Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

Back when I started recording at home in 2001, I had a Pentium 3 550 Mhz computer with 384 MB of Ram. I recorded a number of projects on the 9GB hard drive until I eventually added a 40GB hard drive to the equation. I was quite limited in what I could do on that computer, but I was limited by a number of factors. The biggest limiting factor at that time was not the power of my PC, but my recording engineering skills.

A few years later, I was able to build myself a AMD based pc with a XP 2000 processor. This computer had 512 MB of DDR Ram. When I finally got this computer setup properly, I was amazed at what I could do. I was able to record over 50 tracks at once. The computer would get a little bogged down if I was really pushing it, but that seldom happened.

I guess before I get too deep into this article, I should discuss what I’m doing with my recording computer. While I have went through various phases throughout the years, these days I’m not using any midi or virtual instruments. Everything I do involves recording a track that started out as some sort of analog signal (either from a mic or a line in) and goes to my computer. I’m mixing in the box. I use my fair share of plugins from time to time and I’ve done some extremely complicated mixes. Guys using a sampler or a VSTi or any other virtual instruments may want to ignore this article. Anyone doing this sort of production will want the most powerful computer they can afford.

Just recently, I went ahead and upgraded my recording computer to an AMD Athlon 64 2800 with 1 GB of RAM. This computer is quite a bit faster than my previous computer. It certainly renders down mixes much quicker than my previous audio recording computer did. Unfortunately, my mixes do not sound any better. Upgrading to this computer was kind of like upgrading my recording chair. It’s more comfortable and does allow me to get more work done, but in the end, it doesn’t really improve the final product directly.

If you are looking for your first recording computer, you should put some thought into what you are going to be doing with it. If you think there is a possibility of using virtual instruments, I’d highly recommend that you go for a beast. If you don’t expect to be using a sequencer, then you can save some cash by using an older machine. Any XP 2000 era computer dedicated to audio recording should do just fine while you learn how to engineer. Trust me, you have a lot to learn, and it will be a long time before you max out the audio capabilities of a computer even 3 years old.

It’s extremely important that you setup a recording computer properly. One of the main reason that I have no problem using a 3 year old computer is because I keep it clean. I’m not talking about dust, dirt or grime. I’m talking about keeping Windows clean. If a computer starts to get a little sluggish, this tells me that it’s time to back everything up and format the computer. I have no problem with reinstalling windows every few months on my home computer and if my audio recording computer needs it, I’ll do the same. I do not install any piece of software that is not required.

In conclusion, if you are just learning audio and don’t plan on using a ton of hardcore virtual instruments, save your cash and put your time into learning recording on an older computer. You’ll be glad that you did.

Brandon Drury has written numerous articles for his recording

studio website.

We all need to dream and to believe that one day our dreams will come true. But without a plan for success, our dreams are unlikely to materialize. The dream of learning to play the piano is no different. Even young students, however, can learn to set goals and take responsibility for their success. Helping your child keep a piano journal is an easy way to start them thinking about how they will bring their musical dreams to life. Follow the guide below to help your child in piano map out a simple plan for success, and see how easy and beneficial keeping a piano journal can be.

My Piano Dream: (Why I want to learn to play the piano.)

Example: I want to play the piano like my grandpa. He’s awesome!

How do I want to see myself in one year?

Example: Playing well at my Spring Recital.

In Two years?

In Five to ten years?

What can I accomplish toward my piano dream this week?

Example: Learn the new piece my piano teacher assigned G Major.

Are there specific goals that will help me achieve this objective?

Examples: Memorize Five-Finger Hand Position in G;
Name each note; Identify difficult passages and;
Play over these areas in the music many times.

What are some good habits I need to develop that will support my piano goals?

Examples: Set aside a specific time to practice each day;
Avoid distractions while practicing, such as television;
Tell friends I can play after I finish practicing my piano lesson;
Attend my piano lesson with my teacher each week.

Planning to follow through with good habits that support our goals is how dreams are achieved.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com

Notes from an era of true free expression where we were “spoilt
for choice” with the newest musical innovators. Before the
onslaught of the digital age and the polarisation of modern
music we experienced a cultural revolution which, in my humble
opinion, has yet to be equalled in successive generations …

I suppose my first realisation that music was something more
relevant than learning the words to carols for the school
Christmas concert was appreciating my Dad’s collection of 78s’.
He was a man with unusual tastes in music. My contemporys’
parents listened to American crooners, like Bing Crosby, Dean
Martin and the like, or the big band sounds of the day.

But my Dad had individual tastes which included Eastern European
folk music, Scottish bagpipe ballads and Welsh miners choirs;
plus my first introduction to classical such as exciting pieces
like Aram Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance”.

My Mother, a dedicated Crosby fan, disliked these strange sounds
to the extent that she banished any playing of the
‘caterwauling’ to our barn, a large wooden structure at the back
of the house. This suited my Dad, and me, just fine.

He would mend bikes and tinker with machinery in one corner,
while I would curl up on a battered leather sofa looking at
pictures in old movie magazines, giggling at jokes in back
copies of Lilliput and reading girlie type books (Little Women,
Black Beauty etc.) while the haunting strains of Bulgarian
womens’ voices, Highland airs or the overwhelming sound of
Welshmen giving it their all emanated from the old wind up
gramaphone; memories are made of this.

Musically I’ve come full circle. with the increasing popularity
of ‘world music’ I am, once again, enjoying Bulgarian women’s
harmonies and Welsh folk songs along with the exciting newcomers
from African and Latin American roots.

Every generation, mostly, think that they have experienced the
‘best’ period of topical music, but I do feel that the sixties
were a special case. Consider this; any weekend my friends and I
had a difficult decision to make. Did we go ‘up town’ to Ken
Colliers to see American blues stars like Big Bill Broonzy or
jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie; or perhaps to the Marquee or
100 Club to listen to the up and coming Britishers like Paul
Weller in the Jam, Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds and Georgie
Fame with the All Stars.

Or did we stay closer to home and go to the Riki Tik in Windsor
and risk asphyxiation in the tiny room listening to an exciting
new group called the Rolling Stones. And that was only the
start; what about Osterley where you could hear John Lee Hooker,
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee and any number of other Southern
American blues stars; or Windsor Drill hall where, on a Friday
night you could enjoy the best of Cyril Davies and the All
Stars, which usually featured one of my favourites, Long John
Baldry.

And, if you were willing to risk parental wrath, it had to be
Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, a den of iniquity where you could
hear the best of new rhythm and blues; smell strange substances
burning in the air and where I first encountered psychadelia in
the shape of Pink Floyd whose innovative light shows of coloured
lava lamp blobs popping and forming ever different shapes were
the precursor of the giant video screens of today. To say we
were spoilt for choice is not to overwork a phrase.

I haven’t even mentioned the many folk clubs sprinkled about
which I visited with my friend Lucy as a guest singing duo,
where we shared stages with the likes of Bert Jantz, Duster
Bennett, Cat Stevens . . We would travel to isolated venues in
the heart of the Berkshire countryside and find ourselves in a
barn somewhere, with people sitting on hay bales and listening
to the stirring voices and lyrics of Sandy Denny, Davy Graham
and John Remborne, or even the Wurzels (bring your own cider!).

If you wanted to dance, but strictly not ballroom, you could
stomp the night away at a selection of ‘trad jazz’ clubs. Bands
of various styles were always on tap; Dick Morrisey, the
aforementioned Ken Collier, Acker Bilk; It really was a golden
age for live music of every kind. And it didn’t cost an arm and
a leg to indulge yourself. If we paid more than a couple of quid
to get in we felt hard done by. Even special occasions, like
seeing the Who or Cream at the Hammersmith Odeon were cheap at
the price.

Wherever we hung out with our mates there was music. This was
the age of the coffee bar, always with a juke box in the corner
belting out such classics as ‘Dock on the Bay’, or Buddy Holly’s
latest or Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Biaz; where to
stop! Before the fashion for ‘personalised music’ (catered for
firstly by the Walkman and now in it’s newest incarnation, the
ipod) the latest tunes brought like minds together. A normal
Saturday outing was to the local record shop where friends would
crowd into a booth together to hear the latest in the ‘charts’.

Maybe it was all just ‘fashion’ but, as the years race by, that
sixties music has stood the test of time. Many of our heroes are
still household names. Our children still appreciate such giants
as Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding. The likes of Paul
Weller, Rod Stewart, the Rolling Stones still tour all over the
world. Am I showing my age when I find it hard to appreciate
modern day offerings? Of course I am but no more than any other
person who has let music into their life.

>From the moment the first cave man (or woman) discovered how to
make musical ’sounds’ from reeds or rocks, water or wood, we
have enjoyed the privilege of a great gift. How to explain the
catch at the back of the throat when we hear a familiar song or
melody? How to describe the pure feeling of exhilaration and joy
as many human voices come together to sing some particularly
uplifting work. I dare anyone to say they have never felt that.
And if some hardened souls insist that is the case; well I feel
very sorry for them.

Looking for band members is never an easy task. You may first want to ask yourself what exactly you’re looking for - whether it is to join an existing band or find individual members to start your own band. Obviously, both have their differences and this should be answered first before you start your grueling search.

Join an existing band.
This is a great way for enthusiastic musicians to gain some playing experience right away, although it is sometimes harder to find these kinds of opportunities. These are established bands that are looking for single or multiple members for various reasons (their guitarist overdosed on cocaine, bass player got fired for drinking problems, etc). This might go without saying, but make sure you really do like the type of music a band plays before deciding to join their group! There are many musicians I know that play in a band where they don’t even like the music they play, all just to “gain experience” to get their foot in the door and hopefully move on to greener pastures. It can’t be stressed enough that if you don’t like the music you play, you’re going to do a half-assed job at it, so why bother?

Also, know your playing experience and limits. For example, if you’ve only started playing guitar learning all Green Day songs for a few months, don’t expect to join a thrash metal band that requires you to do sweep-picking, fast arpeggios, or any other insane guitar techniques. Make sure you choose a band where the technicality of the music they play is comfortable with your own skill level as a musician.

A huge advantage for joining an established band (maybe) is that most of the back-end stuff is already taken care of. This includes tasks such as finding an agent/manager to book your gigs, song development, contracts with music labels, etc. All you have to do is show up for rehearsals and play shows as scheduled.

A good resource to start finding these bands in need is going to your local rehearsal studios where most of them lurk. These are places where any musician can pay for a room to rehearse. Best of all, all the musicians you find there are often in your local area. Check out the bulletin boards where frequent bands post up classified ads that may go something like:

“Looking to join a band that rocks?! We are in need of a guitar player with lots of experience! Our influences include: Megadeth, In Flames, Black Sabbath, and many more! If interested, please contact Todd at xxxxxxxxxx.”

Or even better yet, post up your own classified ad on the bulletin board so bands can contact you instead. Local, independent music stores often have a bulletin board for classified ads as well. These are some of the best free ways to find band members in your area.

Disadvantages of joining an existing band.
First and foremost, you have to learn all their songs usually in a limited period of time. The band might have a show coming up and you have to be able to play all their songs flawlessly note-for-note. Needless to say, this might be stressful for some musicians (except if their music is very straight forward and easy with pure 3 note power chords).

Another disadvantage is often your own music creativity is limited. Most bands prefer their original tunes to be played and carried on without any radical change. For example, if you just joined a band and replaced their old guitarist, the way the former guitarist played a particular solo, is the way the band wants it to be played by you. Often you must follow the same note structure of a music piece composed by another musician.

Organizing your own band.
This is where you try to find individual musicians to start a new band, usually with similar music skills and backgrounds. Thinking of starting a band is the easy part, but the actual process of searching for the right people is harder than most people think. There are tons of musicians out there in the world but only a small percentage of those you may be compatible with. In addition, ask yourself: are you going to play in a band just for fun, or are you trying to make a living out of it? This will influence where you are going to start looking.

The internet is becoming a popular method for musicians to find other musicians. If you search “looking for musicians” in Google, you will easily find over 12,400,000 results - so how do you find what you’re looking for? Many ads posted in classifieds sections and on popular music forums will vaguely have descriptions such as this:

“Guitar player looking to form a band.”

Well, that’s just great.

Try refining your search to keywords such as the area you are in, what position you are looking for, etc. Example: “Looking for bass players in Toronto”. The first search result is an ad posted on www.craigslist.org, which by the way is an excellent place to get started. Try to only focus your attention on well-written ads that describe the musician, which includes how much playing experience he/she has, the types of music they are willing to play, and the intention of playing in a band. Or you may also want to post your own ad in music community forums and add a link to your audio/video samples that will likely interest more candidates. Audio/video samples that show off your best work are often the most influential factor of candidates contacting you back.

Be consistent with this. Chances are you won’t find someone right away on your first few posts, so try to refresh your ads on a weekly basis (but don’t spam!).

The internet is a large resource but don’t just rely solely on it. You may find you have better luck looking in local magazine’s classifieds ads section where it’s more direct. Also, because musicians have to pay to get their ads published in magazines, it shows that they are more serious about organizing a band.

Don’t limit yourself in a location.
If you are serious about starting a career as a musician, you don’t just search for bands or members only in your local area. Living in smaller towns and cities won’t give you very many options in choosing the right band or member for you. Expand yourself to larger urban cities where the potential to find band members is greater.

Finding band members is like finding a good job. Know exactly what you want before searching, always have a good portfolio ready, and be consistent in your pursue. Goodluck!

Kenny Auyoung

Webmaster @ http://www.getmeaband.com
Looking for a band? Search through our directory of musicians to find band members in your local area.

Music licensing can be a very confusing subject. My intent with this article is to give you enough details on what music licensing is and what are your rights to use music in advertising and / or video productions.

A few months ago I was contacted by a company that was celebrating 20 years in business. They wanted to put together a radio commercial that highlighted their celebration. Their request was to use Kool and the Gangs song Celebration in their radio spot. I explained to them in order to do this they would have to obtain a licensing which would cost them quite a bit of money. This was not an option for them due to their limited budget and ultimately they told me that they “went another direction” with their advertising.

If I had agreed to use this song without obtaining a licensing I would have put both of our companies at risk. It was not worth the risk just to make a sale. Beware that there are unscrupulous production companies that will do this type of illegal activity so the best protection you have is knowledge.

The copyright law protects writers of music by giving them exclusive right to their music. Once a piece of music is under copyright protection it is illegal to use it without getting permission to the owner of the copyright.

There are actually two types of copyrights in the United States. One is the actual copyright which is denoted with the familiar C with a circle around it. This protection is for the actual melody, lyrics and arrangement of the music. The copyright is usually owned by the actual artist that wrote the piece or their publishing company.

The second form of copyright is the actual recording itself. This is denoted by a P with a circle around it. This protection covers the performance of the song caught on tape or digital media and released on CD or other media. Many times a record or production company will own this performance right.

If you want to use a song in a production, you need obtain a Master Use license from the owner of the copyright and a Synchronization license (often called a sync license) from the owner of the performance of the song.

The fees for synchronization licenses vary greatly. Low-end TV usage (music is playing from car radio in a scene) can cost up to $2,000. In a film, the fee may be as high as $10,000. A popular song is worth more, possibly $3,000 for TV and $25,000 for film. A song used as the theme song for a film might get $50,000 to $75,000. Commercials can get even more money. Fees for a popular song can range from $25,000 to $500,000 plus per year. The typical range for a well-known song is $75,000 to $200,000 for a one year national usage in the United States on television and radio.

I think you will agree with me that that is allot of money and usually way over budget for many video and radio productions.  

To get around these outrageous fees, music production companies sell buyout music. When you purchase a buyout CD you do not need to obtain a licensing to use the music. You can use the music hassle free and at a much lower cost.

Buyout music or royalty-free, as it applies to my products, means that for your one-time purchase price, you can legally use the music in your productions for life of ownership. All copyrights of the music remain with Zebra Music LLC. My jingle licensing agreement allows a protected area of 200 miles. By doing this no other companies in a local market will have the same jingle.

Many other production companies offer a similar buy out music licensing. I would advise you to read the licensing agreements with other production companies and ask questions if you have concerns.

Network broadcast and international broadcast of buyout production music is cleared through a performance organization (like BMI or ASCAP).  The revenue that these songs produce when they are aired is paid directly from broadcast station licensing, NOT from you as a producer. These performance organizations then in turn pay each artist based on the amount their song or songs were aired on the radio or TV.

I hope this article has cleared up any confusion or questions that you have had about copyright and music licensing.

***************************************

Steve Veloudos owns and operates Zebra Music LLC.  It’s a one stop shop for jingles, radio production, custom music, library music, and sound design. Visit Steve’s web site and get free monthly music that you can use for your productions.
http://www.zebramusic.com

zebra24@msn.com

480-540-7768

***************************************

So, you think you’d like to learn to play guitar, but you’re put off by the high cost of lessons? You don’t want to put up with a teacher showing you a bunch of theory and boring songs that you don’t want to learn and won’t get you where you want to go? Look no further, online instruction is now available that provides comprehensive beginner guitar lessons to anyone who wants to learn to play guitar quickly and easily.

Do I need to read music? No! Most online programs use a very visual approach, using picture diagrams and videos that actively demonstrate techniques so you hear what you need to play, not read it. The advantage to this is that you learn directly how to play, without having to take the time to translate everything through a book that’s full of complicated theory and diagrams. You can take beginner guitar lessons online that will show you how to play everything you want, without ever opening a book.

Many fine instructional programs are available on the net -we ‘re talking about this on our site. These instructional programs will take you through your first beginner guitar lessons and have you playing songs right away. Many of these programs are designed to be fully completed in 30 days, not the years it may take to master the guitar the traditional way.

Don’t think that online guitar instruction is just for the novice, though, because many of the available lessons will teach you, not only the basics, but many advanced techniques as well. These are specially designed to take anyone, from the beginner to advanced student, where they want to go.

So grab hold of this awesome opportunity and start playing the guitar now!

George Nellas has more tips and useful info on online guitar learning lessons that you can find on his website at: http://www.guitar-4u.com.

Well as we all know by now, there has been a ‘little
disagreement’ (term used lightly) between the Game and 50 Cent
and his group G-Unit. Throughout the beef the Game came at the
whole crew leaving no one exempt in many mix tape tracks, the
stand out being 300 bars (300 bars freestyle where Game put
everybody possible on the chopping block). This song was
followed by Game’s “G-Unot” campaign, where the Game had shirts
and mix tapes with the same namesake.

With that being said, the G-Unit did what they did in response
to Game’s attacks, publicly announcing their ‘discontent’ for
the ex-member, and making tracks to back it up as well. But
after the heat of the summer everything seemed to fall back
towards the end, with both sides pretty much letting one another
live. That is until certain photos were re-released of the Game
being on Change of Heart (the show took place before Game
dropped the Documentary), yes the old school game show where
couples would date other people and then decide if they wanted
to leave who they came with, or be with the new person. That was
all that was needed to bring 50 back into the equation, now
commenting on the butterfly tattoo under the Game’s right eye (a
sign the Game stated “as growth, change, and rebirth” for his
son) and calling the Game soft.

Even though both the Change of Heart appearance and the
butterfly tattoo happened before all of the Game’s accolades
from the public and his success within the industry, it is still
being used as fire. We have some of the infamous photos here,
you check them out, tell us what you think.

Xclusivetrax.com

The individual parts of a compact disc provide unique graphic
design challenges and opportunities for desktop publishers and
designers. In this article we dissect a compact disc and analyze
its manufactured anatomy, explaining how the different parts
will affect your disc design. Knowing the medium you are
designing for helps prevent unwelcome surprises in the final
product.

Main printable area

The main section of the disc: This is where the audio or data
is encoded. Colors printed on this surface will tend to appear
darker than they would on white paper. Depending on the ink
coverage, differing amounts of the silver surface will show
through. Higher ink coverage (darker colors, in general) means
you’ll see less of the reflective surface showing through. Less
ink coverage, with print dots more spaced apart (lighter colors,
in general), will reveal more of the underlying disc surface.
The only way to have something appear white anywhere on the disc
surface is to print with white ink (see “white base coat”
below).

Mirror band

This is the ring area just inside of the main print area. The
mirror band is not encoded with data so it has a different
reflective quality, appearing darker than any other part of the
disc. Generally the mirror band is etched with the name of the
manufacturer, as well as a number or barcode identification
associated with the client audio master. The effect of printing
on the mirror band is a darkening of the text or images as
compared to that of the main print area. Just inside of the
mirror band is the stacking ring.

Stacking ring

On the underside of each disc, this thin ring of raised plastic
is used to keep a small amount of space between each disc when
stacked up for boxing and/or shipping. It prevents the flat
surfaces from scraping against each other, which could scratch
either the printed tops or the readable bottoms of the discs.
Even though it is on the underside, some manufacturers are
unable to print over the stacking ring area due to a small
“trough” created on the top surface when they mold their discs.
Other manufacturers mold discs that are smooth on the top and
have no problem printing over the stacking ring area.

Hub

This is the innermost portion of the disc, made of clear
plastic, and includes the stacking ring. Printing over the hub
area is similar to the effect of printing on transparency media.
The lighter the color, the more the transparency effect is
present, due to the small, widely spaced print dots that are
used to produce light colors. With heavy ink coverage over the
hub, the transparency is far less noticeable. However, all
colors will appear different when printed over the clear plastic
hub as compared to the other opaque surfaces of the disc.

A Basic Solution to the Inconsistencies

Applying a white base coat over the disc’s entire print area
before printing the design lessens the darkening effect of the
mirror band, and also lessens the transparency effect of the
plastic hub. The white base (sometimes termed “white flood”)
acts like a primer coat, so the final design more closely
resembles printing on the white paper of standard jewel case
inserts, wallets, posters etc. If your cd design includes
photos, particularly faces, a white flood will make them look
more natural. It can also help to match colors used on the
printed inserts. Most manufacturers will not automatically
suggest a white flood, and they may charge for it as they would
any other ink, but it can make a big difference in the
appearance of your designed disc.

Professional design encompasses much more than manipulating
images, text and colors with computer programs: Even the most
carefully chosen typeface won’t communicate effectively if
visually lost over the different areas of a printed surface;
clouds or snow on a cd design will be white only if you use
white as one of your printed colors. The characteristics of the
tangible item you are designing for play a critical role in the
overall design process. The compact disc is no exception.
Knowing its anatomy helps make better design decisions, and
better designers.

Which Musical Instrument is Recommended for Beginners?

You have decided to take up a musical instrument but you are not
sure which one to choose. When deciding to purchase a musical
instrument there are a number of factors that might influence
your buying decision:

* Will the instrument I choose be affordable? * Which
instruments are easy to learn and which are difficult to learn?
* Will it be a quiet instrument or a noisy one? * If I don’t
choose a popular instrument will I be able to find a teacher
easily? * Is the musical instrument of my choice popular or is
it an instrument that not many people play? * How much will a
lesson cost? * I want to choose a musical instrument that I can
play in a band. What instruments should I choose? * I want to
play a certain type of music. Which musical instruments are
suitable for different styles?

In the following article I will be answering all of the above.

Here is a list of musical instruments to choose from listed in
popularity, with the number 1 being the most popular:

1) Guitar 2) Piano 3) Keyboard 4) Drums 5) Violin 6) Cello 7)
Flute Saxophone 9) Clarinet 10) Trumpet/Cornet 11) Trombone
12) French Horn 13) Banjo 14) Recorder 15) Viola 16) Tuba 17)
Oboe

You can see a list of all musical instruments here: Musical Instrument Shop. Lots
of information and choice. Buy Musical Instruments here

Will the instrument I choose be affordable?

If you want to buy a musical instrument but don’t wont to spend
too much money I would choose either a guitar, keyboard, violin,
clarinet or trumpet. These instruments are the cheapest to buy
when starting out.

Which musical instruments are easy to learn and which are
difficult to learn?

The easiest musical instruments to learn from the list above
are: Guitars, Drums and Recorders.

Guitar

The guitar should be easy to pick a few chords and you can
almost start strumming and playing a simple tune from your first
lesson. It is best advised to learn the classical guitar first
as it has nylon strings and will be easier on the fingers than a
steel strung electric or acoustic guitar.

Drums

Drums are fairly easy to learn as well. The important thing is
to feel the rhythm, once you have this, everything else should
be easy to pick up.

Recorder

The recorder is probably the easiest of all musical instruments
to learn. Most children at school take up this instrument before
progressing on to the clarinet, flute or saxophone which is much
more difficult to learn.

The most difficult musical instruments to learn from the list
above are: Oboe, French horn, Trumpet and Piano.

The Oboe

The Oboe is probably the most difficult musical instrument to
learn. It is very difficult to even produce a sound at first,
let alone a musical note. This instrument can take many years to
master

The French Horn

The French horn also takes quite a while to get the hang of. The
sound is produced not only by blowing, but by creating an
embouchure and buzzing the lips to control the air stream, which
in turn creates the correct pitch to produce the note. Then the
correct valves that correspond to the right pitch have to be
learnt. The hand is also used to help the quality of sound by
placing in the bell. Wow! Perhaps this is not a great instrument
for beginners!

The Trumpet

The trumpet is considered difficult to learn initially because
of the techniques needed (similar to the French horn but without
using the hand in the bell). The difficult thing about the
trumpet is trying to make a nice sound which can take a few
years to perfect.

The Piano

Although it is easy to make a sound on a piano, just by pressing
any note you sound like a professional, the piano is very
difficult when you need to play more than one note at a time.
All the above instruments require you to play just one note at a
time but with the piano sometimes you need to use every finger
and thumb at the same time! You also need to learn two different
clefs, and to learn to read this at the same time is not easy at
first.

Will it be a quiet musical instrument or a noisy one?

Do you have neighbours that don’t appreciate music? And they
live right next to you with thin walls. Do you want to play late
at night or early in the morning Are you embarrassed that you
are not making a good sound yet, or you don’t want people to
hear what you are playing.

If any of the above is true, you need a quite musical instrument
or at least one that you can play with headphones or adjust the
sound electronically.

If you want to learn a quiet musical instrument, then choose one
of the following: Guitar, Piano, Keyboard, Recorder, Clarinet or
Flute.

The Classical guitar is very quite and delicate but not the
electric or acoustic guitar which are very noisy when amplified!

You can plug headphones in to a digital piano or keyboard or you
can turn the sound down. This is the ideal instrument to buy if
you don’t want to make any noise. The acoustic piano (also known
as the upright or grand piano) is very noisy and should be
avoided if you need some peace.

The Recorder is fairly quiet, apart from the high notes, so
this instrument would be ok. The Clarinet is a fairly quiet
instrument. It does really depend on how it is played. The Flute
is also quiet but the sound can be a bit piercing on the higher
notes.

If I don’t choose a popular musical instrument, will I be
able to find a teacher easily?

You can find a musical instrument teacher almost anywhere; there
are literally tens of thousands in the UK. You will almost
certainly have no problem finding a teacher if you play the more
popular musical instruments: guitar, piano, keyboard, drums or
violin.

Is the musical instrument of my choice popular or is it an
instrument that not many people play?

Please see the above list of musical instruments. They are
listed in order of popularity, number 1 being the most popular
instrument.

There are a few guides to find out if a musical instrument is
popular. Just look at a symphony orchestra or a wind band and
count the number of instruments there are and how many there are
of each. You will find that there are lots of violins and
percussion (clarinets and flutes in the wind band case) which
means that there is no shortage of people learning these
instruments. You will also find that there is only one tuba, one
oboe, a few french horns, a few flutes, a few clarinets etc. Of
course this is only a guide, as some of the other popular
musical instruments such as the guitar, piano and keyboard are
not normally found in a symphony orchestra.

How much will a lesson cost?

Individual musical instrument lessons can cost between £8 and
£20 for half an hour. Group instrument lessons £5 to £12.
Popular musical instruments are normally cheap than not so
popular instruments, normally because there is no shortage of
teachers and competition tends to bring the prices down. It is
normally better to learn instruments in a group rather than
learn individually. Group learning is much more fun as every one
is the same level as you and you can share experiences together.
Individual instrument lessons can be too serious for a beginner
and can actually put you off learning music because of this.
However, individual lessons are a must when you get to a certain
level of proficiency.

I want to choose a musical instrument that I can play in a
band. Which instrument should I choose?

The best musical instruments to learn if you want to play in
band are: Guitar, Saxophone, Clarinet, Violin or Cornet.

This list might be considered a strange one, but let me explain
the reasoning behind this.

* The guitar is second-to-none as a solo instrument for a band.
If you are the lead guitarist (electric guitar), you get all the
limelight. You can play great riffs from all the famous songs.

* The Saxophone is a great solo instrument and if you play in a
jazz band or big band you get lots of solos to play.

* The clarinet is the king of the wind band; it is the
orchestra’s equivalent of the lead violin. In a wind band you
get to play lots of solos and intricate melodies.

* The Violin is a fantastic solo instrument and orchestral
instrument. Many of the great composers have written beautiful
solos and melodies for this instrument.

* The Cornet is the king of the brass band. This instrument has
one of the most delightful sounds of all. The cornet is given
the lead role in a brass band and is featured in all the best
arrangements. The lead cornet player gets to play many solos.

I want to play a certain type of music. Which musical
instruments are suitable for different styles?

Here is a list of different music styles: Rock, Classical, Pop,
heavy Metal, R&B, Jazz, Blues, Folk, Carribean, African, Latin,
Dance, Country, Rap, Hip Hop, Christian, Opera. This list below
would be endless if I went in to it in great detail, so here is
a short list.

1) Guitar. The electric or bass guitar is suitable for pop,
rock, R&B, heavy metal, R&B, Jazz and blues, the classical
guitar for classical music, the acoustic guitar for pop and
folk. 2) Piano. The acoustic piano is suitable for classical,
jazz, blues and dance. 3) Digital Piano/Keyboard is suitable for
pop music, dance, jazz and blues. 4) Drums are suitable for pop,
rock, classical, jazz, African - well, almost everything! 5)
Violin is suitable for classical, folk, country and dance. 6)
Cello is suitable for classical. 7) Flute is suitable for
classical. Saxophone is suitable for jazz, blues, pop. 9)
Clarinet is suitable for classical, jazz and blues. 10)
Trumpet/Cornet is suitable for classical, jazz, blues and dance.
11) Trombone is suitable for classical, jazz and blues. 12)
French horn is suitable for classical. 13) Banjo is suitable for
country and folk. 14) Recorder is suitable for classical. 15)
Viola is suitable for classical. 16) Tuba is suitable for
classical. 17) Oboe is suitable for classical.

I hope that you now feel more informed and can make a decision
on which musical instrument is best for your needs. If you need
more information about musical instruments I can recommend
visiting the top musical
instrument shop in the UK - Soundsmusical.com

Happy learning!

Country music sensation Trace Adkins has released his latest CD entitled Songs About Me.

One song makes this CD well worth the listen, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk. Awesome baby!

Now, I’m not a huge country music fan, in fact it’s more like I just like to explore any and all genres of music and whatever I find that I like, I like. Regardless of genre. I stumbled across Honky Tonk Badonkadonk on somewhat of a lark and just had to check out the entire CD. Wow, am I ever glad I did.

The CD launches with the title track, Songs About Me on which the silky smooth voiced Adkins basically tells his life story. Which by the way is I think what makes him work so well with country music fans. He’s a guy who has lived the music he sings. That never hurts.

Anyway, Songs About Me is a collection of tracks that has just the right mix of everything as far as I’m concerned. Up tempo, down tempo, and songs that take you deep like track 2, Arlington. Reminding us that at the end of the day we’re all more alike than we are different.

These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is easy to listen to. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs. Not even one of them will make you anxious to get on to the next one.

Overall it’s an outstanding release. What I call, must have music. I give it two thumbs up. Even though Songs About Me is very decidedly country, this is an album any music fan can enjoy. I sure do.

The standout tunes are Songs About Me are [track 1], Arlington [track 2], and I Learned How To Love From You [track 10]. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore […as in “Stuck On REpeat”] is track 11, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk. Lovin It!

Release Notes:

Trace Adkins originally released Songs About Me on March 22, 2005 on the Liberty record label.

CD track list follows:

1. Songs About Me
2. Arlington
3. Find Me A Preacher
4. My Way Back
5. I Wish It Was You
6. Bring It On
7. My Heaven
8. Baby I’m Home
9. Metropolis
10. I Learned How To Love From You
11. Honky Tonk Badonkadonk

To listen to samples of each song on Songs About Me by Trace Adkins go to:
Trace Adkins CD - Songs About Me MP3 Samples

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee is a life long music fanatic. In addition to writing CD Reviews like this one for several music related websites he also hosts an internet radio show, and invites you to join him daily for some of the best soul soothing smooth jazz you’ll ever hear at http://www.SmoothJazz247.com