Posts Tagged: sound

Basic Types Of Music — Comments Off
4
Dec 10

Structure of acoustic and electric guitars

The first guitars, although if they were not with the usual form, were born a lot of centuries ago in the Middle East. Over the centuries, this chord instrument, which used an amplification system with a sound box, underwent many transformations, until finally arriving to the instrument we know.

Of course even now there are several types, but the most common is the six-strings guitar. The guitar is composed of many pieces, starting from the top there are: the headstock together with the tuning keys used to keep tension in the strings and to change the tuning. Here we find the neck, the length can vary depending on the type of guitar, the neck is divided into frets that are used to tighten the strings and get the notes you want. Finally then we find the body with the soundboard and the bridge from where the strings branch off.

Of course in electric guitars we will not find the soundboard but a solid body (full body) that, to capture and disseminate the different sounds, uses pickups that are placed where would be the hole for the sound box. It is important to remember that in case of non-electric guitars sound quality and its uniqueness are completely dependent on the type of wood used to build the box and the type of joints inside it. Even in electric guitars, the wood is very important because the neck is subjected to a much higher tension than acoustic guitars, it also has a metal core; a good neck must be able to withstand the tension and its change when you change your tune and must also be sliding to let the right hand slide. One of the most important part is certainly the strings, that, plucked with the fingers or the plectrum, emit the characteristic sound of these musical instruments.

The strings are stretched in different ways to obtain different notes. The most common tuning is re-mi-sol-la-mi. This tuning, in which the interval between two adjacent strings is right one fourth (except that between the second and third string, a distance of a major third) has established itself for its ease in forming chords. In guitars with more strings such as those with seven or eight strings, more low note are added to obtain a sound more dark and powerful, characteristic of metal music. The power of the sound of the electric guitar is given mainly by the type of pickup installed that characterize the power and the type of sound that will be expressed through the use of amplifiers that can alter the sound in different ways. The most common amplifiers are the combo and those constituted by a surface plus a speaker.

The technical description still does not do justice to the emotions and feeling you get playing these instruments. In conclusion when you play you discover a part of you that you did not know it existed.

By Martina Meneghetti with support from amplificatore microfono for any information, please visit cuffie professionali or for more info visit controller musicali

Webwriter of Prima Posizione Srl.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/structure-of-acoustic-and-electric-guitars-1400513.html

Career — Comments Off
26
Nov 10

The Four Principles of Recording Music

The Four Principles of Recording Music

by Clay Butler

 The recording industry is a very dynamic and ever-changing realm.  In today’s fast-paced culture, which is so focused on the “flavor of the week”, it is often difficult (if not impossible) to maintain a grasp on the fluctuations of the music market and the recording industry.  While styles, trends, equipment, and even techniques may vary drastically, there are certain principles that remain constant when producing a quality recording. 

Know Your Environment

When producing a quality recording, you must be aware of your environment at every stage of the process.  Do you understand the acoustics of the recording space?  Are you comfortable with the equipment?  Are you familiar with the style of music you are trying to record?  These are all important questions you must ask yourself before, and during, your project.  It is very easy to lose focus, especially during a high-pressure, fast-paced recording session.  These questions will not only help you decide how to approach your project, but they will also help keep you on task.  When producing your own music, deadlines may not be an issue.  However, when you are engineering or producing someone else’s music, the old familiar adage still holds true:  time is money.  This is especially true if you are renting studio time.

Understanding the acoustics of your recording space is critical to the quality of your recording.  A bad room can produce an ugly sound.  Conversely, even a good sounding, well treated room can yield unsavory results when combined with improper placement of microphones or the performer(s).  The key is in understanding basic acoustic principles in order to correct acoustic problems or to be able to work around the inadequacies of the room.  Then, you can maximize the overall quality of your tracks.  You can even use an ugly sounding room creatively to produce some interesting natural effects.

Being comfortable with your equipment is equally as important to any project.  Recording sessions are not the time to introduce yourself to new equipment.  If you know you can get a good sound while using as little gear as possible, by all means, do it!  Resist the urge of using that cool new piece of gear just because you have it, especially when you are not familiar with it yet.  If you are recording your own music with no time or budgetary constraints, only then do I advise experimenting with new gear.  However, on a paid session, save experimentation for those times when you really know the gear and you are looking for a unique or fitting sound.  Also (and I’m preaching to myself here too), read the manuals so you don’t get stuck in a rut of using only a small fraction of a piece of gear’s functionality.

Being familiar with the style of music you are trying to record almost goes without saying.  Even if you are not well-versed in the given style (which often happens when you record someone else’s music), at least take the time to listen to similar music throughout the project in order to keep yourself focused.  Especially if you would like your music to compete on a commercial level (i.e. if you want to make money from your music), you have to listen to your competition.  Take notes on particular tricks and sounds that you would like to incorporate in your own music.  In fact, almost all professional mixing engineers reference similar artists or songs during the mixing process.  This technique is even more advisable to those engineers who are just getting started.  Because it is so easy to get tunnel-vision when you are working on your own music, make yourself take a break and listen to those similar songs and artists.

Great Sound is All About the Front End

The old saying “garbage in, garbage out” is particularly true in audio recording.  When engineers refer to “Front End”, they are referring to the sound source (the actual sound you are trying to record), and everything that happens to the audio signal (the gear it passes through) before it gets to the recorder.  The key to getting a great recording, as imparted to me by Ronan Chris Murphy (whose credits include King Crimson, Steve Morse, and Terry Bozzio), is to “capture the best possible source, and don’t f— it up!”  Wise words.  Unfortunately, though, many engineers often say, “we’ll fix it in the mix.”  The problem with that approach is that the engineer will spend more time trying to make bad sounds sound better, rather than using that time for mixing.  Remember, the more time you spend getting the sound right before it goes to tape (or disk), the less time you spend tweaking that sound later.

Obtaining the best possible source is a culmination of many factors.  First of all, your instrument should be properly maintained and tuned (e.g. a guitar with good intonation and new strings, or a tuned drum kit with new heads).  New strings or drum heads have “brightness” in the upper transient frequency range that cannot be recreated.  If you record dead strings or drum heads, no amount of equalization will compensate.  You cannot boost frequencies that were not recorded to begin with.  Similarly, any equipment used should be functioning properly–no bad, crackly cables or noisy, humming guitar amps.

Microphone technique is another important factor, which we will discuss in more depth in the section entitled “The Tracking Engineer.”  Choosing the right microphone and finding what position sounds the best is crucial to capturing the best possible sound coming from your audio source.  If you are recording using multiple microphones, pay careful attention to any phase problems.  Much like those dead guitar strings, no amount of processing can fix an audio signal that is out of phase.

From an equipment standpoint, try to use the highest quality equipment you can afford on the front end.  Use a good quality microphone with good preamps.  If you are recording digital audio, try to get the best A/D (Analog-to-Digital) converters that you can afford.  Also, try to use the shortest signal path possible.  For example, the sound source goes to the microphone, then to the preamp, and finally to the recorder, with nothing (or very little) in between.  That is not to say that only expensive, top-of-the-line equipment will make your recording sound great–you can get good sounds with less expensive gear.  Just know that the cleaner your signal is, and the less equipment it passes through, the better your sound will be when it gets recorded.

Good Music Begins With a Good Song

Most people who are interested in recording are at least somewhat interested in recording his or her own music.  As a general rule, a good production begins with a good song.  I know that, due to politics in the music business, there is a lot of junk on the radio.  However, for those competing in the commercial music market (i.e. those who are trying to make a living from his or her music), the song is the most important element of the production.  A well-crafted song, both musically and lyrically, increases the chances of the song becoming a hit, not the swirling keyboard sound or the trippy effect on the vocal.  When you put loads of work into recording a poorly written song, you still result in a well-produced bad song, and people will notice.  As I tell my clients, “Sure, you can put a nice, shiny bow on a pile of dog poo.  It might make it prettier, but it’s still dog poo!”  All of the production and recording elements support the song, not vice versa.

That being said, it really behooves anyone who is interested in recording to learn basic music theory and songwriting techniques.  Consider taking some courses at a local college, purchasing some books, or even checking some out from your local library.  The more you know about music, the better equipped you are to record it.  Remember (and I can’t stress this enough), all of the production elements support the song, not vice versa!

Capture the Performance, Don’t Manufacture It

 This principle refers a great deal to the editing process.  With today’s technology, primarily the Digital Audio Workstation, it is becoming ever easier to construct songs.  Although this is a viable method of creating music (especially in electronic music), this approach has put so much emphasis on editing that some claim it makes music sound more sterile and robotic.  With technology such as Antares’ Auto Tune pitch correction software, synchronization software such as Vocalign, beat mapping, and the ability to easily slice, dice, and splice audio files, it is also entirely possible to produce music that is perfectly in time and in perfect tune.  Editing products such as these are wonderful tools which are widely used in professional music production, but it is tempting to go too far.  The feel of a live performance, which is really the human nuance of the players, is often what really gives a particular track its magic.  If the performance needs tightening, it is always best to rehearse the band or players a little more in order to get a more solid take.  Then, once the performance is tighter, correct any blatant problems with these handy editing tools.

As far as overdubs are concerned, the more players you can have playing as a band, the better.  Obviously, getting everyone together may not be feasible due to schedules, budget concerns, or even available space.  However, a good, well-rehearsed band playing together will almost invariably produce a better track than individuals laying down tracks at different times.  The players feed off of each other and play with a kind of energy that is often hard to coax out of players in overdub sessions.   Most rock and country records, primarily in Nashville, almost always record the basic tracks together as a band.

http://www.claybutlermusic.com

© 2008 Butler Productions.  All Rights Reserved

Clay Butler is the lead instructor for the Recording Studio Technology program at West Georgia Technical College as well as the owner and chief engineer of Butler Productions Multimedia. Butler Productions is an audio production facility which specializes in music production, on-hold messaging, voiceover, jingle production, and royalty-free music. Butler Productions? live credits include supplying sound reinforcement for acts as notable as John Mayer, John Waller, The Tams, and After Edmund. As a composer and producer, Clay has produced numerous tracks for use in television and film. For more information about Clay or Butler Productions, visit http://www.claybutlermusic.com.

Career — Comments Off
13
Nov 10

Let New Music Mp3s Entertain You! Download Legal Mp3s!

Let music come into your life! Today we can hardly imagine our life without music downloads. There are very few people who do not listen to the mp3 music downloads in their everyday reality. And that is just great that we have an opportunity of getting downloading mp3 music online!

If you feel like getting the most new and popular music Mp3 downloads, then you have come to the right shop of songs! It’s not a secret that a lot of web music stores offer Mp3 downloads for everyone. But still, not all the shops are the same. There is quite a great amount of parameters which differentiate these web sites from each other. And some characteristic features are really of a primary matter.

You should always pay your attention at the quality of sound offered by the music store which is functioning online. Once you have listened to the song, you can already made a decision concerning purchasing the tracks on this website. We always submit the best, the superb quality of sound. Every piece of downloadable mp3 music which is to be found here is worth every cent you will pay for it. It is a quick and simple way to downloading some pleasant music online.

There is no doubt about the fact that it is pleasant and amusing to get anything for free. However, mp3 music downloads represent the sphere where it is better to purchase legally than to obtain free of charge. If you pay your money for the items you download, you get plenty of advantages, and you will never become a music pirate. The issue of music mp3 downloads has already become the top problem of the day.

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Career — Comments Off
16
Oct 10

What’s Happening With 5.1 Surround Sound Music?


A few years ago 5.1 surround sound DVD video players looked likely to become standard kit in every living room in the technology friendly world.


So now a few years on, what has happened to the original promise of surround sound music? Well the answer to that is ‘lots, but not nearly enough.’


For those that don’t know already, 5.1 surround sound is basically five speakers and a sub-woofer placed around your room allowing you to listen to music or a movie soundtrack literally surrounded by speakers. The film industry pioneered it for theatres and it then became available as a DVD player add-on for home entertainment systems.


Now at least 100,000,000 people world-wide own systems, which can and should be used for all manner of surround sound music DVDs.


I hear you say, ‘but surround sound music on DVD hasn’t really caught on. All that wire in my living room’.


Even though the consumer can buy a DVD player and surround speaker system cheaply enough, surround sound music hasn’t really caught fire yet. Why?


There are reasons why we should all remain confident that surround sound music will become more popular, but at the moment it’s still an infant child.


The amount of different DVD and surround sound formats is confusing and can be offputting.


The consumer desperately wants an end to the confusing compatibility war between different surround sound formats.


Many music artists would start producing DVDs if it wasn’t so complex, just as there are many consumers that would purchase a surround sound DVD system for the same reason. They should be able to buy a DVD player and play any product claiming to play DVDs.


Consumer surround sound formats currently include sound on video DVDs encoded as Dolby 5.1 surround sound or DTS; the competing DVD-Audio (DVD-A) and Super Audio CD (SACD) formats and MP3 Surround.


There are 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 systems, four speaker systems, even one speaker systems and ‘simulated surround sound systems.’ Phew! See what I mean?


They all have their uses, but the I feel the music business would be wise to embrace one format. Every time the consumer buys a surround sound music product they have to research whether it will be compatible to their particular system.


The good news here is that slowly, but surely things are improving. As long as there is no ‘new’ new format to rock the boat, the problem of incompatibility could become a thing of the past.


There are many great web sites to visit which do explain (in as much detail as you could possibly imagine) all the different formats and help you decide what to buy.


How about all that wire in my living room though?


There are wireless speaker systems available, but the cheaper ones are for mainly rear-channel wireless amplification. This doesn’t quite get rid of all the wires and limits people who have odd shaped rooms. But they are better than nothing.


It would be great for a ‘let’s make it fun revolution’ to occur with surround sound, like the iPod. Small wireless speakers one could place anywhere. The recommended configuration would still be in a circle, but you’d have a license to have fun by placing them in different locations.


Certain types of music would not really benefit from this unconventional approach, but other types mixed specially for surround sound might not suffer that much and it would release the consumer from the pressure to set their systems up in a way that would please an audio engineer or DVD manufacturer.


Not enough of an improvement on CDs and overall lack of interesting music DVD products.


The amount of compression used for music on DVD video is far greater than CDs. So stereo music on CD is generally of a higher quality than stereo music on DVD. However, add the extra speakers and a properly mixed 5.1 surround sound piece of music and all of a sudden the playback bit ratio seems much less important.


‘What is’ you ask, ‘a properly mixed 5.1 piece of music?’


Recreating real space is what seems to interest some surround sound pioneers. The chance to paint a more precise musical picture by placing you the listener deeper inside a musical ensemble or concert venue.


This approach has got its merits, but it’s reliant on people having their speakers in precise locations, and that they will sit dead centre amongst them. Pluses can turn to minuses at this point. If you don’t have a perfectly set up system it might just sound weird, especially if you are used to the stereo CD mix from the same artist.


Apart from all the technical considerations, I consider a great 5.1mix a strong alternative to the stereo mix. Let’s say the artist already has their stereo mix. Why not make the surround mix something that really explores that extra space and is different from the stereo mix.


Give the consumer a choice of two distinctly different sounding mixes. This might inspire more people to make the effort to set up those surround speakers which are still sitting unused in the attic.


Currently it is almost mandatory to include some type of visual content on a DVD.


In a way, it’s a shame that ‘audio only’ DVDs haven’t caught on…yet.


Depending on the level of production the artist is looking to reach, it can be both very expensive and time consuming producing enough visual material to accompany all the music for a competitive DVD release.


Most musicians have a hard enough time producing their music let alone having to produce hour’s worth of videos as well. So you could say that the need for visual content (as exciting as it can be) is holding back the growth surround sound music.


Live concerts are the most successful type of music DVDs, mainly because they are relatively cheap to produce.


For ‘audio only’ DVDs to catch on, consumer expectation will have to be ‘re-trained’ to expect what they might consider as less. I feel that the days of distributing film or music products on any type of disk is going to disappear fast.


What does the future looks like for surround sound?


The real turning point will come when the Internet becomes surround sound friendly. A new MP3 surround streaming module has just been announced that allows manufacturers to build web radios featuring true 5.1 surround sound.


Many people surf the Internet sitting at their desk, listening to music for hours at a time. Soon they will be able to surf and listen in surround sound. Small near-field computer monitors would work perfectly.(especially wireless ones).


It’s inevitable that 5.1 radio and TV broadcasts will soon become the norm. Even without the music business, embracing surround sound as anything more than a small niche, the amount of people with a 5.1 system is steadily increasing.


At this point, surround sound music becomes a viable ‘audio only’ product. If the surround sound community can simplify the production process even more allowing the average project studio to easily create surround sound content, we should all benefit.


I predict there will be a tipping point where all of a sudden the ‘need’ for surround sound music will exceed the amount of available products.


Live surround sound music can be amazing. I went to Berlin and mixed a gig by the experimental Electronic band ‘Warren Suicide’. Instruments and vocals flying around the room in surround sound mayhem. It was great, and opened my eyes to what I hope is ‘the future’ for certain styles of music.


Dance music is an area I really hope starts to explore surround sound. The drum/synth based repetition is perfect fodder to trigger a quantum leap in 5.1 music production. All the technology is now available to present surround sound mixes in smaller clubs or ‘surround rooms’ in larger clubs.


I have to quickly point out that the 1 in 5.1 stands for sub-woofer (a dedicated speaker designed to carry just low frequencies). This on its own is a major step forward for dance music fans.


DJ producers in particular can take control of the ‘low end’ of their tracks and shake the furniture more than ever before. Because one doesn’t have to squeeze all that low end into the same speakers as everything else it allows for a more overall dynamic mix.


Music mixed in 5.1 surround sound gives us the opportunity to produce and listen to music in a completely new way.


Both as a composer and as a engineer, I personally feel liberated, set free from the confines of stereo. In this case more really is better. The extra speakers/channels give you more ‘room’ to put your music.


My hope is for ‘audio only’ surround sound music to take off. Music is, after all, the world of the invisible – it seems a shame to connect it at the hip to pictures. Your mind processes visual images first, then sound. So pictures can distract people who might listen more carefully without them.


There is room for both music videos and surround sound music without the videos.


‘What kind of gear do you need to start mixing in surround sound?’:


a) A reasonably fast computer


b) Music software package that supports 5.1 mixing (Logic Audio, Pro-Tools etc.)


c) Minimum 8 channel audio interface (Motu, Digidesign )


d) Five matched self powered speakers, and a sub-woofer


Mixing In Surround Sound:


When I first started mixing something in surround sound, I went out and purchased three sets of Sony Mega Bass self powered computer speakers. After connecting them directly to my audio interface outputs, I then assigned the surround sound out-puts in Logic Audio. I opened a song I was working on and spread the instruments out around the channels and hit play… Wow! The five mini speakers sounded great. Mixing in a tiny bit of subs from my Genelec sub-woofer, it sounded even better.


I know… I can hear engineers crying out.. ‘But what about…?’ Well, it’s unconventional but as a starting point this system does work. Now I own a full set of Genelecs, but I still use this approach.


The normal way to mix in surround sound is to have a matched system where the sub-woofer is driven from the speakers. A roll-off decides that everything below a certain frequency is sent on to the sub-woofer. I favour rooting the signal directly to the sub-woofer from a send on either my main out-put fadder’s or occasionally individual instrument fadder’s. This way I can choose which instruments to place in the sub-woofer and which not to.


I say to music mixers; ‘Approach the surround mix with a fresh concept, understanding that it can reflect a different side of the song/composition.’


I don’t recommend the approach of mixing both the stereo and surround mixes at the same time. It seems that one or the other will be compromised. You’re still ‘thinking in stereo’.


The effects needed and levels will be different in a surround mix. I find I use less processing overall especially compression, again it comes down to having more space to place the instruments.


So start fresh without any of your stereo effects haunting you. It’s one of those things that will save you time in the end, plus you will probably mix more creatively.


After a little guess work and experimentation I managed to figure out the right level to print my mixes. Again the sub-woofer channel was tricky, but after burning a few trial DVDs trying different levels I got the hang of it.


I played some mixes I had done in my studio at Real World and Metropolis Studios and they sounded right. It shows you can produce your own surround sound music at a reasonable cost, even in a project studio.


There are hours worth of surround sound production tutorials available from all the major music software companies. Just visit your software makers web site to get started.


Of course the absolutely best way to mix music in surround sound is to go to a top recording studio. If you’re just starting out with surround sound, mix a track with the guidance of a highly trained professional engineer, who has experience with surround sound mixing.


There are great audio engineers who would (for a smallish fee) come to your project studio and ‘consult’ with you on the technical elements of your mix.


If you are producing a DVD for commercial release, it’s still best to get your project professionally mastered. Any decent music mastering facility can (to a point) rebalance your surround mix, so if you are a little heavy or light on the subs they can deal with it then.


Tips on ways to create your own visual content:


The quality you want to achieve is normally connected to the expectations of your audience.


With enough time and energy you can make videos using a consumer DV camera and Final Cut Pro (or PC equivalent). DV cameras are generally just not quite good enough for any ‘serious filming’, but if used creatively for certain situations it’s possible to pull it off. HD camera’s are much higher quality but still do cost a lot more to buy.


Live concerts and gigs can work well though. If you are doing a gig, ask around all the people you know and see how many DV cameras you could borrow. If you have four cameras set up around the club, one camera to roam around and some decent lighting on stage, you’re in business. Make sure the people operating the fixed cameras don’t mess around during the filming. No zooming and out or trying to track the movements on stage. Perfectly still videos are much better to edit. Then in your film editing software, you can cut between different angles and add zooms, even simulate camera movement.


There’s no guarantee, but if the actual performance is strong enough, some of the production values will be overlooked.


Done well enough, you can produce a DVD using still images, like a slide show – again a good film editing program allows you to animate still photos way beyond what one might think is possible.


There are some fantastic animation programs like Bryce 3D, and Cinema 4D that are worth looking into. Start producing convincing 3D text an logos.


Warren Suicide are a great ad-sample of a band who are embracing the audio – visual age. Their DVD was produced by them, and although they worked really hard on it, the finished DVD was not expensive to make, but is just as imaginative and entertaining as any big budget music DVD I’ve seen.


How do I get my mix on to a DVD?:


There are, as you can imagine, quite a few ways available.


The huge majority of DVD players in circulation use the DVD video format. So I recommend choosing Dolby 5.1 or DTS encoding, don’t worry too much about all the others. DTS sounds just as good to me, but I found more options were available with Dolby 5.1.


All you really need is Final Cut Pro and DVD studio Pro or the PC equivalents. DVD Studio Pro comes with a audio compression program called Apac. Apac allows you to compress your six channel mix into a single 5.1 file, ready to place on a DVD.


These programs are not cheap, but they are worth every penny if you’re considering commercially releasing your DVD. Between them you can edit and effect your video footage/audio content, add text, export the outcome in a format which is ready to be authored and finally burned on to a DVD. WOW! All in you back room – not bad.

Merv de Peyer is the Son of virtuoso Clarinettist Gervase de Peyer. He is a holder of a degree in Performance and Composition from the prestigious Berklee College Of Music.


After graduating Merv moved to New York to pursue a career as a jazz pianist, and studio musician.

Through his career he has consistently worked with entertainment’s largest names including: Miles Davis, Pharaoh Sanders, Eddie Murphy and Bernard Perdie.


He recorded then toured Cameo’s multi platinum album ?Word Up?. And was recently commissioned to Compose, Score (for full orchestra), and Mix (in surround sound) the sound track to the world?s first 360-degree movie currently showing in Germany.


An accomplished producer and studio musician he has more than 100 major label records to his credit, ranging from working with artists like the Bernard Sumner, Johnny Marr super group Electronic, to mixing Mi Chico Latino, the first Geri Halliwell single to reach number.

For more info go to www.mervdepeyer.com

Career — Comments Off
30
Sep 10

Music for Events – How to pick the right musicians!

Everybody knows that planning the perfect music for your event can be stressful whether you are looking for unique entertainment or simply background moods.  You may be booking for either wedding music, corporate event music or are having a special commission being performed and yet the anxious feeling still remains the same.  In an ideal world you want to be complimented about your booking decision by your peers but when you are relying on other people to be on time, be professional and provide the goods it can make you on edge until after the event.

 

So here is some tips to help you get your day right!

 

What type of music do I need?

Firstly you need to decide what you are wanting to achieve with the music.  Is it simply background music or is it a performance you require?  If you think your guests are going to want to chat and not need to shout, you need to choose background music.  A featured performance can be an excellent way to signify the event is moving into a new phase e.g. speeches or a lecture, or it can signify the end of your event.

 

Daytime Music

Now you know what the role of the music is going to be, now you need to consider who is attending your event and what music they may appreciate!  Sometimes an event will have just the older generation, and some at a wedding for example, may be very mixed.  So how do you cater for everyone?  Well lets consider time of day first.  If you have a morning or afternoon event then a full on musical assault may be not what people expected!  Light classical entertainment is recommended.  Consider instruments such as harp, string quartet or piano.  If you want light entertainment that suits ages across the board and people are sure to remember and talk about after the day then you need to think slightly more ‘out of the box’.  More unusual instruments such as the vibraphone can be an excellent choice as it has a beautiful sound which is not too loud and is capable of ‘wowing’ people.   I encountered such an experience at a corporate event when I saw ‘Emma Welsby’ playing the vibraphone.  She was accompanying people as they were entering a corporate event run by PIANC (The World Association For Waterborne Transport Infrastructure).  The sound floated around the room and was a beautiful background sound to listen to.  I took one of her cds home with me and subsequently visited her website on www.emmawelsby.co.uk which led me onto her www.youtube.com/emmawelsbymusic channel and I was captivated by what she could offer.  She can even DJ great music in the evening whilst playing percussion!  It is unusual finding a musician who is savvy with using modern technology to sell herself, hence why it can be so difficult to find these unusual gems.

 

Evening Music

Now your daytime event is over you need some music to kick start your party!  This is where it can get tricky as you may have a multitude of age ranges to please.  If you are on a budget then a DJ may suit who can play music right through from the 1950′s up to present day.  If you want to do this with class this is where you really need to be careful.  Choose a DJ website with a touch of class and one that is going to be flexible with the evenings playlist.  Specify songs from each era you would like to hear and ask to have music played along the same lines of those songs.  This will filter out any tacky songs you dread to hear! You also need to specify if you want the DJ to talk through the night, if you do then you need to say how much, when, what you want the content to be so you don’t get someone who loves the sound of their loud voice ruining the vibe of your room.  I would highly recommend spending a bit of money here as you pay for what you get.

A decent band if you can afford it is well worthing paying for!  You need to find a band which has a good online presence such as a myspace profile, youtube video, website and even a soundcloud profile.  You have to be careful with demo CDs as modern music technology is so good now that it can make the worst band sound capable of pulling it off live.  Ask if you can speak to previous customers who have booked them to get a real testimonial from a real customer and if you can get to see them live even better. Some bands are quite busy and won’t have any public gigs, in that case ask to go and see them in a rehearsal room.  If your fronting up a lot of cash and they won’t bend over backwards to help, they really are not worth booking.

 

The Conclusion!

The bottom line with booking any musician is you need someone to be 100% reliable with equipment in good working order and be in good time for the performance.  That person needs to be approachable, friendly and have a reputation they want to keep.  If your gut feeling is starting to play up, listen to it!

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14
Sep 10

Tube Guitar Amps Have Got The Optimum Sound

When you are referring to guitar amps, tube guitar amps must be discussed. They are routinely regarded as the most impressive sounding amp manufactured. Up through the 70′s, they had been the primary kind of amp produced. Even though alternative kinds of amps tend to be prevalent nowadays, tube guitar amplifiers remain the anchor of many professional guitarists. The sweet tone produced by a tube amp is frequently not possible with other type amps.

The ironic thing is that although tube guitar amps are commonly the most pricey kind of amplifier, they usually have lower grade transformers installed in them. This has an impact regarding sound development, along with being a cost reducing characteristic. You will notice several units that will replicate the reverberation of an echoic ambient. Thus, if you are heavy into reverb, this can be something of interest to you.

Even while tube amplifiers are thought of as the best sounding, they do do have their draw backs. Due to all of the iron that is within the power and output transformers, these amplifiers can also weigh a lot. Solid state amplifiers are generally wired totally different than tube guitar amplifiers and do not require output transformers. The tubes are made of glass, and as you know glass is fragile. This has to be taken into consideration if the amp is going to be subject to a lot of moving.

Extended life and premium results can be achieved if tube vacuum is kept at a high level. Tube guitar amplifiers possess a couple of benefits over solid state amplifiers. The semiconductors used in solid state amps tend to be heat sensitive in comparison with tubes in tube amplifiers. This problem has led to compromises involved in the design and style of solid state amps. In addition, a flawed tube can usually be changed by looking in the back of the amp and removing the tube.

To change out a transistor entails a little more. The amp will need to be opened up to get to the inside where the faulty transistor is. You will need to evaluate whether or not you want to spend extra for the rich sound, easier changeable parts that tube guitar amps provide. Or, if you’re inclined to be satisfied with the poorer sound quality but the longer-lasting capableness of a solid state amplifier.

A good thing you can do is to pay a visit to the local music store and test the amps out. Your ear ought tell you all you need. If you’re a serious musician, or thinking of becoming one, tube guitar amps are probably the best option. If you’re a part time musician, and money is an issue, the best choice would to go with a solid state amp.

The author has been playing the guitar since 1987. To learn more about tube guitar amps, visit his latest website at http://www.AcousticGuitarAmps.net.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/tube-guitar-amps-have-got-the-optimum-sound-1657519.html

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13
Sep 10

Anticipated Indie Rock Albums for Early 2010

Get off your bar stool and prepare yourself for these hot new indie rock albums to be released in early 2010. You can bet your poker chips these albums will be some of the most talked about records of the year so hear about them here first!

Hot Chip – One Life Stand

There are lots of bands that have incorporated the style and glossy production sound of top 40 hip-hop and pop into their music, but none are able to do it with as much class as the indie rock band Hot Chip. They have been crafting some of the catchiest dance-floor anthems of the past decade with their great music and clever, often tongue-in-cheek lyrics. They burst onto the scene largely with the tracks “Over and Over” and “And I Was a Boy from School” from their 2006 release, “The Warning.” Their new album, “One Life Stand” is said to be more somber than their previous releases, so it will be interesting to see where the band goes from here on out.

Vampire Weekend – Contra

These preppy art school kids have divided music fans into love it or hate it camps, with their detractors criticizing their usurping of African rhythms and Paul Simon “Graceland” influences in their music. It’s hard to come down on Vampire Weekend for stealing from black musicians when throughout musical history that is all that white people have done. Their new record is full of even more of that catchy, literate pop music that they are known for, with lyrics that sound straight out of a “Gossip Girl” novella.

The Besnard Lakes – Are the Roaring Night

This epic indie rock band is hard to pin down; their vocalist sounds like your typical whiney indie rock singer but their sound really shoots for the stars, with lengthy, often seven minute long songs that slowly burn their way into your skull. Their albums seem to be loosely conceptual, with their breakthrough “Are the Dark Horse” being followed by “Are the Roaring Night,” with an effectively appropriate image of a roaring night fire on the album cover. I don’t know what these guys are up to but it sounds like it is worth following.

Alan McGee is a freelance writer from MN.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/anticipated-indie-rock-albums-for-early-2010-1714063.html

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31
Aug 10

Music and Sound Healing

Music and sound healing is not a new concept. Cultures throughout the world have used music to empower, energize, heal and soothe the body, mind and spirit since time immemorial. It is no accident that Apollo, the Greek god who is credited as being the father of medicine, is also the father of music and the inventor of the lyre.

Music and healing are part of each other, and current research is pointing to that more and more. Recent studies have shown that music can slow down and help balance brain waves, reduce tension and stress by affecting endorphin levels, reduce physical tension by changing the vibrational frequency of cells, and even evoke feelings of love and inner peace.

Of course, if music can slow down your body’s rhythms and effect soothing, peace and healing, it can also have the opposite effect. A well-chosen set of music can help energize you and prepare you to work hard and be creative. Studies have also shown that athletes working out and practicing to music use more energy, stretch themselves further and burn more calories than those who work without music.

There’s a great deal of information available now about music and healing. Sound healing, music therapy, and the power of sound to effect changes in the mind, body and spirit are becoming more and more accepted. It’s sometimes difficult to tell how much is true and how much is marketing hype.

I became interested in the healing power of music as a by-product of trying to produce the most beautiful music possible. Years back, Leonard Bernstein invited me to perform as concertmaster in the world premiere his production of Mass. While there, he invited me along to speak with management and producers in the recording industry.

I learned from them, to my surprise, that the violin, the instrument that I consider the most beautiful and evocative of any, was not considered by the recording industry to be a marketable sound – that people would not buy recordings that featured the violin.

That piece of news amazed me. To me, the violin is the most beautiful, evocative and versatile instrument ever created. In the hands of a skilled musician, the violin can gloat, laugh, exult or cry. It can express nearly any emotion that humans can feel in their hearts and souls. I challenged myself then to produce works of music that presented the violin as I know it – the evocative and expressive voice of the soul.

That was the beginning of my own music label and catalog, Li-Sem Enterprises. As it grew, I began to hear from those who work in the fields of healing, both the traditional hospitals and doctors’ offices, and those working in CAM (complementary and alternative medicine), telling me that they were using my music in their practices, to enhance meditation, focus awareness and evoke emotions.

Perhaps the most potent, powerful story that I heard was that of a teenage boy diagnosed with schizophrenia who did not speak at all, but who, while listening to my CD Fragrance of a Dream, looked up and said, “This music is so beautiful it breaks your heart.”

Those stories and touches from others led me to begin exploring the world of healing with sound and music, and what I find both amazes me and confirms my own belief that music is one of the most potent healing tools the world has ever possessed. I am still very much a student, a pilgrim on a quest to learn all that I can about the ways that different tones, vibrations and sounds can affect the body and attune with the emotions and the spiritual.

It is a wonderful journey, and one that I intend to share with as many people as I can. As a beginning of that sharing, here are some things that I have learned, and that I believe about how music helps to heal and regenerate the body.

1. Your body will heal itself if you give it the right tools. I believe that some music can help your body to heal by helping it to realign its balance. At the same time, it is far too early in the research for anyone to tell you which musical selections will heal a specific medical condition. I would be irresponsible if I recommended that music replace other more traditional forms of healing and therapy. Music is a complementary way to give your body the tools that it needs to help itself heal.

2. One of the most important and effective things that you can do for your body is to help it relax into a meditative state. There is a great deal of research to support that a state of meditative calm inspires your body and your mind to renew itself.

3. Sound is one of the best tools for inspiring the meditative state in which your body is receptive to healing and renewal – but it is important to choose your music carefully. Some music – classical music in particular – seems to go there instinctively, but most music was not designed to relax you.

We are barely beginning to understand the ways that music affects us and effects healing in us. The research is exciting and ongoing, and I spend a great deal of time working with different bodies of healers in various fields to aid this research in all the ways that I can.

I incorporate what I have learned into the production of the titles and arrangements chosen for every new Li-Sem Catalog release in the hopes that this wonderful gift that I was given, the gift of making music, can become a gift to others – one that helps heal and refresh and renew, and in the process becomes part of a positive change in the world.

World-renowned violinist Daniel Kobialka embraces both the classic and the avant-garde in his search to create sounds that enliven and heal. Dr. Bernie Siegel states, “I found years ago that music creates a healing environment? I find Kobialka?s to be the best available.” Visit Kobialka’s website for more articles and healing music.

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24
Aug 10

How to play guitar All Aspects Of Contemporary Guitar

In the timber are typically utilized in special sound wood, the guitar, relying on the type and characteristics will be utilized in different combinations. In the timber are employed in the rule, special tone woods, the guitar, depending on the type and traits will be used in different combinations. There are three classes of ( Acoustic ) Guitars : the most simple are the ceiling and floor of laminated plywood. There are 3 classes of ( Acoustic ) Guitars : the most straightforward are the ceiling and floor of laminated plywood. This design is cheap to provide, and also less vulnerable to cracking, but the sound quality is usually lower than for solid wood guitars. This design is cheap to produce, and so less vulnerable to cracking, but the sound quality is generally lower than for solid wood guitars. Often , the supposed migrant guitars fall into this category. Frequently the so-called migrant guitars fall into this class. The following stage has a ceiling made of solid wood, and the sound quality of her best stage ( in the price range from about 700 ) is all solid assembled. The next stage has a ceiling made of solid wood, and the sound quality of her best stage ( in the price range from about seven hundred ) is all solid assembled. In the case of solid floors is partly dispense with a painting, as it stiffens the otherwise blanket and therefore affect the sound. In the case of solid floors is partly dispense with a painting, as it otherwise stiffen the blanket, and therefore affect the sound. A protective clear coat is not as sealing of the surface is always present. A protecting clear coat is not as sealing of the surface is always present. Particularly colored lacquered instruments are usually made of wood 3rd quality, because the paint hides the error. Especially colored lacquered instruments are generally made from wood quality third, because the paint hides the errors.

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20
Aug 10

Top 3 Most Influential Shoegazing Bands

Shoegazing was a term for a subgenre of alternative rock that reached its peak in the early 90s and was named after the tendency for shoegazing musicians to stand still during performances and look down at their shoes. The sound of shoegaze was typified by loud guitar effects, mostly manipulated with a complex array of guitar pedals and delay effects and often forlorn and ethereal vocals that blended into the nose of the music. They usually played in near pitch darkness, without the effects of modern hid lights or other complex light shows. Here is a list of the top three most influential shoegazing bands.

My Bloody Valentine

The stars of the shoegazing scene, My Bloody Valentine formed in Dublin, Ireland and released a number of experimental, punk influenced EPs and singles before they finally released their debut record in 1988, “Isn’t Anything.” Their sound was a complex and intricate mix of producer, perfectionist and guitarist Kevin Shields’ wall of melodic guitar sound and Bilinda Butcher’s soft, girl-like vocals that were often buried so deep in the mix you could only make out her melodies and not the lyrics. They set the groundwork for many earl 90s shoegazing bands and many noise-rock bands today that are interesting in mixing beautiful harmonies with loud guitar effects.

Ride

Ride fell into the shoegazing label when they first started thanks to the heavy guitar effects and forlorn vocals of Andy Bell, but as the years progressed they shed their shoegazing sound that made them unique and inched more and more towards boring British rock in the vein of Oasis or Supergrass. Their one classic album, “Nowhere” is still held up as one of the greatest records of the 90s and a blueprint for many bands to come. “Vapour Trail” is one of the few perfect shoegazing singles of the era and still sounds as fresh today as in 1990.

Slowdive

Slowdive were the most cerebral of the shoegazers, interested not only in emulating their peers (My Bloody Valentine, The Smiths, The Velvet Underground) but taking the shoegazing genre to new heights. The original founding duo of Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell formed the band in 1989 and soon after released an EP that received early praise from critics. Their debut album, “Just for A Day” only hinted at the lofty goals the band had set for themselves, with the band arguably peaking with their final record, “Pygmalion” a dark, sparse and atmospheric mix of shoegazing and electronic elements that sounded like no other shoegazing band before or after them.

Alan McGee is a freelance writer from MN.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/top-3-most-influential-shoegazing-bands-1585700.html

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