australia, Central Europe, Canada, USA and the Pacific Islands.

George has performed with artists ranging from Rolf Harris through to Judith Durham, Beccy Cole, Marina Prior, George Washingmachine, Thelma Housten and the New York production of Porgy and Bess. His former students include Brendan Clarke (winner of the Australian National Jazz Award), Kim Khahn (Robbie Williams, Mel C, Natalie Imbruglia) and Rory Quirk (John Butler Trio).

After lecturing for thirteen years in the Jazz Department of the Australian National University, George is now residing near Byron Bay, Australia, where he works from home teaching students from all over the world using an innovative approach of step-by-step online bass lessons. These lessons cost as little as US $3.46 each and are available at http://www.creativebasslessons.com

Albert Hammond Jr. - GfC

So, I am (as I should be) really happy right now. This is one of the strangest feelings I've ever experienced: total freedom, and a lack of purpose. I must admit, I've been diffident and hard work over… (in post One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr. from The Cold Cut. Download this at Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

Still dishing out the same old party themes for your kids? How about the "tween" in the family? For the next birthday, make the party most memorable for your 12-year-old. These party ideas will set you apart as the coolest mom and dad in the block.

Party Uppers

Children ages 9 to 12 are at an awkward age, but give them a fun party and they'll lap it up. Since they are not official teenagers and no longer the little ones, giving them a party they can enjoy can tax your imagination and stamina. These tween party ideas will give your tween star status in the neighborhood.

Let the tween in you help you along these party ideas. If you've decided to host a Safari Sleepover, schedule it on a Friday night. The timing is right. The kids can catch some extra zzzs after a night of fun. But be sure to announce that the pick-up time for the kids is at 10 the following day.

An outdoor sleepover is a good idea, but for the kids' safety, have the tents installed indoors. Put up a hotdog and harshmallow grill, but don't forget to add a salad and animal-shaped sandwiches. Fill GI canteens with juice and distribute them among the guests. Let them whoop it up in the lawn - dancing and organized games - until you announce that it's bedtime. Girls should be separated from boys if it's a mixed party.

A tween party idea young girls enjoy is the "pajama dress-up" party. The girls can bring along their blings. Let them have a go at putting up makeup and do other girly things they all want to do - fix their hair, paint their nail with fun colors, and do a pajama fashion show. Of course, expect the girls to stay up late watching videos, swapping ghost stories, and doing just about anything. Girls are wont to do that when they are together.

If your tween loves to rock, she or he will be inviting like-minded friends. Host a rock party they won't forget. A '70s disco-themed party is a novel experience for the young ones. Clear the living room, install a disco globe, and get dance music they'll rock to. To make it more authentic, hire a neighborhood DJ who can do the spinning. Be sure to keep a bottomless supply of the kids' favorite eats, drinks, and munchies.

A beach party theme is also a welcome idea, whether you have a pool or not. Decorate the party venue with shell wired garlands, paper balls, mock palm trees, and surfboards. Prepare more than a dozen rubber slippers. Use colorful fish platters to serve your beach fare. Ask the guests to come in their favorite beach bum attire. If you have a pool, make sure that a lifeguard is around to watch over the kids.

Before the Party

Schedule the party on a weekend before the actual birthday. Get invitations to go with the party theme. A pillow invitation for a sleep over, a papier mache conch shell for the beach party, and a map invitation for the safari or treasure hunt party. Shop for party favors and ask your tween for the type of music he or she wants for the party. To make your shopping a convenient jaunt, have your money organized in one of those money clip wallets, and bring along the list of things you must buy for the party.

Call up the parents and ask for any restrictions on movies to watch and any food allergies to avoid potential problems. To help you out, ask the neighbors' tweens to come over. They'll enjoy the party too. If you have smaller kids, let them have a guest or two so they won't feel left out of the fun.

Make your party planning more convenient by keeping cash in a magnetic money clip and storing your party favor suppliers' contact cards in personalized business card holders. Don't forget to give away unique gift baskets as tokens. Visit ExecutiveGiftShoppe.com today.

Albert Hammond Jr. - GfC

So, I am (as I should be) really happy right now. This is one of the strangest feelings I've ever experienced: total freedom, and a lack of purpose. I must admit, I've been diffident and hard work over… (in post One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr. from The Cold Cut. Download this at Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

If there were one genre of music that's perfect for music therapy, it would have to be New Age piano! Soothing and relaxing, the piano offers many benefits to those in need of respite. The wonderful thing about this style of music is that it's also easy to learn how to play!

A few chords, a scale, and you're able to make music. And not just any kind of music, but one that's conducive to alleviating stress. Let's look at how one might go about learning how to play piano in the New Age style.

First, it's best if you learn one chord position that will give you a nice modern sound right away. The open position chord structure accomplishes this. It's easy to learn and can be used by the beginner right away to make music with. And it uses both hands as well to cover more than 2 octaves of the piano keyboard!

Once this chord structure is practiced, it's time to add in a few chords. Just a few chords is all that is necessary for the beginning adult to experience the joy of improvisation. The hands are placed on the open position chord structure and the fingers move around creating melody. Nothing more is required than an openness to explore the possibilities.

And once students get started, they find that they can't stop playing. The therapeutic aspect of this comes from the free-form improvisations students are able to play only after a few minutes of practice. They begin to unwind, relax, and forget about the problems and cares of the day. It's a music therapy that goes one step above just listening to 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. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

A Brief History Of The Piano

The piano, that common instrument of school music programs, appears to be the ultimate expression of the stringed musical instrument, which date back to the lyre and the harp. Pianos (a shortening of the compound term "piano-forte") work by striking wires with felted (or leather headed) hammers, with a redaction mechanism that pulls the hammerhead away from the wire before it can dampen out the sound. Because the force of the hammer strike is generally proportional to the stroke on the key, this allows a piano to play a note softly (piano) or loudly (forte), leading to its name.

The immediate predecessors of the pianoforte were the clavichord and the harpsichord, both of which tried to combine the ease of play of a traditional organ keyboard with the expressive range (and general portability) of a large concert harp. Of the two predecessor instruments, the harpsichord was the more common, and used a mechanism that plucked the strings (and later wires) of the instrument when a key was hit. This lead to a distinctive "plinking" or "plucking" sound, more like a strung harp, but lacked the ability to adjust the volume of a given note, and had only limited ability to change the duration of a note.

While the harpsichord provided the mechanism for tying keys to striking particular strings that was used to make the first pianos, the clavichord (an earlier instrument, invented in the 15th century, was the first keyboard instrument to strike the strings by key stroke, hitting them from the side with a small (dull) blade called a tangent. Clavichords fell out of favor in the 17th century, and were virtually unheard of from roughly 1750 to 1890, when a number of musical instrument shops began making them again as a smaller complement to the piano.

Prior to the clavichord, the first real stringed instrument that used hammers was the dulcimer, with variations such as the cymbalon and the readis spreading through the Balkan regions. All of these instruments relied on the player to strike strings with small hammers, often times holding multiple hammers with different heads in the gaps between their fingers, to get different tonal ranges, including a felted head for dampening a string.

The first true pianoforte was built in 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua, Italy. His patrons, the Medicis, commissioned the first ones; there are three Cristofori pianofortes still in existence, dating back to the 1720s.

Cristofori's original pianos had several differences from the modern pianos we've come to expect - for one, they only covered four octaves, rather than the modern piano's seven-and-a-half octaves. Second, because of the materials used at the time, it was considerably softer in sound than the modern instrument. Third, it had no damper pedals for lifting the dampers from the string. The damper pedals were an invention of Gottfried Silbermann, who made near direct copies of the Cristofori piano otherwise, and tried to get Johann Sebastian Bach interested in the instrument for compositions and concert performances.

Bach was notably unimpressed with Silbermann's early pianos, claiming that the upper range would be too quiet to make an effective concert hall instrument. While this brooked a fair bit of animosity between the instrument maker and the reknowned composer and concert artist, in the end, Bach was right. It wasn't until 40 years later that Bach actually endorsed the creation of a piano, mostly after Silbermann's apprentices worked on variations of the design.

Nearly from its inception, the main driving force in the evolution of the piano was to make it louder and brighter in the high notes. Several innovations have been incorporated into the design to do this. Among them include more precise mechanisms for swinging the hammers, high tensile steel replacing the catgut strings, and changes to the surfaces of the hammers and their materials, plus innovations in resonator and fretboard spaces to give the instruments a greater range, such as the double key escarpment, which allowed a note to be repeated even if the hammer hadn't risen back to its full resting position.

The high point of piano evolution happened in the 19th century, with the development of felted hammers (allowing higher string tension), better quality steel for the wire, iron frames on the sounding board, and several other innovations of note; it was in the late 19th century that the upright piano was perfected, allowing the piano to move from the concert hall to the parlors of the middle class, where the ability to play the piano was a sign of culture and refinement, a place that it still holds today, albeit to a much reduced extent.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of MusicianHome.com a site that provides information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development.

[NEW RELEASE] LACOSTE - DOT 75 YEAR

Lacoste is above all a legend. The legend of a fantastic tennis player, Rene Lacoste, a member of the famous "Musketeers" team and a star of the courts of Wimbledon, Forest Hills and Roland Garros. The Four Musketeers (Jean Borot, Jacques Brugno, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste) dominated the game of tennis in the second half of the 1920s and early 1930s. They eventually led France to six straight wins (1927 through 1932) in the Davis Cup which was unheard of way back then, with Lacoste the world number one tennis player from 1926-1927. The stand out player, Lacoste, was nicknamed the "Crocodile" and "Alligator" for his  hot headed attitude and eagerness to bust out into a brawl on the court. He is now better known for being the namesake and creator of the Lacoste Tennis shirt and later in 1933, the Lacoste Tennis shoe. Fast forward 75 years, and Lacoste are celebrating this momentous occasion by launching a collectible series inspired from their Tennis and Yachting heritage. Unique to the 75 year collection is the use of the original crocodile (or is it an alligator?) which originated in 1933 and is embossed onto the uppers of each shoe.

 

The Good Training Will Make To Play Completely

Good every musicians know the training always is the thing at must do but are you know? That training is like not serious it will make you bad craftsmanship down. Before you'll direct way your family or tell music teacher that you'll has decided to don't train already. Recommend you should think of these words that is Who? What? When? And How? of training it will help you make improved and happy with the music more than at exist.

WHO?

That is yourself training improved with mind body the music and your temper. In guardian part or your music teacher will may enforce to give you take times with playing music note but yourself only will can build the concentration and add the temper accompany the sound of music you establish. Which will make sound of music that you play come out that have the melodiousness and are attractive for impress.

WHAT?

The training will make your music playing to perfect develop until compose this:

- Warming up

- The all scale revisioning, etude exercises or the all music at you have studied already

- New music that receive to assign for train

- The music that you will want to can play seriously or play for the amusement or sometimes may the music that you invent by oneself all right

WHEN?

Should do especial training on date you has eat rice only. Laying train plans that best is making it becomes daily your routine. If you know you must train on each day to the time it will proceed to go to by have a few exception extremely.

HOW?

This heading is very important questions. Many students play by atinga stretch uncontrollably go to down entirely or according to receive assign. Which majority student they want to play fast most as much as they playing in recital concert that is play next although will non stop although there is an accident. Whatever event money can not buy and make your success playing improved. But taking time in good training can do. This messages below is that make your training trick valuable become money upward :

- Aim about training each the exercises succeed

- You will should certain as for vacate your space how will to play have the sound?

- Train that most challenge in order before first

- Try subdivide the music go out to very small part. What kind are you eat a cow all over? May don't eat all certainly over, Right?

- After you can have to play already remember for review each many time

- Before end the training in each part play down entirely repeated again and happy accompany it

This is the basically information for your good learn and playing your music styles with easy step and you can get the success with it. Important thing you should to have good plan for training. If you don't know how to start learning you can use this info for improve about you problem, for your success on music.

For More Music Training Resources Such As Online Guitar Lessons, Online Piano Lessons, Online Drums Lessons And Much More Music Playing Informations For Learn On Your Styles.

[NEW RELEASE] PUMA X SNKR FRKR BLAZE OF GLORY (BLACK BEAST)

Following on from the initial ‘Great White’ colorway released in April 2008, we can now reveal the stunning second version of the Sneaker Freaker X PUMA ‘Jirozame’ project. This new colorway of the PUMA Blaze of Glory flips the shoe to inky black, with a slash of vivid color that sets it off in all the right places. Highlights include sensual nubuck with turqoise sateen, silky laces, red chunks and poppin’ pink bits, all hooked up with the legendary smoke-tinted Trinomic cell unit in the sole of the shoe.

There’s also a choice of several beautifully designed insoles and multiple laces to complement the highly distinctive sneaker. “This thing looks evil!” says the editor and founder of Sneaker Freaker, Simon “Woody” Wood.And I love evil! It’s seriously the most comfortable shoe PUMA has ever made. Once you put this thing on you’ll never want to take it off. The Trinomic system was so far ahead of its time, you won’t believe your feet!” Be wary of its apparently docile nature, this one is lethal. And very, very black.

Here's a list of retailers below so find the one in your local area and bug them because as always, numbers are limited and you won't wanna miss out.

READ MORE ABOUT THE SNEAKER FREAKER BLAZE OF GLORY SHOE HERE.

AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS Provider (Melbourne) // Apartment (Brisbane)

NORTH AMERICA Atmos (NYC) // ARC (NYC) // Bodega (Boston) // Premium Goods (Houston)
Livestock (Vancouver) // Ubiq (Philly) // Undefeated (US) // Classic Kicks (NYC)

EUROPE Colette (Paris) // The Gloss (Zurich) // Hanon (Aberdeen, Scotland) // Shinzo (Paris)
Solebox (Berlin) // Sole Service (Oslo) // Sneakersnstuff (Stockholm) // Size (Carnaby St) // 90 SQM (Amsterdam)

ASIA Beams (Tokyo) // DMOP (Hong Kong) // Limited Edt (Singapore) Mita (Tokyo) // Sole What (Malaysia)

 

 

To see pictures of the Great White version of this shoe, go here...

Getting your music into movies is a great way to earn extra income, especially if you are an independent songwriter. However, there is more to the process than just sending your music to a studio. Learning the ins and outs of the business, taking advantage of your resources, and using the tricks of the trade are all necessary in order to successfully market your music to the film industry.

The Internet is your best friend! It isn't enough to be a good composer or musician-you must also be good with the business aspect, and the Internet can be just the tool to teach you about it. Licensing your music, that is, going through the process of placing your music in films or on television, can be difficult if you don't understand how to do it.

Furthermore, the Internet provides you with tools to market yourself as well as your product. Today, dozens of websites are dedicated to helping independent artists market themselves to the film industry, providing everything from helpful advice to full-on licensing services. Cruising the 'net for these helpful sites will help you develop a strategy to get your music heard.

Part of getting your music to the right people involved knowing who does what in film production. It isn't always enough to know just anyone in the studio. The music supervisor is the one you'll need to contact. Overseeing all musical aspects of a production, the music supervisor seeks to find that particular piece of music that will fit in perfectly with the project they are working on, and they have to do it on a deadline.

That said, it is important to remember that because music supervisors often have very little time to waste, your job is to capture their attention in the simplest, most effective way possible. Submit your CD with a letter referencing any conversations or requests, know what project you are submitting your music to them for, include all of your information in the jewel case of the CD and, if possible, attach a note indicating the most relevant tracks on your recording. This will make your submission stand out and will increase your chances of your music being selected.

If they like your music, the supervisor will want to know that the licensing process will be quick and painless, so your music must be ready for use. Also, familiarizing yourself with the licensing process can help you answer their questions and, in most cases, even negotiate fees. Become acquainted with the performing rights organizations (BMI, ASCAP, etc.) and what they require of you in order to collect your fees and royalties.

If your music has been selected for a film, ask for a copy of the cue sheet, the document that lists all of the tracks used in a film, where they are in reference to the movie, and the production information pertaining to said tracks. Having the cue sheets will enable you to build a portfolio of licensed tracks, allowing you to build credibility in the industry as a seasoned licensed artist.

Using your music to break into the film industry can be time-consuming and difficult, but with the right tools and knowledge, you can make it happen.

If this is all overwhelming, there is help. Sites like VersusMedia.com help connect you with the people that make decisions about music for films and television. There, you can post your music for review. You can see what projects are available and apply for those you qualify for. You can even become a Featured Artist, which will garner you even more exposure to the decision makers in this industry.

Ryan Vinson is the founder of VersusMedia, a marketplace that links independent filmmakers with musicians with the common goal of obtaining music for films. The company has a strong following in the independent film industry, and has assisted over 900 films to date. For more information, visit http://www.versusmedia.com