Monday, May 31, 2010

Sheet Music? Reading vs. Not Reading

Author Mike Barricello
Being able to read sheet music and tablature are the topic of debate among guitar players. There are those that play great guitar and do not read music and that’s great. On the other hand you have great guitarists that can read music. I guess it just depends on the way you learned the guitar. I recently read a blog by the great www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com guitarist Arlen Roth. Arlin learned to play by ear first and then learned to read music later. Arlin has  a blog at Gibson.com if you have time check it out. Arlin does a lot of studio work he believes, as I do, that if you are serious about being a musician that it would be in your best interest to learn to read music and tablature. Back in the days when I learned to play we didn’t have tablature and I didn’t have a sharp enough ear to  learn without music. I guess in the long run it paid off  because the first time I went in a studio I had to read the music for the songs that were being recorded. The big thing about recording in the studio is that time is money and if you have to do too many retakes you probably won’t get called back for more work. I remember when I used to sit down in the evenings, get my music book out and read all the notes so I could get used to it and read faster so that when I did play the guitar it became second nature. Another great way to learn is to use tablature with sheet music. It helps you to play in the right position. I do know some studio musicians who can’t read music and they get work, but it’s with certain singers that they have worked with before and they request them. The point I’m trying to make, is it depends how far you want to go with your music career. If you are serious about it then you should learn to read music

Monday, May 17, 2010

The Role of the Trumpet Within a Big Band

Author: James P Martin
The trumpet has always been an integral part of the traditional big band, both as a lead instrument and as a soloist. The section consists of four players, with the first chair being labeled the "lead" chair and the second part generally considered the "jazz" chair. Although improvised solos can be played by any of the four players, the second trumpet is usually depended upon to cover the solos within the section when needed.It is the "lead" trumpet that carries the melody over all other musicians during full band sections. This important position carries quite a large responsibility, mainly because it is he/she who is called upon to play the highest notes within the ensemble sections.Melodic and Harmonic RolesIn traditional big band repertoire, the trumpet section provides both melodic and harmonic roles. Melodies can be played by one or up to all four players at one time. Melodic roles are often coupled with instruments of similar timbre, such as the alto saxophone. As a melodic instrument, the trumpet is generally in the middle range when matched with other instruments. The upper register is used for full ensemble sections where the lead player must carry the melody over the rest of the band.When fulfilling a harmonic role, the section is usually voiced in either three or four distinct parts. Since the trumpets are set in the upper register of the ensemble, they have the responsibility of covering the upper extensions of the given chord. In harmonic roles, the section often extends the basic chord tones (i.e. root, 3rd, seventh) that are played by the trombone and saxophone sections. These upper extensions often take the form of a simple triad when played alone, but create sophisticated extended chords when playing with saxophone and trombones.Mutes and Utility InstrumentsModern trumpeters today are expected to own and carry a variety of mutes to alter the sound of the instrument. In every trumpeter's bag are a straight mute, a cup mute, a harmon mute and plunger. Each of these "tools" are designed to alter the color and sound of the instrument by bringing out low (cup and plunger) or high (straight and harmon) overtones. The use of mutes can significantly alter the overall sound of the section with a wide variety of colors. Gil Evans was one famous arranger that used muted trumpets extensively in his arrangements and compositions.In addition, most professional trumpeters today own a flugel horn. This instrument looks like a large trumpet, but sounds much more mellow and with a limited high range. Flugel horns are used primarily for melody, but can also be used as harmonic pads with the big band. Modern writers such as Maria Schneider utilize flugel horns in this role quite oftenFamous Big Band Trumpeters and SectionsTrumpet players and big band trumpet sections can be found throughout the history of jazz. Maynard Ferguson, for example, made his debut with the Stan Kenton Orchestra during the 1950s. Maynard played lead trumpet and was featured as a high note virtuoso at a young age. He later went on to lead his own big and small bands for more than half a century. High note artists such as Stan Mark and Lynn Nicholson were members of famous Maynard Ferguson trumpet sections.Bill Chase led one of the more famous trumpet sections in the 1960s with the Woody Herman orchestra. Known for his high range, Bill Chase provided the high note excitement for the band. In 1974, Chase met an untimely death in a plane crash near a small airport in Minnesota, Among the most famous trumpet sections of all time might have been in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson filled soloist and high note roles, respectively, for Duke's band for many years. Duke often wrote entire compositions to feature Cootie (Concerto for Cootie) on trumpet.The trumpet will always play an integral role within the realm of big band jazz ensemble music. Because of this, skilled lead players and gifted soloists will always be in demand in the jazz and commercial music industry.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/the-role-of-the-trumpet-within-a-big-band-875305.html

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Guitar Hero or Real Guitar

Author: Mike Barricello
I watch all these young kids playing Guitar Hero and wonder if their parents encourage it or tolerate it.  I personally would like to see kids pick up a real guitar or other instrument and learn to play it.  When I was 10 years old I picked up my first guitar and at age 59, I haven’t stopped playing it yet.  I remember as a kid that I rarely got bored like young kids do now.  If I had nothing to do I would turn to my guitar and play it for hours at a time.  I realize that when you tend to have a short attention span.    www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
For myself, the guitar entertained me through dull times and rough times.  If I was having a bad day or had a lot of stress, the guitar was and still is like my best friend.  When I pick up the guitar all is well in my world.  I guess what I am trying to say is, parents put a real instrument in your child’s hands and let them develop a real talent and at the same time develop their mind.  I know I’m grateful to my parents for letting me play an instrument and for also encouraging me to keep with it.  I try to encourage as many young kids as possible to play an instrument.  The guitar, keyboards or a saxophone can make the difference in a child’s life.  Musical instruments can help kids grow and develop self confidence.  So parents get your children involved in music.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against video games, I play them myself, but I do so in moderation.  www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com

Piano Playing Tips - How To Make The Most Of Your Practice Time

Author: Stephen Stocker
One of the most important piano playing tips is to set aside separate times for piano practice and piano performance. Both practice and performance time are used to improve piano playing, but in different ways.
At least ninety percent of playing time should be practice time. This is time to thoughtfully and carefully learn. Every practice session should have a goal, such as learning specific sections of a piece, notes, memory, or just building familiarity. All of this practice playing should be done with a slow comfortable tempo that makes the piece easy to play. The aim of practice time is to learn to play as accurately as possible.
When performing a piece for an audience or as practice performance, musicians should play to the best of their ability but without stopping to correct  errors. It is important to perform pieces often to see how well they go! After a performance, use practice time to go over the sections that need improvement.
Here are some piano playing tips to use in structured piano practice time:  www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
Before starting to play, do several minutes of full arm, shoulder, hand and finger stretches.
Move each arm in big circles, starting from the shoulders. Bend over from the waist and stretch arms to the floor. Shake out the hands, and massage each finger. Do any stretches that feel good! Playing will improve as tension is let go.
Always play as accurately as possible during practice time.     www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
Slow the tempo down to obtain note accuracy. Analyze what is needed for better accuracy.  Do short sections need to be repeated, or played one hand at a time?
Stand up and stretch the arms, shoulders and hands every 5-10 minutes between playing sessions.
Unmusical playing is created by discomfort sitting at the piano. Stretching and shaking out at regular  intervals during practice sessions will help to break out of habitual posture problems.
Do not use the damper pedal during practice sessions.
If used incorrectly, the damper pedal will cover up both good  and bad playing. Habitual use of the damper pedal ruins music. If a piece is practiced at first without the damper pedal, the arms and hands will discover the coordination needed to shape musical lines. The pedal should be added once a piece is very familiar.
Do not reach for notes with the fingers.
Use the arm to move the hand over top of the keys. This can be difficult if the arms are being held rigidly. Use lots of stretching exercises between playing to discover how arm and shoulder tension can be released. Feel the full weight of the arm transferring through the hands and fingers into the keys.
Use the metronome almost always during practice time.
Using the metronome during piano practice is one of the most important piano playing tips a player can use to improve music making. It is important to set the metronome to a comfortable tempo, so that there is not a  frantic, panicked feeling  in the music. When sections of a piece need to be repeated, the metronome can be used to count rests between repeats. As a piece is learned and can be played through accurately, the metronome should be set at an easy tempo to repeat, settle in and relax.
Following these piano playing tips and separating structured piano practice time and performance time will greatly improve a player's skills.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-playing-tips-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-practice-time-559593.html

Piano Playing Your Way: How To Have More Fun Playing The Piano Than you ever had

Author: Duane Shinn
Piano playing doesn't have to be boring. There's no law that says you have to play a song the same way everyone else plays it. By learning some basic music theory and chord formations, you can have the time of your life playing music like you have always wanted to.              www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
Every musician has a different method of arranging. Some start with the bass, some start with the melody, some just arrange everything all at once. You'll eventually discover the process that works best for you, but here's a basic guideline list to get you started.
—Play the song as written. Pay careful attention to the melody and harmonies so you understand how the song is supposed to sound before altering it. Make sure you can play the song very well before moving on to an arrangement.                               www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
—Analyze the song's chord structure and form. Know all the chord changes and any key changes. Separate the piece into parts using the letter system discussed in this course; often, you'll be able to add some spice to an arrangement by simply knowing where a verse switches into a chorus.
—Look at the song's context to determine the appropriate sort of arrangement. For instance, if you're working on a classical lullaby or wedding song, you probably won't want to add western bass or a march beat. Of course, there's no rule saying you can't do that if you're going for a comical effect. Just be aware of the effect every sort of arrangement technique will have on a song.
—Change the bass chording pattern based on the just-analyzed song's context. Working with "Git Alone Little Dogies"? Try a western bass. A classical romantic song? Give upward inversions or arpeggios a go. Just keep switching the bass pattern until you find something you like. After awhile, you'll acquire the ability to naturally know what to do. Until then, try it all.
—Add fillers to the melody. Again, be aware of what's appropriate. If you're playing a western bass, try grace notes and twangs. If the song is in Alberti bass, add some glissandos or delicate octave harmonies. Remember that certain fillers, like runs or straddle-downs, work best when you're holding a half note or higher in the melody.
—Add dynamic variation. This is where the form analysis comes in handy. If you know a key or part change is coming up, consider the ways in which you can take the dynamic up or down to create a textured, interesting effect. Try not to make the whole song extremely loud or extremely soft. Remember, variety is the spice of life!
The piano arrangement you create is bound only by the limits of your imagination. Try everything and don't get discouraged—you'll get the hang of it eventually.
Now pick a song and get to it!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-playing-your-way-how-to-have-more-fun-playing-the-piano-than-you-ever-have-before-51799.html

Piano Learning - 10 Steps to Piano Playing

Author: Yoke Wong
Music is considered to be a sublime art form, which enthralls the listener. The gift of playing on a musical instrument is something that only a few people possess. Learning to play on a piano can be a wonderful experience. Piano learning is a step by step process and through different steps, one learns to play piano.
Step 1: Sourcing the Correct Teacher                www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
A good teacher can bring out the genius in you and so finding a right one, is a challenging task. A talented teacher can make the difficult task of piano learning, a simple task. A teacher can teach a pupil an apt method of learning, which is convenient for them.
Step 2: Ought to Have A Piano                      www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
Many people are under the assumption that they can learn piano, by listening to piano music and by reading books on it. While learning piano, one has to get access to a synthesizer or a piano. Playing a real piano can be a different experience compared to learning to play piano, from a book!
Step 3: Learning Naturally
Piano learning has to be done, according to your skill and aptitude. You have to patiently learn every aspect of playing piano. After learning a composition correctly, you can proceed to the next. Take one step at a time and learn at your own pace!
Step 4: Practice, Thy Substitute Is None
Practicing consistently helps one to perfect the craft of piano playing. The nuances of playing piano, that is learnt during the piano learning sessions are reinforced, while practicing. To be an adept piano player, you have to practice daily and find time for it. You have to practice in an uninterrupted manner.
Step 5: Fine Details
The dexterity of fingers and hands are essential to create music on the piano keys. You have to pay extra attention on the exercises that strengthen the fingers and hands. This allows one to play piano in a fast paced manner, while dealing with complicated movements, in compositions.
Step 6: Expert Advice
Getting the advice of the experts on the delicate nuances of playing piano can be good. An expert can teach a beginner the vital areas that he has to concentrate, while piano learning. He/she can also recommend a different approach towards learning and the things to be noted, while playing piano. Piano learning can become easier, if we seek the help of an expert.
Step 7: Unwind!
Playing music in a relaxed manner, without any tension makes you enjoy music. Enjoying the music that you play on a piano makes you love the entire experience of playing piano. Once, you play piano pressure-free, it becomes fun!
Step 8: Play Cool
Patience is very essential for learning to play on any musical instrument. Piano learning can be frustrating, when things do not go right for you. You have to keep your patience intact, at each progressing stage.
Step 9: Sight Reading Skills
Developing and improving sight reading skill is imperative, while playing piano. When you read an unfamiliar piece of material each day, you gradually improve the skill of sight reading. If you do not get it right instantly, you have to put in more effort and dedication to polish the skill.
Step 10: Milestones
Setting goals and targets can always be good, while learning. The goals prompt the pupils to concentrate more and learn a piece in a concentrated manner. A complicated piece can be broken into smaller pieces and you can devote a few hours everyday to practice it, to perfection.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/piano-learning-10-steps-to-piano-playing-544518.html

How to Download/Record Napster Music with Napster Downloader

Author: nancy111
Napster has moved to free.napster.com, that's no different about the website, even more convenient for the music fans to listen to free streaming music online. It’s really a good place for us, right? But your favorite music on Napster may move some day, due to many reasons such as the website change, more new songs published and the old ones out and etc. Wouldn't that be great if we could just download Napster music and record Napster music? There should be a program that helps us download Napster music. Wondershare Audio Recorder is the best Napster downloader that can help you download Napster music with high speed and quality. You can't miss it, if you want to enjoy music freely.  How to download Napster music with Napster downloader? Step 1: Download and install Wondershare Audio Recorder. Audio Recorder provides a FREE and FULL FUNCTION trial for 7 days. Go and give it a try.  Remember to click "setting" to customize your own output music formats after launching this Napster downloader. Before downloading Napster music, you can set the output music format as MP3, WMA, WAV, AC3, M4A, AAC, OGG, APE, etc. By the way, the default format is MP3.  Step 2: Visit free.napster.com. Listen to any music you like.  Step 3: Click "record" to start to download Napster music. Audio recorder can detect the audio signal and record Napster music to MP3 in the background automatically while you are playing Napster music.  Then you could click "browse" to browse the downloaded Napster music.  Tips to download Napster music 1. Automatically split Napster music one by one. When you record Napster music, this Napster downloader will automatically split all music one by one. For instance, download Napster music for an hour, and you can get nearly 30 MP3 files. Of course, you can manually cut audio files into subsections as you like. What's more, the embedded timer can free you away when it works on preset recording duration. 2. Edit ID3 information for any Napster music. After downloading Napster music, you can right click the key to add the Napster music to iTunes, Windows Media Player, or Winamp. It has an option of "Track Info" to edit music's ID3 information of "title", "artist", and "album". You can customize the output audio effect by adjusting the sample rate, bit rate, and sound channel                 www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/how-to-downloadrecord-napster-music-with-napster-downloader-1182144.html

Free Napster Music To Go

Author: Hilary Mujikwa
Napster is a music service that has been around since the beginning of the free music download craze, which has taken the world by storm. They were actually the first file sharing site to hit the Internet and the popularity of their music service was virtually untouchable due to their dedication to providing people with the best free Napster mp3's. Their rise to the fore front of the digital music scene came as a surprise to the traditional music business since the industry had never seen anything like it before. Potential customers were logging onto the Internet and downloading free Napster music downloads from their favorite artists without having to spend any money what so ever. This was obviously something the major labels didn't like because the free Napster file sharing program was beginning to affect their bottom line. So with that in mind, the major 5 decided to sue Napster for everything they had. Music lovers from around the world were disappointed in the record labels actions..."how dare they shut down Napsters' music service and block everyday from downloading the latest free Napster music tracks?" As you can imagine, this action only forced people to find illegal music downloading services to fill the void which the music industry thought they were destroying. Then the record labels started going after people that were downloading their music illegally. Now millions of people are facing law suites due to this reaction. This eventually inspired the birth of "Napster To Go"...a legal free Napster music program that was designed with the intention of helping people get access to unlimited music legally. Many fans of the original Napster have found the new Napster.com site to be very useful.  Take the Napster free trial and download good free napster music tracks legally. You can learn more about how to get free napster downloads on our music review site.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/free-napster-music-to-go-555207.htmlwww.Guitar-Shop-Online.com

Napster Free Trial - Is It Really Worth It?

Author: Hilary Mujikwa
Free music downloads seem to be the biggest thing on the Internet these days and everybody has been wondering if the Napster free trial is worth checking out. This is a concern many people have due to the legions of illegal music downloading sites that have been landing many people in jail, so i thought to write a quick article with the intention of helping people learn more about the new Napster music site. The Napster free trial is basically a way of letting everybody sample the music service instantly without spending a red cent. What these guys have managed to do is work out some kind of deal with the major labels, (who were once out to crucify them) which allows them to give people unlimited access to the latest Napster free music downloads for seven days straight. In addition to that, the free Napster trial gives people access to their commercial free radio stations, allowing people to create a custom radio station of their own. This is a cool feature for people that are tired of hearing the same songs being played over and over again on the radio. A hidden bonus in taking advantage of the Napster free trial lies in Napsters' complimentary software which they provide you with. They don't mind if you share music with the Napster community who are always downloading the latest releases on the Billboard charts every Tuesday. They actually encourage users to share mp3 files on their network legally. So if you've been thinking about taking advantage of the Napster free music download trial, it might be a good idea to check out all the features on their program. Their music service is worth taking a peek at. Take the Napster free trial and download good free napster music tracks legally. You can learn more about how to get free napster downloads on our music review site.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/napster-free-trial-is-it-really-worth-it-555205.htmlwww.Guitar-Shop-Online.com

Getting Your Hands On Free Napster Music

www.Guitar-Shop-Online.comAuthor: Hilary Mujikwa
Most people consider Napster to be the first of the music sharing sites on the entire internet. Well in the past they were a completely free service that was allowing people to trade and download from their extensive library of titles without paying a red cent. Well this caught the attention of many big names in the music industry and with that you can see that the rein came to an end with the idea of the free music. The artists and companies out there were completely unhappy about having their hard work sent out there for free. Well the end came with a complete switch in the way that Napster does things but people are still looking for ways to get free Napster music. This is not as easy as it once was. The simple fact of the matter is that Napster can no longer afford to give away music. They were hit hard by the lawsuit that put an end to their standard music sharing process. They had to regroup and find a way to get back to the profit and they ended up being just like the rest of the companies who are now charging a fee for the services that they provide. This is something that you have to deal with if you are looking for free Napster music. The fact is that you can get some of the music free but that is part of their free trial period only. You are required to sign up with Napster like you would with any other company. Then you have to be sure that you are taking part in the free trial period if you want to get some free Napster music. This is all part of the entire process by which you have to follow to get the music you are looking for. Most consider it to be a miracle that Napster was able to come back following the devastating loss that they suffered at the hands of some of the big music names. This is something that shows that they were dedicated to the process of getting digital music out there to the masses. Well this has come at a price and free Napster music is next to impossible to get your hands on anymore. However, you can see the idea of the getting some of the free music if you do it correctly. Every once in a while you can find a coupon code out there that will give you some Free Napster Music. These are few and far between for the most part but you can find them if you are diligent in your search. Take this Napster free trial and download good free napster music tracks legally. You can learn more about how to get free napster downloads on our music review site.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/getting-your-hands-on-free-napster-music-453892.html

How to download Napster music

Author: Cathy1314
Napster is really a good place for the music fans to listen to free streaming music online. Napster allows anyone with a PC to freely sample the world's largest and most diverse online collection of music from across all genres. Wouldn't it be great if we could download Napster music and record Napster music? You may use direct sound recording software to record music from Napster. Streaming Audio Recorder works better than any other program with Napster digital music subscription service. They have implemented special track split detection that works 100% of the time, and the auto tagging works really well, too. Download Napster music, record Napster music and rip Napster music is super easy with the Napster music downloader-Streaming Audio Recorder. Then you may listen to your favorite music even without internet access. How to download music from Napster with Napster downloader? Step1: Download and launch Napster downloader – Streaming Audio RecorderRemember to click “Settings” to customize your own output music formats. Before downloading Napster music, you can set the output music format as MP3, WMA, WAV, AC3, M4A, AAC, etc. Step2: Find your song.Go to Napster http://free.napster.com/ and find the song you want to download. Click to play. Step3: Click “Record” to start to download Napster music.Napster downloader can detect the audio signal and record Napster music to MP3 in the background automatically while you are playing Napster music. Step4: Okay now that the file has downloaded on the hard drive. You can right click the key to add the Napster music to iTunes, Windows Media Player, or Winamp. Okay now that you have downloaded your favorite music from Napster, so simple to use and get Napster free music for everyone!  Napster was an online music file sharing service created by Shawn Fanning while he was attending Northeastern University in Boston. The service operated between June 1999 and July 2001. Its technology allowed people to easily share their MP3 files with other participants, bypassing the established market for such songs.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/how-to-download-napster-music-1534927.html

Napster Gives Away Music For Free (This Time It's Legal)

Author: Chad Criswell
Online music provider Napster was made famous for offering free music downloads. Back in the 1990's that philopsophy was their undoing. Today Napster is back with a new legal way to listen to music for free without any contracts or other obligations. Music lovers can browse through their library of millions of tracks from every genre and listen to the complete song just by clicking on a link. You can use these links to allow others to instantly access the same music that you were just listening to by posting them in your blog, on your web site, or in an email message. What's the catch? You can only listed to a song five times before you have to buy it and without paying a subscription or buying the track you only get access to the low-fidelity version. Still, the service provides the complete track for most songs, not just the thirty second snippet that you get from most sites.          www.Guitar-Shop-Online.com
For music teachers and others that just like to browse this new feature could be a great curriculum resource ( www.musicedmagic.com/curriculum/bringing-listening-back-to-the-band-room.html ). In the music classroom a teacher might want to play part of a Beethoven sonata ( play.napster.com/track/13954030 ) or another piece that the school does not own in their local music library. Instead of shelling out fifteen or twenty bucks for a complete CD the teacher can go to Napster, use their free plays to show the song in class, and if in the end you decide you simply have to own the track anyway for future use you can buy it online and download the complete HIGH-fidelity file to your computer for only ninety-nine cents. Once downloaded you turn around and burn these tracks to a CD for use in any CD player in any classroom.
For the music lover or an online author these new Napster links are a great way to add easy and useful content to whatever you are trying to share. In fact, that is exactly what the folks at Napster want you to do! Link away! Like a new song off of Korn's newest CD? Link to it! For all of Napster's bad press many years ago they have finally come out with something that even their biggest skeptics cannot deny. The new free music service is a great and long overdue idea that will be great for sharing musical information across the Internet.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/napster-gives-away-music-for-free-this-time-its-legal-32245.html