4 Ways To Get Top Beat Instrumentals
Good beat instrumentals are an essential part of any budding artist’s toolkit. For many, getting lyrics and a basic melody down is one thing, but it’s not until you have some great beats holding the tune together and driving it forward that you really feel you’ve made a quality track.
Adding or changing your rhythm bed can make an average track exceptional.
So, now the sixty four thousand dollar question…
How do I get myself quality beat instrumentals?
Well, you have several options.
For the sake of time let’s presume that option one - hiring someone to produce some for you is not really an option. Let’s face it - it’s expensive and you cold pay a fortune just to get some beats for one of your tracks - but hey - you’re on a roll and have several tunes you want to complete, don’t you?
So, let’s look at the other options.
There are several advantages of joining a membership programme that provides you with ready made, licensed and ready to use beats. Not only are you likely to get something that will work for the track you’re already working on; you can also listen to the other beats and get some inspirations for future projects.
PLUS - One particular site has fantastic bonuses for its members - like A&R/industry contact numbers and addresses, free membership to an exclusive forum with other artists so you can learn even more tricks of the trade from them. This forum is also frequented by significant players in the industry - they’re silent but there - waiting to discover the next Mary J.
Of course - the more experienced you become, the more likely you are to have a strong idea of what you want your beats to sound like, and you will want to create them yourself. Although it sounds like a complicated process, there is now great quality and cheap software you can buy that will give you everything you need to produce the best beats - that are all you own.
I hope these tip have helped - if you want to check out the number one membership site for beat instrumentals, that gives you over 100,000 fully licensed beats and all the bonuses listed above for a one time fee of $35 for full lifetime access then go to http://beats.secrets-uncovered.info
If you need some great value and comprehensive software (plus tuition videos) to create or customize your beat instrumentals ($35 one time payment). Then go to http://make-beats.secrets-uncovered.info
Yo Is Rap Just Another Four Letter Word?
Flaunting any excessive or anti-social behavior is considered brazen. When it is no longer considered brazen it is proof that it has become embedded as part of our culture. Not to say this is a good thing, after all headhunting was considered a cultural norm in some societies. The question to ask here may be, was rap ever truly a part of our culture? Will it eventually run out of steam and go the way of things like doing the twist, afro haircuts or break dancing? I for one would argue that it is not truly a part of the American cultural scene, but is a forced, twisted and contrived money machine that appeals to only the basest passions of the youth in our country.
Long before the gangsta element slid over to hip hop the reasoning for the whole genre and style was generally purported to be, to show what life in the hood was like. That worked for a while and it even drew more sympathy from the otherwise estranged. But as lower passions would have it, the style and language of rap began more and more to take on a life and purpose of its own, namelysex. If by some magic stroke sex were temporarily extricated from every rappers thoughts and vocabulary, the entire industry would collapse quicker than the stock market in 1929. Now thats brazen!
Referring to rappers as artist and giving them full press doesnt guarantee that it is really an art form, all it says is that its here. But was it here before? Does it really have anything to do with the African American background, culture or heritage? I propose that it does not. Very few whites have succeeded in rap but even that does not prove that it is necessarily a black cultural thing. Growing up as a boy there were only two black families in our town. One of the boys from those families was my best friend. But to say that gave me even a basic knowledge of the African American culture would be an exaggeration. Later I arrived in the city of New Orleans just after the civil rights laws were passed. My exposure to the black culture increased exponentially. Finally I attended two seminaries the last of which was part of the National Baptist Convention a purely African American denomination. What I discovered about the African American culture will always be one of the greatest excursions of my entire life.
Our entire class would sit before some of the most dignified black gentlemen, professors and wait for the streams of their thoughts, opinion and knowledge to flow down to us. Most exciting was when they shifted their emphasis away from the curriculum and began to divulge elements of their private lives and their past. Life in New Orleans as a black man or women was no easy thing. Stories of their upbringing and their struggles would leave anyone with their heart in their throat. These old gentlemen for me were living examples of courage dignity and the best human qualities. What I learned about black culture in short is this. African Americans have a deep and ancient past; they are people with a lasting heritage.
I am sure that the blatant indulgence of sexual descriptive and four letter words that is raps most prevalent aspect, is not part of their ancient culture and history. It does not accurately depict their culture, their history or any other part of their experience. I dont think my protesting is such a big deal. But Id guess that if my old seminary professors could see and hear todays rap, you would hear the roar raising up from their graves and billowing down many an American avenue.
Rev Bresciani has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote, Hook Line and Sinker or What has Your Church Been Teaching You, published by PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book recently released by Xulon Press entitled An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ. Rev Bresciani has his own website at http://americanprophet.org
Visual Kei As A Music World Vision
Visual Kei appears to be frequently used in videos and grab audiences attentions. Visual Kei followers are characterised by a rather stunning, although freak appearance of a striking make-up and elaborate costumes, causing a shock effect.
To recall, for instance, Merlyn Manson, who is among few to follow the style in the US. The trend is popular among modern bands, irrespective of rumours, suggesting that the style suffered no popularity in the USA and Europe. The Visual Kei style is peculiar of the tradition to wear relevant make-up and clothing always and everywhere.
The style is credited to have started in Japan in late 80ies through early 90ies as a result of the gothic styles influence. The word visual originates from English; the kei word is what Japanese name for style. The X-Japan and the Buck-Tick are believed to pose as catalysts of the movement. Their followers, including Luna Sea, Melice Mizer, Glay, LArc~en~Ciel, Dir en grey, Pierro are engaged in encouraging boom of Visual Kei media culture.
Each band seeks to vary from a similar one through creating gorgeous and insane images. Though a vast majority of the musicians are male, bend members would often give a priority to make-up and clothing, considered as feminine, which has nothing to do with their sexual orientation, but a combination of visual gothic elements and Japanese cultural traditions. Which is why Japanese gigs often resemble fascinating theatre performances.
Notably, the ancient Japanese Kabuki theatre involved actors, among staff, to play womens parts. Thus, a j-rocker, wearing a lovely pink dress and having his hair styled into violet locks, wrapped around with numerous fillets should cause no astonishment.
Presently, Visual Kei remains as a diverse, ever growing music culture.
Article source: Visual Kei as a music world vision. Music Babylon is a site which gives you access to huge database of music lyrics, lively music forum and some articles about different aspects of single Music.
3 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Music Lessons
Whether you are using a book, video, a real live human, or online lessons, keep these pointers in mind in order to get the most out our your studies.
1. Complete and master each section before moving on to the next: As you work through your studies make sure you have each new technique or idea conquered before moving on to the next. Lessons are planned to build upon each other and trying to rush through without fully understanding one will just lead to frustration and wasted efforts.
2. Study as if you were in school. Do some homework every night. If all you have is 15 minutes then use those 15 minutes. If you dont have time to read/watch and apply then do the application of your last lesson or drills such as scales and chords. Reading/watching and not having the opportunity to apply immediately will usually mean you have to relearn your lesson. Take notes. Especially if youre watching a video or working with a human. Also dont be afraid to write all over your workbooks and sheet music.
3. Apply what youve learned: Play for others. Your church, your family, that spare piano sitting in your favorite department store (ask first). Nothing drives a music lesson home better than a recital. It will also magnify what you need to work on.
These tips work whether your a child or an adult. Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful activity.
K Quinn has been playing the piano for 10 years. She picked up the guitar 5 years ago and both for her church. Visit her website at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us for more church musician tools and tips.
Hip Hop Music
Hip Hop music is popular with today’s youth. The Hip Hop audience ranges in age from the very young to the seasoned at heart. The messages in the music are clear and often depict life in the real world. Most artist use their own life experiences to tell stories that reflect what their world is like. Hip Hop music is a venue that gives the artist an opportunity to tell it like it is. Many of today’s youth find that through the sounds and messages of Hip Hop they are able to see reflections of themselves and the world around them.
Although some of the messages conveyed by Hip Hop are viewed as negative, it must be understood that the lyrics in these songs are someone’s reality. Hip Hop artist sing about what they have seen and many of their personal experiences. Unfortunately, many of their experiences are not so pretty. Other Hip Hop songs carry a positive message and force the listener to think and dream beyond their current situation. Hip Hop music has taken America by a storm and it will continue to influence our youth. We must all these free expression and the growth of Hip Hop music because what we hear is relative to what’s going on in the world today.
GMP Records, Inc. http://www.godmadeitpossible4me.com also check out http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deepcover
How To Buy A Classical Guitar Tips And Hints To Help You Make A Good Purchase
Purchasing a classical guitar can be a difficult task particularly if you are not yet an accomplished player. Here are some tips and hints on finding a good quality classical guitar whether it is in the hundred dollar range or the thousand dollar range.
If you are have ever gone into a well stocked guitar shop you have no doubt been confused by the selection of guitars. There are literally hundreds of shapes, sizes brands and types of guitars. And the price can range from a hundred dollars to several thousand. .If you are a beginner, judging the sound quality can be difficult to do because your ear is not yet highly trained. Here are some tips to help you make a good choice.
When in a guitar shop and looking at the guitars you should always ask a sales person to help you. This way you can take guitars down and play them. If you cannot play very well you should ask the sales clerk to play for you so you can get a feel for the sound of the different guitars. If the sales clerk doesnt play you should ask if there is someone working in the shop that does play. As a last resort you should even ask other customers in the store. Not listening to the different guitars is like shopping for a car but never test driving any of them. Guitars have very different feels and tones and you should listen to a lot of them to get a sense of what you like. Dont be bashful in this respect. Guitarists are usually a very gregarious bunch and a guitarist will almost always jump at the chance to play for someone else. If you dont yet play well and you cant find somebody to play for you I recommend you not purchase a guitar. You should come back another time when someone is available to play or you can bring a friend who knows how to play.
Check the size and shape of the guitar
Classical Guitars, of course, come in different sizes and shapes and you should sit with a wide variety of them to get a feeling for what is comfortable to you. Your body shape has an effect on this. If you are over six feet tall the smaller guitars might not be comfortable for you and the fret board may be uncomfortable for your hands. So even if you cant play music you should always hold and sit with the guitars to get a sense of how the different ones feel.
Check the mechanics and playability of the guitar
Here are several things you should do when considering the purchase of a classical guitar.
1. Play every note on every string all the way up and down. Listen for frets that dont play properly. They will give a rattling sound and if this occurs on any fret at all you should put the guitar aside and try another one. This is a sign of inferior quality. Every string should play cleanly on every single fret.
2. Check the action of the strings against the frets in terms of how much pressure is needed to play notes and chords. You should play bar chords all the way down the frets to insure good pressure. If it is too hard to press the strings in order to make a clear chord this could be a sign of an inferior guitar.
3. Play harmonics on the strings. This is an excellent test of the quality of the guitar. Playing harmonics is the technique of plucking the note with your right hand and only lightly touching the string with your left hand. Test the harmonics of all the strings on the 5th, 7th, 12th and 19th frets. If you do not know how to play harmonic notes ask the sales clerk to help you.
4. Examine and test the tuning pegs. Do they look clean and sharp? Wind and unwind them while watching and feeling for smooth turning motion.
5. Visually examine the whole guitar. Look it over very carefully from front to back and top to bottom. Are there any small cracks? Are the frets firmly installed into the fret board? Are there any cracks or glue exposed around the bridge?
6. Tap on the front of the guitar (The sound board) in a variety of different spots. Does it have a rich echoing sound or are there spots where it sounds dead and limp? The internal structure of the classical guitar is very important for the sound and important for the longevity of it. Dull thud sounds could be an indicator of an inferior instrument.
7. Examine the details. Look at the purfling around the edge. This is the decorated pattern that goes around the full body where the soundboard or face meets the sides of the guitar. Is it accurately laid in? If this has variations and inconsistencies it is a good sign that the guitar is of inferior quality.
8. Dont hesitate to take a good look inside the guitar sound hole. You will see wooden braces in there. Do they look straight, accurate and well placed? If you see sloppy globs of dried glue around these braces it could be an indicator of inferior craftsmanship.
9. Remember that there are three distinct areas you must consider when purchasing a classical guitar: The Look, The Feel, and the Sound. If you keep all three of these things in mind and carefully examine the guitar in relation to these you will be able to choose an instrument that will bring you a lifetime of trouble free playing enjoyment.
A Classical Guitar is a purchase that can give you a lifetime of enjoyment and you should consider the purchase carefully. Even if you dont plan on playing every day you should buy an instrument that is of good quality so it will maintain its sound quality for a lifetime. And to do this you dont need to spend thousands of dollars you just need to know how to identify a well made guitar.
Will Kalif is the author of two self-published epic fantasy novels. You can download free samples of his work at his personal website:
Storm The Castle - Creativity and Fantasy with an edge
Or you can visit his site devoted to classical guitar at:
The Classical Guitarist
Am I Damaging My Voice?
Perhaps you have sensed that something is wrong with your voice but are unable to identify the problem. You may feel soreness when singing or afterwards. You are able to sing notes some days but unable to sing those same notes other days. You may have lost a portion of your range completely. What is normal and what is not? Let me tell you
When your throat feels tight or hoarse it is because incorrect vocal cord adjustments occur when moving from one note to the next. Support is lacking, such as breath, to produce sound correctly. Power, fullness and style are attempted by shouting, pushing or forcing the sound into place. Your body is tight when singing causing your throat to become restricted. This produces vocal cord damage. You may grow nodes on your vocal cords; lose a portion of your voice or all of it, permanently.
The main culprit is a lack of balance between the individual components necessary for singing. These include your mental thoughts while singing, correct posture, breath, tone production, vocal cord adjustments, understanding chest and head registers, resonant sound, and creative expression used to create your distinct style.
Many singers focus on scales only. Doing scales that are redundant or isolated from other areas needing focus will result in some areas being over-developed while other areas remain un-developed. Yes, scales are extremely important and need to be practiced on a regular basis. These simple routine exercises will greatly improve the quality of your voice. When first beginning to sing, focus may be on scales in order to develop precision when producing sound and to make the act of singing look and feel effortless. Once mastered, this allows you to get the most results with the least amount of effort. If scales, however, are the only thing you are doing, you are wasting your time. You need to know how to activate and build every aspect of singing and deactivate everything that is not used to produce the desired sound. This may appear to be common sense but with conflicting information available, most find it confusing. You must maintain a balance between each component in order to reach your full singing potential in a safe and healthy manner.
Those who experience damage often rely on improper instruction, copy singing techniques from other singers whose training is not appropriate for them, or worse, are self-teaching themselves through CDs and books. None of these methods allow you to identify your specific problem areas. They provide general information for all voice types whether they are male or female, sing high or low, soft or loud etc. They use buzz words and terms making their explanations difficult to understand and apply. While CDs and books can greatly enhance the learning process, the opposite is true if they are not used correctly. If you are relying on these methods, you are playing a dangerous game.
While it may be common for your throat to feel strained while singing in groups, such as choirs, it is not normal. This happens when you cannot hear yourself clearly and attempt to be heard by singing over other voices or instruments. You may adjust your singing style in order to blend with the group. To alleviate this, work on your material individually allowing imbalances that are occurring and unable to be heard by the conductor due to the group environment to be corrected before bad habits form and damage takes place.
So what is normal? When you learn to sing in a way different from what you are used to you will engage muscles that feel unfamiliar. If you currently sing with tension in the throat you could feel the jaw muscles as you learn to redirect the sound. This may happen during class time which is focused and intense. This is normal and safe when monitored by a professional. If, however, the tension continues when practicing on your own you may be causing damage. To help relieve this, practice for shorter periods of time, such as 15 minute intervals. Sing at a softer volume until your voice is conditioned allowing you to sing louder. If you hold tension in your body you will project that tension to new areas as you learn to sing correctly. This is normal but difficult to overcome for those who sing primarily from their intellect. The tension will be elevated once a solid foundation for singing has been achieved. If your throat feels dry it may be due to the constant flow of air passing through the vocal cords and windpipe. Drink lots of water to minimize this. If it persists, see a doctor. At times you may feel you are not progressing or progressing as quickly as you would like. This is normal for most singers. You will hit plateaus where additional work is needed to break through the block. As your technique improves these temporary problems will be eliminated.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated about understanding voice damage. Having a voice that sounds good is different from having a voice that is healthy and that functions correctly. Many singers give up just as they begin to make noticeable progress and fall back into old harmful habits. They hold onto outdated ideas and resist breaking through barriers that will elevate them to a higher level. You can achieve all your singing goals and build a stronger and healthier voice in the process. Dont give up!
Donna Flynn
Vocal Coach, Toronto
http://www.vocalcoach.ca
416-436-8063
Donna has developed a complete mind / body / spirit / voice method designed to access the power from the body to eliminate any pressure that may prohibit us from singing our best. She combines specific rhythms and music patterns along with exercises designed to building proper breath support while gently working the entire vocal range, top to bottom. The voice has the fullness needed to express a song in any style desired. She no longer worries about pitch, range or power as she was able to relax and let things happen instinctively rather then force them to happen. You will too!
She now passes that knowledge on to others interested in understanding and developing their own distinct sound.
Donna is a member of SOCAN.
Hip Hop Music
Hip Hop music is popular with today’s youth. The Hip Hop audience ranges in age from the very young to the seasoned at heart. The messages in the music are clear and often depict life in the real world. Most artist use their own life experiences to tell stories that reflect what their world is like. Hip Hop music is a venue that gives the artist an opportunity to tell it like it is. Many of today’s youth find that through the sounds and messages of Hip Hop they are able to see reflections of themselves and the world around them.
Although some of the messages conveyed by Hip Hop are viewed as negative, it must be understood that the lyrics in these songs are someone’s reality. Hip Hop artist sing about what they have seen and many of their personal experiences. Unfortunately, many of their experiences are not so pretty. Other Hip Hop songs carry a positive message and force the listener to think and dream beyond their current situation. Hip Hop music has taken America by a storm and it will continue to influence our youth. We must all these free expression and the growth of Hip Hop music because what we hear is relative to what’s going on in the world today.
GMP Records, Inc. http://www.godmadeitpossible4me.com also check out http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deepcover
Acid Mothers Temple And The Occasion Music Review
Ah, the ecstasy of a live Acid Mothers Temple show. I don’t get excited about seeing bands much anymore. That’s not true for this band. If you’ve never seen them, you must seek them out!
OK, this was maybe the loudest show I have ever seen at the Casbah. Maybe one of the loudest shows I’ve ever seen. My ears rang for 2 days. Often the drums would disappear even though you could see Koji Shimura hitting rolls with abandon.
Tabata from Zeni Geva plays bass on this tour and he was loud as sh*t. Also, he was excellent as can be! Playing mean riffs at a steady clip. Short mean, powerful licks.
There is nothing like seeing the brothers of Kawabata and Higashi onstage together. They have been playing in AMT together for 10 years. All the lineup changes in AMT never affect these 2 folk. They are the heart of the collective. These Japanese men have been doing this underground thing for years. Multiple albums and labels and lineups and sattelite projects later they arrive at the Casbah to sear the perfect ears of the chosen on Sunday night.
The magic spirit that Kawabata claims is the cosmos speaking through him fired through the set. It started with Kawabata playing a guitar on a stand to strum and the one around his neck. He hung his guitat from wire on the ceiling and played a wah pedal. Higashi played the synth and guitar.
Pink Lady Lemonade is their live backbreaker. You need to find an mp3 of it. It’s maybe their most accesible song. They played for more than 90 minutes though their rider included 120 - 180 minutes available for them. Maybe that’s why there were only 2 bands on the bill.
They shared the bill with The Occassion from New York. These guys just put out their second album on Say Yeah. You can check out a review of it at http://www.pitchforkmedia.com. It was an interesting set up with a girl playing tape loops through effect pedals, wurlitzer, bass, guitar and drums. Hearing three different singers was nice. I would have liked to hear them sing together some though. The main singer sounds a lot like Pall Jenkins from Black Heart.
Blog San Diego is an online resource for live music reviews, cd reviews, music news & features.
Hip Hop Music
Hip Hop music is popular with today’s youth. The Hip Hop audience ranges in age from the very young to the seasoned at heart. The messages in the music are clear and often depict life in the real world. Most artist use their own life experiences to tell stories that reflect what their world is like. Hip Hop music is a venue that gives the artist an opportunity to tell it like it is. Many of today’s youth find that through the sounds and messages of Hip Hop they are able to see reflections of themselves and the world around them.
Although some of the messages conveyed by Hip Hop are viewed as negative, it must be understood that the lyrics in these songs are someone’s reality. Hip Hop artist sing about what they have seen and many of their personal experiences. Unfortunately, many of their experiences are not so pretty. Other Hip Hop songs carry a positive message and force the listener to think and dream beyond their current situation. Hip Hop music has taken America by a storm and it will continue to influence our youth. We must all these free expression and the growth of Hip Hop music because what we hear is relative to what’s going on in the world today.
GMP Records, Inc. http://www.godmadeitpossible4me.com also check out http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deepcover