The Download Music Revolution
The first recorded music was heard thanks to the phonograph - Thomas Edison’s first functional one being presented in December 1877 - of course like all new inventions there were many others who could claim the title of being the first of invent to phonograph but of course Edison ended up being the most well known (compare Edison’s fame to that of a true genius like Nikola Tesla)
The phonograph functioned by having a metal cyclinder with ’scratches’ read by a stylus which in turn was amplified to produce a reasonable level of sound, these devices were hand cranked. The stylus going across the cyclinder. To play different music a new metal cyclinder or metal sheet folded around the cyclinder was inserted.
In 1887 a Emil Berliner patented the gramaphone. This operated like the phonograph, except now the cyclinders were replaced with the more familiar flat discs. Its advantage was that it was easier to handle and store these disks compared to the old cyclinders and the disks were far easier to mass produce, hence the greater variety of music available squeezed out the old phonograph (this might remind people of the VHS - BETA war in the 1980’s - history repeats). These first ‘records’ were normally less than 5 minutes long!
An evolution in the disks took place Berliner eventually settling on a material call shellac until plastics were invented, to produce his records.
In 1931 RCA Victor company produced the long play record running at 33 1/3rpm - a whole 20 minutes! Records became known at LP’s - Long Plays.
In 1920 wire recorders the forerunner of magnetic tapes came out. It was the Germans during world war two that really produced the first usable tape recorders. Of course this technology was taken back to America after the war and Minnesota Minning and Manufactoring company (3M) perfected the tape. The advantage of tape was obvious - portable and later re-recordable. Later developments included multitrack recorder to produce stereo sound. Then from two tracks to four to eight tracks, etc.
In 1963 Phillips introduce the Compact audio cassette, immersely popular, now rarely seen except for micro recorders.
For most of my youth there were only two main types of choices in music formats - compact tape or LP.
Then in the early 80’s digital technology began its evolution. First in the Compact Disk - a smaller, lighter version that although looked a similar disk shape to the old LP’s used a very different technology. Instead of relying on direct contact to produce a sound - i.e. needle on the surface of the record, the new CD’s did not actually have a direct surface contact. The reader scanned over the surface of the disk with the lazer picking up the data. Improvement in CD’s included the blue light lazer - which having a smaller light wave means more data on the disk and a dual layer meant that in a very short space of time the data potential of the CD went from slightly more than an LP to being huge - holding a huge movie and more on one DVD.
The digital music technology has changed again to the online world and ipod’s and the myriad MP’3 player wantabee’s. Various file formats are stored on a variety of hard drives/disks.
The history of music recording continues to evolve due to three main driving forces - increased storage capacity, increased sound quality, increased portablity - with the new MP3’s players have we reached our limits or will man require yet more?
To download music for free - or at least for a 7 day free trial visit http://download-music-revolution.blogspot.com and click on the Napster banner.
This article is the property of Alastair HARRIS and his immediate family. It may be freely republished over the internet but must include original links.
Alastair HARRIS is the main promoter for article-gems.com article directory (visit http://www.article-gems.com) and the getfinancialfreedom4u family of websites, blogs and projects (visit http://getfinancialfreedom4u.ws) specializing in online business opportunities and education, income being generated by affiliate marketing, google, GDI, eBay, clip flipping and more. Alastair is rated as an expert author on numerous article directories and is very open to assisting others on the internet.
Lyric Writing 101: Part 3
This is Part three of my Lyric Writing guide. Here you will learn how to accompany words by using samples and ghost songs.
AUTHORS NOTE: I dont personally use this method of song writing. I dont write rap music and dont listen to enough of this form to have a deeper understanding of the writing process. I do, however, use a slightly different technique that I will try to explain in the Hints and Tips section of this article. What you will find below is my observations of this form of writing. If you do find any errors in my explanation please let me know and Ill edit accordingly.
What is it?
Sampling refers to the taking of a portion of an already established track and using it as the framework for a new song. This is generally used to serve as the foundation for a rap vocal. There are actually two styles of sampling:
1) The most popular form of sampling takes a part of a track, hence the name sample. It usually takes a specific beat from a song [most common samples are taken from drum or bass tracks, though you can use a vocal sample for your new song.
* For an example of sampling just listen to any rap, dance or rave song, they all make use of samples.
* For an example of vocal sampling, take a look at Eminems song Stan. It uses a vocal sample from Didos song Thank-you.
2) The second kind of sampling is not as commonly used. It generally takes the entire melodic track of a pre-existing song and creates a completely new lyric for the song. This form of sampling is also known as a ghost song/track. This form of song writing should not be mistaken for alternate lyrics, as you need to totally disregard the lyrical arrangement of the song and focus on the remaining melody.
* The Puff Daddy song Come With Me from the Godzilla soundtrack is a sample, or ghost song, of Led Zepplins Kashmir. You will notice that the lyrical arrangement of the original song has been completely abandoned in this new track, which is the main difference between a ghost song and alternate lyrics.
* The Limp Bizkit song Take A Look Around is a slightly different style of a ghost song. It takes its sample from a melodic piece, the most well known part of the Mission Impossible theme. If I remember correctly they were actually commissioned to write this song. This serves as a reminder that any kind of melody can be adapted to use for a song.
Why use ghost songs
We all know that sampling is mainly used in rap, dance and techno music. Reasons for this vary, and Im not entirely sure as to the exact reasoning for it. I dont generally listen to these styles of music, I dont write it, so I cant honestly comment on that aspect of sampling. I can, however, tell you about the use of these techniques.
Many inexperienced songwriters make the mistake of trying to write lyrics without music. I cant stress enough how important it is to work with a tune when writing lyrics. If you dont work with a tune, it will show. The inability to play a musical instrument is no excuse, that is what ghost songs are for.
Getting Started
This section will deal solely with ghost songs as Ive stated before, I dont know enough about this form of song writing to comment effectively on it.
First you will need to find a song, choose one that you are comfortable with and preferably one in a genre you are familiar with. Try to pick a song whose lyrics you dont know by heart, it will make it easier to ignore the lyric arrangement. Play this song until you are familiar with the melody and can hum it to yourself.
Remember: You need to ignore the lyrical portion of this song, if possible get a copy of just the melodic arrangement. If you dont think that you can ignore the lyrics make a recording of the music yourself, if you dont play an instrument see if a friend can do it for you.
What are you going to write about? It is important that you have a clear idea of what you want to say in your song. What do you want to say? What message do you want to leave the listener to leave with? Jot down any ideas or thoughts that occur. Try using the word association exercises found in Part 1 of this series to help extend on your ideas.
Start to feel the music, add some lyrics to places you feel comfortable doing so. If need be just sing la la la [or something similar where you feel lyrics need to go, you can always add the actual lyrics at a later point in date. What you are doing here is starting the lyrical arrangement, play around with it see what fits, what doesnt. Dont expect it to be perfect the first time, there is nothing wrong with trial and error. Dont forget to keep the tune in your head or play it often to ensure that your lyrics follow the basic beat of the track.
As with Ive stated before, I cant give you the exact formula to writing lyrics. It is a personal thing, everyone is different in how they write. Everyone has their own unique styles and methods. If you have attempted to write alternate lyrics you will have an understanding of how to combine your words with a melody. You will need to apply this knowledge to your ghost song. Read over the Alternate Lyrics article to refresh your memory and keep some of these pointers in mind.
Hints and Tips
# Try to match what you what to say [i.e. your lyrics with the music. For example if you are writing a happy, upbeat song, you will need to find music that has a faster tempo [speed/beat than that of a sad song or a ballad.
# You dont need to keep the ghost song exactly as is. If there is a specific part you would like to keep over the rest of the song, change an instrument or make the melody sound heavier or softer then by all means do it. Play around with the drums and bass, if the ghost song ends up becoming a normal sample or disappears completely, thats okay - there is nothing wrong with that. All it shows is your greater understanding and advancement in song writing.
* — * For example the Guns n Roses song Sweet Child of Mine underwent a drastic change when it was covered by Sheryl Crow [from rock to acoustic. This example is not a ghost song but a cover. It is, however, an example of how you can go about altering a melody. Other examples of this can be found in Part 1 of the series.
# Your sample does not have to come from a well know or successful track. Any song you feel is right to work with is a possibility, whether it comes from an obscure b-side track by a relatively unheard of band or even a sample of one of your own existing songs
# Want to try something different? There are many software programs available that are capable of generating melody and rhythm tracks for you. Many of these programs are either downloadable from the net or have free demos available for you to use.
* — * Ejay is a program specifically designed for rap, dance and rave music, though it can easily be applied to the basics of other musical genres to give you a feel for the melody or beat of a song in order to get the lyrics started. You are also able to download a variety of new samples from the website to expand on the existing choices [visit http://www.ejay.com to take a look at the program. This is only one program; there are others out there if you are willing to look for them.
# As I stated at the beginning of this article, I dont exactly use ghost songs. What I use is a similar process but it doesnt have an actual track or beat for you to listen and follow. It is a harder technique and probably shouldnt be attempted unless you have a deeper understanding of how music is put together or are able to create a tune in your own head. Im not entirely sure if I can explain it correctly or coherently but Ill try my best [let me know if you dont understand it
How does it work? Say, for example, I want to write a song in the vein of a Korn song. Instead of finding a song by this artist I could use as a ghost track [or even sample their work I call to mind how their songs sound while I write the lyrics for my song. This can really only work properly if you are able to create and hold a tune in your head while working and applying it to the draft to your lyric.
This form of song writing gives you a little more freedom then samples or ghost tracks when it comes time to create/add the instrumental background to your song. By using this technique you allow yourself the freedom to mix different genres together or change the basic sound of the song with minimal effort. Even though I started with the basic sound of a Korn track, I have the freedom to expand on the idea. The final result may have more of a Linkin Park sound or more of a Marilyn Manson sound to it, possibly even a mixed of all these artists. This song writing technique allows you to explore and find your own voice. Sometimes the lyric portion of the song will need some altering, other times not, it all really depends on how the music alters from the original idea.
* — * For example, my piece Forsaken [http://www2.writing.com/main/viewitem/itemid/716277 was written using this technique. Although it started [and has thus far remained heavily influenced by Disturbed and Korn, there is the possibility that it may change slightly from this form. I have been told by some people that they felt it may have been more in the vein of Creed or possibly a mixture of the two styles, which is a drastic change from the original idea/style of the song. Personally, I dont see that connection but it shows how genre swapping can occur.
* * * * * * * * * *
The inability to play an instrument should not affect you song writing abilities. By using a ghost song or sample you are able to create a basic framework for your song. This track does not necessarily mean that it is the final draft of your song, it may simply be a rough draft, or a guide for how the lyric portion should sound. The final draft of the song may not occur until much later when you collaborate with your band or another artist who you are working with. As with any sort of writing, re-writes are inevitable. Dont expect your work to be perfect first time round.
As with alternate lyrics, the use of sampling and ghost songs can be an excellent tool for learning the techniques of song writing. By utilizing these two forms of song writing, you should be able to see how to accompany words with music. When you feel comfortable enough with these two forms of song writing try using my form of a ghost track or even try your hand at writing your own music [or collaborate with a friend.
Look out for Part 4 of this series where you will learn about hooks and other writing tips for when you start to write.
Chyna Dolores is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers. You can veiw her personal work at http://www.chynadolores.com
Della Griffin: Jazz And R&B Pioneer (Part 2)
~Continued from Part 1~
There was also another story behind Della Griffins longevity at the Blue Book club. For some reason her integrity was tested when a sizeable sum of cash was left in the womens bathroom that she used before and/or after performances. She did not take it. Afterwards, having earned the highest level of trust, she was welcome to stay as long as she wanted, which turned out to be more than a decade. Ultimately with mutual feelings of respect and love, the Blue Book became one of Dellas all-time favorite venues.
Following the dissolution of her second marriage, Della Griffin, married unsuccessfully one last time (Jimmy Walker whose name she refused to take feeling that it was not worth the time) and resumed her career, which lasted into the 21st century.
After opening at Harlems Blue Book club in 1973, Della Griffin performed there for the next 14 years, until 1987 when she was seriously injured after being hit by a car in Mt. Vernon, NY. In addition, starting in the 1980s, Della resumed working with Etta Jones and joined with Irene Reid. Their efforts led to two albums Ill Get By and Travlin Light, both produced by Houston Person (b.1934) and Muse Records. When Muse Records folded, Della Griffin followed many of its performers to [the newly-formed HighNote-Savant label where Person produced The Very Thought of You which came out in 1998. Shortly afterwards, due to her high level of achievement, Della Griffin was invited to Finland to appear at one of that countrys major jazz festivals.[1
Following her recovery, Della Griffin along with Frances Kelly and Shirley Bunny Foy appeared on Dan Romanellos Rhythm & Blues Group Harmony Review on Fordham Universitys WFUV-FM show in New York in 1994 after being rediscovered by group harmony enthusiast Louie Silvani.[2 After taking inquiries about the Enchanters and Dell-Tones, Della Griffin put another Dell-Tones group together, consisting of Frances Kelly, Annette St. John and Gwen Michael, the latter two new members. They then made numerous appearances including at The Heroines of R&B concert in October 1995, which also included the famed Chantels, The Jewels and Vikki Burgess, who just missed being selected to replace Sherry Gary of the Dell-Tones forty years earlier, among others.
In addition to her performances for the new Dell-Tones and recording acts for Muse Records and HighNote-Savant, Della Griffin took part in many solo acts in clubs across the tri-state region during the 1990s. Some of these performances include:
Della Griffin and her All-Stars in Croton Falls and Yonkers, NY in May and June 1992, respectively; a solo performance at Blue Note Jazz Club and Restaurant at 131 West 3rd Street in New York City in April 1991, solo New Years Eve performances at DeFemios Restaurant in Yonkers, NY in December 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1997, a December 1994 performance A Very Merry Holiday Jazz Party with Etta Jones and Houston Person at the Schoolhouse in Croton Falls, a show titled Standards & Blues by Della Griffin in Scarsdale, NY in June 1998, and a performance at the White Plains Public Library in White Plains, NY in March 1999, among others. She was also a frequent performer at Scotties club in Yonkers, NY, a member of the Jimmy Hill Quartet (with jazz musicians Jimmy Hill (1928-2004), Joe Puma (1927-2000), and Etta Jones) that frequented jazz haunts through the [New York metro region,[3 a member of Fred Smiths Harlem Renaissance Swing Band (performing at Hartford, CTs Bushnell Park in July 1999), and a drummer for The Melba Joyce Group in a 1998 Nicki Mathis The Many Colors of a Woman[4 concert also in Hartford, CT, as well as a participant in benefit concerts for musicians in need. She also performed in Hartford CTs Bushnell Park in July 1995 and 1996 as one of the most valuable showstoppers singing Taint Nobodys Business and All of Me,[5 and at Rich Forum in Stamford, CT in February 1998. During the July 1995 concert, it was written, Singer Della Griffin, decked out in shades, a hot pink sweat suit and matching hat, almost stole the show when she scurried to the front of the stage and began singing All of Me in a wonderfully grainy, lived-in kind of voice[6
Della Griffin continued her music career into the 21st century making appearances in New York City, Westchester County, and Newark, NJ, one of which included a 3 hour-long performance at the Renaissance Jazz Caf on 195 Mulberry Street in May 2003, among others.
Even though Della Griffin never had children of her own and had a demanding career, she found time to be a philanthropist. Despite her fame and 50 -year career, she took in more than 40 foster children, raising many from infancy. As a result she was known as Aunt Della and described as having a voice gorgeous enough to evoke Billie Holiday, (a jazz legend and close friend) and [a heart big enough to take in more than a dozen foster children.[7
When her Mt. Vernon, NY house suffered severe fire damage from a pre-Christmas 2004 fire that had been started by a 6-year-older foster child who accidentally knocked over a candle, a benefit concert featuring Irene Reid and Houston Person, among others, was held by the Jazz Foundation to cover the $15,000 rebuilding costs. Della and some of her foster children ultimately returned to the rebuilt house just before the summer of 2005.
During her remarkable pioneering career, Della Griffin has performed in venues all around the world, including some of the most famous jazz clubs. She had also created two female groups the Enchanters and the Dell-Tones, sang for William Count Basies band as well as the Modells, and shared the stage with many legends a whos who of jazz and blues singers, including Etta Jones[8 and Gloria Coleman, a Soul singer, among others.
Having been a singer you can count on for moving performances with a voice [that fills the songs she sings, weaving their way into your heart[9 in the class of Billie Holiday (for a while Holidays husband stopped by every week after Billies passing to hear Griffins rendition of Some Other Spring because she reminded him of his deceased wife) and Etta Jones, Della Griffin is a jazz legend in her own right, mentioned in the Encyclopedia of Jazz for having taken a daring step forward [when the Enchanters and Dell-Tones, pioneering female ensembles of vocal group music decided to compete on a circuit usually reserved for men. When others chose to marry and tend to families and despite the adversities and setbacks she faced, Della Griffins heart remained with music. In her words, Music brings me great joy. It always makes me smile.[10
Aside from music, Della Griffin also had other passions. She loved sewing and crochet since she was a child and she enjoyed dining at Sizzlers restaurant (now defunct) at Cross County Center in Yonkers, NY and supermarket shopping, especially for different kinds of foods, soda, and candy. At the same time her favorite colors are purple and black, the latter, which she adopted during her later years.
At the same time, despite her success and fame, as well as the difficult trials she faced, Della Griffins faith has remained strong. As a result she serves as an inspirational Christian role-model clothing, feeding, sheltering, and caring for children in need, demonstrated through the years by all the foster children she cared for and loved as if they were her own blood. Accordingly because of Dellas love for God, one of her favorite pastimes when she was able and fit to, was taking her foster children on frequent visits to Lourdes of America at St. Lucys Church in the Bronx, NY to enrich the familys spirituality and receive blessings from the grottos holy water which is said to have miraculous healing powers.[11
A tribute to honor Della Griffin and her contributions to R&B and jazz was recently held by the Eleanor Scott Center at the Creole club in New York City on June 21, 2006 in recognition of the lasting and indelible imprint she has left on the jazz world. This came five years after a Summer Breeze concert on the steps of Mt. Vernon, NY City Hall in which Della Griffin was awarded a plaque by the Citys mayor, Ernest Davis in recognition and gratitude of her 30 years of contributions to music and Mt. Vernon. Afterwards she (with a big smile) and Etta Jones performed a duet, singing East of the sun and west of the moon, were going to build a dream house of love followed by a standing ovation, even from their fellow musicians.[12 Ironically it was one of Etta Jones last performances before she succumbed to cancer less than three months later.
Furthermore in recognition of Della Griffins achievements, the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger wrote when discussing an upcoming jazz concert in Ivy Hill, NJ, in which Dave Braham and his jazz group, the Latin Jazz Quartet was the key attraction Actually, Braham is a master organist, having backed singers like Irene Reid, Arthur Prysock (b. 1929) and Della Griffin. [13 At the same time, the Fairfield (CT) Citizen News wrote when talking about Antoinette Montague, a local singer who sang jazz and R&B for a while and who was celebrating the life of jazz great Louis Armstrong in a play She has been focusing on pursuing her craft, aiming for excellence, by meeting long-time performers such as Etta Jones and Della Griffin and making contacts with musicians.[14 In addition, the Hartford (CT) Courant when writing about Fred Smith, a traveling workaholic jazz trumpeter stated, Aside from Smith’s swing savvy, his band’s key assets are saxophonist David Bubba Smith, a fat-toned tenor saxophonist, and Della Griffin, a vocalist Petite and grandmotherly looking, Griffin is graced with an evocative, soul-wrenching voice that can all but channel the long departed spirit of Billie Holiday. Her grainy, lived-in sound is delightful. Especially when she plunges into a Holiday signature song like Fine and Mellow, with its wry, melancholic lyrics[15 and The guitarist also has played on other forthcoming albums led by McDuff, Hampton, Della Griffin and Larry O’Neill[16 when discussing Randy Johnston, a jazz and blues artist.
Today Della Griffin resides in New Rochelle, NY. She is still loved as much as ever and visited daily by one foster child or another. Most importantly her voice still sings lifting and enriching lives.
Discography:
Today is Your Birthday/How Could You. January 1952. The Enchanters. Jubilee Records. (5072)
Ive Lost/Housewife Blues. April 1952. The Enchanters. Jubilee Records. (5080)
Yours Alone/My Hearts On Fire. July 1953. The Dell-Tones. Brunswick Records. (84015)
Im Not In Love With You/Little Short Daddy. April 1954. The Dell-Tones. Rainbow Records. (244)
Baby Say You Love Me/Dont Be Too Long. July 1955. The Dell-Tones. Baton Records. (212)
My Special Love/Believe It. March 1956. The Dell-Tones. Baton Records. (223)
Voices Of Love/Im So Lonely. June 1957. The Kings And Queens (combined Dell-Tones and Orioles). Everlast Records. (5003)
Duke Ellington Collection, 1927-1988, #301
Subseries 3F: Other Music Company Records, 1938-1965 (boxes 106-111) Box 107. Expense Records. The Enchanters 1956-1958.
Della Griffin Sings. (Vinyl LP featuring Ill Be Seeing You, Lover Man, Dont Explain, Standing There, But Beautiful, Youve Changed, Travelin Light, and Gloomy Sunday) Della Griffin. Dobre Records. (1009)
Travelin Light. (CD featuring Smile, Travelin Light, Out of Nowhere, Some Other Spring, The Second Time Around, Easy Living, Trouble In Mind, Trust In Me, Blue Gardenia). June 1992. Della Griffin. Muse Records. (5496)
Ill Get By. (CD featuring If You Were The Only Boy In The World, But Beautiful, Im Getting Sentimental Over You, Fools Rush In, You and Me Against The World, Ill Get By (As Long As I Have You), Two Different Worlds, and East of the Sun). July 1996. Della Griffin. Muse Records (B000008REL).
The Very Thought of You. (CD featuring My Melancholy Baby, The Very Thought of You, All of Me, Misty, This Bitter Earth, Yesterdays, It Could Happen To You, You Go To My Head, and Sunday). September 1998. Della Griffin. Savant Records. (1180011)
Unreleased:
You Know Im Not In Love With You. Recorded November 1951. The Enchanters. Jubilee Records.
Boogie Woogie Daddy. The Enchanters. Jubilee Records.
Why Make A Fool Out Of Me. The Dell-Tones. Brunswick Records.
After All Ive Been To You. The Dell-Tones. Brunswick Records.
Also Appears On:
Darling Please Save Your Love For Me. March 1994. Dakota Staton. Muse Records. (5462). Featured on tracks 2 and 7 Youve Changed, and East of the Sun.
Jazz Ballads With a Blue Feeling. February 2003. HighNote. (B00008AY5I). Featured on track 7 This Bitter Earth.
Jazz for a Christmas Present. July 2003. Savoy Jazz. (B0000AGWKQ). Featured on Vol. 2 track 2 Jingle Bells.
Jazz in an R&B Groove. March 2004. HighNote. (B0001I2C7A). Featured on track 6 This Bitter Earth.
Jazz Thats Soulfully Blue. February 2005. HighNote. (B0007N19J6). Featured on track 9 Sunday.
Jazz for the Wee Small Hours. April 2006. HighNote. (B000F1HGAG). Featured on track 6 You Go To My Head.
[1 Della Griffin. Musicmatch, Inc. 2004. 3 August 2006. http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/artist.cgi?ARTISTID=886881&TMPL=LONG
[2 John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 89.
[3 Joseph Ax. Jimmy Hill dies at 76; was well-known jazz musician. The Journal News. Gannett Co., Inc. 15 June 2004. 3B.
[4 Owen McNally. Local Jazz Artist Keeps Celebrating Many Talents of Women. The Hartford Courant. 3 September 1998. 8.
[5 Owen McNally. Harlem Legends Put Life In Park. The Hartford Courant. 23 July 1996. A4.
[6 Owen McNally. Veterans Revive Harlem Jazz And Blues. The Hartford Courant. 11 July 1995. A4.
[7 A Benefit for Della Griffin. all about Jazz.com. 14 January 2005. 3 August 2006. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/newsprint.php?id=5026
[8 A Benefit for Della Griffin. all about Jazz.com. 14 January 2005. 3 August 2006. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/newsprint.php?id=5026
[9 Ismael Rangel. Della Griffin. 3 August 2006. http://www.ddg.com/LIS/InfoDesignF96/Ismael/jazz/1980/Griffith.html
[10 A Benefit for Della Griffin. all about Jazz.com. 14 January 2005. 3 August 2006. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/newsprint.php?id=5026
[11 Historic Attractions: Lourdes of America. i love the bronx.com. 14 August 2006. http://www.ilovethebronx.com/thingstodo.cfm?prmCategoryIDs=17
[12 Greg Clary. Jazz lovers enjoy the Summer Breeze. The Journal News. Gannett Co., Inc. 24 July 2001. 3K.
[13 Barbara Kukla. Feast of music and food comes to Ivy Hill Jazz musician is star attraction. Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ). 5 August 1999. 1.
[14 Local Singer Celebrates the Life of Louis Armstrong in Musical Play. Fairfield Citizen News. 17 June 2005. Living section.
[15 Owen McNally. Traveling Trumpeter Brings Harlem Jazz to Bushnell Park. The Hartford Courant. 14 July 2000. D3.
[16 Owen McNally. Randy Johnston brings jazz-blues mix to 880 with DePalma trio. The Hartford Courant. 28 May 1992. 5.
Additional Sources:
Newark This Week: Coming Events. Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ). 15 May 2003. 2.
Della Griffin Lead singer of the Dell-Tones 1955-56. liveDaily. 3 August 2006. http://www.livedaily.com/artists/bio/195412.html
Tribute for Della Griffin. all about Jazz.com. 2006. 3 August 2006. http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=37&day=2006-6-21&c=1
W5: This Week Who What When Where Why. The Hartford Courant. 4 July 1999. G1.
Note: Article with photos, including exclusives, can be found at my website at: http://aaliyahremembered2.homestead.com/files/DellaGriffinBiography.pdf
William Sutherland is a published poet and writer. He is the author of three books, Poetry, Prayers & Haiku (1999), Russian Spring (2003) and Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person behind the Mystique (2005) and has been published in poetry anthologies around the world. He has been featured in Who’s Who in New Poets (1996), The International Who’s Who in Poetry (2004), and is a member of the International Poetry Hall of Fame. He is also a contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online encyclopedia.
African American Music The History Of
When I saw this title, I was afraid and Im still afraid regarding my opinion about the subject. The subject is complex and difficult so I cannot resolve it overnight. I am an African. I do things the African way. I cannot write about African American music like a Western scholar. In my culture we live the past and the future in the present. When I listen to some African American music I can feel the past, the present and the future all at the same time. Now, the best way for me to handle this subject is to work by questions and answers.
[Question Yaya! Who do you think you are?
Yaya Diallo - I don’t think! I am Farafin, which means I am a dark skin man. The word Africa is the Arabic name for our continent. In Bambara we call the so-called Africa Farafina. Farafina means the land of dark skin people. I am from Farafina and I am proud of it. I don’t want to be somebody else. People in general say African American. I would say American Farafin, which means dark skin human being who lives in America.
[Question What is your African background?
Yaya Diallo - I come from far away. I was born in 1946 in Fienso (French Sudan), now Mali. My parents were nomadic. When I was very young I used to travel a lot. I grew up in the bush far from any western civilization. The music that I heard was very traditional and played live. I did not have a radio or TV. I had the opportunity to listen to the music of the different ethnic groups from the Ivory Coast, Burkina and Ghana. In some villages I heard Muslim songs coming from the mosques. By night, I would enjoy the frog symphonic orchestras. From 1946 to 1960 I was living in complete nature. My musical training is a long story but you can learn more from my book The Healing Drum.
[Question What are your feelings about the civilized world?
Yaya Diallo - In the city I had strange feelings. I saw people listen to music through what I thought was two kinds of boxes. The first was a radio. You could change the singer with the tuning button, I thought. The second needed records. It read 78, 45 and 33 1/2. You had to adjust everything with something but I did not have a clue as to what. Even still, the only music that I heard was the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Johnny Holliday.
[Question What do you think about the word African American?
Yaya Diallo - Dark skin people living in America are not different from people I met in Africa (Farafina). To me they are just different ethnic groups like the Yoruba, the Bantou, the Zoulou or the Touareg. Africa is not one culture. We have thousands and thousands of languages and different music. My wife is an African American from Louisville, KY. Her mother is from Dark Corner, MS and her father from Jackson, TN. Like my wife and family there was one African American man, James Brown, who saved my life with his music.
[Question How can an African American man save the life of a traditional African?
Yaya Diallo - In 1967 I left my country to go to Montreal, Canada. On my way, in Paris, I saw a big picture of James Brown in the Olympia Theater. In my mind I thought, Oh! A black man in Olympia in Paris, France. In Montreal I was looking for a place to dance or listen to the music that I loved. One day I found a radio station that played black music. I heard James Brown and felt at home.
[Question What do you think about African American music?
Yaya Diallo - I always say that I don’t think, I feel. When we talk about African American music we talk about Spirituals, Blues, Funk, Jazz, Gospel, Rap, dance music, etc. I want to talk on each one by one.
When people in Canada were dancing the twist, jerk and go-go, in my country a French man named Johnny Holliday was playing bad versions of Wilson Pickett and Ray Charles music in French. In America I found out this French man was a robber. He stole the music, sang it in French and looked like a genius for us Africans.
[Question What did you feel when you started to dance?
Yaya Diallo - I used to go out to dance to Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Sly and the Family Stones music. For me they were Africans. They had good beats, good feelings and most important, African Soul. I did not feel that from Chinese or European music. In the 70s I discovered the Funk music, The O’Jays, Parliament, Ohio Players, Kool and the Gang and JR Walker and the All Stars. I felt I was at home when I knew the Motown Family (Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations and Stevie Wonder). I could survive because I had those kinds of musicians.
[Question In terms of music, what is the link between African and African Americans?
Yaya Diallo - African Americans are Africans from the village and sadly they just don’t know it! When you listen to the music you can find out. Kool and The Gang played Funky Stuff. When you listen to the drum part you will get the Dounouba part of the dance Sounou. Sounou was played in the 15th century and today is the dance young people love. In Africa we learn the past in the present and teach it to the next generation. The African Americans sometimes do not know how African they are.
[Question Why can you say that they are African?
Yaya Diallo - The first time I heard the Four Tops I thought I was listening to the Bambara Farmers in the evening after a hard working day. The Temptations reminded me of the men Fire dancers and singers. I can listen to Temptations but I am afraid to see them. I am not initiated to the Fire dance and the music brings out memories about the secret ceremonies that happened afar in the village. Aretha Franklin is for me a great Djeli-mousso coming from the Empire of Mali in the 13th century. When I listen to African American music I don’t worry about the meaning, only what I feel.
[Question What do you think about Jazz?
Yaya Diallo - Really, to tell the truth, I don’t feel jazz. Many people coming from Africa feel the same way. I learned about jazz in 1980 when I recorded my first album, Nangape, on Onzou Records. That opened the door for me with jazz. Jazz magazines like Cadence and Down Beat wrote articles on me like I was a jazz man. I was invited to do workshops at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY. I met jazz big names like Art Blakey. He said, Yaya is the only African that I can jazz, that I can play with and be comfortable. I completed a trio with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell in the Symphony Space in New York.
[Question What about Gospel?
Yaya Diallo - To me gospel means religion or church but my father-in-law changed my mind. When going to church with him I saw a big band and a big choir. People were singing and I forgot that I was in church. I was surprised; I saw ladies in a trance like in my village but they called it shouting. This reminded me of the Mania Secret Society where only woman go into a trance when praising god (See The Healing Drum).
[Question What is rap?
Yaya Diallo - I love rap! I use to lie about buying rap and say that it was for my children. Rap is the old tradition of the Fulani people in Mali. It tells life stories through poetry that is recited quickly. Nomadic people have to explain their daily journey through this same quick form, but without the foul language. Today, the young people think that they have reinvented the wheel.
[Question Yaya, what is wrong with African American music today?
Yaya Diallo - Today everything is easy. Instead of buying a drum set you buy a drum machine. Computers do everything. You can get almost every sound by pressing a button. This is the type of world that we live in today. The young Africans love it like we used to love James Brown. Time is the only thing that has changed!
[Question How did African American music change American Society?
Yaya Diallo - We changed everything! We changed the style of dance; we created new sounds, new styles, and new way to dress … EVERYTHING! Country music is the white version of the Blues. Rock-n-roll comes from our music. People forget that Jimmie Hendricks was a Blues player that just changed his sound and look. Without James Brown, Sly and Family Stone and the Motown Family there would be no Madonna, no Celiene Dion, no techno, and no disco. African Americans brought this to the world. It is sad because people do not recognize it. We changed the world and it will never be the same again.
[Question How do people know you in America?
Yaya Diallo - I am the author of two books, The Healing Drum and At the Threshold of the African Soul. I have four CDs, Nanagape, The Healing Drum, Dombaa Folee, and Dounoukan. I thank Onzou Records, the first company that trusted me to make my first album in 1980. That was not easy!
The History of African American Music by Malian musician/author Yaya Diallo was written to celebrate Black History Month. The article is translated into English by LaKesha Churn and edited for English grammar and clarification by Stephen Conroy, Producer/Publisher of the independent label to first produce Yaya Diallo in 1980 on Onzou records, http://www.onzou.com
Microsoft’s Zune Will It Be Able To Compete With IPod
Finally Microsoft has declared that it will be going to launch its own music player named Zune. Confirming weeks of rumors, Microsoft revealed that it will launch music software and player under the Zune brand name.
According to Chris Stephenson general manager marketing, Microsoft is working on a new music and entertainment project called Zune and under Zune brand they will deliver an array of hardware and software products. He also confirmed that the first of the series will hit the market later this year.
The initial Zune device will have a wi-fi and use a hard drive to store music. Revealing further Stephenson said, we see a great opportunity to bring technology and community to allow consumers to explore and discover music together.
Competition reaction
Apple and RealNetworks representatives so far have declined to comment on Microsoft announcements.
On the other hand Napster spokeswoman said that the company isnt worried about competing with Microsoft. We have held our position as number tow service through launch of MSN and Urge and a host of others, She said.
Experts in the industry are not convinced yet whether Microsoft will able to bring the integrated and seamless experience provided by the partnership of iTunes and I-Pod.
It is the first of many such announcements relating the product for music industry, where Apple has maintained its lead over both selling the music player and downloadable music business. It has sold over 58 million iPods and more than a billion songs.
Alan Scott is a geek, he follows technology across the globe and writes article featuring technological issues for write term papers. You can contact him for college term papers. Get the latest technology newsletter from write term papers
How To Read Guitar Tabs
Have you had trouble learning how to read guitar tabs? Learning how to read guitar tabs is really quite easy. With this simple tutorial you will know how to read guitar tabs in no time
First let me explain to you what the numbers on guitar tabs represent. This is the key to basic understanding of guitar tabs!
One of the basic guitar tabs you’ll see might look something like this:
Intro: (Play 12 times) - (The Intro To Enter Sandman)
======
1———————————————————————————-
2———————————————————————————
3———————————————————————————-
4————5———————————————————————
5——–7———————7—————————————————
6—-0————-6—–5——————————————————–
#1 represents your high E string, the thinnest string on the guitar and the highest pitched. This is the string closest to your input jack.
#2 represents your B string, which is one lower than the High E.
#3 represents your G string, which is one lower than the B string.
#4 represents your D string (one lower than the B)
#5 represents your A string (one lower than the D)
#6 represents your low E string, or the string with the lowest pitch. This is the string furthest from your input jack.
Now the numbers 1-6 on the left represent your strings. I’m sure you’re wondering how to read the other numbers now.
When you see a 0 on a tab, you should read this as playing the open string. This means that you don’t touch any fret.
In the case above, you would read the 0 as telling you to play the low E string open, or without touching any fret.
Why the low E string? Because as you can see, the 0 is in the same row as the low E string.
The next number you read is a 7. You should read that as telling you to fret the 7th fret on the guitar. This means to press the A string down 7 frets from the head stock of the guitar. The headstock of the guitar is the part that has the tuning keys, the bean shaped metal pieces that you use to turn your guitar.
Then the next number is a 5. Can you guess what string to press the fret down? It is the D string, and you should read that as telling you to press the 5ft fret from the head stock.
That is it! That is what a basic tab looks like. There are more advanced techniques that I hope to get to later, but this should give you enough info to know how to read some basic guitar tabs. Now you still might not understand how to read complicated guitar tabs.
Complicated tabs are tough for anyone. One issue with guitar tabs is that it is difficult to learn is how to play rhythm, or the pace of the songs that you are trying to learn how to play and read.
One book that I have found useful in learning how to play the rhythm of guitar tabs The Beginner’s Guide To Unlocking The Guitar. It will teach you not only learning how to read tabs, but also how to play full songs, solo, how to learn correct posture, how to jump start your music career, and how to play difficult songs, all in one weekend, no joke! If you are sick of spending tons of money on guitar tutors like I was, I would highly recommend trying it out for a weekend, because there’s no risk at all, if you don’t like it just return it.
I hope I helped you learn how to read guitar tabs!
Greg Duncan is a guitar enthusiast and sexy beast because he knows how to play guitar. He has wowed his friends and family by learning how to play guitar in one weekend with The Beginner’s Guide to Unlocking the Guitar. For more free tutorials and info on how you can learn how to play guitar in one weekend Click Here
Mozart
Even after two centuries since his death, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart remains as one of the most famous and highly influential composers the world has ever seen. His enormous output of Classical music spans over six hundred compositions, including several works that have become seminal pieces of symphonic, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. Today, there are many Mozart compositions that are still a staple of standard concert repertoire.
Mozart is also unique in the sense that it is rare among composers to have their lives celebrated outside the boundaries of their art. But Mozarts own life was the subject of many myths and controversies, some of them so colorful that they have become the subject matter of countless biographies and even stage plays and films.
Some say Mozarts life was so colorful because none of his biographers knew him personally and, as such, had to resort to supposition and fabrication in the absence of real fact. Historians have pointed out the fact that many of the myths surrounding Mozart actually started after his death. There is the belief that Mozart composed his Requiem for himself, but that has neither been confirmed nor denied by the many Mozart scholars who continue to study his life to this day.
One famous story revolves around the supposedly heated rivalry between Mozart and Antonio Salieri. There has been some speculation that Mozart died from poison that was supplied by Salieri. This is precisely the subject of Aleksandr Pushkin’s play Mozart and Salieri as well as Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera Mozart and Salieri. Lastly, this subject was also touched upon by Peter Shaffer in his play Amadeus, which was later made into a feature-length film of the same name. In 1984, the film won eight Academy Awards and was one of the years most popular films. But beyond that, the movie created a new generation of Mozart fans.
Then, there is the portrayal of Mozart as a kind of superhuman prodigy who showed musical genius from childhood to his death. There may be some truth in that. Many of Mozarts early compositions became hugely popular, include the motet Exultate, which Mozart composed when he was seventeen years old.
Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Arts, Recreation, and Jewelry
Aerobic Music Download
Those of us who like to do aerobics would be bored if it were not for Aerobic Music. Fortunately today there are many sites on the internet that allow us to do an Aerobic Music Download.
There are the free download sites and of course there are many Membership sites. You can download tapes you can burn Music on a CD or you can order Videos. Music is very popular and you soon learn very competitive. For a while with Napster it was very controversial.
What kind of aerobic music download should you do? Well that really depends on what you do with tempo and pace. But there on one thing most everyone agrees on it must be a 32 beat format. You have to be careful because sometimes you may be sold a different beat that will not work as well.
The other thing is what will be your use of the Aerobic Music Download. Remember that Aerobic covers a wide range of aerobic exercise, from class aerobics in a gym, to swimming, water aerobics, pumping iron or jogging or walking to name a few. I like to walk and you probably see a bunch of us jogging or walking with headphones on. Music makes the workout enjoyable and also it does not seem so long.
What that tells you about aerobic music is that it is most of the time enjoyable and motivating. You want it to be that. Some say they like their aerobic music download must to be hot. If you go to a gym you will notice that the instructor usually start with a slow tempo and then builds it up so that by the end it is hot.
So what this means is when you do an aerobic music download first make it what ever you like, choose your tempo, and enjoy your workout. It can be any style of music, Jazz, Country, Latino, etc..
On this site we provide you with internet links where you can get aerobic information and where to do an aerobic music download.
Al Villa is a retired Judge and internet entrepreneur. He loves to write articles and you can use them as free content provded you include the whole article and this resource box with this hot link: Lose Weight Fast
Country Music Lyrics
Developed as an amalgamation of various musical forms, country music has a huge fan following across the globe. Country music enthusiasts are divided loosely into two sects. The first contains those people who listen to this melodious form for entertainment. The second and the more serious are those who follow country music as a form of art.
Country music lyrics have played a huge part in bringing the music to its present successful stage. The simple and flowing words of country music describe the day-to-day lives of the average American. Not every body identifies with Brad Pitt or Madonna, but you can empathize with the simple characters described in country music. An average working class American citizen relates to the beautiful depiction of relationships, touching loneliness or poverty.
Earlier commercial forms of country music copied ballad or folk music. The lyrics depicted the lives of Americans in earlier days, using a fiddler to deliver the message. A good example of this was fiddling John Carsons 1924 hit Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane.
Country music lyrics beautifully portrayed the romantic version of a vast span of lonesome prairies. People loved the image of a singing cowboy galloping on a steed singing and working hard on a sunny day. Singers like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers boosted the image of country music tremendously by including beautiful lyrics in their songs.
The lyrics in country music are often repeated as a catchy melodious phrase by a chorus, and composers usually write tunes that are 150 words or less.
Country Music provides detailed information on Country Music, Country Music Lyrics, Country Music CDs, Country Music Videoes and more. Country Music is affiliated with Classical Music Downloads.
The History Of The Electric Guitar
The popularity of the electric guitar began in the big band era when guitarists needed to amplify their instruments to compete with the large brass sections found in most jazz orchestras. In the beginning, electric guitars were primarily made up of hollow archtop acoustic bodies with electromagnetic transducers attached, to convert the sound into electricity for amplification.
Some of the earliest electric guitars, then just hollow bodied acoustic instruments used pickups made of tungsten, and the guitars themselves were manufactured by Rickenbacker in the 30s. In 1935, Rickenbacker manufactured a solid bodied electric guitar made from Bakelite, which was nicknamed The Frying Pan for its shape.
In the early 1940s, after working after hours at a Gibson Guitar factory, guitarist Les Paul created a guitar consisting of a simple 4×4 wood post with a neck attached to it, homemade pickups and hardware, and two detachable Swedish hollow body halves attached to the sides for appearance only. He called it his log guitar, and is considered to be the first of its kind. The solid body Les Paul guitar sold by Gibson in 1952 does not share its design or its hardware.
In 1950 and 51, Leo Fender designed the first guitar to be commercially successful. Originally named the Esquire, it featured a single magnetic pickup, with the two-pickup version being called the Broadcaster; this was later renamed to Telecaster in homage of the television. The telecaster featured an ash body, 21 frets and a bolt-on neck, which allowed for cost effective and easy manufacturing or replacement.
In 1954, Fender introduced perhaps one of the most recognised guitars of all time, the Fender Stratocaster, or simply the Strat; known for its double cut-away body design, 3 pick-ups and synchronized tremolo mechanism. Leo Fender is also credited for the design of the commercially successful Fender Precision Bass, first introduced in 1951.
The electric guitar achieved wide popularity in the 1960s; with the success of guitar-based pop groups. Electric guitars were soon being manufactured by individuals and companies all over the world, often as copies, and became available to the keen amateur as well as the professional musician.
Electric guitars are now seen in many genres of music, from Rock to Surf, over to Ska and Punk. Fender and Gibson, perhaps the two biggest guitar manufacturers of all, have helped inspire nearly three generations to learn or get in touch with music, and they will continue to do so for a long time to come.
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Learn To Play The Electric Guitar