Top 50 MUSIC QUOTATIONS

Discover the phenomenal complexity of music and reflect on the way it can positively influence your life with this sound collection of riveting quotes...

1. "Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below." -- Joseph Addison
2. "Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness." --Maya Angelou
3. "Music is either good or bad, and it's got to be learned. You got to have balance." -- Louis Armstrong
4. "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." -- Berthold Auerbach
5. "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul." --Johann Sebastian Bach
6. "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." -- Ludwig van Beethoven
7. "Music - The one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend." -- Ludwig van Beethoven
8. "Music can change the world. " -- Ludwig Van Beethoven
9. "Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable." -- Leonard Bernstein
10. "Music has to breathe and sweat. You have to play it live. " -- James Brown
11. "Music is well said to be the speech of angels." -- Thomas Carlyle
12. "All music comes from God." -- Johnny Cash
13. "If you learn music, you'll learn most all there is to know. " -- Edgar Cayce
14. "Music is nothing separate from me. It is me... You'd have to remove the music surgically. " -- Ray Charles
15. "Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is. " -- Miles Davis
16. "There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music." -- George Eliot
17. "You are the music while the music lasts." --T. S. Eliot
18. "We need magic, and bliss, and power, myth, and celebration and religion in our lives, and music is a good way to encapsulate a lot of it. " -- Jerry Garcia
19. "Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife." -- Kahlil Gibran
20. "When people hear good music, it makes them homesick for something they never had and never will have." -- Edgar Watson Howe
21. "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." -- Victor Hugo
22. "The history of a people is found in its songs." -- George Jellinek
23. "Music is the vernacular of the human soul." -- Geoffrey Latham
24. "It requires wisdom to understand wisdom; the music is nothing if the audience is deaf." -- Walter J. Lippmann
25. "Just as certain selections of music will nourish your physical body and your emotional layer, so other musical works will bring greater health to your mind." -- Hal A. Lingerman
26. "Music is the harmonious voice of creation; an echo of the invisible world." -- Giuseppe Mazzini
27. "Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don't take it too seriously." -- Henry Miller
28. "I started making music because I could." -- Alanis Morissette
29. "Music helps you find the truths you must bring into the rest of your life. " -- Alanis Morissette
30. "Music is spiritual. The music business is not. " -- Van Morrison
31. "Like everything else in nature, music is a becoming, and it becomes its full self, when its sounds and laws are used by intelligent man for the production of harmony, and so made the vehicle of emotion and thought." -- Theodore Mungers
32. "Without music life would be a mistake." -- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
33. "In music the passions enjoy themselves." -- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
34. "Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." -- Charlie Parker
35. "Music should be something that makes you gotta move, inside or outside. " -- Elvis Presley
36. "It's the music that kept us all intact, kept us from going crazy. " -- Lou Reed
37. "The music business was not safe, but it was FUN. It was like falling in love with a woman you know is bad for you, but you love every minute with her, anyway." -- Lionel Richie
38. "Music should never be harmless." -- Robbie Robertson
39. "Give me a laundry list and I'll set it to music." -- Gioacchino Antonio Rossini
40. "All music is important if it comes from the heart. " -- Carlos Santana
41. "Music is the key to the female heart." -- Johann G. Seume
42. "The best music... is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with. " -- Bruce Springsteen
43. "All I try to do is write music that feels meaningful to me, that has commitment and passion behind it." -- Bruce Springsteen
44. "In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain." --George Szell
45. "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." -- Henry David Thoreau
46. "For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul's own speech." --Unknown
47. "Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us." --Unknown
48. "I believe in the power of music. To me, it isn't just a fad. This is a positive thing." -- Eddie Vedder
49. "Music at its essence is what gives us memories. " -- Stevie Wonder
50. "There's a basic rule which runs through all kinds of music, kind of an unwritten rule. I don't know what it is. But I've got it." -- Ron Wood

Resource Box - © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp Article Directory: EzineArticles

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THROAT SINGING in Inuit Culture

Throat singers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Originally, Inuit throat singing was a form of entertainment among Inuit women while the men were away on hunting trips.  It was an activity that was primarily done by Inuit women although there have been some men doing it as well.  In the Inuit language Inuktitut, throat singing is called katajjaq, pirkusirtuk or nipaquhiit depending on the Canadian Arctic region.  It was regarded more as a type of vocal or breathing game in the Inuit culture rather than a form of music.  

Inuit throat singing is generally done by two individuals but can involve four or more people together as well. In Inuit throat singing, two Inuit women would face each other either standing or be crouching down while holding each other's arms.  One would lead with short deep rhythmic sounds while the other would respond.  The leader would repeat sounds with short gaps in between.  The follower would fill in these gaps with her own rhythmic sounds.  

Sometimes both Inuit women would be doing a dance like movement like rocking from left to right while throat singing.  Sounds produced can be voiced or unvoiced and produced by inhalation or exhalation.  Both Inuktitut words and meaningless syllables are used in Inuit throat singing songs.  However, when words are used in throat singing, no particular meaning is placed on them for a song.  When meaningless syllables are used, they are often portrayals of sounds the Inuit hear in their natural environments such as animal sounds or even water running down a creek.  Popular Inuit throat singing songs are usually identified by the first word or sound that is produced in each song.

Inuit throat singing is a skill that has to be taught and developed.  Inuit throat singers try to show their vocal abilities in a fun competitive manner and the first one to either run out of breath, stop or laugh is declared the loser of the game.  Each game usually lasts from one to three minutes.  In a group of Inuit women, the overall winner is the one who beats the largest number of her competitors in this fun-filled activity.

Unfortunately, there is no written record of when the Inuit first developed their form of throat singing which differs from the type found in Mongolia and other parts of the world that has some form of throat singing.  The Inuit did not keep any written records and history was simply passed down from generation to generation orally.  It was reported that at one point in time, Inuit women would actually have their lips almost touching while using each other's mouth cavity as a sound resonator.  This technique is not used anymore.    

Inuit throat singing was actually forbidden by Christian priests for almost 100 years but since this religious ban was lifted, there has been a resurfacing of this traditional activity in the Inuit communities during the last 20 to 30 years.  Interestingly enough, there has been a lot of interest among the younger Inuit generations in this revival in addition to the Inuit elders who are trying to bring throat singing back as part of present Inuit culture.   Many of the young Inuit women who have taken up throat singing claim that it is a way for them to express their Inuit identities in the modern world where many Inuit traditions have already been lost.  The revival of Inuit throat singing has been so popular that in September of 2001, the first throat singing conference was held in Puvernituk, Nunavik where different types of Inuit throat singing from different Arctic regions of Canada were demonstrated and shared.  There has even been a small number of Inuit throat singing CDs produced.

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From MOTOWN to HIP HOP

Now That's What I Call Motown (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Growing up in the City of Detroit during the early sixties was a memorable era for music. It was a period of time whereby the unique sounding records of Motown were being played and heard throughout the streets, nightclubs, house parties and radio stations everywhere. It was common to have the soulful R and B records playing on the jukeboxes while folks were dancing in the streets or singing in the barber shops and beauty parlors to the love songs that eventually captivated the hearts of millions of people throughout the world. Music CDs and rap music were not heard of during that period, it was all about the vinyl records and rhythm and blues soul.

The songs that were written by Motown songwriters during the 60’s & 70’s had so much meaning. They were songs that spoke about true love, current events and the heartache and pains of life experiences. Oh yes, Motown had it going on! Their music became universal music. Many of the soulful tunes crossed over into other markets such as pop, jazz, blues, etc… But just like George Benson said in one of his recordings “Everything Must Change”, and sure enough, he was right about the music.

After giving so many years service and great music to the City of Detroit, Motown moved out and Rap/Hip-Hop moved in. Instead of hearing someone singing My Baby Loves Me or My Girl, you began to hear new sounding lyrics of street experience expressed in rhythms with the mouth, chest, hands, and feet as such had never been heard before.

This new sound called Rap evolved in the early 80’s and took off as a skyrocket in the late 90’s and New Millennium as Hip Hop/Rap. Even today Rap/Hip-Hop music is still a multi-billion dollar genre. Millions of CDs, videos and DVD's are sold each year in the Hip Hop genre of music. And there is no sign that Hip Hop will be slowing down or taking a back seat to anyone anytime soon.

So what happened to the Motown sound…. did it die out? No! The Motown sound will never die out. It will always play a significant part in the hearts of millions who embraced it’s sound back in the early 60’s and continued to pass that sound on to their children throughout the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

Sometimes you just have to move over and let the new kids on the block have a turn in expressing their musical talents, songs and ideas. That’s what Motown did…moved over-not out. And now the Hip Hop artists are not the new kids on the block anymore, for they have taken their position to express themselves musically, just like the rhythm and blues artists took their position to express themselves in the Motown era.

That’s how we’ve gone from Motown to Hip Hop!

Written by: Michael Bell  ©2006 Michael Bell

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HARMONICAS

Diatonic harmonicas:
a) lower: blues harp (C) "Victory" :
b) upper: Tremolo Harmonica "Unsere Lieblinge" (Hohner)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A harmonica is a type of musical instrument that seems to have found its way into various types of music. It is most commonly used in jazz and the blues. You will often hear it make an appearance in rock and roll songs as well as many of the older country tunes. Learning to play the harmonica does take time but it can be done. It involves knowing how to play the instrument by learning the notes, practicing, and making sure you are holding it correctly. 

If you are looking for a top quality harmonica there are plenty out there to choose from. The leader in the market is Hohner who has made them for over 150 years. Some other famous makers of harmonicas include Lee Oscar, Suzuki, and Bushman. You may want to try out several brands as well as several models to find the one that you are really happy with. Harmonicas can be expensive but if you want a quality sound you need to make a good investment in one that will last.

Most harmonicas are very durable and they will last you for a very long time. However, you need to do your part to take care of them. When not in use the harmonica needs to be in a carrying pouch. This will prevent it from getting damaged and the sound changing. You also need to clean it out on a regular basis.

Some professionals clean their harmonica by dipping it into a cup of water mixed with denture tablets that dissolve. They believe it takes away the stale taste that can build up in the harmonica after you play it a great deal. This process is very simple and it doesn’t seem to have resulted in any harmonicas being ruined or altered the sound of them.

Over a period of time, all harmonicas will need to be tuned again. You may end up doing permanent damage to it if you don’t keep it clean. In most cases when your harmonica is out of tune you will need to replace it. Repairs can be time-consuming and expensive yet they don’t really seem to work for long before it is out of tune again.

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4 Great Ways to Learn to Dance

Photo: Wikimedia

Dancing is something that many people enjoy not only as a recreational pursuit but also as an integral part of their fitness routine. Dance is a great way to keep your body in shape without feeling as though you are somehow being punished for enjoying that extra scoop of ice cream on your cone. At the same time, dance is also something that many people simply find enjoyable. As with most things in life though, there are often right and wrong ways in which you can make most dance moves and some of them might not be as good for you as they think. For this reason, you really do need to seek qualified instructions. Below you will find four different methods in which you can get the instruction you need to dance your heart out.

Private Dance Instruction

If you are in a financial situation that allows for this then this is the ideal option. With private lessons, you will have one on one instruction and the direct attention of the instructor. Private lessons provide the absolute most bang for your buck and will provide the most immediate pay off for your efforts as you will move at your own pace and will not have to wait on other students to catch up or feel left behind by students who have a higher beginning level of skill. 

Private lessons also provide the opportunity to address specific needs and problem areas when it comes to your dancing. This means you will learn the right way from the beginning, provided you went with a reputable instructor who is very knowledgeable. The benefits of private instruction are really amazing when compared to some of the other available methods of learning to dance.

Formal Group Dance Lessons 

You can sign up for group dance lessons at almost any age. There are very few requirements and classes are offered for many different experience levels as well. If you are an utter novice there will be classes that will teach you the basics and get you started on your way. There are also classes that are designed to teach advanced students more difficult footwork and techniques. Some people thrive in these sorts of classes because there is some degree of competitiveness involved. Friendly competition is often a great motivator for success. Others, however, feel somewhat left behind or unchallenged in these sorts of classes and would do better with a different form of instruction.

Informal Group Dance Instruction

This is the type of instruction you will often find prior to dances in local dance halls and nightclubs. The atmosphere is very informal and the goal is to give a basic primer. This sort of instruction will prepare you to execute a few very basic moves and very little else. This is very popular in areas where line dancing is common to teach patrons how the moves involved in specific dances. This type of instruction is not recommended for those who want a serious amount of instruction when it comes to dancing but for those who have a fleeting interest and only want to learn a couple of dances for fun on a night out, this is ideal. 

Video Dance Instruction

Believe it or not, many would be dancers are petrified at the very thought of someone watching as they attempt to learn the moves required for the dances they wish to execute. We live in a world of perfectionists however and if you happen to be a perfectionist, then video dance lessons may be the perfect bet for your needs and wishes. You will find a wide selection of these video lessons online if you are willing to look. You will even find many that are designed to teach dance for the sole purpose of fitness while others teach dance for the sole purpose of fun. 

The direction you take when it comes to learning to dance is entirely up to you. The many different types of classes offer appeal to the many different types of people in the world today. If one type of class worked for everyone wishing to take classes then there would be no need for the different types of dance classes. The truth is that not everyone learns best in the same situation. Select the learning method that you feel will be best for you and start learning to dance today.

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The Beginnings Of MUSIC - The Romans

Seated woman playing a kithara.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Romans had little or no musical genius, and they were content to take their music, like every other artistic element of their national life, from the Greeks. The Greek was the child of nature, refined and educated through his own innate sense of beauty and fitness; The Roman was a barbarian civilized with the civilization of the barrack-yard and the camp. So it's safe to say that the Romans music was just a rehashed version of the Greeks music.

To the Greek, Art of any kind was something great and almost holy. To the Roman, Art of any kind was just for relaxation. Roman music is simply Greek music in a corrupted condition, absolutely no artistic value whatsoever.

The only influence upon music by the Romans was in the development of wind instruments. A race of fighting men, the Romans regarded military music more seriously than any other branch of the art; essentially practical men, they could readily appreciate its usefulness ; and, in this respect, they remind one of the elderly warriors who expressed that music was all very well on parade, but should not be allowed to interfere with conversation.

In the Roman armies trumpets of various kinds were used, some of them being of immense proportions. All the military musical instruments were of brass, and comprised the tuba, a straight trumpet something like a modern post-horn in shape; the cornu, or horn, bent nearly in the form of a circle; the lituus, or Clarion, slightly bent at the end; and the buccina, shaped like the horn, but of much greater size, the tube being about twelve feet long. Of these, the tuba was used by the infantry, the lituus by the cavalry.

The most interesting feature in connection with Roman musical life is its wide distribution across the world. This has ever since remained a prominent characteristic of musical art. Into Rome drained all the wealth, knowledge, and luxury of the known world.

Greek philosophers and artists, Egyptian priests, men of all races from across the Alps, Jewish converts to Christianity, fleeing from persecution in their own country, all gravitated towards Rome. It was among these warring influences that the early Christian Church, preserver, and regenerator of music, was quietly growing in power and influence; and, with the coming of Christianity, music no longer belonged to one country but to the whole world.

By Mike Shaw Michael David Shaw is a keyboard and organ teacher. He has written an easy start music eBook especially for beginners simply called "Lesson 1" You can download this Music PDF at http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk, http://www.keyboardsheetmusic.co.uk, and http://musical-instruments-uk.mikesmusicroom.co.uk/ Article Source: EzineArticles

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Modern MARCHING BANDS

A marching band parading in the streets of Vienna, Austria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Marching bands have been around for hundreds of years, and in the UK they were usually connected to the Military. Troops would be led into battle by drummers, buglers or pipers, and these instruments were used to give signals for retreating, etc. Indeed, even during WWII platoons of fighting troops were led off the landing craft and up the beaches of France by a piper. Military bands still have an important role in today's armed forces, but mainly for ceremonial purposes, as often seen on Beating Retreat, Trooping the Colour or the Edinburgh Tattoo.

Various styles of marching bands are now in existence. In the UK we tend to have traditional marching bands, consisting of snare drums (with either bottom snares or both top and bottom snares such as the Premier 1049-S), bass drum, tenor drums, cymbals and then tuned instruments such as bell lyres, bugles, valve trumpets and other brass and woodwind. Such bands are often used by organizations including the scouts, air training corps, sea cadet corps etc and are a familiar sight at parades and festivals in British towns.

Another big part of marching music comes from Pipebands, which of course originated in Scotland but are now popular all over the world with many top bands coming from Canada and the USA. Whilst the melodies are played by bagpipes, the drum corps has a very important role to play, often with 6 or more snare drummers playing extremely complex rudimental phrases on High Tension snare drums (such as the Pearl FFXP or Premier HTS800). These drums have kevlar drumheads tuned up to an incredibly high pitch, so the drums have to be extremely strong to withstand the huge forces put upon them.These drums also have snare wires under both the top and bottom heads, giving a very crisp and clean tone which will pick up even the softest of grace notes. A bass drum of around 28" is used to keep the pulse of the band, whilst tenor drums add intricate mid-range tones, often using 3 or more tenor drums of different sizes and pitches. Some tenor players such as Tyler Fry have taken tenor drumming to a whole new level.

A huge growth area in the world marching scene comes from the American style Drum Corps or showbands.The drum corps usually have not only snare drums and a selection of various sized bass drums, but also multi - tenors/quads, cymbals, and a pit at the front featuring a range of tuned percussion such as marimbas, xylophones, bells etc. The rest of the band is made up of brass players. These bands tend to play some extremely complex musical arrangements and are a big part of the music education system in the USA.

Marching snare drums have changed dramatically over the last 100 years or so, from crude drums with rope tuned calf heads to today's high tension models made from the finest birch, maple, or even carbon fiber, with kevlar or mylar drumheads and hardware manufactured from lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum.

The British Military Bands of HM Forces still have huge popularity both at home and abroad. Tourists in London will often see the bearskins and red tunics of the bands of the Guards divisions on duty around Buckingham Palace, whilst the Drummers of the Royal Marines continue to wow audiences worldwide with their incredible skills and drumming displays. The musicians of Her Majestys bands tend to be extremely talented and versatile players capable of performing many different styles of music... indeed as an example, a member of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force may find themselves performing with a full military band one day, a fanfare team the next day, and swinging with the RAF Squadronaires dance band in the evening! Despite their musical skills, however, these men and women are soldiers first and undergo the same military training as everyone else.

For drummers looking to start playing with a marching band, there are a few avenues... Youths can apply to their local Air Cadets, Army Cadets, Boys brigade or Sea Cadet band who will provide an instrument and tuition, with the possibility of performing too many varied audiences. For adults, most towns have either a pipe band or drum corps, and they will always welcome new members. Most Bands have a website, and these can be found under headings such as British Youth Band Association (BYBA) and Traditional Youth Marching Band Association (TYMBA) or for pipe bands the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA).

By David R Fletcher Nottingham Drum and Guitar Centre are one of the UK's largest suppliers of marching band products and can offer expert advice on all aspects of marching band equipment. Article Source: EzineArticles

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COUNTRY GUITAR Lesson, Blues Guitar Riffs, Metal guitar and the BEATLES Effect

Photograph of The Beatles as they arrive in New York City in 1964  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Country Guitar Lesson, Blues Guitar Riff´s, Metal Guitar and the Beatles effect; what has the Beatles got to do with it? I hear you say.

Well firstly the Beatles incorporated and used all the different styles in their music, and in their songs, but not only that, they also changed what was acceptable in music and what was not acceptable.

Paul McCartney´s father was a concert pianist, and when Paul was sat at the piano composing a song, his father would come into the room and say to him “Paul, you can’t do that, it´s against the rules of music”, and Paul would say in return “well I don´t care it sounds good to me”, so he did it anyway.

A lot of what the Beatles did at the time was considered unacceptable by the musical academic´s, but it was obviously acceptable to the record-buying public. It was not unusual for the Beatles to have more than one record in the top ten in England at the time, and not only that but they often occupied number 1 and number 2 positions as well.

Paul and John were real innovators of music; they used unusual key changes together with unusual chords and complex chord changes, as well as total shifts in tempo, and sometimes two songs were mixed together, for example, “A Day In The Life” was two totally different songs, one written by Paul and the other one written by John, but it worked, it has to be heard to be believed.

In the song Hello Goodbye, the ending was achieved by playing the song backward which again works. They introduced guitar feedback although it was by total accident, as George Harrison had left his guitar leaning against his amplifier whilst recording I Feel Fine, they left it on the record as they felt it was unusual and they liked the effect it had. Also in I Feel Fine was a great guitar riff that George played throughout the song which was again unusual.

Although Paul and John overshadowed George and Ringo, this was not intentional; in fact George was a good songwriter in his own right, just think of songs like Something (in the way she moves) and Here Comes The Sun, and quite a few other songs including While My Guitar Gently Weeps, on which he had his friend Eric Clapton play lead guitar.

George Harrison was also a perfectionist; he would practice his guitar parts until his fingers bled on occasions. It was also George Harrison that inspired me and many others to learn guitar, and play it in his style of using mainly bar chords.

The Beatles also inspired many other bands and musicians around the world, even T.V. shows were inspired by the Beatles, think of the Monkeys who show ran for quite some time. The Beatles were also the first ever British artists to make it big in America, and no other British artist has topped that to this day.

Yes, the Beatles were controversial at the time, particularly when John Lennon commented that they were better known than Jesus Christ, which was wildly misinterpreted, and it led to people burning their Beatles records and memorabilia in the streets.

In my opinion, the Beatles were a landmark in music, they changed what was acceptable and what was not, and they changed the way that country guitar lessons are now being taught as well as blues guitar riffs, and they led the way forward in metal guitar music.

No other band or artist has been able to influence music, to the degree that the Beatles had, in particular, guitar music, and in the way, that guitar playing is being taught now. So hopefully you can see what I mean by the Beatles effect!

I hope that you have enjoyed this article, and indeed you may even want to comment on it, as I know that some people may feel strongly about the Beatles both, in a good way and sometimes in a not so good way; however I will welcome all comments, and also say that the things written here are only my opinion.

Keep on playing,

“Wolfie” Wolfgang Bloomfield - Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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MUSICAL TOYS For Pure Fun And Learning

A boy with a toy trumpet in front of a street band (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Toys are a kid's friend, in so many ways. Apart from the fun and amusement it offers, they hold a special place in every child's memory about their childhood. From dolls to Robots, the variety of toys now available is rapidly increasing. The variety of toys and playthings are now limited only by the creativity of manufacturers and the demand of the consumers.

Musical toys have become popular for its known contribution to the child's social and personal development. Music has its impact on a child even during the infancy stage. Musical toys are a common sight at playschools, learning centers, schools, and homes too. Since at early age sound plays an important role to teach young kids motor skills, alphabets, numbers and other basic concepts, various toys like musical books and Rhymes DVD etc are used. Some of the common musical toys for toddlers include - drum sets, a toy piano, sing-along song CDs, toy trumpet, mini guitar, handbells, Xylophones and interactive musical alphabets and number games.

Toys like vehicles and musical instruments find there a way in children's collection throughout their childhood. From being a toddler to a teenager, one can find all kinds of musical toys and gadgets in a typical toy collection of any child. One of the characteristics of the musical toys that have made them popular with parents as well is that any given musical toy can be used for fun and amusement and can be used for adapted play and be learning too. Even a simple Rhythm set can be used to teach different concepts like numbers, colors, and shapes by assigning a different sound to a different number, color or a shape. A lot of creative adaptations are possible with musical toys and they are best options to help children learn with fun and in an informal way.

Elementary education has found a friend in musical toys. If you are a parent or involved in early childhood education you would know what we are talking about here. Music knows no boundaries and it easily transcends every age and culture too. Creative musical books are considered as multi-purpose learning teaching musical resource for the entire early education environment. A lot of music books come with split activities to suit different ages including songs and activities for younger babies, older babies, and toddlers. A little beyond elementary education musical instrument toys for children beyond 3 are an excellent source to teach children reading, writing and math. With the advent of teaching-learning software for various subjects like language, math, and science, the difficult concepts are broken down into easily understandable interactive units.

Musical toys have gradually found its way into sophisticated computer games and specific skill learning software where the audio-visual features employ concepts like artificial intelligence. The bottom line is music is something that is relevant for all ages and is widely appreciated by children of all ages. Hence they have gained popularity among parents and other stakeholders in the field of training and education.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about kids toys, stuffed animals, and dolls. Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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Understanding Tone Production on the FLUTE in Easy Words

Photo  by angelaathomas 

The flute is one of the most difficult instruments on which to produce a good tone. This is because the flute is the only instrument that relies solely on the performer's ability to direct his or her air column accurately and simultaneously continue to create space in his or her body for the sound to resonate. 

The other wind instruments have mouthpieces or reeds to guide their air, and the string family has a bow and resonating box built into the instrument that assists tone production. Understanding 3 basic principles will help beginning and intermediate flute players to both improve their tone on the instrument and make the good tone a consistent part of their playing.

The first principle of good tone is to get as much of your bottom lip on the lip plate as possible. Draw the corners of your lips forward so that they are hugging the lip plate. Do NOT pull them back in a smiling position. Bringing the corners of your lips forward creates more space in your mouth, therefore contributing to the size of your "resonating box". As a flute player, your resonating box consists of the sinus cavity, the space in your mouth and throat, and the chest cavity. This simple act also allows you to engage all of the muscles around your mouth area, which will give you more strength and flexibility when you attempt to change octave.

The second principle of good tone is to understand register production. The flute is capable of playing comfortably in 3 registers - low, middle, and high. It is the direction of your air column (the stream of air you are blowing over the tone hole) that will produce the register you are seeking to play. This should be the primary way you change your register. If you blow your air down, or more directly into the tone hole, you will produce the low register. 

The middle register is produced by blowing your air straight out across the tone hole (a parallel line from the hole you are making with your lips), and the high register is produced by directing your air column up like you are trying to blow a bee off of your nose. Other factors will contribute to the production of the different registers, but they should not be your primary focus because you will find that they all have their primary functions. For example, if you increase the size of the hole you are making with your lips, you will find the low register, but you will have also affected the color and pitch of your tone.

The third principle of good tone is to play with good, relaxed posture. Remember, the flute requires the performer's body to be its resonating box. Therefore, a flutist must sit up straight in his or her chair, or stand tall, when playing. Also, the flute requires the left arm of the player to reach across his or her body. A flutist must always remember to keep his or her shoulders square so that this arm does not decrease the size of the box around the lungs. The performer should attempt to play with as little tension in his or her muscles as possible so that tightened muscles do not inhibit the ability of the body to vibrate.

Of course, all of these techniques take practice and time to master, but with careful attention, determination, and practice, every flutist can play with the beautiful tone he or she desires.

By Stephanie Doell - Article Source: EzineArticles

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AEROSMITH Just Keeps On Rockin'

Photo  by ChrisGampat 

For over three decades, Aerosmith has been one of rock's most revered and popular bands, crafting classic songs full of raw guitar runs and intensely energetic vocals. The band first reached fame in the 1970's with a string of hits including "Dream On," "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way." During this period, Aerosmith's music defied easy categorization, falling somewhere between hard rock/blues and early punk, with occasional power ballads here and there. The band enjoyed major popularity throughout the 1970's, but a split from 1979-84, and the serious substance abuse and drug addictions that contributed to their decline, would nearly relegate them to the annals of history. However, in 1984, Aerosmith was born again. They went on to enjoy the resurgence in popularity that has made them one of the top-selling and most popular rock bands in the world today.

Throughout their rough and rocky history, Aerosmith defied failure and even defied mediocrity in a fast-paced rock-and-roll world abundant in tragedy and also-rans. Aerosmith signed with Columbia in 1972 and debuted their first album simply titled Aerosmith, which included a hit single, "Dream On". After constant touring, the band released Get Your Wings in 1974, which did quite well on the charts, but it was Toys in the Attic in 1975 that established Aerosmith as international superstars. Originally pegged as Rolling Stones clones, Toys in the Attic showed that Aerosmith was a unique and original talent in their own right. Part heavy metal, part glam rock, and part punk, Toys in the Attic was an immense success, starting with the single "Sweet Emotion", then a successful re-release of "Dream On", and a new song from the album, "Walk This Way". Both of the band's previous albums re-charted as a result. Aerosmith's next album, Rocks, went platinum swiftly and featured two hits, "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child".

Their next album, Draw the Line, was not nearly as successful, though the title track proved to be a minor hit. While continuing to tour and record into the late 1970's, Aerosmith acted in the movie version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, covering the Beatles hit "Come Together." As their popularity waned and drug abuse began affecting their output, Joe Perry left the band in 1979 during the recording of their sixth studio album Night in the Ruts and formed The Joe Perry Project. Perry's role in Aerosmith was initially taken by longtime friend and songwriter Richie Supa and then later by guitarist Jimmy Crespo who recorded the remainder of the album.

Aerosmith released its mammoth-selling Greatest Hits album in 1980, and in 1981 the band suffered another loss with the departure of Brad Whitford. Rick Dufay replaced Whitford and the band recorded their seventh album, Rock in a Hard Place. The album was considered a relative failure. The tour that followed this release is notable for Steven Tyler's collapse onstage during a 1983 performance.

On Valentine's Day 1984, Perry and Whitford went to see Aerosmith play. They officially rejoined the ranks of Aerosmith once more in April of that year. Steven Tyler recalls, "You should have felt the buzz the moment all five of us got together in the same room for the first time again. We all started laughing - it was like the five years had never passed. We knew we'd made the right move."

Aerosmith embarked on a lucrative reunion tour entitled "Back in the Saddle", which produced the live album Classics Live II. Their problems were still not behind them when the group signed with Geffen Records and began working on a comeback.

1985 saw the release of Done with Mirrors, their first studio album since the highly publicized reunion. It fared relatively well commercially, but it did not produce a hit single or generate much hope for their comeback. By the time the record was released, Tyler and Perry had exited drug rehabilitation. The group appeared on Run D.M.C.'s incredibly successful cover of "Walk This Way", blending rock and roll and hip-hop and successfully beginning Aerosmith's comeback. The group's next release was Permanent Vacation (1987), which included the hits "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Rag Doll", and "Angel". Their next album, Pump, was received even better; Pump featured four Top Ten singles: "Janie's Got a Gun", "What It Takes", "Love in an Elevator", and "The Other Side". Aerosmith was definitely in the midst of a major resurgence.

Despite significant shifts in mainstream music at the beginning of the 1990's, the band's 1993 follow-up to Pump, Get a Grip, was just as successful commercially. Though many critics were unimpressed by the focus on power-ballads in promoting the album, three songs ("Cryin' ", "Crazy" and "Amazing") proved to be huge successes on radio and MTV.  The music videos featured then fresh up-and-coming actress Alicia Silverstone; her provocative performances earned her the title of "the Aerosmith chick" for half a decade. Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv Tyler, was also featured in the "Crazy" video. Aerosmith signed with Columbia Records again in the early 1990's, but they had to complete two contractual albums for Geffen before recording for the new label.

The next album, Nine Lives, was plagued with personal problems, including the firing of manager Tim Collins. Reviews were generally mixed, and Nine Lives initially fell on charts, although it had a long chart life and sold double platinum in the US alone. It was followed by a series of late '90's releases, mostly earlier material that was live or retrospective. The albums sold relatively well, but also marked the second decline in popularity and critical respect for the band.

Aerosmith's biggest hit of the '90's, and its only #1 single to date was the love theme from the film Armageddon, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing". This song was conceived by Joe Perry and Diane Warren, although Warren alone received songwriting credit. Steven Tyler's daughter Liv was featured in the movie. In 1999, they were in the Disney-MGM Studios ride (and later in the Walt Disney Studios Park ride), Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.  Aerosmith provided the soundtrack and theme for the ride, which is based on their recording session and following the concert.

The band started its next decade with the release in 2001 of Just Push Play, which charted well. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Later that year, the band appeared as part of the United We Stand concert in Washington D.C. for 9/11 victims and their families. Stubbornly, the band flew back to Indianapolis for a show the same night, refusing to interrupt their Just Push Play tour schedule.

In 2002, Aerosmith released the 2-disc compilation O Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits and embarked on the Girls of Summer tour with opening acts Kid Rock and Run-DMC. In 2003, Aerosmith co-headlined with Kiss on the Rocksimus Maximus tour. Their long-promised blues album, Honkin' on Bobo, was released in 2004. The Album continues to be a success, helping to inspire the resurgence of blues and roots music across the US and Europe. A live DVD, You Gotta Move, followed it in December 2004. The band also lent its well-known "Dream On" to an advertising campaign for Buick in 2004, targeting their audience, which is now composed largely of people who were teenagers when the song first charted.

In 2005, guitarist Joe Perry released his eponymous solo album. Many claims that it is in many ways truer to the Aerosmith of the '70's than any of their recent output. This is mostly due to its raw energy and lack of song doctoring. In October 2005, Aerosmith released a CD/DVD named Rockin' the Joint. The band hit the road for the Rockin' The Joint tour on October 30th with Lenny Kravitz and is still touring.

They expect to be on the road until some time around Spring 2006. Rumor has it that they will begin work on a new album at that time. It was announced in January that the band will embark on a 5-week tour with Cheap Trick in the spring. Rumors of a tour started a week before the announcement when Cheap Trick frontman Robin Zander joined the band onstage for "Come Together" during a concert in Tampa, Florida. Early reports also indicate that the band plans to resume touring in the fall of 2006, most likely in support of the new album. According to insiders, an upcoming tour may see them alongside Motley Crue.

More and newer Information on Wikipedia.

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Young Musicians

Learn Good SINGING Breath Control

Animation of a diaphragm exhaling and inhaling
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Good breathing technique is crucial for voice control when singing and every self-respecting singer should learn and master this technique. Singers will never be able to sing powerfully, sustain a tone gracefully and sing with passion without mastering good breath control technique.

When you are drawing in breath for singing, breathe from the bottom of your lungs upwards. When good breathing technique is mastered, you will be able to feel the breath all around your lower abdomen, not just at the front. Your chest and shoulders may begin to lift as you draw in your breath but do not let them lift or else the singing voice will sound strained and tensed.

You will be frustrated with your singing effort if shallow breathing is your breath control foundation. Shallow breathing is air stored in your upper lungs where your throat and the upper chest meet. Correct and good breathing technique begins with the diaphragm and the breath support muscles.

The key to the correct use of diaphragm and breath support muscles is the expansion of your lower abdomen when taking in your singing breath. You have to exercise and develop this technique until it comes naturally to you as a breathing habit even when you are breathing normally when not singing.

As you are practicing your singing breath control technique, do take notice of how much noise you make when you draw your breath. This is because many singers believe that a noisy breath is a deep breath which is not true.

When you breathe, take sips of air and not gulps. Silent quiet breathing should be the aim of a good breathing technique. Again, practice silent quiet breathing until the technique becomes ingrained into your natural singing habit.

Noisy breathing is usually caused by a constricted throat and is an obvious indication of shallow breathing contrary to what many singers think. If you are afraid to expand your tummy when you are taking in your singing breath for fear of looking fat, this will lead to having tension in your tummy and your diaphragm with its breath support muscles will not be working at its peak as they ought to be.

Most singers are not even aware that they are holding back all these tensions. One of the most important techniques for good singing is to relax so that you can achieve the so-called 'floating voice'. With so much tension in the singing support system, the relaxed floating voice will be difficult, if not impossible to achieve.

This tension is probably caused by years of stomach in-chest out posture inculcated since young. Now, let's start with a vocal exercise to learn good singing breath control.

Start with taking a few silent quiet breaths. As you draw in the air, expand your lower abdominal all around including the sides and the lower back. Make a mental note of how a quiet breath feels like.

Next, release the air steadily and singing the vowel 'Ahhh' as you release the air with your tummy going back to its original position.

Have you noticed that the vocal sound quality that you have just produced is steadier and has a floating tone attached to it?

It must be emphasized that the amount of air required for good singing is actually very little and so a proper amount of air attached to a note should be just adequate.

Learning and mastering this singing breath control technique will take you on your way to becoming a much better singer.

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Jazz Musician: LIONEL HAMPTON

Lionel Hampton during a concert in Aachen (Germany)
on May 19th, 1977
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One great jazz musician was Lionel Hampton. Lionel was a bandleader, actor, jazz vibraphonist and percussionist. He has worked with other famous jazz musicians such as Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones, and Charlie Parker. Lionel was raised by his grandmother in the south before he relocated to Chicago. In the 1920's he started playing the xylophone and drums. His first instrument was the fife drum.

When he was a teenager he played drums for the Chicago Defender Newsboy's band. When he lived in California, he played for the Dixieland Blue-Blowers. The first band that he recorded with was The Quality Serenaders, then he left again to go play with another band, Les Hite band. It was here that he began studying the vibraphone. Louis Armstrong asked Lionel to play the vibraphones on two songs. That is when he made the vibraphone a popular instrument.

While still with the Les Hite band, Lionel went to the University of Southern California taking music. He also worked with the Nat Shilkrer orchestra. In 1936 he was in the film Pennies From Heaven, starring Bing Crosby. He was next to Louis Armstrong but hid by wearing a mask when he was playing the drums.

In 1936 he was fortunate to meet Benny Goodman who came to watch him perform. Benny asked him to join his trio which consisted of Benny, Gene Krupa, and Teddy Wilson. It was then renamed the Benny Goodman Quartet. The year before, Lionel worked with Billie Holiday with Benny's orchestra. This group of artists was one of the first integrated jazz groups that performed openly in society.

Lionel recorded with several groups while still with Benny Goodman, but in 1940 he left to create his own big band. Lionel's orchestra was a hit in the 40's and 50's. "Flying Home" featured an Illinois Jacquet solo that began a new style of music, R&B. The song was so popular that he did another version called "Flying Home, Number Two", with Arnett Cobb. Lionel's music was a mixture of jazz music and R&B during this time. Some great jazz musicians that worked with him during this time were Johnny Griffin, Dinah Washington, Charles Mingus and Dizzy Gillespie.

As time went on, in the 1960's and after, his success lessened. He was still performing hits from the 1930's-1950's. In the 1970's he recorded with the Who's Who Record label, but still did not do as well as he could have.

Going the college route seemed to help a bit. His band played at University of Idaho's jazz concert regularly. In 1985, the named it the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Two years later, they named the music school the Lionel Hampton School of Music. It was the only music school at a university that was named after a jazz musician. Lionel kept playing until he had a stroke in 1991 in Paris. Even though he had to stop performing as much, he did a performance at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2001, not long before he died. This jazz music legend will never be forgotten.

More about Lionel Hampton on Wikipedia.

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KARAOKE Music

A karaoke place in Wuhan, in Luoyu E. St. 
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Karaoke bars are quite popular these days. People come here to hang out and have fun. The word “karaoke” is derived from a Japanese word and means “empty orchestra”. It started in Kansai, Japan, in 1984, and spread to worldwide popularity. Music of any popular song is taken but the voice of the singer is absent or reduced. So, anybody who is interested can sing along using a microphone, usually, the lyrics are also displayed.Some restaurants also have adopted this concept and they either have their in-house singer or sometimes even visitors can sing.

Before karaoke music came in cassettes only but with technological advances they were replaced with CDs, VCDs, and DVDs.KTV boxes were set up for people to entertain their friends or just to have fun. KTV means karaoke music video where the lyrics are displayed along with the audio track. It has become quite popular in US, Canada, and other Western countries. People love it and it is a good source of entertainment.

Karaoke music popularity:

Karaoke music business has also picked up very fast and now one can find karaoke nights every day in almost every restaurant as it drives people to the place. Small karaoke box has been replaced by hi-fi sound equipment and to make the atmosphere catchier they even put lighting effects and have dance sessions. Now almost all kinds of music are available from rock to pop to hip-hop and even religious hymns. The fun part is watching even those timid and shy ones, after consuming alcoholic beverages become bold and march towards the microphone and sing their hearts out, sometimes even humiliating themselves.

Karaoke Machines:

Computer karaoke is also quite popular among the youngsters. Those who are shy to perform in front of people can now be a star and sing in their own room and also for those who want to improve their skills can also have practice sessions quietly in their room. You can pick karaoke software which can provide the means to hear music and also see lyrics on the screen. Quite a number of websites also offer this entertainment for their karaoke fans. All you need to do is download the files, load the song in your computer and you are set to begin.

A simple karaoke box consists of an audio input, an audio output and pitch controller. Some bars also have low-end machines where they try to suppress the voice of the original singer so that you can hear only your voice. These machines are cheap. But those high inbuilt machines have a technology that can electronically change the pitch level according to the key the singer chooses for the song.

Next time you step into a karaoke bar do not shy away thinking you will be the laughing stock. People come here to have fun and you will be surprised to see everyone cheering for you. Explore your singing talent! This is a terrific way to wind up your soul and just relax. After a hectic day, if you are looking for a place to enjoy and meet new people, this is the place to be. Some karaoke bars also hold karaoke nights, where all wannabe singers show off their talents, if you are one of them, go ahead and show everyone what you have!!

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