Break Away II

Time has become an important commodity. People rarely find time to take care of themselves, being too busy with their jobs or families. This is damaging to their bodies and minds. Stress can easily be avoided by finding a relaxing activity to do, whenever free time is available.

One such relaxing activity, for both the mind and body, is listening to music. Listening to music is not influenced by gender, age or nationality, and people all over the world are enjoying this fun, relaxing activity, whenever their time allows it.

Of course, people rarely find time to listen to music in the comfort of their own home, in their favorite sofa. Fortunately, mobile Mp3 players have become a common electronic device and they allow people to listen to music whenever they want, whether in the subway, or when having lunch.

Mp3 players now allow people to do much more than just listen to music. Advanced players, called portable media players, even allow users to watch photos, or their favorite videos.

 4gb zen creative is one such advanced player, that offers a FM radio tuner as well. Using it is simple and it easily fits into your pocket. Besides its advanced features, the player also offers enough storage space to fit a large number of songs.

Listening to music in public is considered weird by some, and wearing headphones makes them feel uncomfortable. However, listening to music in public has become quite common, and people wearing headphones can be seen in all places, be it the local park, or library. Headphone design has also evolved, and their size has gotten significantly smaller, so people will rarely know you’re wearing them. Using a Mp3 player such as this one, for even a couple of days, will only show you what you’ve been missing out on!

Bass Amps

The bass amp makes it possible for the generation of excellent audio output and that is something that a bass player requires on priority. The bass guitar can sound very different and lovely with the correct bass amp that you need to fit it with. Having the right Head and Cabinet setup is very essential to ensure the production of rich sound.

The size of the bass speakers is very important.
Just as the amplifier is important to the bass player, the speakers are equally important to the set up of the bass cabinet to yield suitable clarity in acoustics. You should choose the speaker dimensions depending upon the playing manner of the bass player and should not be under the impression that only speakers of higher magnitude can deliver crystal clear sound.

It is a known fact that even speakers of smaller dimensions can produce superior quality sound and that is especially true when the need is for precise playing like slapping.It is advisable to go for the mid range 12 to 15 inch speaker size as they can produce broader tones and can adapt to different music quite well.

It has been observed that you cannot get the pleasure of many of the frequencies in the mid range, when you play music through the 8 inch speakers. On the other hand, opting for much bigger ones in the 18 inch range produces sound that is too heavy. Utilizing a blend of speakers with diverse dimensions produces music which is more gratifying, as they are able to cater to the entire scope of frequencies.

Many a time, these different speakers are ensconced within one enclosure and serve to provide the right output; so the 15 inch speakers can provide the low range, the 10 inch dual speakers can take care of the midrange and with tweeters situated above, the high pitch frequencies can be managed effectively. Providing for more than required space within the area where the speakers are set up makes it easy for air to pass and allows for much better audio to be produced.

Shield the diaphragms from damage.
Since the cones of the speakers can get spoilt through dirt and jerks of any kind, they need to be safeguarded with a grid that is sturdy. Tough metal trimmings along with tough shields in the form of caps on the sides of the boxes containing the speakers will prevent any dent to them when they are transported.

Get Your Hands on Some bass amps Today.

Even though you’re not a guitar player, I’m pretty sure you know at least one musical scale, and I’m also betting it’s the C Major scale. The film The Sound of Music made famous the “do-re-mi” song that actually translates to a C Major scale (for complete beginners, the notes for a C Major scale are C-D-E-F-G-A-B).

But if your goal is to be a rocking lead guitarist, there’s a type of scale that you definitely must know, and that is the pentatonic scale. Pentatonic scales are the foundation for most rock and blues solos, and it’s important that you know how to make them.

Simply put, pentatonic scales have one major difference with normal scales: while normal scales have seven notes, pentatonic scales have only five (the term penta- means ‘five’). Other than that, there’s basically no difference. But how would I know which notes are in the pentatonic scales?

Let’s take that C Major scale. The notes for that would be C-D-E-F-G-A-B. If you take away the fourth note and the seventh note, you would be left with C-D-E-G-A. And that’s basically just how you make a pentatonic major scale: you take out the fourth and seventh notes of a major scale! So if you have a song that uses a C chord, you can master a solo on your guitar but NOT play F and B chords. The pentatonic major scale is a foundation of modern rock, and Jimi Hendrix is known to use the pentatonic major scale a lot.

The pentatonic minor scale is also created a bit differently. For a pentatonic minor scale, of course you would need a minor scale to begin with. Let’s take the A Minor scale for example. The notes for that would be A-B-C-D-E-F-G. For the pentatonic minor, however, you would need to take out the second and sixth notes, leaving you with A-C-D-E-G. The pentatonic minor scale is widely used in blues solo progressions.

A final observation: did you notice that the notes for the C pentatonic major scale are the same for the A minor pentatonic scale? That’s a weird relationship of pentatonic major and minor scales. Basically the notes of a pentatonic major scale for a given key are the same for a pentatonic minor for a key three steps down, but your root notes are different of course.

It may take a bit of practice for you to master pentatonic major and minor scales, but once you do perfect them you’re basically on the way to a better understanding of guitar soloing for blues or rock. And a final word: pentatonic scales have less notes, so they’re easier to remember and play! So go ahead and play!

Okay, I’m sure you’ve gotten an argument with your buddies at some point, comparing who you think are the top 10 guitar players of all time. We’ve all been there, but here’s the thing that few realize. Music isn’t competition, it’s not about who’s the best at this or that. Plus, there are so many musical genres, that to compare let’s say a metal master and a blues king doesn’t really work all that well. You may as well be comparing apples and oranges.

That being said, there’s still a few guitarists that most people consider to be real heavies, and every time these types of lists come up, their names are always mentioned. These guitar players are either very skilled at a specific technique, or are the most influential guitarists to other musicians, and that’s whey they deserve to be in a top 10 guitar players list.

As for me, this is probably my top 10 list of guitar players:

1. Jimi Hendrix
Need I say more? Jimi Hendrix is commonly found at the top of every “top guitarists” list! He turned the electric guitar from a novelty into a laboratory, experimenting with sounds never even dreamed of before on the electric guitar. Hendrix has a raw, fuzzy electric sound that is recognizable from the first note, which has been the inspiration of many younger guitarists since. His stage presence is also electrifying and powerful. “Hey Joe” and “Fire” set the foundation for a towering monument of rock that stands to this day.

2. Jimmy Page
Another Jimmy! The Led Zeppelin guitar master has been very influential to a lot of rockers nowadays, and his guitar licks are legendary and instantly recognizable. His solo of “Heartbreaker” is legendary, and “Black Dog” and “Stairway to Heaven” are earth shattering rock classics. And no one else I know has ever had a guitar solo using a violin bow? That’s from “Dazed and Confused”,

3. BB King
When you say blues, everything all boils down to its master and ambassador: BB King. He paved the way for the newer generation of blues players, from Eric Clapton to John Mayer. BB King’s powerful bending and vibrato are classic blues techniques, still used today. Also, his guitar is also legendary – who else names their guitar Lucille?

4. Chuck Berry
You know that four-note riff that always reminds you of 50’s rock n’ roll? That came from Chuck Berry. Today’s rock n’ roll wouldn’t be the same without the great song that is “Johnny B. Goode”!

5. Keith Richards
Keith Richards is a member of one of the longest-lasting, most influential active rock bands The Rolling Stones. Don’t tell me you aren’t aware of that classic fuzzy three-note riff from “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”! For all the hits the Stones put out that became foundations of other hit songs, Keith Richards also deserves a spot on the top 10 guitarists list.

6. Kirk Hammett
Metal was changed forever with the coming of Metallica. Kirk Hammett redefined hard rock with the pounding solos of “Master of Puppets” and, arguably their most popular song, “Enter Sandman”.

7. Carlos Santana
If you’re talking of instantly recognizable tone, there’s the master of Latin-infused rock, Carlos Santana. Before his now-popular jams with other artists, he was a Latin-rhythm purist, improvising with solos that are full of passion and spiritual meaning. Before hits like “Smooth”, there were the soaring, sustained instrumental solos of “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Child)” and the like.

8. Kurt Cobain
The misunderstood genius, Kurt Cobain single-handedly ended the era of 80’s hair metal in a totally different way. He favored simple, heavy tunes instead of hair metal’s theatric style, and it reflected better the angst of the time. His most memorable contribution to rock and roll was the original anthem of misunderstood generations, the four-chord monster “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

9. The Edge
While a lot of guitar players think of skill as playing millions of notes at blazing speed, The Edge is known for actually playing short, spare, repetitive solos. But he and his rolling delay style of playing created some of the most passionate, most anthemic rock songs today, from “Bad” to “Where The Streets Have No Name”. With the Edge at the lead, it’s hard not to scream in triumph.

10. Eric Clapton
A true son of the blues, Eric Clapton had influences in rock, creating classics like “Layla” with his early band Derek and the Dominoes, and progressing to one of the most recognizable blues guitarists, from “Bell Bottom Blues” to his heartbreaking “Tears In Heaven”.

I’m sure a lot of you will have top 10 guitar players lists that are very different from mine, but that’s the effect of musical influences; we have a lot of talented guitarists from a lot of different styles and genres to choose from. Whoever we pick as our top 10 guitarists says a lot about our favorite styles, criteria and our personality as guitarists. Till then, keep on rocking!

There is a lot of confusion in the industry sorounding the beats. A lot of beat makers consider themselves producers, because they truly don’t understand that being a producer involves a lot more than creating beats.

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Being a producer involves anything from songwriting, finding songwriters, vocal arrangement and production, mixing, finding engineers, booking studio time, handling production budgets, setting up studio time, and soooo much more that doesn’t even involve making beats.

In fact, there are some producers in the industry that never even touch an instrument or music computer.

I am more than just a beatmaker who plays multiple instruments and creates the beats, but I am truly a music producer who is involved in the entire process. There is nothing wrong with being just a beat maker.

The process of creating rap beats, hip hop beats, as well as r&b instrumentals is the fun part of the industry, and anyone who only has the responsibility of making beats can and should be grateful that they can focus on the fun and creative part while some other sucker has to go and do the rest of the dirty work.

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But I can’t really complain about the other things. I have always been fascinated with the process of starting with nothing, and creating a finished masterpiece from beginning to end. That is why I choose to involve myself in the entire process of hit song creation.

I enjoy the fact that I can hear something in my head, start making the beat, putting writers on to write the song, work with the artist in the studio to record vocals, work with my engineers or on my own to mix the record, master it, and put it in the hands of the management company or label exec, and watch it hit the airwaves.

This bank holiday was national ‘Star wars’ day -que all the jokes about May the 4th be with you -well done, glad we got that out the way early. Mention of Star Wars made me think about the huge amounts of toys, books, cds and other gear that has come out other the years alongside the movie. If it can be sold it has had the star wars logo on it -Bubble bath, posters, toys etc- but maybe thats the brilliance of George Lucas right there.

Star Wars was the first real film to think about merchandising for a film, and it paid off big time. In the contract for the movie Lucas grabbed the merchandising rights to the films, which, with movie merchandising not that big at the time they didnt really care -should they of? No one imagined that the films would be that big and bring in that much money -not even Lucas himself- he just had an idea of how to market the movie. Taking the merchandising rights allowed him to produced what he wanted to help sell the movie -and when Star wars mania hit the world, he just couldnt keep up with the demand for the promotional merchandise. The cash that came in from all the memorabillia convinced the banks to lend George Lucas the money to film the sequel and put more money into his company Lucasfilm Ltd (and the rest is history).

Star Wars not only changed filmaking in Holywood, but also the way movies are were marketed. Ever since there have been art books, action figures, t-shirts and many more items of branded merchandise. Movie studios litterally couldnt ignore the millions that the movies were bringing in just from t-shirts and other merchandise- but could you blame then? It means more exposure for the movie with people owning he merchandise and much more money for the studios. Its works as well, because almost all of us have some piece of movie merchandise, even if its just a small piece -a poster, a t-shirt etc. George Lucas saw the potential in this and ran with it for his tiny sci fi movie -and it paid off big time.

karaoke software

A new site, at www.karaokeparty.com, offers hundreds of free online karaoke songs for people to sing from their home PCs and upload to share with friends on Facebook social networking widgets. Not to be outdone, Myspace recently announced the launch of their karaoke application, which gives users the ability to upload their karaoke versions onto their profiles, rate recordings and even perform split-screen duets with friends. “Karaoke is such a fun and social thing, which is what we’re about too,” explains Myspace founder Tom Anderson. “It’s not as much fun to go to karaoke alone, but when you do it through the internet or on your Myspace page, then you can share it with people.” With these new advancements, one has to wonder if there is still a future for the karaoke player.

It seems everyone is claiming to have “the best karaoke player on the market.” With so many contenders, it can be hard to choose. Today, karaoke songs can be played on portable systems, DVD players, CD players, PCs and Playstation consoles. The smart karaoke system consumer should first be honest with him or herself and ask, “What am I going to use this thing for?” If it is for killer karaoke parties, then an all-in-one machine like The Song Station is the ideal choice. This amazing karaoke system has been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, People Magazine and on NBC, and enjoys high Epinions ratings. Ranging between $207 and $259, the system has 53,000 built-in tracks from around the globe, but also accepts DVDs, special karaoke CDGs, CD+Gs, VCDs and MP3s, and plays all in high-quality Dolby Digital.

Consumers receive two free microphones, a pedestal karaoke song search unit, large speakers and additional amplifier connections. Up to ninety-nine songs can be scheduled, just like at a karaoke club, and sixty favorites can be stored for quick retrieval. This product can be purchased at www.thesongstation.com.

Another way to experience karaoke songs is to buy a karaoke player that doubles as a video game console. For instance, Playstation and XBox offer “Karaoke Revolution,” a game which lets singers belt it out with cover bands to see if they can properly match the pitches and harmonies like the pros. There are a number of different modes, allowing for duets, solos or party modes. In one particular mode, users can earn platinum and gold records, create a rock karaoke avatar, buy clothes and equipment and unlock new songs. A sing and dance mode works sort of like Dance Dance Revolution, with the added singing component. There is even an “American Idol” edition, where Paula Abdul judges the performances. The XBox edition provides access to Xbox Live, with limitless downloadable upgrades.

For kids, the GPX Karaoke Machine can be purchased from Best Buy for just $30 and will play the music, as well as the video (CD+G) and comes with a microphone. Hello Kitty also has a fun pink-and-white karaoke player for $50 that plays karaoke CDs and Barbie has a “Hits 2 Go”CD boombox for $30 or a better quality Emerson Radio Barbie CD+G system for $75, which can all be purchased at www.amazon.com. For the older kids, The Singing Machine SMG-137 Karaoke System is reasonably priced from $45 to $88 and looks more like the traditional karaoke machine, with built-in speakers, two microphone inputs, a top-load CD/CD+G drive and basic balance/echo/volume/auto voice controls.