Classical Music - A Friend of Rock and Pop

Influence is widespread

Classical music certainly has an influence on many aspects of society. This includes music, movies, poetry, commercials, and culture in general. Many artists, whether they play rock, pop, jazz, hip hop, or other types of music, implement various components of classical music in their work. In a way, every kind of music is related to the music that preceded it. Rock and roll was heavily influenced by blues and country music. It also drew from folk, jazz, and classical.

Much can be learned from the Baroque period

Many rules of music theory were developed during the Baroque period of 1600-1750. This period included composers such as Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. These rules are just as relevant today as they were back then. Included are theories concerning chords, scales, note patterns, and chord progressions. A lot of musicians learn from these theories, and then implement the knowledge. The modern piano was invented during the Baroque period by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Italy. So anyone playing a piano or listening to piano music is connected to the Baroque period.

Rock musicians utilize classical music

Throughout the decades, many rock and rollers have taken bits and pieces from classical music, and inserted its knowledge and technique into their own style of play. The following artists borrowed from classical music for at least one of their songs. This includes Elvis Presley, The Ventures, The Toys, Procol Harem, The Beatles, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Neil Diamond, John Denver, Barry Manilow, Eric Carmen, ELO, The Beach Boys, Deep Purple, Billy Joel, Rainbow, Sting, and Green Day, who based their hit "Basket Case" on Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. Relatively new artists such as Alicia Keys are also influenced by classical music.

A big winner in 2012 is classically influenced

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, better known just as Adele, won six Grammy awards in 2012. This tied the record for most Grammy awards in one night, including the record, song, and album of the year. Classical music was a big influence in the music of Adele. Her 2011 recording "Someone Like You" has definite similarities to the music of Franz Schubert, who was born in 1797. Schubert was an important composer of the era called "The Classical Period". I play the intro to "Someone Like You" on piano. You can hear and feel the classical influence.

Being influenced by classical music

A lot of artists from many genres are influenced by classical music. Being influenced can mean taking a note pattern from Mozart, and incorporating it into your playing style. It could be note for note, or a very similar pattern. It can also mean taking a classical chord progression, and implementing it into your playing or song writing. It can be all or part of the chord progression that is used. The possibilities are virtually endless.

I learned Bach's "Minuet in D Minor" on piano. I was influenced by the wonderful sounding note patterns. Now, when I play certain chord progressions, time permitting, there is a good chance I will play the following note pattern right before an F chord. The note pattern is C#-E-G-A#-A-G-(F-E). The notes in parentheses I added myself. Even though I might be playing rock music, I am influenced to a certain degree by classical music. You can become a better player on piano or guitar, by implementing classical note patterns or chord progressions into your own style of playing. I suggest only adding ones you really like. It can work great. A perfect example is Adele.

Gary E Kerkow has been playing guitar for several decades. This includes teaching guitar, and playing in successful bands that toured the Twin Cities area. Kerkow is also an accomplished piano player.

The Relationship of Folk Music to Classical Music

Folk music is the music of a nation, culture or ethnic group. Each such group has its own characteristics, which includes such things as behavior, food, language, history, traditions, etc. The music and dance reflect these aspects and, as aesthetics, are communicated with soul. Folk music is almost like a language that tells of the various victories, hardships, sorrows and other survival factors that have transpired, usually over centuries. This gets passed down from generation to generation, without the formalities of academics and, most often, not in written form. But it is ingrained in the hearts of its people. It tends to apply to all of its people, regardless of social statuses or classes, and is therefore embracive but unique to its group.

The melodies are usually simple and could be no more than four notes. They are often repetitive with very simple harmonies and little to no modulation to other keys. However, some can have complicated rhythmic patterns, such as West African and Indian folk music. The instruments are unique, but quite often very similar or even the same in neighboring regions, such as the Chinese sanxian and the Japanese shamisen. However, the essence of each culture's music has its own characteristic, just like language. While there are nuances of each micro-region of a nation or area, just like a language and its dialects, they each possess the unique essence of their nation or area.

Listen to a traditional Persian folk tune and then an Irish one, or a Mongolian song and then a Balinese one. You will instantly note the flavor of each one.

Being simplistic does not mean that the artistic value of folk music is lost. It has its own intrinsic aesthetic value as it comes from the soul of the people and is performed with emotion, spirit and meaning. It tells a story.

Many classical composers have incorporated the folk melodies from their own cultures to their masterpiece compositions, such as Alexander Borodin (Russian) or Aram Khatchaturian (Armenian). In such a case, one cannot look at that piece as being folk music anymore, but instead, it becomes a more refined creation. It sophisticates into something finer and more worldly as opposed to something just localized. Its aesthetic quality is of a different nature.

However, certain world-class classical composers have incorporated folk elements from other cultures outside their own to their own compositions. We hear Russian, Chinese and Spanish elements by composers who are not of those ethnicities. Inspired by various melodies, masterpieces have been created. Again, one has to look at this from another perspective.

A great analogy would be Da Vinci's The Last Supper. This is strictly a work of fine art but it is obviously inspired by ancient cultural phenomena. Though, it does not reflect the exact customs and aspects of that culture in the way folk art would. The figures of that work all possess Western European features. The bread on the table is shown as leavened. These are peculiarities, perhaps even anachronisms, included by the creative license of the artist, which immediately show this work to be one of a fine art composition and not just a cultural artifact. The same principle may happen in music too, as in any other form of art.

Folk music is one of the key essences of a people, and is the aesthetic beauty that binds a culture. And this has expanded into being a major influence on music of an international level, which makes it even more special.

Classical Music

Classical music, like other forms of classical art, has not as many takers as those of light music. Nonetheless, classical music has its fans too and lots more are falling to its charms. Yet, those who turn to it often find it rather beyond their understanding and real appreciation. They are charmed by it, but they cannot critically explain why it appeals them. You cannot rationalize its appeal or beauty.

Another reason why a large majority of people are not very comfortable with classical music is its complexity and a sense of distance from the artist. Light music can be easily sung by ordinary artists with whom ordinary listeners can identify easily. It expresses the feelings of ordinary persons in their own language. Classical music, on the other hand, is rather mysterious and is rendered in diverse styles and it takes years, sometimes a life long time to understand .But its study has its rewards too. The more you study it, the more you enjoy it and the more you find it wonderful and worth the effort and hard work to study it.

The study or appreciation of classical music depends upon your individual taste. A form of music that appeals to you may not appeal to another person. You may come across experts who may try to influence you by their judgments about the quality of music. You may listen to them, but you should not compel yourself to like the music that they like. Or if you come across a much-acclaimed piece of music that you cannot really appreciate, you do not have to blame yourself for not liking it. You may of course try to find out why the particular expert likes a given piece of music. May be, you find some point to learn.

The most important thing about classical music is to listen to it as much as you can. Classical music CDs are available from many sources. If you are a student, your college library may have an abundant stock of classical music CDs. You can listen to radio, watch TV, and go to concerts and recitals. You can also get free downloads from the Internet, if you do not want to spend money.

Classical Music [http://www.WetPluto.com/Classical-Music.html] provides detailed information on Classical Music, Classical Music CD, Classical Music Downloads, Free Classical Music and more. Classical Music is affiliated with Country Music CDs [http://www.e-CountryMusic.com].

Stimulate Your Brain with Classical Music

I'll always remember my dad saying that he loved listening to birdsong early in the morning. The singing centered him in a way that I didn't understand at the time.

Now I know why he felt so refreshed.

Birdsong is a high frequency sound - around 5,000 hertz. Any sound between 5,000 and 8,000 hertz has been found to recharge our brain's batteries.

You know what else is amazing?

5,000 hertz is also the frequency that energizes plants. In fact plants showed a 700 percent increase in efficiency of absorbing nutrients when exposed to high frequency classical music. This frequency actually helps the little pores on the plant's leaves called stomata to open up.

And who says nature doesn't have a plan. That's why you'll find that in areas that don't have a lot of birds singing, there's not a lot of plant growth either.

Lots of birds equals lots of plants. Few birdsongs means not a whole lot of greenery. Now I know why we moved from Los Angeles to Asheville, North Carolina - we wanted birds and trees in our life.

Have you ever entered a room that has a weird or uncomfortable feeling about it? You might just be getting uncomfortable because of low frequency sound waves.

The lowest of those are called infrasound. They're produced by machines such as vehicles, household equipment and heating and cooling systems. It's been known for some time that these low frequency waves can cause symptoms such as nausea, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, vibration of internal organs and a feeling of oppression.

On the other hand, certain high frequency sounds literally energize your mind. Scientists have found that sounds from 5,000 to 8,000 hertz recharge your brain's batteries.

If your CD collection includes music by Mozart, Baroque Music or even Tibetan Chants, keep listening. In numerous studies, these sounds have been found to charge the cortex of the brain and stimulate health and wellness.

At 120-125 hertz you begin to hear the kick drums and bass guitar common to rock music. These lower frequencies produce the opposite effect - they drain us.

Why is this?

Because they have wave-lengths longer than we are tall, which is why lower frequencies are FELT as well as heard. You can feel this low frequency full-body sensation at dance clubs and rock concerts. Or from listening to most FM radio stations.

Since we are mostly exposed to low frequency sounds in the media, I strongly suggest you balance your brain and body by listening to high frequency classical music at least once a day. It's easy and effortless - and great for you.

Here's to your sound health.

Copyright 2006 Tania French

Composer Tania Gabrielle French has enjoyed performances and radio broadcasts of her music worldwide by Grammy Award winning artists. Her popular newsletter tells all about the secret effect of music on your mind and body. Subscribe now at http://www.artabundance.com © 2006 Tania Gabrielle French. All Rights Reserved.

Little About Indian Classical Music

Sitar, sarod, tabla, sarangi or dhrupad, khayal, ghazal or raga, tala, gharana- these are known the world over today. They represent Hindustani Art Music - in reality, a part of Indian Classical music. The terms North Indian Classical Music or Shstriya Sangeet are also occasionally used.

Indian music has developed through very complex interactions between different people of different races and cultures over several thousand years including the Vedic chant tradition dating back to approx. one millennia BCE, the equally ancient Persian tradition of Musiqi-e assil, and also the existent folk traditions prevalent in the region.

However, references to music in ancient texts, aesthetic formulations, and depictions and written discussions of musical instruments offer clues to the Indian music history.

Indian classical music allows for a much greater degree of "personalization" of the performance. Thus they do not represent mind of the composer but a universal idea of the world. They transmit not personal but impersonal emotion.

A difference with the western classical music is that Indian music is monodic, not polyphonic. Hindustani (North Indian) ragas are assigned to specific times of the day (or night) and to specific seasons. Many ragas share the same scale, and many ragas share the same melodic theme.

For most historical eras and styles, surviving treatises explaining musical scales and modes provide a particularly important means of recapturing at least a suggestion of the music of former times. Tracing the musical theory of the past makes clear the position of the present musical system.

You're Being Manipulated - How Music Affects Your Buying Habits

If you think music doesn't affect you, you'll be changing your tune after reading this. This is a true story of a recent study from Leicester University in England.

You're off to the supermarket and decide to stop by some shelves offering French and German wine. You make up your mind to buy a bottle of the French wine.

While checking out, you're asked why you picked the wine. You respond "The label looked great", or "I liked the price". Then you're asked if you noticed the French accordion music that was playing when you took that bottle off the shelf. You say that you did. Did it affect your choice of wine today? No, of course not, you answer.

That's funny because on the days that French music is played nearly 80% of shoppers chose the French wine. On the days that German music the Opposite happens.

In other words, this study found that if you bought some wine from their shelves you were 3 or 4 times more likely to choose a wine that matched the music than the wine that didn't match the music.

Guess what these wine-buyers responded when asked at the checkout if the music influenced their choice. Only 1 out of 44 customers said that the music was the reason they bought the wine. That's 2%!

The influence of the music was Huge but the customers Didn't Notice or Believe that it was affecting them. It only took a matter of minutes or seconds for music to get into these people's brains in a powerful way.

Similar experiments have shown that classical music can make people buy more expensive wine.

Here's another study to chew on. Most of us go out to eat at least once a week. Do you know which music makes you spend more when you're at a restaurant?

In this study, a British restaurant played pop music, classical music and no music over the course of 18 evenings. Average spending prices per person were calculated for the following categories:

Appetizers, Main Courses, Desserts, Coffee, Drinks from the Bar, Wine, Overall Beverage Bill, Overall Food Bill, and Total Amount Spent

They also measured the total time people spent in the restaurant. Here's what they found.

There was a Significant difference between evenings when classical music was played and no music or pop music were played. Classical music resulted in higher spending. Across the board in all categories. Other restaurants here and abroad have had similar results.

What does this mean? It's pretty simple. Classical music relaxes and makes you feel good. And feeling good makes you want the best.

That's why so many successful people listen to high frequency classical music. They know it helps them work better, think better, and get higher levels of energy. They know it won't deplete them, get them distracted and raise their heart rates, like hard-hitting low frequency music does.

The amazing effect that music has on your mind and body is being proven in study after study. It's information that should not be ignored. Especially these days, when we're exposed to music anytime we enter a building.

Copyright 2006 Tania French

Composer Tania Gabrielle French has enjoyed performances and radio broadcasts of her music worldwide by Grammy Award winning artists. Her popular newsletter tells all about the secret effect of music on your mind and body. Subscribe now at http://www.artabundance.com © 2006 Tania Gabrielle French. All Rights Reserved.

How Classical Piano Sheet Music Contributed to the Rise of Romance

Romantic music is a term that describes a particular style of classical music that arose in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This music was related to Romanticism, a literary and artistic era, beginning in the late 1800s, primarily in Europe. The term "romantic" used in classical music does not necessarily refer to romantic love, although a romantic theme was present of much of the classical piano sheet music of this era. Romantic music is easily identified by its emotional expression and ability to evoke deep feelings. There was an emphasis on lyrical, song-like melodies, as well as rich harmonic qualities. There were many composers during this period; however, a few stand out among the rest.

Ludwig von Beethoven

Ludwig von Beethoven was a composer and pianist from Germany. He was a crucial figure as the Classical era gave way to the Romantic era. He is considered to be one of the best-loved and influential composers that ever lived. Many of his compositions remain favorites among music lovers today, such as "Moonlight Sonata," and "Fur Elise."

Franz Schubert

Franz Schubert was another well-known composer during the Romantic era. Although his life was tragically cut short, his beautiful melodies, accented by passion, nature imagery and poetic style, are remembered and loved to this day. One of his most popular compositions was "Piano Quintet in A major," also nicknamed "The Trout."

Fredric Chopin

Fredric Chopin was a famous Romantic composer from Poland, considered a child prodigy by the age of eight. Chopin was considered to be the master of piano for his generation, and he, more than any romantic composer, used the piano as an emotional tool. Chopin was famous for his waltzes, such as "Les Adieux," as well as pieces like "Revolutionary Etude, Opus 10, #12."

Classical Piano Sheet Music At Your Fingertips

These are just a few of the most well known composers that identified the Romantic era of classical music. Fortunately, for pianists of our day, the beautiful and memorable compositions of these men are kept alive primarily through classical piano sheet music. Sheet music has the advantage of being easily ordered online, or downloaded right from your computer for printing at home or office. Sheet music is a valuable tool for learning to play classical romantic sheet music. A copy of the original score is right at your fingertips, along with all of the symbols for dynamics, tempo and even side notes about how the piece should be approached. Check out online music storesfor a great selection of Romantic classical piano sheet music.

Romance in the Modern Day

As you can see, The Romantic era of music refers to a period and style of music, but it is much more. Romantic style music evokes both passion and emotion in those who take advantage of its beautiful melodies and rich harmonies.

The next time you sit at the piano to serenade that special person, pick up a piece of Romantic classical piano sheet music, such as "Moonlight Sonata," and bring the romantic mood to a whole new level. And, don't forget the roses!

The Ethereal Sounds Of Classical Music - Learn The Violin

The Violin has always been one of the most popular musical instruments to play and has seen a resurgence in the last few years with more and more people beginning to learn the classical style of music.

Since the renaissance the violin has been a main component of most classical music scores and this continues to be the case even today.

Belonging to the bowed stringed instrument family the violin is played by gently allowing the bow to fall down and across the strings on the main violin body under the weight of your arm. The bow string once made from horse hair is generally a synthetic substitute today.

'Pizzicato' is the term given to the playing of the strings with your fingers, but the more common usage for your non-bowing hand is to create the notes using the strings on the violin body.

Even if you've never been particularly musical in the past, there's nothing to stop you learning the violin at any age and there are more ways to learn now than ever, thanks to the internet.

Let's delve deeper into the various routes open to you.

One of the more traditional ways to learn violin would be at an educational institution such as a school or college, however this route is usually a full time student role and if you've already left school, then this option might seem a tough step especially if you have to work nine to five.

If you live in a reasonable size town or city, you might find night classes available where you can take up the violin. Costing less than a place on a full time learning course and taking less of your spare time, this option would be valuable as long as it exists in your area. You should also find there are less people in the class so more one on one tuition.

Hiring a personal teacher should get you playing faster than any other option, as the instruction will be solely focused on you and you'll be driven to succeed. The downside to this option is the cost and the risk of you not being compatible with your instructor, especially if they don't appreciate your learning needs. This route must be managed well from the word go.

Some classes to learn the violin are now taught online, but this just basically mimics what you'd learn in class. Instead of going along to a college, you'd log on and learn from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to find out how reputable these online colleges are before you enroll, unless the process is much less informal.

Online books and e-books offer the latest promise of future violin stardom. For a small monthly membership fee or one-off charge you can purchase an e-book written by violin experts that include tutorials, assignments and pre-recorded videos. A very valuable learning tool for people with busy lives, as you can pick up and put down the course when it suits you, although you will therefore need to manage your own motivation and time to keep on track with the learning.

Qualities of Best Music Composers

Music fascinates people of all ages. Every genre of music has its own beauty which cannot be surmounted by another. To be able to listen to music of any genre, one must try to learn and understand it. Music has no borders and people from all parts of the world enjoy all kinds of melody and composition throughout the world.

The composition industry like other industries seldom faces recession. There are always new melody composers composing fresh and better composition for the masses. Moreover, the audience also likes listening to a variety of composition. There is always hustle-bustle in the music industry since there are lots of new music composition entering the industry with better work. Since, the music industry has changed over the years, the quality and genres of melody have changed as well. There is a lot of difference between the kind of music that was heard in the olden days and what we hear today.

The main reason for such differences in melody is the entry of new music composers. Each composer is talented and possesses unique skills. Some composers have the ability to mix and integrate two different genres of composition into each other, while some are great at classical melody. The classical genre of music is the most unique form of melody. There are not as many classical music composers in the music industry as those of the other genres. Also, there is not much experimentation in classical music like other genres of music.

Music composers should be creative and have an artistic mind because people are not ready to hear old music repeatedly. The music composers should always use their creativity to compose music that would stand out among so many albums already being released in the industry.

A good melody or composer should also have sound knowledge about the types of music and different aspects of the music industry. It is not enough to know only about a specific genre of music; however, music composers should be able to display skills in other genres of music too. With lessons in different melody genres, a melody or composition can amalgamate and create a unique melody.

There are various career options for musicians. They can either go on to make careers in playback singing, go solo, start bands of their own or even teach melody. Teaching music however, comes at a later stage when one has acquired substantial amount of skills and specialized in an area of melody at least.

Jimmy Prior is a professional writer and have skills and specialist in Music composers, and in Classical music.

Which Is Harder To Master, Classical or Jazz Piano?

Classical pianists are faced with the rigorous task of sight reading. Sight reading includes being completely fluent in reading rhythm as well as melody. Reading sheet music is probably one of the most arduous and tedious tasks of playing classical music. Because classical music relies almost entirely on sight reading music written by previous master composers such as Mozart, Hadyn, Bartok, Bach and the like, there are many guidelines as to how songs should be played. Advanced classical technique is also very strenuous and complex. Some advanced pieces may take an average classical pianist several months to learn.

Jazz relies heavily on improvisation. Because jazz is more free spirited and in the moment, many think that it's easy. Coming from a classical background, this is definitely not the case. Complex chords are often used in jazz music that are never found in classical music. Extended chords such as 9ths, flat 13ths etc. would sound quite dissonant to a classical ear. If Beethoven or Mozart had heard jazz piano played, they might have wrinkled their nose a bit pondering questions of harmony before really taking a liking to it. It definitely took some acclimation for me to appreciate this style of music.

One of the most complex things about jazz is theory. Although students of classical music learn a lot of theory, not much of it is actually used because students are not reliant on theory to play their pieces. All they have to do is learn music from sheets and then commit it to memory.

As for jazz, there are so many different chords and inversions that students will need to learn before being able to improvise melodies and rhythms over them. Understanding music theory is a very integral part of playing this form of music. Jazz chord changes are also very complex and irregular compared to traditional classical piano pieces. Though both advanced classical and jazz students will know all the scales in different keys, jazz musicians will use this knowledge in a more hands on way than an average classical pianist.

Finger technique for both genres can be extremely difficult. In my opinion, neither of them is harder than the other although many classical riffs may be a bit more complex as jazz melodies are often created by running scales. Learning complex classical and jazz riffs will take much dedication and practice to master and proper finger technique will dictate how well one can play for both genres.

In conclusion, the two genres have different obstacles and challenges that students will have to surmount and face. I would say both can be equally as challenging but just in different aspects. A real master pianist will have comprehensive knowledge of both.

Jason Johann Chang has played keyboards professionally since 2005 and has shared the stage and studio with members of George Clinton and P-funk, Fishbone, Sublime, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many others. He also runs a music school in Southern California which offers Orange County piano lessons. His very easy and intuitive eBook on piano improvisation is perfect for anyone who comes from a classical background and wants to learn the basics of improvising in a few short hours.

Love of Music

There is nothing that brings greater peace, happiness, and comfort than music. Listening to the best quality music can change a person's mood instantly, whether you are using it for educational purposes to help improve memory, or for the athlete to get all-energetic for an event, or simply just want to escape to a different world with softer music. But, no matter what the means are, music is what defines us as human beings. Growing up as a kid, I used to love singing to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir almost every day, until my mom got so sick of it that she told me to stop singing to the choir. I never realized that my singing was so bad. Eventually, my love for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir faded away as I got into my teenage years and then I started listening to rap and heavy metal music. Metallica and Tupac were some of my favorite bands and rap artist to listen to.

My parents would never let that type of music in the house, so once I got my first car, I took all my CD collections and jammed out to my music wherever I went to. Then, once I got into college, I had to take Intro to Humanities 101 to fulfill a requirement for my general education course. I abhorred the idea of listening to classical music from the start, because that is one type of music that I stayed away from, I would not even go down the CD aisle where it contain classical music at the store. But, as I took this course, my professor would play classical music in class to get us to understand what it is. After going through a full semester, my thoughts about classical music changed drastically. I also saw the benefits that it can bring when you study a particular subject such as math. It also changed my personality a lot whereas I started to buy more orchestrated music and less rap and heavy metal.

As a father of seven children, I decided to have my kids listen to classical music instead of the type of music that I had listened to. So, I have come up with an idea to help kids love classical music and not abhor it like the way I did. Parents, if you have love for music, make it fun for kids by making it livelier by adding your own rhythm to it but still keeping the same tune. At bedtime, put a radio on your kids' dresser, put in some Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, etc., and let the music do all the rest. Lead by example. Kids will listen to the same type of music as their parents do. Another fun way to inspire kids to listen to classical music is to purchase soundtrack CD's such as Beauty and the Beast or Sleeping Beauty. Theme songs such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Back to the Future, Flight of the Navigator, Last Air Bender, Superman, Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, and How to train you dragon are some great examples to introduce your kids to the world of classical music. So, in the end, music does make a big difference in our lives and it also defines us as human beings.

To find out more ways to keep classical music entertaining for your family, go to http://www.squidoo.com/the-love-of-music2

The Charisma of Classical Music

Classical music is one of the most cherished forms of music; however, there are not many takers on it. People who are classical composition fans will always resort to finding solace in listening to their favorite tunes coming from some of the best traditional music composers.

Many people who listen to this form of music find it quite complex. Hence, there is not much of real appreciation for this form of music, since it requires profound comprehension of musical notes. These people fail to comprehend and appreciate the beauty and charm of traditional composition.

The study of classical music basically depends upon your taste for music. It might be that one form of composition appeals to you but not to others. Similarly, there might be instances where a traditional music expert might try to influence you with their judgment of classical music; though you can never understand what they mean to say until you begin to understand it.

A lot of people are not comfortable listening to classical composition at all. One major reason for this is the complexity and distance from the artist. The best way out to appreciate and understand classical music is learning it. Sometimes it can take too long to understand it. It totally depends upon the interest and dedication of the person.

There are many young music composers who are eager to learn and adopt classical music as their major mode of singing. There are different websites that promote these young singers who wish to study traditional music seriously. These music-oriented websites facilitate young singers to interact and share their art with each other. Moreover, many seasoned musicians also help those young composers to create better music. Many also promote young and budding artists to get some of the best opportunities in the music industry.

Classical composition was composed during the time period of 1750 to 1820. Modern traditional music emerged later and can now be heard commonly in the musical tracks of all genres. You can also listen to the theme of classical music being played in the background of video games. These themes are not sourced from plain traditional music, but are written especially to be played by an orchestra. People who write this form of music are trained in traditional composition.

Today, classical music has its own significance in the world of composition. There are hundreds of traditional music concerts held throughout the world. Thousands of people flock to these concerts just to hear the mesmerizing vocals of the legends, while many only appear to catch a glimpse of their favorite classical singers.

The Growth of Live Music

After years of declining physical record sales, artists, bands and record labels lately are focusing on live music shows. Record labels are also providing their bands 360 deals. Sounds cool, what is it exactly? Previously, record labels mainly used to only fund the process of producing a physical record; also known as long plays, tapes and compact discs. Nowadays, labels are also funding and helping their signed bands and artists organize and sell their live shows, and also eating a large portion of the profits.

Thanks (or not) to the internet and the ease of pirated music distribution, the generic public is no longer bothered, or even willing to buy physical music records. There is still hope though; Johnny is still willing to spend his hard earned money on music. Maybe not on physical music records, but people seem to be going to concerts much more than ever before. It seems that the sound quality is of no difference to Johnny and most of the population, so he won't bother if he listens to MP3's on his computer.

On the other hand, going to a concert is a social experience where one can head bang and interact with sweaty people, some of which you've never seen. It's a new experience, totally different than when you're frequenting the same old rotting bar for several years. So invest today. Instead of spending hundred Euro, the bankrupt currency, alone in a bar, might as well invest some of it on a concert ticket and the rest on some ice cold beers to help you bear with the heat of indoor concerts, or maybe as a chick investment.

Mention the world's biggest acts and you will notice that even though the world economy is spiralling down, they are still managing to sell out their world tours. International renowned electro band Depeche Mode and their Touring the Universe Tour, U2, who embraced the internet like no other band, Lady Gaga and many other world renowned bands and artists all managed to generate a decent income, which you and I don't even dream of. Navigate through several online ticket websites and you will notice that there is at least a concert of two in the city where you live, if not more!

Some time ago, the editor of one of the blogs I write for, wrote a rant about the music industry. Unfortunately his rant was criticized by many, and unlike other of his self-opinionated articles, its publishing on several music news sites was rejected for one simple reason; encouraging piracy of music over the internet. It is kind of funny; it seems the editors of the other websites do not know how to read. In this rant about music, Octave Shaper is simply stating that like many other world industries, the music industry should stop pointing fingers, think out of the box, and search for its golden eggs goose somewhere else.

That is why I admire the music's industry Father Christmas, Mr. Cowell's and his shows, such as X Factor. Mr Cowell, instead of trying so hard to sell records, changed his business model and now is helping many aspiring artists by giving them the chance of having their own sponsored tours. Thanks to his international renowned shows, Cowell is raising live music awareness, and "brand awareness" for the artist and bands involved, while still making truckloads of money, most probably more than ever before.

In my opinion, the music industry was wrong in pointing its fingers and blaming the internet for its decreasing income from sales of physical records. It's true the internet made it easier for the distribution of pirated music, but it also made it easier for Johnny to buy concert tickets. If you need a carton of milk, you still have to leave your home, walk to the grocery store, and if it is expired and you didn't notice, you have to walk back to return it. If you want to purchase a concert ticket, you can do it from the comfort of your sofa while keeping your butt warm and cosy.

Thanks to the internet, social networks and viral videos, it is now easier for agents and bands to grasp the attention of new crowds. With the tsunami of new music being constantly uploaded on the internet, it might be difficult for non-established artists to infiltrate the masses and grab a big piece of the pie, but they will always have their share of crumbs. Let's not also forget that the internet also made it easier for already established and world renowned artists to reach new horizons in the music industry. Simply have a look at how many Facebook likes and Twitter followers famous artists have. Do you think Lady Gaga would have had the same influential effect on the world as she has now without the internet?

By profession, Leo Pechlino is an IT expert while in the evenings he likes to listen and discover new music. An avid writer, Leo reviewed several music records for several music blogs. Most of his work can be found on Muzikablog music blog ( http://www.muzikablog.com ). Leo is also a technical writer and from time to time publishes IT industry related articles.

Stress Relief and Discos

When we feel stressed and exhausted, we look for something that could somehow re-build our strength, right? Yes, there are many events that challenge us every day so the least that we can do is to live as lightly as possible. You can, for instance, think of positive thoughts. These thoughts can make you happy enough to get you going.

You can consider traveling around the country, or better yet, you can visit other countries. Just make sure proper arrangements are made before the travel for an easy and trouble-free journey. If you want, you can just hang around the house and be with your family. You can invite your family to go shopping, watch movies and maybe go on a picnic. If you are the type of person who loves extreme sports and adventures, you can try outdoor activities such as camping, trekking, climbing, biking, swimming and the like. Regardless of what you choose to do, the important thing is that you are enjoying the moment.

But if you feel like you want to dance the stress away, there are many avenues that you can consider. You can go to dance schools if that is what you really like. Dance schools will appreciate your talent and support it all the way. If you are not into dance schools, you might want to consider discos, night clubs and the like.

In considering a disco place, you can start by identifying night clubs within your area that offer accessible and safe night life. For sure there is a district somewhere in your place where discos and night clubs thrive. It is up to you if you want to dress up. But of course, you would want to look great wherever you go, right?

When clubbing, it is a good idea to bring some friends and loved ones. With that, your disco or night club experience will likely be memorable.

If you are worried about the entrance fees, then you might want to know that there are clubs that offer cheap entrance fees. These are just a small price to pay if you really want to have fun. If you are hungry, food and drinks are served. Given the fact that there are many disco places out there, you should consider which disco is better. In order to determine that, you should consider the following:

1. Disco light effects are remarkable. For a business owner, lights somehow change or affect the mood, and if you utilize it well, many customers will patronize you. If you seek to have the best disco experience, look for discos with stage lights, LED lighting system, lasers and the like.

2. DJs play the music. You know that without music, discos are boring. DJs should be creative and upbeat so that they can play well. They should have different equipment such as mixers, sound systems, controller, audios and other crucial electronics.

3. Special effects like fogging machine and the like. With these machines and lights, surely you will have a different clubbing experience.

These equipment will surely make your life more colourful and groovy. Don't be afraid to dance or go to night clubs because you have the right to have fun.

Francisco Perry is an enthusiastic writer of EllumiGlow.com who likes to share information on nightclub lighting and dj lights as well as related products.

The Art of Singing

No matter what style of singer you may wish to be, it is very important to understand how to look after your voice and most importantly understand how your voice works. You wouldn't dream of entering a Triathalon without months of training for the event, and yet with singing many of us just expect our voices to be able to tackle anything we throw at it without any training at all.

If you'rr serious about singing and want to get the most from your voice, its really important to invest in singing lessons. First off you will learn about the correct breathing techniques to fuel your voice. This is vital,otherwise it's like putting Diesel petrol in a unleaded car, you can imagine the output you would get! Through singing lessons you can learn to stretch your range, smooth out breaks in the voice, improve tone, diction and overall sound. Then once you have this basic understanding and know your voice, you can truly make the most of it and sing the style that you wish, too. How can we expect to improve our voice if we don't understand what is causing the problem in the first place! Your voice is your instrument and therefore you need to first learn about how to play your instrument to get the best possible sound from it.

Of course the next stage once you have learnt the essential technique's is to practise, get your voice stronger, more agile and challenge it to do new things. This is where the fun starts. The hard work starts to pay off as you see yourself achieving and singing the songs you thought you never could, or struggled with before. Then we start to add the essential layer of performance. This will obviously vary depending on the style of singing you have chosen to specialise in. In Musical Theatre for example, there is a strong emphasis on the dramatic communication of the story through the songs. But even with commercial music the artist still needs to find that connection with their audience as they sing. The listener should be taken on a journey through the use of lyrics and musical style of your singing, be it heavy rock or classical it should make no difference, finding that connection is what counts. Of course this requires the singer to be both confident and to let go and go to that vulnerable place and give everything to their performance. For some this will be a natural thing,they may love to escape to this place when they sing. For many it can take years to get to the place where you are no longer thinking about remembering the words, worrying about the high notes or your singing being affected by the nerves brought on by large quantities of people looking at you! Singing is one of the hardest things to do when you are nervous as the first thing to go is your breathing. You freeze and stiffen up,you stop breathing correctly and from then on everything else goes to pot! That's where the more practise performing in front of others you can do the better.

For singing lessons with a vocal coach in Auckland, visit http://www.vocalising.co.nz Claire offers singing lessons for all ages from her Takapuna home. Learn to sing and get the most from your voice.

http://www.vocalising.co.nz

Drum Practice Tips

Many times when we're practicing, the way we're using our time could be spent more efficiently. For example, when you're playing a new groove and you're having trouble with one small part of it each time it comes around, you can get way more out of your practice if you would focus in on only the problem spot.

You see, music is a language, and when you began to speak English (or whatever your native language might be) you started with short, simple words. You didn't say, "Mother, if you would be so kind as to bring me that toy automobile over there, I would be forever grateful and in your debt." You said, "Momma" and then "car" and then "Momma, car," etc., until you could create a more complex sentence with all of the nouns, and verbs, and adjectives, and so on.

And this is what we tend to do when we're practicing a groove. We want to get the whole thing down RIGHT NOW. I understand, but if you slow it down and break it down, you're going to have a far better result far quicker. Which is ultimately what we want, we just don't see the quickest way of getting there naturally on our own.

This brings in an idea from yesterday's blog - PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT (which will always be typed in ALL caps, btw). So if you can play most of the groove, and you're just stumbling on one little part, we'll need to use what I call the "zoom in, zoom out" method. This means that we'll take the part of the groove that you're struggling with and focus only on that. For example, let's say we're learning the groove from Brain Stew by Green Day. (See also, Last Resort by Papa Roach.)

For many drummers, playing this groove is a piece of cake (the method still applies to whatever you're working on), but beginners tend to have trouble playing the double sixteenth notes on the bass drum while keeping solid eighths on the hi-hat. So we'll isolate that part and work ONLY on the problem spot.

It may even be helpful to only play one of these patterns at a time. Both, Bass, Hat. Over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over some more. This is getting good at the word, rather than struggling to say the sentence. Dig it?

So once you can perform this effortlessly, you'll go back to trying the sentence. If it goes smoothly, and you can now play time SOLIDLY throughout the groove, great! You've got it down, and you're ready for a new challenge. That was super quick! If you're not successful with it yet, that's OK too. All you need to do is zoom back in on the challenge spot, and drill it again. Once it feels comfortable again, then go back to trying the whole groove, and repeat this back and forth process until you can perform it smoothly.

To learn more, download my FREE 29-page ebook here.

Aaron is the owner of http://www.TheCompleteDrummer.com where he provides drumming lessons and tips.

Selecting the Right Bass Strings

Regrettably, nobody can tell you which bass strings to pick or that will play and sound best to you on your bass. There are several variables which will give your bass a particular sound - the wood your bass is manufactured out of, the strings, your pick ups, as well as your amp or the effects you use, etc. That's why I concentrate on my technique and style because even playing in a different surrounding your sound will vary but your technique and style will remain.

Now, with that said, I can show you the method that I used/use for choosing my bass strings. I pretty much just keep it fairly basic. There are two main factors I like to take into consideration when choosing the type of bass strings I want to use.

1) How they play and feel under the fingers. Do you like a rougher feeling string or smooth and do you prefer a thinner string or thicker? Now granted some of thickness of the

string will fall under the sound of the string but you have to like how they feel as well, find the balance.

2) The sound of the bass strings themselves. Do you like a bright and punchy or more of a warm bassy sound, or maybe somewhere in between.

But of these two I get number 1 locked in, because as I said I focus on my style and technique because my sound will change, as I mentioned above as well as the biggest reasons my sound will change, me. My tastes and moods at different times in my life is always a variable, I may want it bright and punchy but somewhere down the road I may not. But the feel and playability needs to be there, so I can properly express myself. I don't concern myself with the brand name or anything like that at this stage, although I do have my favorites that I have used for years however for me regardless of what brand I play I maintain these following steps:

1) Identify The Scale Length Of Your Bass.

This really is vital since you will need the correct size of string for a proper fit on your bass. Unless you have the right length you may not be able to string your bass correctly, if at all. To determine the scale length, use a tape measure and measure from the nut ( string saddles just before headstock) to the twelfth fret then multiply that number by 2.

(You can measure from the nut to the string saddles on the bridge but it isn't really advised, since for intonation purposes the length will from string to string. )

These are the typical scale lengths:

Short Scale - 30 inches

Long(or Standard Scale) - 34 inches

Extra Long - 36 inches

2) Select the Gauge Of Bass Strings.

The gauge of the bass strings refers to the thickness or the diameter of the string in inches. The gauge of the bass strings will have an effect on the tone and feel and playability of the bass. Heavy gauge bass strings have excellent tone but require more finger strength. A light gauge string loses a little tone which is great if you are a string bender. The following table lists the gauges contained in typical bass string sets.

Typical Sets:

Extra Light. 040. 050. 075. 090

Light. 040. 060. 080. 100

Medium. 045. 065. 085. 105

Heavy. 050. 070. 085. 110

These are typically the standard bass string set and gauge combinations, but there are numerous other combinations to accommodate all techniques, styles and alternate tunings that would only confuse things at this point.

3) Lastly, Select Type of Bass String

Roundwound - This is the brightest sounding of the windings and is the most widely used type of strings. Their feel is rougher due to the grooves, which often cause more finger noise to boot. Roundwound bass strings are widely used in virtually all styles of music. They are popular for the slap bass technique, popping and tapping where you may want a brighter tone and clearer definition of the notes.

Flatwound - These strings have a ribbon-like winding wound around the core string; they have a more mellow tone to them. They feel smooth and have very little finger noise since they have fewer and shallower grooves. You might like them if you play jazz and reggae where you may want that more mellow tone. Also, it would be advisable to use flat wounds if you play a fretless bass.

Halfwound - Are between roundwound and flatwound bass strings in the terms tone and feel under the fingers. They have decent brightness and a lot less finger noise. Halfwound strings are basically a roundwound with the roundness polished or ground off.

How I Choose My Bass Strings.

When you first go through the above steps, select an inexpensive set (unless money is no object). You can find good sets around $20 to $25; I would steer clear of any over $30. Once you find your preferred gauge and winding, then go a head and try the different brands of bass strings and the different materials used to make them such as nickel, stainless steel, alloy, etc.

This is how these steps apply to me:

1) Bass Scale Length - Long Scale. All my basses are 34 inches.

2) Bass String Set Gauge - I use medium. 045. 065. 080. 105; they work great for me when I play metal, funk, country, or jazz.

3) Bass String Type - Roundwounds are my choice; I just love how they feel and sound.

The key is to not make this more complicated than it needs to be, have fun and don't make it a chore. Don't let anyone tell you how you should sound over all, this is your voice; leave room for compromise for the sake of the song but don't sell out; if you do, you won't be happy. Hope this has been helpful and that it enables you to enjoy the bass more.

The Great Thing About Rock And Roll

There was a reality show that split this particular season's contestants into teams according to race. What was interesting is that one of the Hispanic team contestants claimed that although is family is Hispanic, he doesn't consider himself part of any particular ethnic group, his race is Metal. He is what is known as a "Metal Head", a fan of Heavy Metal music.

That's the great thing about rock and roll, in fact, it's one of the great things about America. You have a choice of who, or at least what, you can be. You may have been born into a particular ethnic, religious, national or sociopolitical family group but that doesn't mean you have to stay there. Although your race or ethnic group might be difficult to completely deny, you do have a plethora of counter culture, religious and political groups and sub -genres to which you may claim membership. Since you choose to be a member of these groups and are not born into them, the members are much more open to accepting members from different geographical locations and customs.

Besides the sub cultures of Urban Cowboy, Surfer, Low Rider, Greaser, Gang Banger, Red Neck, Trekkie and the other social cliques that many times start in Junior High School, rock and roll offers such romantic and exotic lifestyles as Punk, Gangsta, Metal Head, Dead Head, Parrot Head, Hippie, Emo, Grungie, Mod, Rocker, Newwaver and Prog fan, to name just a few. A great thing about these social groups it that unlike some cults you can easily switch between them according to your changing taste, level of intellectual and spiritual development and to impress a girl.

Some people change their lifestyle as often as they change their clothes, literally. I grew up with a friend who was a surfer, then a biker, then a hippie, then into Prog, then Disco, then Punk, then Metal. The last time I saw him he was into going to the symphony with a picnic basket of gourmet food and fine wine.

I think that's just fine and it must be fun to feel a part of the times, be in style and hip to the newest thing, but I wouldn't know. I may not be trendy but I'm nothing if not consistent. No matter which lifestyle you may choose during the course of your life, most of us end up being just Mom and Dad so let your freak flag fly while you can.

Neal Warner is an artist, writer, musician, member of the multimedia band, The Tooners, founder of Director's Clip, The Music Video and Internet Video Sponsorship Site ( http://www.directorsclip.com ) and Rock & Roll Rehab, The Satirical Self Help Program For the Control of Rock & Roll ( http://www.rocknrollrehab.com ).

Rihanna

R&B star Rihanna is a multi platinum R&B recording artist famous for her smash hit R&B songs and stunning music videos. Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados on February 20, 1988, she released her debut album "Music Of The Sun" in 2005. It featured collaborations with J-Status, Kardinal Offishall and has hit Rihanna songs & Rihanna music videos "Pon Da Replay" and "If Its Lovin That You Want", helping her album to debut at number 10 on the Billboard Album charts selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release.

Rihanna released her sophomore album "A Girl Like Me" in 2006. It featured collaborations with R&B singer Ne-Yo, Sean Paul. The album debuted at number 5 on the Billboard Album charts selling 115,000 copies in its first week of release. It features her songs "SOS", "Unfaithful", "We Ride" & the fourth official single release "Break It Off" which featured another excellent Rihanna music video helping her album to sell over 1.5 million copies in the US alone.

Rihanna released her third studio album "Good Girl Gone Bad" in 2007. It featured collaborations with Hip hop star Jay Z, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Timbaland & Tricky Stewart. It debuted at number 2 selling 162,000 copies in its first week of release and had popular songs & videos "Umbrella" featuring Jay Z, "Shut Up And Drive", "Hate That I Love You", "Don`t Stop The Music", "Take A Bow", "Disturbia" & "Rehab". It became her biggest selling album to date selling over 2.6 million copies in the US alone.

Rihanna released her fourth studio album "Rated R" on November 20, 2009. It featured collaborations Hip hop star Young Jeezy, Will.i.am & Rock Star Slash and included hit songs & videos "Russian Roulette", "Hard", "Rude Boy" amongst others. This album with best*RnB songs debuted at number 4 on the Billboard Album charts selling 181,000 copies in its first week of release. The album has sold over one million copies in the US alone, giving Rihanna another Platinum selling album, also peaking at number 9 on the Official UK Album charts.

Rihanna released her fifth studio album "Loud" on November 12, 2010. This album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard Album charts selling 207,000 copies in its first week of release. It also featured high profile collaborations with Hip hop superstar Eminem on the sequel to their hit "Love The Way You Lie", Drake & rap sensation Nicki Minaj. The album has sold over 1.5 million copies and has hit songs & music videos "Only Girl (In The World)", "What`s My Name" featuring Drake, "S&M", "California King Bed", the dancehall flavored "Man Down" and her final single release "Cheers (Drink To That)".

Rihanna released her sixth studio album "Talk That Talk" on November 21, 2011. It featured collaborations with Hip hop legend Jay Z, Alex Da Kid, Stargate and Calvin Harris and boasts of the hit song & music video "We Found Love" which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts. Rihanna released her second single "You Da One" on November 14, 2011. This hugely infectious Rihanna song also featured a stunning music video. Rihanna is also expected to release more singles & more music videos in the months to come.

Interested to know more about your favourite hip hop stars?

Artist profiles, hottest music videos, latest hip hop music news & gossip and lots more, only at Urban-Nation.com.

Hayden Griffith is a freelance writer from London specialising in writing hiphop r&b music and UK Grime music articles. Over the years he has developed an extensive knowledge of urban music and urban music artists and is considered one of the leading authorities on this subject. With a passion for Hip hop and R&B music since childhood, Hayden Griffith brings great knowledge and a great understanding of this exciting music genre and his articles are both informative and entertaining too.

Steps to Know Your Piano Notes

Learning to read music and recognize piano notes takes some practice, but it isn't difficult to master. Here are nine tips to get you started:

    * The notes on a scale fall between the letters A through G, and are repeated endlessly. Middle C is the C which falls in the middle of the keyboard if you are sitting in the center of the piano.

    * In Western music, the notes of the scale are written on a staff consisting of five lines. These lines are numbered one through five from the bottom of the staff. The notes can be placed on the lines or the spaces between the lines.

    * Learn the difference between treble and bass clef. On the piano, the treble clef notes are the keys from the mid to high range of notes, starting with middle C. The bass clef notes are the keys on the piano from the mid to low range, also meeting at the middle C. On sheet music, the treble clef notes are on top, while the bass clef notes are on the bottom of the staff.

    * Learn the letters that correspond with each note, or key. Notes range from A to G. Try these pneumonic devices to remember where the notes fall on the treble clef: On the treble scale, the notes ascend on the five lines as E, G, B, D, F, or Every Good Boy Does Fine. Notes on the treble clef four lines ascend in the order of F,A,C,E, or Face.

    * Use these pneumonic devices to learn the notes on the bass clef: the notes on the five lines of the bass scale in ascending order are G,B,D,F,A, or Good Boys Do Fine Always. Notes on the four lines of the bass clef in ascending order are A,C, E, G, or All Cows Eat Grass.

    * Learn the difference between sharp and flat notes. When the black note occurs above the white note, it is a sharp. When it occurs below the white note, it is a flat. Black notes can be both sharps and flats, depending on how they are played in a piece.

    * Pay attention to scales. If you know what an F looks like, they you can assume that the next note is G. If you're unsure of a note, consider the note nearest to it that you do recognize and count up or down.

    * Begin to see a sheet of music as a whole composition, rather than individual notes. For example, when you read, you don't consciously think of each note. Instead, you read words. So it is with playing the piano. In order to become fluent, you must "read" the whole piece. Practice playing scales, followed by chords. Both these exercises will improve your fluency and help you learn the notes.

    * Try to play a simple piano piece without looking at your fingers. Use your ear, the fingering provided on the music and your intuition. This exercise will train your brain and fingers to find the notes automatically.

Yoke Wong is the founder of PianoMother, a leading piano educational publisher. Her piano lessons DVDs and downloadable online courses, including Definitive Piano Improvisation course, This article is about piano notes  , find more at http://www.pianomother.com.