Having your own drum kit will make it easier for you to set up your own drum set. However, even without a drum kit, you will still be able to set up your drum sets by using your stool or throne as guide. When using your throne as a guide in setting up your drums, place your throne in the middle of an empty room. Sit on the throne with your drumsticks to get the feel of the height and depth which you may need in setting up your drums. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in from of your drums.
Roland TD-12s V-Stage drum set. Shot also includes an extra PD-105 tom pad, CY-8 cymbal, Axis Longboard double kick pedal, and Iron Cobra Hi-Hat stand. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
While closing your eyes and imagining yourself in front of your drum set, feel the balance of your throne. Both your feet should be planted firmly on the floor when you do this. Keep your feet on a comfortable position and then open your eyes. Check your feet and make sure that the width between your feet is more or less the same width as your shoulders. Putting your feet on a wide angle will give you a more stable and strong base. The location of your feet in very important because this will determine where you will put your pedals for your bass drum and hi hat. To make sure that your feet are comfortable where they are, try shifting your feet and experiment on different position. Do not worry, there is no hard and fast rules as to where you should put your feet when playing your drums so just go with the natural flow of your body.
Air drumming will help you gauge the possible height and reach of the drums. Play a mental tune and start drumming into the air as if you are playing your instruments in an actual concert. Pay close attention to where your hands go when you are air drumming so that you will know which way your body flow naturally. Always remember that our bodies have its own natural reflexes. By going with the natural flow of your body movements, you will be able to move more fluidly.
Setting Your Drum Set
Once you are comfortable with your position, mark the spot with chalk or any other non-permanent markers. Bring in your drums one by one and set them up one by one. Start by adding your bass drum first and then followed by your hi hat. Test your position again before you add your other instruments like the snare drum and cymbals. Every time you add another piece of instrument into your drum set, test your body movements and make sure that your movements are not restricted in anyway. If you feel that your movements are hampered in anyway, make adjustments. Always see to it that you are comfortable with what you are doing so that you can play your drums more beautifully.
The clarinet is a popular woodwind instrument. Many people play this instrument in bands, orchestras, solo, and in small groups. If you’re trying to choose an instrument, you might wonder whether the clarinet is for you. There are pros and cons to choosing to play the clarinet. Before you buy your first clarinet, it’s a good idea to figure out whether this is the instrument you want to invest your time and money in.
What Kind of Instrument Do You Want to Play?
There are several different kinds of instruments, and different reasons why you might want to pick the clarinet or make a different choice. Are you going to play in the school band or in an orchestra? A clarinet is a good choice. Do you want to play in a rock band? While there are popular clarinet players, you’re probably going to want to go with something like the keyboard, drums, or electric guitar, at least as a primary instrument. If you want to sing while you play an instrument, you’re going to have to pick a different instrument. The piano is a popular instrument if you’re playing in church, but I do play my clarinet in church, alongside the piano and the organ.
If you decide that the clarinet is the right type of instrument for you, you’ll probably want to test it out first. Most people are able to play the clarinet with enough practice, but it’s still a good idea to try it. Many students like to rent instruments, but I don’t recommend renting to own one: it’s a much more expensive way to acquire an instrument than buying one outright. If you don’t know anybody that has a clarinet that you can try out, feel free to rent a clarinet for a month so you can check it out before you buy one.
You can find inexpensive instruments online, but keep in mind that the cheapest instruments don’t always have the best sound quality, and you may want to replace them with better instruments later on if you start off with one.
Reasons to Play the Clarinet
There are many good reasons to learn to play the clarinet. It’s a fairly easy instrument to learn to play; you don’t need extensive music lessons to be able to play this instrument. You can probably even teach yourself how to play this popular woodwind. If you want to play in the school band, orchestra, or at home for fun, this is a popular choice for many people, and may be right for you as well.
Buying a new saxophone requires minimal knowledge of the types of saxophones available in the market as well as the differences that distinguish them from each other. Saxophones are generally categorized into four types. The first would be the soprano saxophone which is in the key of B flat. Its sound or pitch is higher compared to the other saxophones and is therefore generally considered as the hardest to play. This is not recommended to beginners who are not yet adept at playing the instrument. The second type is called the Alto Saxophone and is in the key of E flat.
It is the one commonly played most especially by beginners. This type of saxophone is recommended to beginners because most of the practice materials and compositions for beginners are in the alto pitch. The third one is called the tenor saxophone. It is in the key of B flat and is mostly used for playing jazz and blues as well as rock music. However, the neck of this kind of saxophone is longer than the other types of saxophone making it more prone to damage. The fourth kind is the baritone saxophone. It is usually played for jazz solos. It is the largest among the other three types of saxophone that its players will have to wear a harness to support its weight.
The person buying a new saxophone must determine first the exact purpose(s) for which the instrument is to be purchased. For instance, if one is looking at buying a new saxophone to play mostly jazz or rock music, then the best choice would be the tenor saxophone. But if the person using the instrument is a beginner and wishes to learn more about playing the instrument, then the Alto Saxophone is the best pick. Since these saxophones also come in different shapes and sizes, one who intends to use the saxophone regularly and wishes it to be more handy and manageable as opposed to heavy and sturdy will have to do away with baritone saxophone.
After delimiting one’s choice to any particular type of saxophone, the next consideration would be the price. This is very important especially if one has to work with a limited budget. Nevertheless, price consideration is also important vis a vis the market value of the instrument. One would not want to purchase an extremely cheap saxophone as it may render the quality of the instrument in doubt; neither is it wise for anyone to just rush and purchase a new instrument for a price twice its real market price. That would be a total rip off!!
Checking out the manufacturer of the saxophone may also help in ensuring that the saxophone is going to be good quality. This is especially important to ensure that one does not buy an instrument which is difficult to tune, has bad or weak tone, or is easily broken. The model of the instrument may also be helpful in buying a new saxophone. However, for students who wish only to purchase new saxophones for practice and casual playing as opposed to professionally using the instrument, being particular with the model may not be necessary. Finally, when the questions on the type of saxophone, its price, manufacturer and model have been settled it is important to make sure that the instrument is in its best condition. Check for faulty hardware, breaks, leaks, or bent parts. When all these have been observed, one may then proceed to purchase buying a new saxophone.
Talib Kweli performing in Brooklyn/Red Bull Experiment
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Gangster rap, or hardcore rap, is generally considered a sub genre of the larger category of rap music, which itself is a subcategory of hip-hop. Gangster rap is differentiable from other rap music in that it makes use of images of urban life associated with crime (Haugen, 2). According to the Encyclopedia Britannica definition of gangster rap, the top four images associated with the genre are violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity.
Gangster Rappers as Defining the Hip-Hop Social Group
As the hip-hop movement has gained recognition throughout the United States, it has established itself as one of the fastest growing social groups anywhere. In the late 1990s immediately following the murders of both Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, two nationally known gangster rappers, a propaganda campaign escalated against rap music and the hip-hop culture (Slaughter). Although gangster rap only represented a small percentage of the hip-hop culture at the time, all hip-hop and rap music was instantly stereotyped negatively as being “gangter-like”. Why? Well, this gangster version of hip-hop was the highest selling and most recognized form of hip-hop music among the majority class. And many critics have determined that this is because America is in love with sex, drugs and violence (Whaley).
Hip-Hop’s Rejection of Inferior Social Group Status
Henri Tajfel, a social psychologist who developed a theory of inter-group relations and social change, argues that members of a social group deemed inferior by a majority class can either accept or reject their inferior position in society. If a group refuses to accept its inferior position in society as just, it will attempt as a group to change things (Coates, 8-9). A large number of hip-hop artists have used their musical lyrics to reject the inferior social status placed upon them by the majority class.
The Reconstruction of the Gangster Identity
I have found that hip-hop artists use lyrics, both musical and poetic, to redefine the negatives characteristics given to their culture by the majority class, and in the process, reconstruct the gangster identity. By examining these hip-hop and gangster rap lyrics as text, I will show ways in which the lyrics attempt to reconstruct the stereotyped gangster rap identity by examining different views of violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity. In the end, one tends to wonder: Who exactly are the real gangsters?
Violence
That the hip-hop culture represents gangster-like violence is perhaps the biggest disputed claim amongst hip-hop artists. In order to disprove this claim, many hip-hop artists have pointed to the violence that exists within the majority social group, and how it leads to violence all over the world.
In “Violence”, 2 Pac demonstrates his belief that violence was prevalent long before gangster rap existed:
I told em fight back, attack on society
If this is violence, then violent's what I gotta be
If you investigate you'll find out where it's comin’ from
Look through our history, America's the violent one
Here, the poet points to American society as “the violent one” and that he has to be violent in order to “fight back.”
In “Who Knew”, Eminem showed a similar viewpoint by expressing his belief that violence is a common occurrence in American society, yet not challenged in genres outside of the urban environment:
So who's bringin’ the guns in this country?
I couldn't sneak a plastic pellet gun through customs over in London
And last week, I seen a Schwarzaneggar movie
Where he's shootin’ all sorts of these bad guys with an Uzi
Here, the poet questions the existence of violence in a country that allows firearms and violent movies.
In “Casualties of War”, Rakim blames the United States government, specifically its Head of State, as the group causing the violence in society with their war-like ways:
I'ma get back to New York in one piece
But I'm bent in the sand that is hot as the city streets
Sky lights up like fireworks blind me
Bullets, whistlin’ over my head remind me...
President Bush said attack
Flashback to Nam, I might not make it back
In this text, the poet refers to our country’s decision to go to war as an example of the violence that exists amongst the majority social class.
In “The Watcher”, Dr. Dre redefines the negative characteristic of violence by pointing to the police force as the source of violence, and therefore, referring to them as “gangster-like”:
Things just ain't the same for gangstas
Cops is anxious to put people in handcuffs
They wanna hang us, see us dead or enslave us
Keep us trapped in the same place we raised in
Then they wonder why we act so outrageous
Run around stressed out and pull out gauges
Cause everytime you let the animal out cages
It's dangerous, to people who look like strangers
Here, the poet accuses the majority class of keeping them “trapped in the same place we raised in” and that the perceived violence is only due to the introduction of “people who look like strangers.”
These are examples of how hip-hop artists redefine the image of violence by showing how it exists or was created within the majority social group.
Drugs
Another common disputed stereotype of hip-hop artists is their use and distribution of illegal drugs. In attempts to redefine this negative characteristic, many hip-hop artists have pointed at the majority social group as the facilitator of drug abuse.
In “Justify My Thug”, Jay-Z speaks directly to members of government, raising questions about who has made the availability and use of these drugs possible:
Mr. President, there's drugs in our residence
Tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us
Mr. Governor, I swear there's a cover up
Every other corner there's a liquor store - what is up?
In this example, the poet inquires as to why there is a liquor store in “every other corner” of his community.
In “I Want to Talk to You”, Nas uses the same approach to challenge the notion of drug distribution by asking his representatives what they would do in his situation:
Why y'all made it so hard, damn
People gotta go create their own job
Mr. Mayo,r imagine if this was your backyard
Mr. Governo,r imagine if it was your kids that starved
Imagine your kids gotta sling crack to survive
Here, the poet claims that the distribution of drugs is not only an effect of the poverty that exists in his environment, but also a means of survival.
In “Manifesto”, Talib Kweli actually accuses the government of being the body which allows drugs into the country:
Like the C.I.A. be bringin’ in crack cocaine bailin’ out of planes
With the George Bush connections, I push Reflection
Like I'm sellin’ izm, like a dealer buildin’ the system
Supply and the demand it's all capitalism
People don't sell crack cause they like to see blacks smoke
People sell crack cause they broke
In this example, the poet accuses the C.I.A. of flying drugs into the country, and again reiterates the point that it is a means of survival due to the “supply and demand” of a capitalist society.
In “Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangster”, the Geto Boys fully redefine the negative characteristic of drug distribution by accusing the President of being a drug dealer, and therefore, a gangster:
And now, a word from the President!
Damn it feels good to be a gangsta
Getting’ voted into the White House
Everything lookin’ good to the people of the world
But the Mafia family is my boss
So every now and then I owe a favor gettin' down
Like lettin' a big drug shipment through
And send 'em to the poor community
So we can bust you know who
These examples show how hip-hop artists redefine the image of being drug dealers and users by again pointing to the majority class as the creator of the drug problem in this country.
Materialism
Hip-hop music is also seen by the majority class as a genre dominated by materialism. Again, artists point back to the majority class in an attempt to redefine this negative characteristic.
In “Respiration”, Black Star points to all the wealth surrounding urban areas, and how it absorbs the lower class in materialism, making them want parts of that wealth:
Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips
For profits, thirsty criminals take pockets
Hard knuckles on the second hands of workin’ class watches
Skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living
Is preposterous, stay alive, you play or die, no options
Here, the poet talks about various materialistic aspects of the majority class, and how the lower class must “play or die” to “stay alive.”
In “All Falls Down”, Kanye West actually blames this materialism on American society:
It seems we living the American dream
But the people highest up got the lowest self esteem
The prettiest people do the ugliest things
For the road to riches and diamond rings
In this example, the poet blames the “American dream” for materialism, saying it causes people to “do the ugliest things” for “riches and diamond rings.”
In “Los Angeles Times”, Xzibit also blames this materialism on the majority class, claiming that is what the youth are taught coming up in urban environments:
Welcome to L.A.
Where you can see the whole city burning
Cause the cops got Uzis and the dealers keep serving
And your kids ain't learning it, except this
Sex power and wealth, forget everything else
Here, the poet expresses his belief that certain aspects of materialism, including “power and wealth” are taught to children through occurrences in society.
These are examples how hip-hop artists redefine the negative characteristic of being materialistic by showing examples of how this materialism is prevalent in the majority class, and often created within that class.
Sex
And the final debated stereotype of the hip-hop social class is that they are sexually promiscuous, often leading to disrespectful treatment towards women. The poets also attempt to redefine this stereotype by blaming the core of the problem on society.
In “Pussy Galore”, the Roots claim that the country’s obsession with sex is pushed by sexually-driven marketing campaigns:
Lookin' out the limo window up at the billboards
200 miles, she was the only thing I saw
Promotin' everything, from the liquor to the nicotine
Cell phones, anti-histamines, chicken wings
You gotta show a little skin to get them listening
For real yo, the world is a sex machine
In this example, the poet retells a personal experience in which he saw sex advertisements as “promotin’ everything.” And in order to “get them listening”, he claims, “you gotta show a little skin.”
In “Get By”, Talib Kweli blames this sexual obsession on what we view on television:
The TV got us reachin’ for stars
Not the ones between Venus and Mars,
The ones that be readin’ for parts
Some people get breast enhancements and penis enlargers
Here, the poet expresses his belief that television creates a misconception of what people should be sexually, and that contributes to the promiscuity that is being blamed on the hip-hop movement.
Hip-hop artists have used their lyrics and poetry to influence the rejection and reconstruction of the gangster identity that plagues their social class. This is accomplished through the redefining of negative characteristics assigned by the majority class. In most cases, these redefinitions include pointing to the majority class as the real holders of these negative characteristics. The redefining of these “gangster-like” images through hip-hop lyrics helps to reconstruct the gangster identity by questioning “gangster-like” behaviors and which social class actually has these behaviors. So the question presented is: Who exactly are the gangsters?
Works Cited / Discography
2 Pac. 2Pacalypse Now. Jive Records, 1991.
Black Star. Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star. Rawkus Records, 1998.
Coates, Jennifer. Women, Men and Language. Longman Publishing, New York: 1993.
Dr. Dre. The Chronic 2001. Interscope Records, 1999.
Eminem. The Marshall Mathers LP. Interscope Records, 2000.
The Brahms clarinet quintet is one of the most popular pieces of music in the clarinet repertoire, but the connection between Brahms and the clarinet goes well beyond this one piece of music. Brahms is recognized as one of the greatest composers for the clarinet, and it was the clarinet that lured this great composer out of early retirement.
Brahms wrote for the clarinet in his earlier orchestral pieces, such as the two Serenades and his Symphonies, but his interest in the clarinet was to be expanded once he met a virtuosic clarinetist named Richard Mülfeld. Beginning his musical career as a violinist, Mülfeld soon rose to be the leading clarinet player of his generation. Becoming friends soon after being introduced, Brahms and Mülfeld would discuss the possibilities of the clarinet, with Mülfeld often playing pieces of the repertoire in his own style for Brahms.
Brahms had decided to retire from composing in the late 1880s, however he was so inspired by Mülfeld's playing that he gave up these plans, and composed the Clarinet Quintet (Op. 115) and Trio (Op. 114) in 1891, as well as two Clarinet Sonatas in F minor and E flat (Op. 120) in 1894.
The Clarinet Quintet was premiered by Mülfeld and the Joachim Quartet on December 12th, 1891. It has been considered a pinnacle of music written for clarinet ever since.
Most clarinetists will incorporate at least one of Brahms pieces for clarinet into their repertoire, with many clarinetists choosing to learn all Brahms wrote for the clarinet.
By Marc Hofkens
Written by Marc Hofkens. Please find hundreds of articles about the clarinet at 1st-clarinet-music
Lots of sheet music for the clarinet to download!
Article Source: EzineArticles
A musical instrument that belongs to the woodwind family, the bassoon is a reed instrument that plays below or within the tenor range. It is made of a reed, a bocal, a butt, a boot, a bass, and a bell.
The bassoon produces a unique tone color and has a thick and reedy timbre. It is an agile instrument that has a wide range and a variety of character. It is part of the concert band, orchestral, and chamber music literature, appearing in the 1800s.
Bassoons are known in various names for different countries: the Italian fagotto, the German fagot, and the French basson.
Material characteristics
The bassoon was traditionally made of maple wood, but modern versions are typically made of polypropylene or ebonite. Today, bassoons are available in either wood or plastic. Wood bassoons are still the material of choice for most experiences and professional bassoonists. They are tuned in a high D pitch and have silver-plated keys. They also come with accessories, such as a seat strap, a crutch, two reeds, neck strap, and drop swabs.
Plastic bassoons, on the other hand, are ideal for use by students and amateurs. They are made of durable polypropylene, making them outlast even the most rigorous practices. They have nickel silver or nickel-plated keys and have spring posts secured by screws and epoxy. They have a closed D hole and plateau key to avoid finger stretching.
Use of bassoons
Bassoons are used in wind ensembles, symphony orchestras, and jazz bands. A modern symphony orchestra usually needs two bassoons, with an additional contrabassoon. Some orchestral works may call for four or more players. The first bassoon player can be called upon to perform solos.
A clarinet is never complete with without a suitable mouthpiece that contributes to its overall timbre and pitch quality. Clarinet mouthpieces are generally attached on the instrument's top end. They can be made of different materials like hard rubber or plastic and they come in varying facing lengths. Using this clarinet mouthpieces guide, you can determine which type of mouthpiece is best for your instrument and your taste.
In this clarinet mouthpiece guide, we shall compare the 2 kinds of materials that make up most of the clarinet mouthpieces made nowadays: plastic and hard rubber.
Plastic: plastic mouthpieces for clarinets are made of durable and solid plastic. They are characterized by their lightweight and thin features, and because of these, you can only use them for a limited period of time only. They can eventually warp over time and can also crack without proper maintenance. However, they are readily available and inexpensive because of mass-production.
Hard rubber: made from heavy-duty rubber, it boasts high durability compared to plastic clarinet mouthpieces. Therefore, you can expect it to withstand cracks, scratches, and other types of damages. It is also more stable for a fuller sound and a longer balanced tone but it demands high maintenance and a high budget for buying.
What to buy
To end this clarinet mouthpiece guide, here are some tips you can use to buy the right one regardless of the material used to make them. For starters, check the mouthpiece bore because this can help determine the quality of sound that you can produce. A small bore produces a focused and compact tone while mellow and dark tones are produced by larger ones. Finally, check the facing length and make sure that it is long for improved flexibility and control. Long-facing mouthpieces also make stronger lows and vigorous sounds.
Important information
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Important buying tips
More information on clarinet mouthpieces is available in Picky Guide, one of the fastest growing online magazines giving free consumer advice and product information.
Liszt was born in Raiding, near Sopron, on Oct. 22, 1811. While still a boy, his prodigious talents won the patronage of local Hungarian aristocrats, and his family took him to Vienna in 1821. There he studied piano with Carl Czerny and composition witdh Antonio Salieri. In 1823 Liszt was refused admission to the Paris Conservatory because of a regulation barring foreign students, but he stayed in Paris and took composition lessons from Anton Reicha. Liszt's one-act operetta Don Sanche was performed at the Academie Royale de Musique when he was only 14.
Franz Liszt, portrait by Miklós Barabás, a Hungarian painter, 1847 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
After a number of dazzling European concert tours, Liszt again settled in Paris and became a well-known member of the highest social and intellectual circles. He abandoned a passing thought of becoming a priest to remain a musician, evolving a style of virtuoso piano technique and composing music to serve it. From 1835 to 1839 he lived with the Comtesse Marie d'Agoult, who wrote historical and philosophical works under the name Daniel Stern. They had one son and two daughters. One daughter, Cosima, became the wife first of pianist-conductor Hans von Bulow and later of Richard Wagner.
From 1839 Liszt again traveled throughout Europe, having become-with violinist Niccolo Paganini, with whom he was often compared-the most sought-after of all performing musicians. From 1848 he was kapellmeister to the ducal court at Weimar, where he performed and staged many new musical works-especially those of his friend and future son-in-law, Richard Wagner-and generously helped fellow musicians. When his tenure at Weimar was disturbed, in part by scandal connecting his name with that of Princess Karoline Sayn-Wittgenstein, he gave up piano playing almost completely to devote himself to composition and teaching. From 1859 to 1870 he lived chiefly in Rome, where Pope Pius IX in 1866 made him an abbe.
In 1870 Liszt returned to Weimar to conduct the music festival honoring the centennial of Beethoven's birth. In 1875 he accepted the presidency of the Hungarian Academy of Music at Budapest. His later years were spent in Weimar, Rome, and Budapest and were occupied largely with composition and with numerous pupils and hangers-on. He died in Bayreuth, Bavaria, on July 31, 1886, while attending a Wagner festival.
Works
Liszt's compositions comprise original works and transcriptions of other composers' music. His most popular original compositions are the 20 Hungarian Rhapsodies, which are in part Gypsy rather than truly Hungarian. Although written for the piano, many of the rhapsodies have been orchestrated.
Notable among Liszt's piano works are numerous Etudes; three Liebestraume (originally composed as songs); the Sonata in B Minor; three albums of short pieces called Annees de pelerinages; three Valses oubliees; and the Legends, entitled St. Francois d'Assise predicant aux oiseaux and St. Francois de Paul marchant sur les flots. His organ music includes the Fantasy and Fugue on B-A-C-H (1855) and Variations on Bach's Weinen, Klagen (1862). For solo voices, chorus, and orchestra in varying combinations, Liszt composed Hungaria, Die Legende von der Heiligen Elisabeth, psalms, several Masses, and over 60 songs.
Liszt wrote several books on musical subjects, the best known of which are Des Bohemiens et de leur musique en Hongrie (1859; Eng. tr., The Gipsy in Music), and the partly ghostwritten Frederic Chopin (1852).
Evaluation
Although the artistic quality of much of Liszt's enormous body of compositions remains the subject of argument, his importance is unquestioned in the development of modern piano technique; in the introduction into music of the Mephistophelian element of eerie, mischievous, and elusive tempi called diablerie; in the evolution of harmony and of musical forms; and in the formation of the high romantic musical idioms of the era. He shared with Frederic Chopin and Robert Schumann domination over the composition of specifically pianistic music, inventing many techniques directly related to the keyboard. He developed for orchestra the single-movement, semiprogrammatic form that he called symphonic poem, thus assisting other composers in solving problems raised by music inspired by extramusical materials.
Liszt's harmonic innovations were of prime importance as leading away from the Viennese rococo-classic style of the 18th century to the Romanticism of the 19th and the breakdown of tonality in the 20th century. He prefigured not only the whole-tone scale but also both atonality and polytonality. With Wagner he incarnated and preached the "music of the future" and advocated an almost religiously intended synthesis of the arts. Liszt left scarcely an established musical usage unquestioned or unchanged.
There are some religious taboos when it comes to dance other than religious reasons why on earth would anyone not want to experience the mind and body renewing energy that results from dancing? Truthfully, not all dancing involves the wearing of pink tutus and many forms of dance are quite masculine in nature so preserving masculinity cannot in any way be an adequate excuse for not dancing.
Ballroom dance entertain gentle icon symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When it comes to dance there are many interesting and amazing styles of dance that span the globe. From the weapon dances of old (which are a perfect display of virility and masculinity though not widely practiced today other than in ceremonial dance) to the grace and beauty of ballet or ballroom dancing there is almost certain to be some form of dance that should appeal to almost anyone on the planet.
Native Americans had an excellent attitude and ideals when it comes to dancing. They danced for almost any reason and let the beat of the drum serve as their guiding spirit. Native Americans danced for worship, for rain, for joy, for grief, and to prepare for war. Their dances were heartfelt and as much a part of their individual natures as it was their tribal identities. Dancing was an essential part of their culture and heritage and is still passed on today though to a much smaller degree.
While some religions discourage dance, others embrace dance as a form of worship and commitment to their deities. Some encourage dance as an expression of praise. Others dance for the joy of the blessings and bounty of their gods or in submission to their gods. Regardless the fact remains that dance plays a vital role in many of the world's religions. If you are a believer, I can think of few better reasons to dance than to express your beliefs in a physical form.
Some people dance simply because they like music and enjoy watching other people dance. There are all kinds of fun dancing styles that can be practiced alone, as a couple, or as a part of a much larger group. In the United States line dancing and square dancing are excellent ways to dance as part of a larger group as well as many types of competitive dancing and as part of a ballet company or other type of competitive or professional dance company. Couples dancing to some degree includes square dancing but other forms of dance such as ballroom dancing as well. Singles dancing is pretty much reserved to competitive dancing and often requires years of practice in order to perfect. Some people devote their lives to this sort of dancing and still never manage to make their mark on the competitive dancing circuit.
Dancing for fitness is another wave that seems to be taking the world by storm. There are many ways that this can be done and it is quite effective among those who would otherwise not exercise at all as well as those who simply love to dance. It is getting out of your seat and moving around to the music. Find a nice driving beat, close the curtains, and dance until you can no longer breath. It's a great way to get that much needed exercise while having fun and not even realizing that you are (gasp) exercising. Mind over matter is a great thing. If it doesn't feel like exercise then there is no reason for your body, mind, or spirit to protest, right?
Dancing is becoming somewhat of a novelty sport around the USA and around the world. Reality television shows such as "Dancing with Stars" and movies such as the one with Richard Gere-Shall We Dance have made ballroom dancing popular and attractive to the average person who would have never considered this form of dance before. With so many wonderful reasons for a person to dance why on earth wouldn't you want to dance?
When visiting Jamaica’s beautiful Ocho Rios make sure you take some time out of your vacationing, water sporting, fun in the sun, and exciting nightlife partying to visit the Bob Marley Nine Mile, the community that helped shape the life and career of one of the most famous musicians of all time. Even if you’re not a particular fan of the man’s music, you’ll get a real sense of what he was about.
Many Bob Marley fans come to Ocho Rios specifically for this unparalleled experience. The quaint village of Nine Mile is nestled high in magnificent mountains of St. Ann, and serves not only as the birthplace of the legendary Reggae King (1945), but also where he was laid to rest in 1981. Fans of Marley have described the Nine Mile experience as one that allowed them to get more in touch with the musician’s roots, to understand the depths of his lyrics, and to come away from it feeling a renewed sense of faith about what’s most important in life.
Be sure to check out the small family house—where the Bob Marley legend all began. Some of Marley’s family are still there, most notably his mother (“Mother B”) and Uncle Lloyd. The small home is littered with photos of the renowned late musician, and you will likely hear stories of Marley’s childhood and early musical career from his mother and/or uncle, as well as the guide. You should also visit Mount Zion Rock (the famous Bob Marley meditation spot), the Fireside, where he cooked many meals, and finally, the mausoleum, the King of Reggae’s final resting place.
If you’re not quite sure how to go about touring through the Bob Marley community, try a Nine Mile guided tour complete with an authentic Rastafarian guide (in authentic Rastafarian garb, no less!) who will take you through the village from one important element to the next, so you don’t miss anything and so you can soak in the entire experience from beginning to end.
Music in this century belonged to the romantic era music. The cultivation of music in this period was marked by the expression, timbre, and melodies that departed from the works of Beethoven. Composers of this time worked on the composition based on personal experience and sense of nationalism. Poetry could also be one of "raw materials" of the composition making.
In this period, the composer were said to reach a level of virtuoso, meaning a level that indicated that a composer was very skilled in playing musical instruments. Composer has already considered the aspects of the sound and the effects that were generated by the techniques of playing instrument.
In this time, the revolutionary changes happened. The changes were made by Richard Wagner. He combined the elements of music, poetry, and scenarios by using leitmotif technique, namely the technique of using motif or musical theme on both character and part of opera story.
The instruments used in this period were much more diverse. Melody grew longer, more dramatic and emotional. Tempo was also more extreme in which mostly used tempo rubato (freedom).
The famous composers in this time were Franz Schubert, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn, Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Giuseppe Verdi, Johannes Brahms, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, and Richard Strauss.
Photograph of Claude Debussy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Music in XX century (1900s)
Around 1900, there was a reaction against romantic music. This reaction was expressed in the group of impressionism that was pioneered by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Debussy was "in rebellion" with the romantic music in German by using the melody and harmony which had a new quality system based on whole-tone scales (the interval scale was 1).
Music of this century was called impressionist era. There was atonal expressionism music, namely music without the basic tone but full of expression. The melody movement flew with strange and expressive rhythmic. Many people consider it like notes without meaning.
In this time, all forms and types of noise were allowed. Rhythmic could be very complex and sounded strange but expressive. In addition, composition could vary widely because it was the result of improvisation and change.
The composers of this era were Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Arnold Schoenberg, Scott Joplin, and Charles Ives.
Contemporary Music
The birth of record and radio media created the new markets for classical music and romantic music. Music of this period was known as the music of contemporary era. The typical music of this era was similar to the impressionist era. Its composers were Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly, Olivier Messiaen, Luigi Dallapicolla, and Luciano Berio.
Music in XVIII century (1600-1825)
There were two times in this century. The first era was called the baroque era. This era was around 1600 to 1750. Baroque was the beginning of modern music because it has experienced the revolution from both theory and technique of its cultivating.
The key characteristics of this era included the merger of major and minor scales, many dissonan tones, the development of the orchestra, and the regular structures, but monotony. They also included the use of violin, harpsichord, organ, and flute.
In this era, people also knew basso continuo technique, namely the bass accompaniment that brought harmony. There was repetition in the structure of music.
Composers who lived in this era were Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi, and Henry Purcell.
The second era was called the classical era. Sonatas and chamber music grew with more dynamic melodies. All of the classical era rules were applied intelligently by the composers.
The key characteristics of this era were the development of musical harmony, a very strong element of the dynamics that colored the composition, and a dynamic atmosphere that was expressed through the tempo, melody, and harmony. In this era, people also knew the pattern of 'question and answer'. Piano, with its ability to create dynamic, became a very important instrument.
The popular composers in this era were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, and John Gay.
Transition period of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
This period represented the transition time from classical music to romantic music that was initiated by Beethoven. He brought a dynamic element by using wider harmonies and more emotional techniques of music cultivating.
This period was called as transitional because there were some principles of classical era that were violated by Beethoven. For example: the use of the intro was considered to be the outside of the classical composition theory. However, it was precisely a characteristic of romantic music. Through his works, Beethoven influenced the transition of classical to romantic music greatly.
The development of the classical music in the world is surely affected by the development of Western music. The development of Western music itself is identical with the development of instruments used.
Starting from the medieval times until today, music has undergone huge changes. Changes in the music will continue to run over time where the previous work affects the work in the next era. At least, the development of music can be classified into eight periods.
Music in the middle ages (450-1450)
The history of Western music development began from the religious or liturgical music. The development of music in this time belonged to the ancient time. This music has been around since the Greeks and Hebrews.
Actually, this music was liturgical prayers that were released, so this music was strongly influenced by the activities of the church. The popular music in this time was Gregorian. In this time, the instrument has not been found yet.
Music at the beginning of this century was monophonic. It was dominated by a single voice. Composition was sung without the pressure and relied on improvisation. In the XI century, the existence of counterpoint technique was known, namely the use of harmonization with the movement of the opposite tunes with original melodies (inversion).
The popular composers in this century were Hildegard von Bingen, Moniot d'Arras, and Guillaume de Machaut.
Music in this century was classified into the Renaissance. It was still influenced by the church, but had to use instruments like the organ, flute, and harpsichord. The movement of the melody used kontrapung techniques, namely the movement of several melodic lines at once.
The existence of Madrigal (secular music that was sung without accompaniment), motet, Missa, fantasia, toccatta, and Fugue was also known. This century was called as a renaissance since it emerged as the development of knowledge and art.
Some characteristics of music in this century were polyphonic. In this era, people began to recognize the existence of four-voice choir that was divided into 3 types of composition. Those types were sacred (church), secular (non-ecclesiastical), and instrumental. The division of the melodic phrases was already balanced, while the vocal form was attached to the structure of the text or lyrics.
The composers in this era were Giovanni Gabrieli, Giovanni Perluigi, Orlando Lassus, Guillaume, and Du Fay.
Music in XVII century
Music in this century was influenced by opera and Oratorio. Opera was a musical drama which partly or wholly sung with orchestral accompaniment or instrumental music, while Oratorio referred to the musical drama without a script.
In Oratorio, there was usually a sacred element. Opera was originally pioneered in the Florentine Academy, Italy. Furthermore, the opera was known in France, Germany, and England. The popular composers in this time were Jocopo Peri and Claudio Monteverdi.
