Sheet Music in the Middle Ages
September 13, 2008
The latter half of the Middle Ages (circa 1000 CE to 1500 CE) was a turning point in European history. Having finally emerged from the Dark Ages (circa 500 CE to 1000 CE), European civilization finally began to recover the ground it had lost when Rome fell. One of the results of this recovery was the re-emergence of recorded music, or sheet music in both religious and secular life.
During the Middle Ages, Catholicism was the central power in Europe. It was incorporated into every aspect of life and its power stretched to every corner of the known world. And one of the methods through which the Church asserted its power was music. Although modern churches regularly use music as a natural part of worship, the pairing of music and Christianity has not always been so straightforward. A thousand years ago, music was often regarded as sinful. The problem was, churchgoers tended to enjoy it, and the fathers of Catholicism understood that it could be used to strengthen people’s ties to the Church.
Accordingly, music was eventually incorporated into Catholic worship, and vise versa. The sheet music of the era is often adorned with religious frescos. The monasteries and abbeys of the period created and stored huge quantities of sheet music, up to 4000 texts at a time in some cases. Indeed, it was this mass production of recorded music that led to the evolution of square notation. The monks needed a universal way to record and recognize the music written by their peers in other monasteries; square notation made this possible.
However, church was not the only place a person living in the Middle Ages would hear music, not by a long shot. Also common at the time were wandering poets, or troubadours, who were the keepers and purveyors of secular music. Some of the oldest surviving sheet music was written by these people, who were encouraged in their work by patrons such as Eleanor of Aquitaine. The area of Provence, modern day southern France, was particularly known for its troubadours, and the region is said to have been known as The Land of Song.
The Church is known to have fought the advent and proliferation of secular music, which it would certainly have regarded as sinful in the extreme. However, fortunately for us, it was unable to stem the music’s spread. The most popular topic of such secular music was that of courtly love, which may explain why the Church was so against it. Courtly love deals with situations in which lovers are unable to consummate their feelings, usually because one or both is wed to another. This theme is still famous today thanks to the well-known story of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot. Other popular secular topics included the seasons, the crusades, beautiful women, and nature, all of which were idealized and exalted in song. Such songs would never have become as ubiquitous as they were, however, without the sheet music produced by the troubadours of the age.
Learning How to Make Music
September 6, 2008
Learning how to make music is something that many people want to do but think of it as an unachievable task, or something that takes a lot of time. Some people even think you have to be born into music or naturally talented. No doubt a lot of people are, however you can be like them too. Go onto Google and search up Fruity Loops. Fruity Loops is the most used music production software on the market and is common for new producers to use.
The reason people use Fruity loops is because everyone recommends it and it allows you to do things advanced music software such as Logic Pro. Adding plugins which allow real sounding instruments is what a lot of producers do to give their productions a very professional sound and also could make them sound as if they are using much more advanced software or even hardware then they actually are.
Starting to learn how to make music isn’t as hard as you think and if you put your mind to it you could be making music within a few weeks. You can go from knowing nothing at all and once you know how to make music in one program, there pretty much all the same and you will advance through them all.
Follow your heart and start making music today. Follow your dreams and if you really want them they will come true. Find some friends or a mentor to tell you if your music is hot or not, sign up to websites such as MySpace and upload your music and get feedback.
6 Tips for Organizing Your Music Files
August 15, 2008
If you’re a digital music fan, you probably have problems organizing your music file collection. For me, I used to have hundreds of MP3 files lumped in one folder in my hard drive. Can you imagine the pain I had to go through to find one specific tune to listen to?
Organizing your music files is an important skill to learn. Once your collection is nicely sorted out, you’ll be able to find the songs you want quickly and easily. So set aside some time and read through the following tips I’ve come up with.
1. Create Subfolders
The single most important tip for organizing your music files is to create subfolders in your hard drive. Don’t ever leave your MP3 files in one huge folder called C:My Music. Create subfolders like C:My MusicClassical, C:My MusicPop and C:My MusicSoundtracks.
2. Ensure your ID3 Tags Are Correct
ID3 tags are used to store important information about MP3 files. Things like the song title, artist, album are kept and will be displayed by your MP3 player. Take the time to properly edit these tags - many MP3 files you download have the ID3 tag information all wrong. A good software program for editing ID3 tags is TagScanner.
3. Invest in Good Music Management Software
There are several excellent pieces of software out there for managing music files. Two good ones come to mind. The first is MediaMonkey and the second is MusicMatch Jukebox. Both programs offer excellent music management features like an integrated music player, CD burning features and ID3 tag renaming.
4. Get Your Music Files from Legal Sources
If you’ve been downloading music using P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing programs like KaZaa, you will very likely get music files which have strange names like 56_HeyjAck.mp3. My advice: Get your files from legal sources like online music services iTunes or Napster and you will avoid this problem.
5. Create Good Playlists
Most software music player (e.g. Winamp) will allow you to create playlists. For example, say you’re in the mood for rock songs, you can point to your folder called C:MusicRock and create a playlist from that folder. Save the playlist after it is created. When you next feel like listening to those songs, all you need to do is load that playlist instead of trawling through your hard drive and folders.
6. Get A Huge Hard Drive
I know this sounds a little crazy - but running out of disk space can and will ruin your well-organized music collection. Make sure you have enough hard disk space to store your music files. Say you have 10,000 music files that you absolutely must retain and listen to. It is a very bad idea to store, say, 8,000 files in Hard Drive A and 2,000 files in Hard Drive B. Very messy. It’s better to store them all in one hard disk. So get your hands on the biggest hard drive you can find.
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you to organize your music collection a little better. I know it takes effort, but once your music collection is properly catalogued, listening to your music collection will be a much more pleasant experience. So don’t hesitate - get organized now!
Beneficial tips to learn Piano
May 25, 2008
You’re never too old to start learning how to play the piano. There are SO many online instruction programs today, that I know it can be very confusing. It is my intent that this article will shed some light into your search to find the most appropriate course for your specific needs.
At first, I strongly suggest that you do some deep soul searching and decide what style of music you want to REALLY play. There are so many styles of music and at this stage in your life; you should only focus on the style of music that you really enjoy.
Second, decide how much time you want to spend learning to play the piano. Now, if you’re only concerned with playing with the least amount of mental and physical effort, I advise you to seriously consider purchasing an inexpensive keyboard that offers instrument accompaniment features. You don’t need to “take lessons” for this type of recreational enjoyment.
These electronic keyboards usually provide a manual that shows you how to build very easy chords. Additionally, these electronic keyboards also include accompaniment styles, (i.e. Rock, Pop, Jazz, Polka, etc). As a matter of fact, some keyboards guide you through the learning process by providing keys that “light up” to help you land on the correct note!
Third, if you’re really interested in learning how to make music on the piano, and can consistently set aside at least 15 to 30 minutes a day, then you should definitely continue your search for the online program that speaks to your specific needs and lifestyle.
The Majority of Piano Review Sites Are Not Credible
Always remember that any “review site” was designed to make money from the web sites their reviewing. Believe ME! As smart business people, they are affiliates of all sites being reviewed. As such, no matter what site the customer decides to purchase through, they make an affiliate commission.
Their ultimate goal is to realize a return on their investment (ROI). Whatever site makes them the most money, they will declare them to be the “best pick.” My sites have been in number one positions, through a number of review sites and as soon as another site allows them to make more money, my site is instantly ranked lower.
Pay close attention to web sites that appear in the “organic” rankings; not those on the “sponsored links” on the right side of a search engine. Affiliates and web site owners pay for those sponsored ads through “Pay Per Click” services. Those ads are just screaming “PICK ME!”
A passionate, credible and competent piano instructor will have written articles on piano pedagogy. Just do a “GOOGLE” search on the instructor’s name, to determine if this teacher has written articles on the subject.
The Learning Curve for Adult Students
The most difficult challenge you will face in your study is the ability to play in time. But there is hope. Just remember, YOU HAVE TO COUNT OUT LOUD in the beginning. Once your body starts “feeling” the pulse of the music, you won’t have to continue this verbal exercise. The less difficult challenge is to discipline your self to practice slowly. ALL professional pianists practice slowly when learning a new PATTERN. If you don’t, you will forget the material you’ve practiced the NEXT DAY!
The GOOD NEWS!
Any adult can learn to play any style of piano they wish. Just make sure you set aside time to practice consistently. All it takes is just about 15 to 30 daily. Don’t practice in 1-hour spurts! If you’re serious about learning to play, only concentrate on the style of music you want to play, and don’t give up!
You can do it, and I know you can because my adult students are achieving success everyday, worldwide!
Tips To Become A Successful Singer
May 14, 2008
Two singers may be singing the same song with the same musical arrangement and yet, one singer delivers the song with such feel, passion and gusto that get the teary eyed audience clapping away non stop whilst the other singer just belts out the song to a bored audience. Guess who will be the superstar and who will always be the mediocre singer? Why is this so?
To most people, good singing simply means just memorizing the lyrics and hitting the correct notes without going out of key. If a singer can just do that and is blessed with a “good singing voice“, then this singer will have great potential in his/her singing career.
Well, if it is just that simple, then many of us will have great potential as a singing superstar but that obviously isn’t the case, isn’t it?
Do remember that although some famous singers are born with a good voice, all of them will have to be trained to capitalize on their voices to take them to the maximum distance their voices can go. The other less fortunate who are not blessed with a “natural good singing voice” will have to take more vocal lessons and training to develop it. In other words, to develop voice quality and to sing well requires scientific as well as artistic vocal training whether you are a superstar potential or not.
Since the title of this article is about how to sing with feel, passion and emotion of a superstar, we will only touch on this topic although there are many many more factors to good singing.
Often overlooked by singers, singing is all about communication. You are telling a story or delivering a message to your audience in a musical tone instead of giving a lecture or reading poetry.
For example, when a speaker delivers a speech, the bad speaker will deliver the speech in a deadpan manner or worse, reading off a prepared script. A good speaker will be full of life, punctuating his speech with emotion and passion, using a soft delicate voice to coax sympathy and an authoritative firm voice to capture attention or to inspire. Sometimes the good speaker speaks slowly to get his point across and then speak quickly to inject urgency into his message.
Now, good singing is not just about having a good voice, it is about how you convey your message to the audience that they not only be able feel you, identify with your lyrics but have an emotional reaction to your singing too!
It is because of this reason, before you put musical tone to your lyrics, you will have to read the lyrics out loud and then phrase the lyrics with cadences as if you are telling a story. Imagine yourself as the character in the lyrics, and immerse yourself in the position of the character so that you can feel the emotions of the character, so that you can capture how the character would feel if he/she were singing the song instead of you.
After which, you will then to sing in the musical notes. At this point, you will be able to sing with feeling and emotion with a passion for the song. This is the time when you decide when do you want to hold the notes a little longer to achieve a desired effect or when to sing faster, softer or louder.
When you are able to do this, along with other good vocal techniques, with every song that you sing, you will be known as a singer who is able to capture the feel, emotion and the passion of songs and this skill alone will put you way streets ahead of other singers who simply just belt out the lyrics.
Tips For Starting A Rock Band
April 25, 2008
One of the dreams of every aspiring guitarist, drummer or bass player is to start a band. It is something they hold onto even into adulthood as they pray they will ‘make it’ and become well-known rock musicians, full of fame and wealth. However, how does one go about starting a rock band that will make it big?
Well, first of all there is formula for success, and much of it is hit and miss. Look at it like this, in 1992, Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit shot to number one in the charts and knocked out Michael Jackson’s Black and White off the top spot. No one would have ever thought that a grunge band from Seattle would ever be able to unseat the ‘King of Pop’ who had sold hundreds of million’s of records. However, it happened and it surprised everyone.
As a result, never ever think that your band’s potential cannot be achieved because the truth of the matter is that anything is possible.When you are starting a band, try and form it with people you know. However, this goes out the window if the people you know cannot play instruments very well. You want to make sure that you get people who are skilled at what they do, but you don’t want two people who both want to be the band leaders. Too many bands have dissolved because individuals could not get along, remember Guns n’ Roses?
The truth is that it can also be hit and miss with who you pick for your band, but like putting together a winning sports team, if you do it right, you can become a champion of the music industry.
Remember the essentials of a rock band, which are guitars, vocals and drums. You can get by with only a guitar and drums, without a bass, but its best to do everything right.
When you decide to start a band, the cost of everything comes into play, but if you know where to look and what to pay, you should be okay. Don’t buy new equipment, buy used musical equipment and you will save hundreds of dollars that can instead be used on promotion and marketing.
Having a band is a wonderful experience and done right, you can enjoy a life of luxury and fun. Getting to that point is not easy, it can be tough and you have to work very hard to get there. You need to be ready to sacrifice time in order to practice and you need to be ready to pay for promotion and used instruments to keep the band going.
It may end up in the end that you are not famous, but you will have the memories of being in that band to go on. Often, that can be worth more than all the money in the world.
Of course, being a world-famous rock band has its perks too and we all know what they are, fame, power and wealth. Find the band mates that are right for you and begin your ascension to rock superstardom.
How to write a song
April 19, 2008
The Basics of How to Write a Hit Song
There are several elements that comprise a hit song. And no, you don’t have to be a famous music composer you just need to build that solid foundation. The fundamentals include; the song’s initial impression, the melody, the lyrics, correct genre and delivery or performance.
If you are a first time songwriter there is no need to stress, let’s just start out with the basic parts of a song. You have your melody, structure and lyrics. If you don’t already know how to play an instrument, then learn! This is absolute best thing you can do for yourself. The melody is the leading part in the song, the part everyone will hum to themselves. Start with just few notes and make a variation from there just to see all the places you can go with it.
Once you have your melody then your next step is the lyrics. You want lyrics that of course flow with your melody and ones that people will find easy to sing along with. Write passionately and be yourself. Remember, you want to be noticed so write about things you want to get out there. Don’t hold back because you are afraid of what people might think. Be original-after all, this is what people are looking for. Most importantly, tell a story people can relate to in your song.
As they say, first impressions are everything especially in the music business!
How will your song sound to others? Test it on people because sometimes in our own work, we end up with tunnel vision. What impression will your song make on the ones you are trying to sell it to? You may end up with even more helpful tips on how to write a hit song.
Have you chosen your genre? This may be obvious to some but there is a fine line between some genres in the music business. You want to make sure your song fits where you are trying to make it fit. Try to imagine where your music will make the most sense.
Lastly, your performance and delivery will be a key selling point for your song. Your style may be solo with guitar alone on stage or you may want to put on an entire shindig but however you do it, you need to make a lasting impression. Remember, you don’t have to be the best music composer.
Top 50 Music Quotes
April 7, 2008
An article on music quotations
Discover the phenomenonal complexity of music and reflect on the way it can positively influence your life with this sound collection of riveting Music Quotes …
“Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below.”
– Joseph Addison
“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.”
–Maya Angelou
“Music is either good or bad, and it’s got to be learned. You got to have balance.”
– Louis Armstrong
“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
– Berthold Auerbach
“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.”
–Johann Sebastian Bach
“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.”
– Ludwig van Beethoven
“Music - The one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend.”
– Ludwig van Beethoven
“Music can change the world. “
– Ludwig Van Beethoven
“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.”
– Leonard Bernstein
“Music has to breathe and sweat. You have to play it live. “
– James Brown
“Music is well said to be the speech of angels.”
– Thomas Carlyle
“All music comes from God.”
– Johnny Cash
“If you learn music, you’ll learn most all there is to know. “
– Edgar Cayce
“Music is nothing separate from me. It is me… You’d have to remove the music surgically. “
– Ray Charles
“Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is. “
– Miles Davis
“There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.”
– George Eliot
“You are the music while the music lasts.”
–T. S. Eliot
“We need magic, and bliss, and power, myth, and celebration and religion in our lives, and music is a good way to encapsulate a lot of it. “
– Jerry Garcia
“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.”
– Kahlil Gibran
“When people hear good music, it makes them homesick for something they never had and never will have.”
– Edgar Watson Howe
“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossile to be silent.”
– Victor Hugo
“The history of a people is found in its songs.”
– George Jellinek
“Music is the vernacular of the human soul.”
– Geoffrey Latham
“It requires wisdom to understand wisdom; the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.”
– Walter J. Lippmann
“Just as certain selections of music will nourish your physical body and your emotional layer, so other musical works will bring greater health to your mind.”
– Hal A. Lingerman
“Music is the harmonious voice of creation; an echo of the invisible world.”
– Giuseppe Mazzini
“Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don’t take it too seriously.”
– Henry Miller
“I started making music because I could.”
– Alanis Morissette
“Music helps you find the truths you must bring into the rest of your life. “
– Alanis Morissette
“Music is spiritual. The music business is not. “
– Van Morrison
“Like everything else in nature, music is a becoming, and it becomes its full self, when its sounds and laws are used by intelligent man for the production of harmony, and so made the vehicle of emotion and thought.”
– Theodore Mungers
“Without music life would be a mistake.”
– Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
“In music the passions enjoy themselves.”
– Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
“Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn. They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.”
– Charlie Parker
“Music should be something that makes you gotta move, inside or outside. “
– Elvis Presley
“It’s the music that kept us all intact, kept us from going crazy. “
– Lou Reed
“The music business was not safe, but it was FUN. It was like falling in love with a woman you know is bad for you, but you love every minute with her, anyway.”
– Lionel Richie
“Music should never be harmless.”
– Robbie Robertson
“Give me a laundry list and I’ll set it to music.”
– Gioacchino Antonio Rossini
“All music is important if it comes from the heart. “
– Carlos Santana
“Music is the key to the female heart.”
– Johann G. Seume
“The best music… is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with. “
– Bruce Springsteen
“All I try to do is write music that feels meaningful to me, that has commitment and passion behind it.”
– Bruce Springsteen
“In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain.”
–George Szell
“When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest.”
– Henry David Thoreau
“For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul’s own speech.”
–Unknown
“Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us.”
–Unknown
“I believe in the power of music. To me, it isn’t just a fad. This is a positive thing.”
– Eddie Vedder
“Music at its essence is what gives us memories. “
– Stevie Wonder
“There’s a basic rule which runs through all kinds of music, kind of an unwritten rule. I don’t know what it is. But I’ve got it.”
– Ron Wood
Asia’h Epperson for American Idol Season Seven
April 1, 2008
Entertainment News Regarding American Idol Season Seven
There are a lot of rumors floating around that Asia’h Epperson is returning to American Idol Season Seven. Is there still hope that Asia’h Epperson will be our next American Idol? As a huge fan I am hoping these rumors are true. I know Asia’h has enough fan clubs to pull enough weight to vote her on.
Asia’h Epperson was voted off American Idol early in March and rumors have it that she may be returning along with four other American Idol Season Seven contestants that were voted off in April. I have seen several reports to the affect that American Idol will bring these five contestants back. This will give them a second chance to compete with the top ten finalists to become the next American Idol.
The voting procedure is said to be different on the second round for these five contestants. The voting will cost money. How much? I have no idea. I am sure it will not be expensive. The proceeds from the money earned will be directed to a charity.
With so many Asia’h Epperson fans hopefully more people will get their votes cast this time around. Asia’h Epperson has had tons of fan clubs established since her debut on American Idol Season Seven. I know I will be voting this time and so will my family and friends.
Asia’h has so much talent and professionalism it would be a shame to not give her another chance to be our American Idol. Even with the death of her father during her time on American Idol, she went out and performed like a true entertainer. How many other 19 year olds do you know that could have kept on like she did? Not many I would assume. She showed she had what it takes for the show to go on.
Asia’h Epperson fans need to get together and make sure this young lady gets to be able to compete once again for the opportunity to be our next American Idol. Asia’h Epperson won our hearts in the short time that she appeared on American Idol Season Seven. Let us all show our appreciation for her hard work and talent by supporting her even stronger this time around. This may only be a rumor so far, but I have seen an awful lot of talk around the Internet that seems to be almost credible. Maybe we can make enough noise to make this a reality.
An American writer, actor and musician : Saul Williams
March 20, 2008
Another article on entertainment news regarding the
Saul Williams, born in Newburgh, New York in 1974, is an American rap artist, writer and actor known for his eclectic blend of poetry and hip-hop. He is also known for his role as Ray Joshua in the independent film ‘Slam‘, which won the Grand Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
Unlike most mainstream rap artists, who at least claim to have lived a former life of sin before turning to rap, Saul entered the world of music after pursuing an academic career. After graduating from Morehouse College with a B.A. in Philosophy, Williams went on obtain a Master’s Degree in acting from New York University. While at NYU he found himself at the centre of the New York cafe poetry scene, where he would hone his poetry reading skills and in 1996 he won the title of Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s Grand Slam Champion. Fame on the spoken-word circuit led him onto the lead role in the 1998 feature film ‘Slam’, and eventually to blend his oratory skills with his love of rap music.
After releasing a string of EPs, he released his debut album, ‘Amethyst Rock Star’, produced by Rick Rubin, to critical acclaim in 2001. Labelled everything from prog-hop to aggressive, urban chanting, Williams breathed fresh air into an increasingly stale and clichéd genre. After touring in support of the album, he released his eponymous follow-up in 2004, which attracted attention of Nine Inch Nails front man, Trent Reznor, who would select Williams to be NIN’s support band while touring Europe on the 2005 ‘With Teeth’ tour. He also supported the Mars Volta and played Lollapalooza in 2006, bringing his music to a wider audience.
His friendship with Trent Reznor led to an agreement that Reznor would produce Williams’ next album, ‘The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!’ Released last November, it is only available at niggytardust.com, where users can download mid-quality mp3s (192 kbps) of the album for free, or, if they choose to, pay $5 via credit card to support Williams directly and choose between mid-quality mp3s, high-quality mp3s (320 kbps) and lossless FLAC files.
Reznor posted on the Nine Inch Nails homepage that as of the beginning of this year, close to 155,000 people had downloaded the record, and of those, 28,322, or just over 18% had chosen to pay for it. Out of those paying, 3220 chose mid-quality mp3s, 19,764 chose high-quality mp3s and 5338 chose FLAC.
Though these figures aren’t enough to warrant a Platinum certification, the business model gives fans an impetus to do the right thing by giving them a hassle-free way to show support for Williams, with no restrictions like DRM placed on the music, and as such, it can be seen as a success, especially considering his last album sold 33,897 copies in the three years since its release.
Whether this way of releasing music will become a trend is yet to be seen, but the fact is that more people have listened to Saul than ever before, and hopefully this year will see him receive the mainstream recognition he rightly deserves.
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