Archive for June, 2007

Jun 30 2007

Harmonica songs

Filed under Musical Thoughts

Kids love to listen to music, and if they want to learn how to play a harmonica, you?re in luck. There are a lot of benefits for kids to learn harmonica songs. Don?t fear that if your child learns how to play one that they?ll be limited on the different types of music that they can play. Harmonica songs are versatile for just about any occasion.

Songs that you can play on the harmonica have a lot of style, and if your child learns how to play one it teaches them so many other things. Eye hand coordination is one of the first things that they?ll learn when playing harmonica songs. Kids as young as three years old can start learning how to play a harmonica, and older kids from 8 years old and up can take lessons. At that age they have the ability to better control their diaphragm, so they can play their harmonica songs they?ve learned.

Cowboys in the wild west of the 1800s took their harmonicas to the plain to relieve boredom, and to entertain others. Beautiful harmonica songs like Red River Valley and Clementine could be heard across the plains, and your kids can do the same. Don?t fret though if they aren?t wild over western themed harmonica songs. There are a lot of other styles and tempos of music like the Westphalia Waltz, or even a few polka songs.

If your kid wants to learn how to play it?s best to start them out with a diatone one. These types are easy to use and only have 10 holes to deal with. They?re also cheaper in price, running on an average of $50.00 and upward. After they?ve mastered it they can move on up to a one that is called a chromatics harmonica. Your child will be able to play minor keys by sliding a bar and this can fluctuate the sounds too. Soon they?ll be playing harmonica songs like a lonesome dirge, or snappy Irish jig.

You can, of course, purchase sheet music, but it might be best to start your child out using books that tell them with simplified graphics on how to play a song. Usually, the more complicated chromatics style requires a formalized training with traditional sheet music to learn how to play. Sheet music or graphic style instruction music can be ordered from most music stores that sell instruments, or over the Internet. Price ranges for harmonica songs sheet music are from a couple of dollars to a few cents.

When we have the ability to play a music we can tell others what type of music we like, but it also says how we?re feeling too. This is one of the best ways that your child can express their feelings. All types of music help kids deal with the issues of life. It?s nice too that they can play their harmonica songs anytime they like because the harmonica is just a pocket away.

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Jun 29 2007

Singing competitions

Filed under Musical Thoughts

There are singing competitions all over the country now, where young singers can compete for cash prizes, and the chance of fame and fortune. American Idol is the best known of these singing competitions, but there are many others as well. There is one in Las Vegas with a $50,000 cash prize just for winning the singing contest. Besides that, there is European Idol, which is sweeping much of the rest of the world with its unprecedented popularity.

My friends and I all love to sing, but we basically completely ignore these singing competitions. I don’t even think the singing is particularly good. It is all bad pop music, saccharine sweet and completely without soul. We have our own singing competitions, and although no one ever gets 50 grand for winning them, I think that they are a lot more fun anyway.

Sometimes, after several rounds of drinks, we will pick a song and compete, doing different renditions of it. Whoever can sink it in the loudest, grittiest, most raucous and audacious intonation automatically wins, and everyone has to buy him or her a drink. By the next round of that contest, the winner of the previous one has a clear advantage, and usually whoever wins the first one wins all night, or until he passes out.

Because we are classically trained vocalists, our singing competitions are not always quite so ridiculous. Sometimes we form duos, trios, or quartets among ourselves, and entertain our other non-singing friends at parties. They have to vote on which piece is best, or perhaps we informally decide among ourselves.

Additionally, because we are all in professional choirs, sometimes we go to attend real singing competitions. Although they receive little attention, and many professionals shun them, nonetheless there are in fact singing competitions where choirs from all over the state compete for a prize and the recognition of their peers. The best thing about these singing competitions isn’t actually the trying to win (although the winning is nice). It’s the festive atmosphere of the whole thing. It is wonderful to spend all day just singing some classics with some of the best singers in the country, singing our pieces and listening to them singing theirs. These singing competitions are always the highlights of the seasons, because it is such an opportunity to be around other great artists, hear what they are doing, and pick up new ideas.

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Jun 28 2007

Drumming lesson

Filed under Musical Thoughts

There are many places to get a drumming lesson if you really look, but it isn’t as easy as with some instruments. For guitar, there are millions of teachers crawling out of the sewers, six strings blazing, in every city on earth, but you might just be somewhere that makes it difficult to get a drum lesson. I played in band growing up, and let me tell you, the percussion that you learn in band is alright, but it isn’t really enough to get you far. You won’t learn enough to find your way around a kit unless you begin with a drum lesson outside of school. Otherwise, you’ll learn stick control, fundamentals, and nothing else, and that won’t get you anywhere.

Some people are so desperate to get a drumming lesson or two that they spend their summer at some kind of rock and roll camp. This is a good place for teens who want to play music to get away and learn under the guidance of experienced musicians, but if you ask me it is a kind of lame idea. I mean, as far as it goes for me, rock and roll is about experimentation, and learning yourself with your friend. Sure, you can benefit from a drumming lesson or whatever, but really spending your summer in a place where they try to teach you rock sounds kind of weak to me.

Other people get drum lessons online, which is even sillier. Sure, you can get your first drumming lesson or two from a computer which shows you where to put the beats with some live recorded video, but I feel like you’d do better to just do what I did, and listen to some of your favorite bands. Start with something where the percussion is kind of simple and straight forward, so that it will be no strain for you to follow, and then work your way up to more intricate musical forms as you go. You can get a good drumming lesson just from listening to the experts do it. Also, hang out with musicians. Even if no one in your area advertises a drumming lesson, you should be able to find someone who will show you something. Many of the greats got every single drumming lesson they ever needed from older, more experienced musicians who they met at shows and gigs, and went on to be successful.

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Jun 27 2007

The Police Are Back

Filed under The Police

Please click on this to go and view an awesome banner where you can watch The Police’s videos, listen to tracks from The Police’s new 2 cd hits collection, enter to win a trip to NYC to see The Police in concert and even view details about their current world tour.

First off, let me say, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the work of The Police these past few years, but this post brought it all back to me. Aw heck, I loved this group. They were one of the best groups on the scene when I was in my 30s. It seems they released a 2 disc compilation Police CD on June 5th and are promoting it via the Internet. Their banner is hot with all of the following for you to enjoy:

Videos: All of their best music is showcased with their videos, you know, the ones you loved to watch again and again.

Tracklist/Jukebox:
If you don’t want to watch, but just listen while you work, which is what I did after playing a few vids and garnering a small crowd and a glare from very nice voice, this is the way to go.

Tour: Yes!! I love The Police and they are going on tour. Can it get any better than this! Looks like they’re going everywhere, but they’ll be in New York. I’m past the age where I want to wait all night in a queue in front of the ticket place. My daughter is all about that. So, I say, thank god for the Internet. I can hover over my send button to get tickets.

Enter The Contest:
You can enter to win a trip to New York City to see The Police in concert. That is, free tickets to a really great concert with a band you know is great. You’ll get in no matter what, and you know that the concert will be sold out quick. So this is a no-brainer to enter the contest. I live in Philly and it’s only a short hop to the Big Apple.

Send To Friend: Don’t forget your friends. If they’re working all day like me, they might of missed this one. I know all my friends will love to go to the concert and get the CDs.

Ringtones: We’ve got ringtones of your favorite songs. In today’s tech world, you know we couldn’t have music without ringtones. So, now I get to redo my phone.

That 2 Disc Compilation has some of my favorite songs including Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, King of Pain, Synchronicity - classics worth every penny if your a Police fan. They will give away a vintage poster with every 2 disc CD compilation, too. You can’t go wrong with this one.

Don’t depend on me entirely, because I will tell you, I’m a big Police fan, always have been. Check out the banner for yourself. It’s called EyeWonder. It will take you right back to when The Police first released these great songs. Surf on over to Amazon to get your own copy.

And, get ready for a fantastic concert, enter the contest and maybe you’ll win free tickets. What could be better than that.

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Jun 27 2007

Major record labels

Filed under Musical Thoughts

Ever consider how music plays such a large part in our lives? I cannot think of a day when I did not hear music. Whether you have a collection of thousands of CDs or in my case albums or just turn on the radio during your morning commute to work, you are a connoisseur of music.

Do you ever wonder how it gets to you or do you ever wonder who decides what music gets played and what music doesn?t??Do you ever wonder why only certain artists get played or have their music sold in major retail outlets? Has it ever crossed your mind what trends are going to overtake music next? Well the answer to most of these questions lies within the major record labels.

If you love or hate an artist, it?s their record label that you either thank or blame. The major record labels take on new artists and promote the sales of their CDs and/or DVDs. They may also help other companies with tour promotions and other public events.

A recording company will usually take on an artist for a specific length of time or for so many recordings. This depends on the terms of the contract negotiated with the major record labels. If you have ever taken a look at your CD and or DVD collection you?ll probably find that nearly 90% of them come from one of the five major record labels in some way shape or form.

Do the names Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group, Warner Brothers and BMG entertainment sound familiar??These are known as the big 5 and make up the five major record labels.?They account for the vast number of artists, videos and movies. When looking for a job in the music industry, the major record labels are the people to talk to.?

You may be looking at your CD covers and if you?re like me you scan the entire label searching for information. You may see a name other than one of the five major record labels. This doesn?t mean that you?ve purchased a CD from someone who duplicated it.

However, what is most likely happening is that you have bought something from one of their subsidiary companies. All of the five major record labels own subsidiary companies. For example, the once great Motown record label is now a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Capitol Records is also a member of EMI?s subsidiaries. The list is endless.

The music we listen to today is largely determined by the five companies noted. You probably aren?t concerned about that when you are dancing to the latest hip-hop hit or singing along to a chart-topping country song. The major record labels do have a way of bringing rhythm to our lives.

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