It is widely accepted that the flugelhorn was derived from the bugle design by Michael Saurle in the early 1800's. Flugelhorns were named from the German word Flügel which means wing or flank in English. In the beginning, flugelhorn was primarily used on the battlefield to organize the flanks in an army.
Flugelhorns are a member of the horn family and a brass instrument that resemble trumpets but with a wider bore. The appearance of the flugelhorn has also been compared to a cornet, although the trumpet is probably a closer comparison. The flugelhorn traditionally has three valves and uses the same piston valve system of other brass instruments. Four valve and rotary valve version exist but they are not the norm. Some modern flugelhorns include a fourth valve as this is becoming more popular. Today the flugelhorn is used in jazz, brass band, and popular music applications. The tone is considered to be fat and mellow compared to a trumpet. The actual sound probably falls somewhere in between a trumpet and a horn.
Choosing a Flugelhorn
Resources about the flugel horn are hard to find as this is a truly unique brass instrument. If you have a local music instrument store that happens to sell flugelhorns you are lucky and probably want to try one out there. For most people, the best option for locating a flugelhorn will be on the internet. Flugel horns are expensive compared to other brass instruments but you will find that they are worth the price for the true brass instrument player due to the unique sound and playing qualities. It is possible to find good deals on the flugelhorn if you use the proper resources on the Web.
Music has always been an inevitable part of human life and many of you may love to hear good music or play music for your own satisfaction and contentment. There are different types of music instruments such as saxophones, trumpets, guitar, piano that are used by people to fulfill their music love. Of these saxophones is still the most rare and appreciable music instrument by the people.
Saxophone was invented by Adolph Sax in the 1840's and is not really an instrument but a group of instruments. Sax has invented about fourteen saxophones out of which eight still exists. However, only four of them are commonly available - the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. Out of these, the alto saxophone is most commonly found which most people think of.
Other saxophone that still exists include E-flat soprano, B-flat soprano, E-flat alto, true tone alto, B-flat tenor, E-flat baritone, B-flat Bass and contrabass. The early saxophones were made in F and C and not E-flat and B-flat whereas others were invented but were possibly too radical to remain in the creation.
The soprano saxophone is one of the straight saxophones in the whole family because it looks like a clarinet but it is made up of brass. It can be classified as a woodwind as it is a single reed instrument. The alto saxophone is curved around and has one bend in its neck whereas the tenor has a more curved neck and is larger. The baritone's neck is a full circle and is the largest of all the saxophones. Its case is around four feet long and when it is played, it doubles the brass section.
The soprano saxophone is not a common in most of the band but it is used sometimes and when it is played, it plays a part similar to a clarinet or even as another clarinet. It has a higher sound and often doubles the higher woodwind parts.
Olivia Andrews, writer of music-future.com is a freelance journalist and has written many reviews on subjects such as finance, education, health, entertainment, music, gifts, crafts, travel, apparels and mobile phones.
Here are some tips for the solo wind musician. If you play, woodwinds, brass, strings, or any single line instrument. You can make a substantial amount of money using your play-a-long library.That's right!...Your play-a-long library can be a goldmind of income.
I know it works because I've done it. If I can do it, anybody should be able to do it. Here's the plan.
First: You have all of these wonderful play-a-longs that you use to practice with. You have spent many, many hours learning these songs, and perfecting your talent. A lot of these play-a-longs are really great accompaniment, and some are recorded by professional musicians.
Well!...Why not put together a nice sounding PA, or sound system, (what ever you can afford)use all of those wonderful play-a-longs you've had for years, put some song sets together, go out and target all the venues in your area that would be great for a solo musician as yourself to perform in, and make some easy money. Sound crazy?...think again, you will be surprised to find out just how many places want live entertainment, but dont have the room, or the budget to hire a full band.
Here's an example from my real experiences. I have played a restaurant in early afternoon, a coffee shop after work hours, and played with my regular band that night. The result,...Three times the income that I would have normally made that day.
I charge $50-$100 for small venues, $100-$200 for larger establishments, and parties, $200 and up for high dollar fundtions. You have to be the judge as to how much you need to charge per gig. Also keep in mind your expenses.
Oh!...I forgot to mention the tips. That's extra bravy , or icing on the cake.
So go ahead!...Make that money! Put those old dusty play-a-longs to work.
Since I play mostly jazz, I use this source for my play-a-longs:
http://www.jajazz.com
THE SOLO MUSICIANS TOOLBOX
If you are a solo musician, there are tools that you should know about, and have in your tool box. It is best to be prepared for whatever comes your way in the form of gigs, and musical opportunities. In this article I will go over some of the general things in the form of gear, hardware, and software, that will give you an edge in this competetive, and demanding world. Keep in mind that these are all suggestions, and it depends on your personal circumstances as to what you are, and are not able to obtain.
I will asume that you already have the musical instrument of your choice, and that you have already spent the thousands of hours that it takes to perfect your talent. There is no way around it!...You get out of it what you put into it. If you spend the time to perfect your talent, you will definatly reap the benefits.
So,...Lets get started. I will list all of the items that I have in mind for this article, and where to obtain them. In some cases, a brief discription on what to do with them.
1. PA equipment: You will need some kind of PA equipment, preferably something small and compact, but of efficient sound quality
2. Microphone: You will need a microphone for the times when you are showing off that great voice of yours. You will also need a microphone stand.
3. Speaker Stands: I recommend speaker stands for your speakers, to raise your speakers up above peoples heads when playing in restaurants, and coffee shops, ect... You dont want to drive people away, or blow anybodys ear drum.
4. Promo Stand: You will need a promo stand that you can use to place your promo material, your CD's, and any of your contact material for people to see, purchase, and take as they come, and go. This can be something that is portable, small and compact, but looks presentable.
5. Tip Jar: I recommend a tip jar, something that, again, looks presentable.
6. Play-a-Long Library: I recommend a play-a-long library for all musicians, especially for solo musicians. As I have stated in my previous article, "Tips for the solo musician", you can make a living just playing solo gigs, and targeting small establishments.
7. CD, or, Cassette player: You should have a CD, or cassette player with a pitch control to play your play-a-longs through your PA.
8. Computer: If at all possible, you should have a powerful enough computer to record your own CD's. You can also make your own Play-a-longs with your own style of music.
9. Recording Software: You will need some kind of recording software for your computer. I recommend, Cakewalk.
10. Soundcard: You will need, in some cases, a sound card for your computer. I recommend, Sound Blaster Live.
11. Keyboard: I think all musicians should have some kind of keyboard. There are hundreds to choose from, according to your budget.
12. CD Burning Software: You should have some kind of CD burning software. Again, there are hundreds of choices. Microsoft Media Player is free.
13. Business Card Software: I recommend some kind of business card software for your computer. "Parabim Business Card Builder", is a very efficient one.
14. Musicians Website: Every musician should have a website. I recommend, "Host Baby", everything you need in a musicians website is here.
15. Internet Promotion Program: A program to help promote your music, and yourself on the internet. I recommend, "Musicians Power Promotion System".
These are just some of the things that will help you on your quest to be a successful solo musician. One thing to remember is,...Always Act...Look...and Dress proffessionally. That first impression can make, or break you.
Just click on the links provided in this article where indicated, and you will be taken to the particular website, were you can find the item.
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 ...
Cropped screenshot of Bing Crosby from the trailer for the film Road to Singapore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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.
When marching band season rolls around, it's not enough just to sound good, band members are putting on a visual show, too and most marching band musicians take pride in the look of their band instrument. Getzen trumpets not only sound great, they look great, too! For those trumpet players who switch to a flugelhorn or baritone horn for marching season, Getzen has them covered as well.
Getzen offers an extensive selection of trumpets. Student trumpets fall into the 300 and 400 series. One of the more popular student trumpets is the 390. They're workhorses, are sturdy, and most importantly, make great music. For the more advanced student, the 490 has a red brass bell, and its distinctive look will draw plenty of attention at parades or football games. The Getzen Capri 590 is an intermediate level trumpet that is available in silver plated finish, as are all Getzen instrument.
Getzen doesn't leave the committed trumpet player behind who goes professional, either. The Renaissance line is based on the prestigious Bach Stradivarius trumpet line. This has a more symphonic sound. Another line of professional Getzen trumpets is the Eterna series: the Eterna I, Eterna II, the 700, the 900, and the 1200. The Eterna was the instrument played byTonight Show bandleader Doc Severinson for years. The Eterna 700 is the most affordable Eterna model - suitable for the amateur who wants to get his or her hands on the best trumpet without breaking the budget. The Eterna 700S is a silver plated option. For those who turn pro or those who only want the very best, Getzen makes custom C and B-flat trumpets as part of their Edwards handcrafted line of instruments.
Trumpet players know that having a great sounding, great looking trumpet like a Getzen is a confidence boost that helps them play their very best.
Fronting their own band is a dream of every beginner singer. So how can you front a band and develop your own band's own distinctive style of music and performance? How to at the same time developing your own individually unique singing style? How are you going to be distinguished and get noticed from those thousands of bands playing only cover versions of popular music and imitating their favourite bands and lead singers?
Sheryl Crow and Mick Jagger during the Licks Tour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
First thing to do is to view as many DVD performances of famous singers fronting their bands from the musical genre you have chosen as the forte of your band's music. Examine how distinctive and different they are from each other. Notice each band playing with their own style and song delivery. Take note of everyone's body language and what signals and vibes the famous bands and singers are sending out.
Let us take a look at some of these singers and bands. Take Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones for example. See how he pouts his lips and struts on stage cockily exuding sensual visuals and confident charisma at the same time. Those body language became his characteristics and singing charisma. In the advertisement world,it is called image branding.
If someone were to name you some popular singers, you will immediately associate a clear mental picture of that singer during a performance. That is how powerful your body language and distinctive branding can be. In otherwords, be different from the crowd by developing your own style of singing and performance.
Just try it. Close your eyes and when someone mentions to you these names, what do you see in your mental picture? Elvis Presley, Boy George, Bono of U2, Kate Bush, Cindy Lauper, Michael Jackson and even The Village People. Get the picture? (pun not intended, grin)
So, you must develop your own distinctive style of singing and stage performance to get noticed and create a brand for your band.
Learn from those excellent singers fronting their own bands. Learn from them how they keep time and rythym when they move on stage? Which action and movement during their performances that drew audience reactions? How do these singers whip their fans into a frenzy? What are the facial expressions at every stage of a song? How do they tell an emotional story from the lyrics of the songs that get people moved?
Learn and borrow some traits from these singers, and then develop them further with your own unique singing style blended in.
Once you have developed your personal distinctive singing style, the next step is to rehearse with your band. Your band must know what you want and this must be communicated before every rehearsal and reinforced. Things like when you want to bring the song into a climax, when to bring it down to tug at audience heartstrings, when to pause to create a dramatic impact...etc
Invest a little moeny in your band by buying some good music sheets so that the band can play together as a team with the same music sheets and scores.If you leave your band members to play by ear, all the band members will interpret the songs in their own way and you would have lost alot of time and energy to get the band to play tightly together.
Therefore you need to work closely with your band members since as a lead singer, you are probably the band leader as well. You then must insist that the band play the keys that you are comfortable to sing in, stick to the musical arrangements and follow the effects of the songs you want to portray.
Once this is done, rehearse until the band and you are inseparable components of the song, then you are there! You are now ready to front a good band as a lead singer, get recognized as a singer and band leader of distinction.
A Selmer Bundy II Alto Saxophone. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Although it's one of the quickest instruments to initially pick up, learning to play saxophone like a pro - or even a highly developed student - is a whole other matter.
Developing Your Saxophone Tone
Ask just about any awesome sax player, and they'll tell you that the most crucial area that a saxophone player must pay attention to is the quality of their sound. Of all the wind instruments around, the saxophone brings with it the greatest variety of sonic options. Take Stan Getz in contrast to Lenny Pickett, for example.
Here are three things that you can do to boost the quality of your saxophone tone:
* Practice overtones. If you finger a low Bb but blow into the horn as though you were going to play a middle Bb, you'll see that the middle Bb comes out sounding much larger and louder. Try to make the middle Bb fingering sound as large as the low Bb fingering. Take the exercise up in half steps as far as you can go, using palm key fingerings once you get to middle D as your bottom note. Don't move your embouchure to get the overtone notes to come out. Take into consideration how your throat would be if you were singing those overtone notes, and have your ear guide your throat to the proper position.
* Keep the bottom lip rolled out enough so that the fleshiest part is touching the reed.
* Play with the "EE" vowel sound on your mind. This will keep your throat unobstructed.
Developing Great Saxophone Technique
Though the term "technique" can apply to any aspect of playing an instrument, for the majority of musicians, technique signifies the capability to play high-speed successions of notes cleanly and clearly.
To play with excellent technique, here are several things you can do:
* Focus on scales and arpeggios in one key at a time. It's more effective to perfect a scale in one key than it is to be able to play through all twelve keys ungracefully.
* Work on hearing the music you're playing, and not what your fingers are doing.
* Make certain that there's no stiffness in your neck. Stiffness in your neck triggers stiffness in your shoulders, which leads to stiffness in the arms, hands, and fingers.
Working on Saxophone Articulation
Articulation denotes the method in which we start and stop notes. We use articulation to give the melody shape and texture,. Without it, you end up with what sounds like "robot music."
Here are some tips to help you better your articulation on the saxophone:
* Don't tongue the very tip of the reed, but rather touch with the tip of your tongue the point just past the tip of the reed. You can also go about half an inch to an inch back on your tongue if that's more intuitive for you.
* Move the tongue up towards the reed and down away from the reed. Articulating by moving the tongue back and forth should be avoided.
Putting it All Together
Learning how to play like a pro is not something that automatically happens merely because you have a great saxophone teacher or because you read a great saxophone book.
Ultimately, the end goal is to cultivate a keen ear so that, in your mind, you develop a very clear picture of what you'd like to sound like. This means listening to the best saxophone players throughout history, and practicing with focus. Remember, when it comes to practicing, it's not about the quantity of hours you practice, but really, it's about the quality of your practice time.
By Doron Orenstein
Doron is the creater of Bulletproof Saxophone Playing - a program that helps you take your saxophone playing to a whole new level. If you take the actions recommended in this comprehensive and inspiring course, you'll play better than you over thought possible.
Highly acclaimed by some of the top players in the saxophone world (including Rob Wilkerson, lead alto in the Michael Buble band), the program features a 70-page e-book and audio interviews with Rick Margitza, Walt Weiskopf, Dr. David Demsey, and others. http://www.bulletproofsaxophoneplaying.com
Article Source: EzineArticles
The Beatles are almost universally regarded as the greatest act in the history of post-war popular music, and that claim is hard to deny when one considers their status as the biggest selling musical act in history, their universal critical acclaim, and the never duplicated hysteria that surrounded the band during the height of "Beatlemania" in the Sixties. The cult of the Beatles is alive and well around the world more than 40 years after the band's demise.
The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The group got its start in Liverpool, in the Fifties, as a John Lennon-led skiffle band called the "Quarryman." Lennon was a rebellious Liverpool youth who had been introduced to rock and roll music from the recordings brought across the Atlantic and into Liverpool by English merchant sailors. It was from these recordings that Lennon and his generation in England were first introduced to the likes of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and other early fathers of the music. Eager to emulate his new heroes and make a name for himself, Lennon recruited some schoolmates to join him in his new band. Members would come and go until the band settled with a lineup of Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best, a drummer.
The band changed their name to the Silver Beetles for a time and then finally settled on "The Beatles." The band acquired an avid local following in Liverpool and became a fixture at the Cavern Club, where they performed inspired sets on a regular basis. While the band was playing clubs in Hamburg, Germany, Sutcliffe fell in love with a German girl and decided to stay behind, leaving the Beatles a four man outfit. Sutcliffe would die of a brain hemorrhage at age 21 in 1962.
The group made its first recording as the backing band for singer Tony Sheridan on the single, "My Bonnie," which received airplay in Liverpool area. The popularity of this record inspired Liverpool record shop owner Brian Epstein to attend one of the Beatles' Cavern shows, and when Epstein witnessed the wild reaction of the audience, he convinced the group to take him on as their manager. Epstein convinced the band to drop drummer Pete Best from the group in favor of Ringo Starr from a rival Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. The final roster of the Beatles was set with Lennon and Harrison on guitar, Paul McCartney on bass, and Ringo Starr on drums. The group would record the moderately successful single, "Love Me Do," before the end of 1962.
Epstein then began to search for a record label to sign his band. After numerous rejections, the band was finally signed by the Parlophone label. The Beatles recorded their first album for the label, "Please Please Me," in 1963. The album was recorded in a single day, apparently to capture as close as possible the immediacy of their live shows. Although Epstein had trouble finding a U.S. label to sign the band, he managed to get the Beatles booked on the Ed Sullivan TV Show in April, 1964. New York disc jockey, Murray the K, hyped the Beatles upcoming TV appearance, setting the stage for the birth of Beatlemania. The Beatles appearance on the Sullivan show was a sensation seen by millions of Americans, and the Beatles become international superstars overnight.
The Beatles thus began an exhausting two years of near constant recording and touring. The early Beatles records were released separately in the U.S. and U.K., sometimes with different titles. For example, "Please, Please Me," the band's first U.K. album was released in the U.S. as "Meet the Beatles." The names of the albums don't matter much as everything this band recorded is essential, and any collection of Beatles music is guaranteed to be of high quality. Titles to look for from the 1964 albums are:" With the Beatles," "Twist and Shout," "A Hard Days Night," "Beatles for Sale," and "Beatles 65." The Beatles' music would soon change from light poppy love songs to darker and more introspective fare as the group attempted to expand its musical horizons.
With the release of the album, "Help" (1965), the Beatles began the process of reinventing themselves. The title track, "Help," "Yesterday," and the very Dylanesque, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," saw the group moving into previously uncharted territory. Their songs were still just as catchy, the harmonies still as sweet, but the material had become darker and more intriguing.
This artistic growth continued on the next album, "Rubber Soul" (1965), and for the next five albums. This string of albums represents the Beatles' best work and some of the best albums of popular music ever recorded. On Rubber Soul, the band begins to experiment musically with the inclusion of sitar on "Norwegian Wood," and several songs such as "Michelle," "If I Needed Someone," and "In My Life" which could easily be classified as "folk rock."
The Beatles' following studio release, "Revolver" (1966), sees the Beatles at the peak of their powers. Revolver is an astonishing collection of songs representing a myriad of styles from the art rock of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Good Day Sunshine" to the hard rock of "Taxman" and full blown psychedelic experimentation in "Tomorrow Never Knows."
The release of Revolver coincided with the band's retirement from live performances. Freed of life on the road, the Beatles would dedicate themselves to experimentation in the recording studio. With the able support of their producer, George Martin, the group would again reach new heights of creativity in the studio with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967). This album's overt experimentation was an attempt by John Lennon and Paul McCartney to outdo the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson who had raised the studio bar with his work on the Beach Boys' classic recording, "Pet Sounds," during the previous year. "Sgt. Pepper," which is often cited as the Beatles' magnum opus, is every bit as thrilling as Revolver with epic songs such as "Lovely Rita," "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite," "She's Leaving Home," and 'A Day in the Life."
The Beatles kept rolling with the double album simply titled, "The Beatles" (1968). Its unadorned, solid white cover earned it the nickname, "The White Album," among fans. The album is amazingly eclectic and contains nary a bad tune amid its myriad of tracks. Among the album's classic tunes are, "Blackbird," "Mother Nature's Son," "Revolution," "Back in The USSR," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
In 1969, The Beatles would release their last true studio album, "Abbey Road." Group in-fighting that had lasted for several years was becoming intolerable and Paul McCartney was tiring of holding things together. McCartney would later signal the demise of the band by releasing his first solo album in 1970. Abbey Road was another brilliant effort that contained classic tracks such as "Come Together," "Here Comes the Sun," and most impressively, the medley of short, connected songs that finishes the album.
"Let It Be," which was recorded prior to Abbey Road, would be released in 1970 with the title track, "Let it Be," and Lennon's "Across the Universe" as standout tracks.
Read also the Article on Wikipedia for the Last Information.
Then why would you start playing a new song without paying attention to what’s on its bill of fare?
You are probably already aware of the musical ingredients (terms and expressions) but you may not be paying attention to them. If you want to sound terrific, you need to get beyond just playing the notes.
Playing the correct notes is essential for a great performance. But when you bring out the dynamics, get the tempo just right and follow the phrasing, Your piano playing will come to life!
Here is the musical menu to help you go from good to great.
• Beverages
o Clef: Normally the right hand reads treble clef and the left hand bass clef, but there are exceptions.
o Register: There is only one correct place on the keyboard for every note on the staff. Every octave on the piano has its own character.
• Appetizers
o Key Signature: You need to use this guide not only to remind you of which notes to play sharp or flat, but also so that you will know and hear the character of the scale of that key (sharp keys are usually bright; flat keys tend to be dark).
o Major or Minor Key: All key signatures can either identify major or minor keys. Be sure to know which it is. This makes a world of difference.
• Soup & Salad
o Time Signature: The biggest contrast is between duple (multiples of 2) and triple (multiples of 3). Decide which it is before you start playing.
o Tempo indication (metronome setting): Playing a song at just the right speed is essential. Too slow, it will be dull and sluggish. Too fast and it will sound rushed and can easily lead to sloppiness and mistakes.
• Entrée
o Dynamics: These are your guides for playing at just the right volume. Should this section be loud or soft? Somewhere in between? Or does the volume increase gradually (crescendo) or decrease (diminuendo)?
• Side Orders
o Expression marks: The phrase marks (curved lines) will show you where the music needs to breathe. Think of this as if you were singing or playing the clarinet. To get this effect on the piano, lift your hand off the keyboard at the end of each phrase.
o Articulation: The biggest difference is between legato (smooth & connected) and staccato (detached), but you will need to notice accented notes and much more.
• Desserts
o Lyrics, era, and genre: These can certainly help you uncover the stylistic secrets that will help you present the piece in the correct context. Whether it’s Bach or the Beatles, Scarlatti or Sinatra or something in between, you’ll know just what feeling the composition needs.
Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, pick a new piece that you really want to learn. Before you start playing the notes, look for all of its menu items. Use the above list as a guide.
Second, every time you practice this piece, incorporate the first three menu ingredients as you learn the notes. Note: you’ll need to practice more slowly at the beginning as you’re learning the notes, but when you’re ready, select the most suitable speed.
Third, add polish to your playing by using the second half of the menu list as your guide to discovering the other essential musical elements.
If you want to play the piano with more expression, more expertise and more enthusiasm, always remember to start by reading the menu. You’ll have a guaranteed recipe for success, and…… You’ll be amazed at how quickly your piano playing will sound terrific!
Belly dancer in Cairo, Egypt (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Oriental Dance, also known as belly dancing is one of, if not the most sensual styles of dance. It is also one of the most beneficial forms of dance there is healthwise. In addition to the great calorie burning affect of belly dancing there are other health benefits that this form of dance has become famous for over the centuries.
Belly dance has a long and proud history dating back to the dawn of civilization. This style of dance has in its history been used as both an act of worship and an act of seduction. Not always in exclusion of the either as this form of dance is believed by some religions to be a boost for fertility of newly wedded couples.
Belly dance is a style of dance that doesn't require participants to be in optimal physical condition in order to begin. In fact, the low impact nature of this form of movement makes it an excellent choice for those who are not in ideal shape to begin with. This form of dance works the muscles gently with the jarring effects of impact aerobics and other exercise methods. It also works the belly, which is often the problem area for many who aren't in the best of shape. You should also find that you will strengthen your back through belly dance as you progress. This will also help with almost every aspect of your physical fitness routine. More importantly for those who are a little (or a lot) out of shape is the belly dance burns an average of 300 calories an hour. This means that if you practice one hour a day you are burning over 2,000 calories per week.
For those who celebrate their womanhood, there is no better form of dance to express that joy. Belly dance has a long history as a celebration of being female. From being used in ceremonies in the temple to being used to entice and seduce the unwitting belly dance is a celebration of simply being a girl.
If you are afraid to begin your belly dance lessons in a class full of other men and women you can always opt to purchase videos and DVD lessons. There are many of these lessons from which to choose, even lessons that focus on the mental and/or healing aspects of Oriental dance if that is where you feel you need to focus your efforts. Belly dancing is a great deal of fun in addition to being a decent form of getting much needed physical activity.
If you plan to belly dance, you should understand that the costume is part of what sets the mood or the tone. While you do not need all the bells and whistles, the general consensus is that baring your midriff puts you in the state of mind that is most suitable for belly dancing. For this reason it is recommended that you wear clothes that bare your belly such as low-rise yoga pants and a sports bra or some other belly-baring shirt for your practice sessions. This also helps your instructor see if you are making the moves correctly.
If you decide to partake in belly dancing classes, congratulations! You will be joining an historic group of women that date back to what many believe is the very beginning of time. You should also have a new hobby that is both entertaining and healthy.
One of the most popular movements from the cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach is the famous "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". This work was originally composed as a choral part from the Cantata No. 147 sung at the end of parts I and II of this cantata. Many organists love to play this work for weddings and other joyful occasions. Because of the popularity of this work, there are so many organ versions available which are not necessarily perfect for you. In this article, I will show you how to make an organ arrangement of this composition for organ in 3 voices which will sound very well and will be comfortable to play.
Before we can make an organ arrangement, we have to become familiar with the orchestral instrumentation. If we take a look at the original scoring, we will discover that this work is notated in 9 staves. The harmonized chorale tune is performed by the 4 part SATB choir which in Bach's time might have been sung by the 4 soloists, too. The top soprano voice is also reinforced by the Trumpet in C.
The bass line is performed by at least 5 people: vocal bass, cellist, harpsichordist (or organist), the double bass, and perhaps the bassoonist as well. The vocal bass joins in choral phrases. We can imagine Bach himself playing the harpsichord or the organ and conducting at the same time. He would have been playing the bass line in the left hand and adding chords or another fully worked out solo voice from the basso continuo notation with the right hand. The double bass player would be playing the cello part one octave lower (at 16' pitch level).
The 3 instrumental parts are meant for two violins, viola, and also 2 oboes doubling the violin I part. The viola player would have to play from the alto clef. Note that the meter of the violin I part is 9/8 while other voices are notated in 3/4 meter. This is probably done to avoid triplets in the violin I part.
As you can see, it must have been quite an ensemble of at least 14 people. In order to make an organ version of this piece, we have to decide which parts are most important because naturally we can't play every part on the organ at the same time. Obviously, there are 3 most important lines in this composition - the chorale tune, the violin I part playing orchestral ritornellos, and the cello part giving the harmonic foundation.
By playing these parts on three separate divisions, we could make a very nice and satisfactory organ version in a trio texture. The violin I part could be played using 8' and 4' flute combinations in the right hand. The chorale tune would sound best, if played in the tenor range (one octave lower) in the left hand on the solo registration, perhaps using a soft reed stop, such as an oboe. We can take the cello line in the pedals using 16' and 8' soft stops.
The 3 part version of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring will sound very well on the organ and it will not be too difficult to learn. Just make sure you treat this arrangement like a real organ composition, and practice slowly with correct fingering, pedaling, articulation, and phrasing. It is best to practice repeatedly one small fragment at a time.
By Vidas Pinkevicius
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide "How to Master Any Organ Composition" http://www.organduo.lt/organ-tutorial.html in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music.
Article Source: EzineArticles
An object which is used to make a melodious sound is called musical instrument. In today’s life, music has become essential part of entertainment and a method to relax the body after a stressful day. There are large number of musical instruments with different style and different sound. Every single instrument has its own quality. No one can differentiate between two or more different instruments. These instruments are mostly used in orchestra.
There are different categories of musical instruments like keyboards, drums, percussion instruments, stringed instruments, woodwinds and brass wind instruments.
The instrument that comes under the category of woodwind is prepared with single or double reeds.
Some woodwind, musical instruments are in a tubular form while some woodwinds have many curves in a tube and the shape of the instrument makes it easy to make different sound. The instrumentalist places a reed in the mouthpiece to make sound and the quantity of air in the tube will decide what kind of sound is produced. The type of woodwind instruments are flute, clarinet, piccolo, oboe and bassoon.
The brass wind musical instruments can be seen from the distance because of the shine of the instruments. The different type of instruments under this category are trumpets, French horns, tuba and trombones except for saxophone because it comes under woodwind as it has a mouthpiece that needs air for creating musical sound.
The stringed instruments are like violin, guitar, violas, cellos and double basses. These instruments have different method of playing. Cellos and double basses are played in standing position and violin, guitar, and violas are played by carrying it in hand. These stringed instruments are checked by the tuning of each string before the performance to get better sound.
The different types of percussion instruments are timpani, snare drum, bass drum, triangle, cymbals, chimes, xylophone, celesta, tam-tam, and the triangle. The sounds of these instruments are louder compared to any other instruments so they are placed behind all other instruments so that it produces a proper sound and doesn’t create a noisy environment.
The keyboard category consists of piano, clavichord, harpsichord etc. Every musical instrument that has a key button that is attached to a string to create a sound comes under this category.
The musical instruments, drums, the types and structure of drums are different in different countries and the sound that it produces differs from one type to another.
So, if you are planning to own any of these types of musical instruments, there are few things to be considered before purchasing it.
Check for the reputed stores that sells original and genuine instruments.
Check the sound of the instruments that you are planning to purchase.
See how you feel when you hold the musical instruments.
Look out for the well known brand of the instruments.
The last and the important thing- see that it is within your budget.
After purchasing your instrument practice everyday for an hour or less to learn it fast and remember to always keep it clean.
Choose your favorite woodwind or brass wind instruments and enjoy with your family in a melodious environment.
Wilson is author of this article on Brasswind. Find more information about Guitars here.
Lorenzo da Ponte (1749-1838) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Among the world’s favorite operas, we find three of them with a libretto penned by Lorenzo Da Ponte and music by none other than the astonishingly delightful Viennese ear-confectioner Mozart. The list is a delight in itself: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovann, and Così Fan Tutte.
We learn in the new book, The Librettist of Venice, by Rodney Bolt, that Da Ponte grew so close with the unequalled Mozart – both of whom, we learn, were not only talented but vain, insecure and ambitious – that while writing Don Giovanni, they worked in adjoining lodges and shouted to each other through their windows.
Da Ponte even dared to contend with Mozart, who believed the text should be subservient to the music, while Da Ponte was certain that the words should be primary, in fact, that without his poetry even Mighty Mo’s music would be nothing.
Yet how Da Ponte tumbled from the heights. Hard as it may be to imagine, he wound up in New York, running, at one time, a grocery store on the Bowery.
Brilliant as an artist, he was apparently, in his personal life, a managerial moron. Or, said another way, while talent flies, practical reason just plods along, like a relative moron.
Da Ponte, born Jewish, was, as a result of his father’s having decided the family should become Catholic for the easement of a life of trade, ordained a priest. But his real vocation was married women. His exploits, we learn, rivaled Casanova, who became his pal and, if we believe such a thing is possible in the category at hand, his mentor.
Da Ponte himself admitted a shortcoming in comparison with his rival for insincere relationships: he didn’t have Casanova’s purported talent for fleecing the women he falsely wooed. In fact, Da Ponte claims he actually loved the ones he made out with.
He also considered himself adroit politically, but his moves were disastrous. He upset the successors of Joseph II so much he was exiled from Vienna.
Now,still technically a priest he was married to a younger but more wisely practical woman named Nancy Grahl, but even she was unable to keep the man out of bankruptcy in London and again in America, where they moved in 1805, because her family had settled here.
He attempted to establish Italian opera companies when English-speaking audiences had little interest in them. To add onions to opera, the grocery business failed.
He finally became a teacher, bookseller and wannabe impresario.
On the positive side, New York turned out to be the most agreeable spot for him. It was relatively liberal, and Da Ponte found himself a favorite of the cultural elite.
He became the first professor of Italian at Columbia University. While the position was pretty much ceremonial, Da Ponte has the double distinction of having been the first Jew and first priest on the school’s faculty.
He lived on into his 80’s, revered but regarded as eccentric.
He was charming man who made a profession of being European when such a state was still considered novel.
Yet when one compares his everyday doings with his winged collaboration with Mozart, one can only shake his head with the recognition of how quicksilver brilliant the remarkable syntheses of talent are, way up in mental processes we can only hope will drop answers into our expectant consciousness, compared to the "first we do this and then we do that" plodding of the practical but still invaluable mind.
even dared to contend with Mozart, who believed the text should be subservient to the music, while Da Ponte was certain that the words should be primary, in fact, that without his poetry even Mighty Mo’s music would be nothing.
, born Jewish, was, as a result of his father’s having decided the family should become Catholic for the easement of a life of trade, ordained a priest. But his real vocation was married women. His exploits, we learn, rivaled Casanova, who became his pal and, if we believe such a thing is possible in the category at hand, his mentor.
has the double distinction of having been the first Jew and first priest on the school’s faculty.