Babies: MUSIC FOR BABIES

8 weeks old baby (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You’ve probably seen videos and CDs for babies. There are some theories that classical music can make your baby smarter, and exposing your baby to music is part of what we do to introduce them to all the sights and sounds of their world.

Music can definitely help calm your baby down and put him in a restful state at bedtime or nap time. What are some good choices for a baby?

Almost anything you love or use for relaxation is good for a baby too. There are good collections of Mozart or Bach for bedtime. The music of Enya can be very soothing as well. Georgia Kelly’s harp music is also relaxing and peaceful.

When your baby’s awake, there are lots of nursery rhymes or music from kids’ movies that can stimulate his senses. We’ve known kids who respond to minimalist Phillip Glass’s music; it’s simple and rhythmic and when they get older, they’ll dance with it. Spirituals and soft gospel music are also good choices to help the baby get to sleep.

White noise, in the form of a fan (not directed right at the baby), or from sound machines that simulate the sound of an ocean or rain can be restful as well and can block out noise from the home. You don’t need to create an artificially silent environment for the baby, however, since that can make it harder for them to get to sleep when the home’s rhythms and noises get back to normal.

This is a great time for you to explore classical music as well if it’s not already part of your life. The same music that’s helping your baby get to sleep can help soothe your own nerves and provide a wonderful time of bonding and restfulness for you and your baby together.

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All About JAZZ DANCE

Jerome Robbins (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Art of Jazz dance is an amalgamation of different styles of dance that began between the 1800's, and the middle of the 1900's rooted in African American movement.  One man known for this type of dance was the star of vaudeville Joe Frisco around 1910 who danced in an unrestrained fashion in close vicinity to the ground while tossing his cigar, and Derby in a juggling manner. The Jazz dance style up to the middle of 1950's was Tap dance which was always performed with Jazz music such as the Jitterbug, Swing, Boogie Woogie, Lindy Hop,  and the Charleston.  Katherine Dunham is renowned choreographer and dancer studied the cultural dances of Caribbean in Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, Martinique and Shango making this African American dance a modern work of pure art.

She took this style to Hollywood and Broadway who embraced a more refined Jazz dance.  Modern Jazz Dance is a smooth style of dance roots from Tap, Ballet and Jazz music which is performed in many musicals from the Pajama Game to Cabaret to Chicago to music videos and the Las Vegas showgirl performances. The usual technique for Jazz dance is that of a ballet dancer for balance and strength from doing slow movements. In contrast, the typical Jazz dance has sharp movements, but the skills of ballet smooth it down into a refined style.

Moreover, Jazz dance is such a versatile style that it can be combined with other dances from lyrical, contemporary and hip-hop. Jazz dance like Jazz music can be combined with other dance styles to enhance the dance to another level. For instance,  The United Kingdom witnessed a new movement of dancers in the 1980's who danced when the Jazz and Funk music clubs was becoming unpopular known as Street  Fusion Jazz Dance. Due to the new modern music scene, new groups who longed to keep the tradition of Jazz dance, and still leave room for the new styles.

There are two groups known for street fusion jazz dance known as IDJ ( I Dance Jazz), Brother in Jazz and Jazz Cotech.  Famous people of the world of Jazz dance is Fred Astaire, Jerome Robbins, Jack Cole, and Bob Fosse. In the world of Jazz Dance, there are terms people use to describe various dance moves.

Jazz Dance Terms:

Adlib, Axel Turn, Ball Change, Barrel Jump, Barrel Turn, Bounce, Cake Walk, Catwalk, Catch Step, Chasse`, Coffee Grinder, Contract, Curve Or Arch, Dolphin, Drop and Recover, Fall, Fall Over The Log, Fan Kick, Figure 8, Flick, Flick Kick, Freeze, Funk, Head-Roll, Hinge, Hip Walk,  Hip-Fall, Hip-Roll, Hitch Kick, Hop, Jazz Drag, Jazz Run, Jazz Split, Jazz Square, Jazz Walk, Jump Over The Log, Kick, Knee Fall, Knee Slide, Knee Turn, Lay Out, Limbo, Mess Around, Moonwalk, Pencil Turn, Pitch, Pivot Step, Primitive Squat, Release, Ripple, Shimmie, Shiver, Shoulder Fall, Shoulder Roll, Sissonne Fall, Skate, Snake, Snap, Spins, Spiral, Stag Leap, Step, Switch, Table Top, Tilt, Touch, Tripplettes, Turns, Twists, and the Worm.

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BASS GUITAR PLAYERS Who Changed The World

Suzi Quatro (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some people think that if you want to change the world you don't become a bass player, but go into something more challenging and stimulating like the Post Office. But does this myth portray how bass players really are? Let's step back from our habitual way of seeing bass guitar players as necessary but boring members of the group. Like accountants. 

Sure we acknowledge the fine contribution they make to their bands by supplying the bass lines and paying for the beer, but do they actually do anything really creative? This brief listing of some prominent men (and woman) of bass will allow you to see that this apparently self-effacing member of a musical group could be the creative powerhouse.

Let's start with the leather-jacketed but overpoweringly feminine Suzi Quatro. A vocalist and bass player who had a bunch of hits in Australia and Europe in the early seventies, her popularity in the USA stemmed from her role as Leather Tuscadero in Happy Days.

John Entwistle pioneered the use of the electric bass guitar as an instrument for soloists. His aggressive approach to the bass guitar influenced many other bassists.

Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers impressed a lot of musicians with his popping and slapping technique which was originally invented by Larry Graham of Sly And The Family Stone. Flea's innovative use of effects pedals has also influenced many bass players.

Jack Bruce wrote most of supergroup Cream's hit songs. Among his other achievements are fighting constantly with Cream's drummer, Ginger Baker and surviving a liver transplant.

Greg Lake is another artist of the early seventies who played with a number of innovators from the glam rock era. Lake is best known for his vocals, bass and guitar work with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.

Rob Bailey is a bassist who plays loud and aggressive. His bass playing is an important element in the music of AC/DC.

Benny Rietveld, a Dutch musician who went to college in Hawaii, is admired for his musical and individualistic style of play. He worked with Barney Kessell, Sheila E, Huey Lewis, and Miles Davis. He has also made an album featuring Carlos Santana. Talk about diverse.

Paul McCartney  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Paul McCartney played bass with The Beatles. Many bass players say he's quite good, but he changed the world with his romantic song lyrics.

Considered by some to be the king of bass players, Stanley Clarke employs a variation of the pop and slap technique to produce some truly innovative bass guitar music. His 1976 album, School Days, is acclaimed by many critics as one of the greatest bass albums ever.

A true bass lead guitar player, Billy Sheehan has won Guitar Player Magazine's "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll five times. Why a "bass lead guitar player"? Because Billy plays bass as if he were playing the lead.

So if you are not familiar with bass guitar players I hope this article has whetted your appetite. Why not spend your next rainy Sunday watching some of their work on YouTube?

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How to Create the Perfect Structure for Your SONGS

Change (Taylor Swift song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some people have a knack for song structure.  Taylor Swift, for example, began by writing poetry as a child. After teaching herself to play the guitar she began putting her poems to music, structuring them as songs. Of course, not everyone has Taylor’s innate musical skills. At the same time, you don’t need to attend college and earn a music degree or take years of lessons to learn the basics of how to create the perfect structure for your songs.

What does song structure actually mean?  Structure refers to the way the sections of the song are arranged. Structure gives the song its form and optimizes the emotional or musical impact. Different genres of music have a different structure. For example, a symphony has a different structure than a pop song. An R&B ballad has a different structure than a rap. So the type of genre you write in will affect the ultimate structure of your song.

Typically, songs employ repetition to make them catchy and to emphasize the song’s emotional point. A structure is also used to enhance the storytelling element of a song, making the listener want to hear what’s coming next.

Before you can decide on the structure of your song, you need to know the components to use:

The Introduction: Usually instrumental using chords from the verse or chorus but famous lyricists like George Gershwin regularly started his compositions with a sung intro.

Verse: Usually contains four to 8 chords. In songwriting terms, the story of the song is told through the verses.

Chorus: Also called the refrain, the chorus is also usually four to eight chords and has a primary musical phrase which is repeated. In Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California,” the refrain is:

California rest in peace

Simultaneous release

California show your teeth

She’s my priestess, I’m your priest

The chorus as a distinctly different musical dynamic that the verses. In songwriting terms, this is the emotional center of the song. Typically, a phrase from the chorus is what people remember.

Bridge: a musical connection between a verse and chorus or between a chorus and verse. This is especially useful when you have a key change from one to the other, or the transition from verse to chorus or vice versa isn’t particularly smooth.

Middle 8: A musical or lyrical interlude that can prevent a song from seeming monotonous or to add a different emotional element.

Outro: The “bow out” of a song. Often it’s just a reiteration of the verse or chorus but can be totally unique.  The elements of the structure are just a guideline. How you use them is based on your talent and artistic vision

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Playing Duets With NATIVE AMERICAN and ANASAZI FLUTES

Duet playing between Native American flute players is a fairly simple task. The players usually select the key in which they choose to perform, and take turns in listening and playing. As long as the flutes are tuned to the same pitch, the compatibility of the instruments will be pleasing. Pairing an Anasazi-style flute with a Native American flute (NAF) presents a different problem due to the way keys are designated for each kind of flute. The root note designation for Anasazi-style flutes denotes the beginning of a major pentatonic scale. Common keys for Anasazi flutes are A, G# (or Ab), and some higher pitched versions in C and D.

Unlike almost any other Western key-tuned flute, the NAF is named by a minor key rather than the major, because of the pentatonic minor scale structure of the NAF. Flute players fill in their collections by acquiring instruments in various root notes (F#, G, A, etc.), and that root note designation refers to the minor key of that note. For example, the NAF in A is really A minor, no sharps or flats. The major key with no sharps or flats is C, and with the right fingering the NAF in A minor can also play the major C scale (also called mode 2 for the NAF).

The Anasazi scale is based on a pentatonic major scale based on the lowest note of the flute. This distinction is important because a NAF flute in A (minor), no sharps or flats, is not compatible with an Anasazi flute in A (major), 3 sharps. And while it's worth noting that the Anasazi flute can play in a minor mode, a greater number of compatible notes between the two kinds of flutes are available if you use flutes with the same number of sharps or flats in their scale structure.

In music theory, each set of sharps and/or flats in a major key have its minor key complement (called a relative minor). The musical distance is a minor 3rd apart. If you pair a NAF with an Anasazi flute, use this as a guide:

Anasazi A with NAF F#m (3 sharps)

Anasazi G# (Ab) NAF Fm (4 flats)

Anasazi C with NAF Am (no sharps or flats)

Anasazi D with NAF Bm (2 sharps)

Take a listen to Welcome Dance and Two Hearts in the September 18 post at http://www.anasazidream.com. The overdubbed recording is played with an F#m NAF with an A Anasazi Dream flute. Because both instruments share the same key signature, the pieces hold together musically.

Mark Purtill is an educator, artist, composer, performer, and author and maker of Anasazi flute replicas as well as other rim blew flutes. http://www.anasazidream.com Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Famous DRUMMERS - Carter Beauford

Carter BeaufordRio de Janeiro (30/09/2008). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Carter Beauford is widely known for being the drummer, percussionist, and one of the founding members of the legendary Dave Matthews Band.

Carter Anthony Beauford was born on November 2, 1957, in Charlottesville, Virginia, and was raised in a household where everything from jazz, rock, gospel, to pop, was played.

At an early age of three, he was already exposed to the world of drums and percussion, when his father had no choice but to bring him to a Buddy Rich concert because there was nobody around to take care of his son. From then on, Carter became enthralled and awestruck with Buddy Rich.

Because he showed so much interest in learning the drums, his father bought him a Roy Rogers tin drum set with paper heads, his first ever drum set. During this period, Carter's musical influences included Tony Williams, Papa Jo Jones, and, certainly, Buddy Rich. He started doing professional gigs at nine years old with a jazz-fusion band led by local celebrity Big Nick Nicholas. He graduated with a degree in music at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music.

Carter has played with many bands with different styles, as he thought it important to stay open to improving oneself through exposure to the music of its various forms. He joined a Richmond-based jazz fusion band, Secrets, which featured saxophonist LeRoi Moore, trumpeter John Dearth, vocalist Dawn Thompson, keyboardist Butch Taylor, and guitarist Tim Reynolds. The band performed frequently at a bar in Charlottesville called Miller's, where he met Dave Matthews, who used to be the bartender.

When the band fell apart, Carter went to California to try out for the Arsenio Hall show but was not accepted, so he moved back to Virginia. Aside from Secrets, Carter also became a part of the jazz/R&B band Blue Indigo, along with LeRoi Moore, Sal Soghoian, and George Melvin, and they played both at Millers and Tokyo Rose. The band was fortunate enough to have been featured at the Delaware Water Gap Jazz Festival. After some time, Carter and Moore were approached by Dave Matthews regarding some material he had been working on that he wanted to record, and Carter agreed after listening to it. It was then that he became a Dave Matthews Band drummer.

Recognized for his assortment of percussion styles and ambidexterity when playing, Carter has done a lot of collaborations in the past, some of which were with artists Vertical Horizon, Carlos Santana, John Popper (Blues Traveler), Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), and Robin Andre (AKA Boy Wonder).

Carter got married twice. He has two daughters, Breana and Nadja Angelique, and one son, Marcus Carrington.

Carter currently uses Yamaha Drums, Dunnett Classic Titanium and Stainless Steel snare drums, Zildjian cymbals, Evans drumheads, Yamaha and Drum Workshop hardware, Promark sticks and mallets, and various other percussion equipment.

Drew Mers is a consultant to Empire Rehearsal Studios. The company rents bands, musicians and drummers music rehearsal studios in Long Island City, Queens, New York. Article Directory: EzineArticles

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BALLET DANCING – The Ideal Physique

Ballet Dancer - Edgar Degas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Are you a ballet dancer, thinking about taking ballet dancing to the next level?

First, let me say that I truly believe that whatever you put your mind to, and become completely focused on that goal, you can achieve...

This article is just highlighting some of the centuries-old beliefs as to what constitutes an ideal physique for a ballet dancer...

It is well recognized that a ballet dancer MUST possess a physique that can be trained to the finest degree of coordination, combined with complete flexibility, endurance, and great strength from head to toes. In spite of this all-important fact, some students train till well on into their teens before being defeated by some physical characteristic which undoubtedly existed at ten years old but overlooked or ignored by their trainers at that time...

So what is the ideal physique, you ask?

Well, most experts agree that your body’s proportions are critical to having an ideal physique. Apart from aesthetic considerations, a well proportioned body will weather the stresses and strains of the exciting work required of it with greater ease than one in which there is some disparity in the relative length for instance, of limbs to torso, of width to length of the body, or of the relative size of shoulders to hips and so on...

Unlike the musician, the ballet dancer cannot tune their instrument by lengthening or shortening their strings, increasing or decreasing the tension until the exact pitch is achieved. In the world of ballet dancing, your body is your instrument, infinitely complicated and it becomes your servant only after many years of desperately hard training...

At best it becomes an instrument of great beauty, but it will fall short of this if it is endowed with that extra inch here or too short a length there to fall into that perfection of line and form that the art demands. In the well-informed, well-proportioned physique there is less likelihood of muscles thickening in unwanted places, and less proneness to the minor and sometimes major mishaps caused by the effort to overcome obstacles which are inherent in the build of the body...

The neckline is important, rather more on aesthetic grounds than from the anatomical point of view. To conform to the ideal physique the neck should not be too square, and above all not too short; the head should not be disproportionately large nor too small...

The ideal ballet physique embodies a perfect balance between the upper and lower halves of the body. A good guide for the best proportions may be taken from ancient Greece where the length from the crown of the head to the pubic arch or fork is equal to that from the fork to the ground. Following the same pattern, the length from the fork to the lower border of the kneecap should be equal to that from the lower border of the kneecap to the ground...

According to the classical tradition, the shoulders of the man are broader than the hips, in the woman they are somewhat narrower. Here we diverge somewhat, for it has been found by experience that the ideal ballet figure is the better for some slight extra width across the shoulders, whether male or female...

Limbs are next on the list. Pretty arms and hands are naturally an asset; extra arm length or lack of it is not a really a problem, but for the lower limbs the standard of beauty is set high. The ideal leg will, of course, be straight and shapely, showing little or not muscular development when standing, with a smooth line from the back view, and knees which do not protrude too much from the front...

There will be a straight line down the center of the thigh, through the center of the knee, down the front of the leg to about the middle of the foot. The foot will be flexible, showing at least a potential arch. With toes of medium length only and preferably with the first two or three approximating the same length...

Finally, the perfect candidate will have an upright carriage and well-poised head.

Hopefully, this gives you a little insight into some age-old views on the physique of ballet dancers and the art of ballet dancing.

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The SITAR - Its Influence on Popular Music

SITAR RAVI SHANKAR STYLE AT-www.sathyadeepmusicals.com
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Legend says that the sitar was invented by Amir Khusro himself an Indian poet, scholar, and musician.

Mainly used in Hindustani classical music, the sitar has been around for over 700 years. Made with a gourd body (often carved out of a pumpkin), the sitar comprises of the basic elements of a stringed instrument. It has a neck, pegs, strings and a body. A sitar can have 18/19 or 20 strings, it also has 11, 12 or 13 sympathetic strings of which 3 or 4 provide the drone and these are located underneath the frets.

Up until the 1960s, the sitar had never been used in popular music. George Harrison was to change all that.

During a break filming Help, Harrison picked up a sitar (being used as a prop) and attempted to play it. After this encounter, he began getting lessons from the legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar. Soon after in 1965, the Beatles produced the first released Western pop song to include the sitar - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), in which George played the Indian instrument.

The Beatles would go on to further display their influence from the sitar, writing songs such as Tomorrow Never Knows, Across The Universe and many more. Following their success with blending the sitar and popular music, other Indian instruments were introduced in their compositions, such as the tabla and tamboura.

Creating a very psychedelic effect on the music, many artists followed The Beatles use of the sitar and Indian instruments. Musicians such as The Rolling Stones (Paint It Black), The Lemon Pipers (Green Tambourine), Donovan (Hurdy Gurdy Man) all found inspiration through the sitar.

Even to this day, popular musicians are using the sitar to enhance their creations. Newton Faulkner is one of the more recent artists to include sitar on his tracks.

Undeniably, the sitar has had a profound effect on popular music as we know it. Fusing the Indian instrument with Western instruments have worked wonders and produced some mind-blowing classic songs.

By Michelle Lawrie Michelle Lawrie is a guitar and singing teacher based in Scotland. Article Source: EzineArticles

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CLARINET MOUTHPIECE Guide - A Look at The Clarinet Mouthpiece

Selmer C85 120 Mouthpiece, Vandoren V12 Strength 3 Reed, Vandoren Optimum Ligature.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every clarinet player understands just how crucial it is to have a proper mouthpiece. The clarinet mouthpiece is that part that creates the overall pitch and timbre of the sound coming from this musical instrument. Here is a clarinet mouthpiece guide to give you an idea about this particular device and how it works.

The right material

Any clarinet mouthpiece guide will tell you that when it comes to mouthpieces, the rule of the thumb states that softer materials can make darker sounds that are also less projecting. Conversely, harder materials for mouthpieces will create brighter sounds.

Plastic

Most students' mouthpieces - or those that are used by novices are made of plastic because this material is more affordable and relatively more durable. The only setback is that the sound tends to be brighter than normal, making it difficult to focus.

Ebonite

If you want better-focused sound, you want to use a clarinet mouthpiece made of ebonite or hard rubber. This is the preferred material by jazz musicians and those who play classical music. An ebonite clarinet mouthpiece will not require a lot of projection and edge.

Crystal

Crystal clarinet mouthpieces are mainly used for outdoor playing. They can create sounds that are bright and better projected so they are also popular choices for jazz players.

Wood

This material is rarely used for clarinet mouthpieces because it can create the warmest sound and the least projecting at that. This material is also less durable than plastic or rubber.

Buying tips

Another important point that a clarinet mouthpiece guide will tell you is that the sound quality that you want to produce depends on the type of bore that your mouthpiece has. A compact and more focused tone comes from a smaller bore while one that is dark and mellow can be produced by a larger one.

Important buying tips

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Theater Arts – ITALIAN OPERA

Italian opera is the earliest known opera form. Although the Greek and Roman Theater had inspired it, it inspired many countries around the world, including most of Europe. Some say that the word opera has been derived from the Italian words “Opera in Musica” which means work in music. The evidence of the very first opera performed in Italy was at the wedding of Marie de Medici and Henry IV of France. The Italian opera had three stages namely the baroque, the romantic and the modern.

Baroque period is the name of that period of Italian opera that originated in Italy at the beginning of the 17th century. The voice used was very high pitched along with the instrumental music. This style was known as monody and was developed by Giulio Caccini and Jacopo Peri. It was reflected in the opera Euridice that was based on the story of Eurydice and Orpheus. When there were no dialogues during the performance, there were songs with music. This type of opera inspired many other writes, one of them was Claudio Monteverdi who wrote La Favola D’Orfeo that had the monody style. It was his first play and it still is famous with the audience today. Monteverdi worked hard on synchronizing instrumental music with the words and showed this effort in Mantua, with large choruses with nearly forty instruments that created a really good effect.  He was named as the Maestro Da Cappella in Venice in the year 1613.

The first opera house for the public was opened in the year 1637. Monteverdi wrote many compositions for this theater and his works L’Incoronazione di Poppae and I Ritomo d’Ullise in Patria were prominent out of the many. He even brought the Bel Canto and Buffa styles into Italian opera. Bel canto had a more even tone and eased the singing stress. Buffa had more comic touch with amusing and mocking elements. All these acted as the stepping-stone for many other later composers. At the end of the century, there were three hundred and fifty opera created for the theaters in Venice alone. Many young artists were inspired to work in these theaters and bring out their talents. People came from outside Italy too.

In the 19th century, romantic opera began to rise and Gioacchino Rossini was responsible for it. The romantic opera involved lots of emotions and imagination along with lots of music and arias. This music was so fine that it overshadowed the blunders in the stories. His composures such as La Cenerentola and Barber of Seville are famous till today. Many others such as Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi, and Gaetano Donizetti followed him.

Giuseppe Verdi changed the way opera was written at that time. Nabucco was his first work and it was a very big success because of the great choruses along with enormous liveliness in the music. He even wrote Va Pensiero, a chorus presentation to inspire the warriors at the time of Italian independence struggle. The works, which followed this had a more patriotic theme and were also based on older romantic works. He began to venture into different musical forms and finally his creation Otello replaced Rossini’s opera. His last work Falstaff finally changed the conventional form of theater and made music and words more free-flowing.

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CLASSICAL MUSIC Development

Johann Sebastian Bach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music in XVIII century (1600-1825)

There were two times in this century. The first era was called the baroque era. This era was around 1600 to 1750. Baroque was the beginning of modern music because it has experienced the revolution from both theory and technique of its cultivating.

The key characteristics of this era included the merger of major and minor scales, many dissonant tones, the development of the orchestra, and the regular structures, but monotony. They also included the use of violin, harpsichord, organ, and flute.

In this era, people also knew the basso continuo technique, namely the bass accompaniment that brought harmony. There was repetition in the structure of music.

Composers who lived in this era were Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi, and Henry Purcell.

The second era was called the classical era. Sonatas and chamber music grew with more dynamic melodies. All of the classical era rules were applied intelligently by the composers.

The key characteristics of this era were the development of musical harmony, a very strong element of the dynamics that colored the composition, and a dynamic atmosphere that was expressed through the tempo, melody, and harmony. In this era, people also knew the pattern of 'question and answer'. Piano, with its ability to create dynamic, became a very important instrument.

The popular composers in this era were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, and John Gay.

Portrait of Beethoven in 1804
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Transition period of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

This period represented the transition time from classical music to romantic music that was initiated by Beethoven. He brought a dynamic element by using wider harmonies and more emotional techniques of music cultivating.

This period was called as transitional because there were some principles of classical era that were violated by Beethoven. For example, the use of the intro was considered to be the outside of the classical composition theory. However, it was precisely a characteristic of romantic music. Through his works, Beethoven influenced the transition of classical to romantic music greatly.

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COMPOSE MUSIC the Easy Way!

There are basically two ways to compose music. One way is by starting from the bottom or the harmonic approach.

A composer/arranger takes a few chords, a phrase to hang them on and arranges the harmony in some kind of pattern. An example of this is the "loop" you often hear in contemporary music. A loop is simply a harmonic background over which a melody (or not) is played.

The second way to compose music is by starting with the melody. Composers may or may not have some idea of the finished idea (I prefer not to) but the melodic idea is fitted into some kind of phrase. The most common phrase used is the 8-bar phrase.

I find that starting with the melody to be the easier approach. Why? Because melody is easier to move forward then harmony. Sure, you can block out a few chords and arrange them to create a loop, but this becomes static over time. Melody is much easier to go forward with.

By using the principles of repetition and contrast, we can create a simple ABA form in no time at all. Then we can go back and harmonize each section.

I used to favor the harmonic approach at first. It was very easy to simply jot down chord changes on an 8-bar phrase, create some kind of arrangement, and improvise a melody on top. There is nothing wrong with this approach at all. But I soon found myself learning towards the melody first. Not because I think it's better, but simply because it's the method I like right now.

Either way, it's a good idea to compose music using one approach or the other. If you try to harmonize a melody while you're creating it, it will slow you down and may stop the creative flow.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson! Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Basic Training in the US ARMY BAND

United States Army Band COA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You have likely seen the US Army band "Pershing's Own" at various occasions or playing taps, the beautiful and stirring music played as a final tribute to fallen soldiers. Started in 1922, the US Army Band has played a significant role in major US events and happenings.

The band plays at the White House and events such as the visit of a leader of a foreign country. The band also performs on official occasions as the need arises. The main mission of the Army band is to provide "musical support to the US troops both at home and abroad as well as for the citizens of the USA."

There are four special army bands that have the honor of performing at special functions. These are Pershing's Own, Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, US Army Field Band and US Military Academy Band. These special units are comprised of the best musicians in the US Army.

There are several other musical units in the US Army Band. The jazz group called the US Army Blues plays original American jazz music. The US Army Chorus is an all-male group, which as the name suggests, is the vocalist arm of the band. Other support units within the main band are the Brass Quintet, Rock and Pop Band, and Stage Band.

How to Join the Band

Before being accepted into the US Army Band, you have to meet regular army enlistment requirements. As such, if you are considering joining the US Army Band, get in touch with the recruiting office in your area. Once you meet the standard enlistment criteria, you will need to audition. Only proficient musicians are accepted. So what does being proficient mean? You must sight read music and have an understanding of scales, tone, rhythm and other related areas. The audition is generally administered by a band recruiting officer or a band commander.

The US Army website provides valuable information on what's expected in your audition based on your musical instrument of choice. For instance, to pass the audition for the keyboard, the following requirement must be met:

* Prepare selections from each of the following: swing, pop/rock, ballad and Latin and classical (optional). This is valued at 40 percent.

* Sight read representative literature and chord changes, for another 50 percent

* Play major scales with arpeggios, three octaves, memorized, use both hands for 10 percent.

* Should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the following chords: Maj 7, Min 7, Dom 7 and the ii-V7-I chord progression.

In order to be accepted, you have to audition for a specific instrument. You must be able to play one or more of the following:

* Bassoon

* Clarinet

* Electric bass

* Electric guitar

* Euphonium

* Flute

* French horn

* Keyboard

* Percussion

* Saxophone

* Trombone

* Trumpet

* Tuba

According to Jeremiah Keillor, Director of the Fort Knox's 113th Army Band known as the Dragoons, "Band soldiers come in at a higher rank as part of the Army Civilian Acquired Skills Program." The reason for obtaining a higher ranking when you join the U.S. Army Band is to acknowledge your years of training and experience in music.

Once a musician is accepted into the US Army Band, they are required to learn the basics of being a soldier in the US Army. This means that they have to complete a total of nine weeks of Basic Compact Training.

There are 30 U.S army bands spread across the USA and internationally. So, do you have what it takes to play in the US Army Band?

By Duane Shinn A free email newsletter on exciting piano chords and chord progressions from Duane Shinn is available free at "Pianos" Article Source: EzineArticles

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The VIOLIN - Music Instruments of the World

The Violin - Music Instruments of the World

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Techniques to Relax Your Fingers So You Don't Let Stiff Fingers Spell an End to Your VIOLIN Dreams

Young Violinist (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Are you just starting out with the violin? Flexibility in your fingers is extremely important and any violinist who wants to be able to play a wide range of songs NEEDS to have flexible fingers. However, finger flexibility is a common area that many people have problems with. This is also the case in adult violinists who are just starting out with the violin for the first time and don't have the nimble and flexible fingers that they might have when they were a child. What usually happens is that if they are unable to improve their flexibility, they give up trying to learn the violin altogether.

The first thing you need to do if you suffer from stiff fingers is to PRACTICE. Practice as much as you possibly can. Stiff fingers need time and experience to unstiffen. In addition to making sure you practice when you can, a little cardio workout will also do wonders. This gets the blood pumping through your system and into all areas of your body, like the tips of your fingers which will help when playing. You don't have to go for a run before you start playing, but go for a brisk walk and maybe walk a few flights of steps before you pick up your violin.

This little warm-up exercise is frequently used in the world of sports. First, sit or lie down on the ground in a comfortable position. Visualize that your fingers are warm, flexible and nimble. Imagine that you are playing a piece of music without any difficulty. See yourself playing this piece in tune and effortlessly. Half of the battle is believing in yourself. It doesn't help if you have friends or a teacher tell you that your fingers aren't flexible enough and you'll never be able to play complex pieces. Practicing this visualization technique each day will help instill confidence in yourself.

Remember that any stiffness you have may also come from other areas in your body and not your fingers. A final trick is to start off playing pieces of music slow. Once you are able to play them slowly without any problems, speed the song up just a notch. Repeat the process of learning the song as the new speed until you have mastered it and then take it a notch higher. This will help to improve the nimbleness of your fingers and remove any stiffness.

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The History Of VOCAL JAZZ

The Old Plantation (anonymous folk painting).
Depicts African-American slaves dancing to banjo and percussion
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jazz music made its mark in the hearts of Americans ever since the 20th century when people embraced the musicians of the time. However, when the singers came on the scene strong with skills in the art of scatting that is a vocal form of Jazz improvisation, the ability to articulate music expressively, and have that pizzazz to swing to the rhythms effectively makes a Jazz virtuoso. Jazz music bore another gift on the American public to spread to the world during the 1940's when singers came together to form groups.  The sound of acapella harmony of many voices like in a church choir using a juxtaposition of Jazz harmony is ethereal and divine.

In fact,  due to the success of such groups as the Mills Brothers, Boswell Sisters,  Andrews sisters, and Modernaires during the 1930's 1940's made Jazz fans of vocal Jazz music seek more.  As a result, record stores stocked up on the music of vocal Jazz music, and it became a tremendous success that made quartets like Manhattan Transfer a household name today.

In addition, America has the largest selection of vocal Jazz music even though there are vocal Jazz ensembles all over the world. These new vocal Jazz groups do not all sing acapella style music that is common to the barbershop. Vocal Jazz groups commonly use a Jazz band to accompany them as they perform. Jazz music may not be as strict as classical music, but it is in a class all it's own. It takes great skill to sing Vocal Jazz as it does with Classical and many other styles of music. Meaning, everyone cannot be a good jazz soloist, but it doesn't mean that they cannot sing in the vocal jazz ensemble.  Each singer must match in volume, resonance, and key in order to be a worthy member of the vocal Jazz ensemble. Ever singer must be able to sing their parts and be heard as well as blended into the group.  There are times when different people in the vocal Jazz group will be asked to scat to the music and take the challenges that some complex Jazz music holds with great skill.

All the beauty that Vocal Jazz possessed in the past did not always keep it in popularity.  For instance, there was a time in the 60's when Jazz music no longer had mass appeal due to the American interest in Rock music. Imagine the record companies who supply music to the radios and the nightclubs who allowed popular acts to perform live suddenly locking Jazz musicians out.  Yet, Jazz never lost its following despite the ever-changing interests of the public. Vocal Jazz singers attempted to begin again in the 70's, but the public did not show much interest in a style that was considered passé.

Fortunately, those who loved the music and dedicated themselves to the music caused people to take notice from the latter part of the 80's to the millennium where Jazz singers came prepared to recreate Jazz again. Vocal Jazz singers went along with the times to keep the traditional Jazz and add new elements that the public would like to hear.

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Dreaming Of Playing BLUES GUITAR Chords Like A Pro?

The picture was taken from taking barre chord on a guitar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You know what they say: ”If you’ve got the blues, you’ve got the juice.” Indeed, blues guitar music is the Mecca of all guitar music. After all, you can’t get any better than that head bobbing and feet tapping rhythm that courses through your very soul like a fine wine or a hot cup of coffee.

Blues guitar chords and guitar lessons, anyone?

There are several reliable blues guitar chords and guitar lessons online and offline.  These are all managed by experienced and schooled guitarists. Online sites can have you playing the blues faster than ordinary lessons.  Once you sign up for instructions, you will be regularly provided with progressive guitar coaching. There are also sites that offer 200 lessons for exclusive members.

If you want to learn speed guitar playing with your blues guitar chords, the Internet is a minefield for sites that hasten your accomplishments with the trickier aspects of guitar playing – fingering, phrasing, and picking, useful techniques if you dream of playing like the greats, such as BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and blues rocker Anna Popovic.

The homepages of several sites have a list of lessons for beginners, intermediate, advanced, and legendary. Each category is marked by a number of guitars graphics. Two to three guitars indicate the difficulty level of the lesson, so start with the appropriate tutorial. And no, skipping levels won’t help you. You’re only fooling yourself.

Learning blues guitar chords

Learning blues guitar chords online affords you the flexibility of time. You can schedule the hour for your training according to your free time. Learning or slacking, it’s your call. Take note, however, that you have to be consistent with your lessons. A daily dose of guitar instruction will have you playing like a pro in no time.

Of course, you must have a guitar to practice on. If you don’t have one, well, go get one, otherwise, you’re a sitting duck. Playing blues guitar chords are often demonstrated online to give you an idea of how the chords are played. The instructor gives explanations before, during, and after the demonstration. Your background information, basic guitar skills, and understanding of the triads are essential tools for your advanced training.

If you have just started fundamental lessons or still feeling your way around guitars, learning the blues guitar chords will definitely not be a piece of cake. But fear not because frequent practice makes perfect. Set an hour or two for added lessons in blues guitar chords. Know the basics, practice and prepare, then go learn those blues guitar chords. And yes, definitely in that order.

How do I learn the tricks with blues guitar chords?

First, you need an acoustic or electric guitar. These should have steel strings and have the standard tuning of E-A-D-G-B-E. You must have the aptitude to read tablatures. A good chord book and some blues music CDs, preferably of your blues heroes, will help you along, or at least, inspire you. The last and most significant tool you need is your ability to discern the tonal quality of the guitar.

The step-by-step blues guitar tutorials will take you along the 12 chord progression, via audio examples, blues tablature, MP3 jam tracks, detailed instructions, and video demonstrations.

You will need to master the primary elements – pentatonic scale, chord structure, and the different right-hand rhythm styles. As you go along, make sure you are absorbing the blues guitar chords dictionary, including visualizing chord arrangements on the guitar.

When you are ready, you will be introduced to the more complex diminished and augmented chords.  Some cynics scoff at the idea of guitar scales lessons. But little do they know that the great guitarists have learned to add depth to their blues by applying their extensive knowledge and appreciation of scales. This also boils down to learning the organization of the fretboard.

Playing the solo

Playing the solo starts with learning the rhythm part of the blues guitar chords. It can be compared to the blueprint that is used as a guide for solo blues artists. In solo playing, the notes are played one by one, and this is accompanied by the rhythm guitar. In contrast, the rhythm plays the note of one chord all at once or is plucked in progression.

So, with all that said, do you think you can be the next Jimi Hendrix with your blues guitar chords?

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