December 31st, 2008
Its distinctive beat gives it away. There is nothing in the world that sounds like reggae music. The expected chops and the back beat by the rhythm guitar and the distinctive sound of the bass drum marks reggae as a genre by its own right. Reggae music originated from several other Jamaican music types just as great as it is like ska, rocksteady, RandB, Jazz, Calypso, and Mento.
Jamaican music is as rich as its history. The soul of each and every Jamaican song traces its roots to the black people herded onto ships, clinging to their most priceless possessionsclothing, food, and for many, their drums. These drums that traveled as far as their owners have are what brought the world priceless gifts and that are the gifts of music. The slaves used their music to fill-up their lives and sang about everything. They have songs of praise, songs of love, songs of loneliness, and songs of inspiration. It is not surprising therefore, that reggae music has been used by the likes of Bob Marley and The Wailers to promote certain political issues like poverty and injustice.
From the characteristic drumbeats, Jamaican folk music has embraced innovation and has added a whole range of flavor to their indigenous music. Combining the drumbeats to a lot of different musical instruments, like the rhythm guitar, and the trumpet, produced ska, rocksteady and eventually reggae.
Reggae music swooped Jamaica just when it was about to proclaim its independence and the masses were clamoring for a beat, a sound that could articulate their emotions. Reggae rose up to the challenge and succeeded. A few years later, when the assurance of an improved quality of life and the promise of a bright tomorrow for a liberated nation came up empty reggae was still being played. But it started to serve a much higher purpose than entertainment. For the first time in its history, roots reggae took on its rebellious and defiant form. Reggae music told of stories of suffering in the shanties of Trenchtown, it told of stories of violence and corruption but most of all it told the people of Jamaica to get up and stand up for their rights.
As the country grew from bad to worse, the people started to look for a moral guidance that would give sense to the life of wretchedness they were living in. Rastafarianism answered the call of a people desperately seeking an alternative leader with convincing values of love and peace. The Rastafarian movement boomed, gained a huge following in Jamaica and reggae was the movement’s music. Eventually, roots reggae would be identified with Rastafarianism and vice versa. Dreadlocks, khakis, and kaftans became the symbol of reggae attitude.
Just when it seems that the evolution of reggae has gone through so much, it began to take on another controversial form with the arrival of dancehall reggae. This new type of reggae music is so called because its raunchy lyrics only allowed it to be played in dancehalls. Dancehall reggae is a form of rebellion against roots reggae because many artists believe that reggae music has gone too mainstream that it catered more to the demands of the audience than to reggae’s real spirit. Infused with a lot of techno beats and computer generated riffs, dancehall departed from old school reggae music’s slow and lulling beat and enveloped a more upbeat and fast rhythm.
And then there was ragga. Ragga music could be gangsta rap’s ancestor as it boldly came out with songs on violence, guns, and gangs. Many ragga songs were evidently masochistic with harsh lyrics demeaning women and praising male supremacy.
Over the course of history, ragga’s forerunners saw reason and tamed down their music. A couple prominent ragga figures went back to embrace Rastafarianism and sought a live of uprightness and peace.
Reggae music has come and changed in so many ways over the years. Yet it still makes the same sound as it did several decades ago. Reggae still sings the songs that make hearts beat faster, songs that make the feet dance harder, and songs that reflect the rhythm of the soul.
Contibuted By
RasBinghi.com Reggae Music
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December 29th, 2008
1.Sharpen your Songwriting skills every day. Like an athlete who strives to practice so as to reach the peak of his/her performance, a songwriter or a composer should also practice regularly…OK. you are talented and everything, but your talent means nothing if your brain doesn’t get used to using this talent. Make a 30 min. music writing time per day and use it to experiment with chords, write themes or maybe rearrange something. But always keep in mind that you are just practicing, so there probably isn’t a “hit” coming out of these 30 min…Hits come like a flash so be always prepared!
2.Listen to music every day. The very famous Suzuki violin teaching method requires that the student listens to a tape containing the pieces he/she learns everyday to “develop musical ability”(Schinichi Suzuki). Guess what? It works. As you listen more you will unconsciously adapt more to music in general and, on the conscious level, discover tricks and techniques in music writing that you didn’t know about. Nobody can create music De Novo, it has got to have some roots!!
3.Don’t limit yourself to one style. My music education was classic, but I adore Rock and Metal (my favorite bands are Scorpions and Pink Floyd) as much as I adore Bach and Dvork and ,since I’m Egyptian, I also like my share of oriental music..!! Such a style mix can create the most wonderful ideas, and this is how most songwriters come up with new styles (ex: Pink Floyd’s Psychedelic Rock). Always explore and experiment with new styles, if you take a look at the history of any band, you find out that’s what songwriting is all about.
4.Learn the rules of the game. You probably think that since you can come up with a nice theme, that your are on the right track …WRONG ;). It is true that songwriting has no specific rules, but here you are looking for “Five Songwriting Tips”, eh?!!. A song is music + words…As much as you can, learn music theory and the basics of lyrics/poetry writing. Learning never stops and it’s a fact that as you learn more about the rules of the game, you become more skillful bending those rules..!!And never forget that writing catchy melodies and smart rhyming lyrics needs lots of practice.
5.Don’t be shy. Make everybody know about your songwriting skills. Show it to friends and family first, then to songwriting communities and finally, seek professional critiques. As you get your work more fine tuned, you will become more confident and, consequently, more open to new ideas and suggestions. Remember, it’s the people whom you are writing for, their thoughts do matter.
More Songwriting Tips Here: http://www.songwritingfever.com/songwritingtips/
Mahmoud Ibrahim is a young songwriter from Egypt. He is the owner of http://www.songwritingfever.com, the first website to be dedicated to songwriting collaboration.
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December 27th, 2008
1994 started the beginning of a musical revolution called the Fugees. The Fugees contained the lyrical strength of Prakazrel Michel (Pras), the musical genius of Wyclef Jean (Clef) and harmonious voice of Lauren Hill. Although the group had dropped “Blunted on Reality” in 1994, that was only the tip of the iceberg for the group; it was not until 1996 when the group released the fury which was “The Score” upon the world, they became critically acclaimed. “The Score” reached the top of billboards chart during the same year with the help of such singles as: ‘Ready or Not’, ‘Killing me Softly’, ‘Fugee-la’ and an amazing cover of Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman Don’t Cry’, just to name a few. But ‘what goes up must come down’; after completion of the 1997 Smokin’ Grooves tour, Lauryn Hill to take time away from the group in expectation of her son.
Hill seemed to be the glue which held them together, because once she was away Pras and Clef begun to have tension with one another. Nothing worse than in camp dispute, look what it did to the Beetles, the Jackson 5, Wu-tang, so they all decided to pursue solo careers. Clef was first to debut his dolo joint with “The Carnival”, and with twenty-three tracks Clef once again flexed his musical prowess and gained an identity aside from the Fugees. Pras, not one to be out done, came out with “Ghetto Supastar”, and though didn’t get the same accolades as Clef, displayed his penmanship on such tracks as ‘For the Love of This’ and showed that he can grab the publics attention with the title track, ‘Ghetto Supastar’. But it was the massive success of Hill’s album which presented the strong case that the Fugees, might not ever come back together, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”. This album portrayed all which is Ms. Hill as an artist and a person and she gained worldly observation while being nominated for many musical awards.
With all the individual success, the raising star which was the Fugees has fallen; that is until a reunion at the Dave Chapelle’s block party. Hill has been the remediate in the whole situation trying to get the group back together; she and many fans got their wishes granted on this year’s BET awards. The Fugees opened the show and tore it down, performing many of their hits from “The Score”. After that performance even the group themselves couldn’t deny that they missed it, and so after a whole decade, of lets just say ‘personal growth’, the Fugees presented the first single ‘Take it Easy’, and they haven’t missed a beat. In a recent interview with Clef on local Washington D.C. radio station 95.5 fm, he explained how they were putting any and everything they had in this album, “Man on our shows we don’t have any back ups it’s just us; you’re getting all of us,”, the wait is over!!!
Xclusivetrax.com
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November 18th, 2008
The history of hip hop is one that was born upon the back of a group of silenced youth. Inner city youth felt that not only were they not getting a fair shake at a quality life but that they weren’t even being heard. Our history shows that when expression is suppressed something bad, usually aggressive is about to follow. In the case of hip hop thankfully the aggression wasn’t expressed in the form of violence but rather in a movement that would change not only the urban areas close to its birth but our society as a whole!
In the beginning, hip hop wasn’t even regarded as hip hop. In the mid to late 70s young black and Latino youths from the Bronx were looking for a way to express themselves and started to have open microphones at house parties which they would use to perform a type of poetry over any song that was currently playing. This was the creation of rap music. Although rapping may seem easy to a novice the fact of the matter was not everyone had the talent to express themselves in this manner. So another form of self expression related to rap was born in the form of break dancing. People could be found not only at parties but on street corners with nothing more then a boom box and a piece of cardboard, dancing for self expression and even for money in some cases. The last form of expression is the most controversial one! Some youth couldn’t rap nor could they dance but they had to find an outlet or a way in which they can also be a part of this movement. What they did have was the ability to draw. This art form which to most is considered graffiti was now renamed “tagging” in the hip hop community. Whether you agree with the way in which they went about showing off their talent, no one can take away the fact that they truly were talented. Tagging was when the artist of one clique or crew would create a symbol or phrase that was now his group’s logo and spray paint this on subway trains. Why subway trains and not just walls? Well, the fact that the subway system ran throughout the city was advertisement of his crew to the other respective crews. It became a game in the sense that if you could place your tag over top another groups tag you would have essentially performed the hip hop version of a check mate!
So what is hip hop? Hip hop is the combination of all three of the above mentioned facets. Rapping, break dancing and graffiti art are all equal forms of the hip hop movement. Some may argue the message that some hip hop sends but the fact that these men and women are artists is not even debatable. Hip hop was a feeling much before it ever became a means of expression and it will stay a way of life long after all of the forms expression is gone!
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Hip Hop
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November 16th, 2008
There are many forms of classical music. Before going for a classical music CD, it is first necessary to decide which form of music you like. Most pieces fall into four basic categories. So you may prepare a list of music pieces that you like. Having selected the music you like, try to find out the name of its composer. May be, having liked one piece of a certain composer, you may like to hear his other pieces too. You can prepare a list of different composers also.
The next step is to find the sources of finding the classical CDs. There are many sources of obtaining the CDs. You can download them free. You can also get them against cost. But the catch here is that free CDs may not match your taste and choice. Their musical quality too may not be up to the mark you set. You may not be able to get the composers and the music of your choice.
There are several sources for the best recordings of the works of your choice. Stevenson Guide and the Penguin Guide are good references. There are many classical music review publications like Fanfare, American Record Guide, Gramophone, and others.
Before going in for classical music CDs, you should read the reviews of those you have selected. You can also find out resources of buying these CDs from these reviews. It would be interesting to note that sometimes, you can get the CDs of many great musical performances for just as little as $4/5. The low price may mislead you to think that the quality of the music CD may be poor. You however must remember that sometimes there is no relation between the quality and the price. Sometimes the best performances on quality CDs are available at low prices.
And then, you should learn to trust your instincts. Music is a matter of personal preference. If you like a CD, go for it. Don’t look for recommendations for or against your choice.
Classical Music provides detailed information on Classical Music, Classical Music CD, Classical Music Downloads, Free Classical Music and more. Classical Music is affiliated with Country Music CDs.
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November 15th, 2008
When anyone wants to take in the best show of their life, they should check out Kid Rock tickets. They will have a great time and enjoy the different varieties of music that he sings. There will be something for everyone. Kid Rock sings rock, country, and rap. That is right even rap. He is one of the best white rap artists that ever came to be. You will see that if you give him a shot.
Kid Rock tickets would be the perfect gift for any person that enjoys rap music. You may not think by looking at him, but Kid Rock is awesome at rapping. He can get down with the best of them and his lyrics are unbelievable. He has power and emotion to his music and he brings in all type of people to listen to his music.
Rappers tell stories of how they live or want things to be. This is also true for Kid Rock. He sends his message to his fans and anyone that listens to his music. He has a story to tell and he expresses that through his lyrics. That is why it is a great opportunity to have Kid Rock tickets so that you can take in one of his amazing shows.
There is no better way to have a night full of entertainment than to go to one of Kid Rock’s shows. When you see that there are Kid Rock tickets for sale, you should jump at the idea. You will have the best time of your life and not regret one minute of it at all.
Kid Rock tickets can be bought online or at the ticket booth of the place where he is playing. You can get great deals at either one and you should do your research to find the best seats and prices for your budget. You can find all different priced tickets to buy and you will be able to sit wherever you want. You should consider getting your tickets early as they do sell out quickly and you will have missed your chance to see the best live performance you could.
There is lip-syncing to worry about when you go to a Kid Rock show. You will have the best live music that you can get and not have to worry about anything fake. You will be getting the real thing and defiantly get exactly what you are expecting and so much more.
There is no better way to experience all the different sounds and entertainment that Kid Rock has to offer than to get yourself some Kid Rock tickets and see his fantastic show.
About the author:
Magne Bjorklund http://www.kid-rock-concert-tickets.info/
Also visit:
http://www.child-bedding.biz/
http://www.slim-thug.info/
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November 11th, 2008
Guitar finger exercises-Most players need them
For starters I am not a writer. I am a guitar player and you probably are too. So if you moonlight as an English professor please don’t contact me with corrections. That being said let’s talk about finger exercises. For this article when I refer to finger exercises I am talking about the 2,3, or 4-finger chromatic type exercise.
It seems like there are two schools of thought when it comes to finger exercises. One is that they are totally necessary when learning. In 10 years of teaching guitar I find this to be about 95% true. The students who work hard on this area of their playing always do better than those who don’t.
The other school of thought is that they are totally useless. For some players who absolutely tear it up on guitar, this is true. They became amazing players without doing any finger exercises but for the most part, players need them. I have read interviews with Yngwie Malmsteen where he mentioned that he didn’t practice this kind of stuff. (Like his playing or not the guy can throw down with anybody.) There are always exceptions.
Steve Vai has reported to have practiced finger exercises as much as 3 hours a day. They were that important to him. Robin Trower is said to have practiced them “religiously” for a year. I have read articles with B.B.King, Zakk Wylde, Tom Morello and a boatload of other players who all worked on their technique using exercises. I personally know jazz players, classical players, country players and metal players all who completely tear it up and still work on exercises everyday.
Think about this. How much have you improved as a player over the last week, month or year? If it’s been a lot, great! Keep doing what you are doing. If you are not where you want to be as a player, grab a metronome, finger exercise book and your guitar and spend some time trying these out. You will see results. Go slow and keep track of your metronome settings. Only increase the metronome by one or two clicks each day. It may not sound like a lot but after few months you will have sped up quite a bit. Also by tracking your progress will keep yourself motivated because you will be able see your results. This in turn will make you want to work harder. One of the reasons some people give up on guitar is because they can’t see the results of their practicing. So make sure to do this.
It’s very important to remember that this is only one part of playing guitar. There are so many other areas to address but if you aren’t happy with your fingers better start here.
Anyway, Thank you for listening.
Colin
Colin is a guitar player, teacher and member of the cko Music family. He is the creator of Left Hand Red-Finger Exercises and Practice Techniques, and Jam Band Jams.
http://www.ckomusic.com
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November 8th, 2008
I’ve always admired the method visual artists use to create with. They know what they’re doing. And they understand how to go about finishing a painting. I wondered why music instruction couldn’t be more like that.
Some of you may remember Bob Ross, the PBS painter with the big afro and serene smile. Now here was a guy who bypassed art school entirely - yet was able to create complete paintings in less than 30 minutes. Astonishing! And he could teach his method to others. I found this very inspiring.
My “method” is somewhat similar. Instead of giving you a palette of colors, I give you chords. Instead of creating a mountain landscape, you create aural landscapes. How? By understanding how to use your materials!
For example, in Lesson 5: “Winter Scene,” you use the ostinato technique along with a few chords to improvise with. You see, once you have your materials and know how to use them, it makes creating very easy. You now can focus on capturing a mood and can actually play what you feel!
This is why artists ususally place the colors they’ll be using for the painting they’re working on out in the open. They make these decisions early on so the creative work is easier.
Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!
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November 6th, 2008
Downloading music is one of the greatest things about owning a computer. However, the most popular way to do it is illegal. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is trying to stop anyone from downloading music illegally and have recently been passing out hefty fines to prevent downloading.
In the wake of a Supreme Court ruling, companies can be sued for encouraging illegal downloading, most notably and recently Kazaa. With the recent shutdown of the top music downloading networks, one has to ask:
Can I Still Download Music?
Yes, at plenty of Web sites, some requiring payments and some free. Pay sites that have licensing agreements with the entertainment industry — such as iTunes, Rhapsody, Yahoo Music and others — are panting for your business. Sites battling the industry such as Grokster and Morpheus — which were targeted in Monday’s decision — face a cloudier future. While the Supreme Court sent their case back to a federal appeals court for trial, they are almost sure to lose.
They and other file-sharing services that allow for sharing of copyrighted files — and make money off it, through advertising and other means — may fold or have to change their sites drastically.
Unfortunately these top profile downloading sites often charge a hefty fee for their access. Basic membership fees often cost upwards of $30 a month, while tracks start at $1 a piece. Alternatives have arisen that promise to give you the same amount of content but at a cheaper price.
These alternatives include: MP3-share, mp3downloadhq, legal music access, and online download network. Reviews of these programs can be found at Legal MP3 Download Reviews
Charles Oakland is a journalist by profession who manages the popular web review site: Free Web Reviews
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November 5th, 2008
What is Copyright?
The Copyright Act usually gives the copyright owner the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
To reproduce the work in written copies, mp3s, Cds, Dvds etc;
To prepare derivative works based upon
the work;
To distribute the written copies or Cds/Dvds of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
To perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic,
and choreographic works, pantomimes,
and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and
In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means
of a digital audio transmission.
How do I protect my original music compositions?
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that your work is protected:
1. Somewhere on your sheet music
(usually at the top or bottom) you
should put the symbol © (the letter ‘C’
in a circle) and/or the word “Copyright”;
2. Write down the first year of publication
of the music. E.g. “2005″;
3. Include the name of the composer.
4. You can post yourself a sealed copy
of your own work, which, when it
arrives will have a date stamped on it.
Do not open the envelope.
Store it in a safe place.
5. Register your work with the music copyright association in your country.
In Australia it is the Australian
Performing Right Association. These days, you can join and submit work online.
The Author - David Willis
David Willis has made quite an impact on Australian EDUCATION and the ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. An accomplished pianist, singer and actor, David owns the Gold Coast branch of the Australian Talent School, teaching professionals and amateurs of all ages the art of Singing and Presentation, whilst nurturing their passion for Music and Performance.
As a specialist Singing, Speech & Presentation Teacher for over 20 years, David is proud of his SUCCESS STORIES including Radio Announcers, Sporting Celebrities, numerous “YOUNG TALENT TIME”
team members, plus stars from the Musicals, including Dale Burridge (”Phantom of the Opera”, “Les Miserables” and “The Rat Pack Is Back”). A lover of quality choral music, David was co-founder of the Australian Children’s Choir. He has produced more than 30 Australian Cd albums.
For more information on Copyright or to download David’s unique Singing Exercises, log onto http://www.cdorders.com
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