Mystery Guitar Man

The Record Industry Continues Battle Against Free Music Downloads

by: Tim Somers

Movie and record producers alike are saying file-sharing networks that permit its users the ability to make copies from other network member�s computers are infringing on the copyright laws and costing billions of dollars in lost revenue.

The recording industry claims to have lost 25% of it�s revenues since computer, so called thieves, have been using peer-to-peer file-sharing networks to obtain free music downloads.

The two latest file-sharing companies to be targeted by these copyright lawsuits are Grokster Ltd, known for its Grokster file-sharing software and StreamCast Networks Inc. from which the Morpheus free music downloading software is distributed.

Unlike Napster, Grokster and Morpheus put a spin on the popular file-sharing phenomenon. Instead of indexing the shared files like Napster did, these file-sharing products enables it�s network members to build their own indexes � thus allowing others within the network to download free music and movie files.

While some musicians are protesting they are being cheated by these illegal free music downloads � others are speaking out backing how music, movies, pictures and copy are being shared over the Internet.

Some music lovers actually use the file-sharing networks to check out an artists latest release before paying up to $18 for a CD that may only have one good song on it. You still will have those that will never make a purchase and continue to take advantage of the free music download networks.

Many file-sharing network users have said that using these networks is good for the music industry. File-sharing can bring listeners to smaller, independent bands that they may not otherwise hear on radio or in the mainstream.

With the likes of Apple�s iTunes store many have turned their backs on file-sharing networks paying 99 cents per song � Apple claims to sell more than 1 millions songs everyday. Although iTunes is limited still, thus giving file sharing networks a void to fill the unlimited access to music and movies that may otherwise not be able from iTunes.

In late 2003 record companies started suing individuals that were downloading free music. With file-sharing networks like Grokster and Morpheus it will be much harder for the recording industry to track down files that are uploaded by individual users.

With the Supreme Court now involved they are expected to make some type of ruling in June 2005 on what if any action should be taken against the makers of file-sharing network software.

The wrong decision could discourage the future development of products like the iPod or other file-sharing software programs that could be used for legal purposes.


Since Grokster and Morpheus do not monitor or have any knowledge of who or what is being downloaded, a federal judge in Los Angeles and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the copyright infringement charges against both these file-sharing networks.

Based on the 1984 ruling of the Supreme Court that stated the use of Sony Betamax, which allowed users to make copies at home of copyrighted TV programs, was legal.

The recording industries angle last week was that the approach companies like Grokster and Morpheus are making by advertising their software will provide access to free copies of copyrighted materials should allow them to be sued and shut down.

While the jury may be out on this one for sometime � file sharing networks and free music downloads will continue with most users not really worrying about getting sued, since most do not download free music in excess of a few files per month.

How Do You Write Songs?

by: Larry Ford

There was an interesting post today on a message board that I go to. It was about a guy that just started a new band and he wanted to know if anyone could give him some songwriting tips.

First off, there isn't a wrong way to write songs. But after you've done it for a while, you'll find out that some ways to go about it are easier than others.

This is how I do it.

1. Music and Melody Come First

I never fit a melody to pre-existing lyrics. It�s forced and it doesn�t sound good to me. When you write the words before the melody, you�re trying to force the melody to fit your lyrics. The result is it doesn�t sound natural.

A lot of songwriters start with an idea. It's just easier for me to know what angle I'm coming from. Usually how it happens with me is the music comes first and the melody comes right after that.

Why do I write the melody first before my lyrics?

If I don't know how many notes are in the melody, how do I know how many syllables need to be in my lines? I don�t.

If there�s 8 notes in the first part of the melody and 6 notes in the second part , you�ll have to have 8 syllables in the first line and 6 in the second.

Let�s say you want to put 4 lines in each of your verses, You�ll have 8 syllables in the first and third lines and six in the second and fourth.

Here�s an example:

In the song "I want you to want me" the lead singer for Cheap Trick wrote a four line melody that had six notes in the first three lines and seven in the last line. He knew that there had to be six syllables in the first three lines and seven syllables in the fourth.

I Want You To Want Me

I want you to want me =six syllables

I need you to need me =six syllables

I�d love you to love me =six syllables

I�m begging� you to beg me =seven syllables

2. Figure Out An Idea To Work From

Ideas are everywhere. You can write about what a friend of yours is going through. You can write about what you're going through.

I keep a journal just for this and make daily installments. I write down everything that I can think of that happened that day. And after a few months of that, I'll go through the journal harvest my ideas.

I treat my journal like the garden it is. Most every song I write comes directly from my journals.

3. Put the idea into one to two sentences

The best way to show you this is to give you an example. Keeping with "I Want You To Want Me", here�s the basic idea:

"I want you to want me as bad as I want you."

You only want one idea for each song. If you have any more, your song is going to last too long. And you're listeners won't be able to keep up.

Believe me, nobody but you will understand them. I know from very bad experience.

4. Write The Lyrics To Fit The Melody

Once you have the idea, you start to explain the idea in the verses with the number of syllables you have in the melody. The chorus is just the overall idea in a summed up fashion.

How to Make Money on a Music Website through Affiliate Programs?

by: Jeff Schuman II
Do you find yourself looking for a way to make some extra money?
How about creating a website on something that everyone includes
in their life, Music? The opportunities are endless and what�s
great about it is that you can make money on it while you�re
eating, sleeping, or just sitting around watching TV.

Don�t get me wrong, it is a lot of work in the beginning to get
everything started. Once you get your website built the way you
want it though, all that is left is maintaining it to keep it at
tip top shape. From there you�ll be making money off of it
24/7. So, how do you get started and how do you make money off
of it you may be wondering?

To start off you need to purchase a domain name, which is your
website URL. You can do this at GoDaddy.com for a cheap price
of $9.20 per year. Now you have your website name, the next
step is to pick a host for your website. This is where you will
build your website. You can do this at GoDaddy.com starting at
$3.95 per month, or choose to go to another hosting company as
there are many out there.

From there you are set to build your website, now how do you
begin making money off of it?

There are many ways to make money off of your website. One way
is to join affiliate programs through companies around the
world. How an affiliate program works is you join under that
company and refer people through your website to their website.
Then, as people go to the companies website through yours,
whatever the person buy�s you get a certain amount of money off
of their purchase.

The amount made varies from company to company and it even
varies among the different products sold. The big name
companies you�ll often make less money off of, such as Best Buy
and Circuit City you�ll make approximately 3-7% on all sales.
Smaller companies some times offer more through their affiliate
programs, but people sometimes will opt to go to the well known
companies instead.

For a music website you�ll obviously want to join affiliate
programs dealing with entertainment of some sort. Bestbuy.com
and CircuitCity.com are good ones to join, but can be difficult
to get into when you�re just starting out.
Clickbank.com is an affiliate network that is extremely good to
join as you instantly gain access to you choice of over 10,000
digital products to sell on your website. There are nine
categories associated with clickbank.com, but categories to
focus on with a music website through clickbank.com would be fun
and entertainment and sports and recreation.

Where you find the registration form for the affiliate programs
is on the companies� homepage, and it is usually listed on the
bottom of their homepage as affiliate program. When doing a
music website you don�t have to just stick with music affiliate
programs either. You can focus on entertainment as a whole that
way you can join affiliate programs for games, movies, posters
and more.

Another way you can make money through affiliate programs is
two-tier programs. Two-tier programs are programs that you make
money off of people signing up for the affiliate program through
you. Not all affiliate programs offer two-tier programs, but
they are out there and signing up to affiliate programs with
two-tier programs is to your benefit. A few entertainment
two-tier programs that I have joined include;

The best thing with affiliate programs is that they are free.
You make money off of selling companies� products and it doesn�t
cost you a thing to register under the company. Another bonus
to affiliate programs is that there is no limit as to how many
you are allowed to join and put on your website. The sky is the
limit with affiliate programs and money can be made 24/7 on your
music website today at the cost of nothing.

 

The Power of Music

by: Gerald David Greene

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as it influences the human spirit and emotions should not be underestimated. Music has a great influence in all cultures and religions. Who has not had the experience of suddenly humming or moving to the rhythm of a tune heard for the first time long ago?

Many of the most important events in our lifes are commemorated with music. Those who have served in the military never forget the stirring cadence of a military march. Even decades later the sound of a military band will take the old veteran back to the days when his step was sure and strong and his new found confidence in his ability to defend his country and his buddies from harm knew no bounds.

Tunes often are associated with important events in our lives. Perhaps it is the song that you danced to at the high school prom with the person who later became your lifetime partner that still fans your passions. Perhaps it is the tune that was playing as you danced with your new spouse at your wedding party. It may be a song or two that was sung by a famous entertainer whose performance you were lucky enough to hear on your 30th birthday.

I still vividly remember seeing Elvis Presley perform near the end of his career. It was my friends birthday present to herself. I was her date for the evening and never expected to be so moved by "The King's" performance. But I was, and am still grateful to my friend for asking me to escort her to the live show.I wasn't that much of an Elvis fan prior to his performance but had a far greater appreciation of his talent after seeing the master at work. What a show!

The Internet has created a new important venue for music. Lyrics to just about every song that has ever been written have been archived and can be easily accessed with an Internet search. The sharing of music files has been controversial all be it widespread. Legal means of gaining access to any type of music from Internet sources are under development and have lead to an entirely new growth industry.

The power of music can be a strong unifying force in a world that badly needs unification and cooperation on issues that affect us all. Peoples of the world should rejoice in the rich heritage that music brings to every culture. The sharing of ideas and music over the Internet only adds to the significance of music as a universal medium of communications.

People all over the world love their music. You can bet there is as much enthusiasm for a new Eminem rap song among Eminem fans as there is for classical jazz or a classical piano performance among more conventional music fans. There are different strokes for different folks as they say in Dixie and nowhere is this better illustrated than in the field of music.

However varied musicial tsstes may be amoung individuals we should consider the common thread that music weaves between all peoples and build upon that common ground to achieve a better understanding of how we are connected in our humanity.

People the world over have common basic needs and music is one of them.

Learning Styles Of Music

by: Guy Ames

What genres (music types) are important? Learning styles of music can help you get work, don�t get me wrong; but you need to consider the time and expense involved in knowing a lot of music genre�s, having the goods to do them, and if your locality really wants the specific genre. DJs invariably enter the profession as a part time hobby because they love the music they play and love to see others enjoying it too. Usually DJs have an already significant existing vinyl or CD/DVD collection of music that they enjoy and they use this to mix and play for DJ events for which they are hired. Some DJs like to specialize in a particular genre of music in order to attract a certain type of clientele. This may be because they particularly liked learning styles of music; that genre; or because they know that this will secure regular work. Dance, Indie, acid or house music is particularly popular with DJs who work the club circuit while 60s, 70s and 80s music is more popular with mobile DJs who host private parties and BBQs. It depends on what�s popular in your area, as to whether you should offer Country, HipHop, or the latest cutting edge music genre. To learn more about specific music styles, you may want to read up . Every good DJ experiments with how they will get the crowd moving and different DJs enjoy learning styles of music to do exactly that. In fact, you will probably find that most DJs have a set routine for how the night will play out according to music, sound, lighting and other effects such as bubbles, background buzz, DJ banter and audience participation. This methodology works the world around and is irrespective of what genre the DJ specializes in. Regardless of what music genre a DJ specializes in, the key to the event is not the actual songs themselves but the mix that the DJ puts together. A good DJ will know how to link together a good mix of songs with both the event and the crowd in mind. Good DJs now how to put together songs that ebb and flow according to the crowd response and the timing of the event � the DJ cannot allow the crowd to peak too early or the event will then slowly fizzle out, long before it needs to. When you specialize, it�s much easier to become known for a certain style of music, and a lot cheaper to get a good stock of vinyls or cd�s in that genre since you already have a head start in your favorite style. DJ Equipment is expensive; so save money where you can and specialize in just a few musical genres instead of many! About the author: Learn more about becoming a DJ with tips and tutorials from http://www.DJ-Tips-and-Tricks.com Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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How to Find and Download Your Favorite Music Videos

by: Jeff Schuman

With all of the latest technology of downloading songs to burn onto CD�s, iPod�s, and more, the simple thought of music video downloads often passes peoples minds anymore. With burning songs onto CD�s, and listening to songs on your iPod, you�re only retaining the audio portion of music and completely overlooking the visual aspect of music. Sure you can tune into MTV and VH1 and all of the other music channels. However, anymore there are more TV and reality shows on the music channels then there are actual music videos. With music video downloads on your personal computer, you can download a video of your favorite artist or favorite song in a matter of minutes depending on your internet connection speed. Once downloaded you can save it to a file or if you download from one site, most contain a library in which all of your favorite music videos will be saved to. In this day and age nothing is legally free, so one might ask themselves how much it will cost to actually watch music videos? Is it really worth it to pay for music videos when you can watch them on TV? Depending on the site you download from, it is very much worth it to pay the low cost and have a much larger selection than on TV and be able to watch them whenever you want. There are millions of sites that offer music video downloads for free, so what�s the catch. For a majority of the sites you can only view 30 seconds of the song such as at music.lycos.com. Other sites such as music.yahoo.com allow you to view one music video, kind of like a teaser to see the quality of video. After viewing the video if you attempt to watch another one, it takes you to the sign in page where you can either log-in if already a member, or you can learn the prices and register to get unlimited access to millions of videos. At music.yahoo.com they offer a deal where you can get unlimited downloads of music videos and music in general to save to your computer for just $4.99/mo. At music.yahoo.com there are over 1 million songs to choose from allowing you to never be left unsatisfied. There are system requirements in order to download the program that can be viewed at http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/, but with music that cheap it�s hard to pass up. Another site worth checking out is www.imusicshare.com. At this site you can purchase a 2 year membership for $1/mo. or a single year membership for $1.57/mo. With a membership to this site you receive unlimited access to billions of songs, no software is required to download, and you can burn unlimited songs as well. With this site you also are not limited to just music video downloads, but you are also capable of downloading mp3s, movies, TV and Radio shows, and much more. Now that you have knowledge of how to download music videos and why to download music videos, get out there and begin building up a large library videos for a low cost. About the author: Best MP3 Music Downloads is a site that contains information, articles, and resources on all genres and styles of music. You can download music and videos, and find links to the best places to download music here: http://www.best-mp3-music-downloads.com/music-video-downloads.html Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Free, Legal Music Online

by: Daniel Punch

Almost everyone has heard about the massive crack down on Internet music piracy that has been occurring over the past few years. Napster was taken down (although it has now returned as a pay service), other file sharing programs now require users to pay for a license and the RIAA and other similar organizations are doing their best to hunt down copyright offenders and put an end to their crime sprees. The consumers on the other hand argue that their actions hurt nobody, that there is no damage done to anyone by their not buying an album. Furthermore, they claim, MP3s allow them to sample a CD before purchasing it, thus actually helping sales. I'm not here to argue the pros and cons. Basically it's not worth it, as neither side of the argument will ever see the opposition's point of view. What I'd like to do is take a look at the completely free and legal alternative to 'stealing' music. Those wonderfully talented musicians who are willing to put their creations online to download for free, solely for the joy of spreading their creations to the masses. Free music is surprisingly easy to come by, even music by famous bands. Sometimes it needs to be 'streamed' from the Internet, meaning that you can only listen to a song while you're online, but with the ever-growing popularity of broadband Internet this is really no longer a problem. Sites such as MP3.com and purevolume.com provide free music by almost any band you can think of, although there is a large amount of it that has to be streamed and not downloaded. A search for 'free legal MP3 downloads' will reveal a huge number of pages to visit. For something specific, try visiting the artist's website, or the site of their record label. These will often offer a few sample tracks to download for free. It's not quite as convenient as having access to every song that you want, but it's not a bad alternative. But how about we forget about the mainstream for just a while and move towards the alternative? Towards the hopefuls, the talented bands that have yet been 'noticed'. There are a huge number of these smaller bands out there that are sticking their stuff online for any and all to listen to, just so that they can be heard. These can be easier to find, because most MP3 sites will be filled with these smaller acts. A great place to start is http://www.garageband.com/ or the aforementioned http://purevolume.com The great thing about smaller bands is that you can often find bands that come from your local area and then go and see them play live. Being able to see a favourite band live more than once a year (or lifetime) without expending huge amounts of money and time is pretty cool. Many music search engines will let you search for bands of a particular genre in a particular area, which makes it all quite easy. A fairly major contributor to the online music scene is the remixer. These people take other tunes and redo them, usually in a techno style because one person can do this competently. Chief among the tunes selected to be remixed are those old ditties that used to play through the simplest of sound chips on aging consoles: the video game theme songs. People now go and grab the main tune line from an old favourite and fill it out, making real the work our imaginations used to do for us to turn the single tone melodies into orchestral masterpieces. A few good places to start are http://remix.kwed.org and http://remix.overclocked.org as well as a personal favourite band http://machinaesupremacy.com I hope this has given you something to think about. It's not hard to come across illegal MP3 rips, in fact it's often hard to avoid them, but if you give the free music scene a look you may find something completely different and new that will really do it for you. With web hosts already being penalized hugely for illegal content being stored on their servers (having an entire server taken down because of one inconsiderate user is damaging and irritating beyond belief) and moves being made to charge ISPs for the content being accessed by their users, it makes more sense than ever to get out there and grab yourself an awesomely original and completely legal music collection. About the author: Daniel Punch M6.Net Web Hosting http://www.m6.net Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Do you like 80s music?

by: Silent One

Many people out there are nuts about 80's music. The sad reality of loving the music of the 1980's is that line-ups change, bands disband or the traditional press ignores their new output. That's what we're here to fix. Wondering what the latest news is on your favorite music artists? Here are the number one songs from 1981: 01/31/81 "The Tide Is High" - Blondie (1 week) Even though it only spent one week at the top of the chart, this was Blondie's longest lasting single, staying on the charts for 26 weeks. 02/07/81 "Celebration" - Kool And The Gang (2 weeks) From 1973 to 1987 the band had a string of hits. This was their only number one, although 1983's "Joanna" and 1985's "Cherish" both made it to number two. 02/21/81 "9 To 5" - Dolly Parton (2 weeks) Her first number one song, from the movie of the same name, in which she also starred. 02/28/81 "I Love A Rainy Night" - Eddie Rabbitt (2 weeks) Back to back country artists had number one hits in February of 1981. This was Rabbitt's only number one along with three other songs that made the top 10. 03/21/81 "Keep On Loving You" - REO Speedwagon (1 week) Their first song to hit the Top 40 chart, and the first of two number ones for the quintet from Champaign, Illinois that was named after a type of fire truck. 03/28/81 "Rapture" - Blondie (2 weeks) The 4th and final number one song Blondie had in the '80s, and their second of 1981. 04/11/81 "Kiss On My List" - Hall and Oates (3 weeks) The first number one of the '80s for the duo from Philadelphia. They previously hit the top of the charts with 1977's "Sara Smile," and would have several hits throughout the '80s. 05/02/81 "Morning Train (Nine To Five)" - Sheena Easton (2 weeks) The sexy Scot's first single went all the way to number one and would be her only chart topper. She did have 6 other top 10 hits in the '80s. 05/16/81 "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes (9 weeks) The number two song of 1981 was written by the legendary Jackie DeShannon. Carnes was a former member of the New Christy Minstrels in the late '60s. Her only other top 10 song was 1980's duet with Kenny Rogers, "Don�t Fall In Love With A Dreamer." 06/20/81 "Medley" - Stars On 45 (1 week) This novelty song had Dutch session singers redo classic songs from the '60s. They released three other Medley singles, but none even cracked the Top 40. 07/25/81 "The One That You Love" - Air Supply (1 week) The only number one song for the Australian balladeers. They had seven consecutive top 5 singles from 1980 to 1982. 08/01/81 "Jessie's Girl" - Rick Springfield (2 weeks) 1981 was a great year for Australians, with 3 different artists reaching number one. Springfield played Dr. Noah Drake on the hit soap opera General Hospital in the early '80s. This would be his only number one song, but he also had 4 other singles hit the top 10. 08/15/81 "Endless Love" - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (9 weeks) The title song for the movie starring Brooke Shields became a wedding staple and was Ross' final number one. It was Richie's first. 10/17/81 "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" - Christopher Cross (3 weeks) The second movie theme in a row to top the charts in '81, it was Cross' second and final number one. 11/07/81 "Private Eyes" - Hall and Oates (2 weeks) Another one of their 6 number one singles. 11/21/81 "Physical" - Olivia Newton-John (10 weeks) The number one song of the year, and the song spending the most weeks at number one in the decade of the '80s. In addition to 10 weeks at number one, it spent a total of 21 weeks in the Top 40. About the author: http://www.a1-80s-music-4u.info/ Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Download Mp3 Music Safely

by: Anne Spencer

DON'T Download JUNK! Make sure your download mp3 music is a quality mp3 and that your music download doesn't have hidden downloads that will not only ruin your search for great music but will annoy you and invade your privacy. Here are the four hidden downloads most free music sites install on your computer when you download mp3�s. 1.Spyware is almost always contained in mp3 freeware and shareware downloads. The spyware gathers information and monitors the activities you perform, unbeknown to you. 2.Adware is also contained in these mp3 download networks. Your computer can and probably will be stuffed with a huge amount of intrusive advertising. 3.Pornography is very prevalent on the Internet. Be very aware that porn peddlers disguise their software as the latest free mp3 download or game demo to redirect your modem to porn sites. 4.Spoofing is when download mp3 networks are filled with fake files. For example, if you download what you think is a popular mp3 song, you will get the same ten seconds of the song over and over again. So in your hunt to download mp3 �s and create your own library of music, be selective of which music download site you use. There are many to choose from but few that offer privacy protection, online service, tech help, spyware-free and adware-free downloads, as well as a large library of quality mp3�s. Things have come a long way with regards of how we listen to our favorite music. It's as easy as a push of a button with digital music. Knowing where to start, how you want to listen to your music and what you want to do with it, is the first step. When you download mp3 files from online music services, you need to know what they allow you to do. Some songs are just for listening to, some can be downloaded, and some can be burned to a CD or a portable music player. A few owners of certain artists publishing rights will not grant the license rights, which means some mp3's are not available for downloading. The majority of the time, you'll find what you're looking for because the larger download MP3 subscription music web sites have access to the catalog of the Five Big Labels � Sony, Warner, Universal, EMI, and BMG, which account for about 80% of recorded music. So now that you have the facts on how to download mp3 �s, do some research for quality music download sites, take advantage of any Free Trials, download lot�s of music, turn up the volume and don�t forget to Sing Along! About the author: By Anne Spencer, editor of Music Download Review http://www.music-download-review.com To find a Top Music Download Site read: http://www.music-download-review.com/download-music.html Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Downloading Music!

by: Mike Yeager

MP3 technology was the catalyst to one of the biggest revolutions in the media business in nearly 30 years. When cassette tapes became popular in the late 1970's and early 1980's, the music industry did the now-familiar Chicken Little dance about its way of life being destroyed. The industry quickly co-opted that threat, turning albums on cassettes into a very lucrative business. In the mid-80's, CDs promised superior quality at lower prices, but we wound up only getting the better quality. Consumers never got the promised price break�album prices continued to climb. Those chickens would come home to roost soon enough. It's taken the music industry the better part of ten years to finally devise some legal alternatives to the P2P file-sharing networks, and now there are well over a dozen online music services legally offering a wide range of genres to satisfy most musical palettes. Aside from one service's downloads being three cents cheaper than the next, what sets them apart? Which one gives you most flexibility about how you enjoy your music? And which one really gives you the most of what you want for your money? About the author: http://www.a1-music-download-4u.info/ Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Downloading MP3's made easy

by: Keith Kingston

The MP3 movement started out with a huge audience of music enthusiasts on the internet. The MP3 digital music format has had, and will continue to have, a huge impart on how people, gather, listen to and share music. The MP3 format is a compression system for digital music that helps reduce the size of a digitized song without disturbing the sound quality. Digital music is converted to MP3 format and made available for use, usually via the web. MP3 files can be downloaded onto your computer from the internet and special software, either commercial or freeware. Using your computer and software you can convert digital music from a CD into MP3 format. MP3 files can be played in three different ways: 1. They can be played directly onto your computer. 2. They can be decompressed and recorded onto a CD. 3. These files can be played on a portable MP3 player. The advantage of MP3 players is that they are small, lightweight and rugged. They are a great way to carry your MP3 files with you! With a portable MP3 player, a personal computer, and the appropriate software, you can do the following: 1. Obtain free or low-cost music from the web. 2. Create your own mix of music by downloading MP3 files from the web and converting the tracks from CDs. 3. Listen to near-CD quality music wherever you go. 4. Listen to more music (up to 10 hours' worth). If you want to convert your songs from your CDs into MP3 files, you can use ripper and encoder software. A ripper copies a song's file from the CD onto your hard disk. The encoder compresses the song into the MP3 format. By encoding songs, you can play them on your computer or take them with you on your MP3 player. The ripper and encoder software may come with your MP3 player. The specific instructions will vary with the individual software programs, but the following steps will definitely take place: 1. Place the CD from which you want to convert songs into your drive. 2. Select the track(s) that you want to convert to MP3 format. 3. Convert the selected track(s). 4. Copy the new MP3 files on to your computer's hard disk. Now you are ready to download these MP3 files into your portable MP3 player. Once you have MP3 files on your computer, you can use the software that came with your MP3 player to download the files into your MP3 player. Again, the specific instructions will vary depending upon your software program and player, but you will: 1. Create a playlist from your MP3 files. 2. Plug the player into your computer's parallel of USB port. 3. Transfer the MP3 files according to the instructions. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files into your portable MP3 player, you are ready to take your music anywhere. Most MP3 players are small, lightweight, and solid-state. Because most players are solid-state, there are no moving parts to break down or skip, so the sound quality is uninterrupted regardless of your physical activity. MP3 players are equipped with various types of headphones or earpieces. Portable MP3 players can play music longer than a portable CD player. The length of play for a CD player is about 74 minutes, the length of one CD. However, the length of play for an MP3 player depends upon its memory capacity, which can be upgraded on some models. A standard MP3 player can play for about half an hour (32 MB) to a few weeks (40 GB)! Some models can be upgraded with additional memory devices. About the author: Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on mp3 downloads and mp3 players. You can visit his website at http://www.4-mp3-downloads.com/ Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Darrel Andrews Releases New Album Spider Sou

by: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Shreveport, LA --November 14, 2005--Darrel Andrews began his lifelong musical journey in Louisiana playing the Trumpet. When Andrews was in school music was not a part of the curriculum and there was no band room so he often found himself outside with other band members practicing under an oak tree. That kind of determination and perseverance would pay dividends in the years to come.

During the 70's, the late great Ray Charles sponsored a recording session of seven of Andrews' tunes, and two tunes were recorded by Bobby "Blue" Bland. There would be many more defining moments in the career of Darrel Andrews and fast forwarding to present day brings us to his latest achievement Spider Soul.

A tune titled �Spider Soul,� originally released in 1971, garnered tremendous interest recently, and inspired Andrews to re-record the tune along with many others he had composed in the 60s and 70s. Now there is a wonderful album with the same title available, which brings all of those songs to life again. The CD offers 14 tracks filled with home cooked rhythm & blues and soul, reminiscent of Isaac Hayes and the like. Andrews� musicality and sensibilities drive each track while his past shines brightly through the instruments and his contagious vocal exercises.

Ironically, the one tune that got all the attention and spurred this project on was the title track, an instrumental gem. Booker T & The MGs and Jimmy Smith (one of the pioneers of the Hammond Organ sound) come to mind while getting your groove on listening to the track. The rest of the album is pure sweet pop, soul, and R & B vocals. There are times in life when bringing up the past can be a good thing and it was a blessing for this artist and everyone that will be listening to the CD.

Andrews also found Stretch The Skies, a full service independent musician�s resource to help bring him into the present day to market his CD. Their Music Button technology, now everywhere in the U.S. with Trans World Entertainment via their music stores Coconuts-Music and Movies (LocalEyez), Planet Music, Strawberries, F.Y.E.- For Your Entertainment, and Wherehouse, is part of selling and tracking the release as it gains momentum for the artist. The marriage of new technologies and music are no longer strange bedfellows, they are necessary for the success of an independent artist. It looks like Mr. Andrews is off to a great start.

Contact:
Darrel Andrews
2222 West Algonquin Trail Shreveport, LA 71107-5410
Tel:
Fax: (318) 221-0105
Email: DarrAndre3@aol.com
Website: http://myspace.com/darrelandrews
Stretch The Skies Profile

PR Created and Distributed By MuzikReviews.com for Stretch The Skies



About the author:
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites. Links to sites with great music content are provided on Homepage and Links Page.


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Dance Music!

by: Silent One

Dance music comes in many different forms, from disco to hip-hop. Though there have been various dance crazes throughout the history of popular music, dance music became its own genre in the mid-'70s, as soul mutated into disco and whole clubs were devoted to dancing. In the late '70s, dance clubs played disco, but by the end of the decade, disco was mutating into a number of different genres. All of the genres were collected under the catch-all term "dance," though there were distinct differences between dance pop, hip-hop, house, and techno, among other subgenres. What tied them all together was their emphasis on rhythm -- in each dance subgenre, the beat remains all-important foundation. Whatever the music, if you feel the beat you can dance to it. About the author: http://www.a1-80s-music-4u.info/ Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Burton Gaar Releases Track �Hurricane Trouble� To Organize Relief Effort

by: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

New Orleans, LA--October 20, 2005�Burton Gaar has been singing and playing the blues for many years now. Recent events have shaken our country and brought us together to help our fellow man. Now, never have the blues been more true to life than in Louisiana. Gaar is feeling the effects of the devastation of hurricane Katrina just like his brothers and sisters that call the delta their home. He decided to make a step in the right direction by recording and releasing �Hurricane Trouble,� a rockin� blues number to get all of that feeling across to the world in his music. Gaar encapsulates whom he is by saying- �I play the crap out of the blues.� Indeed, he does, as the track is literal hurricane of blues guitar licks. The objective of Gaar is to raise awareness of the need for aid in Louisiana. He wants to organize a benefit concert to assist musicians and their families that have lost everything due to the storm. The hope is that �Hurricane Trouble� will circulate quickly and jump-start the entire process of getting people together for the cause. Gaar invites everyone to send an e-mail to him @ burtongaar@webtv.net and request a MP3 of the song, he will send it to you with hopes that you will pass it on to spread the word carried in the song. Louisiana and the victims of the hurricane need you and music is the best way to reach out and touch the masses. Acknowledge his efforts by sending him an e-mail and requesting the song today. In the spirit of brotherhood and good will listen to the song and then send it to as many people as you can. Contact Person: George Hollinshead Sound Ventures Records P.O. Box 290 Evergreen, LA 71333 Tel: Email:georgea@kricket.net CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gaar/from/tromo1 Website: http://www.burtongaar.com Email: burtongaar@webtv.net PR Created and Distributed By MuzikReviews.com About the author: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites. Links to sites with great music content are provided on my Homepage and Links Page. Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Bands and Professionalism

by: Dave Wilson

Bands and Professionalism, I view this is a very important topic. There are alot of bands that don't cross their T's and dot their I's. It's for the most part fairly easy to learn your part of the song on your instrument and perhaps your vocal part, but there are many other things to take into account for your live performances. Remember, you're being paid to do a job, and as fun as that job might be it is still in fact, a job. The venue owner or talent buyer is expecting you to come through with a quality performance. To start with, You want to arrive at the venue in plenty of time to set up and do your sound checks. Unless you really trust your sound man, you may want to have a long enough cord or a cordless system so you can stand out front and make sure all is well with the sound. Obviously there may need to be some adjustments when the place is full, but for the most part you should be in good shape. For the performance itself, every band whether you're doing covers or origional material, your sound and stage presence or lack there of is what makes you and your show unique. Too much time (also known as dead air) between songs is definitely not good. For one thing, you tend to lose your audience's attention and you want to keep your momentum.You can avoid this by having a set list so you know what song is coming up next. You can also purchase equipment with memory that will allow your instruments effects to be up and running at the start of each song. You can have the last note of one song to be the first of the next song allowing you to run songs together in a medley. In many cases a song will start with one instrument so if you play that instrument and you know the timing well enough you can start right in providing the rest of the band is prepared for that. Of course, you want to have some interaction with the audience and each band according to it's personality will have it's way of addressing this. Relax and go with the flow. Just remember people are there for the music not for a speech. About the author: Dave Wilson: Booking Agent and musician of 30 years. Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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An Innovative Piano Instruction Video Game - Excellent Way to Learn to Play Piano

by: Ivan Alegre

People that play the piano beautifully fascinate me. It is interesting the different paths some of them take to become good at it. There are so many options now days for children and adults interested in becoming concert pianists, or just become comfortable with this instrument and play it whenever they feel like it, carry a tune for their enjoyment or to please others like myself. Many excellent piano players started their education at a young age, because they were given the opportunity by their parents, relatives or friends, and with time they found a way to express themselves, increasing their self confidence opening doors of inspiration and self satisfaction to become better at their new enterprise. In this technological age of computers and video games, these have become an excellent way to transmit information at an early age to children. The challenge remains in figuring out which video games should we buy and keep. As far as piano learning is concerned, recently I have been shown and become interested in the PianoWizard video game package from Allegro Multimedia. piano instruction game computer software provides a fun attention grabber display setting to users, teaching them to play music first by being involved with game activities on the screen that they can interact with a fun color coded keyboard. This makes children start enjoying music without them even realizing they are stepping into the piano-playing world. This computer instruction game teaches music notation while children get more into the game, making the learning curve transparent, pressure free, fun and enjoyable. The system works with MIDI files that one can download to a computer, in fact, the company's main site has links to many sites that have a large amount of MIDI files and information. I find that the price for the keyboard and PianoWizard video game package is very affordable for all the capabilities included in the piano instruction software. I really do like the fact that one can up-load any type of song in MIDI format into the game and start playing it along in minutes. I believe your time will be well spent while visiting their site http://www.pianowizard.com/piano-instruction/ and learn about their excellent piano instruction game purchasing offer. My best wishes to you and your children in this musical and uplifting venture. About the author: About the author Ivan Alegre is a Technology Market Analyst and apiano instruction game enthusiast. Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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American Armed Forces Find Sanctuary In Rhythm Of Honor CD

by: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hollywood, CA--8/22/05--We are sometimes caught dealing in generic phrases like "military action" or "defense plan," and we may forget that good men and women, not words, defend freedom. These people are fathers, aunts, cousins, younger, older, grumpy, funny, quiet and/or loud, just like you and me, except they offer their lives "on demand" to protect ours. Rhythm Of Honor, an eclectic CD recently released by Goodnight Kiss Music, pays tribute to the American Armed Forces and their families. Listeners have an opportunity to take part in a two-fold process that helps all the individuals involved in the project, directly and indirectly. While 50 cents of every CD retail sale is donated to the Wounded Warriors Hospital Fund and 95% of all their donations go to rehabilitating the troops wounded in war, you have an opportunity to hear independent artists perform songs from a multitude of genres. Eleven tracks make up the powerful Rhythm Of Honor CD. It is full of heart wrenching lyrics that will make you reevaluate your life and bring tears to your eyes. The variety of music is extraordinary, giving all musical tastes a chance to zone in on the meaning of this disc. While the musicianship is good, the heartfelt lyrics will force you to look in the mirror and ask yourself why you ever complain about your life. This is all about the personal stories of real life heroes, our United States military. This is not your everyday CD, and it is not only the music that you will hear loud and clear. The story between the notes will hit home with force. The music is great and it drives all the messages straight to heart with feelings that are hard to describe without having some kind of personal experience related to the subject. If you are grateful for what you have and believe in preserving the freedom of our nation then Rhythm Of Honor will hold meaning and significance for you. While it may help to have first hand experience with the military way off life, it is not a necessity to take part in this wonderful musical effort dedicated to those that make personal sacrifice a part of their daily lives. Contact Person: Janet Fisher Company: Goodnight Kiss Music Address: 10153 1/2 Riverside Drive #239;Toluca Lake, CA 91602 Fax: (831) 465-1964 Tel: E-mail: prosongwriter1@aol.com Website: http://www.goodnightkiss.com/passiton.html Lyrics: http://www.goodnightkiss.com/honorlyrics.html CD Buy Link: http://www.goodnightkiss.com/soldiers.html Warrior Hospital Fund Link: http://www.woundedwarriorhospitalfund.org ### PR Created and Submitted By MuzikReviews.com-Keith �MuzikMan� Hannaleck- http://www.muzikreviews.com About the author: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites. Links to sites with great music content are provided on my Homepage and Links Page. Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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Alternatives to Digital Audio

by: Hans Dekker

Although MP3 is the most popular format for encoding music, it is by no means the only one. There are two basic methods for compressing audio � lossless and lossy, and for each of these methods there are many formats. Lossless compression means that none of the audio data is removed during compression. Lossy compression means that audio data is permanently removed from the audio file. Lossy compression results in smaller files, but there is no way to rebuild the audio data to its original format. MP3 is an example of lossy compression. Lossy Compression Formats There are many alternatives to MP3 when it comes to encoding audio files. Microsoft reportedly developed the WMA format to avoid the licensing costs associated with MP3. WMA files can be played with the Windows Media Player that is included with the Windows operating system as well as many other audio players. It features similar encoding rates to MP3 and similar file sizes. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is the format preferred by Apple and is used for its popular iTunes and iPod products. AAC files can be smaller than MP3 files because it uses more efficient encoding technology. A 96 kpbs AAC file is similar in sound quality to a 128 kbps MP3 file. Ogg Vorbis is another type of lossy compression and uses .OGG as the file extension. It is an open-source product and unlike MP3, there are no patent restrictions on its use. Lossless Compression For the audio purist who insists on the best quality sound possible, lossless compression offers CD quality sound. The tradeoff is larger files sizes � while MP3 can compress audio in the range of 80% - 90%, lossless compression typically compresses the file by half. Popular lossless formats include FLAC, Monkey�s Audio, and SHN (Shorten). These formats are supported by many audio players and are popular for archiving CD collections as well as for trading music. About the author: Hans is editor of the Audio Howto Section of the Selected Audio Review Guide Circulated by Article Emporium

 

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5 Sure Fire Ways to Get Radio Play for Your �Independent� Music!

by: Ty Cohen

You have to find radio airplay time if you�re going to be heard and we�re not just talking the local college campus. The trick is called promotion. Now that doesn�t mean you just put your press kit in an envelope with a demo and hope they take pity on you. Perhaps you call a station and they give you the standard pitch of, �Send it and if we like it we�ll put you in rotation.� After a few months of never hearing your music, you automatically think you�re not worthy. First, don�t buy that. You�re one of hundreds, maybe even thousands depending on your city. Your disc will probably end up in the trash or, for more enterprising DJ's, on Ebay in a one-cent CD sale. If you want to be heard and make potential sales, you have to stand out from the crowd, and in this jewel of an article, I�ll show you Five(5) Knock �em Dead Ways to Do Just That!: #1 - Get your CD into the right hands. The intern that�s too busy to getting coffee or typing up a report for the station manager isn�t going to be the one making the airplay decision. So find out who the head honcho is in that department and touch base with them. If the club you�re playing at charges an admission or you have a show coming up offer to send the stations tickets to give away to listeners. Now keep in mind you can�t give the tickets to the staff, since that�s illegal and called payola, but you can offer free giveaway items to your potential audience. #2 - If you�ve got one station in your pocket, then drop names. Let them know that WABC is playing your music and it�s getting a great response. #3 - Make genuine friends in the business. If you�ve got a disc jockey that�s got you in rotation and really likes your sound, get to know them. Find out why they enjoy it and see if they�ve gotten any responses from listeners. If they haven�t, ask if perhaps they might Q & A their callers about your music so you get a feel for your target audience. It�s not a bad idea to ask them for a testimonial or quote if they�re well known in your area if you know them personally. People help people. That�s a fact so if you treat your area disc jockeys like a living and breathing human and not dollar signs, that�s a foot in the door. Another good source is club owners. If they play your music and the fans go nuts ask them to say a few words about your sound that you can pass along to prospective stations, but be sure to sit down for a drink with them. Ask them about the picture of him and the woman and two kids behind the Magic Kingdom. Don�t be fake, but be genuinely interested. #4 - Network. Find out if someone you know (or someone they know) has connections to the music stations. Remember six degrees of separation - you�re only six people away from knowing anyone on the planet and yes that includes station managers, concert promoters and record execs. The trick is it takes a great deal of work and time, but if you�re serious, it�s well worth it. #5 - Go local, state, national. Don�t think you�re going to skip your local and state stations and be the next Matchbox Twenty. It doesn�t work that way. Start small and then get big. Making contacts and getting names can be tough, that�s why you should start with a tested and proven music industry resource like The Industry Yellow Pages - Music Industry Contact Directory at http://www.TheIndustryYellowPages.com The TIYP is helpful and loaded with contacts you can start using immediately without doing all the legwork yourself. About the author: This article was written by Ty Cohen, the music industry's most recognizable voice! Ty is the C.E.O of Platinum Millennium Publishing, Platinum Millennium Records as well as owner of www.MusicContracts101.comand www.MusicIndustrySuccess.com. Some of his work includes: books, directories, mini-courses and software programs including the titles: "How to Make a Fortune in the Music Industry by Doing it Yourself" and "How to Make $500,000.00 "or More" A Year in the Music Industry by Doing it Yourself". For nearly a decade, Ty Cohen's Get Amplified! Newsletter and series of Free Music Industry Success �Mini Courses� has helped over 40,000 independent musicians, singers, rappers, composers, record label owners, producers, managers, agents and others reach their music business goals. Using a unique combination of tested and proven music business success resources, which includes a series of books, directories, software programs, videos, seminars and newsletters, our goal is to educate and empower musical individuals just like you with the tools needed to succeed! To find out more about Ty Cohen, his services, products and how he may be able to help you succeed in the music industry go to http://www.MusicIndustrySuccess.comand sign up for his free limited edition music industry success 10-part �Mini-Course�, it will work wonders for you and best of all, it�s FREE, but EXTREMELY VALUABLE! Circulated by Article Emporium