http://www.zmemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/amber-rubarth.png
Album name: Good Mystery
Artist name: Amber Rubarth
Genre: Sweetness
Released: 12 January 2010
Label: Unsigned, which is criminal
ZME Rating: 8/10
Website: amberrubarth.com
Much of this world passes me by with alarming speed and frequency. Trends, fads, fashions and vehicles alike all skim dangerously close to my face, while I remain the proverbial Captain Oblivious, wrapped up in a cocoon of cheerful obsolescence that fits me like an old, worn-out glove. This means I never hopped on board the “How I Met Your Mother” train, or owned a Macbook, and I never wore the obligatory university scarf, tied in the special student fashion, throughout my pointless quest for a useless degree. Pop culture? Hah! - more like foreign culture. (<- A funnee.)
Far more rare, however, is the phenomenon I make a conscious, determined effort to avoid. I can probably count them on one hand: Pokémon; Burberry clothes (”The Chav’s Uniform”); body popping (”The Dance of the Lonely Kid With A Mirror In His Bedroom and Too Much Time On His Hands”); and finally, the lo-fi indie singer/songwriter. This last one is the most relevant to this review, because while Amber Rubarth may or may not enjoy playing Pokémon, or body-popping while wearing some ugly t-shirts, she is most certainly a singer-songwriter.
Good Mystery is, to put it in terms you “kids” of “today” might understand, music that’d probably fit right in on Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, pitched somewhere between the Moldy Peaches and Rilo Kiley - a sort of “Juno Lewis”. (Eagle-eyed readers will notice that that’s the second Jenny Lewis reference in as many reviews. I’m not even that big a fan, she’s just an easy touchpoint. [That sounded rude.])
It’s exactly the kind of music I’d usually avoid.
But.
But it’s fantastic. There’s an easy confidence, a self-assurance that ensures the music is never wearingly eager for indie adoration - it never sounds like it was written to soundtrack the next Michael Cera movie. And while it might be easy to spot Rubarth’s musical inspirations, at least she sounds inspired.
So much of the music is shot through with a delightful enthusiasm that becomes totally infectious over the course of the album; album opener “Edge Of My Seat” might start slow, but by the second minute, it’s a toe-tapping pop gem, as is the title track. Rubarth’s voice also helps the material immensely. It may not be a breathtakingly stunning voice, but it’s infused with a bubbly personality that really draws attention to some of the more splendid turns of phrase: “I’m just trying to call you to tell you not to call me, but it keeps going straight to the machine/ I just tried to reach you to tell you I don’t need you any less than you don’t need me.”
While much of the album glides along on merrily strummed guitars and bouncing rhythms, the very best of Good Mystery can be found in the songs where the piannie takes over. “The Stairwell” is a beautiful solo composition, wisely hidden away at the end of the album where the giant disparity between “effervescent indie pop” and “classical piano music” isn’t quite so jarring. “Pilot” is the kind of unassumingly brilliant piano pop song Chris Martin has wet dreams about - which isn’t to say it sounds similar to Coldplay. It’s far better than that. Last, and opposite of least, “The Photographer” is a stately, sadly beautiful song that forms the beating heart of the album. It’s a totally classicist ballad, played with a pleasing minimalism, letting the spotlight fall on Rubarth’s quiet, vulnerable vocals, where it rightfully belongs.
There’s a nagging voice in the back of my head that says there are hundreds of other albums doing something akin to Good Mystery, and that it’s just the latest drip-drop in a tidal wave of lo-fi meanderings. (The voice also says things like “You’re a cynical, pathetic idiot” and “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” This isn’t strictly relevant, but adds local colour.) And, y’know, there are a lot of artists plowing similar territory, but Good Mystery has a disarming honesty, humour and old-fashioned hookiness to it that makes it genuinely special. It’s nice - music for the love of it. It’s captivated this lump of coal leading scientists have called my “heart”, and it’ll probably make some sort of dent in yours too. (Not in a dangerous way, natch. The good kind of dent.)
Also, Rubarth is doing this without a label or management, so I feel obliged to mention that she’s hand-making a series of collector’s editions of the album for anyone who wants to donate $25 or more. Investigate that at this location: THIS LOCATION. It’s the kind of thing that makes me feel bad for getting a free promo copy. Sad panda.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Investigating The Mystery: A Word With Amber Rubarth
A matter of weeks ago, I took a short trip to London, during which I was serendipitous enough to catch an Amber Rubarth gig. Although that may be less down to serendipity, and more to the fact that I flew over specifically for it. She was also gracious enough to allow me to pester her with questions and bad jokes for half an hour or so. Now, following some internal complications and day-job-related lethargy and skull-imploding fury, I’m presenting a series of articles based on that pleasant Thursday evening. First up: the interview.
The first thing that strikes you about Amber Rubarth’s is the good humour and honesty that underlines it - even when she’s singing about broken hearts, she’s incredibly excited that she gets to sing about broken hearts. So how wonderful it was to find that the first thing to strike you about Amber Rubarth in person is her good humour and honesty.
“I’ve been having one of those days where you wake up late, and everything seems later than it really is,” she admits as we walk down London’s Denmark Street, home of the historical 12 Bar Club, where her and Jim Bianco are ending their European tour tonight.
How has the tour been? “It’s been fantastic!” she enthusiastically replies as we sit on a weirdly rigid sofa in a small bar following a surprisingly lengthy search around the uncooperatively café-less area. “We played a bar in Norway, and the crowd was amazing. They’re like the Japanese, I think - they seem kinda straight-laced most of the time, but when they go crazy, they go really crazy. Americans are up and down all the time.” As opposed to us Irish, who just sort of coast along constantly drunk? She gives a semi-awkward laugh, and I give a darting thought to the three rum and cokes I may or may not have had before the interview.
Best experiences of the tour? “We got to play on a cruise ship! From Norway to Germany. And played in France, in a place called Bar de Luc, in this, like, gazebo. It was like doing theatre or something. It was so perfect - I looked up at one point, and there was a golden butterfly floating past. It was like being in a cartoon. And Berlin was fantastic too - it reminded me of home in Williamsburg back in Brooklyn, a very hip scene to be in. Very international.”
And the worst? “Um. Well, we played these house concerts,” (A series of concerts held in people’s living room across England), “and… We played two and a half.” Two and a half? There’s a story there, surely. “Well…” She shifts in her seat. “They’re great, I love doing them. We played one in Primrose Hill, and I stayed there overnight, and it’s such a great experience. When you’re on a stage, there’s a disconnect with the crowd, but not at a house concert.”
Which is great, but is the opposite of answering the question. “I’m not sure I should say,” she says tactfully. Luckily, tour mate Bianco shares no such discretion, as he later tells the story in full on-stage. It involves a house concert in Bristol, a man who lives aboves a paid parking garage, and some ferrets. That sounds like I’m joking, but I’m not.)
Some background on Amber: she left the weird world of chainsaw sculpture to take up music, wrote a song with Adam Levy called ‘Washing Day’, and won the International Song Contest, as judged by Tom Waits, Brian Wilson and Robert Smith. So that’s pretty huge, huh? “That was so amazing! I always thought entering song contests was sorta lame - who’s judging these things, y’know? But Adam told me we had to enter this one, just because Tom Waits was judging it. We’re such huge fans of his. I mean, Tom Waits heard our song. And liked it.”
So, with her solo work (including the superlative-defying Good Mystery) leaning towards the intimate singer-songwriter style, and her work with Alex Wong in the Paper Raincoat being of a similar low key, does she have any aspirations of being in a full band? “Absolutely, yeah. I’ve worked with full bands up till now, but they’ve sorta been “found musicians”, friends that I knew could play on a song or two. But I’d love to have a band that I could say, yeah, this music is of this band.” I insist that whatever band she gets, they should do what I do when I’m playing at home: add a Slash-in-November-Rain guitar solo to her song ‘Show Your Weakness’. “Ha, yeah, totally. I’m gonna be doing some stuff with a band in Los Angeles this summer, I think. You should join!”
There’s that good humour again.
The first thing that strikes you about Amber Rubarth’s is the good humour and honesty that underlines it - even when she’s singing about broken hearts, she’s incredibly excited that she gets to sing about broken hearts. So how wonderful it was to find that the first thing to strike you about Amber Rubarth in person is her good humour and honesty.
“I’ve been having one of those days where you wake up late, and everything seems later than it really is,” she admits as we walk down London’s Denmark Street, home of the historical 12 Bar Club, where her and Jim Bianco are ending their European tour tonight.
How has the tour been? “It’s been fantastic!” she enthusiastically replies as we sit on a weirdly rigid sofa in a small bar following a surprisingly lengthy search around the uncooperatively café-less area. “We played a bar in Norway, and the crowd was amazing. They’re like the Japanese, I think - they seem kinda straight-laced most of the time, but when they go crazy, they go really crazy. Americans are up and down all the time.” As opposed to us Irish, who just sort of coast along constantly drunk? She gives a semi-awkward laugh, and I give a darting thought to the three rum and cokes I may or may not have had before the interview.
Best experiences of the tour? “We got to play on a cruise ship! From Norway to Germany. And played in France, in a place called Bar de Luc, in this, like, gazebo. It was like doing theatre or something. It was so perfect - I looked up at one point, and there was a golden butterfly floating past. It was like being in a cartoon. And Berlin was fantastic too - it reminded me of home in Williamsburg back in Brooklyn, a very hip scene to be in. Very international.”
And the worst? “Um. Well, we played these house concerts,” (A series of concerts held in people’s living room across England), “and… We played two and a half.” Two and a half? There’s a story there, surely. “Well…” She shifts in her seat. “They’re great, I love doing them. We played one in Primrose Hill, and I stayed there overnight, and it’s such a great experience. When you’re on a stage, there’s a disconnect with the crowd, but not at a house concert.”
Which is great, but is the opposite of answering the question. “I’m not sure I should say,” she says tactfully. Luckily, tour mate Bianco shares no such discretion, as he later tells the story in full on-stage. It involves a house concert in Bristol, a man who lives aboves a paid parking garage, and some ferrets. That sounds like I’m joking, but I’m not.)
Some background on Amber: she left the weird world of chainsaw sculpture to take up music, wrote a song with Adam Levy called ‘Washing Day’, and won the International Song Contest, as judged by Tom Waits, Brian Wilson and Robert Smith. So that’s pretty huge, huh? “That was so amazing! I always thought entering song contests was sorta lame - who’s judging these things, y’know? But Adam told me we had to enter this one, just because Tom Waits was judging it. We’re such huge fans of his. I mean, Tom Waits heard our song. And liked it.”
So, with her solo work (including the superlative-defying Good Mystery) leaning towards the intimate singer-songwriter style, and her work with Alex Wong in the Paper Raincoat being of a similar low key, does she have any aspirations of being in a full band? “Absolutely, yeah. I’ve worked with full bands up till now, but they’ve sorta been “found musicians”, friends that I knew could play on a song or two. But I’d love to have a band that I could say, yeah, this music is of this band.” I insist that whatever band she gets, they should do what I do when I’m playing at home: add a Slash-in-November-Rain guitar solo to her song ‘Show Your Weakness’. “Ha, yeah, totally. I’m gonna be doing some stuff with a band in Los Angeles this summer, I think. You should join!”
There’s that good humour again.
Vampires: It is minimally More Exciting to Believe
Throughout account our circle has had an obsession using the idea of vampires and the gloomy myths that surround them. You can obtain further details here http://artterms.net. Through movies, literature, television and even old folk tradition vampires have captured a lot of awareness inside lowbrow media. Whether there is candor to the myths or not is genuinely further the quiz. Part of the fascination using vampires is the intriguing aspects of the uncharted. With that being said, one of the questions that comes to tend is what closely are vampires and how did they become so lowbrow? The actual idiom "vampire" derives from a number of different chairs with Greek mythology and Slavic legends. One of the most public origins of the word is allied to the Greek word nosophoros, which forcibly translates to "plague shipper."So, now we know the origins of the word itself, but when did vampires really become tradition in their own right? All spanning the world vampires are discussed, acknowledged, and worn as central parts of current and traditional report powerful. While all cultures look to portray vampires in a different illumine, there is one underlying aspect that rest the same. Vampires are a beast considered to be "undead" that rises to draft and consume the blood of other living equipment. For centuries millions of people have told, re-enacted, and swooned over the tradition of vampires. There genuinely seems to be no end in spot.While many leech myths fluctuate depending on who you discourse to, there are some skin that look to be entirely general. first, as mentioned before, vampires treat on the blood of living equipment. A few other public characteristics are the belief that vampires can take the form of bats and wolves. They can fly. They snooze within gloomy coffins at nocturnal. apart from all the tradition, myths, and stories linking to vampires throughout account, there are also entirely a few superstitions that are adept when it comes to protecting manually from the dangers that vampires can convey. One of the most strong tools one can use for protection is a crucifix. The Christian side of this superstition is entirely knowable as it is musing that vampires are undead and thereby allied to the devil himself. There are also stories of how diffusion garlic around your hometown or scattering seeds outdoor could zone off the evil that is possessed inside vampires. While these superstitions are entirely evident throughout literature and leech legends, you many also be amazed at how many people really employ these tactics on a daily base. In candor, there are an countless quantity of opinions, beliefs, and dreams when it comes to the discussion of vampires. Is there genuinely just one factual answer to any corresponding answer? In actuality there isn't. This is closely wherein the attract comes into horseplay using vampires. Do we genuinely want to know the candor? Or is it cleanly more exciting to doubt and let our tend wander? Imagining what could be out there makes leech literature and movies cleanly that greatly more exciting.Caoimhin Collins publishes articles to Art Terms. You can discover further details here
How You Can Play Guitar and Sing Together at the Same Time
Learning how you can accompany yourself on guitar (alternatively known as "singing and playing guitar at the same time") is certainly among the more important goals for a lot of newbie and intermediate guitarists. How awesome is it to be able to sit around with pals at a social occasion and sing all those party hits! It is also a real benefit when starting or auditioning for a band.
Do You Need a Superb Voice to Sing and Play Guitar?
The short response is "No." Naturally, you need to be able to maintain a tune. But being able to sing like some amazing recording musician vocal superstar is just not required! In truth, some of the biggest singer-songwriters ever, like Neil Young or Elliot Smith, haven't got notably awesome voices nor are they especially awesome guitarists. However, boy do they know how to write and perform a tune! It doesn't make any difference whatsoever whether or not you want to just play and sing guitar at social events or you wish to write your own songs for the entire world, don't let an average singing voice prevent you. Singing is one thing that speaks from the heart.
Now, of course, you do need to be able to sing fairly okay-ish, however that's only a matter of training. Take a handful of singing lessons and study all of the basics of how to sing and you will notice your voice strengthens dramatically. Then, determine whether you wish to take your singing even more seriously or if that's sufficient for just singing at the same time as playing guitar.
Take the Song You've Selected and Learn How to Play It
The natural inclination for most newbies is to try to play guitar and sing together right from the get-go. That is really, really not a very good idea. What you might want to do is learn the guitar part first. Only when you've done that, learn how to sing the vocals. After that, put them together.
The first thing you need to do, then, is to decide on a song you want with relatively simple chord progressions and straight-forward chord changes. It does not matter which one. It really doesn't. There are hundreds of straight-forward songs for beginner guitarists. Just something you'll be able to learn how to play the chords to pretty simply, and which you like. Oh, and which doesn't have a super-hard vocal part. No matter what you choose, it needs to be accomplishable. You don't want to spend all this time and then not actually be able to sing the song.
As soon as you've chosen your tune to learn (and you need to solely deal with ONE at a time!), spend as much time as you need and practise till you can play the guitar part without thinking about it. Do not simply focus on your fretting hand, either. Take note of your right hand: the rhythm patterns and your strumming technique. Practise, practise, practise without singing until you've learned how to play the guitar part and built up a sort of "muscle memory," meaning you can play the song without looking at each chord change or slowing down.
Take the Song You've Chosen and Learn How to Sing It
Next is to move on to learning how to sing it. Your first step right here is to commit the lyrics to memory. Do NOT attempt to play guitar and sing together quite yet! Merely study the lyrics and pay attention to how the singer hits particular notes, holds other notes (and the length), and communicates the emotion of the track.
When you have "the vibe" of the tune and you have memorised the lyrics, you will want to record yourself singing along to the music. Sure, the idea of that probably sends shivers down your spine, however the fact is you might want to understand how your voice sounds and the places you require some additional focus and assistance if you are ever planning to play guitar and sing at an event.
Now Put the Singing and Playing Together!
Okay, now it's time to tackle putting together the two halves, playing and singing. be aware of the weird thing that may occur: You will start making mistakes in the chord changes, you may confuse the lyrics, you will stumble on easy parts of the song... All the parts that you had perfectly under control just before, they will now seem hard again. Weird. It will seem hard at first (and, it is not an easy thing to do), as if your hands and your mouth just will not work together!
Take a breath. This is just a small adjustment and by slowing down and practising in a very deliberate and careful fashion, you'll begin to get the hang of it pretty quickly. The risky thing right here is that you might get frustrated and bored. Do NOT give up now and begin playing a new song. Stick with the plan and sooner than you realise you'll find that you can play guitar and sing at the same time!
Do You Need a Superb Voice to Sing and Play Guitar?
The short response is "No." Naturally, you need to be able to maintain a tune. But being able to sing like some amazing recording musician vocal superstar is just not required! In truth, some of the biggest singer-songwriters ever, like Neil Young or Elliot Smith, haven't got notably awesome voices nor are they especially awesome guitarists. However, boy do they know how to write and perform a tune! It doesn't make any difference whatsoever whether or not you want to just play and sing guitar at social events or you wish to write your own songs for the entire world, don't let an average singing voice prevent you. Singing is one thing that speaks from the heart.
Now, of course, you do need to be able to sing fairly okay-ish, however that's only a matter of training. Take a handful of singing lessons and study all of the basics of how to sing and you will notice your voice strengthens dramatically. Then, determine whether you wish to take your singing even more seriously or if that's sufficient for just singing at the same time as playing guitar.
Take the Song You've Selected and Learn How to Play It
The natural inclination for most newbies is to try to play guitar and sing together right from the get-go. That is really, really not a very good idea. What you might want to do is learn the guitar part first. Only when you've done that, learn how to sing the vocals. After that, put them together.
The first thing you need to do, then, is to decide on a song you want with relatively simple chord progressions and straight-forward chord changes. It does not matter which one. It really doesn't. There are hundreds of straight-forward songs for beginner guitarists. Just something you'll be able to learn how to play the chords to pretty simply, and which you like. Oh, and which doesn't have a super-hard vocal part. No matter what you choose, it needs to be accomplishable. You don't want to spend all this time and then not actually be able to sing the song.
As soon as you've chosen your tune to learn (and you need to solely deal with ONE at a time!), spend as much time as you need and practise till you can play the guitar part without thinking about it. Do not simply focus on your fretting hand, either. Take note of your right hand: the rhythm patterns and your strumming technique. Practise, practise, practise without singing until you've learned how to play the guitar part and built up a sort of "muscle memory," meaning you can play the song without looking at each chord change or slowing down.
Take the Song You've Chosen and Learn How to Sing It
Next is to move on to learning how to sing it. Your first step right here is to commit the lyrics to memory. Do NOT attempt to play guitar and sing together quite yet! Merely study the lyrics and pay attention to how the singer hits particular notes, holds other notes (and the length), and communicates the emotion of the track.
When you have "the vibe" of the tune and you have memorised the lyrics, you will want to record yourself singing along to the music. Sure, the idea of that probably sends shivers down your spine, however the fact is you might want to understand how your voice sounds and the places you require some additional focus and assistance if you are ever planning to play guitar and sing at an event.
Now Put the Singing and Playing Together!
Okay, now it's time to tackle putting together the two halves, playing and singing. be aware of the weird thing that may occur: You will start making mistakes in the chord changes, you may confuse the lyrics, you will stumble on easy parts of the song... All the parts that you had perfectly under control just before, they will now seem hard again. Weird. It will seem hard at first (and, it is not an easy thing to do), as if your hands and your mouth just will not work together!
Take a breath. This is just a small adjustment and by slowing down and practising in a very deliberate and careful fashion, you'll begin to get the hang of it pretty quickly. The risky thing right here is that you might get frustrated and bored. Do NOT give up now and begin playing a new song. Stick with the plan and sooner than you realise you'll find that you can play guitar and sing at the same time!
Organising the best hospitality and music at functions
Organising a function, be it a birthday party, a wedding celebration, or a corporate event, is a considerable responsibility, and one for which the following brief tips and advice may be of some initial assistance.
Firstly, there are a few golden hospitality rules to help the function flow smoothly, such as ensuring that the bar serves a fair range of drink options (most guests being perfectly happy to pay for drinks, as long as the bar serves their choice of drink); and organising the manning of the buffet table with servers, to ensure that everybody receives a fair portion of food. Secondly, the choice of musical entertainment
can greatly help turn a function into a truly memorable occasion. More often than not, the musical entertainment option that goes down consistently well is that of a professional live band.
Live bands can of course vary in quality and suitability but the best professional function bands are always in high demand. This is because they are able to tailor their set to the needs of the function organiser, or, in the absence of specific instructions, instinctively gauge the type of music that will coax the guests up on to the dance floor.
Soul bands in particular find themselves at the top of the list for functions purely because they capture what most guests consider to be the ideal in popular dance music. Moreover, the best soul bands remain faithful to the traditions of quality instrumentation and strong, harmonised vocal lines with which most audiences associate classic soul, r & b, and dance music. As such they become a viewing spectacular as well as a powerful musical force.
At London Soul we have extensive experience of providing live bands for a wide range of functions, both corporate and private, and we are of course happy to meet any special requests.
The Article is written by london-soul.com/ providing function bands and soul bands Services. Visit http://www.london-soul.com/ for more information on london-soul.com/Products & Services. Visit london-soul.com/ for more services!
Firstly, there are a few golden hospitality rules to help the function flow smoothly, such as ensuring that the bar serves a fair range of drink options (most guests being perfectly happy to pay for drinks, as long as the bar serves their choice of drink); and organising the manning of the buffet table with servers, to ensure that everybody receives a fair portion of food. Secondly, the choice of musical entertainment
can greatly help turn a function into a truly memorable occasion. More often than not, the musical entertainment option that goes down consistently well is that of a professional live band.
Live bands can of course vary in quality and suitability but the best professional function bands are always in high demand. This is because they are able to tailor their set to the needs of the function organiser, or, in the absence of specific instructions, instinctively gauge the type of music that will coax the guests up on to the dance floor.
Soul bands in particular find themselves at the top of the list for functions purely because they capture what most guests consider to be the ideal in popular dance music. Moreover, the best soul bands remain faithful to the traditions of quality instrumentation and strong, harmonised vocal lines with which most audiences associate classic soul, r & b, and dance music. As such they become a viewing spectacular as well as a powerful musical force.
At London Soul we have extensive experience of providing live bands for a wide range of functions, both corporate and private, and we are of course happy to meet any special requests.
The Article is written by london-soul.com/ providing function bands and soul bands Services. Visit http://www.london-soul.com/ for more information on london-soul.com/Products & Services. Visit london-soul.com/ for more services!
Rock Guitar And You
Some will argue that the basic element of Rock ‘n Roll is the guitar, others, that it’s the beat, and others still, that it’s in the attitude. While, all of these views have merit, the truth is, it’s none of them. Rock is a mixture of all of the three combined. Without one, it just falls apart. There are however, some keys to look for when deciding on a guitar for rock.
The guitar, in Rock ‘n Roll, is the voice. Not the voice of the lead singer
, that’s more of the attitude, but the voice or sound of the band, the feel, the pain or joy that’s in the song. Even if it’s a hard, driving, overloaded song style like thrash metal or punk rock, you still have to be able to play the chords clearly and purely, otherwise, it just sounds like mud. Make sure that the ‘action’, or the distance between the frets and the stings is not too high that your fingers get in the way of the strings, but yet, not so low that the strings are practically touching the tops of the frets. You want to find the right balance for your play style also. If you’re a soloist, and like to play high up on the neck of the guitar, ripping off to wicked solos and crazy riffs, then you’ll want the action on the strings to be very low, lower than normal, so you can get the note down, and move on, as fast as possible. But if you’re more in the background, or only play some mid-neck runs or chords, then you’re probably okay with a standard action. The difference, is that standard action settings, can sometimes get the strings higher away from the fret board the higher up the neck you go. If you’re playing mid-neck or basic chords, then it shouldn’t matter.
Don’t be afraid of the whammy (tremolli) bar. It’s there for a reason. Technically, it shortens the distance between the base of the strings in the body of the guitar, and the neck, therefore, throwing all the notes down a half-step or more, depending on how far down you press it. By practicing with the bar, you can usually get some pretty wild effects going with just your standard scales and the proper use of the bar.
Some Bars, bend backwards also, this, lengthens the distance to the neck and can make the notes go higher by a half-step or more. Although technically, it’s no different than pushing the bar lower, you are increasing the tension on the strings, and increasing the likely hood of a string breaking. They should be okay, but just make sure not to bend it up too far all at once. Strings can get expensive.
When stringing the guitar, or putting new strings on, if you have time, change all the strings at once, this is usually more cost effective. But don’t use old strings that you have taken off of another guitar, once they have been used, chuck them. After you’ve re-strung the guitar, tighten the strings until their tight, but not yet in tune, because if you tune new strings, they will fall out of tune even faster. Put just enough tension on them to make them stretch a bit. Then leave them for at least one night. The next day, you’ll notice that the strings are much looser than when you left it. The strings stretch, that’s what gives them their lifespan. Once the strings have stretched, then you can tighten them to tuning. Over the next couple of sessions you may notice that the guitar goes out of tune faster, that’s just more of the stretch. It’s just the breaking in period. And nothing to be concerned about.
The rest, is just practice and fancy moves. Don’t be afraid to push the guitar to it’s limits, and in turn, the guitar will push you back. Push your limits, that’s the only way to grow. The rewards are well worth it.
The guitar, in Rock ‘n Roll, is the voice. Not the voice of the lead singer
, that’s more of the attitude, but the voice or sound of the band, the feel, the pain or joy that’s in the song. Even if it’s a hard, driving, overloaded song style like thrash metal or punk rock, you still have to be able to play the chords clearly and purely, otherwise, it just sounds like mud. Make sure that the ‘action’, or the distance between the frets and the stings is not too high that your fingers get in the way of the strings, but yet, not so low that the strings are practically touching the tops of the frets. You want to find the right balance for your play style also. If you’re a soloist, and like to play high up on the neck of the guitar, ripping off to wicked solos and crazy riffs, then you’ll want the action on the strings to be very low, lower than normal, so you can get the note down, and move on, as fast as possible. But if you’re more in the background, or only play some mid-neck runs or chords, then you’re probably okay with a standard action. The difference, is that standard action settings, can sometimes get the strings higher away from the fret board the higher up the neck you go. If you’re playing mid-neck or basic chords, then it shouldn’t matter.
Don’t be afraid of the whammy (tremolli) bar. It’s there for a reason. Technically, it shortens the distance between the base of the strings in the body of the guitar, and the neck, therefore, throwing all the notes down a half-step or more, depending on how far down you press it. By practicing with the bar, you can usually get some pretty wild effects going with just your standard scales and the proper use of the bar.
Some Bars, bend backwards also, this, lengthens the distance to the neck and can make the notes go higher by a half-step or more. Although technically, it’s no different than pushing the bar lower, you are increasing the tension on the strings, and increasing the likely hood of a string breaking. They should be okay, but just make sure not to bend it up too far all at once. Strings can get expensive.
When stringing the guitar, or putting new strings on, if you have time, change all the strings at once, this is usually more cost effective. But don’t use old strings that you have taken off of another guitar, once they have been used, chuck them. After you’ve re-strung the guitar, tighten the strings until their tight, but not yet in tune, because if you tune new strings, they will fall out of tune even faster. Put just enough tension on them to make them stretch a bit. Then leave them for at least one night. The next day, you’ll notice that the strings are much looser than when you left it. The strings stretch, that’s what gives them their lifespan. Once the strings have stretched, then you can tighten them to tuning. Over the next couple of sessions you may notice that the guitar goes out of tune faster, that’s just more of the stretch. It’s just the breaking in period. And nothing to be concerned about.
The rest, is just practice and fancy moves. Don’t be afraid to push the guitar to it’s limits, and in turn, the guitar will push you back. Push your limits, that’s the only way to grow. The rewards are well worth it.
Music
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Music
The subject area of music is both an interesting one and large one. It could focus around a certain genre, learning to play an instrument or how to mix and produce your own music. There is a lot to learn when it comes to these areas of music as well as many more areas concerned with the subject of music. To help you understand and find out about various things concerned with music have a browse through our music based articles here at Article Alley. All of these articles are free for you to use so take advantage of what we have to offer to you and remember our database of articles is updated on a daily basis so you will always be presented with fresh new content to look over. Also if you write music articles why not submit them to us? Here at Article Alley our database is yours to use as you want and need so start using it today.
Music
The subject area of music is both an interesting one and large one. It could focus around a certain genre, learning to play an instrument or how to mix and produce your own music. There is a lot to learn when it comes to these areas of music as well as many more areas concerned with the subject of music. To help you understand and find out about various things concerned with music have a browse through our music based articles here at Article Alley. All of these articles are free for you to use so take advantage of what we have to offer to you and remember our database of articles is updated on a daily basis so you will always be presented with fresh new content to look over. Also if you write music articles why not submit them to us? Here at Article Alley our database is yours to use as you want and need so start using it today.
Fans in NY, LA, elsewhere remember Michael Jackson
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As the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's death drew near, Julia Thomas clutched her "Thriller" liner notes and stood outside the Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, Calif., the final resting place for the King of Pop, with about two dozen other fans.
"Michael has just always been a part of my life," the 40-year-old Thomas, who has a tattoo of Jackson's dancing feet on her left wrist, said Thursday night. "I'm just hoping to embrace the fans from everywhere."
Barricades were already set up at the Los Angeles-area cemetery for the huge throng of fans and some of Jackson's family members expected to arrive on Friday, which marks a year since Jackson died at age 50. Five large wreaths of flowers and dozens of bouquets, drawings and photos of Jackson had been placed outside his private mausoleum.
Evdokia Sofianou, 46, and her 9-year-old daughter, Rebecca, traveled from Athens, Greece, to pay their respects.
"I came because I love Michael very much," Sofianou said. "I came to grieve."
Forest Lawn was to be just one of the many places around the world where Jackson's fans would gather to remember their fallen legend on Friday. But not everyone planned to be grieving.
On Friday, DJ Jon Quick was to spin Jackson tunes at the club Taj in Manhattan for a festive affair.
"They wanna celebrate his life and music," Quick said of the expected partygoers. "His albums are like timelines in your life. You can remember what you were doing ... when 'Thriller' came out."
Some anniversary events began even before Friday. In London, a memorial was unveiled Thursday to a gaggle of press who packed the foyer of the Lyric Theatre, the site of an impromptu wake following the pop superstar's death last year.
Perri Luc Kiely, 14, a member of the dance troupe Diversity, pulled back a pair of dark purple curtains to reveal a small plaque featuring a young Jackson with a wide, beaming smile.
In Hong Kong, Jackson imitators performed to the late singer's classics at a suburban mall Thursday. Four-year-old Wang Yiming danced to "Dangerous" wearing Jackson's trademark black fedora hat, a black suit with a silver armband and white socks.
In Gary, Ind., Jackson's hometown, there was to be a tribute at the family home; city officials said they expected Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and his niece Genevieve Jackson to show up, along with thousands of others.
But his brother Randy Jackson was hoping to make the official family commemoration at Forest Lawn on Friday morning.
"My family and I will be in attendance as we mourn the loss of my brother," he said in a statement Thursday. "I would like to thank the fans and friends for their continued love, support and prayers."
Katherine Jackson has thrown her support behind a "Forever Michael" fan event to be held Saturday at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. Tickets range from $150 to $500.
The Apollo Theater in Harlem, where a young Michael Jackson and his brothers won amateur night, on Friday was to host a commemoration of Jackson's life in front of the recently installed plaque honoring him in the legendary theater's new hall of fame.
And later in the afternoon in Harlem, around the hour of Jackson's death, the Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network were to hold a moment of silence.
Sharpton, a longtime associate of Jackson and his family, gave impassioned remarks at Jackson's televised memorial last July and said he thought a moment of silence was appropriate to show "the sanctity of the hour."
"He meant a lot to us of all races in terms of bringing us together in another kind of spirit," Sharpton said. "I wanted to make sure that we showed that in the middle of all this that is going on in the world that Michael is someone that we would all stop for ... . He was more than just a singer, he was a social force and a sense of inspiration."
___
Editors: AP Entertainment Writers Anthony McCartney and Min Lee and AP writer Andrew Khouri contributed to this report.
As the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's death drew near, Julia Thomas clutched her "Thriller" liner notes and stood outside the Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, Calif., the final resting place for the King of Pop, with about two dozen other fans.
"Michael has just always been a part of my life," the 40-year-old Thomas, who has a tattoo of Jackson's dancing feet on her left wrist, said Thursday night. "I'm just hoping to embrace the fans from everywhere."
Barricades were already set up at the Los Angeles-area cemetery for the huge throng of fans and some of Jackson's family members expected to arrive on Friday, which marks a year since Jackson died at age 50. Five large wreaths of flowers and dozens of bouquets, drawings and photos of Jackson had been placed outside his private mausoleum.
Evdokia Sofianou, 46, and her 9-year-old daughter, Rebecca, traveled from Athens, Greece, to pay their respects.
"I came because I love Michael very much," Sofianou said. "I came to grieve."
Forest Lawn was to be just one of the many places around the world where Jackson's fans would gather to remember their fallen legend on Friday. But not everyone planned to be grieving.
On Friday, DJ Jon Quick was to spin Jackson tunes at the club Taj in Manhattan for a festive affair.
"They wanna celebrate his life and music," Quick said of the expected partygoers. "His albums are like timelines in your life. You can remember what you were doing ... when 'Thriller' came out."
Some anniversary events began even before Friday. In London, a memorial was unveiled Thursday to a gaggle of press who packed the foyer of the Lyric Theatre, the site of an impromptu wake following the pop superstar's death last year.
Perri Luc Kiely, 14, a member of the dance troupe Diversity, pulled back a pair of dark purple curtains to reveal a small plaque featuring a young Jackson with a wide, beaming smile.
In Hong Kong, Jackson imitators performed to the late singer's classics at a suburban mall Thursday. Four-year-old Wang Yiming danced to "Dangerous" wearing Jackson's trademark black fedora hat, a black suit with a silver armband and white socks.
In Gary, Ind., Jackson's hometown, there was to be a tribute at the family home; city officials said they expected Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and his niece Genevieve Jackson to show up, along with thousands of others.
But his brother Randy Jackson was hoping to make the official family commemoration at Forest Lawn on Friday morning.
"My family and I will be in attendance as we mourn the loss of my brother," he said in a statement Thursday. "I would like to thank the fans and friends for their continued love, support and prayers."
Katherine Jackson has thrown her support behind a "Forever Michael" fan event to be held Saturday at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. Tickets range from $150 to $500.
The Apollo Theater in Harlem, where a young Michael Jackson and his brothers won amateur night, on Friday was to host a commemoration of Jackson's life in front of the recently installed plaque honoring him in the legendary theater's new hall of fame.
And later in the afternoon in Harlem, around the hour of Jackson's death, the Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network were to hold a moment of silence.
Sharpton, a longtime associate of Jackson and his family, gave impassioned remarks at Jackson's televised memorial last July and said he thought a moment of silence was appropriate to show "the sanctity of the hour."
"He meant a lot to us of all races in terms of bringing us together in another kind of spirit," Sharpton said. "I wanted to make sure that we showed that in the middle of all this that is going on in the world that Michael is someone that we would all stop for ... . He was more than just a singer, he was a social force and a sense of inspiration."
___
Editors: AP Entertainment Writers Anthony McCartney and Min Lee and AP writer Andrew Khouri contributed to this report.
Indian Music Directors - AR RAHMAN
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Allah Rakha Rahman known as AR Rahman is one of India's most popular music directors. He was born in 1966 in Chennai (Madras).
AR Rahman's original name was A.S.Dileep Kumar. Rahman started learning piano at the age of four. At the age of 9 Rahman's father passed away following mysterious illness. At the age of 11 Rahman joined Ilayaraja's troup as a keyboard player. He then composed some jingles for Advertisements and from there he got an offer for the film ROJA directed by Mani Ratnam. He has composed 100's of songs for films which got good reputation to Rahman in India and other countries.
AR Rahman has worked with many reputed music directors and composers in South and North India and Abroad.
Some of the movie names and advertisements for which AR Rahman has composed music and prestigious awards he bagged for best music direction are listed below.
Movies of AR Rahman
- Padmavyuham
- Roja (1993)
- Gentleman (1994)
- Donga Donga
- Premikudu (1995)
- Mr. Romeo
- Duet
- Indu
- Muthu
- Love Birds
- Rangeela (1995)
- Bombay (1996)
- Prema Desam (1997)
- Iddaru
- Merupu Kalalu
- Palnati Paurusham
- Super Police
- The Earth
- Rakshakudu
- Gang Master
- Jodi
- Bharateeyudu
- Dil se
- Jeans
- Sakhi
- Premikula Roju
- Priyuralu Pilichindi
- Taal
- Pukar
- Rhythm
- Oke Okkadu
- Zubeida
- Lagaan (2001)
- Hum se Hai Muqabla (1995)
- Hindustani (1996)
- Daud (1997)
- Sapney (1997)
- Vishwa Vidhata (1997)
- Dil Se (1998)
- Doli Sajake Rakhna (1998)
- Fire (1998) - Kabhi Na Kabhi (1998)
- 1947 Earth (1999) - Taal (1999)
- Takshak (1999)
- Dil Hi Dil Mein (2000)
- Pukar (2000)
- Nayak (2001)
- One Two Ka Four (2001)
- Zubeidaa (2001)
- Saathiya (2002)
- The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)
- Tehzeeb (2003)
- Meenaxi (2004)
- Yuva (2004)
Advertisements composed by AR Rahman
- Parry's
- Boost
- Titan Watches
- Hero Puch
- Asian Paints
Awards to AR Rahman
- Padmasri award from Government of India
- Madras Telugu Academy Award
- Malaysian Award
- Rajiv Gandhi Award
- R D Burman Award
and lot more.
Allah Rakha Rahman known as AR Rahman is one of India's most popular music directors. He was born in 1966 in Chennai (Madras).
AR Rahman's original name was A.S.Dileep Kumar. Rahman started learning piano at the age of four. At the age of 9 Rahman's father passed away following mysterious illness. At the age of 11 Rahman joined Ilayaraja's troup as a keyboard player. He then composed some jingles for Advertisements and from there he got an offer for the film ROJA directed by Mani Ratnam. He has composed 100's of songs for films which got good reputation to Rahman in India and other countries.
AR Rahman has worked with many reputed music directors and composers in South and North India and Abroad.
Some of the movie names and advertisements for which AR Rahman has composed music and prestigious awards he bagged for best music direction are listed below.
Movies of AR Rahman
- Padmavyuham
- Roja (1993)
- Gentleman (1994)
- Donga Donga
- Premikudu (1995)
- Mr. Romeo
- Duet
- Indu
- Muthu
- Love Birds
- Rangeela (1995)
- Bombay (1996)
- Prema Desam (1997)
- Iddaru
- Merupu Kalalu
- Palnati Paurusham
- Super Police
- The Earth
- Rakshakudu
- Gang Master
- Jodi
- Bharateeyudu
- Dil se
- Jeans
- Sakhi
- Premikula Roju
- Priyuralu Pilichindi
- Taal
- Pukar
- Rhythm
- Oke Okkadu
- Zubeida
- Lagaan (2001)
- Hum se Hai Muqabla (1995)
- Hindustani (1996)
- Daud (1997)
- Sapney (1997)
- Vishwa Vidhata (1997)
- Dil Se (1998)
- Doli Sajake Rakhna (1998)
- Fire (1998) - Kabhi Na Kabhi (1998)
- 1947 Earth (1999) - Taal (1999)
- Takshak (1999)
- Dil Hi Dil Mein (2000)
- Pukar (2000)
- Nayak (2001)
- One Two Ka Four (2001)
- Zubeidaa (2001)
- Saathiya (2002)
- The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)
- Tehzeeb (2003)
- Meenaxi (2004)
- Yuva (2004)
Advertisements composed by AR Rahman
- Parry's
- Boost
- Titan Watches
- Hero Puch
- Asian Paints
Awards to AR Rahman
- Padmasri award from Government of India
- Madras Telugu Academy Award
- Malaysian Award
- Rajiv Gandhi Award
- R D Burman Award
and lot more.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Dubai Tourism: IXS
Tourism in Dubai is an important part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign dollars into the emirate. Besides shopping,Dubai has many wonderful ancient and modern attractions that are luring the tourists from all over the world.
Out of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates, Dubai is the most populous one.It is not an Oil rich state. It revenues from oil account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. This aspect makes Dubai distinct from other members of the UAE. A majority of the emirate's revenues is from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) and now, increasingly, from tourism.
The location of Dubai is of great importance. It is located at the cross-roads of Europe, Asia and Africa and is easily accessible to these regions.Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai. More than 80 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 130 destinations. This air schedule makes Dubai Internaional Airport one of the worlds busiest airport. Dubai is also the home base of Emirates Airline. It is the international airline of the UAE. It successfully operates scheduled services to more than 80 destinations.
Most of the travelers require a visit visa to enter Dubai. However, the facility of Entry Permit is provided to the citizens and some residents of Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and citizens of a number of states in Europe in elsewhere. The entry permit is stamped in their passport upon arrival and it has validity period of 90 days. Visitors from other nationalities require the sponsorship of any U.A.E. resident or any company or hotel licensed to operate within the U.A.E. and its validity period is 30-day stay. It is important to note here that nationals of Israel are not allowed to enter the U.A.E.
Dubai has earned the reputation of "shopping capital of the Middle East." The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Dubai is also known for its souk districts. Souk is the Arabic word for market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. Traditionally, Sailing vessels from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargos and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Dubai's most atmospheric shopping is to be found in the souks and these souk are located on either side of the creek.
Modern shopping malls and boutiques are also found in the city. Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport has a great attraction for the International tourists. It offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using Dubai International Airport. While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets may operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation as a way of life
The Dubai Shopping festival is another great event that attracts millions of visitors every year. This month-long festival held during month of January each year, During the festival the entire emirate becomes one massive shopping mall. Additionally, the festival brings together music shows, art exhibitions, and folk dances that lure the tourists from all parts of the world.
The old culture of Dubai is also an attraction for the tourists. Aspects of Dubai's old culture can be found by visiting places around the creek, which splits Dubai into two halves, Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provides the main flavor of the old city. Heritage Village offers a simulacrum of old Dubai. The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits on pearl diving and fishing. The Diving Village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire Shindagha area into a cultural city, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.Other attractions include the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House; the Dubai Museum in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1799; and the Heritage Village of Hatta, situated 115 kilometers southeast of Dubai City in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains.
Tourism is important component of Dubai economic progress. This is because Tourism needs good infrastructure such as roads, airports, hotels, apartments and man made attractions. Tourism is important component of Dubai economic diversification drive towards non oil economic growth. The number of tourists visiting Dubai is projected to reach 15 million by the year 2010.
For more information about Dubai Tourism visit: http://united-arab-emirates.ixs.net/travel/dubai-tourism/index.aspx
Out of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates, Dubai is the most populous one.It is not an Oil rich state. It revenues from oil account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. This aspect makes Dubai distinct from other members of the UAE. A majority of the emirate's revenues is from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) and now, increasingly, from tourism.
The location of Dubai is of great importance. It is located at the cross-roads of Europe, Asia and Africa and is easily accessible to these regions.Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai. More than 80 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 130 destinations. This air schedule makes Dubai Internaional Airport one of the worlds busiest airport. Dubai is also the home base of Emirates Airline. It is the international airline of the UAE. It successfully operates scheduled services to more than 80 destinations.
Most of the travelers require a visit visa to enter Dubai. However, the facility of Entry Permit is provided to the citizens and some residents of Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and citizens of a number of states in Europe in elsewhere. The entry permit is stamped in their passport upon arrival and it has validity period of 90 days. Visitors from other nationalities require the sponsorship of any U.A.E. resident or any company or hotel licensed to operate within the U.A.E. and its validity period is 30-day stay. It is important to note here that nationals of Israel are not allowed to enter the U.A.E.
Dubai has earned the reputation of "shopping capital of the Middle East." The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Dubai is also known for its souk districts. Souk is the Arabic word for market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. Traditionally, Sailing vessels from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargos and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Dubai's most atmospheric shopping is to be found in the souks and these souk are located on either side of the creek.
Modern shopping malls and boutiques are also found in the city. Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport has a great attraction for the International tourists. It offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using Dubai International Airport. While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets may operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation as a way of life
The Dubai Shopping festival is another great event that attracts millions of visitors every year. This month-long festival held during month of January each year, During the festival the entire emirate becomes one massive shopping mall. Additionally, the festival brings together music shows, art exhibitions, and folk dances that lure the tourists from all parts of the world.
The old culture of Dubai is also an attraction for the tourists. Aspects of Dubai's old culture can be found by visiting places around the creek, which splits Dubai into two halves, Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provides the main flavor of the old city. Heritage Village offers a simulacrum of old Dubai. The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits on pearl diving and fishing. The Diving Village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire Shindagha area into a cultural city, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.Other attractions include the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House; the Dubai Museum in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1799; and the Heritage Village of Hatta, situated 115 kilometers southeast of Dubai City in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains.
Tourism is important component of Dubai economic progress. This is because Tourism needs good infrastructure such as roads, airports, hotels, apartments and man made attractions. Tourism is important component of Dubai economic diversification drive towards non oil economic growth. The number of tourists visiting Dubai is projected to reach 15 million by the year 2010.
For more information about Dubai Tourism visit: http://united-arab-emirates.ixs.net/travel/dubai-tourism/index.aspx
Top 10 attractions and activities in Bangkok
Visiting Bangkok soon? There’s plenty more to this city than traffic congestion and massage parlours. In fact this happening Asian city is one of the region’s most visited and offers up a host of great value and culturally rich experiences. Here are 10 of my favourite recommendations for spending a few days in the Thailand capital.
1. Jim Thompson’s House
This stunning teak house, now a museum, was built by silk industry legend Jim Thompson. A colourful American character, he made his home in Thailand after developing a love for the country and its people when he was stationed here during WWII. Before his mysterious disappearance in the late 1960s, he had completed this magical home and successfully revived Thailand’s silk industry. Visitors can tour the house that was once the talk of the town, see some of his personal belongings and read allegations about what happened on his fateful vacation to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.
2. Patpong
While this red light district attracts plenty of sex tourists who come for just one thing, it has a wide appeal to many types of tourist. Aside from the rows of go-go bars offering a menu of delights, there are lots of regular cafés that make for great people-watching. Shoppers will want to hit the night market which sells everything from cheap CDs and watches to fake designer handbags. You may be accosted by bar touts while you are browsing, but most of them are not too persistent and there is a friendly, harmless atmosphere. If you don’t want to spend your night watching naked ladies dancing, there are many nightclubs and live music venues that do not provide any ‘extra’ services.
3. Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
While the Grand Palace is little used by royalty today, its adjacent neighbour, Wat Phra Kaew, is probably the most visited temple in the country and certainly a must-visit on any break to Bangkok. Housing the Emerald Buddha statue and some intricate murals, the temple is the site of many significant Buddhist religious ceremonies. Visitors must cover their legs and arms before they will be allowed entry, so make sure you dress appropriately.
4. Wat Arun
This temple was most significant during the height of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, but it experienced a fall in visitors after the capital was moved down the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok’s current location. Having experienced a revival, the temple is once again one of the most visited in the country, and sits nestled between six Chinese-style pavilions on the riverbank. Its most unusual feature is its Khmer-style tower which has depictions of Chinese soldiers and animals as well as a statue of the Indian god Indra. The tiny pieces of cut glass and seashells used to adorn the tower glisten in the sun. The temple was briefly home to the Emerald Buddha statue before it was moved to Wat Phra Kaew.
5. Shopping
Bangkok’s latest glitzy addition to its super-malls is Siam Paragon, a designer lover’s paradise, with every outlet from Gucci to Louis Vuitton represented. But if your budget doesn’t allow for such luxury, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives. Siam Paragon’s neighbour, Siam Discover Centre has a popular bookshop and some home decorating outlets, while nearby Siam Square has a number of specialist boutiques mainly selling clothing and music. Within walking distance is MBK, a vast mall with hundreds of shops and bargains. The cheapest deals however can be found at Pratuman Market, where the biggest problem you will have afterwards will not be your bank balance, it will be getting all your purchases home.
6. Khao San Road
This backpacker’s mecca has been popular with travellers for decades and provides a lively, if noisy, atmosphere for those passing through the capital. Lined with cheap guesthouses, restaurants and bars, visitors can shop here by day and party here by night. It is also a good place to shop for hippy-style clothes, jewellery and CDs, while dozens of travel agents offer inexpensive tickets to onward destinations. If you want to meet other fellow travellers, this is the place.
7. Chatuchak Market
This vast weekend market is a day out in itself. Get here early and make your way through the little alleys, picking up bargains along the way. By afternoon, the markets gets very crowded and expect to be pushed, shoved and tugged at as you hot-foot it around. But if the heat and crowds get too much, rest up at one of the inexpensive food stalls before a second round. With everything from puppies to books and plants to clothing, whatever you are looking for, you are guaranteed to find it here. Be careful you don’t loose your friends as you shop; it’s easy to get lost here!
8. Muay Thai Boxing
This martial art is passionately followed by Thais who like nothing more than to watch two opponents battle it out with lethal swings and crushing kicks. While at first this may not seem like the ideal way to spend you evening, the electric crowds and charged atmosphere is contagious, making for a great night out. Tickets are sold in three tiers, depending how close you want to be, and fights are held almost nightly. Lumphini and Ratchadamnoen stadiums are the most popular venues and tickets can be bought on the door.
9. Lumpini Park
Bangkok is a busy city and if you find yourself in need of tranquility, you won’t have far to go. Lumpini Park lies at the heart of the city, and is an oasis of calm. Visitors can paddle their way around the lake and its canals on a rented peddle-boat, or alternatively lounge in the shade of palm trees. There are also a few architectural attractions within the park including a Chinese-style clock tower, Thai Lanna and Chinese pavilions, a variety of sculptures, a children’s play park and a rest area.
10. Dreamworld
If you think Bangkok sightseeing is all about ancient temples and palaces, you are wrong! This exciting adventure theme park is a break from tradition and is the ideal daytrip for those with children. Alongside heart-stopping roller coasters, there are relaxing theme gardens, replicas of famous landmarks, live shows and performances and even a cable car. Easily accessible by public transport or by car, the park is conveniently situated within proximity of the city centre.
1. Jim Thompson’s House
This stunning teak house, now a museum, was built by silk industry legend Jim Thompson. A colourful American character, he made his home in Thailand after developing a love for the country and its people when he was stationed here during WWII. Before his mysterious disappearance in the late 1960s, he had completed this magical home and successfully revived Thailand’s silk industry. Visitors can tour the house that was once the talk of the town, see some of his personal belongings and read allegations about what happened on his fateful vacation to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.
2. Patpong
While this red light district attracts plenty of sex tourists who come for just one thing, it has a wide appeal to many types of tourist. Aside from the rows of go-go bars offering a menu of delights, there are lots of regular cafés that make for great people-watching. Shoppers will want to hit the night market which sells everything from cheap CDs and watches to fake designer handbags. You may be accosted by bar touts while you are browsing, but most of them are not too persistent and there is a friendly, harmless atmosphere. If you don’t want to spend your night watching naked ladies dancing, there are many nightclubs and live music venues that do not provide any ‘extra’ services.
3. Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
While the Grand Palace is little used by royalty today, its adjacent neighbour, Wat Phra Kaew, is probably the most visited temple in the country and certainly a must-visit on any break to Bangkok. Housing the Emerald Buddha statue and some intricate murals, the temple is the site of many significant Buddhist religious ceremonies. Visitors must cover their legs and arms before they will be allowed entry, so make sure you dress appropriately.
4. Wat Arun
This temple was most significant during the height of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, but it experienced a fall in visitors after the capital was moved down the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok’s current location. Having experienced a revival, the temple is once again one of the most visited in the country, and sits nestled between six Chinese-style pavilions on the riverbank. Its most unusual feature is its Khmer-style tower which has depictions of Chinese soldiers and animals as well as a statue of the Indian god Indra. The tiny pieces of cut glass and seashells used to adorn the tower glisten in the sun. The temple was briefly home to the Emerald Buddha statue before it was moved to Wat Phra Kaew.
5. Shopping
Bangkok’s latest glitzy addition to its super-malls is Siam Paragon, a designer lover’s paradise, with every outlet from Gucci to Louis Vuitton represented. But if your budget doesn’t allow for such luxury, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives. Siam Paragon’s neighbour, Siam Discover Centre has a popular bookshop and some home decorating outlets, while nearby Siam Square has a number of specialist boutiques mainly selling clothing and music. Within walking distance is MBK, a vast mall with hundreds of shops and bargains. The cheapest deals however can be found at Pratuman Market, where the biggest problem you will have afterwards will not be your bank balance, it will be getting all your purchases home.
6. Khao San Road
This backpacker’s mecca has been popular with travellers for decades and provides a lively, if noisy, atmosphere for those passing through the capital. Lined with cheap guesthouses, restaurants and bars, visitors can shop here by day and party here by night. It is also a good place to shop for hippy-style clothes, jewellery and CDs, while dozens of travel agents offer inexpensive tickets to onward destinations. If you want to meet other fellow travellers, this is the place.
7. Chatuchak Market
This vast weekend market is a day out in itself. Get here early and make your way through the little alleys, picking up bargains along the way. By afternoon, the markets gets very crowded and expect to be pushed, shoved and tugged at as you hot-foot it around. But if the heat and crowds get too much, rest up at one of the inexpensive food stalls before a second round. With everything from puppies to books and plants to clothing, whatever you are looking for, you are guaranteed to find it here. Be careful you don’t loose your friends as you shop; it’s easy to get lost here!
8. Muay Thai Boxing
This martial art is passionately followed by Thais who like nothing more than to watch two opponents battle it out with lethal swings and crushing kicks. While at first this may not seem like the ideal way to spend you evening, the electric crowds and charged atmosphere is contagious, making for a great night out. Tickets are sold in three tiers, depending how close you want to be, and fights are held almost nightly. Lumphini and Ratchadamnoen stadiums are the most popular venues and tickets can be bought on the door.
9. Lumpini Park
Bangkok is a busy city and if you find yourself in need of tranquility, you won’t have far to go. Lumpini Park lies at the heart of the city, and is an oasis of calm. Visitors can paddle their way around the lake and its canals on a rented peddle-boat, or alternatively lounge in the shade of palm trees. There are also a few architectural attractions within the park including a Chinese-style clock tower, Thai Lanna and Chinese pavilions, a variety of sculptures, a children’s play park and a rest area.
10. Dreamworld
If you think Bangkok sightseeing is all about ancient temples and palaces, you are wrong! This exciting adventure theme park is a break from tradition and is the ideal daytrip for those with children. Alongside heart-stopping roller coasters, there are relaxing theme gardens, replicas of famous landmarks, live shows and performances and even a cable car. Easily accessible by public transport or by car, the park is conveniently situated within proximity of the city centre.
Should You Get Your Mastering Done by a Professional
If you are reading this then hopefully the question of "Should I get my Sound Mastered" has been answered. If not, then this article will briefly discuss this issue. If you are asking this question to begin with, then your answer is more than likely "yes". Mastering is just as important as your recording and mixing process. Here is a question? Your music is recorded, did you mix it yet? If yes, why? Is it because you wanted it to sound better? Well, what if I told you that the improvement you made from the recording to the mixing is the same type of improvement you will hear from the mixing to the mastering process. Yes, you heard it correct. Your sound will be so much harder and crisper you and your buddies will all be amazed.
Now, you are convinced to get your music mastered, but the professional part has not been talked about. Well, let us discuss that issue right now. Let me paint a picture for you. You are 55 years old and worked on a great job all your life. You have 2 beautiful grown kids and 4 grandkids. You and your spouse are making a huge decision today about the rest of your lives. You are deciding to retire after 30 years service from your company. Now, your goal is to live off your 1 Million dollar nest egg you have built up over the past 30 years. That may seem like a lot of money, but consider the fact that you are used to living off of $60,000 per year. Being as smart as you are, you calculate the math and realize if you put that money in your bank or try to play the stock market, your savings may only last for 16 years. That means when you are 55 years young, you are out of money. Not to mention, inflation. So, is this picture clear enough for you? My question to you is, would you rather gamble with your life savings and be a do it yourself member in the market, or would you rather give this problem to a professional and have them fix it? Do you know anything about beta, dollar cost averaging, rebalancing? Can you see the importance of getting a professional? If you answered yes for a professional, then you are on the right track. If not, then best of luck in your musical journey.
Think about your music in the same way. If you do not get it mastered by a professional and you are as serious about it as you think you are, then you are potentially flushing your money down the toilet. You are an artist and are probably good at what you do or you would not be reading this. Mastering engineers are just like you, good at what they do. They would not pick up an instrument and try to show you how to play your song. Their expertise is in the studio making your music sound even more hard and crispclear. Use them, that is what they do and that is what makes them so valuable. Have I made my point yet?
Not many people are fortunate enough to have an audio engineer that can mix and master at the same time, but if you are, then a straight transfer might do fine. If not, you need to consider getting your audio mastered by a professional. Some facilities do their mastering in house and some studios have to send it off.
Usually a lot can be done to improve the mixes. There is a huge demand in this market. Now, if you're reading this, then you are probably wanting your disc to be competitive in-store play, homes of consumers, and in radio markets, it has to be perfect sonically. Think of it like a brand new car -without a good wash and wax, few people will appreciate how great it looks. Also, since the mixes were recorded at different times of day over a week or more, you end up with differences in level and tone. Mastering creates a seamless whole out of a collection of individual tracks.
The mastering studio has ultra-clean processors that are made to handle stereo signals. Obvious as this may be - it is one thing to run a guitar through a limiter and equalizer, and another thing to run your whole mix through it. A finished mix is an intense balance that can be made worse as easily as it can be improved. It's worth using the best equipment available.
Now, you are convinced to get your music mastered, but the professional part has not been talked about. Well, let us discuss that issue right now. Let me paint a picture for you. You are 55 years old and worked on a great job all your life. You have 2 beautiful grown kids and 4 grandkids. You and your spouse are making a huge decision today about the rest of your lives. You are deciding to retire after 30 years service from your company. Now, your goal is to live off your 1 Million dollar nest egg you have built up over the past 30 years. That may seem like a lot of money, but consider the fact that you are used to living off of $60,000 per year. Being as smart as you are, you calculate the math and realize if you put that money in your bank or try to play the stock market, your savings may only last for 16 years. That means when you are 55 years young, you are out of money. Not to mention, inflation. So, is this picture clear enough for you? My question to you is, would you rather gamble with your life savings and be a do it yourself member in the market, or would you rather give this problem to a professional and have them fix it? Do you know anything about beta, dollar cost averaging, rebalancing? Can you see the importance of getting a professional? If you answered yes for a professional, then you are on the right track. If not, then best of luck in your musical journey.
Think about your music in the same way. If you do not get it mastered by a professional and you are as serious about it as you think you are, then you are potentially flushing your money down the toilet. You are an artist and are probably good at what you do or you would not be reading this. Mastering engineers are just like you, good at what they do. They would not pick up an instrument and try to show you how to play your song. Their expertise is in the studio making your music sound even more hard and crispclear. Use them, that is what they do and that is what makes them so valuable. Have I made my point yet?
Not many people are fortunate enough to have an audio engineer that can mix and master at the same time, but if you are, then a straight transfer might do fine. If not, you need to consider getting your audio mastered by a professional. Some facilities do their mastering in house and some studios have to send it off.
Usually a lot can be done to improve the mixes. There is a huge demand in this market. Now, if you're reading this, then you are probably wanting your disc to be competitive in-store play, homes of consumers, and in radio markets, it has to be perfect sonically. Think of it like a brand new car -without a good wash and wax, few people will appreciate how great it looks. Also, since the mixes were recorded at different times of day over a week or more, you end up with differences in level and tone. Mastering creates a seamless whole out of a collection of individual tracks.
The mastering studio has ultra-clean processors that are made to handle stereo signals. Obvious as this may be - it is one thing to run a guitar through a limiter and equalizer, and another thing to run your whole mix through it. A finished mix is an intense balance that can be made worse as easily as it can be improved. It's worth using the best equipment available.
6 Tips For Better Guitar Playing
In this article I hope to demonstrate a few tips that will, with any luck, put you on the correct approach to developing into a proficient guitar player. If you can take into account that to play well involves a lot of practice and dedication then these tips will give you a head start. It takes arduous work and perseverance to the learn guitar and there is no fast and easy way, but some procedures are much more adept than others, resulting in quicker advancement. The main chief tip, though, is no matter what you do don't admit defeat
Set Aside Your Own Space
Distractions can play havoc with your concentration and focus, making any practise session worthless. Learning to play the guitar is hard enough so make it easier by finding a space where you can be alone without any outside noise or interruptions.
Equipment
Ensuring that your guitar is tuned correctly is paramount at the beginning of any practise session. Preparation is essential to good guitar playing and it is imperative to make certain that your instrument is in good condition
Understand Your Instrument
Surprising, as it might seem, not all guitars are the same, every one has a different tone and sound. Learn to know and understand your guitar, what every part is called and its different function. Appreciate your instrument and, although it’s an inanimate object, learn to respect and care for it. Even though you might not appreciate it now it will make you a better and more experienced guitar player.
Recognise Your Level Of Expertise
Frustration can soon set in when, after a few weeks of practising and learning, you cant play the same tunes as Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page or any of your other guitar heroes. Realism has to kick in somewhere and the sooner the better. Learning to play the guitar is not an overnight thing. It takes time. Start with sensible goals, leave the advanced playing until later and progression will come with a growth in confidence. Show persistence at this point and you will reap the benefits later and it will be even more rewarding.
Pick Your Style
Being able to play a piece of music made famous by one of your favorite guitarists is an unbeatable sensation. When, and only when, you have completed the fundamentals and you are set to move on to something harder it’s time pick a style of music you like and can identify with. Most songs are generally accessible as sheet music from a variety of sources and it’s another level in your education. This is an exhilarating stage in your progress.
Set Goals
One of the best ways to focus you concentration on you progress is to set mini targets. Pick a time period for when you are going to play your first song in front of family and friends and let them know about it. This helps give a reason for your practise sessions and certainly grabs your attention the closer to the date of your debut performance. Once you have performed and enjoyed being in the spotlight it will give you a boost in confidence. It’s no surprise, but your playing will improve after.
Keep in mind, learning to play the guitar is a continual progression, but should always be fun, and if you continue to advance consistently there is no knowing how talented you can grow to be. With any luck, these tips will prove useful and you will have many years of playing satisfaction.
Set Aside Your Own Space
Distractions can play havoc with your concentration and focus, making any practise session worthless. Learning to play the guitar is hard enough so make it easier by finding a space where you can be alone without any outside noise or interruptions.
Equipment
Ensuring that your guitar is tuned correctly is paramount at the beginning of any practise session. Preparation is essential to good guitar playing and it is imperative to make certain that your instrument is in good condition
Understand Your Instrument
Surprising, as it might seem, not all guitars are the same, every one has a different tone and sound. Learn to know and understand your guitar, what every part is called and its different function. Appreciate your instrument and, although it’s an inanimate object, learn to respect and care for it. Even though you might not appreciate it now it will make you a better and more experienced guitar player.
Recognise Your Level Of Expertise
Frustration can soon set in when, after a few weeks of practising and learning, you cant play the same tunes as Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page or any of your other guitar heroes. Realism has to kick in somewhere and the sooner the better. Learning to play the guitar is not an overnight thing. It takes time. Start with sensible goals, leave the advanced playing until later and progression will come with a growth in confidence. Show persistence at this point and you will reap the benefits later and it will be even more rewarding.
Pick Your Style
Being able to play a piece of music made famous by one of your favorite guitarists is an unbeatable sensation. When, and only when, you have completed the fundamentals and you are set to move on to something harder it’s time pick a style of music you like and can identify with. Most songs are generally accessible as sheet music from a variety of sources and it’s another level in your education. This is an exhilarating stage in your progress.
Set Goals
One of the best ways to focus you concentration on you progress is to set mini targets. Pick a time period for when you are going to play your first song in front of family and friends and let them know about it. This helps give a reason for your practise sessions and certainly grabs your attention the closer to the date of your debut performance. Once you have performed and enjoyed being in the spotlight it will give you a boost in confidence. It’s no surprise, but your playing will improve after.
Keep in mind, learning to play the guitar is a continual progression, but should always be fun, and if you continue to advance consistently there is no knowing how talented you can grow to be. With any luck, these tips will prove useful and you will have many years of playing satisfaction.
