Masters of the Podium: A Brief Biography of LEONARD BERNSTEIN

American Leonard Bernstein [1918-1990] could just as easily fall into the category "Composers' Corner," since he was as much a giant with the pen as he was with the baton. He was known primarily as the face of the New York Philharmonic and was on the podium for the American premiere of many important musical works throughout his career, including Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes, plus the world premiere of Symphony No. 2 by Charles Ives. Bernstein's association with the New York Philharmonic ran from 1943 all the way until the late 1980s, and he was officially the ensemble's principal conductor from 1958 through 1969.

Leonard Bernstein seated at piano, making annotations to musical score Azərbaycan: Leonard Bernstein pianinoda oturub, partiturada yazır. Español: Leonard Bernstein sentado a la piano, anotando una partitura Esperanto: Leonard Bernstein sidas ĉe piano kaj prilaboras partituron.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the son of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. He learned to play the piano at the age of 10 and attended Boston Latin School, where he met his lifelong music mentor, Helen Coates. Thanks to her careful management of his educational opportunities, Bernstein studied composition and music theory at Harvard University, following that with a year of training as a conductor at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Due to his asthma, Bernstein was ineligible for WWII service and therefore benefited from the lack of stateside talent the draft had caused. As a result, this relatively untested young man-he was 25 in 1943-was named assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic. He led them semi-regularly while also conducting the New York City Center Orchestra, plus appearing as a guest conductor in the immediate post-war period with various ensembles throughout the United States and Western Europe, as well as in Israel.

Bernstein's fame grew exponentially thanks to broadcasts of the series Young People's Concerts on the CBS television network. American viewers were treated to entertaining discussions of classical music, with Bernstein either at the piano or leading his orchestra through such masterpieces as Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Gustav Holst's The Planets. In all, Bernstein recorded 53 such programs that aired from 1962 to 1972 and enjoyed syndication in no fewer than 40 foreign countries. This series not only proved to be the most popular music appreciation program ever, but it gave rise to the modern-day equivalent where conductors routinely offer pre- or post-concert lectures for audience members. Bernstein was also known for making some of the first stereo records of important classical music. He led the Philharmonic in recording all nine complete Mahler symphonies, and later conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in complete sets of symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann.

No article on Bernstein would be complete without mentioning his compositions, which remain extremely popular and an important part of late 20th century American music. While his best-known work is the Broadway musical West Side Story [1957] (with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim), he wrote a great deal of other material for the stage that includes the musicals On the Town [1944] and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue [1976], the ballet Dybbuk [1975], the one-act opera Trouble in Tahiti [1952] and its three-act sequel A Quiet Place [1983], and the operetta Candide [1956]. He composed numerous orchestral works, including three symphonies, several orchestral suites, and a Concerto for Orchestra, subtitled Jubilee Games [1989]. His most popular choral work is Chichester Psalms [1965], a Hebrew text set to music for boy soprano, chorus and orchestra. He also composed several chamber pieces, including a piano trio and a sonata for clarinet and piano.

Bernstein enjoyed the acclaim of his peers and the music world in general. The London Symphony Orchestra named him its honorary president in 1987. He won 11 Emmy Awards throughout his career, as well as a Tony Award in 1969. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 1985 and Kennedy Center Honors in 1980. He was an inaugural supporter of Amnesty International and, in keeping with his lifetime interest in music as a force for peace in the world, memorably led concerts on both sides of the dismantled Berlin Wall in late 1989, titled the "Berlin Celebration Concerts."

By Paul Siegel The video clip that accompanies this article is Part 1 of "What is Classical Music" from his Young People's Concerts series. The original air date of this television program was January 24, 1959. Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Correct Way to Have a Good VIOLIN BOW Hold

The way the violin bow works is that the player holds it on the string and they pull it across the strings of the violin. This, in turn, creates vibrations and creates the resonating sound. It is an incredibly important part of learning how to play the violin, as it can cause bad consequences if a person develops a poor bow hold. So it should be one of the first things a violin player learns.

For many violin players, their downfall is holding the violin bow correctly. It is because it is so difficult to hold so precisely. The violin bow hold seems quite easy in principle, but holding some fingers in some unusual places may take a while to get used to.

Violin Bow - Photo  by BotheredByBees 

So here is some advice on how to hold the violin bow correctly:

1. Make sure the bow isn't too tight - the fiddlestick at its thinnest part between the wood and horsehair should be thin enough just to be able to scrape through a small finger.
2. Place the index finger around the side of the bow and place the end of the finger on the side of it
3. Move the middle and ring fingers over to the other side of the bow - roughly placing the ring finger on the circle on the other side.  
4. Finally, place the little finger on its tip toward the back of the violin bow, but not on the metal screwing part.
5. Be calm, as holding or tensing the bow a lot will make it harder to pull the bow over the string and make a better quality sound. So try to loosely put the fingers in place.
6. Try various holdings - look at what happens when you place more pressure on the bow; pressing harder should create a louder noise for example. This way, you can see if your fingers stay in the same correct places when doing different things.

So if you hold the violin bow correctly, then you shall create a much better sound and a smoother action which will help improve other difficult violin playing techniques in the future.

So learning how to play the violin with the correct bow hold shall make a massive difference in the life that you have of playing the stringed instrument.

Jake Jones has played the violin for many years and has created a website where people can Learn how to play the violin in detail. Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Enter the WORLD OF MUSIC

Technology has made our lives simpler and with the new developments in technology not only is life getting simpler but technology is continuing to make more differences in our lives by contributing to various spheres of our lives like entertainment. With the internet, all this has now come to our very doorstep at just the click of the mouse.

Earlier for the purpose of listening to a song at least a visit to your local music store was required and seeing a video meant watching the band perform at one of their concerts or then getting a music video from the music store. Now anytime you wish to listen to some great music or watch a music video just log on and you can watch your favourite songs or watch free music videos and watch music videos in the comfort of your home. There is just no need anymore to venture out, technology has brought everything you desire right into your home or workplace.

There is good news for all music lovers. Now with internet technology, music fans can not only listen to their favourite artists but also watch free lyrics.  All the songs are available at just a click sitting in the comfort of your home. Not only can you now watch songs but also song lyrics and hear and enjoy the music and even sing along with the lyrics and all available to you.

The Internet is a world of choices for all music lovers and provides you all the information and the latest happenings in the music world. You can be up to date on all music news and the current hits on the US top 20 or the singles charts. The music site offers you the flexibility of watching your favourite stars totally uninterrupted(free from all the hosts). The music site is a legal way to watch music unlike using pirated versions.

It not only the music enthusiasts but also the music companies that have realized the potential of the internet as a great marketing tool for promoting their music.  You can not only watch music videos but also rate music videos. This would be useful to the other members in making a decision on their watches and also provides a good feedback to the music companies about the choices or preferences of the fans.

The music site thus provides you access into a whole world of music and music alone where you are the King. You can decide as to what you want and bring it home with just a click. You can then listen to the music of your choice or watch music videos at your own convenience and even rewind and see your favourite music videos over and over again. The world of music is now waiting for you to explore and soak in all that you can. Just log on and at the click, you can venture into this beautiful melodious world and be lost in the tunes and rhythms of your favourite stars.

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Everything You Need to Know About Violin From A-Z - PAGANINI

Hello, today I will be carrying on with my series everything you need to know about violin from A-Z. Today we are on P for Paganini. Paganini is one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of all time.

During his life, e advanced violin technique by leaps and bounds and created many of the techniques that are taken for granted today.

Niccolò Paganini (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He was born in Genoa Italy and was the third of six children. At the age of five, Paganini started learning mandolin from his father and moved to the violin at the age of seven. During his childhood, he displayed extraordinary musical talent and earned many musical scholarships.

He studied under many local violinists but quickly outshone his teachers who would refer him to their teachers who he would outstrip who would refer him to their teachers and so on. By the age of 18, he had become famous and wealthy from performing freelance concerts and had developed a major reputation as a gambler and womanizer.

Paganini took to the road performing throughout Europe and his fame soon spread with highly successful concerts in Vienna, London, and Paris. His technical ability and willingness to display it earned him much acclaim.

Paganini's health deteriorated due to mercury poisoning used by the medicine that was at that time used to treat syphilis. He became unable to play the violin and was forced to retire eventually dying of throat cancer. He refused the last rites believing that he had longer to live and died before a priest could perform them. Because of this, he was refused a Christian funeral and his body languished for months before it was finally laid to rest of hallowed ground.

By Eric B Hill Eric B. Hill is an professional violin player and teacher with over 20 years experience. Article Source: EzineArticles

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COUNTRY MUSIC Oldies

Willie Nelson became one of the most popular
country music artists during the 1970s.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Country music has many new artists but also plenty of older ones that still hold the world in awe. Country music oldies still pull at the heart strings of people and take them back to earlier times. There are many great songs out there that have stood the test of time. They have continued to reach out to old and new audiences for decades. These types of country music oldies can really help to bridge the generation gap that seems to always be a barrier in our society.

Just about everyone knows the words to I Fall to Pieces by Patsy Cline. It is a song that we can all relate to as we have all suffered from a broken heart. This is the top country music oldie by female artists that have ever been recorded. Next is Coal Miners Daughter from Loretta Lynn. The story tells about her life growing up poor but also growing up with plenty of love.

George Jones has a country music oldie with the tune He Stopped Loving Her Today. It tells the story of a man that loved a woman so much he continued to do so until the day he died. It is a very touching love song that can still bring a tear to my eye when I hear it. 

Johnny Cash has many great songs that people remember. Two that are oldies people always listen to are I Walk the Line and Ring of Fire. 

If you haven’t taken the time to listen to some country music oldies for a while, you should. It can lift your spirits and take you back to some fond memories of your past. The songs may take on a new meaning from what they once did long ago. You can find complete CDs of country music oldies for your home and your car. You can also download your favorite songs onto your iPod. 

If you have satellite radio, you will be happy to know they dedicate a few channels to country music oldies as well. Much regular radio station understands how many people still yearn for the oldies to be played. They may throw a few into the mix for their listeners on a regular basis. Some of them also have blocks of time dedicated to oldies as well. 

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TRUMPET CARE - The Care and Feeding of a Trumpet

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a band director, I've come to realize that most trumpet players don't clean their instruments often enough. I've actually seen trumpets that were almost totally clogged with crud. That is the "technical term" for the greenish, grayish, brownish sludge that forms inside an instrument over time. If it's been awhile since you cleaned your trumpet, prepare yourself for what will come out of it, but your trumpet will play better after it's clean.

Trumpets are fairly simple things. They are basically just 4 1/2 feet of brass tubing with valves and slides. It's the careful manufacturing and hand work that make it into a trumpet that plays well. A well-cared-for trumpet of good quality will last minimally 10-20 years with a lot of playing. A trumpet cared for poorly will be trash in a short time.

Although this article makes it sound like cleaning a trumpet is a long and involved process, once you have done it a couple times, it will only take you 15-20 minutes to complete, and it will make your instrument last much longer.

Unlike woodwind instruments (flutes, clarinets, saxophones, etc.), trumpets can be given baths to clean them. In fact, it's the only good way to truly clean them. You could take them to a music repair shop for an "acid bath", but that's really not necessary if given baths once a month or so. Once you get the accumulation of minerals in the horn, it will take an acid bath to remove them, but if you give the horn a bath often, your trumpet usually won't get mineral deposits.

You'll need a flexible cleaning brush or a cleaning snake, a valve casing brush, and a mouthpiece brush. You'll also need silver polish or a silver polishing cloth if it's silver plated, valve oil, and slide grease. I have always used liquid dishwashing soap in lukewarm water to clean my trumpets, but some manufacturers don't recommend the soap. Check with your product information or your manufacturer's website to make sure before you use it.

You'll also need a high-quality valve oil and slide grease if you want to make your trumpet last. Just like a car, the valves of a trumpet need a film of oil on them to work well. I've become sort of fanatical about how my trumpet valves work. I've tried just about every available brand of oil on the market, and I've decided that synthetic oils are the only oils to use. They last longer, and they minimize wear on the valves.

You also need a heavy grease for the main tuning slide and second valve slide. If you don't grease these slides, they will wear, and you'll start to see your slide moving when you least expect it throwing you out of tune...usually at the most inopportune times. They can also stick badly enough that it requires a trip to the repair shop to pull them. If you use a heavy grease, it will last until your next cleaning.

First, fill a bathtub with enough lukewarm water to cover the instrument. Hot water can damage the finish, so it's best avoided. Disassemble all of the instrument, but don't remove the water keys (spit valves), remove any triggers if so equipped, or disassemble the valves. If you have a trigger on the first or third valve slides, you'll need to remove the screw that holds the slide on, but don't remove any of the other parts of the trigger. Trust me, you don't want to try to put a trigger or water key spring back on without the necessary tool.

After it's disassembled, place all of the parts except the valves into the lukewarm water, and let them soak for a few minutes. After the soaking, run the snake through all of the tubings. Don't force it through any of the tight bends. Just go as far as you can. Then scrub the inside of the valve casings with the valve casing brush. After that, run clean water through all the tubing until the water runs clear.

Next, using a soft cloth clean between all the outer tubing to remove any dirt or tarnish. You might need to use silver polish to remove the tarnish on a silver trumpet. Never use silver or brass polish on the outside of a lacquered or "brass" looking trumpet. There is a clear lacquer protecting the finish, and polish can remove it. Next, clean the inside of the bottom valve caps with a paper towel. A lot of the crud settles in these caps.

After all, the tubing on the horn is clean, and the outer surface of the trumpet is clean, it's time to pay attention to the valves. I use one end of the cleaning snake to clean the ports of the valves and rinse them off with soap and water. Be careful inside the ports, You don't want to damage the metal with the end of the brush.

After all that, it's time to reassemble the horn, oil the valves and 1st and 3rd valve slides, and grease the main tuning slide and second valve slide. No, grease does not belong on the third valve slide. it will move too slowly. Oil is all you need. I know that seems like a long process, but it actually takes longer to type it than to do it, and your horn will last longer and play better afterward.

By Harry Richardson Harry Richardson has been a band director for 14 years with college degrees in trumpet performance and music education. For more information on selecting and purchasing trumpets and accessories, please visit http://www.trumpetfinder.com Article Source: EzineArticles

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GOOD SINGING Tone Quality

Glottal cycle, animated (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A common pursuit amongst singers is the quest for a good head and chest voice/tone resonance. Although we have discussed to some extent about head/chest resonance in previous articles, there will still be a lot of confusion on this subject such as balancing tonal brilliance and depth of the resonance.

Blending these two voice qualities or vocal colors is a major source of confusion and frustration for many aspiring singers. However, once you understand how the voice work, blending the vocal colors should become easy and automatic as speaking expressively.

In fact, once you are able to blend the tones, you will begin to sing with more emotion and passion because you will know how to create the tones that will draw out the feelings and the emotions of the songs that you are singing. Some people call it singing with feeling.

It is well established that the head resonance, when properly supported, has a brilliant ringing tone quality as compared to the chest resonance singing tone. This bright voice tone is developed in the bones and cavities above and, behind and around the nose known as the mask.

The result from an unsupported head resonance is very different and is characterized by a false falsetto tone. This oddity occurs when a singer suddenly switches into a choir boy tone.

The resonators have a lot to do with what your voice sounds like. This is why you can listen to many singers with high voices and yet each of them will have a different blend of sound and tonal quality.

Now try this experiment to feel the resonating system of the head. Gently tap your finger on the bone between the upper lip and the nose. Can you hear the gentle thud it made? Now tap the bridge of your nose and then your forehead just below your hairline and again listen to the thugs again.

Did you notice that the thuds were higher in pitch as you ascend from the lip to the forehead? By performing this experiment, you will know that certain bones are predisposed to amplify various pitch levels.

When singers refer to chest resonance, they are actually talking about vocal tone which is characterized by darker vowel qualities or mellowness. However, the term is a misnomer. By dictionary definition, an effective resonating chamber is a hollow place surrounded by hard surfaces. However, the chest is too full of organs to be suitable for amplifying the singing tone.

Throat and chest resonance occurs where there is plenty of empty space for amplification of the lower vibrations created by the vocal cords in the mouth and throat. Contrary to popular thinking, most so-called "chest resonance" actually comes from the throat. However, there is also a distinct sensation of vibration in the chest when singing, especially in the sternum or breastbone area. This feel of tone gathering in the chest area can be used very effectively to stabilize high notes.

So in order to get good singing tone, then you must practice with the right vocal exercises to blend the head and chest tone.

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TENOR SAXOPHONE: Some Basic Techniques and Knowledge

If you're interested in learning how to play tenor saxophone, there's much to learn and much to practice. So, here we would like to share some important tips for learning and mastering the incredibly expressive musical instrument that is that tenor saxophone.

It's important to touch upon the various basic effects that you should be aware of and practice on your tenor saxophone. With these effects under your hat, your playing will be far more adept, musical, and varied. You will also be able to use these effects in your own unique combination so that you can forge your own personal, distinct style of tenor saxophone playing.

Tenor Saxophone - Photo  by   PeterTea 

Flutter Tongue: This is a Growling-like effect that is produced with the tongue. Achieved by placing the tongue very lightly on or close to the roof of the mouth and breathing out heavily through the mouth while blowing.

• Growling: Achieve this by humming while at once blowing.
• Honking: Use this effect to make your tenor sax honk just like a goose.
• Note Bending: Heavily used in jazz and blues playing, bending means you sharpen a sustained note after sounding it non-sharped or even flatted. When you become quite advanced you can also start a note sharp and then bend it down in pitch.
• Slap-tongue: This produces a popping sound.
• Slurring: Fluidly playing up or down a scale without pause.
• Tonguing: With this technique, you use your tongue to touch the reed between notes. By putting your tongue on the edge of the reed in between notes, you make the reed cease from making a sound, and this forces a rhythmic break between the notes that you're playing.
• Trilling: This is a fingering technique-effect. Begin on one note and then rapidly and repeatedly move back and forth between that note and the next one either higher or lower while sustaining your blowing. (Very advanced tenor saxophone players can do Trilling independently of using this fingering method.)
• Vibrato: This brings more depth and color to the note that you're sounding. You should start with the Lip Method and then, once you are more advanced, you can use the more difficult and more subtly expressive Diaphragm Method.

The tenor saxophone is the second most widely played sax in the music world. Exemplars of great virtuosity on the tenor sax include Plas Johnson and Stan Getz. The saxophone is associated with jazz, blues, and some subgenres of rock music, however, it actually began as a classical orchestra instrument, and it's possible to find recordings of classical music making use of the saxophone.

But in addition to learning the effects listed above and listening to tenor saxophone greats to pick up inspiration, in order to play great tenor saxophone [http://www.thebestsaxophones.com/] you need to buy yourself a quality tenor sax. But a quality tenor sax doesn't need to be overly expensive, especially if you are first learning. And yet, you don't want to get a cheap tenor sax that will easily corrode or break, or which won't yield a fulfilling sound. Choose your tenor sax carefully to strike the perfect balance between affordability and quality.

ArticleSource: GoArticles

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HIGHLAND BAGPIPES - Choosing a Highland Bagpipe

The Highland bagpipe, a shortened term for the Great Highland bagpipe, is probably the most popular form of bagpipe today. Also known as Scottish bagpipes, Highland bagpipes are woodwind instruments that originated from Scotland and Ireland. They are known to be the best bagpipes in the world, and are commonly being used in marching bands, musical performances, and symphonic orchestras.

Highland Bagpipe - Photo: Wikimedia

Parts

Highland bagpipes are double-reed instruments that are typically made up of a bag, a chanter, a blowpipe, two tenor drones, and one bass drone. The chanter has a scale in Mixolydian mode with a flattened 7th or leading tone. It has a range of one whole tone lower than the tonic to one octave above it. Meanwhile, the pipe bag has to be inflated with air.

Kinds

Highland bagpipes come in two sets: Highland bagpipe practice sets and Highland bagpipe full sets.

The Highland bagpipe practice set is perfect for beginners and young players who want to master the art of bag piping. It is the cheapest kind of bagpipe set and is very easy to use.

A practice chanter allows for easy playing. It also does not have drones, allowing the player to practice proper breath control and maintain optimal bag pressure. Most practice sets also come with stealth features so other people will not be disturbed by its sound.

Meanwhile, Highland bagpipe full sets consist of a pipe bag, a chanter, a blowpipe, one bass drone, and two tenor drones. The chanter plays in the Mixolydian scale ranging from the key of low G to the key of high A. It is commonly used by pipe bands in military and civilian performances.

Buying tips

When looking to buy Highland bagpipes, look for one that has a sturdy reed for better-quality, more stable, and trouble-free sound production.

Also, determine your level of knowledge in bag piping. Buy practice sets if you are a beginner.

By Ilse Hagen - Article Source: EzineArticles

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How Much Can A SAXOPHONE Cost

Adolphe Sax (1814-1894),
inventor of the saxophone
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A brass instrument with the characteristics that are similar to woodwind instruments. It shares a number of similarities with the clarinet. A Belgian born instrument maker, Adolphe Sax, invented the saxophone in 1846. There are four different types of available in the world today, alto, tenor, soprano and baritone. All of these have different characteristics that make them unique. The price range of new sax can vary widely, based on:

• Manufacturer: The price range depends highly on the brand or manufacturer. There are a number of famous brands known for manufacturing high quality instruments. Yamaha and Selmer are top saxophone brands. These may be expensive but they are the standards against which all other brands are measured. Yamaha, regardless of the type, range between $1300 and $4000. Selmer sax, on the other hand, are slightly more expensive. Their price ranges between $2000 and $7500. Yanagisawa and Keilwerth are also known brands. You can buy their saxophones at reasonable prices.

• Type of saxophone: the four different types of saxophones have varying prices. An alto may be purchased for as low as $200 but the quality would not be very good. An expensive alto sax ranges from $4000 to $8000. An inexpensive tenor can be bought for $300, whereas the expensive ones cost about $6000. Soprano saxophones also range between $300 and $6000. Baritones are the most expensive type. Their price may be as low as $1000 or as high as $12000.

• Material: the prices of saxophones are also dependent on the material that is used in their manufacturing. Although, saxophones are brass instruments, they can be made of a number of materials. Various manufacturers have tried using diverse materials in the manufacturing of saxophones. The most common saxophones are made of brass and their price ranges between $200 and $7000. Other saxophones made of materials like stainless steel, bronze and polycarbonate can be purchased within the same price range as well. Saxophones that have silver or gold plating have a much higher price range.

If you do not want to buy a new saxophone due to monetary limitations, you can always look for good deals for used saxophones. Although, there is no guarantee that used saxophones will be worth your money, you can always buy cautiously and get the best option available. Moreover, you can find various websites that have new saxophones for sale at reasonable prices. It is recommended for beginners and students to try their hand on a less expensive saxophone. Professionals, however, should always buy high quality branded saxophones. The price of the saxophone can also vary if accessories like saxophone case and neck strap are bought along with the instrument.

By Garry Hamilton - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Classic ROCK Performers Who Have Had A Lasting Influence On Music

Classic rock is a fundamental part of American history. Many of today's leading bands can trace their styles back to the influence of certain musicians. While every song made available to the world has had an impact on the music industry, there are certain performers who will eternally stand at the forefront of music.

From folk rock to psychedelic rock, there have been many groundbreaking sounds and voices. Here are the top ten most influential classic rock bands in history.

Elvis Presley

Photo  by cliff1066™ 

While Elvis is not traditionally viewed in the classic rock genre, it is impossible to ignore his influence on the world of Rock-n-Roll. As the first to expose mainstream America to something other than traditional family music, he faced a tremendous amount of opposition from the mainstream.

Despite the extreme racism exhibited during the 1950's, Elvis never hesitated to give appropriate credit to his inspirations. Mainly African-American performers influenced Elvis' sound and style. Southern radio disc jockeys originally refused to play Elvis' singles, because they sounded "too Negro" for white stations to air.

It was not just Elvis' sound, but also his performance, that drew controversy. The movement of his hips in a suggestive manner sparked an entire decade of debate.

Despite the firestorm of criticism that surrounded Elvis' reign, his continuing popularity has ensured that Elvis' crown as the King of Rock and Roll would remain valid for decades, even decades after his death.

The Beatles

As the best selling musical act of all-time, it is hard to deny the influence of the Beatles, not only on the musical culture of America but also on every aspect of human life. The Beatles included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star, and George Harrison.

Their innovative style defined the music of the 1960's -- twice. They began their career in England, and when they came to America, they were already a huge success in the United States. In their early years, they had defined pop music for a new generation.

As the hippy days of the late 1960's began to take hold of America's young people, the Beatles redefined their music again, with another new style of music lauded by the masses. Their very loud stance on drug use and war made them a controversial group, but their popularity never wavered. Although the Beatles retained the loyalty and admiration of their late 1960's audiences until the group broke up, the touring days of the Beatles ended in 1966 when John Lennon proclaimed, "The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ."

Bob Dylan

Dylan has one of the most easily recognizable voices in the world. Raspy and full of passion, Bob Dylan's sound is distinctive. His songs are amazing and defined a generation obsessed with the themes of social unrest, an anti-war stance, and encouragement for the civil rights movement.

A traditional folk singer, Dylan's works transcended all genres and appealed to countless young Americans. His sincere lyrics spoke to many and made it possible to empathize with his many causes.

Jimi Hendrix

Photo  by franela  

As the undisputed master of the electric guitar, Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock foundation. The self-taught guitar player refused to be limited by many of the conventional views of guitar players.

Prior to Jimi Hendrix's development as a guitar player, the electric guitar was considered to merely be a louder version of the acoustic guitar. Hendrix embraced the uniqueness of the electric guitar and showed his appreciation for it to the rest of the world.

Pink Floyd

Easily considered the greatest band of all time, Pink Floyd's unique style and showmanship defined psychedelic rock. Their concept albums were thematic masterpieces that appealed to countless audiences. The Dark Side Of The Moon, Animals, and The Wall each still stand out today as great Rock masterpieces.

The Who

Also known for their thematic records, The Who pioneered the idea of rock opera. Most famous for their collaborative efforts with every major musical figure of their time, Tommy The Rock Opera ensured the longevity of the band into the future.

Their success and fame were not limited to their unique approach to concept albums. Their musical skills are still highly regarded in both mainstream circles and in the entertainment industry. Their music is currently being used as the theme song for at least three of the most popular show on TV on the air today.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have easily maintained their position as one of the longest lasting bands in recording history. Like most popular rock bands of the age, they were an England-based band that was more than happy to take on America.

Their grungy unkempt image became so popular; many artists are still attempting to master it. Their unique sound and high quality lyrics have kept them at the top of the charts for almost 40 years.

Cream

Cream, featuring guitarist Eric Clapton, was one of the most technically advanced music groups of their time. Their instrumental techniques became legendary and paved the way for other bands to focus on developing their instrument techniques, in addition to their lyrics.

The Doors

The Doors have always been one of the most controversial bands that had ever existed. Jim Morrison's wild behavior set the tone for the countless musical bad boys that would follow in his footsteps.

The poetic lyrics of The Doors, as well as their outrageous behavior, made them a crowd favorite.

Led Zeppelin

Photo  by DerekVelasquez 

The road to heavy metal was paved by Led Zeppelin. Their first album was pivotal in its inclusion of distorted amplification techniques. Over the years, their experimentation included mixing acoustic and electric sounds, with the addition of synthesized melodies. The success of Led Zeppelin helped establish a strong base for the development of metal music.

Few people of their generation or the current generation realize that like Elvis, Led Zeppelin took most of their inspiration from African-American performers. As a lifelong fan of Led Zeppelin, it is was oddly fascinating to listen to some of the not-so-famous African-American rhythm-and-blues performers of the 1930's, and to be able to hear the Led Zeppelin songs we have loved for years in a whole new way.

Final Thoughts

Clearly, these ten bands had a significant impact on the evolution of Rock-n-Roll music through the generations, but it is more difficult to put them into an ordered list of important groups. Let's just agree that most of us love all ten bands on this list.

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JAZZ MUSIC: A Quick Lesson on Its Roots

Ask anyone, even Jazz experts or Jazz musicians and they will have very different definitions to describe the music, or they will tell you that defining Jazz is impossible. It is, of course, easy to identify when you hear it despite the diversity of the genre. It is a home grown, the United States born music with its birthplace credited to New Orleans and it is highly associated with the South.

Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Scanned by Infrogmation from original 1918 promotional postcard while the band was playing at Reisenweber's Cafe in New York City. Shown are (left to right) Tony Sbarbaro (aka Tony Spargo) on drums; Edwin "Daddy" Edwards on trombone; D. James "Nick" LaRocca on cornet; Larry Shields on clarinet, and Henry Ragas on piano.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To understand how diverse the genre of Jazz music can be one has only to view some of its sub categories: Bebop, Ragtime, Dixieland, Cool Jazz, Hard Bop, Modal Jazz, Free Jazz, Latin Jazz, Post Bop, Soul Jazz, Swing Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz, Acid Jazz, and Punk Jazz, and many others. The word "Jazz" is as hard to define as the music itself. 

The origin of the word has been heavily researched and the American Dialect Society named it the "Word of the Twentieth Century" because of the difficulty in finding the origin and original use of the word and the amount of research that has gone into understanding the word. Despite the music being played many years before the use of the word "jazz" to describe it, the use became common in Chicago around 1915. The first use of the word found is actually in a baseball article from 1913 and it was not associated with anything having to do with music, instead it was a form of slang mostly heard on the West Coast, yet it soon became a well-known term for the unique and individualistic music to become well known as Jazz music.

There are many that claim to have first used it to describe the music genre. Wherever the origin, it is one of the most recognized terms to describe a music genre despite there being few that can define it fully. The music just defines itself without words having the ability to fully do it justice.

"Individual and unique" are very good words to describe Jazz. The Jazz artist is often considered to be interpreting the music when they play. It is usually enjoyed live more than recorded due to the ability of the musician to individually interpret and play the music differently throughout performances. This is a unique property of Jazz music.

What has been commonly known as the "Jazz Age" is the time period of the 20's to early 30's that included the rise of speakeasies" where an older generation regarded the new music played in these clubs as immoral. It was so degraded by many that were threatened by the new wave of music, that they even blamed Jazz as having caused a heart attack of one music composer. The music persevered past its critics and soon there were standout Jazz musicians that were making a name for themselves that would keep them as historical figures. Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and Duke Ellington became well known and respected musicians and helped bring more fans to Jazz music.

Jazz has been described as "moving, passionate, and strongF320 music influencing the senses of the body and soul". For those that discover a love for their particular brand of Jazz, it becomes a sought after music for times of relaxation, rejuvenation, and celebration. For those that have yet to fully discover all that Jazz Music has to offer, visiting a live Jazz concert, or a Jazz festival can be a very enlightening and enjoyable experience. Due to the popularity of Jazz and its American roots, there are many opportunities for someone to experience the music live in clubs, concerts, and events across the United States.

One of the most popular Jazz Festivals on the east coast of the United States is the DC Jazz Festival, or lovingly nicknamed the "DC Jazz Fest". It unofficially kicks off the Summer season for those that are familiar with the event. It takes place this year from June 1 through June 13 and will include over 100 performances at over 45 venues across the city. It is the largest music festival in the Nation's Capital. The festival offers a wide variety of Jazz music types and top musicians from all over the globe. There is not a better place to get a real lesson in Jazz Music.

CAISO is proud to be a part of the music performance lineup for the 7th Annual DC Jazz Festival and will be performing on June 4 from 3 to 4 PM at Gallery O on H, 1354 H Street Northeast, Washington, DC. For more information on the DC Jazz Festival visit their Web site: http://www.dcjazzfest.org

For more great information about CAISO SteelBand's Blog visit: http://www.CaisoSteelBand.com

From Michael B. King Jr "The SteelDrum Guy" King Jr. Member of Caiso SteelBand Music Group Article Source: EzineArticles

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I'll Have an Espresso With That HARPSICHORD

Young Johann Sebastian Bach. 1715.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Leipzig years as related by Anna Magdalena, Johann Sebastian Bach's second wife.

Our family continues to grow quickly! In fact, since we moved to Leipzig ten years ago, I have had a baby every year. So, yes, our home is getting more and more crowded with our growing family. In addition, many friends and extended family members often stop by for a visit and sometimes even stay for weeks at a time to work with Johann Sebastian and to make music together. One of our older sons, Carl Phillip describes our home as a "dovecote" and I tend to agree. There is always something going on but it is, in general, a harmonious and pleasant home. Why I even have several linnets (beautiful little songbirds with red breasts and foreheads) in our home. They make such a sweet accompaniment to the music of our home. The older children are such a help with all the babies and Johann works hard to provide enough for all of us.

Sadly, though, Johann Sebastian and the rector of St. Thomas School, one of my husband's many bosses, is a difficult man and their relationship is acrimonious at best. Therefore, to avoid conflict, Sebastian has started spending more and more time at Zimmerman's Coffee House, which is just down the street from our home.

Zimmermannsches Caffeehaus Leipzig,
where the Collegium Musicum performed
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At Zimmerman's, a wonderful group of musicians called the Collegium Musicum, regularly perform there. I think my husband will soon take over the direction of the group. He has already started composing wonderful music for them. He is so happy when he is working with this talented group of musicians.

Johann Sebastian and I had a wonderful New Year's celebration this year. We were invited to Cothen to play and sing for the New Year's Day festivities at the Court. It was good to be away from Leipzig for a few days and have the opportunity to see our old friends and make music together. In addition, our dear friend, Prince Leopold, paid us both very well. It brought back so many memories of our grand times in Cothen.

Back in Leipzig, however, my dear Johann Sebastian works very hard but is very often unappreciated. Unfortunately, my husband also has a rather short temper at times, which makes his work situation difficult. Then with the loss of five of the eight children we have had since moving to Leipzig, he is often weary and sad. The older children and I do what we can to help.

Finally, a new rector has been called and Sebastian really likes and respects this man! Matthias Gesner is our hero and he has come along just at the right time. He is the person who is going to step in and make everything right again.

Herr Gesner became rector of the St. Thomas School and did five important things: declared a truce between my husband and the council; made sure Johann Sebastian received the pay he was due; refurbished the school; relieved my husband of his teaching duties; and made music important again at St. Thomas. Gesner got things on track in Leipzig for us. What a wonderful difference this man has made in our lives.

By Dr. Jeannine Jordan This vignette is one of a dozen anecdotes in the organ and media event, Bach, and Sons, performed by Dr. Jeannine Jordan, concert organist. Dr. Jeannine Jordan has a doctorate degree in organ performance with an emphasis in Baroque repertoire. She studied with renown Swiss organist, Guy Bovet, has performed throughout the world, and presents the organ music of Bach in a creative program, "Bach and Sons," utilizing visual media and narration. She has also recorded organ music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons on historic 17th and 18th century organs in the Bach region of Saxony, Germany. https://promotionmusic.org/Listening_Media.html Visit Bach and Sons to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Jordan to discover how you can bring Bach to your community. https://promotionmusic.org/Bach___Sons_PNQ5.html Article Source: EzineArticles

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HARPSICHORD - Music-Instruments of the World

Harpsichord

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How To Play LEAD GUITAR

Many newbies are fascinated by the way lead guitarists are blazing through a solo and keep wondering how they can do that. They just can't understand how these people figure out which notes can would sound right before playing them. The following article is aimed to show some perspective on how to learn lead guitar and begin to make up your own guitar solos.

The Blues Scale

What many beginner guitarists who want to learn lead guitar do not know that improvising doesn't mean just playing random notes and hoping they will sound great together. Before you can learn lead guitar, you should know that professional guitar players usually draw their solos from a scale, which they are using as a template for improvisation. The blues scale, despite the name, is actually a scale used very often in all guitar solo styles.

Bruce Kulick - Photo by JamesDPhotography 

How to Use It?

Try practicing this scale forwards and backward, while using alternate picking and make sure you play each note evenly and cleanly. After you got this right, try to play each note two times before you get to the next one. Make up different ways to play the blues scale to challenge your playing skills.

Play the blues scale so that the root begins with the letter name of the scale you are trying to play. For example, if you want to play a C blues scale, you've got to find the note C on the fretboard and start the scale on that note.

Improvising

Once you've become familiar with the blues scale, you might want to take up some theory lessons and learn more about the different positions of pentatonic and blues scales. However, you can get to play a lot of great stuff just by using the single position explained above, so start practicing on making up your own solos before you memorize tons of scale positions.

Once you've managed to learn lead guitar basics, you can start improvising. The concept is fairly simple: all you have to do is string together some licks from the blues scale that sound good together. However, when you try to do it, you'll realize it's actually more difficult than it sounds. You might want to get some soloing lessons for beginner guitarists that want to learn lead guitar. Accesrock.com provides some good lessons.

After you did some practicing, you should visit the Home for all Guitar Lovers website that shows several guitar licks. You can try to memorize some of these and use them in your own solos. Don't get frustrated if you play rather badly at first; if you like what you're doing, it will get better over time.

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