When many people think of country music, they think of sad songs about lost loves, broken down trucks and runaway dogs. In their minds, they are hearing all of these woes sung in the traditional twangy country accents of the south. However, these perceptions of country music are far from where this style of music has evolved. Today, country music is one of the most popular genres of music, normally outsold only by rock and pop genres.
Created in the late 19th century, country music has undergone many changes over the years. There are now many sub-genres to this type of music, with some of the sub-genres being commonly played on top 40 radio stations.
To understand country music, it is helpful to know about the instruments commonly associated with it. In country music, one of the most common instruments used is the fiddle (or violin). Some of these instruments can be expensive, but most are relatively inexpensive and are very easily transports since they are light in weight and not overly large. When country music first ‘hit the scene’, the fiddle was practically the only instrument used as accompaniment.
However, as the country music style became more popular, the addition of other accompanying instruments became normal. The banjo became popular in some country music pieces in the mid-1800s, while the guitar did not break into the country music scene until the early 1900s. Electric guitars did not become a regular instrument in country music until much later in the 50s. Other various instruments used in country music are the piano (introduced in the 1930s) and the drums (used since the 1960s). Rarely used, but distinctive sounding instruments are used in certain country songs: the accordion, the harmonica, and the washboards.
Country music has roots in several different styles of music. Its beginnings started with the settlers that came from Europe. During that time, many couldn’t read or write, so songs were created to pass history down from one generation to the next. Although country ballads have changed a great deal, going from the original songs about objective, though gruesome, events to more personal, subjective ballads without all the gore.
Today, the sound of country music can sometimes be very similar to other genres of pop and rock. Some country musicians, like Shania Twain, have many songs playing on stations that aren’t considered “country”. There are also musicians, like Sheryl Crow, who are considered pop/rock but have songs popular on country stations.
There are many philosophies when it comes to practicing guitar. Some people don't practice at all, others practice for 10+ hours per day! Steve Vai's legendary 10-hour guitar workout comes to mind. But consider this...who do you think is the better guitar player? The person who hardly practices, or the person who practices on a regular basis? Of course, it's the person who practices regularly!
I'm a strong advocate of practicing on a regular basis because, with good guitar technique, you can play anything! If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. If you can alternate pick most any lick or picking pattern, then any time you’re trying to learn something new you’ll be able to pick it up much more quickly then if you don’t have good technique.
Obviously, you want to practice things that you have difficulty playing, or create your own exercises that are similar to those things you struggle with. By focusing your practice time on these things, you will improve much quicker. Then in the future when you encounter things you previously used to struggle with, you’ll breeze right through it!
Think about it…if all you practice are power chords, you just really limit yourself as to what you can potentially play. By focusing on certain techniques, you’ll be able to do so much more. But you can still play power chords if you choose. I don’t know, maybe some people are happy only playing power chords, but I digress…
Now I'm not saying that you should go out and start practicing for 10+ hours per day. I never practiced for more than 3-4 hours per day. I think that what you practice is more important than how long you practice. Of course, it’s ultimately up to you. This is just how I view the guitar.
For a newbie, this may seem a little intimidating. But with the right tools, a little knowledge, and some practice, you'll be able to restring an electric guitar like a professional guitar tech. When I was gigging regularly, I would restring my guitar every week. My body chemistry is acidic and the sweat and oils from my hands would tend to dull the brightness of the strings as well as make them feel "dirty". For me, the bright sound and smooth feel of a new set of strings would inspire my playing. It became a ritual for me the night before the weekend's gigs started. I would sit in front of the TV and restring my electric guitar; my acoustic was much less frequent.
OK, so you've decided you don't want to pay the guys at the music store and you want to know how to restring an electric guitar yourself. Here is the list of tools and supplies you will need:
·A new set of strings (naturally!) Click here for info on string sizes
·A string winder (not required but very handy)
·A pair of wire cutters
·A guitar tuner (again, not required but helpful)
You will need to set aside about an hour of time to do this correctly, but as I stated earlier, with practice you will know how to restring your electric guitar in about 20-30 minutes.
The first thing to remember, do NOT remove all six strings at the same time. The guitar neck is designed to withstand the tension of the strings and if all of the tension is removed for any significant amount of time you could damage your guitar.
Also, there are some guitars that are literally held together by the string tension. I remember reading a story about a guy who had recently gotten hired as a guitar tech for the Ramones. Wanting to make a good impression on Johnny Ramone he decided to restring his guitar for him right before the show. He removed all six strings and Johnny's Mosrite guitar literally fell apart in his hands. The string tension held the whole guitar together! What's worse, the bridge of the guitar bounced across the floor and fell down the air conditioning duct.
If I remember the story correctly, they spent quite some time using a coat hanger and chewing gum trying to rescue the bridge from the duct. He retrieved it and managed to keep his job, living to restring the guitar another day. But not all six strings at once!
But I digress. Some people work in pairs of strings at a time, I prefer to work on individual strings. You will quickly decide what works best for you. Use this article as a guideline to get you up to speed quickly.
OK, let's get down to it. I always start with the high E string (personal preference); it helps keep me organized.
If your guitar has a locking nut tremolo (whammy bar) system you will have to unlock it. It works best if you remove the clamps completely and work with just the nut until the restringing process is done and the strings are stretched and tuned. Then replace the locking clamps and fine tune using the tuners on the tremolo bridge.
·Use your string winder and loosen the string until there is enough slack that you can unwind the string from the tuning post by hand.
·Use your wire cutters to cut off the curled end of the string and discard. Do this to minimize the chance of scratching the finish of your guitar. Push/pull the string back through the bridge slowly making sure it does not drag across the body. You don't want to restring your guitar to result in refinishing your guitar!
·Next, unwrap the appropriate new string. Insert it through the bridge of the guitar, over the saddle, up the neck, over the nut and into the hole in the tuning post. Again make sure the trailing end of the string doesn't drag across the guitar body.
·Start turning the tuner by hand making sure the string wraps over the top of the tuning post. Ideally, you want to have 3-4 wraps of the string around the tuner, but this is nothing to stress over.
·Turn the tuner until the slack is out and the string is properly seated in the nut and over the bridge saddle.
·Next clip the excess string off close to the tuner and use your string winder to bring the string up to pitch.
·Use your digital tuner and tune to pitch.
·Next, grab the string with your picking hand halfway between the bridge and the nut and lightly tug the string away from the fretboard. Do not pull real hard, just hard enough to pull the stretch out of the string and tighten it around the tuner post.
·Tune to pitch and repeat the stretching process until the string stays in tune.
Now repeat the entire process for the remaining five strings. Know that the pitch of the new strings may fluctuate as you work on the remaining strings. This is especially true with a Floyd Rose or similar type floating bridge. When you have replaced and stretched the last string make sure all six strings are still in tune. If you have a locking tremolo system, replace the clamps for the locking nut, tighten, and use the bridge fine tuners to get the proper pitch.
The final step is the best one; sit back, crank up your amp and enjoy. Make sure you play something with lots of note bending in it and make sure the stretch is all played.
Take satisfaction in knowing that you now know how to restring an electric guitar.
A drab, dirty, and unpolished trumpet has never been inviting to play. Yet, most players, especially in high school, never do anything to care for their horn. The trumpet is one of the most visible instruments on the marching band field. Clarinets do not need to be polished, flutes are too small, mellophones are pointed straight ahead, and tubas are mostly hidden in the back. However, the trumpet is at the front of every show, with its dirty bell pointing up (hopefully) at the judges.
Your trumpet does not need to be unattractive in appearance. In fact, a few minutes every day and an hour every couple of months will keep your horn looking fifty times better than all the rest.
A preparatory note: if the trumpet appears to have the lacquer (finish) chipping off or wearing through, take it to a repair shop. Polishing the horn further will only harm the exposed metal.
Major Cleaning:
I recommend a major cleaning about three times per year. Once just after school ends, once after marching band ends, and once in the spring. A major cleaning should take an hour or less if you do it right.
First, disassemble the horn and place all parts on a soft towel or cloth. Take all parts of the valves apart, including the felt and valve caps. Keep all parts organized by valve number because some pieces fit better on a certain valve. In a bathtub or large sink, heat water until it is fairly warm. Add a drop or two of mild dish detergent, if desired. Take a spray nozzle and use it to spray through all of the tubings on the trumpet and slides. Let the horn soak in the water for twenty minutes.
Now assemble three cleaning tools: a mouthpiece brush, valve, brush, and snake. The snake is a small brush connected to plastic tubing that allows you to push the tool through the piping of the horn. Clean the mouthpiece, valves, and piping with the tools, pushing and twisting the brushes as you go to ensure that all grime is removed. Use the snake to clean the valve holes.
Rinse all the parts of the horn and place them on towels to air dry. Reassemble the trumpet. Place a fair amount of valve oil directly on the valves and work the valve up and down for at least thirty seconds to get the oil worked in. Use a very small amount of tuning slide grease on all four slides (including the second valve slide). If the slides are prone to sticking, skip the slide grease and add a very small amount of valve oil to loosen the slides up.
You can now choose to polish the horn or wipe it down.
After Practice Polishing:
Polishing the horn with a polishing cloth will reduce the number of times you need to give a major cleaning or polishing. This polishing can be extensive or very brief. Purchase two polishing cloths for your horn finish (brass or silver). Also, have another cloth that is just as flexible and small for general cleaning. Hold the trumpet with one hand near the mouthpiece, protected by one cloth. Use the non-polishing cloth to work between the slides, valve holes, and in any other hard-to-reach areas. Then, use the second polishing cloth to shine the instrument. You must apply some pressure to actually get any polishing done. Go over the same area five or ten times. Move down the horn so you are not touching any of the areas already completed. Spend the most amount of time on the outside and inside of the bell and the mouthpiece tube. They are the most visible parts of the horn.
Silver Polish:
Before marching band competitions or large performances, I always do a whole horn polish. This makes the most difference for silver horns, but can be done with brass polish on brass horns as well. This is an extremely messy process for both you and your horn.
Obtain some silver polish. I recommend using a kind that is not too liquid. The best types are those that are a semi-solid and are applied with a foam sponge. Get several small towels, hand towels work well enough, that can get very dirty. You will also need a pair of bad quality thin gloves and the three cloths used above.
You must polish only the outside portions of your horn, so do not remove any of the valves or slide parts. Also, do not polish your mouthpiece. Lay out a hand towel or two on the floor and stand the trumpet on its bell. Hold it by the pipe curve near the mouthpiece. Use one gloved hand to apply enough polish to thinly cover all easily accessible surfaces. Do not waste time trying to get polish between the slides or piping. You must work quickly so that the polish does not get cemented on. Work from the top down, ending with the outside of the bell. Then, lift the trumpet up; and complete the inside of the bell, making sure not to put polish very far into the bell. Set the trumpet back down.
Take about a one-minute break. You want to make sure that all the polish dries, but it will get hard if you wait too long. Take another towel and carefully wipe as much of the polish off as you can. Be sure that the towel remains relatively clean during the wiping process to avoid smearing used polish back on the horn. Remember to wipe off the inside of the bell.
Use the rag cloth to work out the polish that may be in the little crevices of the piping. Make sure to get off all of the polish; it will become a nightmare if left to bake on for a long time. Touch up some areas with the polishing cloths. Then you are done! Wash the towels and gloves so that they can be used for later polishing.
Benefits:
Caring for a horn properly does take some time. However, you only will need to give your trumpet a bath or use silver polish a few times per year if you wipe the horn down after every practice or two. One major benefit of keeping a horn clean is that the valves and slide will move faster and get stuck much less often. This helps keep the horn out of the shop and lasting longer. The second advantage is appearance. Such a benefit may seem obvious, but even the most beat-up trumpet can still look great if polished.
Resources and Products:
If you are in a high school band, hopefully, your trumpet section leader or director can point you in the right direction to get supplies. I recommend Blue Juice or Yamaha valve oil. I have found that the Blue Juice does a great job at keeping valves working quickly, but it needs to be applied often and sometimes gets gunk buildup. I have had good success with the Yamaha oil lasting a very long time and causing no buildup. It is not as fast-moving and will not unstick a valve quickly, but it is a good all-around choice. Silver polish is mostly your choice and can be purchased at grocery stores.
Purchasing a trumpet "care kit" should get you the requisite cleaning brushes; Selmer makes one that should be fine for most. Finally, I like large polishing cloths of no particular brand. It is easier to get into small areas with a larger cloth.
William O'Brochta is a recipient of the William T. Hornaday Silver Medal for Distinguished Service to Conservation in the Boy Scouts of America and William T. Hornaday Badge. He is an Eagle Scout with nine Eagle palms and has earned sixty-five Merit Badges. William is currently an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 17 in Roanoke, Virginia working with Troop elections, new Scout advancement, and Eagle projects. He also serves as an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Council Conservation, Advancement, Eagle Board of Review, and Troop Committees. He has been involved in Scouting for more than ten years.
William attends Patrick Henry High School and the Roanoke Valley Governor's School and is ranked first in his class of 500. Currently, he is working on a three-year environmental research project dealing with using plants to remove pesticides from the soil. He has presented this research at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. A musician, he plays trumpet and serves as Drum Major for the Marching Band.
Committed to community service, he has volunteered for six months for Habitat for Humanity in Hungary and helped Breakell, Inc. General Contractors achieve LEED Platinum energy efficiency certification.
Uillean pipes - practice set (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Bagpipes are known for being highly traditional instruments. Some people may even think that bagpipes are crude instruments. On the contrary, though, bagpipes produce one of the sweetest melodies among the windpipe instruments.
Irish bagpipes
The Irish bagpipe, or the Uilleann bagpipe, is the national bagpipe of Ireland. It produces a wide range of notes that are distinctly sweet in tone, distinguishing it from other types of bagpipes.
Irish bagpipes are made with a set of bellows designed to be wrapped around the right arm and the waist to inflate the pipe bag. Its chanter produces sound in two full octave ranges including the flats and the sharps. It is typically designed to be played indoors while sitting down.
Kinds of bagpipes
Irish bagpipes come in three different kinds, each ranging from the level of knowledge of the user in playing bagpipes.
1. Irish practice set bagpipes - these are bagpipes best used by beginners and young players. They usually consist of a pipe bag, a chanter, and bellows. The beginner set's chanter can be played in the concert pitch D or B flat.
2. Irish half set bagpipes - this set is designed for average or intermediate players, mastering the practice set for at least a year. It has a tenor, baritone, and bass drone. A stock connects these drones to one another and ties them to the bag. The drones can be switched off using a key attached to the stack.
3. Irish full set bagpipes - for expert players, the Irish full set bagpipe is perfect. It is made of complete Uilleann pipes. It is essentially a half set made with additional three regulators.
Tips
When looking to buy an Irish bagpipe, look for one that is leak resistant. Make sure that it is not susceptible to air leaks. Choose a pipe bag made from elk-tanned leather and bellows made of a heavy-duty leather gusset.
Sydney Opera House viewed from the side (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Australia is easily among the most popular tourist destinations around the world, offering travelers everything from a vast wilderness to explore, and wonderful modern cities teeming with culture. As a huge country that is sparsely populated yet is among the first ranks of the developed nations, Australia is a land of contrasts. The wilderness of the outback populated with dangerous and exotic animals is a sharp contrast to the cosmopolitan nature of cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
Sydney is home to over 4M people - a significant portion of Australia's population. It is a beautiful city with much to do and a lot to see. You could take weeks and still not fully explore this magnificent city, but there is at least one sight you just have to see.
That sight would be the Sydney Opera House. A landmark that is as famous and intrinsic to the city as New York's Statue of Liberty, the Opera House ranks constantly among the most photographed destinations in the world and is considered among the seven modern wonders. The Opera House was designed as an embodiment of Australia and all that Australians stand for - boldness, strength, passion and a lust for life. Its architecture, thoroughly unique and evocative, invokes these very same qualities.
What adds to its charm is its location. Situated at the edge of the Sydney Harbour, it offers a breathtaking view of Sydney and is a photographer's dream come true. At night, it lights up the entire coastline and is a sight to behold.
Once you are through admiring the architecture of the building, you may want to step inside to see some of the world's best opera singers perform live. As one of the premier opera houses in the world, it frequently stages some terrific productions.
Whatever you do, if you visit Australia, make sure that you at least catch a glimpse of the Sydney Opera House. It will bring out your inner talent for photography and give you memories worth cherishing a lifetime.
Portrait of Yehudi Menuhin & Stephane Grappelli (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What do the following have in common?
symphony orchestra, string quartet, Stradivari, high school orchestra, Yehudi Menuhin, string orchestra
That's right - it is the Violin.
So what is a violin?
Here are various violin facts of interest.
A violin is a musical instrument with four strings played with a bow or plucked and is the smallest, highest sounding member of the string family. A violin consists of a sound body or belly with two f shaped sound holes, a fingerboard attached to one end, four strings and a separate bow. All in all a violin consists of no fewer than eighty-four pieces.
The sound body is made of wood and it increases the volume of sound. The two f shaped sound holes in the sound body allow sound vibrations to escape from the body of the instrument. The four strings made of catgut or fine spun metal is held in place by pegs at one end of the fingerboard and the tailpiece which is attached to the belly. There is a wooden bridge near the tailpiece which supports the strings. The bow is a flexible stick with horsehair stretched across, used to produce sound vibrations when moved on the strings.
A violinist holds the violin firmly under the chin on a chin rest fixed to the left of the tailpiece and raised slightly from the sound body. A pad is placed between the back of the violin and the body to strengthen the grip of the chin and collarbone on the violin if desired. A sound is produced when the violinist draws the bow with the right hand across the string(s). The left hand is used to finger the desired note and this is done by pressing the string (s) down along the fingerboard. The length of the string alters depending on where the finger is pressed and this will give the varied notes.
Before a violinist plays music, the violin needs to be tuned. Tuning is done using the four open strings and an external source such as another instrument eg piano or oboe or electric tuner. Each string is plucked and if they do not sound the same as the equivalent note on the other instrument or tuner then the pegs are turned either tighter or looser. The open or full-length strings of the violin are G D A E which are fifths apart ie the interval of G to D is a fifth and so on.
Once tuning is done then sounds are created. The sound of the violin is nearer to the human voice than any other instrument. The violin produces sounds ranging three and a half octaves and music is written on a treble clef stave. Violin players can play a wide range of music from solo playing to group playing in orchestras eg symphony, string and high school, string quartets, smaller jazz bands and more. It is interesting to note that a violin can be modified to become an electric violin where a lead attachment to the sound body is added. You hook a lead from the violin attachment to an amplifier thus creating a louder sound suitable for violinists to play the jazz-pop music of the twentieth and twenty-first century.
Let's go back in time to the sixteenth century. This is when violins first emerged. Some great violins were being made in Italy by people such as the Amati family from Cremona, namely Andrea, his sons Antonio and Girolamo, Girolamo's son Nicolo and Nicolo's son Girolamo. Andrea perfected the violin, his two sons made some changes but Nicolo was considered the greatest of the Amatis. He had pupils, Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri who produced great violins and passed the craft on to their families.
Italians also composed some great music for the violin and these included Arcangelo Corelli (1653 - 1713 ), Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741 ) and Giuseppe Tartini (1692 -1770 ). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750 ) from Germany composed three partitas for solo violin which was a landmark for solo violin. And this was just the beginning. There were many great violin composers over the years.
There were also many great violinists over the ages. These included the four Baroque composers mentioned above. Others included Joseph Haydn ( 1732 - 1809 ), Wolfgang Mozart ( 1719 - 1787 ), Niccolo Paganini ( 1732 - 1840, Joseph Joachin ( 1831 - 1907 ), Ludwig Spohr ( 1784 - 1859 ). George Enesco ( 1881 - 1955 ), Yehudi Menuhin ( 1916 - 1999 ) and Nigel Kennedy ( 1956 - ). Nigel Kennedy was a pupil at The Yehudi Menuhin School founded by Yehudi Menuhin in 1963. This is just a small example of violinists as the list is large.
Hope you have enjoyed reading the various violin facts of interest. As you can see the violin has had a good few hundred years of history with great creators, composers, and players. This small instrument with a wooden body, strings, and bow to help produce the sound can play some wonderful music once tuned, whether it be solo or in a group. It is a beautiful instrument to listen to.
The essence of the appeal of Jazz music has expanded and became reinvented from the use of elements found in African drumming, spiritual and hymn music, bluegrass hillbilly music, blues, impressionist, and classical traits to newer sounds. Jazz music became popular on radio and underground clubs that influenced other parts of the world. For instance, Europe's French Jazz scene created Gypsy Jazz and South America's Brazilian and Afro-Cuban Jazz sounds. Not only did make its mark on the world, but it also found its way back to its roots through urban contemporary gospel music of percussion as well as brass instruments.
Today the contemporary gospel music uses guitars, keyboard, piano, drums and brass instruments for their sound. One can usually tell during the ballads how Jazz chord harmonies are used in the keyboard and piano. The harmony in Barbershop music like Jazz came from the African American Black gospel church community which uses close four-part harmony without accompaniment. This particular style of music without accompaniment is known as A capella. The Mills Brothers were popular Jazz musicians who learned how this harmonization in the barbershop owned by their father.
In many Jazz groups such as Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, Acoustix, Bara Vox, Beach Front, BR6 and more the harmonies are similar to that of barbershop. These harmonies are from the chromatic chordal harmony found in Jazz Music. The group Take 6 has expanded the traditional four-part harmonies to six tones. Jazz Music did not stop there but grew into an array of different styles that produce different aesthetic appeal.
The aesthetic appeal can be found in how each part of the music makes one feel once heard. All the different elements from the lyrical content to the kaleidoscope of colorful harmony to the depth of the mood provides its own ambiance of sound. To give examples:
On the extent to which Jazz has expanded are listed below as new expressions to the music.
Vocalese - From 1952 to 1962 Eddie Jefferson and Jon Hendricks made their mark by using their vocals as a substitute for the musical instrument in the exact melody. Meaning, the voice imitated the exact solo of a saxophonist solo. It was not widely accepted until the musicians above made it popular.
Cool Jazz- From the latter 1940's and 1950's a softer more gentle style of Jazz of both bop and swing with arranged harmonies that are present in Jazz ballads today.
Hard Bop-From the middle of 1950's the church's spiritual and gospel roots of African style returned to the Jazz music which assisted in the making of Rhythm and Blues. One example of this music is Davis' work titled "Walkin".
Mainstream- From the 1950's era, Jazz improvisation changed from single line melodic ornamentation to chordal which appeared again as a loose form of Jazz music in the later part of the 1970's and 1980's. This style was influenced by the cool, classical, and hard bop Jazz styles.
violin strings, used and new, coiled on a workbench (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Hello, today I am continuing with my series everything you need to know about violin from A-Z. Today we are on S for strings. A hundred years ago violin strings were made from sheep gut. First, you would have to take a newly killed sheep and disembowel it. You would have to stretch the intestines to their full 9 meters. You then had to knead out the offal by hand and soak the guts in water until they were soft and malleable. After that, you would strip and crush the guts and finally twist then into violin strings.
It was a disgusting painstaking job and thank heavens that era is behind us. Modern strings today are made with far easier and modern methods, although some players still use gut strings there are also now steel core strings and synthetic core strings. The type of strings you use will depend on the style of music that you play.
Gut strings today are not made entirely out of gut like in the old days; they are now wrapped with silver or copper wire which helps to stabilize the tone. Gut strings have a warm rich tone they take longer to stretch out than synthetics but once stretched out are generally quite stable. Gut strings are susceptible to bad weather and you will have to check the tuning of your violin if there is bad weather. Gut strings are generally used by violinists playing classical or baroque music.
Steel core strings are popular among non-classical players such as that playing country and bluegrass styles of music. Steel core strings have a very direct clear sound with few overtones. They also last longer and are mostly used for smaller or beginner instruments.
Synthetic core strings are made from synthetic materials such as high-tech nylons and composite materials they have the warm sound qualities of gut but are more stable in pitch.
Thicker strings give more volume and center tones, while thinner strings give brighter tones but less sustain.
There many things you can do to be a good singer and one of the most important things to do is to engage a good singing teacher. However, finding a good singing teacher can be a confusing affair.
Most singing teachers actually invent their own singing system and methodology to teach their students. Each method and singing technique will usually include vocal exercises, singing techniques, skills and concepts.
To add clutter to the confusion, there are many books and information and sometimes misinformation you can find in the libraries, music shops and on the internet. The most frustrating thing is that many of these products and books come with contradictory information.
With this abundance of information, you could be learning singing techniques that conflict with each other and this could be very detrimental to your singing support system and sometimes the damage done may be irreversible. Many exciting singing careers were destroyed because of learning wrong singing techniques.
Take a look at babies. They are breathing naturally with their diaphragm and they can throw their powerful voices across the room when they cry to get your notice. How can they project their voice so naturally?
This is because nature has provided us with the natural vocal mechanism to sing well and powerfully. It is when we adopt bad vocal habits as we grew older that the natural ability to be a good singer is lost and needs to be rekindled by good and correct vocal exercises and singing concepts.
One challenge to good singing is to combine a simple yet powerful singing technique with strong emotions. Powerful emotions can break down a voice that is not trained with solid singing skills and techniques as a foundation. The good singing technique is the foundation to build the emotional aspect of singing.
For instance, if you pour out all your emotions in a song, you will know that something does not sound right in the singing sound you produced. Pay attention to your inner feelings and you will know what sounds right or wrong.
Successful singing requires not only the will and ability to express your emotions in a song but also the correct singing technique and skills. Since emotions are channelled through your singing support system, your system must be fully developed for the emotion to come through powerfully and convincingly.
So to be a good singer, you must build your voice and the support system that produce that voice. With a good mastery of your voice mechanism, your own singing style and interpretation of songs will be much more enhanced. You do not have to be concerned about sounding like a copy of other good singers when you perform.
Yes, there are born voices, but there are no born artists. Each and every singer must develop his/her own individual skills to be an outstanding artist. It is not just how good a singing voice you have. It is what you can do with your individual vocal resources that is the crux of a good singer.
So getting introduced to a good singing teacher to help you to hone your singing skills to perfection is necessary if you want to be a good singer.
If you are looking for something a little new and different when it comes to dancing, have you considered Irish step dancing? I'm sure that many of you have heard of if not seen shows such as "Riverdance" and other shows that display this beautiful and unique form of dance. "Lord of the Dance" is another example of great Irish step dance though it brings a more modern twist to the audience.
If you haven't had the opportunity to experience this dance sensation live you should really make an opportunity to do so. This style of dance is like none you've probably ever seen before. It is beautiful and at the same time almost inconceivably difficult to make the moves that are required and show so little effort. The energy involved in these performances is nothing short of amazing.
Young and old alike are being taken by storm when it comes to this sort of dance. The music is inspiring and fun as are the steps and kicks that are done with such ease by the performers. If you are looking for a great way to get a good aerobic workout, see if there is a class in your area. This is a high energy form of dance and that should be remembered however you will get an excellent lower body workout in addition to the aerobic benefits. You will also burn a good many calories in the process.
This is a style of dance that simply looks fun. Whether you are watching or participating the excitement and energy level is almost visible. It is nothing short of amazing to be in the audience for one of these shows. It should be added that while not all Irish step dancing requires the skill and energy that is seen in the major productions such as the ones I've mentioned above, there is still a good degree of energy in all forms of Irish step dancing. This energy is what makes this style of dancing so appealing.
Young girls, teens, and women across America are discovering for themselves what a wonderful form of dance Irish step dancing really is. These classes are a little more challenging than some other forms of dancing may be because they require the steps to be made in line with other students in the class. You rely on each other and must keep pace with the music. It is a wonderful challenge that also helps students of this style of dance learn to work together in addition to developing and refining their own Irish step dance skills. There are solo dances but for the most vivid effect, these dances should be done as part of a larger group. It truly is a stunning sight to behold.
If you have a passion for music and energy then perhaps Irish step dancing classes would be a good mix for you and your fitness and dance needs. It is a beautiful style of dancing that is not only fun to watch but also fun to perform. You will work with a larger group and learn to work together for the greatest possible effect. Of all the styles of dance that are enjoyed around the world today, this is one of the most interesting forms of group dance I've ever encountered. If you want to be a part of something much larger than yourself, this is a great way to do just that.
The painting is described thus: "Ludwig van Beethoven was recognized as a child prodigy. He worked at the age of 13 as organist, pianist/harpsichordist, and violist at the court in Bonn, and had published three early piano sonatas. This portrait in oils is the earliest authenticated likeness of Beethoven." (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Born in 1770, Ludvig van Beethoven was one of only three of his parents’ seven offspring children to survive infancy. Yet the world of music owes this chance event an immeasurable amount because he would go on to be one of a handful of composers to grace the art form with a style and quality that is truly unique. His father was his first music teacher, a proficient tenor, and his grandfather on the paternal side had been Kappelmeister at the court of Clemens August of Bavaria. Music was in his blood, and he started playing viola and organ at a very early age, although he was not a prodigy in the Mozart mold – despite his father’s attempts to declare that Ludwig was seven for an early performance when he was in fact nine. However, he was certainly a talented youngster and published his first three piano sonatas in 1783. He died in 1827 and it is said that as many as 30,000 people attended his funeral procession.
How Beethoven’s deafness has helped interpreters
Beethoven’s genius is merely underlined by the fact that he started to lose his hearing in his late twenties, yet continued through intense frustration and anguish to compose some of music’s most complex and beautiful pieces. For the historian and student of his music, however, the composer’s deafness created a unique opportunity to appreciate the composer. Because he could not take part in an oral conversation, he would carry with him notebooks and have conversations with people in writing. These people could be performers, conductors, students or masters, and the notes survive today to give a unique insight into not only the man, but his art, too – among his notes are specific instructions on how to play many of his compositions and descriptions of his emotional state and day-to-day life, all of which are priceless to the modern interpreter.
Beethoven’s major piano works<
Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven when composing the Missa Solemnis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
"A few years ago, at the Love Parade in Berlin, it took a very special form-a drum & DJ project called UNITED NUBIANS that spread the message of the "Black Pharaohs" to the club circuit. The project survived the occasion and today, on the dark stage, I sometimes travel home on a tribal house beat to the rhythms of my childhood. "
Mahmoud Fadl, the celebrated Nubian Master Drummer was born in 1955. He was raised in the cities of Assuan and Cairo in Egypt, and his Nubian background is rooted in the Griot culture of the "Battikol" people. Mahmoud started out as a musician at Nubian and Arabic wedding events as well as a limbo dancer. He soon became a much sought after commodity, playing with the likes of Ahmed Adawia and Nubian legend Ali Hassan Kuban. After a number of international tours, Mahmoud Fadl secured a place for his music in Europe and started to develop an international portfolio.
A cropped photo of the Egyptian Singer Umm Kalthoum who died in 1975 at 71 years old. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Nubian people's legacy extends far into antiquity, predating Egyptian civilization. Some recent finds by French archaeologists have suggested that Nubia pre-dated Egypt by as much as 3,000 years and is, in all likelihood, the source of Egyptian civilization. The flooding of the Aswan dam, forced Mahmoud Fadl and thousands of Nubians to leave their homeland in Nubia, which is located today in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt and drowned old Nubia and countless Nubian monuments and historical sites.
As a musical director, Mahmoud Fadl contributed to a four album project called "Salamat", released on Piranha records, which focussed on the music of the legendary and suppressed Nubian culture. He has four albums released under his own name and on one of them pays a Nubian homage to deceased pan-Arabian diva Umm Kalthoum, showcasing the voice of Salwa Abou Greisha from the famous Greisha family of Nubian musicians, with accompaniment from the Cairo Opera. Mahmoud's album "Drummers of the Nile", features ancient music from along the nile, and he collaborates with fellow drummers Gaafar Hargal and Hamdi Matoul, Nubian wedding diva Salma and many more musicians. He has also collaborated with The Klezmatics (New York), Orientalist piano player Maurice El Medioni (Marseille/Oran) and the famous gypsy saxophone player Ferus Mustafov (Skopje). Mahmoud also introduced western audiences to the distinguished grandmaster of oriental trumpet, Samy El Bably, on an alluring album called "Love Letters from King Tut-Ank Amen."
Today, Mahmoud travels between Cairo and Berlin working on various projects. His current tribal house project entitled "United Nubians" has earned him much international acclaim in the vibrant Berlin club scene. In addition to his work as a musician, film actor and fashion designer, Mahmoud Fadl frequently performs with the West-African Griot Ensemble, "Saf-Sap" on oriental wedding and musical workshops.
You can listen to Mahmoud Fadl and many more African musicians at Kemet Music Radio.
Trumpet in C, German model by Bernhardt Willenberg Markneukirchen
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The trumpet is a brass instrument with the earliest one found in the tomb of the Egyptian King Tutankhamen. Many people play the trumpet in brass bands, military bands, big bands, orchestras or on their own. You are thinking of learning a musical instrument. Will this instrument be the trumpet? You need information to help your decision?
What is a trumpet?
A trumpet is made from brass and is cylindrical in shape consisting of 4 feet 7 inches of tubing wrapped into the compact shape with a cup shape mouthpiece and a moderate size ball at the end. There is a variety of trumpets in the trumpet family. The modern trumpets we are familiar with today have three valves and were first made in the 1820s. Earlier trumpets did not have valves.
How is the sound produced?
The trumpeter or trumpet player produces the sound by:
1. Pressing the mouthpiece to his or her mouth.
2. Blowing air through closed lips making the lips vibrate.
3. The buzzing sound produced from this action sets the column of air inside the tube of the instrument vibrate.
4. The player regulates the sound produced by altering the tension of the lips.
Low sounds are produced when the player's lips are fairly slack making all the air in the tube vibrate.
Higher sounds are produced when the player tightens his lips thus making only fractions of the air vibrate. These higher sounds are called natural harmonics. Each tube produces a different set of harmonics depending on the length. This produces a limited range of sounds in one or two keys. To get a wider range of sounds the modern trumpet player can press down the three valves in a range of configurations which will open various extra lengths of tubing thus changing the length of tubing.
What does the trumpet sound like?
The trumpet has both a piercing, brassy sound and a soft, muted sound. It is more brilliant and penetrating than the bugle or horn. The tone of the trumpet can be changed when a mute is placed in the bell of the instrument. A mute is a cone made of cardboard, fibre, felt or metal.
The trumpet player reads music using notes placed on the treble clef, plays music faster than other brass instruments and plays notes ranging over two octaves from F-sharp below middle C to C above the treble clef, however, some trumpeters can extend this range.
Example of A Trumpet Piece
The Last Post is a well-known piece of music played by a bugle or trumpet player. It is a bugle call used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have fallen in war. It is used especially on Remembrance day in Commonwealth Nations and also on Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand.
A bugle call is a short tune, telling one of scheduled and certain non-scheduled events on a military installation, battlefield, or ship. It consists of notes from a single overtone series and hence no valves need to be moved. One key may be favoured over the others.
Please note that a trumpet can play almost any type of music including classical, jazz, rock, blues, pop, funk.
Example of A Trumpeter
Louise Armstrong also known as Satchmo or Pops was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time is. He was also known for his singing with a raspy singing voice and had a foundational influence on jazz. He was born August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana. and died July 6, 1971, from a heart attack.
There are many other well-known trumpet players including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro.
You have now had some basic information on the trumpet including what it is, how a sound is produced, what a trumpet sound is, types of music a trumpeter plays with an example and well-known trumpet players with an example.
