The Culture of Hip Hop and Latin Music

Music For A Better Life

2010-01-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

Would you like to pop in a CD and have a better quality of life, and even self improvement? There are three ways you can use music to accomplish this.

Music For Motivation

Put on energetic music, and even doing housework seems less like work. Using music to motivate yourself or change your mood is an area where you can trust your experience and experimentation. When you find the msic that energizes you, relaxes you, or makes you happy, keep it ready for when you need it.

Music For Intelligence

Music creates neural pathways in your brain that stimulate creativity. Studies show that music trains the brain for higher forms of thinking. In one study, three-year-olds were split into two groups. The first had no special training in, or exposure to music. The second group studied piano and sang daily in chorus.

Eight months later the musical three-year-olds were much better at solving puzzles. They also scored 80% higher in spatial intelligence than the other group. There's also anectdotal evidence that listening to music, especially from Mozart's era, can help you study and learn better.

Hopefully there will be more research. In the meantime there's no reason not to do your own experimentation. I've heard that Stephen King writes with loud rock music playing, so the benefits of music may be according to your own tastes or brain-organization.

Music For Brainwave Entrainment

Want to listen to some music, and get smarter, or have instant easy meditation? There are products now that "entrain" your brainwaves, in order to put you in a meditative state. Music is embedded with beats and pulses that entrain your brain waves to a specific frequency. Put in the right CD or MP3 for your activity, and you get better brain function. Science? Partly.

Brain wave frequencies vary with mental state. Daydreaming and light meditation take place in the "Alpha" range of frequencies, for example. So if you listen to music containing beats at a frequency of 10 Hz you will generate more brainwaves at a 10 Hz frequency and enter a relaxed Alpha mental state. Do these things really work?

Yes. I've found two products that put me in a peaceful state unlike any other music or meditative practice. Studies will prove the effects (some have already), and disprove the wilder claims. Given my results, however, I wouldn't wait for more research. Many things work long before the scientific proof arrives.

If you are skeptical, you can wait for more evidence of the benefits of brainwave entrainment. Meanwhile, why not try classical music when you study, just to see if it helps? Experiment with music - Mozart isn't dangerous.

Creole and Jazz, Music of Emotion

2010-01-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

When spending time in Louisiana, you can look forward to hearing some excellent and authentic Cajun, Creole, and Jazz music. Whether you are looking to have some fun dancing to a snappy Cajun beat or relax and absorb moody Jazz, you can find your place in the southeast. There is no question that Louisiana has a rich music history worth exploring.

As far back as 1755, settlers from Nova Scotia came to live in Louisiana, and they continued their tradition of telling tales of life in the New World at gatherings through song. Cajun music was born. Often these musicians sang a cappella, with clapping and stomping providing rhythm. When possible, the fiddle became the instrument of choice and families and friends would dance for hours. Through the 19th century, their music was influenced by blues, African and Native American styles, and improvisational singing techniques. For many years, and still today, the fiddle was central to Cajun melodies, but in the early 1900’s the accordion was introduced and impacted musicians. It became popular as its volume could carry across even a packed dance floor. However, it had a much more limited range of keys so some tunes were changed or could only be played with the fiddle. Today, both instruments continue to be an important part of the genre.

During this time period, African Americans developed another type of music that impacted Cajun music and our country’s history. Much of what influenced Creole music in these early years was the fact that its makers were recently freed slaves, many still living in poverty. Their songs pulled rhythms from the Caribbean, a feel of soulfulness from the blues, and were also connected to the Cajun music also developing in the area. Dances were common and held mostly in houses with several singers and fiddles. Creole men and women would move to the emotional music for hours into the morning while singers often reached high pitches to carry the words across the dance floor.

Almost every American has experienced Blues music at some point and felt its intensity. What many may not know, however, is the birthplace of the blues was Louisiana. Beginning from the hymns and work songs of African Americans, these songs spoke of injustice and pain, while expressing the joy of overcoming adversity. These blues roots blended with church, military, folk, and African drumming music in New Orleans giving rise to Jazz as we know it. Louis Armstrong, historic coronet player, was a huge influence on Jazz in the early 1900’s, giving rise to the key ingredient of improvisation. A central part of the genre, musicians create the music as they go, playing together from printed music but taking turns with incredible solos throughout the song. Few types of music can compare to the impact of Jazz on America and its music history.

This is simply a brief glance at the history of music in Louisiana. The rich and varied cultures that settled and still live in the southeast blended to give our country much to enjoy.

Contributor:
Cory Howell, a search engine marketing expert, has over 8 years of experience marketing family campgrounds and RV resorts. Cory's most recent marketing efforts allow him to offer up advice on choosing New Orleans vacation accommodations and achieving an enjoyable Louisiana camping trip.
www.jellystonela.com/cabins.html

Music: Evolution and Legalities

2009-11-19T20:50:00.000-08:00

The music industry has rules governing the way that music can now be shared with consumers. With the ease of accessing the internet it has become easier and easier for consumers to just download music from the comfort of their own homes, rather than going to a store and buying a compact disc. Because of this, there are now rules in place preventing the free downloads of songs off the internet. Now, the only legal way to download music from the internet is to pay for it on secure sites.

The music industry has strict rules in place when it comes to piracy and downloading music illegally. If someone is caught downloading or with illegally downloaded music, they can receive a hefty fine and a possible jail term. If you still want to download music from your computer and the internet, the best way to avoid getting yourself into trouble, you need to find a reputable website that sells music packages in a legal manner.

Another way that the music industry has implemented rules is on the use of music for commercial purposes. Instead of just being able to put a popular song or a piece of music into a commercial or on a film score, you must first purchase the royalty rights to it. By doing this you avoid any fines and penalties that can occur from “stealing” music. Because music is so popular in commercial and media outlets, many websites have met that growing need by supplying royalty-free music.

With the mass production of music and the ease of which it can now be purchased, many more rules and stricter laws governing it have come about. With the ease of downloading music off the internet now, consumers need to make sure that they are downloading legal copies of songs and not pirated music from people just wanting to make a quick buck. By purchasing music from legal sites, consumers will avoid any fines that can occur from having pirated music in their possession. The increasing use of popular music in commercial and media outlets has also made the need for rules in that area a top priority as well.

Contributor:
John Bickerton is the founder of Royalty Free Music provider UniqueTracks.com that offers royalty free classical music and background, and production music. Create presentations and use special effects from UniqueTracks. Get Royalty Free Music Downloads today.
http://www.uniquetracks.com

Arrival of the Hip Hop Pop Culture Online

2009-10-16T18:30:00.001-07:00

The Hip Hop Pop culture is creating a rage worldwide with the artists gaining so much popularity, the fan base is just increasing by the day. Youngsters want to dress, talk, sing and dance like their hip hop pop icons and therefore they want to see more of their music videos. Watching the music videos online is one of the best options for most youngsters as they can get access to your favorite videos almost any time of the day, you do not have to rely on the music channels to play them for you. And since most youngsters are hooked on to the internet watching the videos online is no challenge. But the problem comes when you try to find it online, since you might not enjoy the crap that many sites offer, you’d want a site that can cater you the kind of videos you like or offer you a wide collection that you can choose from.

With this arrival of the hip hop pop culture online you want to ensure that you get nothing but the best music videos so that you can keep yourself updated with the latest releases and also some really good hip hop pop moves and dance steps (you’ll love to show them off on a dance night out with friends, wouldn’t you?). Online music videos are the best resource for all that you desire, so that you can keep up with the growing hip hop pop stuff. But you might not like going online all the time and seeing these videos as the buffering usually takes a lot of time, you would rather prefer is a site also gave you the option to download the videos so that you could have them on your hard drive and watch them any time without having to log on to the web.

www.favoritemusicvideos.com offers all the above mentioned features that you desire. With a large collection of videos and a lot of options for online music videos related to hip hop pop you will get a lot of videos that you would love to see. They also have a good amount of music videos in the genre that have been compiled from artists that are not that well known. You can be sure that with this site you can keep up with the hip hop pop culture online as well as get exposure to a lot of other genres.

How Musicals Developed To What They Are Today

2009-10-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

A musical can be in the form of a theatrical production or a movie, either of which uses songs and dancing as a means to tell the story. There are many types of musical theater, such as comedy drama, dramas, and others.

They use music to tell their story. Musicals have always had a stage presence, but it has made its way into movies as well. If you have never seen a musical theater production or drama comedy, then you are missing out on a cool treat.

There are three main parts to musical theater; the music, the lyrics and the book. Music and lyrics are easy to understand, and the book is just an expression for the real storyline. Musicals are different from operas because there is talking in the show, whereas operas incorporate only songs.

Musical theater dates back as far as ancient Greece, with their drama comedies. In the golden age of the musical, musical movies were being made all the time. An actor or actress could actually have several musical movies in their acting career. Nearly all the hot movies back then were musical in nature. Now, however, that has faded and movie casting today has little to do with musical talent.

The history of musicals is quite interesting as well. The concept of musical theater started with the Greeks. Some have dated this as far back as the 5th century B.C. Europe quickly stole this form of theater, and created the traveling musical troupe.

By the Renaissance period, comedy drama was increasing popular in Europe. These were quickly turned into comedic operas and ballad operas. Each of these two styles had their unique features.

It wasn't until the 1860s that the form of modern musical theater was considered to be created. This originated with the musical "The Black Crook," which was created in New York. Of course, musical theater took off rapidly from there. During WWI, the operetta was very popular on Broadway.

However, by the late 1920s, films were providing a serious challenge to the world of theater. By the 1950s and 60s, the musical theater, as it is known today, was going strong and has not changed too much since.

So that is where musicals came from, and how they developed to what they are today. You can tell anyone about the basic musical form, and some of the history of the musical. Back in the hay-day of musical theater, many dramatic movie actors were involved as well, but that has faded away.

If you want to know more about the theater, then check at your local library or online. You may be surprised at what you can find out about the evolution of musicals!

About author: MIKE SELVON
A whole world of information about musicals eagerly awaits you from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our acting workshops blog.
http://www.mynicheportal.com/recreation-leisure/types-of-musicals

Arts and Culture in the United States of America

2009-09-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

United States of America, a melting pot of various culture and identities.

It is difficult to have a single picture of the arts and culture of this nation for its population alone is composed of different ethnic races, some of which have migrated from other countries around the globe. All have different cultural and artistic background and have their own share of influences once they set foot on the Land of Milk and Honey. Honestly, since this a big nation, it is much more entirely difficult to come up with a concise representation of every State in it. There have been numerous attempts to have a one-and-all encompassing write-ups and features on this but all have come short in describing vividly its arts and culture one way or another.

Period would also pose a problem to this. Arts and culture of the USA is bounded by the different periodical setting of its history. This complicates the matter more.

If I would dare come up with a subject on this, i must bring with me a number of know-how artilleries to justify my being a canon. I should atleast have a substantial amount of time where I have actually lived there (short to an emphatic approach where I am immensely immersed in the culture, such that of an ethnographic study), have fraternized with the modern-day Americans (this up to now is highly debatable, but it is safe to be guided by their constitutional definition), or more so, have written a book on them. Unfortunately, I haven't. So if I am to continue, I would just go down on statistic as another guy who attempted and failed to describe the arts and culture of the USA.

Hope, though, is not far from this country to the USA. If you really are interested at knowing their culture, try reading a lot of books and magazines published by them for themselves, published by them for others, published by others for them, published by others for others as well to give you a wholistic perspective. It also helps to be induced by their TV programs and movies, although this does not entirely merit their actual culture in the real setting, mostly only popular culture. And upon exploring the internet, before you get dismayed browsing for eternity on the paper or write-up that you believe exists, try dissecting the big nation first in parts. It helps to know that each group of states have their own sets of culture that are apart from each other as each state have a different culture to another as well. Try browsing in parts, i.e. Eastcoast, Westcoast, North America, South America and Central America. You may also compartmentalize the arts and culture using these manner of division: American Northeast, American Northwest, American Plains and Midwest, American Southeast, and American Southwest.

Upon extracting and sourcing all the information regarding their different arts and culture, it is up to you now to filter what you think is mostly represented now by the media, not only theirs, but by the other countries as well so as not to be bias. I think in this manner, you have become successful in enlightening yourself with a brief manner on looking at the arts and culture of the USA. Again, as a disclaimer, that's not all folks!

The author is a content provider of honolulu

If you want to know more honolulu, fitness, health and the outdoors, visit www.honolulu.com.mx

Traditional Ethiopian Music and Ethiopian Culture

2009-08-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

Ethiopia has a very rich and diverse music history. The various tribes and ethnic groups of Ethiopia have their own distinct music culture and tradition. The Tigrayans to the north have this smooth, circular dance routine culminated with shoulder and neck movement. The Amharas at the center have dance style dominated by upper body and neck movement. The Oromos to the center and south have this jumping style and full body dance routine. The Gurages have an acrobatic dance that requires high level of arm, leg and body coordination.

Traditional Ethiopian music instruments include the masingo, a one-stringed violin like instrument that is played with a bow; the krar, a six-stringed lyre, played with fingers or a plectrum; the washint, a flute made from bamboo; and various drums. There are three types of drums that are used in different occasions: the negarit (kettledrum), played with sticks, the kebero, played with hands, and the atamo, tapped with the fingers or palm. Other instruments include the begena, a huge, multi-stringed lyre often referred to as the Harp of David; the tsinatsil or sistrum, which is used in churches; the meleket, a long trumpet without fingerholes, and the embilta, a large, one-note flute used on ceremonial occasions.

In addition to the above traditional music instruments, Ethiopian music also includes various types of modern music instruments that are used by bands playing Ethiopian jazz, pop, and the like. Modern Ethiopian music instruments include the guitar, percussion, violin, saxophone, mandolin, clarinet, accordion, etc.

The masinqo is one of the most popular traditional Ethiopian music instruments used throughout Ethiopia. It is one of the fixtures in Ethiopian culture. Although it looks simple, the masinqo can, in the hands of an expert musician, produces a wide variety of melodies. It is often played by wandering minstrels as well as professional musicians, particularly at eating houses and local bars called “Bunna Bet” or “Azmari Bet”. The word Azmari is derived from the Geez word Zemmari, which means “one who sings”. Today, the concept mainly applies to establishments where professional masinqo players and the female singers that accompany them play.

When it comes to Azmari performances, lyrics can be largely improvised or sung with the art of double meaning called Kinie or Semmna Werq (meaning, the literal and the hidden messages). The audience is not supposed to take the lyrics literally – they are challenged to listen carefully to get the “golden” sense. The Azmaris may praise individuals in the audience through their songs to uplift their mood. This favor in Ethiopian culture is usually responded in kind by awarding the performer cash – by pasting a bill on the forehead, or stashing it in the performer’s shirt.

Azmaris also accept verses thrown at them by members of the audience and skillfully incorporate them into their music. In traditional Ethiopian music and Ethiopian culture, the skill at improvisation by the Azmari is as important as his/her vocal performance, or his/her skill at playing the masinqo. With such improvised lyrics, one may appreciate, denounce, advice, teach, entertain, and much more.

In recent years, Azmari Ethiopian music performances have even spread to other parts of the world outside Ethiopia. One can find “Azmari Betoch” in some parts of Europe and North America where there are significant pockets of Ethiopian immigrants residing, including in cities such as Washington DC and Los Angeles in the USA, and London in UK. Although these establishments are not exactly the traditional Ethiopian “Azmari Bet” variety, they offer many of the services their counterparts in Ethiopia provide, including music using the masinqo.

For more on Ethiopian Music and Ethiopian Culture please visit Ezega Community at http://www.ezega.com/Communities

Music For Your "Hears"

2009-07-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Etymology

The word music comes from the Greek mousikê (tekhnê) by way of the Latin created it in "measure, number and weight". The proportions of the spheres of the planets and stars (which at the time were still thought to revolve around the earth) were perceived as a form of music, without necessarily implying that any sound would be heard—music refers strictly to the mathematical proportions. From this concept later resulted the romantic idea of a music of the spheres. Musica humana, designated the proportions of the human body. These were thought to reflect the proportions of the Heavens and as such, to be an expression of God's greatness. To Medieval thinking, all things were connected with each other—a mode of thought that finds its traces today in the occult sciences or esoteric thought—ranging from astrology to believing certain minerals have certain beneficiary effects.

Musica instrumentalis, finally, was the lowliest of the three disciplines and referred to the manifestation of those same mathematical proportions in sound—be it sung or played on instruments. The polyphonic organization of different melodies to sound at the same time was still a relatively new invention then, and it is understandable that the mathematical or physical relationships in frequency that give rise to the musical intervals as we hear them, should be foremost among the preoccupations of Medieval musicians.

Translations

The languages of many cultures do not include a word for or that would be translated as music. Inuit and most North American Indian languages do not have a general term for music. Among the Aztecs, the ancient Mexican theory of rhetorics, poetry, dance, and instrumental music, used the Nahuatl term In xochitl-in kwikatl to refer a complex mix of music and other poetic verbal and non-verbal elements, and reserve the word Kwikakayotl (or cuicacayotl) only for the sung expressions (Leon-Portilla 2007, 11). In Africa there is no term for music in Tiv, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Birom, Hausa, Idoma, Eggon or Jarawa. Many other languages have terms which only partly cover what Europeans mean by the term music (Schafer). The Mapuche of Argentina do not have a word for music, but they do have words for instrumental versus improvised forms (kantun), European and non-Mapuche music (kantun winka), ceremonial songs (öl), and tayil (Robertson 1976, 39).

Some languages in West Africa have no term for music but the speakers do have the concept (Nettl 1989,[citation needed]). Musiqi is the Persian word for the science and art of music, muzik being the sound and performance of music (Sakata 1983,[citation needed]), though some things European influenced listeners would include, such as Quran chanting, are excluded. Actually, there are varying degrees of "musicness"; Quran chanting and Adhan is not considered music, but classical improvised song, classical instrumental metric composition, and popular dance music are.

Art and Music in History

2009-07-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Art and music has always been an integral part of any society; no matter how basic and primitive or complex and advanced. Art is the cultural output of a society that reflects its attitudes, values, morals, and what it considers ideal and beautiful. Art truly is one of the great measures of a civilization and is a window into what a particular culture thought and valued.

The first art forms that we have recorded go back to ancient times before the classical eras of Greeks and Romans. Venus of Willendorf is estimated to have been created in 20,000 B.C. and is a crude statue which probably represents female fertility. Five thousand years later artistic drawings are created on a cave wall in what is now modern-day France. The art shows animals moving in their natural environment. The first major artists in which we have an extensive amount of work were the Ancient Egyptians. There construction of temples, pyramids, sphinxes are all amazing for a time 2500 years before Christ. Much of there artistic accomplishments stand and can be seen today in museums and the Desert. The most recognized form of ancient art would be the Greek and Roman style which produced stunning temples, coliseums. The ancients were most noted for the architectural achievements. Not much is known about ancient music because nothing survived as record of there achievements. Speculation was that the music was probably folksy and lively depending on the area in which it was played. The ancients set the stage for artistic masters to come.

With the coming of Christianity the arts has a new patron, and the Christian Church and its theology will become the dominate subject of the majority of the artistic and musical creations over the next 1000 years. The influence of Christendom was first observed in the Roman period but not until the Medieval and Romanesque periods did Christianity completely dominate Western art. In music the Church put together different monophonic chants such as the Gregorian chant to celebrate Mass. The composers are unknown and there rhythms derived from Latin texts. The Gothic period started in 1100AD and continued until 1400AD. The greatest achievements of this period would be in architecture. The Gothic Cathedral becomes an icon of the Church's power with its new style including elements such as the pointed arch, the pinnacle, flying buttress, nave, and double aisle. Artwork is almost exclusively controlled by the church and the era brought forth such masterpieces as The Annunciation by Simone Martini, Lamination of Christ by Giotto di Bondone. The music of the Gothic era developed into polyphony and the organum was developed. The Gothic era brought to a close the virtual total control the church had over the arts.

Art reached completely new heights when it was able to break away from the strict controls of the Church in the Renaissance period from 1400-1600. The greatest artists and sculptors in history such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci came from the Renaissance. Much of the art was still religious in nature as shown in many of Michelangelo's works but artists like Leonardo were breaking away at times from strictly religious painting as shown in his Mona Lisa. Artists used the same basics as the Gothic artists when it came to line, space, color and formal organization but the humanistic movement of the renaissance brought a whole new aspect to the arts. Humanism brought a different organization of the basic elements of art as used during the Gothic period. Renaissance artists used linear perspective and their colors were brilliantly polychromatic in their paintings. An important tenant held by many renaissance artists was that art must be true to nature. The obsession these artists had with accuracy, creativity and the aesthetic ideal led to one of the most important and beautiful artistic eras of history.

The Baroque and Rococo periods immediately followed the Romantic era, and were full of ornamentation and artistic excess. The term baroque (from Portuguese barroco) translates into "pearl of irregular form". The Baroque period produced such artists as Rembrandt and new uses of shadowing and color became very apparent in paintings. The artistic excess of the Baroque was mostly seen in its architecture which was thought of as an inferior overly ornamentation laden copy of the Renaissance style. The music of the Baroque period emphasized "melodies that were broad and sing able, and harmonies which were rich and full of Pathos. The Baroque period saw the expansion of the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Artists such as Rembrandt van Rign were Protestant and Peter Paul Rubens was instrumental in the Catholic response. Great composers such as Handel and Bach came out of this period.

Following the excessiveness of the Baroque came the Classical period which only lasted about fifty years but produced some of the greatest musical talent in History. The Classical period was in response to the excessiveness of the Baroque and stressed perfection of form. Great composers such as Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart came from this era. The classical ideal of perfection of form was exhibited in art, architecture and music. The artistic and architectural accomplishments of the period are not terribly significant other than it inspired the Romantic period as a response. New instruments become commonplace such as the piano, the violin, viola, cello ect... The Classical period's emphasis on perfection, led to some of the most beautiful music in history.

The Romantic period saw a great surge in creativity in the artistic realm and the music just kept on evolving into the beautiful works of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Verdi. The romantic era was one of emotion as the world was going through crisis and change. The Romantic artists emphasized freedom and free expression. Many of the paintings showed revolutionary scenes such as Delacroix's "Liberty Leading People" painting created in 1831. Following the Romantic period was the Impressionist period which was mainly concerned with how light affected color in painting. A lot of landscapes were painted and the artist tried to increase the Romantic effort to create feeling. Famous impressionist artists include Monet, Manet, and Renoir.

After the Impressionist movement the Modernistic movement starts the focus of the artist is on creating things that are new and unique in both music and art. Much of the art is basic and tries to represent emotions and the events that are going on in our technological society.

Art and music throughout the ages has gone through many different stages of development and has had its peaks and downfalls. This class has given me a better understanding of the history of the arts and what I consider to be aesthetically pleasing. I look forward to learning more and will continue to develop artistic appreciation as I expose myself to the arts.

About the Author:
John Schlismann has an interest in Art History for more info check out the Art Institute Web Site: http://www.artic.edu

Hip Hop Music Sales Slump in Digital Age What Does This Mean for the Industry?

2009-07-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hip hop music was huge in the United States just a few years ago. At one point in 2000, sales even hit a record high of over 1.8 billion USD. That was when Hip Hop R&B had over taken all other genres of music in terms of record sales. To find out why Hip Hop music sales are slumping currently, one has to rewind a little and understand how Hip Hop all started out.

Before Hip Hop got accepted into the mainstream, many Hip Hop artists pretty much stayed underground to practise their art form. No one knew Hip Hop was going to become the titan that it would develop into. When Hip Hop first began, it started out in the streets. It was a movement by people who were disadvantaged, or were ostracized by the community - they were looking for a way to express themselves and their plight. And express themselves they did.

Hip Hop music is spontaneous and witty. For example, when a battle takes place between two artists, the lyrics are never pre-written. Each competitor will be given the opportunity to rap for a certain period of time. The audience is the judge. The culture of rap is that the judging audience is never biased making it a truly democratic art form. Whoever comes up with the most original and creative lyrics will win the battle. Of course, there is an element of like and dislike. So the lyrics have to connect with the audiences as well. The final results of the battle is based on the cheers of the audience. Whoever receive the loudest cheer, wins the battle.

As you can see, Hip Hop arises out of a need for talented artists to be heard. And the artists became really good from years of practising. As they practise, the world remains largely unaware of what is happening. It wasn't until the artists become more entrepreneurial that Hip Hop starts to take off.

Unlike other type of music, the Hip Hop community accepts was far reaching in content and profanity in the lyrics. The market finds it refreshing to hear such profanity in the records. And soon, Hip Hop music took off like a bullet with as much variety in tone as there were people. From the angry rebellious rap, to the happy its a party time songs.

The market soaked it all in mainly because they believed that the artists were just doing their thing - they were voicing repressed feelings, from lack of opportunity or showing you how to enjoy yourself and life. So record sales continued to soar. Recording artists like Eminem, 50 Cent Lil Wayne, Jay Z, T.I and Gucci Mane all did very well in the industry.

Unfortunately, the success of the Hip Hop industry has hit a turning point. In a few short years, sales for Hip Hop music begin to decline, and it continued to decline year after year. Some recording labels, once worth millions of dollars, are now near bankruptcy.

It is clear that the market has taken the time to learn about Hip Hop music and culture and have fully embraced it. After earning billions of dollars in the industry, and being widely accepted in the mainstream, what is the source of the decline in sales?

Many will argue, its all due to the Internet. The new Internet age has brought about many new opportunities along with many new threats to the old industries. Now its easier then ever to commit piracy and unfortunately the record industry has been resistant to change. Too stuck in the old mind frame and old distribution channels to fully embrace what the Internet could really mean for them.

Hip Hop artists are now being heard all over the world. There is no longer the element of distribution channels or lag from the artist to the market. Why? Because the Internet makes it instantaneous. As such old walls have been broken down where people had to wait for months or search relentlessly to be able to acquire all of an artists past works.

As such artists must continue to evolve in order to continue thriving. Perhaps it's still back to basics. No more focusing on big marketing budgets and record label driving initiatives. Maybe what the Internet has done is take Hip Hop out of the corporate boardrooms and back to the streets where all that counts is just great rap music lyrics from the heart.

About the Author:
Gen Wright
For more information on Hip Hop Music and Hip Hop Videos, please visit our website.
http://www.urbanmvp.com

Lets Talk About Hip-Hop

2009-07-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

Congress wants to talk about Hip-Hop; well so do I…

“I said a hip hop, Hippie to the hippie, The hip, hip a hop, and you don't stop, a rock it To the bang bang boogie, say, up jump the boogie, To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat.” Bar none, the most famous rap lyric of all time. From hip-hop heads to novices, the Sugar Hill Gang’s Rappers Delight still holds the crown as the most renowned rap song, unparalleled. Hip-hop started as a voice of the streets; a voice of frustration coming from the inner city. Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five’s The Message served as “news from the ghetto” to show America what was really going on in our neighborhoods. We then entered the world of Paul Revere and My Addidas. From the Beastie Boys to Run-DMC; hip-hop was beginning to make a world wide impact. With the early nineties came a new style of hip-hop; gangster rap. Bursting on the scene was a group of angry black males that were ready to voice their fury through music. NWA (N***** with attitudes) was able to showcase their rage and aggravation with a style not seen before. Spewing curse words with lyrics like F*** the police; NWA made such an impression on American society that former Vice President Dan Quayle attempted to have their records pulled from shelves and their concerts cancelled. As the nineties progressed; so did hip-hop. The genre of rap music and the culture of hip-hop became so massive that it eventually grew into a multi-billion dollar industry. But with all of its popularity hip-hop has never been able to shake negativity. Hip-hop has attempted to portray itself as an art form that is simply a voice of the African-American community. Unfortunately, America is not buying what they are selling. So how do we begin to convince America that what we have to say constitutes a valid argument? By changing our approach.

Kanye West’s latest release, Graduation, was skillfully crafted as an album full of anthems with a positive message. However, Kanye has always been portrayed as a positive hip-hop artist. He is the latest example of how rap music can make an impact without being viewed as desecrating to American society. As mentioned earlier; the song The Message was one of the first examples of how hip-hop can serve as a positive stimulate to enact social change within American society. Unfortunately, rappers can become victims of the violence that is depicted in their music. When Boogie Down Productions DJ Scott La Rock was gunned down because of gang violence; KRS-One helped to organize an all-star ensemble of rappers to construct the song Self Destruction. The set featured Public Enemy, MC Lyte, Just Ice, Stetasonic, KRS-One and Daddy-O. Self Destruction had the focus of helping to end gang violence. The song’s message was felt heavily throughout hip-hop. It was able to express a meaning of unity and optimism while depicting the negative images connected with inner city violence. This approach was one of success and one of warning. The song gave caution that if this type of behavior does not cease; our society is deemed for failure. It was also able to show that the hip-hop culture is able to come together for the common good of a just cause.

Rappers in today’s hip-hop culture are controlled by capital. We cannot blame all rappers for their lyrical content as most are under contractual obligations through their record companies. Some rappers are bound by their agreements to release 2 – 3 songs extolling their love for jewelry and admiration for women. If Congress wants to truly have a discussion on the issue of lyrics within hip-hop; it is only fair to invite the record companies to the conversation as well. Major music labels such as Interscope and Universal records make billions of dollars off these types of records. One of the most popular rap records of all time entitled Bling Bling was created strictly to flaunt rappers love of jewelry. Some rappers spend upwards of $500,000 on rings, watches, necklaces and diamonds in their teeth. This type of music does not resonate well with most parents as it sends the wrong message to kids. Instead of placing a value on matters that will instill a sense of self worth in children; the music is only meant to attract children and teenagers to purchase the record

Rappers also have to take on a more responsible role in this battle. Those that have achieved a status of affluence through rap music have a responsibility to give back to the culture they took so much away from. Starting a foundation or chartable organization is not enough to satisfy the appetite for change within the hip-hop community. Rappers with riches must help promote artist that want to change the status quo and challenge record labels that continue to release negative music.

While my opinion is strictly that of a person on the outside looking into a very complex situation; it’s important that we question what we deem as un-fit or un-worthy. While I am a hip-hop head to the fullest degree; I do not like the direction in which my culture is headed. That culture being of course…..is hip-hop.

About the Author:
Jason Henry started writing a few years ago with the angle of "sparking positive debate through writing." To enhance his writing skills and share his writing with the world, he started his own newsletter entitled "The Henry Project." A by product of the newsletter is his blog with the same name. Mr. Henry continues to provide his opinion on a number of issues facing America today. You can check out his blog at aanw.blogspot.com.

History And Music Live At The Apollo Theater

2009-07-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

Since 1934, every Wednesday evening aspiring artists take the stage at New York City's Apollo Theater. They come with hopes that the magic of the historical theater and the approval of the audience will launch their careers in the music world.

These young artists perform on a stage that has been home to an impressive legacy of world-class talent including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Sarah Vaughn. In fact, it's this musical legacy that makes the Apollo Theater an excellent attraction for student group travelers who have an interest in music and African American history.

One of the most famous clubs for popular music in the United States, the Apollo is also known for its association with African-American performers. When the Apollo first opened, it was one of New York City's leading burlesque clubs and was attended by mostly white-only audiences.

In 1934, however, the Apollo Theater changed ownership and opened its doors to African-American patrons with a "colored review." The new owner's motivation for featuring African American talent and entertainment was attributed to the fact that the theater's surrounding neighborhood, Harlem, was made up mostly of African American residents. Black entertainers were also cheaper to hire and offered quality shows for reasonable rates. One of the theater's first African American Amateur Nights featured a young dancer Ella Fitzgerald, who quickly went on to became a singing sensation.

The Apollo Theater also featured old-time vaudeville favorites such as Tim Moore, Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham, and Moms Mabley, and in later years launched the careers of contemporary entertainers such as Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Jackson 5, and Mariah Carey.

In the 1950s, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, with their rhythm and blues background, were initially mistaken for an African American group and booked to play at the Apollo. At first the crowd booed the white performers, but their talent eventually won over the audience and they were accepted.

Although the club fell into decline in the 1970s, it made a comeback in the 1980s through a spirited campaign launched to revive public interest. Eventually, the Apollo Theater was recognized as a national, state, and city landmark.

Today, the Apollo is open six events a week, and features performing arts troupes, community programs, concerts, and special events. It is New York's third most popular tourist attraction, and draws an estimated 1.3 million visitors a year.

Student groups can schedule a tour of the facility that illuminates the history of Harlem through the lens of the Apollo, its legendary accomplishments, its role in the community, and American history as it relates to 20th- and 21st-century music. The one-hour guided tour also reveals little-known facts about the theater and the legendary people who have performed there, while also examining the significant contributions of African-Americans and Latinos to the birth of global popular culture. Tours are available for groups of 20 or more by appointment on most week days. Student groups touring the Apollo on Wednesday can return in the evening for Amateur Night at the Apollo.

About the Author:
Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/arts-culture.html
Author: Ann Knapp
travel adventures Travel Adventures is staffed by educators who understand the needs of teachers. Serving over one half million students since our inception, we provide hassle-free travel arrangements while empowering teachers to create change by expanding the classroom to the world. Our experienced team of travel professionals is dedicated to exceeding your student
http://www.traveladventures.com

Your Song Is Your Success

2009-07-02T20:55:00.001-07:00

It's true - you have a "song" that you sing...all day long. That song, is your vibration, your resonance - and it is created right out of the feelings and beliefs that you are focused upon.

Your song... is directly related to your success. Think about this -- if your song is your success, then would you choose to sing a song that you loved and radiated out into the world that you are worthy, abundant, successful, beautiful, confident....

Or - would you sing a song that you were not aligned with, made you feel cranky and irritable, perhaps kept you feeling stuck, and kept you tapped into scarcity consciousness and lack?

The Law of Attraction says that what you put out in the form of emotions, attitudes, beliefs, and ways of being - ultimately will be mirrored back to you in your life. The song that you choose to "sing" will be replicated over and over again...oh, kind of like a broken record. Who likes broken records?!

If you want to change your life...change your song, sing a new tune.

Life can be fresh and new if you are tapped into the stream of abundance and well being. Your song can uplift your life if you choose to let it - or something else. You - are the Mozart in this piece. What notes will you choose, what song will you sing?

"You can begin right now to feel healthy. You can begin to feel prosperous.

You can begin to feel the love that's surrounding you, even if it's not there. And what will happen is the Universe will correspond to the nature of your song. The Universe will correspond to the nature of that inner feeling, and manifest, because that's the way you feel."

Dr. Michael Beckwith D.D - The Secret

The "secret" to changing your tune and resonating a new song for success is not difficult in theory, but does take a few conscious choices on your part. Let's talk about a few ways to jump start you:

1. Choose to be conscious. Pay attention to what you are putting out there.

2. Choose a better note - or whole song for that matter. Did you ever song stuck in your head...and in order to get it out, you literally have to play a new song, or change your focus. Same theory here gang.

3. Choose a song that makes you feel good - i.e....choose feelings that serve you, that make you feel better than where you are at right now. Find your ground - even when shock hits your life. You can find a place of ease - or at least relief.

4. I took my daughter to the eye doctor a few weeks ago, and as he flips through the lenses he says - over and over I might add..."is this better, or this better?" You can do this with your feelings as well. Does this feel better, or this? This or this...this or this...this or this.... Go with what feels better - and your song will change, and so will your level of success.

This week, take note of your song, and make a conscious choice to just be conscious about what you are singing. Then ask, is that the tune I want to resonate? If not...start to make a few small steps in the direction of feeling a little better, or choosing a new perspective. Life unravels in amazing ways when you let it.

Peace,

Lori Hamann

Ways to Set Up a Recording Studio at Home

2009-06-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Are you dreaming of recording your own music? Have you always wanted to launch your own album, but have never found the right sponsors? You might then want to consider establishing a home recording studio. Setting up a music recording studio at home will be perfect for your aspirations and could actually be a great way to enhance your musical skills. This article shows you how to go about the actual purchase of the required equipments and also how to set up the studio once the purchasing is done.

Purchasing the required equipments is the simplest and the least daunting of the entire process. Thanks to the intense competition in this market, you will easily get most of the equipments on discounts. You should always try to check out how well the equipments are working in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises at home. You could also try the trial period offer and return the goods if they are not to your liking.

Second hand equipments are very good for the first home studio. For your first venture into a home recording studio, the second hand equipments will be very cheap and you will be able to learn and improvise before trying for the brand new costlier ones. Naturally, you will have to be careful when dealing with such transactions, but if you are savvy enough, you will get some good equipments from auction sites like e bay. Try not to buy equipments that are too old, as electronic goods tend to have a limited life span. You should also check all the switches and other parts for wear and tear. Too many loose parts can signal the poor condition of the recording studio equipments.

You could look at the manual to get an idea of how worn out the equipments are. Ideally, the whole set of equipments must be cleaned and set to appropriate levels for optimum recordings. Again, if you are purchasing them from overseas, you may have to be careful about the voltage levels as different countries follow different standards. So always check with your seller and also check every instruction in the manual before plugging in .You do not want your costly purchase to be destroyed due to a minor oversight, do you?

So now your purchase of the basic studio equipments is done. Next, you have to look into the manual for the exact settings needed to ensure the optimum working conditions for the studio. Study the correct methods of recording music. You have to set the correct level of the signal in order to prevent any unnecessary loud noises during recordings. Noise is a common problem in recording studios and you must try to minimize it as much as possible. Every device can be a culprit in noise creation, leading to distortions. Since it is impossible to turn off all the noise, the best you can do is set the desired signal at the correct level.

Of course, there are many more technicalities you will have to learn to establish a studio that works without any glitch. For this you should refer to the manuals and also talk to other home studio enthusiasts who have turned their dreams of a perfect home recording studio into reality.

Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/arts-culture.html
Author: Sarika Kabra
You can easily record music in your home by setting up a basic recording studio. Learn about audio mixers from this very informative article. http://www.audiomecca.com/articles/aaa-16

Lyric Writing Tips For Natural-Sounding Lyrics

2009-06-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

These lyric writing tips will help you to write more comfortable, natural-sounding lyrics.

A contemporary lyric should sound conversational, and not forced. Here are a few ways to get you started writing better lyrics.

1. Write the story in prose.

Before you attempt to write in song form, write your idea as a short story. Include visual descriptions, things your characters might say, and even their names if you want.

Don't worry about rhyme or meter. The goal is to tell the story, to say exactly what you want to say.

Stay on the subject you've chosen until you have a beginning, a middle and an ending. It doesn't have to be very long. Remember your song only needs a couple of verses, a chorus, maybe a bridge.

When you're happy with what you have written it's time to turn it into a lyric.

2. Write the lyric without rhyme.

Begin writing your lyric, but don't worry about making it rhyme just yet. Simply tell your story in lyric form. If you're thinking too much about rhyming at this point, you may not say just what you want to say.

You want to be able to write it with freedom.

Once you have your verses planned out then you can start looking at how you might rhyme them. Use a rhyming dictionary to help you. You can also open your thesaurus to look for just the right synonyms.

And remember, you don't HAVE to rhyme. Rhymes are very useful for helping to hold the lyric together, and to help us remember the words. And they can sound clever and cool.

But be careful not to make it rhyme just because you think it should.
Don't risk twisting the meaning of your song just to force a rhyme.

3. Speak it out loud.

Once you've finished your song give yourself a pat on the back! It doesn't mean you're finished but do it anyway. You deserve it.

Now before you go any further, speak it out loud. How does it sound? Do people speak that way? How does it feel? Are there any parts that are awkward or uncomfortable? I'm not talking about subject matter. I'm talking about the natural flow of the words.

You want your song lyrics to sound as natural and conversational as possible. Once they do, you know you're onto something good!

About the Author:
I'm Richie Gilbert and I have been passionate about writing songs for many years. I also spend much time in my home recording studio, and am active in pitching my songs to music publishers. To learn more about the craft and business of songwriting, please visit my website at http://www.inspired-songwriting-tips.com

It's Not All About The Sound

2009-06-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

You know the phenomenon, everytime you hear music playing in the background you think about the clip associated to the song.

Many years ago, music was just about sounds. Skilled people with beautiful, at times selfmade, instruments entertained other people. Back then, music was a gift.

But with the introduction of MTV and various other tv-broadcasters, clips are now a must for artists. If you don't have an attractive, high-tech clip you know you'll fail on the billboards. People associate these clips to the quality of the music. If the clip they see is bad they'll stop listening to the song and turn off the screen.

Sexy girls dancing with little clothes on, rappers acting tough, ..It's all been done before. Artists now look for computerized video images, with special effects which match with the sound they produced. It sweeps the watcher along for about 3 minutes, enough time to hear the song and perhaps like it.

Music needs the images, but needless to say the images definitely need the music. You could even say that music videos are a modern version of opera. In an opera, you have music and acting together as a package. It tells us a story, just like most music videos do. As we all are curious at times, people tend to like stories. Makers of music videos know this and try to make a story with their music videos.

The story symbolizes the music: if a song sounds sad, the story will not be a happy tale.

In the future, artists will have to keep on spending much time in developing their attractive clips, perhaps even more time than they dedicate to producing music.

So I'll give you a good tip: don't always see the music, hear it..

About the author:
Webmaster of http://www.discoverclips.comand all-around-music-lover

Balance the Art and Business of Song Writing

2009-06-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Art

Rarely is an artist objective about what they create. The creative process is pure, organic and should be free to unfold. (At least that's what I think.) I have said, "I become one with my creation, not seeking perfection, just a clear sense that when it's done, it's done." That makes sense to me. I love that about art.

When it's just about art, I don't care what other people think; I don't do it with others in mind. Whether I'm making a track or writing a song, if it's just about art then whatever comes is how it should be.

Everything I finish is "the bomb" when I create it for me; however, not everything I create would be received well given hit / popular song formula and structure. I don't create personal works of art by formula. Not everything I create musically will be appreciated musically.

I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 songs you will most likely never hear. I am the fan I create for and I don't like formula. I am the fan I write to impress and "he" doesn't like formula, either. However, all of that changes when artistry and business meet; formula is still the reigning king. There are real differences between art for art's sake, and art for commerce.

Those 40-some odd songs in most cases don't fit in any one radio format (formula) because when I create for me I'm not thinking radio. Most of my personal works are way longer than the still fairly standard 3:00 to 3:30 minute time frames radio confines you to.

I remember the days when songs on the radio had intros. Some of my personal works have choruses and some don't; others are very experimental. The point is they are finished and mixed, and I listen and enjoy them often. They are just for me, but they don't make me money.

The Business

The business is different. Like it or not formula still rules, and those who produce works of art according to formula tend to reap the largest rewards. Look at any chart in Billboard magazine, for example. Hip Hop, R&B, Pop, etc. Next, take some time and listen to a few of the top 10. At the very least you will identify three or four similarities between the ones you listen to. You may notice even more.

What you will begin to hear is formula. For years, this very formula in the hip hop community was considered selling out, or too commercial. However, for the purpose of making money through popularity and record sales, you will have to make your artistry work within the limits of formula and structure.

Note: there are exceptions to the standard formula and structure that gain attention and make money, but attempting to live off the exception can garner you the title of "starving artist."

Here are four things you will be able to hear when you examine hit and popular songs:

Strong chorus and melody.
Hit / popular songs have a strong chorus and melody. What does that mean? The chorus is the part of the song that people remember the most. Even if someone can't recall the name of the song (it should be in the chorus) the melody sticks.

Simplicity.
The messages in hit / popular songs are simple and straight forward. Most of pop culture would prefer not to analyze a song's message; they want it dumbed down. Help them get it by making it simple. (From time to time I have struggled with this, I want to say "think, damn it!")

Repetition.
The point of hit / popular songs (the chorus) is most often driven home by repetition; the more you hear it, the easier it is to remember.

Length of song.
Songs edited for radio still average three and a half minutes.

So, putting this all together; your best chance of writing a hit rap, R&B, gospel, etc. song is by adhering to the formula when writing. No matter the genre of the song, the formula is the same: have a strong chorus and melody that is simple and repeated often.

As I said, you should notice more than the four points I've mentioned and will thus achieve better results. Practice and time will help you write better songs. I sold my first song in 1990 and have sold plenty since then. Ultimately, making money or having a hit song as a writer doesn't rest solely on how well your songs are written; however, a well written song improves your chances of success.

I love the freedom of the art! I respect the formula and structure of hit songwriting but mostly I appreciate a sweet balance of the two. Get money!

Roger E Lear, also known as REL, has been creating and producing music for over 22 years. He has helped many new as well as established artists create money making music. He has built his career as a full time music producer by providing excellent quality music production and song writing services. REL publishes a free weekly newsletter with helpful tips for aspiring artists at BanginBeatsByREL.com. Included with all subscriptions are free sample beats. You can learn more about REL at BanginBeatsByREL.com/About-REL

Bongo Drums And Latin Culture

2009-06-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Bongo drums, usually just called bongos, are one of the most recognizable of percussion instruments. Due to the pervasive popularity of Latin music (thank you, "Dancing With the Stars"), the sounds of these little drums are familiar to people around the world. Bongos, as the name implies, always come in attached sets of two. One drum is slightly bigger than the other; the larger is the "hembra" (the Spanish word for "female), while the smaller is the "macho" (the Spanish word for "male"). Bongo drums are capable of a great deal of versatility and their music is usually upbeat and rapid.

Like some other drums of the Americas, such as the steel drum, bongo drums were originally brought to South America from Africa via the Atlantic slave trade. The African nations of Nigeria and Cameroon had fraternal organizations that utilized a trio of drums called "bonko." When the Africans were brought to the Americas, vestiges of these organizations and their traditions came with them. The Abakua is a society of Afro-Cuban men that evolved from those fraternal organizations. It continued to use the bonko drums, but the instruments eventually spread beyond the fraternity. It is believed that this was the origin of the bongo in South America. The Abakua still exists in modern Cuba and it still uses bonkos that, if joined together in pairs, very closely resemble bongo drums.

The bodies of bongo drums are usually made of wood, metal or composite materials attached by a thick piece of wood. The head is traditionally of animal skin, but as with other modern drums, synthetic materials are commonly used in modern times. Originally, in the late 19th century, the heads of bongo drums were tacked on and tuned with a heat source. But since the 1940s, metal tuning lugs have been used to allow for easier tuning.

The sound of the bongo drums is high-pitched and as mentioned, the tempo is generally fast. When played, the drums should be held between the player's knees; the larger drum should be on the side of the player's dominant hand, which is usually the right one. The drum heads are struck with both the fingers, palms, and sometimes sticks and brushes, although these last are contemporary innovations. The sound of the bongo drum can be muted by placing part of one hand on the drum head while striking with the other hand.

Some of the most famous dance styles of Latin America, including the mambo, salsa and conga, utilize the music of the bongo drum. The instrument's capacity for distinct percussion is essential to these styles, which showcase distinct and often rapid rhythms. In fact, the music of the bongos is often used as a solo instrument in such music, a tactic that highlights the importance of a song's rhythm.

On a side note, although bongo drums are generally considered instruments of Latin America, drums resembling bongos can be found in Morocco, Egypt and some Middle Eastern countries. These drums have rawhide heads like their American counterparts, but the bodies are of a ceramic nature. Such drums can also be heard in some traditional Spanish music, such as flamenco, probably due to the Moorish influence in that country.

Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/arts-culture.html
Author: Victor Epand
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, keyboards, sheet music, guitar tab, and home theater audio. You can find the best marketplace at these sites for drums, bongos, sheet music, guitar tabs, and home theater audio systems.

The Hip Hop Mixtape – Cool Music, Cool Sounds!.

2009-06-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

The idea of creating the mixtape goes way back into the 70’s, when adequate equipment became accessible to the wide public. Basically, it was a specific collection of tunes recorded onto a compact audio cassette. This could happen on a various scale. For example, a friend could make you a mixtape of tracks from a particular genre (be it a series of pop hits or of underground hip hop songs) or with a particular meaning; similarly, a certain person could, sometimes against copyright laws, commercialize mixtapes of various content within certain communities for quick financial benefits.

The early ones had eight tracks and were theme related. Some were released before Christmas or at the beginning of January (having as title the year) and were successful from a commercial point of view. The mixtape was, in a way, the grandfather of the modern compilation, and although it always covered a wide variety of genres, hip hop was indubitably among the most popular, and it helped spread the practice (soon to be described as a form of art).

Typically, such a tape conveys the tastes of its creator to all its listeners. It can be a simple choice of favorite songs at a particular moment, as well as a mood-oriented or genre-oriented compilation. It could be a collection of the creator’s favorite hip hop tracks at that moment or of the best rock hits of all time. Also, in the 70’s and 80’s, it was extremely popular in the USA to offer mixtapes as gifts – therefore, their content could very well be an attempt at pleasing the musical tastes of the receiver. In hip hop oriented communities, for example, it was very common for a hip hop mixtape to circulate quickly.

Since consumer-available technology also evolved, it’s common nowadays for this to happen in the form of an audio CD or of an mp3 playlist. Implicitly, terms like “hip hop mixtape “, which were full of meaning, lost it for some, who argued that there was no longer a tape involved anywhere in the process, hence the charm was lost with the gain of facility. But although the CD is probably the most common form of making such a mix at home nowadays, the 70’s-created concept remains exactly the same, and putting a “hip hop mixtape” label on a CD is no sacrilege, as the hip hop content is essential for the listener.

Some more experienced users preferred to add special effects to the tape, which gave it higher quality as well as a more personal note. This included things like fading effects between one song and another so as not to brutally make the passing or even specific (sometimes hand-made) cover art. Also, thanks to the appearance of turntables, it became common for a hip hop mixtape to contain many more DJ effects and fine touches.

Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/arts-culture.html
Author: Ken Wilson
Remember the times when a hip hop mixtape was the coolest gift you could receive? Even if the times have changed and technology has advanced to a whole new level, hip hop music is just as popular if not even more. Listen to the music we provide and enjoy the great rhythm

British Rock? Bloc Party!.

2009-06-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Since their latest album, A Weekend In The City, was released in February, Essex indie-rock superstars, Bloc Party, have enjoyed a year of major highs. They have followed up their success with a wide-ranging tour, performing at high-profile gigs such as Live Aid, Glastonbury, Reading/Leeds, SXSW, and the Austin City Limits music festival.

For a band that's only been together for five years and released just two full-length albums, Bloc Party have managed to create a significant amount of fuss in the music press. Leveraging all the distribution and marketing tools available, the band made up of Kele Okereke (vocals/guitar), Russell Lissack (guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass), and Matt Tong (drums), have managed to place their songs in prominent video games, commercials, re-mix discs, movie, and television soundtracks. This exposure and viral marketing tactics appears to have paid off.

Silent Alarm, their 2005 debut CD, was met with considerable critical acclaim and was voted by NME as 2005's Album Of The Year. It went platinum in the UK, peaking at number 3 in the album charts. Bloc Party made inroads in the American market as well, with a 4-5 star rating in Rolling Stone Magazine and hitting a respectable (for a previously unknown indie rock outfit) number 114 on the Billboard album charts, ultimately pushing worldwide sales for Silent Alarm past the one million mark.

Music journalists initially tended to lump Bloc Party in with other British new-wave inspired dance rock outfits like Franz Ferdinand, but soon agrees there was something more to them. Spin magazine had this to say about front man Okereke: "there's something so engaging about the urgent songwriting of Kele Okereke, the band's irrepressible front man that hints at longevity beyond this particular British invasion. With his piercing emotional explorations and edgy political banter, Okereke possesses more charisma in one of his floppy dreadlocks than any number of feuding indie-rock singers put together."

There was a remix of Silent Alarm in 2005, as well as several EPs exclusive to Japan, but in February 2007 Bloc Party was back with a sophomore release that proved they weren't going to go down as one-hit wonders.

A Weekend In The City made it to number 2 in the UK album charts and in the first week of sales, 48,000 disc sales notched them the number 12 spot on the American Billboard album charts - a significant improvement from the peak of 114 on their first outing!

Taking the band in a new direction, the new CD makes it more difficult to draw direct comparisons to previous bands (Gang of Four, The Cure and Blur were frequently brought up after the release of their first album), and shows a band more comfortable with itself, growing into its potential.

There were concerns that early leaks of the new album might impact sales - a copy made its way onto file-sharing networks three months before its official release - and the band took the unusual step of posting samples of the entire album on their MySpace site.

Expect to hear more from Bloc Party, and if you get the opportunity to catch them in concert during this tour, don't miss it.

Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/arts-culture.html
Author: Bret Robson
This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!

Roger Dean- Album Cover Artist And Designer

2009-06-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

Ever since Alex Steinweiss designed album covers for Columbia Records in the 1940's, many famous artists and designers have also designed iconic and stylish album cover art. From famed cartoonist Robert Crumb, who designed Janis Joplin's "Cheap Thrills" album cover to Andy Warhol's contribution to the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" LP, many famous artists have put their talents to work and put an image to the music created by rock and roll bands and artists.

One such artist, Roger Dean, is world-famous for his legendary album cover designs and concepts. He is best known for his partnership with the progressive rock band Yes and his album covers are peerless.

Dean was born in Ashford, Kent, England in 1944 and spent much of his childhood moving around the world (he has lived in Cyprus, Greece and Hong Kong) with his British army father. The family returned to England in 1957 where Dean enrolled in the Canterbury School of Art and earned a National Diploma of Design. In 1968, he graduated from the Royal College of Art. Dean preferred to distinguish between design and the reworking of an existing model or design or inventing and the making of something new, a concept that would help him later on with his work.

In fact, one of his inventions was the "sea urchin chair," a foam chair which, though appearing to be spherical, would conform to the person sitting in it; who could obtain a seated position of varying angles. The uniquely designed chair was featured in the film "A Clockwork Orange" and Dean was commissioned to design a "landscape" of similar seating for Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.

It was around this time that Dean would embark on the now famous art design work that he is best known for, designing and painting unique album covers for various rock bands. His first album cover was for a band called "Gun." In 1971, Dean designed the cover for the first Osibisa LP (an African/Caribbean band) and this cover attracted a lot of attention and interest in his work. In fact, later that year, Dean formed the partnership that he is most recognized for, the album cover art for the band Yes (and along with his brother Martyn, designed the stage set for the band as well).

As Yes guitarist Steve Howe explains, "There is a pretty tight bond between our sound and Roger's art." Dean's art is characterized by dreamy, space-like landscapes, floating islands and fantasy habitats. He primarily works with watercolors, but many of his paintings make brilliant use of other artistic media such as gouache, ink, enamel, crayon and collage. Dean is also a highly respected calligrapher, designing logos and titles to compliment his paintings.

Besides his impeccable and incomparable album covers for Yes, he has also designed album covers for the rock bands, Uriah Heep, Asia, Atomic Rooster and Budgie and artists Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman.

In 1985, Dean landed a gig with Psygnosis and he has designed the artwork for several videos games, including Tetris Worlds and the redesign of the Tetris logo. In recent years, he has focused on his architectural ideas and designs. As an architectural designer, he has designed homes and sustaining villages and even designed all the aspects of his own home, from the construction techniques that were implemented to his own emotional comfort and security. The design is based on his "Home For Life" concept, that a house should be artistically appeasing, irenic and environmentally kind; yet cheap and quick to construct.

Rest assured that whatever project Roger Dean may be working on, it will always be innovative, inspiring, and incomparable and tackled with an obvious zest. His stylish, conceptual album cover art will live in infamy for years to come as he continues to influence new artists to this day.

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Author: Robert Benson
Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his ebook called "The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting." Contact Robert at robert@collectingvinylrecords.com

Alison Krauss Two Highways Country Music CD Review

2009-06-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

One word describes the CD Two Highways from Alison Krauss... AWESOME!

Alison Krauss has been a heavy hitter in the Country genre for quite a while now and Two Highways is an excellent illustration as to why.

Two Highways has a pleasantly varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly gifted artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are her own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions like love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard.

Overall Two Highways is an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up and is most definitely a worthy addition to any Country collection. Truly an outstanding Country CD. One of those that is completely void of any wasted time, as each track is simply superb.

While the entire album is really very good some of my favorites are track 1 - Two Highways, track 10 - Lord Don't Forsake Me, and track 12 - Midnight Rider

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 11 - Teardrops Will Kiss The Morning Dew. What a nice track!

Two Highways Release Notes:

Alison Krauss originally released Two Highways on February 14, 1992 on the Rounder Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Two Highways 2. I'm Alone Again 3. Wild Bill Jones 4. Beaumont Rag 5. Heaven's Bright Shore 6. Love You In Vain 7. Here Comes Goodbye 8. As Lovely As You 9. Windy City Rag 10. Lord Don't Forsake Me 11. Teardrops Will Kiss The Morning Dew 12. Midnight Rider

Personnel: Alison Krauss (fiddle, vocals); Jeff White (guitar, vocals); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Mike Harman (banjo, background vocals); Brent Truitt (mandolin); John Pennell (bass).

Recorded at Nashville Sound Connection, Nashville, Tennessee. Includes liner notes by Tim O'Brien.

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Author: Clyde Lee Dennis
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Kannada Songs

2009-06-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Galipata - The success of the Galipata audio can only be attributed to the pre-release hype and fantastic opening the film got. Golden Star Ganesh plays the lead in the movie, which is directed by Yogaraj Bhat.

Minchaagi neenu baralu rendered by Sonu Nigam, the title song and Thadeem dheem thana by Chitra are the top songs of the album.

Milana - Mano Murthy has composed melodious songs for the Milana. The movie is also good on content and performances by Puneet Raj Kumar. Ninnindhale ninnindhale, Anthoo inthoo preethi banthu and Male ninthu hodha mele are the chartbusters.

Gaja - It is a full-blooded actioner starring Darshan. The film has taken the box office by storm and its audio has also been well appreciated. Hari Krishna has again churned out top quality music for another Darshan starrrer. Aithalakadi, Lambooji lambooji and Maathu Ninnolu are the top songs.

Bindaas - The music of this yet to be released Puneet Raj Kumar starrer is composed by Guru Kiran. Gubbachchchi goodinalli, Thara thara ee thara and the title song are doing well.

Beladingalaagi Baa - Guru Kiran's compositions for the album are good. The film has just been released. Sachchidananda is one of the top songs.

The melody music and nice lyrics in kannada songs getting huge audience outside the kannada industry also

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Author: guruananth
This type of all Songs you can download here
http://kannada-songs-download.blogspot.com/

Hip Hop and Rap – Standing on the Very Peak of Popularity

2009-06-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hip hop and rap appeared, like many other musical innovations, in New York, particularly in the Bronx. Although it’s fairly common to associate this music with the black community as well as with the latino community, both the genre and the culture associated with it have, in time, spread all over the world. Hip hop performances have come to the point of varying greatly in style and content, and are often associated with actions known as “elements”, such as beat boxing, break dancing or DJing.

It’s very important to precisely distinguish hip hop and rap. It’s definitely not a mistake to refer to a particular artist by using either word, as the two concepts are interdependent and interconnected. However, although this area is under strong dispute, the basic difference between hip hop and rap is as follows.

Hip hop, before being internationally known as a musical genre, was a culture. It’s from the associated culture and background that it emerged, but it never quite became detached from it. Break-dance, for example, is definitely the best known dance associated to it. Its beginnings are quite controversial in their essence. Some claim that battling through dance was a form of minimizing street violence between gangs, while some deny this ever had anything to do with gang rivalry. Considering it’s an activity based primarily on dance (although highly athletic), it emerged from any limits of a subculture and became accepted worldwide. Graffiti is the oldest recorded element of all, and only in time did it gain in complexity and become associated with the movement.

Turntables have led to the development of DJing, another one of the elements which are powerfully associated with the hip hop culture. It’s a way of creating specific sounds using a turntable. The use of the term is extremely recent, perhaps even more recent than the practice itself: it appeared as late as 1994. A DJ used it in order to make the difference between touching the records in order to produce sounds and simply playing them, while someone else did the rapping.

Thus, hip hop and rap are not one and the same, but rap or rapping is one of the elements of the hip hop culture. It’s a combination between poetry, talking and song, deriving mainly from the works of West African poets. It also has roots in the dancehall of the 1970’s. The success of groups like Run DMC had a major contribution to making rap commercially popular in the mid 80’s. Things evolved rapidly over the years, leading to, among other things, the art of freestyling. This means delivering rhymes that have been written beforehand, but not necessarily with a well-defined backbone or making up rhymes on the spot.

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Author: Ken Wilson
We have the hottest songs and artists from the hip hop and rap industry. Come and check all them out as we certainly know what to give it to you. Are you ready to move? Let’s go. It’s time to dance and rhyme at the same time. Hip hop music is definitely the best.

Baroque Music

2009-06-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

The Baroque period of music is an era that existed from the year 1600 to the year 1750. A Baroque style is a set of styles from European classical music. The music of the Baroque period ranges from a style similar to that of the previous Romantic period, to the style found in the following Classical musical period.

“Misshapen pearl” is the phrase that the original meaning of “baroque” was derived from. This fits into the characterisations on the architecture of this period.

Many famous composers have risen to fame during the Baroque period of music. Well known composers such as the likes of Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel, and Johann Sebastian Bach can attribute some or all of their musical style to the Baroque period.

During the Baroque period, the style of music changed. Composers and performers started to used more elaborate musical ornamentation, made changes to the way music was written and created new ways to play the existing musical instruments. All these changes allowed for the rise of opera as a musical genre, and many of the concepts from this period are still in use today.

The term “Baroque Period” was not conceived until after the Baroque period was over. There is still some disagreement to this day about what the Baroque period encompasses. A few rogue musicologists have argued that the Baroque period should be split into a Baroque period and a Mannerist period so that the periods come in to align with those assigned to the visual arts

Article Source: http://marketing.article24h.com/category/arts-culture.html
Author: Mary Nicole Hicks

Music Choices On The Internet

2009-06-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

The internet is filled with all sorts of information that a music lover would love to have. They might truly enjoy having the latest music selections on their handheld devices and know that they can enter any music site on the internet and download their music selections in a matter of minutes. The access to the world of music does not end with this task, but only serves to make accessing music more pleasurable.

Fans will truly be pleasured when they are able to hear the latest album of their favorite music group. Some people can only listen to bits and pieces of an album, but music listeners that use the internet are given pristine access to music clips, music videos and even interviews that their favorite artist participated in at some point in their career.

Fans are more in touch with the people that make the music because of the access that the internet affords them to those people. Fans can download album covers and use them as art on the walls of their home, and to help personalize the cover of a compact disk that they copied that is filled with their favorite music artist's product. They know that the online music stores give music artists the credit they deserve and all the royalties that come from each music download a fan makes on the internet.

The music choices that are available on the internet are not limited to only music files. Fans can search for audio books that were written to glorify the life of rock legends or the people that mastered hip hop music. Every piece of music has a story behind it. Music fans feel good about having access to the fine little details that go with creating music.

Music artists can share their thoughts and tell fans how their music careers got started. They can share their trials and tribulations that they experienced on the road during a world tour. A music artist can share some inner thoughts that run very deep and fans can learn how a music artist dealt with a drug addiction or a disabling disease. The choices in music on the internet run deep at times but are always retrievable when a fan uses an internet search engine.

People place more value in buying music from an internet music store because they get more for their money. A land-based music store can only offer a few posters and a music selection on compact disk. A music fan online can learn about the artist, buy the music and share it with friends by attaching it to an email. They can also use the music downloads to customize their music listening pleasure at any time.

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Author: Jim Brown
James Brown writes about CD Jungle coupon codes, mbopmegastore coupon and itunes.apple.com on-line coupons

The Times They are A’changin’

2009-06-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

It’s a little corny now to quote this old rag of Bob Dylan’s. However, as a teenager the lyrics and spirit of the song lit a spark of recognition in my heart when I listened to it over and over again. The song’s refrain was not a cliché then. To me, the song was a call to arms—a call to come back Home into the arms of Aliveness and Flow. A call to embrace natural change, growth, expression, expansion—instead of fighting the natural evolution of all living things.

Listen to Your Heart

James Stephens reminds us, "What the heart knows today, the head will know tomorrow." My youthful heart knew that Dylan was heralding a universal truth and a specific cultural prophesy. The sensitive songwriter "felt" what was coming down the pike. In his lyrics he was forecasting—and celebrating—the current radical opening that is taking place on all levels of American Society.

The American Dream is now taking flight, but not in the form our parents envisioned—with their new cars, ever-larger, self-defrosting refrigerators, and ever-more-advanced tech toys.

No, the Dream has the wings of Heart guiding it. We’re not going toward the picture postcard of every single person owning their own separate house and fenced-in yard. We’re sailing into the sunset of One House for us all. One Mind. One Heart. One Spirit.

Pay close attention to the lyrics of U2’s song, “One.” Let the message of the song’s energy wash through your body. Listen to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Let the vibration of his voice wash through your being.

Comin’ Home

Each of my spiritual teachers also foretold of this time of Homecoming, Re-union, Re-membering. Becoming a member of our one true family again. The Hopi, Mayans, Egyptians, Tibetans—they all know of this Second Coming of Spirit. Their sacred ancient prophesies speak of this Return to Oneness.

Frankly, from where I looked out at our society as a youth, I didn’t believe it possible in my lifetime—or in a hundred lifetimes. Luckily, it doesn’t matter what we believe. Only Spirit matters. Only what we know in our Hearts will prevail and outlast the fearful controllers—the rootless developers, heartless politicians, narrow-sighted bankers and the out-of-touch professors of the Mind.

Reap the Harvest

I cry "Rejoice!" The time of Harvest is upon us. It is the season to receive, to let in, to relish the fruits of the Heart. All the love each of us has sent out to people, animals and all other living beings over all of our years is now coming Home to its Source—us. The signs are everywhere—if you look with your Heart. If you feel with your Soul.

Radio Revolution

I’ve personally noticed the spiritual shift in our culture through all the "mainstream” radio show interviews I’ve been doing across the country sharing my book, "Inner Coach: Outer Power." I’ve done radio talk shows for 40 years, and I’ve never before experienced such a profound openness and heartfelt interest in "being real" than I’m finding today on the airwaves.

My first interview for my book was on a country western music station out of Kansas City. I suspected the show’s host and producers may not have actually read the book before the interview—or perhaps they just didn’t notice the references to "extraterrestrials" and "levitation" on the book cover! Yet, I was on the air and the first question from the host was "Does everyone have an Inner Coach?" She was asking for her listeners—and, more importantly, for herself, ”Do I have an Inner Coach?” … “Do I have a direct line to Spirit?”

The first query from the host on Fox Sports Radio Network was "How can people deliberately access their intuition—be "in-the-zone" as he put it—and not have to wait for the few times a year when we accidentally hit that zone? On ABC Radio the jock-car-salesman-turned-radio-host broke down and cried on the air when I answered a question about his marriage with the truth from my Heart. He then chose to tell his audience that he was "choking up" when he could have covered up his emotional response by going to a commercial break to preserve his “macho” cover.

Yes, the times they are a’changin’. And if you don’t jump on board, you’re gunna miss the train goin’ back Home.

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Author: Keith Varnum
Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with “The Dream Workshops”. Keith helps people get the love, money, and health they want with his F-r-e-e Prosperity Ezine, F-r-e-e Abundance Tape and F-r-e-e Coaching at http://www.TheDream.com