A lot of us go to concerts whenever an artist or a band drops by our city. Some have the talent to give the audience a worth for their money while others have the potential but fail miserably on giving a performance of a lifetime. If a band comes to your town, go ahead and give it a try.

When everything is done, you will soon find out that not all bands are capable of giving a good live performance. Some stand out from the rest and here are some who are actually the best at what they do.

My Morning Jacket is an indie band from Kentucky. They perform rock music with a mix of Southern rock and modern music. They usually add an electronic beat to their music but tend to minimize it. They are one of the most well-blended rock band today.

Jim James, their singer, has the voice and the talent for singing. My Morning Jacket’s songs are known to be longer than the usual songs that other bands play. They write their own songs and put the lyrics into music.

The second performer on the list is Ben Folds. Ben Folds used to be a member of a band but decided to go solo. He is known to be good at playing the piano and has a good voice to accompany his piano notes. He is at his best when he is behind the piano.

He has the talent when it comes to playing the piano. He can even play the notes twice faster than a normal piano player would. This gives him an edge to the mainstream piano players out there and would wow an audience. Ben Folds know how to really put on a show for his audience.

The last from the list is Pearl Jam. We all know Pearl Jam from the 90s. They are the rock band that have several hits from that decade. Right now, they are doing well in the music industry and are still putting their audience at the edge of their seats with their music.

Pearl Jam is known to be very serious when it comes to their fans. They aim to please their fans by playing their hits way back in the 90s as well as jam with new ones as well.

Marshall is one of the most reputed guitar amplifier manufacturers in the world. The history of Marshall Amplifiers is a really interesting one and the company with its excellent products has indeed rewritten the way a genre of music is heard! Many guitarists to date prefer the signature Marshall “crunch sound” which only Marshal amps can deliver. The company throughout its history has indeed developed many models which have been extremely well received by both veteran and entry level players and it continues to do so till date.

Marshall is based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes and has been manufacturing guitar amps since 1960. Although initially, its guitar amps were copies of Fender amps, they were quickly modified to produce a heavier crunch distortion sound which has remained a favorite for nearly a half a century now. In order to keep the sound quality intact, even today, many of the high quality Marshal amps along with some of its reissued models continue to use vacuum tubes as the primary amplification component. This is in stark contrast to the diode based amps which have also become popular primarily due to their lower pricing.

During 1965, Marshall Amplifiers entered into a 15 year contract with Rose-Morris which provided him with the funds to expand his product lines. He also began sourcing parts from UK instead of America to lower the cost of production; primarily transformers made by Dagnall and Drake and the KT66 valve made by Marcomi Osram. This made Marshall amps produce a more aggressive tone which found favor amongst younger players such as Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and John Entwhistle.

By the 1970′s Marshal had begun to produce the Master Volume amp (MV) which was initially called the JMP. The added Master Volume allowed for even more distortion whilst keeping volume levels manageable. The “new voice” was immediately noticed and well received by such players as Zakk Wylde, Slash and Randy Rhoads. In 1980 the deal that Marshall had with Rose-Morris ended, which led to the renaming of the JMP to the JCM-800. This was the product of both Marshall’s name and the number plate on his car. Many new amps were produced under this brand name, most famous were the 100 watt 2203 and the 50 watt 2204.

By mid 1980′s Marshall began to witness more competition from American companies such as Soldano and Mesa Boogie and as a result began to offer more features with its JCM-800 amplifier. Chief among these was the “channel switching” feature whereby the player could juggle between clean and distorted sound with the aid of a foot operated switch. At this time Marshall also began experimenting with solid state diodes as a replacement for valves for distortion. As these were technologically more advanced than valves, the sound they produced was more crisp and clear than their older brethren. However, most amps coming out with solid state diodes were considered entry level equipment. With this new series of amps, Marshall successfully managed to penetrate the entry level market.

In 1990, Marshall came out with the JCM-900 which retained popular elements of the JCM-800 while offering even more distortion than ever. This new series was very well received by players belonging to the Pop and Rock genre.

Currently, Marshall has many lines of amps which are being sold to different market segments. Its Modern Series of amps consist of the JCM-2000 range which is basically a continuation of the 800 and 900 series without the diode clipping which they had.

Its Vintage Series basically consists of reissues, primarily the 1959 SLP, the 100 watt JCM-800 2203, the JCM-900 4100 and the JTM-45 2245. Other popular series include the Solid State amps and the Bass amps all of which have been very successful with their respective genre.

Marshall is to guitar amps what Fender is to guitars. The legacy that the company has left has few rivals and it has indeed defined the very music of the era in which it came out. The history of Marshall Amplifiers has had a greater impact on Rock music than some would give credit to it for. However Marshall greatly deserves its place in history for its incredible contribution to music as it is today.

Here we have a list of the top 10 greatest love songs of all time. These songs are some of the most powerful and inspirational love songs ever written. They are great for first dance weddings songs or whatever special occasion you are looking for.

10. Your Song – Elton John

Elton John’s first pop hit, it was released in 1970 and continues to be played today. Chorus: “I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words, how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.”

9. You’re Still the One – Shania Twain

Perfect for the First Dance at a wedding with the lyrics saying “looks like we made it”. The song talks about how her love still survives and goes on even though the odds were against them. Chorus: “You’re still the one I run to, the one that I belong to, You’re still the one I want for life.”

8. You’re the Inspiration – Chicago

Written by Peter Cetera in 1984, it is a little bit more on the cheesy side, but nonetheless a great song classic love song. Chorus: “You’re the meaning in my life, you’re the inspiration.”

7. Faithfully – Journey

“Faithfully” is about the relationship of a musician and his wife. He is saying that although he is constantly on the run, he will always remain faithful. A great slow song perfect for any occasion. Chorus: “Oh girl you stand by my. I’m forever yours, faithfully.”

6. The Power of Love – Celine Dion

Originally recorded by Jennifer Rush, it was covered by Celine Dion in 1995 and is known as a popular love ballad. Chorus: “‘Cause I’m your lady, and you are my man Whenever you reach for me, I’ll do all that I can.”

5. More than Words – Extreme

A power ballad released in 1991, “More than Words” is an acoustic slow song that asks the woman addressed to show love through a means other than words. Chorus: “More than words to show you feel, that your love for me is real.”

4. Every Breath You Take – The Police

At heart the songs lyrics were written by Sting to his X-wife at the time of their divorce. However many do not know this and it to be a light hearted love song. We therefore deem this as a safe tune to be used at weddings and other positive occasions. Chorus: “Every bond your break, every step you take, I’ll be watching you.”

3. I Could Not Ask For More – Edwin McCain

A somewhat newer song released in January of 2000, this is a great slower love song with nothing but a positive message to offer. Chorus: “I could not ask for more than this time together. I could not ask for more than this time with you.”

2. All My Life – KCi & Jojo

A popular slow jam for dances, this song became popular in the early 2000s and has our vote for the #2 greatest love song of all time. Chorus:”All my life, I’ve prayed for someone life you. And I thank God that I, that I finally found you.”

1. Follow You, Follow Me – Genesis

At #1 we have “Follow You, Follow Me” by Genesis. It was their first worldwide pop success in 1978 and goes as #1 in our list of top 10 greatest love songs of all time. Chorus: “I will follow you, will you follow me? All the days and nights that we know will be.”

The premier rock group was formed in Liverpool, England in the late 1950′s. When they first started out, The Beatles went under such names as The Quarrymen, Johnny and the Moondogs, The Rainbows, and the Silver Bullets, before settling on the Beatles in 1960.

The original lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best. In April 1961, Sutcliffe left the group and died of a brain hemorrhage, one year later. Best left in 1962 and was replaced with Richard Starkey, aka Ringo Starr.

From there on, the group remained, until Paul McCartney announced their breakup on April 10, 1970. The group was managed by Brian Epstein, who died of a sleeping pill overdose in 1967 and they were produced by George Martin.

The Beatles first U.S. tour came in February, 1964. That was also the year they won the Best New Artist Grammy Award. They also earned Grammy’s Trustees Award in 1972. In 1968 they became owners of the Apple record label.

They appeared in the movies “A Hard Day’s Night” in 1964, “Help!” in 1965 and “Magical Mystery Tour” in 1967. They also provided the voices in the 1968 cartoon “Yellow Submarine.”

According to Billboard magazine, The Beatles topped the singles charts twenty times and made it onto the weekly Top 40, forty-nine times, between 1964 and 1976. The closest artist to come to this record is Elvis Presley, who went to #1 eighteen times. Below, are The Beatles 20 biggest hits, all number one. Many of the Beatles B-sides also cracked the top 40 and are duly noted.

1. Hey Jude – 1968 – The number one song of 1968 and the B-side, “Revolution” going to #12 on the weekly charts.

2. I Want To Hold Your Hand – 1964 – The Beatles first U.S. hit with the B-side “I Saw Her Standing There” also going Top 20.

3. Get Back – 1969 – This hit featured Billy Preston as well as on the B-side “Don’t Let Me Down.”

4. Can’t Buy Me Love – 1964

5. Yesterday – 1965 – This song has the significance of having more than 2500 recorded versions of it.

6. I Feel Fine – 1964 – The B-side of this song, “She’s A Woman” went to #4 on the weekly charts.

7. Help! – 1965 – This song is the title song from the film of the same name. The film “Help!” was originally titled, “Eight Arms to Hold You.”

8. We Can Work It Out – 1966 – The flip side, “Day Tripper” went to #5. Stevie Wonder took a cover version of this song to #13 in 1971.

9. Hello Goodbye – 1967

10. She Loves You – 1964 – “Sie Lieb Dicht”, the Beatles German version of this song also hit the Billboard charts in 1964.

11. Let It Be – 1970 – The title song from the documentary film.

12. A Hard Day’s Night – 1964 – Another title song, this one from The Beatles first movie.

13. Paperback Writer – 1966 – The B-side, “Rain” made it to #23 on the weekly charts.

14. The Long And Winding Road – 1970 – Also from the documentary film “Let It Be” and the Beatles last #1 single.

15. Eight Days A Week – 1965 – “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party” was the B-side of this hit single and just barely cracked the weekly Top 40.

16. Come Together – 1969 – The flip side of this single, “Something” went to #3 on the weekly charts.

17. Love Me Do – 1964 – This song and the B-side, “P.S. I Love You” were both recorded in September 1962 and featured Andy White on drums and newly added band member, Ringo Starr on tambourine.

18. Ticket To Ride – 1965 – Another song featured in the film “Help!”

19. Penny Lane – 1967 – Another two sided hit, this time featuring “Strawberry Fields Forever” going to #8 on the weekly charts.

20. All You Need Is Love – 1967 – Featuring “Baby You’re A Rich Man” as the B-side.

The Beatles were able to crack the weekly Top 10 charts one more time. Six years after the dissolution of the band, in 1976, and ten years after the release of their album “Revolver” the single, “Got To Get You Into My Life” went to #7.

All four Beatles had #1 songs, after The Beatles were no more. The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. They will forever be known as the world’s #1 rock group.

An artist has the privilege of communicating to you visually. Sometimes he wants to share his believes in a few words.

The new ‘Visual Grammar’, developed by the European Avant-gard of the 20s, particularly by the Russian Avant-gard, – namely by Vasiliy Kandinsky, as well as the Classical heritage from Ancient Greece to the Renaissance – is a stepping stone for my own research in art.

What I do, is build composition on that stepping stone on the foundation of Visual Grammar, shaped by classical and modern schools, and than fill it in with content that is more emotional than intellectual, at this stage compelling rational tools to yield to intuition. It is like a rigid skeleton surrounded with a soft living tissue.

I do believe that the spiritual – ideal – objective model forms our real Reality.

So-called ‘realism’ is an ill defined term commonly attributed to art focused on depicting visible surfaces of material objects. This is an indication and a result of an incomplete, even defective, mental horizon, a primitive materialistic view on reality reduced to a small fraction of the physical world — that only fraction, which can be seen or touched.

I must note here, that many great pieces of art labeled with this word, do not fall into this ill-defined category.

A pure abstract art, which is closer to me because it deals with a more important part of Reality than the matter, specifically with the ideas and pure forms, seams to be deficient too. I believe that the total elimination of material objects as a class from paintings not only impoverishes the artist’s ‘toolbox’, but is the consequence and indication of a one-sided approach to (the) Reality — this time, a purely idealistic one, almost coincident with Plato’s concept, who saw the changing physical world as a poor, decaying copy of a perfect one.

Yes, abstract art most certainly delivered great masterpieces to humanity in 20th century. And I cannot but agree with Roger Fry’s statement: “The form of a work of art has a meaning of its own and the contemplation of the form in and for itself gives rise in some people to a special emotion which does not depend upon the association of the form with anything else whatsoever.” But it doesn’t mean that a self-sufficient form cannot be turned into a recognizable object.

By the way, an original definition of a widespread term – Visual Music – was coined by Roger Fry in 1912 to describe the work of Kandinsky, meaning the translation of music to painting.

Regarding intuitivism, or any theory stating that the creative process is solely an act of genius, spontaneous and purely emotional, it wouldn’t be worth even discussing, were it not so widespread an assumption. I personally have heard from several artists, one art critic and several art dealers that the intellectual and physical aspects in the creative process (i.e. ideas and techniques) are only boring limitations, and an inevitable evil to creativity. I believe this started as an opposition to the dry, actually degrading academism or ‘classicism’ of the mid 19th century. It (could) may have started when some of the leaders of the Impressionist movement openly rejected the ‘old grammar’, emphasizing the importance of a direct impression and spontaneous, emotional reaction of an artist to that impression in a creative process. But almost all of the artists of that period had a solid ‘classical’ training prior to this rejection; they inherited all the goods possessed by that domain, they inherited the basic visual grammar even on subconscious levels, which cannot be said about many of their followers in 20th century, who even now keep questioning the importance of basic training in visual arts, as well as the power of the analytical, deductive component in art making.

Avant-grad Movement of the first third of the century came in as a gust of fresh air, filling in the vacuum left by an already dead Academism and degrading impressionism. It not only restored the position of intellectual tools in the arts, but also dramatically expanded the borders of visual arts to unprecedented levels. I’d like to emphasize here, that very similar and radical processes were taking place at that very period around the world in the social spheres, in science and industry, in architecture and literature, and of course in music.

Having said that, I’d like to summarize what all this means to me and to my art:

1. A solid abstract and, if need be, mathematically described foundation of composition is a must (to be present) in my work.

2. An object must to be presented in my artwork, for I do not share a purely idealistic ( in Plato style) approach to (the) Reality, which, to my mind, ultimately leads to the mental Uncreation of the world.

3. My work has to be a fusion of both aspects, ideal and material, blended together by a third – spiritual force.

In this respect, music, which is very abstract, and musicians with their beautiful instruments, who are so “real”, are perfect subjects for my exercises. Moreover, music and visual arts have a lot in common.I cannot help from mentioning at least some categories that are common to both:

Rhythm – it’s very obvious: duration / length / frequencies, including and forming (or formed by) negative spaces / pauses / absence / silence – all are common to both fields.

Proportions – harmonic proportions and derivatives from them, commonly described in mathematical terms, starting with very basic, discovered by Pythagoras- 1:2, 2:3, 3:4, 1:1- discovered specifically on the acoustic / musical territory (please note, that these are basic proportions of canvases one can buy in an art supplies store) and then going further to the Fibonacci series which have their limit in the irrational Golden Ratio.

The temperature (cold / hot) of sounds and colours. This idea is still considered to be controversial, yet it is obvious that sounds and colours can be warmer or cooler. Less obvious is an exact scientific correlation between them.

Movement – ascending, descending, elliptic etc. Musicians do not need an explanation of this, and neither do artists. Please have a look at my study of ascending and descending movements in the elliptic composition of the very first picture on my home page, titled the ‘Trio”.

All of these categories sound (or look!) familiar to both musicians and visual artists, don’t they?

We can talk about background sounds and colours, about a sound being like a ray emerging from a particular starting point and fading away, or like a part of an endless line going from eternity to eternity. We could mention intensity / saturation of the tones in the both fields, we could dedicate a chapter to the theory of contrasts, for example between ‘low’ and ‘deep’ continuous sound or form and a sharp ‘stroke’ of a sound or a paint.

On the human capacity to see sounds and hear colours I would recommend, once again, Vasiliy Kandinsky Synaesthesia.

Another fascinating subject is the Counterpoint Concept (as known as Contrapunkt), which defines relationship between two or more different parts of a piece, which are somewhat independent, say, in rhythm, but are interdependent in harmony. This powerful instrument, in my opinion, has been much less understood, appreciated and used in visual arts than in music.

I drew these parallels on the very basic or fundamental level for both arts. But, as a part of Life, they are constantly changing (I hate the term ‘still life’ or ‘nature mort’, for life cannot be still or ‘mort’ by definition), developing, progressing or, unfortunately, regressing. I find a lot in common between modern scientific thinking (Relativistic Theory, Quantum Theory, Expanding Universe Model, String Theory etc.), modern art.

Finally, I am attempting two things: to explore reality, including but not limited to it’s ‘visible’ fraction, and to take part in shaping it. This, I believe, is ultimately the essence of any creative process.

“We shall therefore borrow all our Rules for the Finishing our Proportions, from the Musicians, who are the greatest Masters of this Sort of Numbers, and from those Things wherein Nature shows herself most excellent and compleat.” – Leon Battista Alberti (1407-1472)

I am an artist.

I have the privilege of communicating to you visually.

Presented on the site Music Artwork are selected works from my ‘Shapes of Music’ series.

Having to download CD album covers for a massive iTunes library can be a dreadful process. I’ve been an avid iTunes user since I first got my iPod back in 2004. Everything about iTunes works perfectly except for one minor detail. Over six years of importing songs from CDs and mix tapes I’m stuck with a plethora of songs without the right album cover, or even any type of album cover at all!

The whole album cover debacle isn’t as bad as my major pet peeve, missing song info! I was tired of looking through my songs and having them come up as Track 01, or just a song title and no artist information. I took to the internet to try and find a solution to this problem and after wading through so many programs that failed to deliver on their promise I stumbled across this nice little app called an ID3 tag editor.

This new mp3 manager was able to download CD album covers for all of the tracks that I had, and I really do mean all of them. Aside from being able to get album artwork, it was even able to find and remove duplicate tracks, leaving me with the higher quality song file. So all of these perks, and this program still has more to offer.

A quick rundown of features are as follows:

1. Download CD album covers
2. Find and remove duplicate tracks
3. Fixes song details (adds in details such as artist, album title, genre)
4. It’s all automatic!

The iTunes organizer gives you a chance to clean up your music library without all the time and hassle it usually takes. I’m really happy I found this little gem of a program, I’m positive I did not want to sit down and sift through more than a thousand songs in an attempt to get my iTunes organized. And now I don’t have to!

Not to be confused with the nylon strung “folk” guitar, the classical guitar, although sharing the same type of strings, offers the musician a far more sophisticated instrument, in build quality and tone. The beautiful classical guitar has a wide ranging repertoire which, in the right hands, can evoke every changing emotion, from romantic and enchanting moods through to the dramatic and dynamic. This review will explain all you need to know about handmade classical guitars.

The Classical Guitar we know today is the result of hundreds of years of design progression. A primitive form of the guitar can be traced back to the 15th century but it is not until the 19th century that the template for todays best classical guitars was laid down.

The modern day guitar has its roots in humble beginnings and was originally the domain of field workers rather than the higher echelons of society. For this reason, top luthiers were slow to take up the mantle of guitar creation and continued to concentrate their efforts on the more popular concert instruments of the day like the cellos or violin.

The guitars’ ability to express the emotion of the player did win the hearts of some listeners in high society. Louis XIV of France and Charles II of England were indeed great fans of the guitar but it would still be many years before the guitar was elevated to the performance stage and taken seriously by guitar builders.

The design template for the Classical guitar of today was established by Spanish builders in the 19th century, who standardised the guitar size and scale length and developed the internal support and strengthening mechanism. Their ingenuity set the standard for great guitar building which continues to this day.

The four main construction parts are as follows:

1. A top (or “table”) made from Spruce which is strong enough to withstand the string tension of a full-scale neck, while light and thin enough to be musically responsive.

2. Rosewood back and sides to give a rigid structure but still light enough to resonate a tuneful sound.

3. A neck of Cedar which has just the right balance of strength and weight to withstand the string tension without impairing the sound quality.

4. An ebony fingerboard made wide and flat to assist fingering when playing with the thumb behind the neck.

The evolution of the Classical guitar continues today with top craftsmen exploring new and innovative design techniques and modern materials. Ultra thin tops and carbon fibre are just some of the new products being utilised in the pursuit of perfect sound and playability. This passion for perfection will ensure that the Classical guitar will continue to grow and evolve and remain one of the worlds most popular musical instruments.

In addition to this review, you can discover the secrets of playing excellent classical guitar in a few short weeks with my FREE beginners guide to learning guitar.

So you’re thinking about buying a used drum set? Good for you! This is a great way to either get into your first set of drums or to upgrade inexpensively. Used drum sets can be found but you have to be careful when purchasing to make sure it will perform at its best.

Take for instance drum heads. The drum heads (the parts you usually strike when you are playing-the “skins”) are something that could be worn out and need to be replaced. Make sure you check that out. The cost of replacing these could run $70 or higher.

Another important thing to check is the drum hardware. Are you sure that all of the connections are tight and not worn down? Can you can tune your drums (very important)? Tuning happens with with drum keys. They should turn easily and none of the bolts should be so stripped.

Some other things to look at are the hoops (the metal ring that holds down the drum head) and the tension rods (the screws that adjust drum head tension)

Although these prices can vary, you can expect to pay between $200 to $1000 dollars for a used drum set. You can pick up a used drum set either from an individual, a store or even online. There are advantages and disadvantages to each one.

So there it is. Make sure you shop carefully and use these techniques when you make this very important decision of buying a used drum set. thank you for your time and happy shopping.

The Yamaha CP33 Digital Stage Piano is the entry digital piano in Yamaha’s professional stage piano lineup. This is basically the same piano as the Yamaha CP300 but about $1000 cheaper. The CP33 is a large step up from the P-series units in both sound and feel.

This piano is perfect for a professional gigging musician or an amateur that wants a serious digital piano. Let me cut to the chase – the sound is vibrant, sparking and authentic. You can actually hear harmonic overtones and felt dampers when using the pedal. I had the privilege of finding one for sale at my local music store (these pianos are hard to find) and the sound was so sweet and inspiring I had to drag myself away from the keyboard.

Not only does a piano have to have a magical sound that will inspire you to keep playing it also needs to be responsive to your fingers. Well let me tell you, the CP33 feels great. This piano has impressive keyboard action that really lets you express yourself thanks to their advanced Graded Hammer Effect technology that gradually increases the resistance of the keys as you hit the lower notes. As a serious musician realistic piano action is very important to me and the Yamaha CP33 gets top marks here.

All in all, the Yamaha CP33 stage piano is a very balanced digital piano suitable for the professional musician. Sure there are many fine digital pianos out there that cost less but if you can afford it, it’s truly worth the few extra hundred bucks — you’ll thank me in the long run.

The CP33 is one classy digital piano for the serious pro musician and the amateur alike. This keyboard is an investment that you’ll never regret.

There’s lots to worry about when you are planning a wedding so this article will make sure choosing the band is one less thing to stress over. If you follow this simple advice your evening’s music will be a hit with all your guests and provide the proverbial icing on the cake for your big day.

First that all important first dance. If you want something that requires a 20 voice male choir to do it justice don’t expect the trio you’ve hired to do it, you’d be much better off using a CD so you get exactly what you want. Your band will be more than happy to play the track for you through their PA so you won’t need to worry about equipment.

Second make sure the band can play what the majority of people at your reception will enjoy. For example if your friends are all ballroom dancers make sure your band can play some strict tempo dance music, dancers are very particular!

It’s also worth noting that most bands will be more than happy to learn some new tracks especially for your big day, in fact it’s a great way for wedding and function bands to make sure their repertoire is kept fresh and fun to play. Don’t be afraid to ask, you’re paying!!

Your band want your day to go well and for your guests to have a day to remember. Bands don’t play just for the money, they play for the joy of seeing people dancing and enjoying the fruits of their labours so work with them, make sure their set list is something your guests will love and together you will have a perfect end to a perfect day.

When you first purchase your iPod, it comes with a few things. It comes with a charger, some headphones, and an instruction booklet. If you want to get the accessories to go along with it, there are many places that sell cases, screen protectors, and other fun features. Before you use it, you have to hook it up to your computer and set up an account. After you have done all of that, you can begin playing around with it and adding your favorite tunes to it. Some iPods can store television shows and pictures also. The package is set up so that you can use your iPod right away, but if something goes wrong, you may need to buy iPod Touch parts. If you have an iPhone, you can buy iPhone glass in case something goes wrong with the screen.

When you get busy, sometimes you do not get the time to throw your iPod or phone in a case where it is not going to get damaged. Things get thrown around to the point where sometimes they can break. If this does happen, you can fix it on your own or hire someone to fix it for you. Buying the piece that is broken is the way to go however if you want to save a little cash.

A lot of the time when you buy electronics it comes with a warranty and you can even purchase the extended warranty. However, when that year or two years is up, what happens when something breaks? It seems crazy to throw it away and buy a completely new one when all you have to do is buy one part that will cost you a lot less and plus, you can find simple instructions on the internet that will explain step by step.

Many phones nowadays have that glass touch screen and although it is fun to have a pop open keyboard and a touch screen, they also tend to scratch a lot easier. There are ways to prevent this by putting a plastic cover on your phone. You can change them out every once and a while and when you get scratches on it, you can just peel it off and it looks as good as new. With all of the new technologies, there are also ways to protect the new gadgets. If you look into them, it can save you a lot of time and money in the end.

Keeping your iPod or phone safe externally is a great way to make your things looking nice. However, it is also important to keep it safe internally. Keeping passwords on your emails and accounts can help when it comes to people hacking. Also, it is important to only connect to secured wifi networks. When you connect to public ones, it gives you a better chance of being hacked. As long as you take care of your things, you can keep them for longer and they will work a lot better when you need them to.

Are the words “vagabond” and “opera” mutually exclusive? Not in Eric Stern’s eyes. The European-trained operatic tenor cast aside all the formalities associated with classic opera by marrying it with Bohemian cabaret, klezmer, gypsy music, jazz, folk-punk, blues and multiple ethnic flavors to create an electrifying new genre: Vagabond Opera.

The troupe of six accomplished instrumentalists and vocalists sings in 15 languages, romps about the stage and rivets the attention of everyone in the audience who is captivated by zesty music, incomparable musicianship, humor and surprising forays into the absurd. In the wake of their headlining appearance in June at the DC Jewish Music Festival, they have reinvented themselves anew in a show that opens with the Ooh La La Bellydancers. Need we say more?

Stern promises that their shows are never the same. Whatever transpires when the troup mounts the stage depends on the demographics of the audience. Opera lovers, as well as those who have never attended an opera, are astounded to discover that there is nothing more powerful than the naked voice. When lyrics and melodies they know are presented in a fresh way amid a spectacle, they discover that they have inwittingly become part of what is happening on stage.

While working in Europe, Stern frequented small cabarets and Old World Yiddish theaters where all ages gathered to enjoy the ethnic music. Convinced that the variety of styles drawing those patrons could enhance the presentation of neo-classical opera, he returned to Portland, Oregon in 2002 to found Vagabond Opera. Because the city is one where musicians thrive, he did not have to recruit, but was besieged by artists eager to become part of the unique concept.

The Bohemian cabaret ensemble consists today of clarinetist Jason Flores, drummer/composer Mark Burdon, saxophonist Robin Jackson, cellist Skip von Kuske, cellist/soprano Ashia Grzesik and tenor Stern as accordionist, pianist, composer and showman. In May, the company joined forces with Wanderlust Circus and guest artists to perform Stern’s first opera, “Queen of Knives.” The Portland debut elicited critical praise for “one sharp show.”

Vagabond Opera’s third and latest album, “The Zeitgeist Beckons,” reaches out to the growing number of fans earned through NPR broadcasts, cross-country tours and performances with the Oregon Symphony and pop stars.

“Essentially, the title refers to the ideas in my head and a sea change in mood to suit the spirit of the times,” Stern says. He emphasizes that the public has grown tired of pop setups and overblown scenery. Because we live in a day and age when folks are not encouraged to study music as they were in the past, he is convinced that today’s audiences are primed for the chance to become part of a musical, fun-filled spectacle.

DUBturbo is a cost effective solution for beat makers out there looking for a simple and fast way to create high quality studio sounding beats. This is my complete DUBturbo review.

I’ll open this DUBturbo review by explaining a bit more about it. Simplicity was the goal when designing the program it’s clear to me as they advertise that you can finish your first track within minutes of getting the program. It comes with a number of tutorial videos to get you up and running but it’s very simple to use so I don’t know how much time you’ll spend on those.

Basically how it works is you pick your tempo using the metronome, pick your drum kit (they provide over 50), then start playing along with the metronome using your keyboard. Each key represents a different drum in the kit. If you make a mistake whether it be hitting the wrong key or playing off the rhythm, it’s simple to go into the editor and move that beat to where and what it should be using your mouse.

Then you add whatever other sounds you want on top of the drums and they provide you with a ton of keyboard sounds and you can download and plug in other virtual instruments easily, as well. Once you buy the program they offer free updates which means new drum and keyboard sounds for life. You just keep layering on new or existing tracks until you get the sound you want. From there you can add vocals but you have to provide your own mic.

I’ll end this DUBturbo review by mentioning about the price. It’s listed at the time of this article at $29.97 which they are calling a temporary discount price. I don’t know if this will be the price for good or if it is indeed temporary because it just came out and this is the special opening discount price, but either way it’s a welcome alternative to needlessly paying hundreds of dollars for the more expensive and complex programs out there which don’t give you a better sounding product in the end.

More importantly the publishers of DUBturbo guarantee your satisfaction that they not only offer a 60 day money back guarantee period in which you can test the program, but if you at any point in there decide you’re not satisfied you can return it for a full refund while keeping the program. Nice deal, right?

Unless you like the life of a broke musician, the question you probably ask yourself day and night is “How do I make it to the big time?” Well, the answer is about as simple as a diminutive seventh chord, but there is a way to get yourself or your band signed.

There are some key decision that you will have to make and some tough jobs you will have to tackle before you will be able to gain the attention of that record label or artist’s rep.

The first thing a label is looking for is whether or not your group can draw a crowd. So if you already have an established fan base, then you’ve got it halfway made. If not, that’s the first step.

If you want to draw in the record label, you have to think a little bit like a record label executive. Want they want to know is, can this group make me money. If you have a fan base, you’re halfway to showing that you can be a solid business investment.

How does one build a fan base? That’s a good question. The internet does make is simpler and quicker than ever before in the history of modern music. The key is to get it out there in front of as many people as possible and that takes a little bit of forethought.

The big three social media sites are also the big three places for building a musical reputation: MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

The social media sites are almost tailor made for promoting a new band. But make full use of them. Anytime you think of anything even mildly noteworthy, post about it. When you schedule a show, let people know. When you write a new song, give people a recap. Especially let people know when you go in to record.

Getting to the big time isn’t easy, but there are almost as many ways of promoting your group as there are groups out there. Try these tactics, but also dream up your own. And don’t turn down any opportunity that comes along. You’ll find yourself lounging pool-side in no time.

Most guitar players are aware of the blues and the importance of learning blues licks and chord progressions as a basis for rock, blues and jazz soloing; but how many blues progressions do you

know?

A good musician knows many variations of the standard twelve bar blues chord progression and this knowledge helps them play all styles of music by ear.

It’s often difficult for the newbie player to really get a good working knowledge of how these progressions work as many of the popular blues based songs are presented in different keys; to help get you started I’m going to take you through a simple metamorphosis of a twelve bar blues chord progressions all presented in the same key for you to study and enjoy.

Metamorphosis of a blues chord progression

All the blues progressions will be in the key of C

Progression #1

C /// | C /// | C /// | C /// |

F /// | F /// | C /// | C /// |

G7 ///| G7/// | C /// | G7/// || C (last time)

Progression #1 is a standard 12 bar version of the blues; this is the type of progression everyone should learn to recognize by ear’.

Progression #2

C /// | C /// | C /// | C /// |

F /// | F /// | C /// | C /// |

G7 ///| F /// | C /// | G7/// || C (last time)

Notice the ‘F’ chord in bar ten, apart from this change the rest of the progression is the same as progression one.

Progression #3

C /// | F /// | C /// | C /// |

F /// | F /// | C /// | C /// |

G7 ///| G7/// | C /// | G7/// || C (last time)

Blues progression #3 is identical to blues #1 except for the ‘F’ chord in bar two, play both progressions to get a ‘feel’ for the subtle difference.

Progression #4

C /// | F /// | C /// | C /// |

F /// | F /// | C /// | C /// |

G7 ///| F /// | C /// | G7/// || C (last time)

Again, notice how blues #4 is the exact same chord progression as blues #2 with the only change being the ‘F’ chord in bar two.

I would recommend learning how to play and recognize these four progressions, these are your basic 12 bar blues chord progressions.

Progression #5 has a few harmonic surprises that will add a fresh sound to a familiar progression.

Progression #5

C /// | C /// | C /// | C7 ///|

F /// | Fm ///| C /// | C /// |

G7 ///| F /// | C /// | G7/// || C (last time)

Blues #5 is based on a blues #2 progression, the differences being the ‘C7′ chord in bar four and the ‘Fm’ chord in bar six both of these chords add an element of surprise; check out how the ‘C7′ chord introduces the ‘F’ chord and how the ‘F’ chord flows naturally to the ‘Fm’.

Once you have these progressions under your fingers it’s time to learn them in other popular ‘guitar friendly’ keys; the most popular keys for guitarists are the keys of: G, D, A & E.

If you are a music enthusiast like I am, having your iTunes full of gray music notes is unbearable. I recently found a program called Tuneup Media Companion. This software’s main purpose is to find mislabeled music files and correct them. It also has other very useful features including an album artwork finder.

The Tuneup programs artwork tool searches through your entire iTunes or Windows media player library in search of missing album art. This tool is based on the song’s current ID3 tags so you have to be sure to clean your files with the clean feature before running the cover art tool.

Once you are done fixing your MP3 ID3 tags you will be well on your way to eliminating all of those annoying gray music notes that are in place of your album artwork. What’s great about Tuneup is that it searches multiple online sources and usually displays quite few options of different album covers for you to choose from. For example if they have a special edition cover or maybe a live tour cover you can opt to show those instead. You can also determine the resolution of the picture file that you want downloaded.

ITunes has a view called cover flow that is useless unless your album artwork is correct and up to date. After running the album artwork finder software you will once again be able to make use of this view. Now you can sift through your music collection and browse your albums just by flipping through the album covers.

How to improve vocal range: its something many vocalists search for. We all want different ways to improve our singing range, but many of us don’t know how easy it can be.

Mastering the singing basics is something most singers don’t focus on. We all want to focus on different techniques for singing before we know the science behind our singing. This science is something that can help us to increase our vocal range to reach high notes we never thought we could before.

1. Tone the Right Muscles

Some people unknowingly use the wrong muscles when they sing. If you can feel your larynx move when you sing, you are using the outer muscles of the larynx. This is the improper way to sing. You will never get a great singing voice if you use the outer muscles of the larynx.

There are many exercises available to condition the muscles of the larynx. This is the key to improving your range.

2. Position Yourself for Success

Position your body to use it more efficiently. This includes having proper posture and keeping your head up. Try positioning your arms a bit away from your body so that your lungs can expand all the way.

3. Practice

This may seem obvious, but regular practice will go a long way when it comes to increasing your vocal range. If you learn how to properly use your larynx and practice regularly, the muscles of your voice box will become toned and you’ll learn to use them more efficiently.

Finding out how to improve vocal range is a pretty easy task, but you must implement and practice everything you learn. Regular practice and continuing effort is required to master your singing voice.

In the early 1970′s, IBM released its first portable storage device, 8-inch floppy disks. Then in the mid 70′s, 5 and