The Big Acoustic Guitar Chord Songbook Review

If you're looking for easy songs play on acoustic guitar, it can be hard to know where to start. While the internet is full of guitar tabs, these are often inaccurate, and may be beyond the abilities of new guitarists. A lot of them are also songs that you've probably never heard of, and have no interest in playing.

However, another option is at hand in the form of The Big Acoustic Guitar Chord Songbook series from Wise Publications. Let's take a look at what this book has to offer, and see if it really is a good choice for those looking for easy acoustic guitar songs.

What Is The Big Acoustic Guitar Chord Songbook?

As the name suggests, this book contains a number of songs complete with chords, which can be played on the acoustic guitar. More precisely, it consists of 191 pages and 78 songs. The book has a paperback cover and is in easy to read A4 format.

Is It Any Good?

Overall, I think this is a good book, although it is not without its flaws.

Musical styles - the book contains songs across a wide range of musical genres. It was published in 2001, and the songs range from that time back to 40 years previously, so there's a lot of classic rock and pop in here, as well as more modern songs. The artists covered include The Beatles, Pulp, The Corrs, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, Oasis, Blur, Eric Clapton, The Jam and many more.

So if you're looking for classic hits that most people recognise, chances are you'll find a good few of them in here. However, if you're more interested in specialist genres or more extreme musical forms, this is probably not the book for you.

Ease of use - the book is laid out in a very clear and simple way. For each song you get the full lyrics with chord symbols added in the appropriate places. Each song also includes chord box diagrams which show you how to play all the chords that are required for that song, which is useful if any of the chords are unfamiliar.

However, the book does not contain tabs or written notation, and if you don't know the melodies of the original songs, this will be an issue, as they're not included here. And while there's a playing guide which gives some useful hints, it's not as if every little step is spelled out for you, which may or may not be a problem.

Accuracy - according to the blurb on the back cover, each song has been arranged in the original key from the original recordings. However, like most books of this type, some of the chords have been simplified, as you'll discover for yourself if you listen very carefully to the original songs and compare them to the chords that are given in this book. This isn't a problem, as they still sound 'right', but if you want to play a note-perfect rendition of the original, you'll probably need to rely more on your own ears.

Playing level - some of the songs in this book contain very easy chords, whereas others are more difficult. Beginners will find the book of value, but those who have a bit more experience will probably get the most from it, as many of the songs will be too difficult for complete beginners to play initially. Also, the lack of step-by-step playing guides may be a problem for those who are just starting off.

Verdict

If you're a guitarist who is interested in playing a wide range of well-known hit songs on your acoustic guitar, this is a great book to have. Just be aware that it is something of a barebones guide - as the title says it's a chord book, so don't expect to find tabs or notation in here.

This book is so popular that Wise published a whole series of sequels - click to find out more about the other volumes in The Big Acoustic Guitar Chord Songbook series.

And to play these songs well you'll need some solid rhythm guitar techniques, which can be gained from following a course of top quality guitar video lessons such as those offered by Jamorama. I bought this course myself and was very happy with it - you can get started for free over at http://learntheguitaronline.info

Sam Marks is a guitarist and musician who likes to write about music-related topics and sharing helpful, top quality resources, and may receive compensation as a result of making these recommendations

Nuances of Hindustani Classical Music

Book: Nuances of Hindustani Classical Music
Author: Dr. Hema Hirlekar
ISBN: 9788178062068
Page: 200
Price: INR 395
Publisher: Unicorn Books

For those who listen to Hindustani classical music or those who are looking to improve their knowledge for better appreciation of the music, 'Nuances of Hindustani Classical Music" written by Dr. Hema Hirlekar is the ideal choice.

Hindustani classical music has become very popular in the last few years. Concerts held all over the world are packed to capacity. Statistics reveals that only a handful of audience truly appreciate the classical music with any degree of knowledge. This book aims to lift the rest to total enjoyment at par with the handful circle.

The canopy of Hindustani classical music is vast. There are many books in the market that explore Hindustani music from different angles, sometimes focussing on just one part such as Khayal. Refreshingly, Hema Hirlekar has produced a unique blend that is at once easy for a raw listener yet comprehensive for highly initiated. It is organised for extremely easy understanding of the musical terms, the music, the genres, the gharanas, and the concerts.

Some special features of the book:

* It explains all aspects of Hindustani classical music ably supported with lively anecdotes.
* It carries a useful glossary of prevalent terms and explanations, and not just with dictionary meanings.
* A dedicated chapter on how to appreciate music, what to expect from a concert and what, when and how to listen, is included.
* An interesting take on popular raags unlike in any other book, describes the raag, its features, moods, rasas, and related popular songs sung at specific times.

The recommendations by renowned vocalist Pt. Vikas Kashalkar, classical flutist Pt. Keshav Ginde and dean of music faculty, Delhi University Dr. Anjali Mittal make the book stand out from the rest. A CD revealing the finer points of the music accompanies the book.

Binay Srivastava

Guitar Aerobics by Troy Nelson

Book Review: Guitar Aerobics by Troy Nelson

This book is an astonishingly good book except for the audio content that comes with it. I believe that the audio content could have been organised in a more easy to understand way.

There are two CDs that come along with the book and the first one consists of audio tracks, one for each week which plays the different licks that you require for the week. This helps you to hear them out and understand the sound by getting accustomed to it. It is important that you go through all the lessons in order to get to any other lesson that you want and this sometimes gets a little annoying.

Timing is one of the most important things required for being a good guitarist and CD 2 helps you with that by using the number of metronomes and different rhythms that it contains. Go through the book to understand how to go about and mix and match both the CDs together in order to optimize its usefulness. You can play the licks first in order to memorize them and then play the metronomes for the rhythm. Although changing the CDs again and again for licks and rhythms makes it a little annoying but if you keep your head about, then it is worth the effort.

I think that an independent audio track for each lesson accompanied by the licks as well as the metronomes and rhythms would have made for a better and more useful CD. Having said that the book is still immensely useful as is. The book contains each of the lessons along with the musical notes, the tabs and the chords plus the strumming and picking patterns. The same techniques are practiced on again and again meaning that every Monday will be an alternate picking exercise while every Tuesday will be string skipping exercises and so on. All this and more makes this book to be one of the best guitar books available in the market and I would advice any guitar student to use it.

Guitar Aerobics by Troy Nelson is a smart and natural way to improve your guitar technique and is highly recommended by myself and my friend who has played guitar for over 15 years.

If you would like to read a chapter of this excellent guitar techniques guide book click here

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Life by Keith Richards

Book Review: Life by Keith Richards

The autobiography of Keith Richards, the famous guitarist of the Rolling Stones is out in the market and is ready to be consumed by fans worldwide. He has narrated the book in a very interesting, content rich and enjoyable manner. However, credit should be bestowed on the author James Fox for writing this book in a very acceptable and understandable manner.

The book talks about the various events that took place in Keith's life, dropping in and out of music but particularly focusing on the music. The events also included the formation of the band and the engagements of the members. Other than this the randomness at the time of practice sessions and the use of drugs were also huge part of the book.

He also describes the various fights that took place on the roads as well as during practice sessions.

The book is really a book of secrets about the techniques and ways Keith uses his guitar. It is a real treasure for guitar players and hardcore fans of the Rolling Stones.

It is very interesting to read the bonding and affection that Keith had with his son Marlon, the complexities of life Marlon was exposed to in his environment, these obviously shaped him for his future life.

The last pages of the book talk about the moments that he shared with his mother when she was on her death bed.

Life, the book by Keith Richards is a transparent view into his sometimes wild life, the book draws you into his world and lets you get a little closer to the real Keith, a must have book for guitar enthusiasts and hardcore fans.

If you would like to read more about this book click here

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Making Drums

When I received my copy of Making Drums for review I knew at first glance that I had come upon something great. As a drum maker and photographer myself I could really appreciate the work that obviously went into the collection of images for all the drums discussed. I believe it would make a great coffee table book based on the images alone!

A pleasant surprise was the supplier's list on the first page alongside the publishing credits. It provides sources for hides, cutters, adhesives, trims, beads and paint - all essentials for many types of drum repairs and not readily found - thanks Dennis.

The book starts with a brief introduction to rhythm and discusses the many various instruments used to make it happen. In the first chapter the categories of drums based on body shape is clearly defined and explained as well as the source of the materials that make these drums speak.

Sound basics and drum acoustics are addressed in the second chapter to better explain why different drums sound like they do. These are sciences every drummer should know - even if they do not repair or build their own instruments.

In the third chapter different rawhides and their properties is the topic. Hair removal, skinning, and the preservation of rawhides are outlined giving ample information for processing hides for drum making. As most makers know it is very cost effective to be able to process ones own rawhides.

The attachment of heads is ` very wide-ranging subject as there are so many different ways to affix a head to a drum. From tacking, gluing, stapling, to lacing, screwing or wedging, chapter four covers all the basic types of attachment. I was, however a little disappointed to not find out the secret of lapping and tucking a drum head as shown at the top right of pg. 33. I have repaired Kendangs and Mridangams that had this method on the original heads but I could not replicate it no matter how hard I tried. Perhaps a sequel to this book could go into the detail that this type of job requires as obviously the infinite variables of drums and their elements is a nearly insurmountable task to try to cover in one book. A huge kudos to the author for the idea of the template on pg. 41; it is ideal for spacing the knots around various sizes of hoops when using the Mali weave method for attaching a drumhead. I might add that it would have been better to mention at this point, rather than on pg.32, the twitching method of further tuning the weave if more tension is vital, such as on an African djembe.

The second half of the book gives examples in detail on how to make various drums based on the expert knowledge of drum makers who generously allowed the author to document their procedures. Once again the quality of the images is excellent and lends to an easy understanding of some of the secrets of the drum making processes passed on from drum maker to drum maker. Drums shown in the process of being created in this section include; Frame drums - primitive, Irish, Mid Eastern, Latin, and native North American. Staved drums - cylindrical, conical, and coumpound conical (djembe, ashiko). Carved - West African atumpan. Clay - doumbek style goblet drum.

The book closes with profiles on the talented artisans featured in the drum making projects section of the book and a much-welcomed index to make quick referencing that much easier.

All in all this is an excellent book for drum makers, drummers or really any one that may have a slight curiosity in these very diverse, variable instruments we call drums. Great detail, accurate historical tidbits and vibrant images all add up to a great volume destined to be a permanent resident on my bookshelf and as a future reference for many repairs to come. As an instructor and clinician I have been able to expand my own knowledge to pass on to others thanks to Dennis Waring. I now also have a little more confidence when going to purchase an instrument as I know a lot more about the physics of how they are made, allowing me to make a more informed decision. Based on all this, I believe this book would be a complement to (and the life of) the top of any coffee table.

~ Dave Brummet: co-author of the books Trash Talk, Purple Snowflake Marketing and Towards Understanding; co-host of the Conscious Discussions radio show (http://www.brummet.ca)

Cincinnati Karaoke

Cincinnati, like most cities these days, has a multitude of Karaoke bars to choose from on any given night. If you are ever out on a Friday night, you might want to try the Pirates Den on Anderson Ferry Rd. in Western Hills, where Cincinnati Karaoke host Robin Saint James brings her unique style of Karaoke entertainment to the public. She and her sidekick Sean Caldwell provide lots of laughs and guaranteed fun.

Robin is also a writer for local Cincinnati newspaper, and the author of a book called "Karaoke Krazy! Is This On?" The book is a humorous, satyrical, look at the Karaoke phenomenon, and also gives tips on singing and various other topics, including how to create you own television show. Here is an excerpt from the chapter entitled "What is Karaoke Anyway?":

Several years ago, someone in Japan thought there was a need for this type of entertainment ---and they were right.

In Japanese work environments, people are expected to contribute to the common good of the whole and not to draw undue attention to themselves.

American culture dictates a sense of individualism. We are conditioned to “stand out” from the crowd. But this is not so in Japanese culture, where modesty and a sense that one does not “blow their own horn” is the norm.

But we are all human and we like to get attention regardless of our cultural upbringing. In my opinion, the Japanese were more than ready to channel their hidden desire for individuality and acceptance into something “allowable.”

Singing has long been a part of the Japanese culture as it has brought them feelings of happiness. Corporate workers tend to feel a sense of relief from their fast-paced lives when they sing, so Karaoke is a natural outcome of their desires.

When whoever the Japanese genius was that created Karaoke did so, the masses were ready to jump in with both feet.

A few decades ago (in Japan), “Karaoke boxes” were created for people who wished to hear themselves sing. They were soundproof, just in case the singer was not so good. These boxes were set up anywhere the need warranted, from subway stations to street corners.

Eventually, Karaoke bars began to spring up all over Japan. It soon became so popular that there were even “Karaoke cabs” that provided people the means to sing on their way home from work! Sometimes the singers would be required to pay to sing. This became a good source of income for many business owners.

Karaoke also has practical uses for the Japanese. They like to sing western tunes and invariably they are able to learn English or other languages. It is also a significant tool regarding socialization, given that it holds no prejudice in terms of ‘good singers vs bad.’

The Karaoke phenomenon eventually spread throughout Asia and Europe, and of course, the United States.

Laser discs helped to bolster the popularity of this new form of entertainment. These 12-inch albums were first produced, as far as I know, by Pioneer Audio. I assume they were made in the same format as the 12-inch movie discs that started to become popular and then fizzled when DVDs hit the scene.

The Pioneer laser disc is really a work of art. Each and every song has its own video behind the lyrics. This entertained audiences as much as the actual singing. I had people that would come to my shows just to watch Karaoke videos.

I have to credit Pioneer for putting so much effort into their product. It was one of the reasons that my early shows were so successful. Everyone wanted to see what Karaoke was all about. To have videos on top of the singing was simply icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, other companies that eventually got into the Karaoke act and quickly found out that compact discs with graphics (words only) would work just fine.
CDGs were far cheaper to produce and manufacture than laser discs and therefore far more inexpensive to the consumer. 12-inch laser discs were sold at about $130.00 per item. The smaller CDGs could be purchased for the cost of a CD. Therefore, the giant Pioneer laser disc was out and CDGs were in.

Although the giant disc era ended several years ago, I became so programmed to them, I still find myself starting shows by rolling off “Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to “Laser Video Karaoke.” I am your host….”

I think it is too bad that “cheaper” won out over “better quality.” Pioneer had a good product but it could not keep producing it when other companies were pumping out cheaper versions at a fraction of the cost.

By cheaper I don’t just mean ‘without the video.’ (Albeit the video cost more to produce than the music.) The orchestration on some brands of CDGs leaves a lot to be desired. It pales in comparison to the fully orchestrated sounds of the old Pioneer discs.

Pioneer used studio musicians, the best sound technicians, the works. You could easily tell that Karaoke versions of songs were as well put together as the artist's originals.

However, other companies were obviously using a cheaper means of getting there by simply programming keyboards to do what an orchestra once did. Thus, the demand for pioneer discs with video decreased. As far as I know, videos no longer accompany songs....

If you would like to read more, check out the Karaoke Krazy website at www.karaokekrazy.org [http://www.karaokekrazy.org]. You can also order the book at Amazon.com

Robin Saint James, has just completed her new book titled Karaoke Krazy. The humorous, satirical, yet realistic look at the American Karaoke phenomenon will be for sale at Cincinnati outlets in June.

Saint James is the former host of three local television shows, Karaoke Korner (WSTR), Cornucopia Corner (WSTR), and Cincinnati's Rockit to the Stars (WLWT). Also a former recording artist, she is still entertaining audiences after twenty years in the business.

Learn Practical Guitar Playing Tips With Learn and Master Guitar

Guitar playing is an art and not everyone is a gifted guitarist. This article is devoted to all those guitar lovers who have at some point of their life or the other, experienced a deep desire to learn playing guitar. Well, guitar learning is not as difficult as people say it is. At least with the DVD series of the Learn and Master Guitar program, the challenging task of learning to play the guitar becomes much more easy and uncomplicated.

This program has such a wide range of guitar concepts, techniques and styles to teach, that any person who follows this program is sure to learn the guitar quite fluently, confidently, flawlessly and with a reasonably high degree of versatility within a few months of starting with this program. This best part about this program is that apart from the rich knowledge that it provides through the video lessons, it also provides an unlimited amount of practical tips, which add a lot of life to your guitar playing skills, in addition to making guitar playing very effortless and simple for you.

The instructor, Steve Krenz is a very experienced guitarist, an accomplished musician and a widely acclaimed guitar teacher. He seems to know what piece of advice or what tip to provide at the exact moment when it is needed. It is as if he can read you mind and can understand your requirement completely. Here are a few tips and suggestions from Steve, that are very simple and yet without them, you would be missing out on a lot of perfection and pleasure of playing the guitar.

Guitar Tips and Guitar Tricks

Very often, beginners complain that playing the guitar hurts their fingers. Steve suggests exercises for improving finger agility and strength in the initial part of this instructional program itself, so that nobody quits learning because of this problem. He clarifies that the problem can be solved through regular practice, which encourages callus building, when the finger tips press down hard on the strings. He also points out that barring a chord is very helpful for callus building and also improves finger strength and dexterity.

In addition to introducing you to the world of chords, chord families, chord progressions, chord formulas, smooth chord transitions, chord substitution, advanced chords and altered chords, Steve also equips you with several tips pertaining to chords. He tells you to teach yourself as many different ways of playing a chord as possible, because it adds greater flexibility during cord changing and is also going to be useful when you try to compose your own music. According to him, you should carry the guitar with you and practice playing chords as frequently as possible, while watching TV or talking to a friend, as this will refrain you from looking at the guitar and playing each not. As you continue with this practice, your fingers will get used to playing fluently and with greater confidence, even if you do not look constantly look at the fretboard each time you strike a note.

This program provides many such useful tips, which we can very well do without, but whose implementation can add an element of grace and perfection to your guitar playing skills. This program provides you with such a large variety of free guitar licks and songs that you can practice as often as you like. It helps polish your guitar playing skills and takes your guitar learning process to an entirely different level, wherein you know how to apply what you have learnt. Therefore, irrespective of whether you are a born guitarist or not, you can soon start playing the guitar like any of the professional guitarists.

Guitar enthusiast, Jason C*Diggs, writes quality, non-biased reviews on the net's top instructional guitar programs. His highest rating goes to Learn and Master Guitar, a highly recognized, extensive DVD guitar course. He also offers over 35 FREE video guitar licks at his site.

Music and the Human Brain - Book Review

Have you ever noticed that folks that have a musical background happen to be smarter than other people? Scientists, neurologists, and clinical psychologists have noted this and there is very strong evidence that this is not a fluke, but that there is a very real reason as to why this is, that goes deep into the biological human system, even down to the cell level.

Indeed, rather than me explain all this to you, perhaps I might recommend an extremely telling book on this very topic. The book is by a University Researcher that has dedicated much of his own life to studying all this. The name of the book is:

"This is Your Brain on Music; The Science of Human Obsession" by Daniel J. Levitin; Penguin Book Group; New York, NY; 2006. ISBN: 978-0-452-28852-2

You will learn about the biorhythms of the human body, as well as the brain frequencies and resonance that is part of our very essence, and you will discover the secrets to the biological vibrational energy within the human body. The human psyche is very much attached to the resonance of music, and it is not by accident. This is why zoologists have also found that "music calms the nature of wild animals."

Ever wonder why people tap their pencils or tap their feet, or why we listen to music, sing tunes in our heads or why we get some silly jingle stuck in our brain? The answers to all these questions and more are in this work. Learn why music is so enjoyable to us, and why we love our music so much. Please consider buying this book, reading it, and considering all the ramifications of its findings.

Lance Winslow is a retired franchisor - Lance Winslow's Bio. Lance Winslow is formerly the CEO of WashGuys family of franchises for instance one of Lance Winslow's favorite companies on the team; http://www.windowwashguys.com/links.shtml/.

Piano Lesson Books - A Top List

Piano lesson books have been around for awhile and new books are being released. Which ones will suit your needs? Let us check out a few of the piano books that make my list.

The Piano Handbook: A complete Guide for Mastering Piano by Carl Humphries. This covers just about everything you need to know about the piano. Fairly solid overall, but there is one drawback. The information is packed, so the pace is somewhat fast. With a somewhat basic grasp on the piano this could be valuable. For complete beginners however it may not be the best choice.

How to Play Popular Piano in 10 Easy Lessons: The Fastest, Easiest Way to Learn to Play from Sheet Music or by Ear by Norman Monath. This is fairly good for a beginner. It avoids the trap of being overly complicated. It covers the important areas including creating chords, melody, harmony, and a handful of other elements. This operates at a moderate pace, but does not get too detailed about the advanced areas of musical theory.

How to Play Piano: Everything You Need to Know to Play the Piano by Roger Evans. Playing the piano with both hands happens fairly fast in this book. This could make it a little difficult initially, but it can also work to your advantage to learn to use both hands early on. It focuses more on playing the piano itself, so some other critical areas are left out such as reading music. This may not be the best choice unless you have prior knowledge and the ability to read music. Other than that, the rest of the content is good basic stuff.

Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises: Complete by C.L. Hanon. This can be used in conjunction with other books. It is a little different from the others, but worth being on the list here. The highlight of this book is within the exercises. The exercises can help to strengthen the fingers that need it, get comfortable with the piano, and improve your overall ability playing the piano.

These books may be able to offer you a good start in regards to learning how to play the piano. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, and the last book mentioned makes for a good companion due to the exercises and benefits gained from them. Adequate practice and action is also necessary of course. Keep up with the necessary practice, and the results will begin to show and improve over time.

For more information, resources, and tips to learn the piano [http://www.teachyourself-piano.info], be sure to visit [http://www.teachyourself-piano.info].

Learn Guitar Online Today

You could spend hours and hours searching the internet for the best online guitar lessons, but why? There are many programs on the internet the that can teach you how to play guitar. Lets face it, learning guitar is no easy feet. Some people I grew up with that can play the guitar took them years to get good.

There is no doubt that learning guitar is going to take much effort, the reward for that effort is priceless. How many of us have had a dream of playing in a rock band in front of thousands of screaming fans. Maybe you just want to be able to pick up a guitar around a camp fire and just relax and play for your own enjoyment. Playing the guitar is truly an amazing instrument. So where do we start?

Like we talked about, learning guitar takes time, patience, dedication and a willingness to learn. We find time for things we are passionate about. Our passion for music will make us find the time. It can take years of practice and lessons, patience truly is a virtue. Our strong desire and willingness to learn brings everything together and gives us the mindset to learn guitar.

Private lessons are an excellent way of learning the guitar. The live, one-on-one attention from an instructor who is sitting right with you is invaluable. But can we afford years and years of private guitar lessons? Some of us might be able to and that great. However the majority of people just cannot afford full time, private guitar lessons.

The internet is a powerful tool and there are programs out there that will teach guitar at your pace, in your own home. Some things we need to consider are the cost and the quality of the programs. With these programs and our desire to succeed, the dream of learning guitar is obtainable and affordable.

To see a review of the Guitar Lesson programs on the net, please visit http://www.guitarfornewbies.net.

Thank you and good luck!
Eric

Aerobics Music

Listening to music is a great way to prepare yourself mentally for participating in any activity. The power of music to influence, cajole and inspire us as humans is a well known fact. Its use in aerobics is no less potent, as music in this form stimulates the body and energizes it for the workout at hand.

So, if you are having problems in establishing an exercise routine or perhaps are so unmotivated that you have not even started; consider incorporating some aerobics music in your routine to kick start your regimen.

Benefits of Using Aerobics Music

Motivation is definitely the main benefit to be had from using aerobics music as a part of your regular routine. Lively upbeat music will certainly get you in the frame of mind to get up and get going. Tough with respect to being motivated, different persons are motivated by different factors, so the genre of music used in this case would be highly personalized. Irrespective if the genre chosen, typically aerobics music should be one which starts of gradually eventually building into a lively rhythm, then tapers off close to the end of the workout in a cooling off session.

Adding music to your aerobics sessions may help you to increase the intensity as well as the duration of your workout as listening and moving to the music your mind will not necessarily be on the exercise in itself. Instead of just doing reps because you know you should, you will now be enjoying the entire workout without even thinking of it as a duty.

Another great, but often overlooked benefit of adding music to your exercise regimen is the distraction factor. Music will distract you from experiencing boredom, fatigue and even pain. So if you are feeling any discomfort such as excessive tiredness or if you just had a bad day, you can just allow your mind to focus on the music and the beat instead of the issues at hand.

Types of Music

While there is certainly no hard and fast rule governing which type of music has to be used in an aerobics session, you will inadvertently meant to use music that is fast and will inspire you to get moving. There are many aerobics music videos and CD's on the market that will cater for various energy levels and tastes. While the selection is definitely up to you, it is advisable that you choose something that you enjoy and which has a nice rhythm to it.

Also, try to make sure that the speed of and intensity of the music that you have chosen is in tandem with the level of aerobics activity that you will be partaking in. Whether your workout is super fast, moderate, intense or slower paced, them the music that you will eventually select should be in sync for obvious reasons.

Almost all genres can be converted into aerobic music, just remember that the music should keep you on your toes and moving at a fast pace. Once it satisfies these criteria, regardless if it is traditional aerobic music or not, it will be effective.

Discover the advantages of living a healthy lifestyle and see the benefits that a well balanced diet can do for you. For more information about weight loss, healthy living, getting the proper diet and exercise and other useful health tips go to: Health Tips 101

Get Your "FREE" Diet & Exercise Tips Newsletter Today! And For A Limited Time Get The Fantastic FREE Report "Better Health With Vitamins" And Discover How To Live Longer And Live Stronger!

Jewish Music

What Is Jewish Music?

Jewish music can be studied from many diversified points of view. Among them historical, liturgical and non-liturgical music of the Hebrews dating from the pre-Biblical times (Pharaonic Egypt); religious music at the first and second Solomon's Temples; musical activities immediately following the Exodus; the seemingly impoverished religious musical activities during the early middle ages; the emergence of the concept of Jewish Music in the mid-19th century; its nation-oriented sense as coined by the landmark book Jewish Music in its Historical Development (1929) by A. Z. Idelsohn (1882-1938) and finally as the art and popular music of Israel.

Early emergences of Jewish musical themes and of what may be called "the idea of being Jew" in European music can be first seen in the works of Salamone Rossi (1570-1630). Following that they appear somewhat shaded in the works of the grandson of the well known Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn(1729-1786): Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847).

Fromental Halevy's (1799-1862) opera La Juive and its occasional use of some Jewish themes is opposed to the lack of "anything Jew" in his almost contemporary fellow composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) who was actually Jew and grew up in straight Jewish tradition.

Interestingly the St. Petersburg Society for Jewish Music led by the composer-critic Joel Engel (1868-1927) reports on how they discovered their Jewish roots. They were inspired by the Nationalistic movement in the Russian Music personified by Rimsky-Korsakov, Cesar Cui and others, and records how set out to the Shtetls and meticulously recorded and transcribed thousands of Yiddish folksongs.

Ernst Bloch's (1880-1959) Schelomo for cello and orchestra and specially the Sacred Service for orchestra, choir and soloists are attempts to create a "Jewish Requiem".

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968)'s Sephardic upbringings and their influences on his music as they appear in his Second Violin Concerto and in many of his songs and choral works; cantatas Naomi and Ruth, Queen of Shiba and in the oratorio The Book of Jonah among others are worth noting as well.

Many scholars did not missed the Synagogue motives and melodies borrowed by George Gershwin in his Porgy and Bess. Gershwin biographer Edward Jablonski has claimed that the melody to "It Ain't Necessarily So" was taken from the Haftarah blessing and others have attributed it to the Torah blessing.

In Gershwin's some 800 songs, allusions to Jewish music have been detected by other observers as well. One musicologist detected "an uncanny resemblance" between the folk tune "Havenu Shalom Aleichem" and the spiritual "It Take a Long Pull to Get There".

Most notcied contemporary Israeli composers are Chaya Czernowin, Betty Olivera, Tsippi Fleisher, Mark Kopytman, Yitzhak Yedid.

There are also very important works by non-Jew composers in the Jewish music. Maurice Ravel with his Kaddish for violin and piano based on a traditional liturgical melody and Max Bruch's famous arrangement of the Yom Kippur prayer Kol Nidrei for cello and orchestra are among the best known.

Sergei Prokofieff's Overture sur des Themes Juives for string quartet, piano and clarinet clearly displays its inspirational sources in non-religious Jewish music. The melodic, modal, rhythmical materials and the use of the clarinet as a leading melodic instrument is a very typical sound in folk and non-religious Jewish music.

Dmitri Shostakovich was deeply influenced by Jewish music as well. This can be seen in many of his compositions, most notably in the song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry, and in the Second Piano Trio. However his most outstanding contribution to the Jewish culture is without doubt the 13th. Symphony "Babi Yar".

How Many Jewish Musics?

The world-wide dispersion of the Jews following the Exodus and its three main communities create the basic kayout of the world-wide Jewish music. Those communities in their geographical dispersion covering all continents and their unique relations with local communities have given birth to various kinds of music as well as languages and customs.

Following the exile, according to geographical settlements, Jews formed three main branches: Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Mizrahi.

Roughly they are located as follows: Ashkenazi in Eastern and Western Europe, the Balkans, (to a lesser extend) in Turkey and Greece; Sephardi in Spain, Maroc, North Africa and later in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey); Mizrahi in Lebanon, Syria, East Asia, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt.

The music of those communities naturally entered into contact with local traditions and evolved accordingly.

Ashkenazi and the Klezmer

"Ashkenazi" refers to Jews who in the 9.th century started to settle on the banks of the Rhine.
Today the term "Ashkenazi" designate most of the European and Western Jews.

Besides the Hebrew, Yiddish is commonly used in speech and songs.

The traditional Ashkenazi music, originated in Eastern Europe, moved to all directions from there and created the main branch of Jewish Music in North America. It includes the famous Klezmer music. Klezmer means "instruments of song", from the Hebrew word klei zemer. The word come to designate the musician himself and it is somehow analogous to the European troubadour.

Klezmer is a very popular genre which can be seen in Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism, it is however deeply connected with the Ashkenazi tradition.

Around the 15th century, a tradition of secular Jewish music was developed by musicians called kleyzmorim or kleyzmerim. They draw on devotional traditions extending back into Biblical times, and their musical legacy of klezmer continues to evolve today. The repertoire is largely dance songs for weddings and other celebrations. Due to the Ashkenazi lineage of this music, the lyrics, terminology and song titles are typically in Yiddish.

Originally naming the musicians themselves in mid-20th Century the word started to identify a musical genre, it is also sometimes referred to as "Yiddish" music.

Sephardi

"Sephardi" literally means Spanish, and designate Jews from mainly Spain but also North Africa, Greece and Egypt.

Following the expulsion of all non-Christians, forced to convert to Christianism or to the exile in 1492, the very rich, cultivated and fruitful Jewish culture existing in Spain has migrated massively into the Ottoman Empire formed the main brach of Jews living currently in Turkey.

Their language besides the Hebrew is called Ladino. Ladino is a 15th. century of Spanish. Much of their musical repertoire is in that language. The Sephardi music mixes many elements from traditional Arab, North African, Turkish idioms.

In medieval Spain, "canciones" being performed at the royal courts constitued the basis of the Sephardic music.

Spiritual, ceremonial and entertainment songs all coexists in Sephardic music. Lyrics are generally Hebrew for religious songs and Ladino for others.

The genre in its spread to North Africa, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans and Egypt assimilated many musical elements. Including the North African high-pitched, extended ululations; Balkan rhythms, for instance in 9/8 time; and the Turkish maqam modes.

Woman voice is often preferred while the instruments included the "oud" and "qanun" which are not traditionally Jewish instruments.

Some popular Sephardic music has been released as commercial recordings in the early 20th Century. Among the first popular singers of the genre were men and included the Turks Jack Mayesh, Haim Efendi and Yitzhak Algazi. Later, a new generation of singers arose, many of whom were not themselves Sephardic. Gloria Levy, Pasharos Sefardíes and Flory Jagoda.

Mizrahi

"Mizrahi" means Eastern and refers to Jews of Eastern Mediterranean and further to the East.

The music also mixes local traditions. Actually a very "eastern flavored" musical tradition which encompasses Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and as east as India.

Middle Eastern percussion instruments share an important part with the violin in typical Mizrahi songs. The music is usually high pitched in general.

In Israel today Mizrahi music is very popular.

A "Muzika Mizrahit" movement emerged in the 1950s. Mostly with with performers from the ethnic neighborhoods of Israel: the Yemenite "Kerem HaTemanim" neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Moroccan, Iranian and Iraqi immigrants - who played at weddings and other events.

Songs were performed in Hebrew but with a clear Arabic style on traditional Arabic instruments: the "Oud", the "Kanun", and the "darbuka".

Classic Hebrew literature, including liturgical texts and poems by medieval Hebrew poets constitued the main source of lyrics.

Music in Jewish Liturgy

There are a wide collection of, sometimes conflicting, writings on all aspects of using music in the Judaic liturgy. The most agreed-upon facts are that the women voice should be excluded from religious ceremony and the usage of musical instruments should be banned in Synagogue service.

However some Rabbinical authorities soften those straight positions but not regarding the exclusion of the female voice. In weddings, for instance, the Talmudic statement "to gladden the groom and bride with music" can be seen as a way to allow making instrumental and non-religious music at the weddings but this was probably to be done outside the Synagogue.

The very influential writings of the Spanish Rabbi, also a physician and philosopher, Maimonides (1135-1204) on one hand opposed harshly against all form of music not totally at the service of religious worship and on the other hand recommended instrumental music for its healing powers.

Healing powers and mysterious formul hidden inside musical scores was commonly sought after in music scores during middle-ages, renaissance and pre-Baroque epochs. Interestingly, in a recently published fiction novel "Imprimatur" by the musicologist Rita Monaldi and co-author Francesco Solti the whole plot is built-up around a composition of Salomone Rossi (1570-1630), an important Jewish composer.

Jewish mystical treatises, like the Kabbala, particularly since the 13th. century often deal with ethical, magical and therapeutic powers of music. The enhancement of the religious experience with music, particularly with singing is expressed in many places.

Even though there is no unified position concerning music in the Jewish thought a common main ideas seems to emerge: that the music is the authentic expression of human feelings in religious and secular life.

Mehmet Okonsar is a pianist-composer-conductor and musicologist. He is educated in the Brussels Royal Conservatory. He currently lives in Ankara, Turkey. Mehmet Okonsar is an internationally acknowned concert pianist and composer.He is offering highly eclectic concert programs but refuses all the so-called "specializations." He manages his career and runs his own publishing and CD companies.

http://www.okonsar.com

Hollywood Musicals - Review

Hollywood Musicals is a delightful book that comes accompanied by a CD. The introduction to the book starts with "In the beginning there was light. Electric light."

In that vein, starting with Edison, the book continues with the technical history of the photography, moving pictures, Kinetograph and the Nickelodeon, ten-minute shorts of Griffith, and the silent films that followed.

Among the first silent films, the book cites Edwin S. Porter's (1903) "Life of an American fireman" and "The Great Train Robbery," Griffith's (1915) "Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance." Together with the top producer Cecil Blount De Mille, the stars of the silent era are also mentioned: Mary Pickford, Dorothy and Lillian Gish, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Greta Garbo, and Rudolph Valentino.

Sound to the movies came through the efforts of four Warner Brothers: Harry, Sam, Albert, and Jack. The Jazz Singer (1927), starring Al Jolson is considered to be the first talking picture, in which Jolson spoke the prophetic words: "Wait a minute...You ain't heard nothin' yet."

Talking pictures or the talkies had their birthing pains. Big stars like Pola Negri, Norma Talmadge, and John Gilbert were snuffed out because their voices did not sound good in the talkies. Yet, some actors like Greta Garbo made a spectacular transition and became etched in the history of the motion pictures.

The first real musicals were born under MGM with Broadway Melody later to be followed by The Wizard of Oz and Little Caesar. In the beginning, musicals featured similar themes, revamped versions of stage plays, and backstage tales. When the song from The Wizard of Oz won an Academy Award, it opened the doors to other more spectacular musicals with extravagant, artistic sets and expensive costumes.

Among those who followed the way to stardom in the musicals were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson, and Gordon MacRae.

Some of the earlier musicals of note are: Show Boat, Singing in the Rain, For Me and My Gal, Ziegfeld Follies, Brigadoon, Oklahoma, The King and I, Carousel, South Pacific, Gigi, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and The Music Man.

The CD has fifteen tracks starting with "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz and ending with "Where Is Love?" from Oliver. The CD has been remastered with a good sound quality.

The author, Julie Koerner, has several books on music and writing. Besides Hollywood Musicals, she has written these books: Fms Remarkable Reptil, Big Bands, Love songs from stage & screen (The life, times & music series), More Scary Story Starters, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Music Books), Gifted & Talented Story Starters: Stories About Animals (Gifted & Talented), Big bands (The life, times & music series), Swing Kings (The life, times & music series),The Traveler (Literature Points the Way), More Scary Story Starters: Write Your Own Story Stories!

Hollywood Musicals (the book) has ISBN-10: 1567990436 and
ISBN-13: 978-1567990430. Hollywood Musicals (the compact disc) has ASIN: 1567993540. Both the book and the CD are very informative, entertaining, and delightful.

Joy Cagil is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/joycag

Get Media Airplay

Book review:Get Media Airplay: A Guide to Getting Songs Exposure, Music/Product Tie-Ins, Brand Integration Discoveries, and Radio-Play Spins! By Rick Davis, Hal Leonard Corporation, 7777 Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213, ISBN 978-1-4234-1308-0 ,1-4234-1308-3 , $12.95, 160 Pages, 2006

Rick Davis' new book contains a wealth of information for those looking to break into the music business. Mr. Davis is the master of press, public relations and music marketing. Long respected in the industry for finding airplay for independent and label artists, he cuts to the chase in his new A-Z book on going from zero to star. If you're looking to by-pass American Idol, this definitive new book is your road map. Not being in the music business myself, I found the book an easy read, chock full of sure-fire ways to learn the basics and a whole lot more.

Chapter titles include: The Price of Music, Radio Format Fundamentals, Radio Station Job Details, The Main Keys to Handling Radio Promotions, Radio Industry Tracking Services, What Every Musician Must Know!, How to Build Your Media List Doing FCC/Radio.net/Arbitron, Demo Radio/Event Plug Case Studies, Build a Fan Base Showcasing Promoter's List, The Mix Tape Phenomenon, Digital Music Programming, Obtaining Album Exposure from Satellite Radio Programmers, What About Independent and New Bands Getting Adds at Alice@97.3?, Radio Show Producers List, Planning and Being Prepared for Your Professional Development, Musician's On-Air List of Performance Opportunities, Radio Promotions Program Guide, National Reporting DJ Sheet, Directory of Professional Independent Publicists, The Hottest PR Firms and Music Web Sites, Internet Broadcasters and Resources, and Press Media Outlets. Additional features are an introduction, glossary, and an author biography.

A perfect desk reference book for those looking to make the charts or those looking to jump-start their music career. The inside skinny in this book is worth ten times the price.

Mark Nash is a Chicago based residential real estate author, broker and columnist. His advice, analysis and tips have been featured on: Bloomberg TV, CBS News, CNN, Fox News Channel, NBC News, The New York Time, The Washington Post, Business Week, Parade, and Smart Money Magazines, The Library of Congress, Washington, D. C., HGTV.com, and RealtyTimes.com. Nash's annual survey "What's In, What's Out with Homebuyers" is utilized by more than 500 news organizations in the U.S. and Canada.

Decoded by Jay-Z

Book Review: Decoded by Jay-Z

The book in question is more or less how to gain success no matter what life may throw at you. Jay-Z in fact is quite similar to the entrepreneurial master Warren Buffet and they both have similar independent thinking patterns. Both of these guys ignore what others say about them and they take your own steps in life. You may be aware that while Warren Buffet's mentor was his own father, similarly Jay-Z had a mentor in his sixth grade, known as Miss Lowden. Jay Z grew up in New York City, at the place where the J and the Z lines of the subway meet. He has defined the same thing that Warren Buffet has termed as "Discipline to not get caught up in the moment".

Since there are many who doubt Jay Z's stamina as an entrepreneur or a businessman, i advise you to take a look at the statistics. Jay-Z's record sales statistics are very impressive, 11 back to back number one albums which is in itself a world record for the most number one albums by a solo artist. In addition, he has sold over 50 million copies of his albums over the world and won 10 Grammy Awards. The numbers show that he is one of the best musicians or promoter of music that there has ever been.

If you give this book a shot, then you will enjoy the read since it brings out one of the best businessman's ideas, the way he looks at things is unique. The book is quite different from the normal day to day type biographies.

Decoded by Jay-Z looks into the mind of a truly fascinating character, if you are a fan of Jay-Z then this book delivers his career from beginning to end in a phenomenal manner.

If you would like to read a chapter of this inspiring book click here

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