Eventually, the music industry has decided to embrace and accept illegal downloads of music from around the world. According to executives at the Midem conference in Cannes they have decided that illegal downloads of music is un-avoidable. Until very recently, the music industry was in a blind panic about illegal peer-to-peer downloading, they couldn’t stop it! And the industry still can’t! Millions of absolute millions of people from around the world seem to download music free of charge and it seems that the people who made it don’t seem to make a single penny.
An incredible 95% of all digital music in the music industry is downloaded directly off the internet and comes from un-licensed sources like Limewire and Imesh. However the blind panic regarding illegal downloaded music seems to have calmed down a lot. Regardless of how many hard hours he musician has put into playing his classic guitar or grand pianos. The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents US labels, has traditionally been the most aggressive and direct about chasing people who share music files over the world wide web. However, the association has announced that it will no longer sue suspected offenders at it considers the crime as far too broad and generic to prosecute one person.
Digital rights management – the lock placed on a track to attempt to stop people from sharing it was once the central tool to stop piracy from happening. However Apple is now removing DRM from their leading music software, itunes and the leading download store. This move from Apple marks almost a complete defeat for DRM and the music industry as they have been trying to battle illegal music piracy for an extremely long period of time.
The music industry seems to of reached a dramtic conclusion regarding the sharing of music and it looks as though people have prevailed in the battle. Although, I do feel slightly sorry for the people of society who were caught out in this rather pointless war. After all, I’m sure we could all say that we have downloaded material off the net and not thought about the consequences.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Music Industry Scrambles for money
How to Make a Great Music Gig
Your first musical gig is always an exciting event for all members. Many hours slogging it out in the garage or rehearsal room finally come to fruition with the offer of your first gig.
These days, bands usually get a school or party gig or a shared bill with a few other bands or even a band competition as their first gig. Either way, the experience of the first gig should be enjoyable and exciting. You don’t want it to turn into a nasty experience with everything going wrong, which it will if you are not prepared.
Like Murphy’s Law says “what can go wrong, will go wrong.” Every musician in the world can remember the first time they performed on staged, so make it a good experience not a frightful mess.
First, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! No matter how many times you have performed your songs in the garage, when you get on stage it will all sound different, and, if you don’t know your part 110%, you will get it wrong. In the garage, you are in one small room and quite close to your fellow band mates. On stage, you can be separated a lot and you may not be able to hear the other guys or what they are playing. If you know your songs very well, you will be able play no matter what sound problems you have.
Second, be confident. Rehearse your songs in the order you will perform them especially if you are doing a short set. Make sure you practice the whole set just like if you were playing at the gig. This will alert you to any problems such as guitar changes, pedal set up changes, singers needing a “breather” that may make you look disorganized on stage.
Make sure your guitars have new guitar strings (but put them on at least two hours before you play and stretch them in), your drums have at least a new snare skin, check the condition of the kick drum skin too.
Make sure you us new batteries for pedals, tuners, or wireless systems you use. And don’t forget a guitar stand or two!! Have a spare lead close by even if you are using wireless system as it is a good back up.
If you are doing a gig with a bunch of other bands, make sure your accessories such as leads, tuners , and microphones are clearly marked with your name or at least some special markings, it is strange how much gear goes “walking” at these gigs.
Create a song list for band members and have a few spares for other people. Make notes for the sound guy if you want any special effects done during your set. Each member should write notes on his or her list if they need to remember certain things such as pedal adjustments or guitar changes. Singers can use a cheat sheet and write down parts of a song to jog their memory. Rehearse well and you won't have to do that!
Get to the gig early so you have plenty of time and bring lots of friends to fill out the crowd. Audiences generally have a ‘sheep’ mentality and if they see or hear a bunch of people making a lot of favourable noises they too will go along and get the vibe.
Enjoy your self and get the whole thing recorded on audio and visual mediums so you can show it to your family and friends and to your grand kids when your old! You will never forget your first gig!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Music Industry looses out on battle for illegal downloads
Eventually, the music industry has decided to embrace and accept illegal downloads of music from around the world. According to executives at the Midem conference in Cannes they have decided that illegal downloads of music is un-avoidable. Until very recently, the music industry was in a blind panic about illegal peer-to-peer downloading, they couldn’t stop it! And they still cannot! Millions of absolute millions of people from around the world seem to download music free of charge and it seems that the people who made it don’t seem to make a single penny.
An incredible 95% of all digital music in the music industry is downloaded straight off the internet and comes from un-licensed sources like Limewire and Imesh. However the blind panic regarding illegal downloaded music seems to have calmed down a lot. Regardless of how many hard hours he musician has put into playing his classic guitar or grand pianos. The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents US labels, has traditionally been the most aggressive and direct about chasing people who share music files over the world wide web. However, the association has announced that it will no longer sue suspected offenders at it considers the crime as far too broad and generic to prosecute one person.
Digital rights management – the lock placed on a track to attempt to stop the public from sharing it was once the central tool to stop piracy from happening. However Apple is now removing DRM from their leading music software, itunes and the leading download store. This move from Apple marks almost a complete defeat for DRM and the music industry as they have been trying to battle music piracy for an extremely long period of time.
The music industry seems to of reached a dramtic conclusion regarding the sharing of music and it looks as though people have prevailed in the battle. Although, I do feel slightly sorry for the people of society who were caught out in this rather pointless war. After all, I’m sure we could all say that we have downloaded material off the net and not thought about the consequences.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Learning Piano Playing Skills With Rocket Piano
Rocket Piano is a piano tutorial with all the features specific to a course, showing one the basics of music playing at the professional level. The learning material available with Rocket Piano is pretty comprehensive covering piano exercises, music reading, theoretical studies as well as other elements that define the instrument specificity. The readers or learners targeted by the course are hobbyists who want to develop a music skill without the pretense of professionalism.
What to expect from Rocket Piano
The approach to piano learning you'll find in Rocket Piano is a user friendly one, meaning that it addresses basic learning levels with the possibility to develop new skills. The course is pretty fun without giving one the feeling that the theoretical part about the history of music is boring. Rocket Piano focuses on tasks as the most challenging and interesting method to make the student progress.
Like with any other skill you try to develop, piano playing requires quite a lot of time for practice. Rocket Piano mainly focuses on the very quality of the exercises, since lots of amateurish players don't know how to practice efficiently. Once you get to master the techniques described in the course, ten minutes of practice will equal hours of faulty or improper training. To many people, Rocket Piano will be the course to understanding music language.
Rocket Piano will teach you about chords and chord symbol readings, it will open the door to improvisation, it will facilitate the scales and the arpeggios, and finally, it will teach you perform. Although some of these sound like piece of cake, things are far from easy, but the challenges will reveal themselves gradually as you go through the Rocket Piano course.
Taking Rocket Piano with a grain of salt!
The big disappointment in using Rocket Piano is to discover that you cannot play as expected. Such cases are pretty often since Rocket Piano doesn't prepare only true musicians. Talent is something innate and it is this divine gift that allows one to develop the art further on and achieve astonishing things.
All in all, Rocket Piano is a nice approach to the study of this classic instrument. The satisfaction will be great if you actually manage to play the piano really well after using only Rocket Piano as a learning material. No matter the skill level you reach, enjoy the experience all the same!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Where Can I Find Good Audio Book Download?
The internet has added a whole new level of success to many industries, including the audio book download industry. Because anybody with an internet connection and a computer can easily get a wide selection of MP3 books, the sales and popularity of this niche has only increased over the years. This industry has been especially useful for business people who travel frequently and families who go on long trips often with their children. The audio book industry has something to suit the needs of any book lover.
The audio book download industry caters to a variety of tastes and interests. Business books make up a large part of the market so business people are sure to find something that will be helpful to them. Several business-related categories are available as MP3 audio books for download, including lectures, motivational materials, and books that provide financial tips for the busy business person. Others will enjoy business audio books that focus on ethics or investments that they can listen to on the way to work or during a long business trip.
Audio book downloads are available through many companies and websites. One of the most popular places to get your MP3 books is through www.audible.com. Users can download digital recordings of their favorite books for a cost that is less than buying the actual book. With thousands of available titles, users are certain to find something that fits their preferences while expanding their reading perspectives. Internet users can also download their favorite audio book free from popular sites like www.free-books.org and www.freeclassicaudiobooks.com, as well as other sites that are non-profit.
Besides convenience, the audio book download industry provides other services to customers to encourage them to explore other possibilities. Many websites offer a subscription service where subscribers can buy or rent an audio book the same way others rent videos from their local video store. With a membership, you have unlimited access to thousands of audio books. At www.simplyaudiobooks.com, the cost of membership includes the shipping charges and late fees so you just pay a low monthly rate to enjoy your favorite books. You can listen to a wider selection of books to expose yourself to ones you might have otherwise missed by utilizing a low-cost subscription service.
The audio book download industry caters to people who are typically too busy to sit back and enjoy reading a favorite book. With CD players in cars and portable media capabilities, you can listen to your choice of books on your way to work or on long car trips. With the internet, you can even get free educational audio books or rent books through one of many subscriptions services.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Learning How To Play The Violin Yourself
Trying to figure out how to play violin for beginners and on your own can be extremely difficult and frustrating. It can be an uphill struggle for anyone but your musical education on the instrument need not end before it has begun. You can turn things around and make them fun with disciplined commitment and dedicated learning. Hundreds of thousands of musicians worldwide have sworn on the same commitment. Success has not eluded them as they claim a place for themselves as professional musicians. This can apply just as easily to anyone interested in learning the violin but wishing to do it on his own. It is not always necessary to have a personal violin teacher when trying to master the instrument, as long as one has the patience, understanding and determination to succeed by being self taught.
For anyone determined to teach himself how to play the violin, there is one thing that needs to be asked before taking the plunge. How serious are you about doing it? Is your passion for the instrument strong or just something that is on the spur of the moment? A natural love for music is also necessary. It helps to increase tenfold the enjoyment of pursuing your musical education. Trying to overcome any rut along the way might be easier if you truly have a passion for what you do.
While it is admirable to be self taught, do not exempt the fact that some form of sharing and learning from others would be necessary during your journey. Look for other violin players and learn from each other. You could learn faster by understand what others have gone through. Inculcate their experiences in your own lessons and progression might result quicker. Do not neglect other resources such as picking up a learn violin dvd to gather more insight from other professionals.
Students who have professional guidance can expect encouragement from their teachers. If you decide to teach yourself how to play the violin, then self discipline is something you must cultivate and master in order to fulfill your dreams. You must not shirk your responsibilities with regards to violin practice and more effort might be required compared to one who has a personal coach. Always check and look back on your progress so that mistakes and details can be ironed out to ensure future growth.
Many self taught musicians neglect classical musical theory. Teaching yourself musical theory is not only very hard, but it can be a long arduous path to undertake. But it helps to make you a better violinist. It is also really necessary to know musical theory in order to become a better violin player as there is no alternative theory system for the instrument. There are many violin lessons online that can provide help in this area and you should turn to them for extra knowledge.
At the end of the day, whether you are enrolled in a music school or choose the self taught path, becoming proficient in the violin requires all your attention to detail, dedication, passion and commitment. Understand that if you remain committed and stick to what you are best at, you can become a great violinist beyond your wildest imaginations. The journey will be long but fruitful till the end.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
In 1979 Charlie Daniels released The Devil Went Down to Georgia. It's remained popular for nearly 30 years, and there's no sign that people will ever grow tired of singing it.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
The song's roots are in a melody called “Lonesome Fiddle Blues.” Charlie raised the song an octave and put words to the melody. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, making The Devil Went Down to Georgia the band's most popular hit. The RIAA says that amongst songs with a state name in the title, this is the top seller of all time.
Here's the plot. The devil goes to Georgia to look for some souls. He'll make a deal. He offers a deal to a young fiddler named Johnny. It takes the form of a fiddle contest. If Johnny wins he receives the golden fiddle upon which the devil plays. It has great value. Johnny bets his soul.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
The Devil begins the contest with a tremendous performance. He performs with a host of demons in a big production that sounds like something out of a rock opera. It seems Johnny, a simple boy with a fiddle, is doomed. But Johnny's simple and pure fiddle work is even better. When he's finished playing, there's no argument. The devil gives him the golden fiddle. Johnny teases is the devil, telling him he's open for a rematch at any time. In early versions of the song Johnny curses the devil.
There have been countless remakes and parodies of the song. The Spanish version is“El Diablo bajo a Georgia”. In the cartoon “Futurama” the heroes challenge the robot devil to a similar fiddle contest to save their robot friend. But after the robot devil plays they beat him in the head with the golden fiddle so they can escape. Primus posted a very good video of The Devil Went Down to Georgia on YouTube. The story is well animated. Even Charlie Daniels got back in on the fun by recording a sequel with Johnny Cash. Daniels named it “The Devil Comes Back to Georgia”.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
The Devil Went Down to Georgia is a song that people sing. Give it a try, you'll know why the title has a ring.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Devil Woman
Devil Woman was a song recorded by Cliff Richard in 1976. It made it up to #9 on the UK charts. The Billboard 100 showed it as high as #6. That was Richard's biggest hit ever in the United States. There's a lot to learn about the famous song.
Terry Britten wrote it. He was English singer-songwriter who wrote songs for people like Tina Turner, Olivia Newton John, and even Michael Jackson. Some of his other songs include “What's Love Got to Do with It”, and “We Don't Need Another Hero” from the movie “Mad Max Beyond Thunder Dome”. Terry was the guitarist in Cliff's famous recording of Devil Woman. It was recorded at Abbey Road studio, where the Beatles often recorded.
The song tells a story. A stray cat with evil eyes curses a man. The man seeks out a gypsy who he thinks can remove the curse. But he's stunned when he learns that the curse didn't come from the cat. The gypsy cursed him in order to bring him to her.
Many songs like Devil Woman that have a story to tell are sparsely produced. They aren't complex. They use few instruments for their simple tune. One of these simple songs is Devil Woman. It was recorded with a guitar, some drums, an electric piano and miscellaneous percussion. Oh, and there was a singer.
The combination of major and minor chords in Devil Woman aren't usual for pop songs. It's one of the earliest hit songs in the United States to encompass more than an octave of the musical range.
Other groups have covered, or performed, the song. One of these is the Accused. The group began in Washington in 1981. Its style is what they called splatter rock. Many of the sounds in their music are made to mimic the sounds from the horror movies that they loved. This means sounds like chainsaw guitar riffs.
In 2005 Cradle of Faith covered Devil Woman. They were an English extreme metal band. Their songs were in the style of any kind of metal according to the band. Given their reputation and style of music this song was perfect for them.
Devil Woman is a seductive song.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Spirit In The Sky
Spirit in the Sky is the song composed by Norman Greenbaum in the late 60s that made history all around the world by lyrics, tune and cultural impact as well. The writer of Spirit in the Sky was inspired by a TV show where he listened to some gospel singing, and he put the lyrics down in fifteen minutes. It refers to the afterlife and the Christian experience in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Though, Greenbaum is Jewish and identifies himself as such, the Christian dimension of the song did not go unnoticed even if the author claimed that he had no religious intention to pour in the song.
Greenbaum had the intention of reaching broader audiences when he referred to sin in Spirit in the Sky, particularly since the concept of evil doing is found in all cultures and religions, and Christianity doesn't have exclusive rights on it. When it comes to musicality, the guitar is the dominant note in the rhythm of the song. It seems that a Fender Telecaster with a fuzz box inside was used so as to to make the sound guitar preponderant.
The characteristics of Spirit in the Sky are amazing by the new sound imprint: psychedelic rock music meets gospel in a combination of tambourines, hand clapping, great drum playing and distorted electric guitar. Though Spirit in the Sky proved a hit, its beginnings were pretty difficult as the record company showed increased reluctance towards producing it because of the unusual lyrics and the originality of the style. Spirit in the Sky actually came to the rescue of the album it was part of, since it followed two other single releases which were rated as failures. Somehow, the producers needed to save the project, but even so they were far from anticipating the success of the song.
John Lennon rated Spirit in the Sky as a great song, while the Rolling Stones gave it only a 333rd place in the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Even so, the song was listened to everywhere in UK, Canada, US or Australia, and it made a statement that was to become the foundation stone of glam rock development and the more extensive usage of electronic technologies in music making. Due to its message and sound specificity, Spirit in the Sky met the necessities of film making too, being included in over twenty movies.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Guitar Lessons For Electric And Acoustic Guitar Players
If you have thought about learning guitar then you have probably thought about taking a electric guitar lesson or acoustic guitar lesson. You should know that you have plenty of options besides going directly to a guitar instructor. Most people should be able to teach themselves guitar. Today we will be taking a look at a guide to help new guitar players start playing in the easiest way possible.
Pick Your Style First
The first thing you need to decide is what type of music you would like to learn. Learning something like country music is not really the same as learning how to play metal or rock. The idea is to learn sond that are your type. You should also make sure that you are learning songs from someone who is an expert at the type of music you would like to play and create. The real trick to this is to find songs that are very easy to learn in your type of music.
Your First Guitar
Some people make the mistake of buying a really fancy and expensive guitar to learn from. This is something that doesn't happen often. When you are starting out you need something that is simply to learn from. You can always buy another guitar later on when your skills improve. You shouldn't have spend to much more then a couple hundred dollars for a good starter guitar. You may want to consider buying used if you find a good deal. In most cases you want need a used guitar and should be able to buy one that is new at an affordable price.
Should You Take Lessons
Most people can easily teach themselves guitar without the need for taking lessons. You can easily learn by watching a DVD, going through a book, using software, and learning by ear. But there will always be people who struggle and need to take lessons. Taking lessons is a great way to learn, but you can expect to fork out a fair bit of money for them. The more lessons you need the more the cost will add up. I would highly recommend that you record your lessons with the instructor so that you can watch them later.
The only way you will ever get good at playing guitar is practice. It isn't easy and it will take you a fair amount of time to master this as a hobby. I would recommend that you try practicing at least 30 to 60 minutes everyday.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Things You Should Know About Playing The Bass Guitar
Allot of people do not think about learning to play the bass guitar when they first decide to learn an instrument. I don't think many people know that the bass is the real heart and soul of good music. People feel the bass just as much as they hear it. This makes the bass guitar one of the most exciting instruments in all of music. For this article we will be taking a look at how to play bass guitar.
Learning the bass starts with learning the basics of the instrument. Make sure that you learn the names of the different parts and what those parts do. The basics start with knowing the names of the strings, how to tune your guitar, and then with learning the scales. All bass teachers would agree that you should start learning by playing a fretted bass guitar.
You need to get good with your fingers if you want to play bass. There are all sorts of different exercises you can learn to help improve your ability to play. Make sure that you do practice everyday so you can get the basic techniques down. If you don't hold the bass the right way you will find learning to be rather difficult.
It's important that you learn to play songs that you actually like. Learning is much more difficult when you are trying to play songs that you don't enjoy. At the same time these songs need to be relativity simple and easy to learn. Picking songs that are too hard for a beginner to learn is one of the biggest mistakes new players make.
How you choose to learn is up to you. Many people simply learn to play by ear. This is probably one of the best ways. However, you should know that it is a very useful skill to be able to read a few notes. You may want to take lessons from an instuctor, but you should also consider teaching yourself how to play by ear.
You may also want to consider learning bass online. There are a number of good tutorials that can be found or even some affordable lessons that you can take. This is something you should consider.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Learn To How to Play a Guitar – What You Need To Start Playing Guitars Like A Pro
Learning how to play a Guitar requires a careful study, a skillful hand and a devoted heart. The Guitar is considered to be the easiest instrument that you can learn and knowing when and where to start is definitely a one notch up.
First thing you need to do is to establish a motivation. This can be done by humming and playing alongside your favorite song. This is a great motivator that you would definitely go out of your way to practice even more. Keep in mind that you cannot study playing any musical instrument if you don´t start reading notes as well as the chords.
When you´ve finally made the part of learning how to read notes which is considered imperative in learning guitar, it is then time for you to ensure that your guitar is tuned properly.
Make it a point that each string is tuned to a specific pitch. A pitch pipe can be used to test the tune of a guitar or on a string to string basis. Deciding on what pick to choose is also essential.
Although this category is often the one to go unnoticed, still it plays a big role as you go on your way to learning how to play the guitar. Picks have several gauges. This can be in the form of either a thin or thick pick.
Learning guitar is probably difficult for a beginner at first but with constant practice humming a tune and strumming altogether doesn´t come with much complexity after all. The simple rule in guitar learning is to keep on practicing.
If you want to learn how to play a guitar, i recommend Ben Edwards Jamorama. Learn how to play a guitar online with Jamorama. There is a 60 day money back guarantee so there is no risk on your part.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Guitar Lesson For Those Who Are New To Playing
It has always been your dream to play the guitar. You listen to all those rock and metal songs. You wish you could learn to play just like the greatest guitarist in the world. Now you can! All you have to do is take some good beginner guitar lessons to get started. For this article we will be taking a look at what you need to know to play the guitar.
Most people start learning guitar by studying some books and DVDs. However, not everyone finds these methods to be easy. In fact, there will be many who try the techniques taught in these types of lessons with nothing but frustration. Most beginners have a hard time with learning notes and with reading the notes. Many would rather learn by ear. This is when you can really see some benefits from having a guitar teacher.
It Starts With The Basics
When you take lessons you will start out with the basics. You will learn how to hold the guitar, the different strings, how to tune the guitar, and how to hold it correctly. When you make a mistake your teacher will correct you. This is the main advantage on having an instructor. With an instructor they can help you with the things that you are struggling with.
A good instuctor can help you pick the right songs to start out learning. Before you decide on an instuctor make certain that he or she can teach you the type of music that you like to listen to and want to play. The idea is to find an instuctor who teaches you metal if metal is what you want to learn. This will make things frustrating for the instructor and waist your time. Make certain that you ask an instuctor you are considering to take lessons from if they can teach the type of music you want to learn.
Instuctors can also help out allot when it comes to learning a tablature. A tablature is readable music that guitarists have made. You see guitarists do not use their own sheet music. If you know some sheet music you will be in for a huge change because guitar players have their own style of writing music. An instructor can help you out a great deal with this.
As you can probably tell learning how to play electric guitar has never been this easy. There are lots of options for you. You can learn online, through DVD, through professional lessons, or simply teach yourself. There isn't really any right or wrong ways to go about it.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Great Tips for Learning to Sing
All you have to do is listen to some of the great singers of our time, regardless of the genre of music. People like Julie Andrews and Josh Groban immediately come to mind as two of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard. And let’s face it, we’d all love to be able to sing like those two velvet throated virtuosos. Well, believe it or not, it’s not as hard as you might thing. In this article, I’m going to share 3 killer tips that will improve your singing 100%.
Probably the most important part of singing is the breathing. Most people who sing, even some professional pop singers, do NOT breathe correctly. The correct way to breathe is from your diaphragm, which is just below your rib cage. By doing this, and slowly exhaling as you let out the tone, you will get a fuller and rounder tone, as opposed to singing from your throat, which is what most people do.
The next tip has to do with hitting those high notes. The problem with most people when they sing is that they try to hit that high C exactly. What you actually need to do is reach for slightly above high C, then in actuality what happens is that you hit the note that you were trying to hit. It’s more of a psychological trick than a physical one, but it does work very well.
The final tip has to do with your vocal chords. You need to think of them the same way that you would think of the strings of a piano. The lower notes are longer and the strings are thicker. The higher notes are shorter and the strings are thinner. Thus, when you are singing, you need to shorten the vocal chords when you sing your higher notes, otherwise, the sound will not come out.
You’re probably wondering how to do all this. Well, not a problem. Below in my signature is a review of a great resource that will have you singing like a pro in no time at all.
You may not sing like Andrews or Groban, but you’ll sound darn good. Read my review on one of the most popular singing training system available, Singorama.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Riders In The Sky
Founded in the 1980s, the comic music group Riders in the Sky still remain influent in American entertainment, their great artistic contribution being recognized by the granting of two Grammies for the performance in animation films. At first, Riders in the Sky had only three members, Douglas Green alias Ranger Doug, Paul Woodrow Chrisman alias Woody Paul and Fred LaBour alias Too Slim, Woody Paul (Paul Woodrow Chrisman) and Ranger Doug (Douglas Green). Joey Miskulin known as Joey the Cowpolka King joined the group to play the accordion in the 90s. The Riders in the Sky put great energy in their performances over the years, and they still have a great impact on the public and a word to say in the showbiz.
The Riders in the Sky stand out not only by their artistic talents but also by the high education level of the group members: Ranger Doug has a Master degree in literature, Too Slim in Wildlife Management and Woody Paul a PhD in theoretical plasma Physics. {If that is not an impressive array of diplomas, then what is?That really is great academic education!} Even so, Riders in the Sky built personal professional lives not many other groups can boast with; in their twenty-five year history, they have more than 5,200 live shows, 200 radio acts, 300 television appearances, over 700 Grand Ole Opry participations and three TV series. Their thirty albums only complement the moments spent on stage in a life dedicated to the arts.
Other activities of Riders in the Sky include the appearance in CBS morning shows on Saturdays from 1991 to 1992 as well as dozens of winter holiday events put together for television purposes. As for their music, Riders in the Sky remain authentic and faithful to the cowboy and Western songs they perform. On different occasions they have crossed the line between music and comedy, getting into parody representations of great quality. Wit, music talent and respect for the old American spirit are the values to have kept their popularity high for so many years.
Fans can learn about the events to which Riders in the Sky take part by consulting their official site and see what's new in their web agenda. You can also consult the group's biography and check with their impressive hall of fame. For years in a raw, Riders in the Sky received the title of Group of the Year, while also being awarded for albums on a variety of occasions too. From this perspective, it goes without saying why Billboard magazine calls them a major event in the history of American music.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Jamorama Review – Online Guitar Learning Course
I have been playing guitar for a few years now but never really serious with it. I can do some basic strumming and chords and that´s about it. I´ve been wanting to do some serious guitar learning and decide to find some online guitar learning course. That was when I found Jamorama.
My Jamorama Review
Jamorama is created by Ben Edwards who is a lead guitarist. The course comprises of guitar learning videos as well as some software to help newbie guitarists learn better. All of these are instantly downloadable and you can store them on your computer and begin learning anytime you want.
This is one of the advantages of buying an online guitar course since I don´t necessarily have time to attend guitar lessons every week. I could simply watch the videos anytime I am free.
I am a better learner using videos when it comes to guitar playing. The videos do help a lot as I can see and learn how Ben is playing his guitar. At any point I do not understand, I can always pause or rewind it back. Plus, Ben do provide email support in case I am stuck at any of the guitar video lessons.
The videos are in sequence and I recommend you start from video one or else you might get lost easily. There are over 148 video lessons in Jamorama and each one allows you to watch and learn how Ben plays the guitar.
There is also an upgrade course available if you want to get into playing the lead guitarist. If you want to play guitar in a band, then certainly it is recommended to get it as well. For me, it wasn´t necessary so I passed.
There are also several guitar software such as the GuitEarIt which is a guitar ear training game. Jayde Musica Pro which teaches you how to read music. Guitar Tuner Pro which teaches you how to tune your guitar and the Jamorama Metronome.
Jamorama does offer a lot in the videos and software. This course is more suited for beginners. If you are an intermediate or advanced guitarist, I would advise you not to buy this course as you probably won´t learn much from it.
If you are looking for the best online guitar learning course, check out my Jamorama review. Discover how it can help you learn guitar fast online by reading my in depth Jamorama review.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Nina Sky
Nicole and Natalie Albino are the voices that make up Nina Sky. Though they music was part of their lives ever since they were kids, Nina Sky girls only launched songs on the market in 2004. They both know how to play drums and the guitar and their musical background is a very eclectic one given the fact that their step dad is a DJ. They composed their first song at the age of seven and by the time they turned ten they were committed to becoming singers. It took a while for Nina Sky to finally get on stage and stay up to personal expectations.
Success came hard and before getting in tops, the girls from Nina Sky worked as DJs and tried to work their own sound under the guidance of two musical producers, Elijah Wells and Lionel Bermingham, known as the Jettsonz. It is thanks to the Jettsonz that, Nina Sky came to work on their first single Move Ya Body that thrilled listeners by the Caribbean rhythms with some R&B beats. The demo version of the song was very much to the liking of a division president from Universal Records, and things started to go smoothly for Nina Sky.
Move Ya Body was the single that opened many doors for Nina Sky but they had to set higher goals for their musical career. It was time to focus on music promotion, and they concentrated all their attention in this direction particularly, with their efforts rewarded by the increased response to reggaeton music on both sides of the Atlantic. At the end of 2007, Nina Sky terminated their collaboration with Universal Records and went for J Records, for an album the release of which has been postponed. In the meantime the twins put together all sorts of remixes of other very popular songs like J. Holiday's Bed or Cassidy's My Drink n My 2 Steps
Nina Sky's songs address pretty varied topics from love themes and friendship to loss and bitter stuff of an emotional nature. On the other hand their music is stimulating with serious R&B tonalities that don't get unnoticed on the dance floor Nina Sky even participated to the writing of the famous Betty Wright's song You Deserve for which they also contributed as guest vocalists. With only two albums, lots of remixes and collaborations, there are many other things to expect from Nina Sky. Will change style or go for the same beat? It remains to see.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Ghost Riders In The Sky
With Ghost Riders in the Sky, Stan Jones opened a great chapter in the history of country music as early as 1948. He had no clue about what a hit his composition was going to become, as there dozens of rewrites and versions have appeared along the years. Ghost Riders in the Sky is the song of a cowboy who sees cattle with red eyes chased by ghost cowboys in the sky. He is warned to change his life style or never find peace in the after life and be damned for eternity. Moreover, European myths can be read between the lines in the lyrics.
Ghost Riders in the Sky has become a classic by now, and almost all the stars of country music made an attempt at its interpretation. Moreover, it seems the that the famous band The Doors took their inspiration from Ghost Riders in the Sky when they created their Riders on the Storm hit. From all the variants of the material, the one recorded by Vaughn Monroe in 1949 was the best enjoying the first place in the Billboard charts of the year, and remaining in this position for more than five months.
Ghost Riders in the Sky was performed in the movie Blues Brothers 2000, and then it was even taken as a source of inspiration by a German heavy metal band. Along the years, several rock musicians aimed at combining the initial original country song with the message of the rock movement, and they enjoyed different levels of success. Ghost Riders in the Sky generated cultural responses other than rewrites and new versions, and here we mainly refer to parody and political engagement.
An Irish parody variant of Ghost Riders in the Sky refers to the destruction of British helicopters by IRA members, though no such violence has ever occurred. Despite these politically engaged messages that could be added to the Ghost Riders in the Sky, the majority of the performing artists are not aware of them, and sing the song without any reference to terrorist or Republican facts. Last but not least, Ghost Riders in the Sky also served as a starting point for the creation of some football club songs by supporters. Yet, with all the changes, it is clearly obvious that Ghost riders in the Sky marked history in the annals of country music.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Why You Can Learn The Piano Without A Teacher
Most people will never imagine learning a piano without the guidance of a teacher. They believe that there is not much of a chance to master it without professional instruction. Even though the piano can bring about a tedious learning experience, the requirement for a professional teacher is never necessary.
The piano can be learned through self instruction. Not every student with teachers will succeed in knowing how to play the piano, so results are not guaranteed in any situation. Many piano teachers are no more than guides who enforce practice, which can be done by anyone with the right discipline.
Piano teachers could also have the reverse effect on someone who is keen to pick up the instrument. Nobody likes to have a fierce or boring teacher, and they can spoil the learning process for any student. Without making lessons more interesting, budding pianists might decide to give up learning instead.
If there is a strict budget involved, then a piano teacher will be out of the question. Most teachers charge monthly fees that average hundreds of dollars, depending on their qualifications. They might provide some experience in guidance, but there are just as many willing teachers online who provide their opinions for free.
With more leeway in the learning process, it can result in greater artistic expression. That is a freedom that might not be afforded to students in a piano school and under strict teachers. It does not encourage deeper exploration and understanding of the music as they could be influenced to play and think in a certain fixed way.
By becoming self taught, there is a more relaxed atmosphere and feel to learning how to play the piano. Suitable amounts of discipline should be added to it, to avoid being lazy during the learning process. But it is a method that can fit the most trying of learning ability, and easily customized for all.
There should also be considerable usage of online piano lessons that are freely available. They will add to the whole experience, and can be suitable substitutes for piano teachers. The personal touch is lacking, and sometimes it might still take some human explanation to understand certain points. But these can be replaced by getting involved with communities who have a passion for the instrument.
There is no clear advantage to having a piano teacher compared to teaching yourself how to play. In fact, it could be easier to learn the piano yourself, and indulge in endless hours of fun with music that you enjoy. The millions of self taught professional musicians worldwide will not disagree at all.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Information about Karaoke Equipment
If somebody told, would you confess to singing in the wash? How about along with the radio while driving down the road? There are some songs that just get stuck in your head and make you want to belt them out. If you like to sing, May be you should think karaoke equipment. With the advancing popularity of this past time, discount karaoke music cdgs are becoming readily available.
If you have been to a party or a club with karaoke equipment, you may already be well-known with the system. Karaoke equipment contains a screen that displays the words, a speaker and microphones, and the player that uses discs with the words that displays on the screen. Discount karaoke music cdgs permit you to have a broad diversity of music for people to sing.
Once you have decided that you want to buy karaoke equipment, you can determine if you just want a simple home setup where friends can come over and sing, or a more commercial quality sound system. Karaoke equipment comes in a wide variety of choices, from very simple for the amateur, to moderately sturdy equipment that allows smaller venues to offer karaoke, to large commercial products where the sound will carry in crowded and noisy environments. Whatever you are looking for, there is a product that will match your needs.
The types of music available on discount karaoke music cdgs provide entertainment for any crowd. You and your friends and family will be sure to enjoy singing to all kinds of music, including popular hits, Latin music, children’s CD’s, Elvis, motion picture music and everything in between. You can decide which key will work better for you and buy your CDs to compliment your singing style.
When you own your own karaoke equipment, not only will you be able to host great parties, but by selecting the right discount karaoke music cdgs, you will be able to practice at home. By having your own equipment, you can boost your confidence by rehearsing in the privacy of your own home. Once you have mastered the music, take it away with a killer performance at a local club in front of a crowd.
No matter what level of performance you desire, you can benefit from karaoke equipment. Karaoke is a low cost leisure place that will divert your friends and family, and will carry you closer together. Share the music, share the memories. Invest in your karaoke equipment and discount karaoke music cdgs today and start rehearsing your favorite music.