Violin

Learn to Play Violin Online From the Best and Globally Competitive Instructors

2011-01-30T17:20:00.000+07:00

There are a lot of resources to learn things. One is through books, others is through media, and another one which is I think the most widely used method of learning is online. And learning how to play instruments is not an exemption, even learning how to play the violin.
Violin belongs to the stringed family of instruments like the guitar. It is considered by most people as one of the few instruments that are hard to learn to play. But the hardest things to learn often have the most rewarding triumphs of all. If learning to play the violin is hard just imagine when you already mastered it and see yourself playing, it is the best reward for all those efforts.
But where can you actually learn how to play violin without enrolling yourself into costly formal education and private tutors? Learn how to play violin online.
There are a lot of websites that offers you online tutoring and mentoring on how to play the violin.
Through online learning you can learn at the best location…at the comforts of your own home. You can even have the time of preference for your tutoring…and the best feature is that they will also cater to one on one tutorial, and even use a lot of other media to help you understand the lesson.
If you can not afford the tuition fees for formal training and one on one private tutorial to learn how to play violin, online learning is suited for you. They offer you a detailed and step by step method of performing techniques. You can join online and learn through chat. They also show you live demonstration via web so that you get to appreciate the lessons more. Plus even the teachers are the best violinist, so you learn the best from the best.
You can learn at your own pace with the use of the video lessons and audio lessons. This can be very helpful to you especially when you have a hard time catching up with lessons. You can learn lessons anytime and anywhere you want. You can also have the lessons that are difficult for you elaborated and explained further.
If practicing may seem boring for you, you can also try practicing online; they will give you pieces of notes to have you improve your skill. You can use a vast array of other multimedia resources to help you improve your skills; you may even ask questions via chat and through online. They will teach you how to read music scripts on an advanced stage but you get to enjoy the process as well as your type of genre of music.
So if you want to learn how to play the violin, do it online. Just like home school, and many other activities that can be achieved at the comforts of our home, to learn to play violin online can be both rewarding and fun. We get to learn anytime we feel like learning, and we learn from the best, even from professionals across the globe.

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Learn How To Play The Violin - Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced

2011-01-18T17:01:00.000+07:00

The Eric Lewis method is an incredibly complete solution to mastering the violin and is easy to apply. Violin Master Pro is THE solution for you if you are looking for a one stop teaching tool to the world of violin either for yourself, your children or a friend.

Do you aspire to learn to play the violin like a pro? You certainly can with proper guidance and mindset. Amaze your family and friends with soothing, romantic solos. Play condenzas, sonatas and solos. Play violin in a symphony, string quartet or piano trio. Play violin at your friend's wedding. Start your own violin teaching business or get jobs as a violinist. Or simply learn how to play the violin music of the great masters. It's all possible, again, with the right instruction.

Now is a great time to learn the violin. It's a tremendous instrument and Eric Lewis will show you exactly why. The Eric Lewis method is an incredibly complete solution to mastering the violin and is extremely easy to learn and apply.

The complete Eric Lewis method is available for beginners, intermediate and advanced players, as well as young players who have never picked up the instrument before. Learn how to play sonatas, solos, concertos and more. Be able to play any song imaginable.

Eric Lewis has been teaching violin privately for over 40 years and at institutions of higher learning everywhere he goes, enabling young violin players to fulfill their dreams. He is the world renowned first violinist of the Manhattan String Quartet of 40 years. He has toured the world since the 1970's across North and South America, Europe, Russia and the far east playing and teaching.

The Violin Master Pro course began in 1988 while Professor Lewis was conducting youth and university orchestras. He designed a new method that would enable players of all ages to expand their horizons and play incredibly difficult pieces of music in a shorter amount of time. He accelerated the learning curve for young string players to produce concerts of Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky.

Here is what you will learn in ViolinMasterPro:

- Play Violin like a pro with a cutting edge, step by step method that is easy to understand and apply.
- Start amazing your family & friends immediately with incredible skills on Violin.
- Learn how to play music from memory, using the ViolinMasterPro ear training method, which is more than easy to develop.
- Blow through the most difficult passages, scales and riffs with a collection of tricks and methods used by professional players.
- Learn to play Violin in every style imaginable.
- Become a Master of Music Theory.
- Maximize your energy and hand strength in three days.
- Help yourself to our extensive library of every scale, chord, arpeggio and groove known to man!
- Discover the power of muscle memory.
- Learn how to read music!
- Where and when to acquire the most valuable violins and other string instruments at discounted prices and sometimes even free!
- Master rhythm and become more of an accurate player immediately.
- Discover the one thing the violin teachers don't tell their students EVER.
Learn how to play the violin online from beginner to professional from the comfort of your own home. Learning to play violin is such a great accomplishment, and you'll actually be playing violin by the end of the day.

The ViolinMasterPro system comes with 11 video lessons, exclusive jam tracks, exercises, scales, chords, and step by step instructions for all stages. In addition to the exclusive system, you will be given 1000+ scales and arpeggios, exclusive resources and our library jam tracks to play along with. Everything you need to learn from start to finish is here. You will be given the tools to develop incredible skills with the violin.
Learn how to play, perform and write violin music online with a ViolinMasterPro membership. As a member you will have unlimited access to all the ViolinMasterPro features and updates. The members section is updated regularly with instruction, tips and training in video, audio and document form. Check out Eric Lewis' website below.

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About Author

To find out more about how to play the violin or how to get the complete solution to learning the violin, from start to finish, using the Eric Lewis ViolinMasterPro System, get all the details here.

Take the Extra Challenge, Give Extra Effort: Learn How to Play the Violin Effectively

2011-01-14T12:53:00.000+07:00

Learning how to play the violin is one of the most satisfying experiences a person can have. This is especially true to those who have long wished that they could learn how to play it. If you are one of those people who want to learn how to play the violin, you can use these guidelines to start:

First, you need the best learning system available for playing violin. It is imperative that you have it so that learning will not be difficult for you. You must also know what learning system best suits you. Learning how to play the violin actually includes more than just buying one. You must also find the right instructional guide to lead you to the way. Find a good teacher to teach you how to play. When I say teacher, it could also mean books or other written, audio or video materials that will show and teach you how to play the violin. You need this teacher to have the best system possible for you to learn. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have any special tricks to show you, all it matters is their ability to convey their knowledge to you.

Second, you need time for practice. It is necessary that you allot time for practice no matter how busy you schedule might be. This is for you to retain all the knowledge and skills in the violin that you have previously learned. It also helps you in improving this skill and polishes it. In practicing, you need to be in the right place to do it. This is because distractions can break the momentum that you have in learning your lessons for the day. Learning anything, especially playing the violin, needs an ample amount of time for practice every single day. What ever your activities are for the day, a time must be set for a practice so you may learn and retain what you have learned in playing the violin. In practicing, you also need the right place for it. You will need a place which is devoid of any distractions so that you can concentrate on the task at hand. Always remember that constant correct practice makes any performance perfect.

Third, you need the right attitude to do it. Remember that playing the violin is no simple task. If it were, everybody would have been a violinist already. So keep in mind that nurturing a talent is also like nurturing a child. You need patience and love to continue.

Lastly, you need to find within yourself the passion to play. This is because; there will be times when you may feel discouraged. Times like this can easily side track you from your original goals. Especially during times when you feel like you are not making any progress at all, quitting will seem like an attractive option. During these times, only the passion that you have for your music and the faith that you have for yourself maybe the only strength that will keep you going.

All these guidelines are useful in your journey through learning the violin, so always remember them. In doing this always remember your first motive of doing it – sheer passion and your love for music.

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Conditioning Your Child For a Great Experience on Violin Lessons For Children

2011-01-05T06:04:00.001+07:00

Does your child want to play violin and you're not sure as to what sort of teaching technique could be done? Would you go for the traditional one-on-one teaching by a violin teacher? Or would you rather enroll him in an online violin lesson? Or would you just prefer to purchase DVDs, CDs or books for him to do self-help learning? There are options to take all you need to do is choose.

This article will discuss the various options a parent could choose from.

Let's start with the traditional way of teaching. The one-on-one way of teaching done by a good violin teacher is one of the many ways in order for a child to learn how to play violin. The benefit one could get to it is that, the teacher is well-experienced in playing the instrument and so he/she could probably give out tips or techniques based from his/her experience which could not be found online or other teaching material. Plus, a teacher could monitor the progress of the student which is not possible in online learning.

Now, another option is the online learning. The best thing about online learning is that the child gets to be the own boss or the one who gets to manage his time. The child must be able to do other tasks in order to have a normal childhood: plays with other kids, study, do household chores, bond with the family and more. Through online learning, this is possible since you get to do the lesson in the comforts of your home. Plus, there is no need for the child to travel from the house to the learning institution, doesn't have to go through being pressured by peers and be bullied by classmates and more.

Lastly, the other option is to purchase DVDs that would teach the child to play the violin. With the technology that we have today, rest assured, these materials are of good quality. Through the help of the DVDs, young children would be more than excited to learn about the basics of the violin and this could be an option that would serve like a "stepping stone" in order to prepare him for a one-on-one learning technique. Other than that, it is very cheap compared to having regular teachers. We all know that to get a private teacher is quite pricey since you're paying for their expertise and their ways in teaching your child.

So, as parent, carefully plan what you want for your child as violin lessons for children is a serious business. It requires time and effort in order for the goal to be achieved. It would also just depend on your child as to how well he could grasp the lessons or the information he gets to be fed. Guide him as he goes through this whole learning process, inform of him of the future benefits he could get. Tell him that playing the violin is a very rewarding experience which he will, in the future, find fulfilling.

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Learn to Play Violin Online From the Best and Globally Competitive Instructors

2011-01-03T03:04:00.001+07:00

Violin belongs to the stringed family of instruments like the guitar. It is considered by most people as one of the few instruments that are hard to learn to play. But the hardest things to learn often have the most rewarding triumphs of all. If learning to play the violin is hard just imagine when you already mastered it and see yourself playing, it is the best reward for all those efforts.

But where can you actually learn how to play violin without enrolling yourself into costly formal education and private tutors? Learn how to play violin online.
There are a lot of websites that offers you online tutoring and mentoring on how to play the violin.

Through online learning you can learn at the best location…at the comforts of your own home. You can even have the time of preference for your tutoring…and the best feature is that they will also cater to one on one tutorial, and even use a lot of other media to help you understand the lesson.

If you can not afford the tuition fees for formal training and one on one private tutorial to learn how to play violin, online learning is suited for you. They offer you a detailed and step by step method of performing techniques. You can join online and learn through chat. They also show you live demonstration via web so that you get to appreciate the lessons more. Plus even the teachers are the best violinist, so you learn the best from the best.

You can learn at your own pace with the use of the video lessons and audio lessons. This can be very helpful to you especially when you have a hard time catching up with lessons. You can learn lessons anytime and anywhere you want. You can also have the lessons that are difficult for you elaborated and explained further.

If practicing may seem boring for you, you can also try practicing online; they will give you pieces of notes to have you improve your skill. You can use a vast array of other multimedia resources to help you improve your skills; you may even ask questions via chat and through online. They will teach you how to read music scripts on an advanced stage but you get to enjoy the process as well as your type of genre of music.

So if you want to learn how to play the violin, do it online. Just like home school, and many other activities that can be achieved at the comforts of our home, to learn to play violin online can be both rewarding and fun. We get to learn anytime we feel like learning, and we learn from the best, even from professionals across the globe.

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No Need to Be Frustrated, Learn How to Play the Violin Like an Expert

2010-12-31T15:17:00.001+07:00

Playing the violin is not an easy feat to accomplish, especially if you are just a beginner. Well, everyone has to start somewhere. Van Gogh must have sucked at his first drawing and Beethoven probably failed a few times before creating his master pieces. The decision to start learning is an important step in the journey, for it is the stepping stone you need to move forward. If you want to play the violin, you must first have a teacher. Be it a book, person or other materials, a teacher is needed for you to understand the basics of playing the violin. In this, you must also insist on having the right learning system – one that suits you best. This is because learning system is a big factor whether a person learns at all or not.

Next step is to start practicing. Well, aside from acquiring the right instrument of course, you need to practice. It is necessary for learning and improvement. You must pick the right time of your day and the right place to practice. With these factors, you can be sure that your concentration is only focused on learning how to play the violin. Once you have started to learn, please by all means continue to do so. Do not let trials and adversities disheartened you and keep you from reaching your goals. You alone have the power to create your reality. You can make your dreams stop being a dream and start being a reality. A heart who truly loves what its doing will live a happy and fruitful life. This is why if play the violin is what really makes you happy, then, by all means, play the violin.

If you really want to learn how to play the violin, here are some steps you can take:

• You need the best learning system available. Whether it is taught by a book, person, video or audio, the system is very much needed for easy learning. You need a learning system that has been proven to have a good result and that fits you best.

• Have time for practice. It is often said that constant correct practice makes perfect. So whether it is cooking, writing or playing an instrument, practice is still needed to improve the skill. You need to squeeze your practice time for playing the violin into your daily schedule and routine.

• Never give up. It is easy to give up in the middle of the battle. Sometimes you may think that you have already giving too much and getting so little. This frustration is normal. It is especially apparent for those who really tried their best in learning their craft. Never forget the reason why you want to learn how to play the violin in the first place – because you love it.

Violin and other musical instruments for that matter, takes time and passion for you to learn. It needs the persistence of a man in love and the sacrifice of a mother to be able to master it. Although these are the things required of you to, it doesn't mean that the journey through learning how to play violin is not enjoyable or worth it.

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Important Tips to Consider Before Learning to Play the Violin

2010-12-31T02:44:00.001+07:00

The sound of violin is magical to almost everybody's ears. It leaves us breathless and wanting more. We wish that it will be easy and want to learn it in an instant. We want to look on all books to learn it. But learning how to play the violin does not only entail reading books. It is having the correct knowledge on how to use and play it and learn it in no time at all. There are few tips below to help us learn play the violin.

1) We must choose a correct lesson based-system that we can follow. We do not have to spend hundreds of dollars in buying books and read them because chances are, we do not understand and retain what we have read. What we need is a step by step procedure that is easy to understand. After finding the correct system, we can start lesson using our instrument.

Again, we do not have to spend much to own a good violin. We just need an instrument that can play well with good sound quality. We must also ensure that it has a good tune and it can produce the right notes and to do this, we need to tune our instruments before using it.

2) Next is to schedule an ample time for practice. We can choose a specific time in a day were we are sure that we can concentrate on our practice and not be disturbed. We must find a place where we can concentrate playing the song we have chosen. The song must be our favorite or it must be something that we want to learn how to play. There is easy success when we choose the music that suits our interest. We do not need to practice everyday in order to learn how to play the violin and our chosen song in an instant.

3) Most of us get frustrated for not being able to learn fast. We must all remember that learning how to play the violin does not involve an overnight effort. When we get angry, we just have to put the instrument down and calm ourselves before we can start playing again. We will notice that in a couple of days, we get to produce sounds better than each practice session.

4) Last tip is to not give up and continue to learn everyday. Playing the violin is expressing us outwardly. In time we will see that solace can be found in playing it and in the future, all our efforts will be well paid.

All of the tips above may not be applicable to all of us students but surely, one or two will fit our style. The key to learn is to have a constant correct practice. We must not give up and in time, we will find ourselves become part of the music we play. We must also note that there is a difference between learning how to play violin for the sake of playing it and learning how to play violin because of our passion to learn it. Violin is not just an ordinary instrument; in fact, it requires a lot of us attention, dedication, and commitment. This is so because when playing the violin, we are bringing something magical to the floor.

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The Art of Playing the Violin Learn How to Play the Violin Now

2010-12-29T14:09:00.000+07:00

The violin is one of the most common instruments used for playing classical music. Although this is the case, there are also some who has managed to bring the wonderful sound of violin into a much modern genre.

Wouldn't it be nice if you too could play it? And wouldn't it be satisfying to know that you have worked hard to earn something – this time a skill, playing the violin.

Playing the violin is a wonderful art that we wish we can all learn how to do. We wish that it will be easy to learn and we start browsing lots of books to get all the information we want. But learning how to play the violin does not always depend on books. It needs correct knowledge and proper learning.

Before we start learning the basics, we must first ensure that we have a lesson-based system that we can easily follow through. We do not need to spend much money to buy books on violin and read them because chances are; most of us do not understand what we read. We just need a step by step procedure that is like having an instructor that guides us as we learn. Then we can now start choosing the instrument that fits us. It doesn't have to be expensive and expert-made. As long as the violin sounds good and can hit the right tune or notes, we can use it for our practice. We can learn tuning the violin so that we will know when our violin does not sound good and we can do adjustments to it in order to play the right notes.

Next, we can choose the song that we want to play and start learning how to play the violin. The kind of music we must learn is the kind that we love because more success can be gained when we do something that we love. It does not mean that we do not have to learn other genre, we just have to start on something that best interest us.

Then after having the right music, we must set a specific time in a day and choose a good venue where we can concentrate on our practices. The time and place we choose must ensure that we will not be disturbed and we can practice continuously.

As we go on our routine of practices, there are times that we get frustrated because some of us cannot learn fast. If we find ourselves getting angry, we must rest for a while and come back playing when we feel that we are capable again to practice. We will find in no time that we are actually gaining progress on our learning and our efforts are paid of.

Playing the violin requires effort and patience. The key attitudes to possess when we want to learn how to play the violin are hard work and the determination to learn. Once we learn the techniques, we'll start appreciating the art of playing the violin.

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The Violin Family of Instruments; Violin, Viola, Double Bass and Cello

2010-12-29T01:06:00.002+07:00

The Violin Family
The violin, viola, double bass (contrabass) and cello (violcello) are the (modern) members of the "violin" family of instruments. They are all characterised as being stringed instruments (or "chordophones" that also include guitars and harps) also played with a bow.
The Players
Someone who plays a violin is called a "violinist" such as Itzhac Perlman, while a viola player is a "violist", such as William Primrose, and a cello player is a "cellist" such as Yo Yo Ma. A double bass player is a "double bassist" such as Edgar Meyer.
Origins of the Family
The Violin family was developed in the sixteenth century in Italy, and may well be descended from the Libra Da Braccio, of the Viol family.
The Viol
Viol's are very closely related to the violin family, and are strongly suspected of being the ancestor of the whole violin family. Developed in the fifteenth century, they were most popular in the renaissance and baroque period. They are distinct from the Violin's for having a different body shape (sloping shoulders and a flat, fretted neck), has six strings rather then four and gut strings rather than steel.
The Double Bass Controversy
All the "Violin" family instruments are almost identical in construction, just on different scales. Debate over the veracity of the double basses claim to be part of the violin family have been answered partly by its internal construction being almost identical (when scaled up) to that of a violin's!
The Earliest Violin
The earliest incarnation of a four stringed violin (like the modern violin) was constructed by Andrea Amati in 1555, although that date is bound in speculation. Other violins have been documented earlier than that, but only had three strings.
The Golden Age of Violins
The Stradivari (Strateverius) and Guarneri del Gesù, are among the most sought-after violins by both collectors and performers. They were constructed during the eighteenth century during a time of great innovation of violin crafstmanship. The angle of the neck, and a heavier bass bar were introduced.
These instruments set the standard for all modern violins and remain to this day amongst the most valuable of historic instruments, with the same instruments (manufactured over 200 years ago) still being played by famous violists across the world.
Tones and Playing Ranges
Each instrument's range and playing style overlaps slightly with other instruments in the family, but each instrument's tone and size distinguishes it from the rest.
The violin (or "fiddle" as it is commonly known) is the smallest and highest pitched instrument of the group. It is the most commonly played of the family, and is usually tuned into perfect fifths.
The viola is similar in size to the violin, but has a much deeper and lower sound (a perfect fifth below the violin). It is frequently used for playing inner harmonies to the violin, and tends to be used less frequently for solos.
The cello being the lowest pitched of the group, and is typically found as an integral part of orchestras, quartets and chamber groups.
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A Brief Guide to Violin Shops

2010-04-25T12:52:00.001+07:00

By: James Pender

There are a number of violin shops where people can buy a violin. Many shops sell both new and used violins, giving buyers a number of options. Many violin shops also offer violin rentals. New violins can cost between two hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Used violins can cost significantly less, but may be of lesser quality. Beginners and students often choose to rent a violin from a violin shop.

There are different types of violin shops. Some sell all kinds of musical instruments and offer violins from several different manufacturers. Other violin shops may make their own violins and many not sell any other brands. Obviously, the larger stores will have a better selection, but they may not have the same type of knowledgeable customer service and sales staff to help shoppers find the right violin to fit their needs. Smaller violin shops that make their own violins can be more expensive, but they often provide the best customer service and help people find exactly what they need.

Buying a used violin can be a great way to save money and still get a quality product. Used violins can have the same quality of new violins at half the price. It is important to make sure that the violin is in good condition before handing over any money. It is a good idea to get some type of warranty on used musical instruments in case they are defective and need to beo repaired.

Many violin shops also offer violin rentals. Some people, especially children or high school students may lose interest in the instrument. It is good to be able to simply return it rather than have to resell it if this happens. Violin rentals are very economical, often costing as little as $20 a month.

www.theviolinmaster.com provides detailed information on Violins, Electric Violins, Violin Music, How to Play the Violin and more...

About the Author

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

(ArticlesBase SC #751376)

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The Art of Playing the Violin Learn How to Play the Violin Now

2010-04-15T23:14:00.001+07:00

Wouldn’t it be nice if you too could play it? And wouldn’t it be satisfying to know that you have worked hard to earn something – this time a skill, playing the violin.

Before we start learning the basics, we must first ensure that we have a lesson-based system that we can easily follow through. We do not need to spend much money to buy books on violin and read them because chances are; most of us do not understand what we read. We just need a step by step procedure that is like having an instructor that guides us as we learn. Then we can now start choosing the instrument that fits us. It doesn’t have to be expensive and expert-made. As long as the violin sounds good and can hit the right tune or notes, we can use it for our practice. We can learn tuning the violin so that we will know when our violin does not sound good and we can do adjustments to it in order to play the right notes.

Playing the violin requires effort and patience. The key attitudes to possess when we want to learn how to play the violin are hard work and the determination to learn. Once we learn the techniques, we’ll start appreciating the art of playing the violin.

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The Violin Family of Instruments; Violin, Viola, Double Bass and Cello

2010-04-14T04:09:00.000+07:00

The Violin Family

The violin, viola, double bass (contrabass) and cello (violcello) are the (modern) members of the “violin” family of instruments. They are all characterised as being stringed instruments (or “chordophones” that also include guitars and harps) also played with a bow.

The Players

Someone who plays a violin is called a “violinist” such as Itzhac Perlman, while a viola player is a “violist”, such as William Primrose, and a cello player is a “cellist” such as Yo Yo Ma. A double bass player is a “double bassist” such as Edgar Meyer.

Origins of the Family

The Violin family was developed in the sixteenth century in Italy, and may well be descended from the Libra Da Braccio, of the Viol family.

The Viol

Viol’s are very closely related to the violin family, and are strongly suspected of being the ancestor of the whole violin family. Developed in the fifteenth century, they were most popular in the renaissance and baroque period. They are distinct from the Violin’s for having a different body shape (sloping shoulders and a flat, fretted neck), has six strings rather then four and gut strings rather than steel.

The Double Bass Controversy

All the “Violin” family instruments are almost identical in construction, just on different scales. Debate over the veracity of the double basses claim to be part of the violin family have been answered partly by its internal construction being almost identical (when scaled up) to that of a violin’s!

The Earliest Violin

The earliest incarnation of a four stringed violin (like the modern violin) was constructed by Andrea Amati in 1555, although that date is bound in speculation. Other violins have been documented earlier than that, but only had three strings.

The Golden Age of Violins

The Stradivari (Strateverius) and Guarneri del Gesù, are among the most sought-after violins by both collectors and performers. They were constructed during the eighteenth century during a time of great innovation of violin crafstmanship. The angle of the neck, and a heavier bass bar were introduced.

These instruments set the standard for all modern violins and remain to this day amongst the most valuable of historic instruments, with the same instruments (manufactured over 200 years ago) still being played by famous violists across the world.

Tones and Playing Ranges

Each instrument’s range and playing style overlaps slightly with other instruments in the family, but each instrument’s tone and size distinguishes it from the rest.

The violin (or “fiddle” as it is commonly known) is the smallest and highest pitched instrument of the group. It is the most commonly played of the family, and is usually tuned into perfect fifths.

The viola is similar in size to the violin, but has a much deeper and lower sound (a perfect fifth below the violin). It is frequently used for playing inner harmonies to the violin, and tends to be used less frequently for solos.

The cello being the lowest pitched of the group, and is typically found as an integral part of orchestras, quartets and chamber groups.

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I Love Touring Italy - Small Town Lombardy

2009-10-28T12:52:00.000+07:00

Author: Levi Reiss

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area might be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. There are even some parts of Lombardy that are relatively undiscovered by tourists. This article presents Lombardy outside of its capital Milan or the beautiful Lake districts, which are described in companion articles in this series.

Over the millennia Lombardy has been in the hands of numerous invaders including the Etruscans and the Gauls, then the Romans, Franks, and Goths, and finally the French, Spaniards, and Austrians. Did we forget the Lombards? These invaders all left their mark, some more and some less. Keep local history in mind as you tour this impressive region.

We begin our tour at Pavia about twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) south of Milan. Then we proceed southeast to Cremona. We continue east to finish this short tour at Mantua near the Veneto border.

Once upon a time little Pavia (population about 70 thousand) was a major rival of nearby Milan (city population about 1.3 million and metropolitan population over 5 million.) Its defeat by the Barbarians in 476 commonly marks the end of the Western Roman Empire. Almost nine hundred years later the internationally known University of Pavia was founded, based on a law and divinity school established by the year 825. Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta was the most famous individual associated with this university. It was Volta who discovered methane gas and invented the electric battery. Whenever you think about volts and voltage, you should think about Pavia.

Arguably the most famous native of Pavia was Benedetto Cairoli, the 13th and 15th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy. He was somewhat of a hero during Risorgimento (the fight for Italian independence) but had a relatively undistinguished career as Prime Minister with a single exception. Cairoli risked his life and was severely wounded when he successfully protected the unpopular King Umberto I from assassination early in his reign. Now let's consider Pavia's sights.

Pavia is home to many other churches worth seeing. The Lombard-Romanesque San Michele Maggiore Church was constructed on the site of a preexisting Lombard church. Initially destroyed a few years after the turn of the first millennium it was rebuilt during the Twelfth Century. The Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro (St. Peter in Golden Sky) actually originated in the beginning of the Seventh Century. Its name refers to gold leaf mosaics that formerly decorated parts of the ceiling. This basilica was featured in Bocaccio's Decameron. You may also want to see the Thirteenth Century brick Santa Maria del Carmine Church and the Renaissance Santa Maria di Canepanova Church.

Head about five miles (eight kilometers) north of town to see Pavia's number one attraction, the Fifteenth Century Certosa di Pavia (Charterhouse of Pavia) monastery. This complex, which took over a century to build, is considered an excellent expression of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It includes a great collection of paintings and stained glass windows. The church was meant to house the tombs of its owners, the noble Visconti family but only one family member is actually buried there. His tomb took over sixty years to build. Nearby is the tomb of another Duke and his wife Beatrice d'Este, a real Renaissance woman and a beauty as well, who died in childbirth at age 22. You may have heard of her sister-in-law, Lucrezia Borgia.

The city of Cremona, population about seventy thousand, was first settled well over two thousand years ago. The famous Roman poet Virgil went to school there and owned a family farm in the vicinity. Another name is indelibly linked to this city, that of Antonio Stradivari, the world's greatest violinmaker. His masterpieces are simply the world's best-known and most expensive stringed instruments. As they say about yachts, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. It's not sour grapes, but frankly what would I do with a Stradivari violin, or mandolin? Perhaps trade it for vintage wine and Champagne.

The violin as we know it was invented in Cremona around 1564 by Andrea Amati who died more than sixty years before Stradivari was born. The Guarneri family created world famous violins here and elsewhere in Italy. Today more than 50 violinmakers hang their hat in Cremona. The Piazza Roma square near Stradivari's house and workshop contains his tombstone and grave. The city includes the Scuola Internazionale di Liuteria (International School of Violin Making) and the Museo Stradivariano (Stradivarius Museum)

Our next and final stop is the city of Mantua whose population is slightly under fifty thousand. Mantua may have been founded about four thousand years ago. The great Roman poet Virgil was born in a nearby village. In the Twelfth Century Mantua adopted a novel means of protection against invasion, by constructing four artificial lakes surrounding the city. Three of them exist to this day; the fourth dried up during the Eighteenth Century. If you remember your Shakespeare, Romeo fled to Mantua after killing Juliet's cousin in a swordfight. Talk about a family feud.

Mantua's Palazzo Ducale was built between the Fourteenth and Seventeenth Centuries and boasts some 500 rooms. Its centerpiece is the Camera degli Sposi (The Wedding Chamber) room that took Andrea Mantegna about seven years to paint. When you see it, you'll know why. Since you're only allowed ten minutes to admire this marvelous, unique room you should familiarize yourself with the painting before your allotted time slot. Don't forget to look up, the ceiling is beautiful.

Finish your tour at the suburban Palazzo Te built in the Sixteenth Century. Unlike many other historic Italian buildings this one was completed in only ten years. In fact its shell went up in eighteen months. In spite of its speedy construction it is considered one of the greatest Renaissance palaces. Don't forget to tour the Camera di Amore e Psiche (Cupid and Psyche's Room) showing a wedding with quite interesting and unusual guests and the Camera dei Giganti (Room of the Titans) in which Jupiter expels the Titans from Mount Olympus. The walls are peppered with Seventeenth Century graffiti. Please don't add your own.

What about food? Of Italy's twenty regions Lombardy trails only Emilia-Romagna in food production. A lot of the food is of foreign origin, not surprising given the frequency with which Lombardy fell under outside domination. But there are also local specialties. For example, Cremona is known for Mostarda, mustard flavored candied fruits that accompany Bollito Misto, mixed boiled meats. A local version of this treat calls for calf's head, veal tongue, and pig's foot among others. Cremona also claims to have invented ravioli.

Let's suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Zuppa alla Pavese (Soup with Bread, Butter, Eggs, and grated Parmesan Cheese). Then try Bollito Misto (Mixed Boiled Meats). For dessert indulge yourself with Colombe Pasquale (dove shaped Easter Bread with Candied Fruit). Increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Lombardy wine. Lombardy ranks 11th among the 20 Italian regions for both acreage devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine production. The region produces about 62% red and rose and 38% white wine, but there is little rose. There are 15 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is absolutely no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Over 47% of Lombardy wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. There are three DOCG wines: the sparkling Franciacorta said to compete with French Champagne and priced accordingly, the red Sforzato di Valtellina, and the red Valtellina Superiore.

Lambrusco Mantovano DOC is a red or rose dry or sweet fizzy wine produced southeast of Mantua from local grapes. The San Colombano al Lambro DOC is red or white still or fizzy wine made from a variety of local grapes found about halfway between Milan and Cremona. By far the area's best-known wine is the Oltrepo Pavese DOC grown south of Pavia, across the Po River, hence its name. This wine, the favorite of Milan, is made in several styles from multiple grape varieties.

About the Author: Levi Reiss has authored alone or with a co-author ten computer and Internet books, but to tell the truth, he would really rather just drink fine French, German, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website www.wineinyourdiet.com and his global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - I Love Touring Italy - Small Town Lombardy

Ludwig Van Beethoven - the Life and Creation of the Great Composer

2009-10-23T16:54:00.000+07:00

Author: Iulian Munteanu

Born on the 16th December 1770 at Bonn, Beethoven is considered to be a brilliant composer who, through his entire creation, fully contributed to the development of the universal music and the improvement of genres and musical forms.

Origins and background

His father and grandfather were musicians of the court in Bonn and little Ludwig, whose talent came to light since he was 4, was destined to the same career. He studied with different teachers the piano, organ, violin and viola, excelling at playing the first two.

At the age of 11 he became the pupil of the composer Christian Gotthof Neefe, organist and band master of the court, who not only broadened his musical background, but also encouraged him to compose. Though he was still a child, he soon became Neefe’s assistant at the organ, as well as in the Elector’s personal theatre orchestra and of some other families, being later hired as a band master.

With the help of the Elector and some other noble families from Bonn he was sent to study in Vienna where he had as teachers Haydn, Albrechtsberger, Schenk and Salieri. Here, he was firstly remarked as a skilled pianist, gifted with an unusual expressive power, which allowed him to present his own creations.

Character and personality

His artistic personality was doubled by a passionate and unflinching temper which didn’t allow him to be intimidated or humiliated. Though he was supported by a series of aristocrats, he didn’t service anyone, defending ceaselessly his position as an independent professional musician. He is the first great example of this in the history of music, but the conditions of the feudal settlements were to impede him in finding the material stability and peace of mind to freely compose, until the end of his life.

Contemporaneous with the French Revolution from 1789 and the national independence current, which tormented the European peoples in this period, he understood the time’s call and expressed the new ideas of freedom, equality and fraternity, becoming a fighter through art, to accomplish humanity’s most noble aspirations.

Having appeared in the Viennese Classicism’s magnificent period, represented by Haydn and Mozart, he determinedly took over the achievements since, creatively developing them, widening the frame of the classic forms, using new templates, more suitable to the contemporary way of thinking and feeling, bringing in music the force of an impetuous dynamism which passionately revealed the dramas of the human existence. Also, through his language and through considerably increasing the number of the orchestra’s instruments he contributed to the extraction of the music out of the saloons’ privacy.

Musical Creation

According to Harold Schonberg, Beethoven’s creation can be divided in three periods of time:

A first period including approximately twenty works is marked by the appeal to old forms, but prefigures the explosive force to come, here, eloquent examples being the minuet from the 1st Symphony, which prepares the future scherzos or slow motion from the Sonata for piano opera 10 no. 3, with a writing characterized by a direct affective involvement, suggesting an almost romantic tune.

The second period begins with the 3rd Symphony when Beethoven appears as an expert of form, who establishes his own rules, the form of sonata being the one that was to determine the creative evolution of the composer.

The third period includes the last five chords quartets, the piano sonatas “Diabelli Variations”, “Missa Solemnis” and the 9th Symphony when music is written not to be to someone’s liking, but to justify his artistic and intellectual existence, appealing to concepts and symbols.

Beethoven’s Legacy

Through his entire attitude towards music it is natural that he gave a direct programmatic significance to some of his works, among which the most important are: The 3rd Symphony in C major op. “Eroica”, The 5th Symphony in A minor op. 67, The 6th Symphony in D major op.68 “Pastorala”, The 9th Symphony with choir and vocalists in B minor op. 125, the overtures “Coriolan”, “Egmont” and “Leonora”.

His creation also covers: the opera “Fidelio”, the ballet “Prometheus’ Beings”, the scene music for the drama “Egmont” by Goethe, “King Stephen” and “Athena’s Ruins” by Kotzebue, vocal-symphonic works like the oratorio “Jesus on the Olive Mountain”, “Fantasia for Piano, Choir and Orchestra”, “Missa solemnis”, concert works (a concert for violin, two romances for violin, five concerts for piano, treble concert for piano viola and cello), various vocal parts accompanied by orchestra, fanfare music, works for various instrumental room formations (from trio to octet, where the chords quartets are an important stage in this type’s literature), a great number of instrumental compositions among which there are 10 sonatas for violin and piano, 4 sonatas for cello and piano, a sonata for horn and piano, 32 sonatas for piano (The Sonata in A major op. 53 “Waldstein”, The Sonata in D minor op.57 “Appassionata”)etc.

His creation seems even more impressive considering that this genius was struck by deafness since he was 29, affection which became total after approximately a decade, stopping him from singing in public. The pains caused by this illness and the multiple sentimental and family disappointments determined him to gradually isolate from the world but didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most loved figures in the history of music.

The difference between Beethoven and other great composers who preceded him is that he considered himself an artist and stood up to defend his rights. He was an artist, a creator and that is why he considered himself superior to kings and aristocrats.

About the Author: Iulian Munteanu is the editor of All-About-Beethoven.com, a portal dedicated to the life and creation of Ludwig van Beethoven.

If you would like to find out more about Beethoven visit my site right now by clicking any of the links above.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Ludwig Van Beethoven - the Life and Creation of the Great Composer

The Music and Life Of The Genius Vivaldi

2009-10-21T10:09:00.000+07:00

Author: Victor Epand

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was a Baroque music composer, a virtuoso violinist and a Venetian priest. He was born in 1678 in Venice and was taught to play the violin by his father when he was a young boy. When he was in his mid teens, he took an interest in becoming a priest and was ordained at the age of twenty five. He appeared to have a sickness that may very well have been asthma, so he was unable to play wind instruments. This shortness of breath, however, did not prevent him from playing the violin or composing music.

Antonio Vivaldi spent many years playing with his father and eventually took his first position as master of the violin at an orphanage in Venice in 1703. There, he would teach the young boys and girls what he could of playing the violin. Six years after taking this position at the orphanage, he lost the job and spent the following year as a freelance musician. He was then asked to return to the orphanage after the board realized how important it was for them to have Vivaldi there. Following his return to the orphanage, he spent much of his time composing his own music.

In the early 1700s, Antonio Vivaldi began composing music for operas. He had his own style, which was new and relatively unorthodox, that caused him difficulty throughout his career. Some of his work was not to public taste and so was not really accepted, until he was offered the position of Maestro di Cappella by Prince Phillip of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1718. He spent about three years there producing more operas. His musical career continued to improve greatly after this, receiving commissions from nobles and royalty and so on; however this height was not too long lived. After a time, his music was once again not seen as the music of the time and he soon ran into financial difficulties. He eventually had to sell many of his manuscripts in order to make his way back to Vienna. He passed away in 1741.

This particular musician may not have achieved the greatness that such musicians as Mozart and Bach did, but he was successful in breaking away from the traditional music at the time. His music may have been forgotten for a time, but was rediscovered in the early 1900s and is still enjoyed by an audience today. Antonio Vivaldi is seen as the composer who changed baroque in such a way that it became more classical in style and is proof of his innovative ways. In fact, Vivaldi was quite an influence on Bach, who transcribed many of the concertos created by Vivaldi. It is unfortunate that he was not as recognized, but he was more or less the start of the evolution of the period music. Bach continued the change and was more recognized for it as he made a larger splash in the public eye than Vivaldi ever did.

Antonio Vivaldi was more a quiet priest who kept more to himself, especially as a result of his health, but this did not hinder his affect on music. His talent may not have been as appreciated as it should have been during his life, but he is shown more of the recognition he deserves today.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments. You can find the best marketplace for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments at these sites for used vivaldi CDs, autographed vivaldi CDs, and used period musical instruments.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Music and Life Of The Genius Vivaldi

What is Brain/ear Reference When Listening an High End Audio System

2009-10-17T19:03:00.002+07:00

Author: NonameHifi Audiophile Pages

What is Brain/Ear Reference when listening an High End Audio System

We know that hearing and listening are two different facts. For instance if we don't know Chinese, we will not understand if somebody speaking Chinese (Yes sure, yeah :-)) Not so much familiar people may confuse French versus Italian. By the same logic, as an example if we don't know viola sound well, we may confuse it quite easily with a violin playing at upper octaves or with a cello playing at the lower octaves. If we are not so much familiar with a live acoustic sound of a violin, we can not identify which record or which equipment reproduces the most natural sounds.

Hearing happens 24 hours a day even in sleeping mode. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to hear our alarm clock or screaming of our boy. Our brain scans every sound but rejects unimportant ones for the one. Brain does not only scan and select the sounds, but processes them actively. If a viola sound is heard, brain recalls the memory, compare with experiences and historical events and decide if it is viola or not. Listening, in other words can be described as active hearing. If brain does not participated to the process, it is called hearing but not listening.

Have you listened at your recorded voice? You liked it ? Was that similar to your voice or it was quite different. Everybody else will agree that it is your voice except you ! Our voice is transmitted to a listener directly via his/her ear but it is transmitted to us by internal vibrations as well as externally by ear, so sounds different. This is the brain reference. Brain reference for our voice is what we heard in our life.

Brain will decide if the sound is coming from piano or from a violin. The fact for such a judgement is our memory. If someone who did not listen piano in live acoustic concert properly, his brain reference for piano will be the one "was listened in a good hi-end system", may be his own system. He will obviously distinguish the piano sound immediately but may not like it or may not find it realistic or natural. If this is the case, how do we choose our equipments and how we will realize which system or component is better ? Is the only way to trust Stereophile or Absolute Sound writers, I believe the key element is to attend live acoustic concerts (not amplified) as much as possible and locate to the performers as close as possible. This is a must to adjust our brain references.

A couple of examples are given here. A friend who visited us heard my daughter who was playing piano in her room, went to her room. He did not like the sound of the piano at all. He said that a piano can not be such a dark and dull. No inner details, no resolution nothing !! Our piano surely can not play at the same league with a long Steinway Sons but it is a live piano, live music and we are only few centimetres away. I know he likes such piano records that the mikes were located inside of the piano body and every inner timbre was recorded and boosted. Even the musician himself can not hear such details. His brain reference served him his memory of piano sounds and once he listened at a real piano, he found it unrealistic.

Years ago, when I commenced attending the regular concerts of Istanbul Symphony Orchestra, I found the sound do dull at that time. The sound was as if covered by a cloth. Mid and upper frequencies were not exist. Timpani and the big drum were kicked like hell but their sounds were not killing powerful. I got used to it in time and perceived the neutrality and the purity of the non coloured sounds. A couple of months ago I invited an audiophile friend who does not attend to acoustic concerts. He was shocked. He told that the entire orchestra was covered by something, there were no details and upper frequencies, and sound was so soft and gentle. He said that he can not perceive the violins, rustles of soprano, drums are not shaking the floor. We were located only at the 8.th raw. During the entire concert, he strived to find the reasons but never judged his brain references. It is obvious that we will not like our systems each other due to our expected sounds and brain reference points are different.

May be the last example; Years ago, we visited an audiophile friend for a long listening session. He is very good audiophile and very good music listener too. He used to have very good systems. We listened at mostly classics for hours and admired the sound of the system. When we wanted to try our own reference CD's (Patricia Barbers, etc) his system sink and disappointed us. Actually we should have judged our own brain references but not the system. We had coloured our systems to achieve more details but estranged by neutrality.

We, most of the audiophiles make this fault unconsciously. We load our brain references with wrong information then accuse better systems, better equipments, and better sounds even better records. We don't like the sounds of better systems, we can not come to an agreement or can not compromise on fundamentals due to our own particular brain references

Ozhan Atalay www.nonamehifi.com March 2004

About the Author: Ozhan Atalay

President - NonameHifi High End Audio Pages

http://www.nonamehifi.com

NonameHifi provides audio and audiophile pages High-End audio components HiFi audio equipment for sale, free classifieds,used audio, electronics and audiophile pages

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What is Brain/ear Reference When Listening an High End Audio System

Instrumental Duets for Guitar

2009-10-16T21:50:00.001+07:00

Author: Ismail Mohd

The guitar makes a great accompaniment instrument for instrumental duets with a melody instrument. If you are interested in playing with other musicians like this the collections below will give you a great repertoire for playing with flute, violin, or harmonica. Build your accompaniment skills and repertoire and you will always be in demand by instrumental players.

The guitar and the flute have been musical companions for a long time and in many parts of the world. They make excellent sounding duets that can be played in numerous styles.

* Celtic Music for Flute and Guitar, Allan Alexander and Jessica Walsh, ADG Productions

This is a collection of twenty folk pieces originating mainly from Scotland and Ireland. The songs span 400 years of folk music as well as five original pieces written by Allan and Jessica. The learning process is eased by an accompanying CD showing how the pieces should be played.

* World Music for Flute and Guitar, Allan Alexander and Jessica Walsh, ADG Productions

This musical journey takes you to the four corners of the globe. There is standard notation and tab for guitar and a separate pull-out performance part for the flute melodies. You can listen to examples of the pieces on the CD that accompanies the book.

* Flute and Guitar Duets for Any Occasion, Mark Hanson, Accent On Music

This is a varied collection of duets in classical, folk, Celtic and jazz styles. The music ranges from easy to challenging playing levels in standard and tab notation. The accompanying CD provides stereo recording with flute and guitar on separate channels so you can practice even when your partner isn't around.

The fiddle is another instrument that works well with the guitar. It has been widely used in many styles of folk music. The song books below give you several styles to try.

* The Latin American Fiddler, Edward Huws Jones, Boosey & Hawkes

The exotic blend of Latin-American music with its Spanish, African and indigenous influences is great fun to play. This intermediate level collection of violin songs includes chords that can be played by guitar or piano.

* Jazz, Blues and Ragtime (Violin Edition), Edward Huws Jones, Boosey & Hawkes

This collection of favourite jazz and blues songs is suitable for all playing levels. It includes easy violin parts and guitar chords, as well as more sophisticated string arrangements for more advanced players. Songs include ever popular hits such as The Entertainer, Take Five, Makin' Whoopee, House Of The Rising Sun.

* The Christmas Fiddler, Edward Huws Jones, Boosey & Hawkes

It's always a good idea to have a few Christmas songs to play. This collection includes seven hundred years of songs from the medieval Song of the Ass, through traditional carols such as Away In A Manger and O Little Town Of Bethlehem through to the modern Sleigh Ride.

The harmonica is an ever popular instrument that has often been associated with the guitar in folk, rock and blues. Give your rock guitar skills a workout with these titles.

* Pop Rock Favourites For Harmonica, Bobby Joe Holman, Hal Leonard

Seventeen pop rock hits arranged for harmonica with guitar chords and tab. Pretty Woman, Blueberry Hill, Yakety Yak and Runaway are among the titles in this collection.

* Beatles Greatest Hits Harmonica Songbook, Hal Leonard

27 Beatles songs arranged with melody line, harmonica notation, guitar chords and lyrics. Performance notes are given for each song. Favourite hits include Eleanor Rigby, Get Back, Help, Let It Be, Michelle.

* Blues Harmonica Collection, Hal Leonard

Practice the classic sound of blues guitar and harmonica with forty classic blues tunes from the likes of Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf.

Instrumentalists with melody instruments will be delighted to have an accompaniment to play to. If you want to make yourself a useful and popular guitarist who's always in demand spend some time to learn an accompaniment repertoire. You'll have far more people wanting to play with you than the guy playing flashy guitar leads.

About the Author: Ismail Mohd is the creator of Virtual Rock Band (http://www.virtualrockband.com) where musicians can meet bassists, drummers, guitarists and vocalists living near them. They can also upload or download instrumental tracks to jam along to.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Instrumental Duets for Guitar

Music Review: “Modern Guilt” by Beck

2009-10-15T16:59:00.001+07:00

Author: Darren Tan

"Beck" is an American indie/alternative artist from Los Angeles, California. Although born as Bek David Campbell, he is known as Beck or Beck Hansen on stage. Beck is mainly into making indie and alternative music which covers folk rock, hip-hop, electronic, rock and even blues. Beck is also known for being a multi-instrumentalist where he plays guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, harmonica, percussion, banjo, synthesizers and other instruments.

Modern Guilt dives in with folky opener “Orphans”. It has a distant bass sound in the beginning. Once the guitar enters and Beck voices out, the track just hits the jackpot like that. It produces a country-like atmosphere to it, folk and country rock altogether. Indie artist Cat Power also known as Chan Marshall is also featured here to lend her vocals to Beck. In the bridge, the additional flute is a thing to watch out for. Very well-harmonized vocals on Orphans towards the end. Very tempting opener that will haunt especially the adults. ;-)

“Gamma Ray” is a faster tempo track and i wouldn’t mind if i’ve been hit by Gamma Ray. The music itself speaks for itself. The vocals of Beck just add extra pump and weight to the whole song. The bass and drums keep re-looping themselves until they hit a climax further down into the track. In the verse, the music seems to be taking a break and slowly build itself for a breakthrough in the coming chorus. Every phrase that Beck sings is followed by gospel-like backing vocals. I just love the music on Gamma Ray, infectiously groovy! :-D

“Chemtrails” is a track that suddenly slows down Modern Guilt’s momentum. Listening to Chemtrails revokes your imagination, you would like you’re dreaming. The piano and the synthesizers just create a soundscape that is so unreal, you be dreaming away listening to Chemtrails. Even Beck’s vocals on Chemtrails blends in very well with the music. Full of howls and moans to greatly enhance the atmosphere of Chemtrails. The remaining one minute instrumental, you would enjoy the beautiful violin that plays on just before the track ends and fades into silence. :-) What an experience!

“Modern Guilt” has a steady drum beats once it enters. Beck moans through each phrase with his vocals. Combined with the music, Beck is twisting his vocals here and there to accustom himself to Modern Guilt. Entering the chorus, the guitar just comes plucking itself in and it’s really good, Beck just goes on with, “Modern guilt, i’m stranded with nothing… Modern guilt, I’m under lock and key…” In the bridge, the piano and violin speak for themselves. Beck just adds in some vocal effects to complement the music. Until the end, the whole track seems to be saving the best for last. It’s very beautiful and i find myself swaying away listening to it. :-D

The bass in the beginning of “Youthless” really revs me up. It’s very tight and fast the way the bass is being played on Youthless. Even Beck sings as if he’s rapping softly at between intervals. When it comes to the chorus, Beck just sings at a slightly higher pitch that seems to be echoing itself through the chorus, “And they’re helpless and forgetting in the background holding nothing, and they’re youthless and pretending with their bare hands holding nothing…” The synthesizers also seems to be having fun from here onwards, coming in and out, creating some cute sounds at intervals that delight us. Towards the end, cello enters and give some extra support to the bass. Very smartly composed music, very tight! ;-)

“Walls” already surprises me in the beginning. The violin-like sound created by synthesizers is really the core music on Walls. Beck just sings on as the music goes on like that. Approaching the chorus, there’s a lady-like sound in the background, sometime i would think that it’s Alvin from The Chipmunks which is making those funny sounds. Cat Power is again featured on this track in the chorus, where she would join Beck, “Hey what are you gonna do, when those walls are falling down, falling down on you…” The music on Walls just ends almost the way it started. Weirdly good! :-)

“Replica” is fast and delicate simultaneously. The beats on Replica are tight and light. Due to a distant sound in the music, it makes the whole track sort of delicate. Delicate enough you would also hear Beck singing in a distant voice. Piano can also be heard in this track as Beck sings. Nearing the end, the violin only comes in and the whole track turns into an instrumental adventure before fading itself to night. ;-)

“Soul Of A Man” sounds like a rock track for the army. The bass line just follow every lyrics that Beck sings, like a chick following its mother. Handclaps and guitar riffing can also be heard as Beck sings through the track. When the chorus comes, the whole track seems to be floating in mid-air and Beck goes, “Cold was the storm, that covered the night…” Soul Of A Man is at times like a folk rock track that would definitely be appeal to the old ages. It’s not loud, but its groovy beat will get onto you quietly. :-)

“Profanity Prayers” is an upbeat track with infectious drum beats and smart vocals that just know how to enter and exit. Beck can be heard singing in a speedy voice in the verse. In the chorus, he just raises his pitch and let go of his vocals that echo back to him, “Who’s gonna answer, profanity prayers, who’s gonna answer, these profanity prayers…” I also like the guitar that enters in the chorus, it has this special rhythm with it. When Beck is not singing, the music just plays itself out. And i have to say, it’s really good! :-D

Beck ends Modern Guilt with slow-driving “Volcano”. Beck’s voice on this track gives a hint that he might be tired from all the singing that he has done on Modern Guilt. Therefore he’s taking it slow with Volcano. When it comes to the first chorus, you would hear some backing vocals helping Beck out when he goes, “I don’t know what I’ve seen, was it all an illusion? Or a mirage gone bad? I’m tired of evil, and all that it feeds, but I don’t know…” With the backing vocals, it sounds really great as it adds the definitive weight to Volcano and Beck’s voice. Volcano is slow but it’s able to gulp you down slowly after listening to it a few times. Once you get the hook of it, you would find it hard to drop it. Sometimes it’s just beautiful! ;-)

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

About the Author: Darren Tan is a huge avid fan of indie music, indie bands and indie artists. Since he was 17 years old, he started to fall in love with the indie music scene. It was a total turning point in his life for him as he no longer look at the indie music industry the same since.

With Indiesurf.com he wants to share his thoughts, comments, reviews and opinions on the latest (and past/old) indie music, indie bands and indie artists with the world and you. You are also invited to share your views as well, so he'll see you at Indiesurf.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Music Review: “Modern Guilt” by Beck

Cello Lessons for Kids

2009-10-14T18:49:00.000+07:00

Author: Stacy Tan

The cello is both fascinating and intimidating. It’s bigger than a violin and the sound it produces is lower. For children however, their fascination with any musical instrument begins with sight. I remember years ago when as a child I saw a concert where a cello solo was featured. The sounds the cello made were deep and melodious. But that wasn’t the first thing I noticed. I recall thinking how gigantic the cello looked compared to the teeny tiny violin. I also remember thinking how much “stronger” it looked versus the violin. These first few observations sparked in me my interest and desire to learn more about the cello.

As a parent I have tried sparking the same interest in my children and students. Over the years I have noticed that children are easily entranced by anything that makes a sound or looks new to them. To children, the cello probably looks like an oversized guitar played vertically. Fascination starts when they see how the bow is needed in order to produce sound. Once interest is cultivated in a child, it is easier to start teaching since the instrument can now hold the child’s attention.

Just like the violin, good posture is needed when playing the cello. It is easier to teach beginners and young children correct posture and positioning as they have not yet picked up bad habits which can be very hard to break when it has set in. Note reading and correct finger positions in the fingerboards are also cultivated in order to produce the correct sound. There are also bowing techniques which will have to be mastered in order to learn how to play the cello properly.

Young children have minds like sponges. It is very easy to fill up this sponge with knowledge. What is most difficult in children is holding their interest. This is why cello lessons for kids have to be fun and fascinating. A child who does not have fun while learning the cello is a difficult student to teach.

The easiest way to determine if your child is interested in learning the cello is to talk to him or her directly. Make him understand that cello lessons need commitment and that he will have to practice daily in order to become a good cello player. There is also no exact age on when to start cello or music lessons for your child. So observe your child. If you feel that she is ready then have the talk.

Once your child has committed to learning the cello or any other musical instrument make sure that he will have your support. Children get discouraged too and will need you to cheer them on from time to time. Make sure that they get all the support and praise they need as this will help them persevere and improve.

The leading cello agency in Singapore. Making cello lessons in Singapore fun and interesting. Helping hundreds of students master the cello quickly and easily. Find out more at www.cellolessonssingapore.com

About the Author: Owner and Manager of successful websites such as Guitar Lessons Singapore, Violin Lessons Singapore, Cello Lessons Singapore and Drum Lessons Singapore. Striving hard to personally select the best available teachers to suit student's demands and schedule. To find out more, please go to http://cellolessonssingapore.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Cello Lessons for Kids

Cello Lessons in Singapore

2009-10-13T17:12:00.001+07:00

Author: Stacy Tan

The cello, violin, viola and double bass are all siblings. That is, they belong in the same string instrument family. You can probably call the cello the big brother as it is the obviously bigger than the viola and violin but smaller than the double bass. But since the cello is a member of the violin family, there are similarities as to how to play the instruments.

Normally the first few cello lessons will consist of the proper sitting technique. Cellists play their instruments sitting down and there are proper postures which need to be followed and observed so that there will be comfort and ease for the player. Holding the bow and the angle of the bow is also taken up. Pressure is crucial to producing the correct notes and sounds when playing the cello. The cello’s bow is obviously bigger than the violin and requires more fluidity in movement. Students also have to learn about the bow’s construction and how to correctly apply the rosin as this too is crucial not only for maintaining the bow’s quality but in sound production as well.

For beginners it is important to learn about the basics. Notes and note reading is usually the place to start and teachers prefer to teach simple notes and playing the cello simply so that the beginners can appreciate the sound created by the instrument. Students are aided in learning the basics by a fingering chart which is used in order to correctly position and locate the notes on the fingerboard.

Cellists have a limited view of their left hand which is why a good memory is needed in order to produce the correct notes and sounds on the cello. Teachers sometimes mark certain areas of the fingerboard for specific notes in order to help beginners but in the long run, cellists have to memorize and master the correct finger placements needed in order to play properly.

Since the cello is quite large, expect a few muscles to be sore during the first few lessons. Strength is needed not only to keep the cello upright but also for pressing down the fingers on the fingerboard. Smaller cellos are available for younger students.

Aside from this, other basic necessary skills like how to change the strings, proper cello care and handling are also taught. Students must also learn how to tune their cellos and readjust the bow for maximum playability.

Teaching styles depend from teacher to teacher as some of them prefer to give emphasis on note reading before the practical. There are also some teachers who prefer to teach with simple tunes, scales and melodies first.

For advanced cello lessons, students are taught advanced bowing techniques, vibrato, double stops and other skills which they can use in order to improve and hone their cello playing styles. Teachers can also opt to set up group lessons for intermediate players in order to compare styles and skills.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Cello Lessons in Singapore

Festivals in France – Autumn 2009

2009-10-12T19:30:00.001+07:00

Author: John Downes

Autumn Festival in Normandy 11th Oct – 2nd Dec 2009
The Autumn Festival in Normandy will feature 60 performances in cities such as Dieppe, Rouen and Le Havre as well as other smaller towns in the province. The highlight of the 2009 event will be a celebration of Argentinean culture. Other festival attractions include concerts in the classical music genre, live DJs and theatrical performances.

Festival de Beaulieu-sur-Mer & Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat 18th – 25th September 2009
The "Legendary Violins" Festival first took place in 2008 and it recounts tales about violins and cellos. For 2009 the festival features the talents of the Stradivarius of Eugène ’Ysaÿe violin. The Vienna Philharmonic solo violin is also celebrated. There will be performances throughout the region.

American Film Festival – Normandy 4th – 13th September 2009
Not only is it a scenic and beautiful seaside resort, every September the Normandy town of Deauville holds a festival that rivals Cannes. The very best American films of the year are previewed here. Now in its 35th year, the festival sees many Hollywood stars descending on Deauville to premiere their latest movies.

Besancon Music Festival 11th – 26th September 2009
Attend various concerts and live performances in the area of the Besancon Festival and be fascinated by the wonderful music! You will hear the music of composers of the Romantic Era who were inspired by Rome, Florence and Venice. The Festival also features the 51st International Competition for Young Orchestral Conductors with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

The Ambronay Festival 11th September – 11th October 2009
Check out this wonderful celebration of classical music – this Festical celebrates 30 years in 2009! The festival is a celebration of the great musicians who left their legacy on the history of Ambronay and baroque music.

Festival d'Ile de France 4th September – 11th October 2009
The 2009 Festival d'Ile de France celebrates all things feminine – and is dedicated to all women who have fought for emancipation throughout generations. Musical repertoires will range from the Middle Ages to Baroque, to Classical Romanticism and music from all around the world. Now in its 31st year, the Festival takes place in 23 historical sites in the Paris area and in total features 33 concerts in total.

Grande Braderie de Lille
Known as one of the best flea markets on the continent, why not head to the annual Lille Market Festival and grab some bargains! The 2009 Market takes place on Saturday the 5th September. It is a celebration of the market trade that has been in existence in the city since medieval times.

The Bird King Festival
Every September in the Old Town of Le Puy-en-Velay, visitors can take in the Bird King Renaissance Festival (Fêtes Renaissance du Roi de l'Oiseau). Attending this Festival is like thrown back in a time warp to the 16th century – you will see the aristocracy in their fur lined velvet cloaks walking alongside peasants in plain clothes leading donkeys, and there are goods for sale on the streets! You will see musicians playing the tunes of the time through recorders and drums. Why not take part or watch the archery competition which pays tribute to the idea behind the festival, when the Bird King was decided by how many birds he shot with the bow and arrow. Then everyone will attend mass at the local cathedral. The Festival is a reminder of Le Puy-en-Velay’s medieval and Renaissance heritage. The city lies 325 miles southwest of Paris in the Upper Loire region of south-central France.

Feria du Riz & Course de Satin Horse Race - Bouches-du-Rhone 11th – 13th September 2009
Visitors to this festival will see the cowboys of Camargue known as "Guardians" compete in this event. This annual event dates back to 1529. The "Guardians" are renowned for looking after the bulls and horses of the region. You will be astounded by the bull running, and their guarding by the Camargue horses, and enjoy all the music and festivities that go along with it!

'Tapis Rouge' Red Carpet Antiques Festival – Rhone Valley Lyon 1st October 2009
This annual event takes place on the first Thursday of October. Visitors to Lyon will be astounded by the red carpet that envelops Rue Auguste Compte, which is located in the heart of Lyon’s Antique Quarter. All festival attendees have the opportunity to browse through the jewellery, fabrics, antique furniture and china that is on display in the Quarter.

Whatever French festival you wish to attend, make sure you enjoy it – take plenty of photographs and the memories will remain forever! If you are travelling around any of the regions, the best way to see the sights and sounds of the local festivals is to travel independently by hiring a car. For the best options available to you visit our Car Hire France page.

About the Author:

John writes for Novacarhire.com - an independent car hire reservation website where you can book low cost car hire at over 5,000 locations worldwide.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Festivals in France – Autumn 2009

Music and Sound Healing

2009-10-11T13:28:00.002+07:00

Author: Daniel Kobialka

Music and sound healing is not a new concept. Cultures throughout the world have used music to empower, energize, heal and soothe the body, mind and spirit since time immemorial. It is no accident that Apollo, the Greek god who is credited as being the father of medicine, is also the father of music and the inventor of the lyre.

Music and healing are part of each other, and current research is pointing to that more and more. Recent studies have shown that music can slow down and help balance brain waves, reduce tension and stress by affecting endorphin levels, reduce physical tension by changing the vibrational frequency of cells, and even evoke feelings of love and inner peace.

Of course, if music can slow down your body's rhythms and effect soothing, peace and healing, it can also have the opposite effect. A well-chosen set of music can help energize you and prepare you to work hard and be creative. Studies have also shown that athletes working out and practicing to music use more energy, stretch themselves further and burn more calories than those who work without music.

There's a great deal of information available now about music and healing. Sound healing, music therapy, and the power of sound to effect changes in the mind, body and spirit are becoming more and more accepted. It's sometimes difficult to tell how much is true and how much is marketing hype.

I became interested in the healing power of music as a by-product of trying to produce the most beautiful music possible. Years back, Leonard Bernstein invited me to perform as concertmaster in the world premiere his production of Mass. While there, he invited me along to speak with management and producers in the recording industry.

I learned from them, to my surprise, that the violin, the instrument that I consider the most beautiful and evocative of any, was not considered by the recording industry to be a marketable sound - that people would not buy recordings that featured the violin.

That piece of news amazed me. To me, the violin is the most beautiful, evocative and versatile instrument ever created. In the hands of a skilled musician, the violin can gloat, laugh, exult or cry. It can express nearly any emotion that humans can feel in their hearts and souls. I challenged myself then to produce works of music that presented the violin as I know it - the evocative and expressive voice of the soul.

That was the beginning of my own music label and catalog, Li-Sem Enterprises. As it grew, I began to hear from those who work in the fields of healing, both the traditional hospitals and doctors' offices, and those working in CAM (complementary and alternative medicine), telling me that they were using my music in their practices, to enhance meditation, focus awareness and evoke emotions.

Perhaps the most potent, powerful story that I heard was that of a teenage boy diagnosed with schizophrenia who did not speak at all, but who, while listening to my CD Fragrance of a Dream, looked up and said, "This music is so beautiful it breaks your heart."

Those stories and touches from others led me to begin exploring the world of healing with sound and music, and what I find both amazes me and confirms my own belief that music is one of the most potent healing tools the world has ever possessed. I am still very much a student, a pilgrim on a quest to learn all that I can about the ways that different tones, vibrations and sounds can affect the body and attune with the emotions and the spiritual.

It is a wonderful journey, and one that I intend to share with as many people as I can. As a beginning of that sharing, here are some things that I have learned, and that I believe about how music helps to heal and regenerate the body.

1. Your body will heal itself if you give it the right tools. I believe that some music can help your body to heal by helping it to realign its balance. At the same time, it is far too early in the research for anyone to tell you which musical selections will heal a specific medical condition. I would be irresponsible if I recommended that music replace other more traditional forms of healing and therapy. Music is a complementary way to give your body the tools that it needs to help itself heal.

2. One of the most important and effective things that you can do for your body is to help it relax into a meditative state. There is a great deal of research to support that a state of meditative calm inspires your body and your mind to renew itself.

3. Sound is one of the best tools for inspiring the meditative state in which your body is receptive to healing and renewal - but it is important to choose your music carefully. Some music - classical music in particular - seems to go there instinctively, but most music was not designed to relax you.

We are barely beginning to understand the ways that music affects us and effects healing in us. The research is exciting and ongoing, and I spend a great deal of time working with different bodies of healers in various fields to aid this research in all the ways that I can.

I incorporate what I have learned into the production of the titles and arrangements chosen for every new Li-Sem Catalog release in the hopes that this wonderful gift that I was given, the gift of making music, can become a gift to others - one that helps heal and refresh and renew, and in the process becomes part of a positive change in the world.

About the Author: World-renowned violinist Daniel Kobialka embraces both the classic and the avant-garde in his search to create sounds that enliven and heal. Dr. Bernie Siegel states, "I found years ago that music creates a healing environment… I find Kobialka’s to be the best available." Visit Kobialka's website for more articles and healing music.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Music and Sound Healing

Do Music & Presidential Politics Mix? You Bet!

2009-10-09T18:29:00.001+07:00

Author: Duane Shinn

Bill Clinton was neither the first musical president of the United States nor the only one. Both Harry S. Truman and Richard Nixon were excellent piano players.

People were surprised to learn that the former President, Bill Clinton, plays the saxophone. But, several other Presidents of the United States of American were musically gifted, as well.

There are many former presidents who knew how to play instruments. They include:

* John Quincy Adams, who played the flute

* Thomas Jefferson, who played the violin, cello and clavichord

* Abraham Lincoln, who played the violin and harmonica

* John Tyler, who played violin

* Benjamin Franklin, who played both the violin and guitar

* Ronald Reagan, who played the harmonica

* Chester Arthur, who played the banjo

* Franklin Roosevelt, who played the piano

* Richard Nixon, who played both the piano and accordion

* Harry S.Truman, who played piano

* Woodrow Wilson, who played the violin.

Quite a few political leaders in the USA and abroad have been music lovers and accomplished instrumentalists. This supports the empirical belief that there is a relationship between intelligence and music.

Harry Truman once said about his music, "I missed being a musician, and the real reason I missed being one is because I wasn't good enough." He was president from 1945 to 1953.

The one who encouraged his love of music, reading, and history was his beloved mother, Martha Ellen Young. The young Truman was taught piano first by his mother, and then by a music teacher she hired to give the boy two lessons a week until he gave it up. Each day, Truman said, he awoke at 5:00 a.m. and practiced for a couple of hours before going to school. His mother showed disappointment when he decided, at age 15, to stop playing. His lessons became too expensive for him to continue, so Truman stopped taking them.

In 1945, his spouse announced that it was time for him to stop playing the piano. This was because someone published a picture of him playing the piano with an attractive, young Lauren Bacall perched on top of the instrument. At that time, Truman was Vice President, and the country was aware that he was a skilled pianist. He was known to have proficiently played music from famous composers including Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin, just to name a few. Many people believed he could only play music like "Missouri Waltz", but in reality he didn't care for that type of music.

Actually, Truman thought about becoming a concert pianist when he was young. Even though he did not pursue his dream, he always kept a piano in his homes. For the rest of his life, Harry S. Truman played the piano for his friends, but he also played because it gave him a sense of peace. Former President Richard Nixon performed for Harry Truman once while making a visit to the White House.

In one of his most often quoted statements about his piano playing skills, Truman said that his choice was to be either a politician or a piano player in a whorehouse. He joked that there was very little difference. Other sources quote him as saying, "More than likely, if I hadn't been President of the United States, I'd have ended up playing piano in a bawdy house." His statements prove how much he loved to play the piano.

About the Author: A free email newsletter on exciting piano chords and chord progressions from Duane Shinn is available free at "Exciting Piano Chords & Chord Progressions!"

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Do Music & Presidential Politics Mix? You Bet!

Music Review of Math and Physics Club by Math and Physics Club

2009-10-08T12:02:00.000+07:00

Author: Darren Tan

Math and Physics Club are an indie pop (Or Indie Rock) band based in Seattle, Washington. They are Charles Bert (Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Kevin Emerson (Drums), Ethan Jones (Bass/Keyboards), James Werle (Lead Guitar), and Saundrah Humphrey (Violin). They were formed in 2004, and have released three EPs and one full length album through Santa Barbara-based Matinee Recordings. Their genre also includes twee, and according to PitchforkMedia, their music were described as “music to hold hands to.” :-) Suitable for most lovey dovey couple!

Math and Physics Club is so fun to listen to. You could listen to the voice of Charles all day and enjoy the music at the same time. No complaints about his voice (and the rest of Math and Physics Club) and the simplicity of their music, and yet impressive songs and lyrics has left a vivid mark on my mind. :-)

The album opens with “Darling, Please Come Home” which is such an infectious track that i think it’s one of the best tracks on the album. The guitar of this track keeps repeating in a tempo and pace that is so friendly to our ears and i can’t help it but mocking to play a guitar whenever i listen to this song. When Charles sings, “Darling won’t you please come home…” I knew they had me, they had me thinking about this song all the time. Amazing and lovely opener! I keep imagining myself saying, “Darling, won’t you please come home…” :-)

“I Know What I Want” is perfect when you are proposing! ;-) The music playing of this song is just so soothing and take note of the lyrics of this song, “How did you know me so well? You smile but you won’t ever tell… It’s you… I know what i want..” You can hear Charles’ lovely voice which is a bonus to this song! He sings so effortlessly while the rest of Math and Physics Club join in with their guitar, bass, drums and even violin. It’s a short song but it definitely worths your time for listening to it. :-)

Stop complaining about the dates that end up in rain and check out “April Showers”. Somehow, i can feel that Charles is singing about a date of his. Singing about how wonderful rain can be (you can replace “Rain” with “Shower” :-)) if you were with someone that you love. Charles goes, “There’s no place I’d rather be, than with you right next to me, huddled up under my umbrella, though the rain keeps falling down…” You can hear lots of guitar plucking in “April Showers” and it’s like Math and Physics Club are playing in a cave whenever i heard the guitar plucking sound/part. Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba… April Showers… Though i prefer October Showers, my birth month! ;-)

“Holidays and Saturdays” is a slow-paced song and it shows Math and Physic Club’s versatility. They’re already very good with mid and fast-tempo songs,”Holidays and Saturdays” is just another song to show that they can even perform slow-tempo song. Picnic in the park, croquet on the lawn, staying up and talking until dawn… These are the things that we do on weekends, aren’t we? A nice way to slow down the tempo of the album. :-)

“La La La Lisa” brings the tempo back! It has a few starts and stops in between but nevertheless, it still makes a good song. :-) I wonder who is Lisa (a girl he met/saw in a club?), Charles sings about her as if he’s so much in love with her, dying to hold her hands, dying to kiss her, dying to be with her. It goes, “I would have died for just one kiss, I had the chance just to hold hands…” It’s just so smart of Math and Physics Club to write such witty lyrics. When Charles sings, “La La La La La La…” There must have been many things going on between Lisa and him. :-)

“Look At Us Now” starts off with acoustic guitar and violin. Lovely! Nice opening to get me wondering for more. “We were in love, but look at us now, ba ba ba ba ba…” It is as if they were so much in love, until now. “Look at us now…,” Charles added. Then there are guitar solo followed by violin solo, what a play in such a short song!

“You’ll Miss Me” is another slow tempo song on the album. It’s one of my favourite songs on the album. I just love the guitar, bass, piano, violin and even the vocals on this song. It found its way to my heart even at the first listen. Charles goes, “Never should have left this carry on for so long, but I dare say that you’ll miss me…” and then he goes again with, “La da da da da la da da….” I gotta say, it’s just so good! :-D Each time after the chorus, the piano comes in exactly at the right time. Really impressive!

“Cold as Minnesota” has a very tasty and groovy bassline to it. The bassline itself is the best asset of this song. Accompanied by handclaps after the break, it’s one of the most dance-able songs on the album. This song is as if Charles were getting mad at someone, “Step outside in the cold, i don’t want you here tomorrow when I wake up”, but Math and Physics Club made it a groovy track that is so delicious to our ears. I can’t say no! :-)

From the lyrics of “Such a Simple Plan”, it seems to be a sad song. But again, Math and Physics Club made it an enjoyable and dance-able track. Charles sings about a girl who’s having a failed relationship, “Summer turned into June, she spent morning night and noon in a tiny room, typing away to another sad romantic…” It ends with, “She cries and reads herself to sleep instead”. Such a simple plan but with a deep meaning! :-)

Math and Physics Club ends with “Last Dance”, a poppy and cheerful song that you want to tap your feet and dance to. :-) The two guitar-playing were well arranged and timed. One is the lead guitar, the other a rhythm guitar. “Why does it have to be sad? Now darling don’t be mad, let’s put the past behind, and hit the floor before the last dance… To make you fall for me” Next time when you’re having a party, please dance with your partnet and remember the lyrics from “Last Dance”. You’ll have the best last dance ever! :-)

Rating: I can imagine myself singing a couple of songs take from the album. “Math and Physics Club” is really created for a couple. All their songs and lyrics are meant to be listened and enjoyed by couples and lovers! :-) If you ever have a chance to sing to your loved ones in front of a big crowd, you’ll know which album to look for! ;-) Simple but heart-melting, i can’t help it but give it 7.8 out of 10. :-)

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Darling, Please Come Home, I Know What I Want, You’ll Miss Me, Last Dance and Cold as Minnesota.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Avid Indie Music Fan

With http://www.indiesurf.com he wants to share his thoughts, comments, reviews and opinions on the latest (and past/old) indie music, indie bands and indie artists with the world and you.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Music Review of Math and Physics Club by Math and Physics Club

Music Review of Vampire Weekend's Self-titled Album

2009-10-07T12:13:00.001+07:00

Author: Darren Tan

“Vampire Weekend” are an American four-piece indie band from New York that was formed in 2006. There are four members in Vampire Weekend, which include Ezra Koenig (Lead Vocal and Guitar), Rostam Batmanglij (Guitar, Keyboard and Backing Vocal), Chris Tomson (Drums and Backing Vocal) and Chris Baio (Bass and Backing Vocal). Vampire Weekend’s music genre are mostly indie pop and a little bit of African music influence, which is called Afro-pop. It’s very obvious in their music that they don’t belong to any rock genre. Many people would have wondered how they have decided on their band being called Vampire Weekend, it’s a question to be answered. According to LimeWire Music Blog, Vampire Weekend was derived from one of Ezra’s amateur films, which was also of the same name. You’ve guessed it.

Vampire Weekend is something you don’t hear everyday. If you’re looking for something fresh, something friendly to the ears, something cute, then you’re at the right place. You’ll love Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend is really cute at “Mansard Roof”. Some non-stop drum beats, clever percussion, catchy and cute guitar hooks. There were some moments that their guitar playing styles reminded me of The Strokes. Mansard Roof is a very short song, but it will definitely haunt you in a good way. After listening it for the first time, i always i always hit “previous” button. Reason? Mansard Roof is suitable for anyone at anytime.

“Oxford Comma” has a catchy and steady drum beats to it. It’s a song that will surely but slowly grow into you. And what i found out was that, this song is actually a very good song to sing along. Imagine you’re having a karaoke session with your friend, Oxford Comma would definitely be a darling for anyone to sing. It’s not a fast track where anyone couldn’t catch their breath when singing, and it’s not those tracks that require high pitching voices. During the break of this song, the guitar solo was cute yet great. I found myself smiling whenever that part comes along. “Lil’ Jon, he always tells the truth..” I’m having Vampire Weekend Comma.

“A-Punk” is a fast track. The guitar on this track is fast and definitely piercing. I can’t really imagine myself playing guitar on A-Punk. It’s like you couldn’t stop even for a second! There was an instrument that sounded like a flute, or even organ, or even some DJ equipments everytime Ezra went, “Look outside at the raincoats coming, say OH…” in a repetition manner. And it’s really good. From the lyrics, i’m guessing that Vampire Weekend are singing about a girl whose lover is no longer around. A cute and fast track which can’t be missed.

“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” is somewhat similar to Oxford Comma. It started off slow and soft, later on when it picked up the tempo. It’s not loud, just that it sounds much fuller in its music. If you listen carefully, you’d realize the numerous instruments being played in this song. But Vampire Weekend just made it sound so simple, and so good to listen too. Being not so familiar with the African sound and don’t really know how it sounds like. Somehow, i can feel that this song has the African influence mixed with the Western Modern music, making it one of the memorable tracks on Vampire Weekend. Oh you know the part that i like? It’s when Ezra sang in the chorus, “But this feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel too..” I love it even more when Ezra did it twice. And oh ya, the cello in Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa would sound better even if compared to a bass. Yet again, everyone would definitely love this track, from young to old, girls to boys. Magnificent! The ending part where you’d find the whole Vampire Weekend moaning in a melody-like voices and howls, it’s simply too good!

“M79" got me thinking that this would be a really great rock tune. However i was proved wrong, not only it was not a rock song. It was a track with really cute music that leveraged on the instruments like violin and violin, which would normally be seen or heard in an orchestra performance. But this time, you have it in Vampire Weekend. It’s really amazing to see a four-piece indie band from New York capable of writing and producing such instant hit and classic. Just imagine playing this track in a prom, i think the crowd would appreciate that the fact M79 is neither a rock song nor love song. It’s just a fun song with really good music for everyone to enjoy. I can’t help myself but imagining what would it be like to have M79 included in The Sound of The Music or even Mary Poppin. Definitely a song that will be remembered for a long long time. Oh ya, even my parents find M79 gorgeous!

“Campus” is another really catchy song with some clever lyrics. The bass keeps repeating in the verses and when it comes to the chorus, “How am I supposed to pretend, i never want to see you again, how am I supposed to pretend, i never want to see you again…” The guitar playing style which really resembles The Strokes’, was on again. But this time is louder than those of Mansard Root. Not only that, it has some electronic elements to it which made it stand out as well. The fact that i like this song is that i find it really has some good music going on and it really blend in well with the singing.

“Bryn” started off with some really high pitched guitar sounds accompanied with steady drum beats. The longer i got into Bryn, the more i love Bryn. Throughout the whole track, the guitar can only be heard after both verses. And there were some instruments being played in the background in a constant note and key, my guess would be an organ. Somehow, i don’t know why, but it keeps bugging me to think that the sound of the guitar found in Bryn is similar to the sound of a Bagpipe.

Vampire Weekend continued with “One (Blake’s Got a New Face)”. This track has some disco/club feel with it. The drum beats on this track is somewhat like those you’d hear in a march. Sound kind of patriotic. The real thing is that when listening to this song, my mind tells me as if i were in a club or disco, just chilling and dancing. The rest of the Vampire Weekend did a good job as well where they did a backup vocal whenever Ezra sings at the chorus, “Blake’s got a new face..” But hey, at times i really do sing “Blake’s got a new face” in the shower, in my bedroom or even driving. Such a powerful phrase!

“I Stand Corrected” has a fairy tale feel-like at the beginning and it started slow. And honestly, it sounded like “Little House of Savages” by The Walkmen. The beginning of these both songs are so similar. Overall, it sounded like a sad song. The tempo began to pick up when the chorus came in, “I stand corrected..” The break has a really sad sound to it when Ezra went, “Lord knows I haven’t tried, i’ll take my stand, one last time, forget the protocol, i’ll take your hand, right in mine.” Accompanied by the violin, i can feel the sadness in this this song. One of the songs that let me feel in.

Before the last track, “Walcott” has some really strong and fast piano going on. And no, this is not the player of the football club, Arsenal. It has got nothing to do with Theo Walcott. It’s just a song named Walcott. From the lyrics, i can tell that Ezra is singing about a desperate boy named Walcott who is desperately wanting to get out of Cape Cod, or rather, hoping to get out of Cape Cod. There are some evil lyrics to be found in Walcott, “The Lobster’s Claw is sharp as knives, evil feasts on human lives, the Holy Roman Empire roots for you.” Sound evil enough? One of Vampire Weekend’s strengths is definitely their creativity!

The normal Vampire Weekend album ends with “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance”. It’s a rather slow and catchy track and you can hear the drums echo here and there throughout the whole track, as mentioned earlier. It’s really not that bad, and most people would not have noticed it. The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance has a slow but catchy bass at the beginning. I like the guitar, it sounded sloppy and lazy. Just nicely suit the tempo of this track. Organ and violin can also be heard here and there, making this song more than just great. The last 1:48 minutes was pure instrumental, and need i say more? It’s perfectly played and arranged! Especially the violin.

Rating: Vamipre Weekend is definitely a band to watch out for in the years to come. They are one of the few bands that created and added new sound to their music. Compared to those being played on the radio and even TV, Vampire Weeked stand out in miles. :-) Everything sounded fresh on Vampire Weekend. From start to finish, they were just having fun and playing some really awesome and amazing tunes. Before this, i thought they were just another indie band with nothing new to offer, but they proved me wrong, big time. :-) It’s really very seldom that we stumble upon such band. As musicians, they really have awed me from head to toe. And as listener myself, it’s really an once in a blue moon occasion where i listened to something that i have never listened to before in my circle of genre. However, the only thing that is preventing Vampire Weekend from being a perfect album is that they lack a hit anthem. Franz Ferdinand had their hit anthem when they released their debut, it was called “Take Me Out. Arctic Monkey’s very own anthem from their debut was “A Certain Romance”. But that’s not going to stop me from looking forward to listen to Vampire Weekend every morning upon waking up from my bed. You might say that i’m crazy, but i’d still listen to Vampire Weekend no matter what, everyday. An amazing band that added new music influence from other continent to their music, definitely one of the best album in 2008. 8.5 out of 10 may be too high of a rating, but honestly, they deserve more.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Mansard Roof, Oxford Comma, A-Punk, Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, M79, Campus, Bryn, One (Blake’s Got A New Face), Walcott and The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Music Review of Vampire Weekend's Self-titled Album

Music Review of Desire by Andrew Keese and the Associates

2009-10-06T11:59:00.000+07:00

Author: Darren Tan

“Andrew Keese & The Associates” are a four-piece indie band from Melbourne, Australia. Their musical genre are mostly indie folk rock, piano rock and indie pop/rock. Currently the four members of Andrew Keese & The Associates are Andrew Keese himself (Vocal, Guitar, Piano, Hammond Organ & Rhodes), Sunny Leunig (Guitar), Phil Smith Major (Bass & Backing Vocal) and Andrew Cowie (Drums & Percussion). Andrew Keese & The Associates have this talent of writing great and meaningful lyrics. Even if you just look at their lyrics, you would know the song would come out great. In contrast, if you just listen to their songs, sometimes it’s hard to figure out what they’re trying to express. But after looking at the lyrics, you’d would be amazed at the story told throughout the song. Sometimes, i keep thinking that they’re the Australian Okkervil River or even Ben Folds.

Desire by Andrew Keese & The Associates is best listen to through earphones. The reason? Most tracks here are best enjoyed when you’re alone or in somewhere quiet. If you’re looking forward to spend your weekend away alone, try give Desire a spin.

Desire welcomes us in a slow emotional instrumental starter, “Mercy”. It is pure piano-playing in different keys throughout this track. It’s like Andrew is trying to tell us a story with each different note. I can’t help but keep thinking that this would be the prelude for any performances and concerts. Just imagine it, Mercy would be a great intro in front of thousands of crowds.

Desire continues with the beautiful “Little Possessions”. Beautiful instruments and rhythm throughout this track. I like the part whenever Andrew goes, “Little Possessions…”, there’s a cute and yet appealing sound that follows. I’m not sure what the instrument is called, but it’s really good. My guess would be an organ. Little Possessions would definitely be a pop rock version of the traditional Christmas anthem, Silent Night. Only Little Possessions… It’s starting to get into my head…

In “Transmission”, you can see the real talent of Andrew Keese & The Associates. They managed to combine piano and guitar and transform them into a crunchy classic. Well honestly this combination is not something new, but somehow i can connect with Transmission. I will not fail to have fun with Andrew Keese & The Associates whenever i plug Transmission to my ears. There’s something unique as well here… Andrew Keese & The Associates managed to keep Transmission loud and rock yet soft. Go figure..

“Blessed Are The Meek” is a beautiful ballad yet again. Just love the violin in Blessed Are The Meek! When it’s the verse, Andrew sings with emotions, when the chorus comes, Andrew goes, “Blessed Are The Meek, baby..” in repetition. From Andrew Keese & The Associates’ musical style, they resemble Ben Folds, but from their lyrical talent, they are remarkable. The best part is the chorus, where you can hear the piano playing in the background. It sounds very full, but they can do it better if the rest of Andrew Keese & The Associates joined in and sing along as well.

“The Shadows” starts off with some repetition of guitar slowly, like those that you would hear in a rock song. But honestly, i first thought that The Shadows would be some loud rock and roll track. But after 30 seconds into this track, i realized i was wrong. You can listen to the guitar riffing throughout this track, instead of the piano. Even without piano, Andrew Keese & The Associates still sound great. I just like the part, “Here come the shadows again…”. It’s definitely the climax of The Shadows.

“The Burden Of Proof” got me thinking that it would be a great ballad, it was the impression i got after listetning to only the first 20 seconds of the song. The piano and guitar combination are here to stay. And as Andrew sings along, the music that accompanied especially the violin, made this song full of emotion! I can feel the sadness and sorrow in The Burden Of Proof. Andrew Keese & The Associates made this song so great that it leaves an impact on me. I love the violin here.. And the last 1:14 minutes will blow you away, it’s just so gorgeous!

To me, “Ameline” has a wonderful storyline. It seems to be telling a story about a girl called Ameline who has left behind her loved one and now hopes that his previous love will accept her back. Sounds like a romantic drama movie. :-) Another sad song to ponder on, especially the chorus where Andrew goes, “I watched you take that medicine, it was bitter as brine, once your words were vintage wine, now they’re alkaline, you’d better pray there’s still time for you, Ameline.” Don’t get me wrong, Ameline is a great track with great musical arrangement and mixture. The violin and guitar made a good team here. With its potential, Ameline could as well be an anthem for Andrew Keese & The Associates.

“Singapore” is like a frustrating and yet long-for-love ballad. The title itself captured my attention as i was from Malaysia, just a neighbour to Singapore. Andrew yet again sings with emotions from start to finish. From the beginning, Andrew sings as if he’s building up the energy for the chorus, “Tonight, i got lonely… Over you…” And honestly, the violin that comes straight after the the choruses was gorgeous. I always play it back to saviour the moment.. There’s also a guitar solo after the second chorus, great effort by Andrew Keese & The Associates.

“Sertraline Hydrochloride” is a strong slow drive. Throughout the whole track, Andrew’s voice was the one that stands out. It sort of tells us to live life happily and don’t dwell on unhappy things and the past. A very meaningful song with clever lyrics written by Andrew. At certain points, Andrew can be heard raising his vocal as to make Sertraline Hydrochloride a memorable listen. ”This is the sound, of clouds touching down, on wet city streets, put that sorrow at your feet, and don’t say it’s the end, when the day is about to begin…” I really think this sentence is going to haunt me for a long time to come. Especially, “and don’t say it’s the end, when the day is about to begin…” There’s someting to the rhythm of this special phrase.

“Someday” is somewhat similar to Sertraline Hydrochlorid. A strong slow drive with clever lyrics. If i’m right, it sounded like the person that Andrew refers to is waiting for her time to come, meaning kicking the bucket. Andrew’s voice was slow, steady and full of emotions. And Someday was almost an acoustic song, except for the chorus, “Don’t fool yourself, your time’s gonna come, you think the years happen to everybody else, someday you’re gonna be that someone…” where it gets louder and the organ kicks in.

The title track, “Desire” closes the album in style. Desire is such a radio-friendly track and it somehow sounds like a Christmas song. It’s also a cheerful track where the constant playing of guitar can be heard and yeah, the rhythm of the guitar is great and infectious. Can’t help but find myself enjoying the music of Desire. From the lyrics, i can only tell that Desire tells us that everyone of has a desire or desires, it’s up to us to control it, as desire is always up to no good. Andrew adds, “Desire has many faces, hides in the darkest places, so keep a star in the night of your heart, and find someone to watch over you..” You gotta love this track by Andrew Keese & The Associates.

Rating: Desire is definitely a take-off point for Andrew Keese & The Associates. It has shown the talent and specialty of Andrew Keese & The Associates, i was wondering how they would sound like at first. Perhaps just another indie rock band trying to make it big? However i was wrong, they write their own music and all the times in Desire, they were just being themselves, belting out tunes that touch hearts and create emotions. Desire could have been better with the sound arrangement and engineering, but given it is their debut, they have done a good job. I’m becoming a fan of Andrew Keese & The Associates, nonetheless. Desire is warm and feel-good, i’d give them 7.0 out of 10, straight from my heart.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Little Possessions, Transmission, Blessed are the Meek, The Burden of Proof, Singapore and Desire.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

About the Author: Darren Tan is a huge avid fan of indie music, indie bands and indie artists. Since he was 17 years old, he started to fall in love with the indie music scene. It was a total turning point in his life for him as he no longer look at the indie music industry the same since.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Music Review of Desire by Andrew Keese and the Associates

Free Printable Music Sheet is an Inexpensive Venture

2009-10-05T15:56:00.001+07:00

Author: Ritu De Sharma

Free printable music sheet has become a valuable experience for many people on internet like musicians, music teachers, for fresher, students and children learning music. Back then finding a single piece of sheet music at an affordable price was impossible. It was usually made for professional singers, pianists and guitarists. The new era has come be anyone from any field can get an access to printable music sheet with just a click of button. Today that latter task has increasingly become simple and an inexpensive venture due to the revelation brought by the internet. Getting printable sheet music at present has become a simplified approach and has made a significant mark on people searching for it. All one has to do is visit the site and with the press of a button receive it in a print form of what he wants that to for free. The free printable music sheet is useful to be a student who has just started to learn piano, trumpets, flute, violin or a young guitarist dreaming to play in a rock band. An advanced piano player who wants to leap in the next base or a music teacher who wants to teach his or her students music in a new and a creative way can take help of printable music sheet. Parents looking for help to teach their children in an inexpressive and easy manner can take help of music sheet. Purchase a folder, print sheets and collect a collection.

Printable music sheet collection covers varied musical taste and genre like:

Printable piano sheet: There are various compositions and arrangements by famous musicians like waltz, Tekla Badarzewska-Baranowska, Mozart. With the music sheets will certainly make your piano playing interesting once again.

Printable Flute sheet: Flute is one of the oldest musical instruments and it can also be seen around the world. There are various compositions like swan, silent night, beauty in tear and so on.

Printable guitar sheet: guitars are the most popular musical instrument and even teens are fond of it. Print guitar music sheets and practice your guitar playing skills at the same time. There are various compositions like Mark Wesling, Maria Lucia and so on

Printable Trumpet sheet: if you are looking for some new musical instrument to play, then try playing the trumpet. There are collections on different trumpet music sheets from beginner to advance level. Have fun learning new instruments and see yourself improve by printing an easy trumpet music sheet.

Printable Violin Sheet: Children can have fun testing and practicing their violin playing skills by printing a violin music sheet and collecting a collection. Violin music is considered to be a music therapy print one new music sheet daily and play for your family. There are various compositions Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and so on.

About the Author: The author is Ritu Sharma a freelance content writer. She writes on topics that are interesting and informative.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Free Printable Music Sheet is an Inexpensive Venture

Symphony Orchestra

2009-10-04T06:20:00.000+07:00

Author: Olivia Andrews

Symphony Orchestra or violin is the most popular instruments among the various musical instruments. It is therefore a small part of a large group of instruments that produces great effects while one hears such orchestra. The violin is the smallest of the string instruments but has the highest sound and it is almost three times as many as there are violas or cellos.

The lower string includes the viola that is a bit larger than the violin and very often used in harmony. Sometimes it gets melody but sounds very similar to violin and is tuned one fifth lower. The cello is an octave less than the viola and is played between the knees of the instrumentalist. It is having a mellow sound but doubles the violin's melody very often. The bass is the lowest of the strings and is played standing upright. It has the same strings as the violin but it is in reverse order and several octaves lower.

Except the string instruments, very few people know that what exactly is an orchestra. Woodwind includes the flute, the clarinet, the piccolo, the bassoon, and the oboe. Piccolo is the highest of the woodwinds and is used for solos that are high enough to soar above the orchestra at many times. The flute and clarinet doubles the strings and in the recent times they have more melody. The bassoon is the lowest and is used to add color to the strings at the same time it has a lot of harmony and sometimes double the string parts. Oboe used to be an important part of the orchestra but now it is used very less.

Brass is also an important part of an orchestra and these instruments project quite a bit and are used more often in melodies. French horn is one of the most useful brasses because it easily doubles the rest of the brasses. Trumpet is also well known instrument that is rather high to soar above the orchestra to be heard.

Percussion is also important whereas tympani drum is the most important of all percussion as it provides beat as well as different tones. Snare drums, bass drums, gongs, xylophones, bells, triangles, etc. are also used.

For more information, visit music-future.com

About the Author: Olivia Andrews, writer of music-future.com is a freelance journalist and has written many reviews on subjects such as finance, education, health, entertainment, music, gifts, crafts, travel, apparels and mobile phones.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Symphony Orchestra

Making Money

2009-10-04T06:15:00.001+07:00

Author: John Case

Have you ever done a search on Google.com? Your answer is probably "yes," as Google boasts more than 200 million searches each day. You may have noticed that when you do a search on Google, when your results appear there is often a section on the right side of the screen in a section labeled "Sponsored Links." If you do a Google search on "magazine subscriptions" right now you can see an example of this. "Magazine subscriptions" is a very popular search term, so there are always plenty of sponsored links. If you click on one of the headlines, you are taking to another page; in this case, a magazine subscription sales page. Did you notice that the subject of all the ads matched your search term? This is because the ads are set up to be triggered by certain keywords. If you do a search for "magazine subscriptions," you would not see an ad for dog food.

These ads on the search results page are called "Adwords." Did you know anyone can write them, even you? You can even write these ads if you do not have anything to sell, by simply writing ads promoting other people's products. Why would you want to promote someone else's products? Because there are hundreds of thousands of products and services for sale on the internet that offer generous commissions for referred links. What does this mean? Here is a simple example: Let's say you find a company that sells violins online. You discover that they have a program that offers a commission of 8% on referred sales. You write ad for a specific violin model, and bid 5 cents on keywords such as "buy violins online," "purchase violins" or the specific model number of the violin in your ad. When someone does a search on "purchase violins," your ad will be displayed. You are only charged if that web surfer click on your ad. In this case, you would be charged the 5 cents you bid for that keyword. Now, let's say that 100 people click on your ad, and one person purchases a violin costing $400. You have spent $5 on advertising, but have earned a $32 commission for a profit of $27. $27 might not be much, but if you have dozens of ads triggered by thousands of keywords, your profits can quickly ad up.

The trick of the Adwords game, of course, is to make your commissions always outweigh you advertising costs. You do this making sure of the following three things: you don't bid too much for keywords, you write your ads well, and you chose good products that sell well and offer good commissions. If you jump into Adwords without caution, you will quickly give in to the temptation to spend to much for your advertising, and will be spending much more than you make.

About the Author: Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Making Money

Materials That Orchestral Instruments are Made From

2009-10-04T06:11:00.001+07:00

Author: Malcolm Blake

Makers of the instruments of the band and orchestra search the world for their materials. The collecting of these materials furnishes enough romance to fill a volume.

The mellow clarinet note in today's concert reminds us of great labors and sacrifices of native peoples in the tropical wastes of South Africa. The weird sound from the temple block echoes the woodsman's ax in the depth of the redwood forest of China.

The plaintive song from the reedy oboe was made possible by the dry soil and bright sun of the Mediterranean beach in southern France.

Without reeds, we would have no woodwind choir, no clarinets, oboes, English horns, bassoons or saxophones. And if nature had not chosen to throw together in one little spot in southern France a peculiar combination of dry topsoil, a subsoil moistened by the salty seepage from the blue Mediterranean Sea, a unique mixture of organic substances to nourish the roots, and a warm sun from a pleasant sky to bathe the leaves, we would have no reeds.

Cane grows in many spots on the globe, but not as it grows in a small area in France along the Mediterranean Sea known as the Var district, near Marseilles. The finest reed cane in the world comes from here, for the soil and climate seem to have conspired together to produce an ideal material for setting into vibration the column of air in the woodwind instruments.

If the climate were warmer and more moist, the cane would grow too fast and the reed would be too porous. If the climate were not so warm and the soil were drier, the cane would grow more slowly and the reed would be too hard.

Nor has man been able to add anything to this ideal combination, for the best cane grows wild and in its natural state; cultivated cane is inferior.

Elaborate pains are taken in preparing the cane after it is grown. For three years the cane is carefully cured one year in the dry and shade, then six months in the sun, with regular periods later on in the sun as the cutting, trimming and sorting process goes on.

Finally a small piece of cane about the size of a stick of chewing gum is produced, but there is nothing else in the whole world which can equal it for sounding the characteristic tone of the woodwinds.

If you should suddenly decide one day you were going to make the finest violin bow it is possible to produce, you would have to take a ship to the port of Pernambuco in Brazil. Then you would have to make a hard and long journey to the interior of this great country. There, after diligent search, you would find growing in the hard and rocky ground a tree called the Brazilwood tree.

You would then select a small tree, cut away the outside sapwood, and finally come to a small heart, dark red in color. This is the Pernambuco wood known to commerce. It was selected by Tourte, the great French bowmaker of the eighteenth century, as the best material for making violin bows, and nothing finer has ever been discovered.

It has just the right weight for balance, the right grain structure for retaining its shape, and the right resiliency for the utmost in bow technique.

Early in the development of the fine violins of Italy, the Amati and Stradivari craftsmen found there was nothing like the giant Norway spruce or Swiss pine for a violin top. These great trees grew up to heaven for a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet, and their grain was even and straight as parallel beams of light.

This wood fulfilled the needs for a material of great elasticity but light weight. They didn't know then, but scientists have since found out, that sound travels faster through this wood than any other, attaining a velocity through the grain lengthwise of fifteen thousand feet per second, a velocity nearly equal to that found in steel.

They didn't have technical proof of this, but their trained ears told them that this sprucewood gave the best results. They cut the logs through on the quarter and sawed through the center.

Then the center edges were glued together. This gave them identical grain structure from the center to both outside edges, the grain being so uniformly even and regular. After three centuries of violin making, nothing has been found which surpasses this wood for violin tops, and so makers today still fell the giant spruce for this part of the violin.

Several tropical woods have been used for making the bodies of the woodwind instruments. The picturesque cocoanut tree was one of them. The best wood for this purpose comes from the West Indies and Central America, It grows best in the sandy soil along the sea, or not far inland. In contrast to Pernambuco wood, only old trees are used.

The heart is cut out of the lower portion of the tree trunk. This wood is brown in color, heavy in weight, hard to cut, but can be polished to an almost metallic luster. It is known commercially as cocuswood, and many fine woodwind instruments have been made from it.

Some instruments are still made from cocuswood, but it has generally been abandoned, for it contains a resin which causes skin poisoning.

Another wood used for making clarinets, flutes and oboes was boxwood. True boxwood comes from Venezuela, but most of the boxwood used in musical instruments came from the West Indies.

It is very tough and has an extremely fine texture, but it has one serious defect it warps. This defect was not so serious when the key system of musical instruments was limited to a half-dozen single keys, but when several keys were mounted on a single long hinge, slight warping caused the hinge to bind, and boxwood had to be abandoned.

To the rescue came grenadilla wood, known also as Mozambique ebony and as African blackwood. This wood is cut from the arid wastes of Mozambique, South Africa, or the huge island across the channel to the east, known as Madagascar.

About the Author: Malcolm Blake has spent years studying music online and off. He is currently working on projects for people who are learning to play guitar and want to learn guitar chords online.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Materials That Orchestral Instruments are Made From

The Alto Voice of the Viola

2009-10-01T16:06:00.000+07:00

Author: Victor Epand

The viola is simply a larger version of the violin, but it differs in its tone, strings and how it is played. While the violin has a higher pitch, the viola has a slightly lower pitch. Also, the viola is played with the pads of the fingers than the fingertips as is the case with the violin. This is a result of the larger size of the viola. The places where the fingers must be placed in order to strike the right note are a little farther apart and the vibratos' are also a little broader. In fact, the playing of the viola is similar to that of the cello in some ways because of its larger size. The strings are also different from that of the violins and more similar to those of the cello. The viola's highest string is the A string. The next is the D string, then the G string and then the C string.

While some of the technique in playing the viola is very much like that of the cello, the viola is held the same way as the violin. The viola can be a little more difficult to play because of the spacing on the viola and most viola players will opt to play a smaller version of the viola rather than a larger version because the demands on the stretch of the fingers is less.

The bow is also a little thicker than that of a violins bow in order to play the instrument properly. There also does not appear to be a whole lot of music written for the viola in the past. It was more of an instrument that was to have a smaller part in order to add to the music, but major parts were not overly popular for it. In the twentieth century, however, it changed. As music began to evolve, so did the interest grow for people to start writing more pieces for the viola. Viola music is quite unique and specialized to the instrument, so most music has to be altered in order to incorporate the viola or new music must be written. Many have done this and now the viola has been used in folk, country and many other genres of music.

It could be the deeper and richer sound that the viola has in comparison to the violin. The violin has a higher and more delicate sound. The viola has a slightly deeper and richer sound and it is this difference that the educated ear can easily pick up and tell the difference between the two instruments. When familiar with the sound of one or both of them, the difference in the sound is unmistakable. Regardless of the differences, the beauty of the sounds created by the viola when in perfect tune and properly played are almost hypnotizing. Most people enjoy the sound of the viola fully as it tends to create a soothing and calming sound. Perhaps this is the reason that more effort is being put in by composers to include the viola in a larger role than before.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Alto Voice of the Viola

Know More About Violin

2009-09-30T19:37:00.001+07:00

Author James Hunt

THE violin is a stringed instrument that you play by pulling a bow across the strings. It belongs to the stringed instrument family that contains the same instruments as the viola, cello and the double bass. The violin is the smallest instrument in this group and the one with the highest sounding pitch. This musical instrument is essential when performing chamber music, but it provides for exceptional solo performances as well.

Description of a violin

A violin is a hollow wooden box with rounded ends and a narrow center. The front and the back of the instrument are slightly convex and connected to each other by the sides, also called ribs. There are four sets of strings on a violin that extend from a string holder at the bottom of the body, over a raised bridge to the end of the narrow neck, which is called the fingerboard. On the fingerboard, the four strings are inserted into a pegbox and are held there with pegs. The pegs are twisted in order to tune the violin, in much the same way as you tune a guitar, in order to raise or lower the pitch of each string. The bow is a long arched strip of wood with horsehair strings stretched along its length. When the bow is drawn across the strings on the body of the violin it produces a sound.

The body of the violin is a resonator, which means that it amplifies the vibration produced by drawing the bow across the strings. There is a block of wood inside the body of the violin, called a sound post and this device helps to coordinate the vibrations of the front and back panels. There are two F-shaped holes in the table near the bridge that lets the panels vibrate freely.

Playing the violin

When a musician plays the violin, he/she must hold the neck of the instrument with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. The left shoulder supports the violin and keeps it in the correct position of having the chin rest on a support located beside the stringholder. He/She grasps the bow with the right hand and draws it across the strings near the bridge. The left hand fingers press or pluck the strings against the wood in different ways to produce different c sounds or chords. This pressure shortens the string and raises or lowers the pitch.

History of the Violin

The modern violin was developed in Italy in the sixteenth century using the techniques used in a variety of other stringed instruments, but mainly the viol. The viol had more strings than we see on the violin and the body was not convex, but was flat. The most famous violin in the world is the Stradivarius, named after its maker, Antonio Stradivari from the Italian town of Cremona. Although there have been a few minor changes in the overall design of the violin, the designs of the Italian masters, the design has basically remain the same.

Source: Free Articles

About the Author
James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest. Read more at www.best-in-violins.info

The Recipe for A Modern Orchestra

2009-09-29T20:33:00.001+07:00

Author: Malcolm Blake

There are many other odd and interesting woods which will be found in every symphony orchestra. Drumsticks will be found made of snakewood from Dutch Guiana, a reddish-brown wood with spots in color from brown to black, similar in markings to that of a snake.

The fingerboards, pegs and tailpieces of violins are made from African ebony, brought ail the way from the tropical forests of Africa. The bars of xylophones and marimbas and often the castanets are made of rosewood from Brazil or Central America.

This wood ranges in color from reddish brown to deep purple or black, with streaks of purple through it, and it gets its name from its fragrance. It is ideal wood for the purpose, since it is hard, dense, takes a high polish and produces a brilliant, resonant tone when struck.

Then there is mahogany for drum shells, hickory for drumsticks and drum hoops, walnut for tambourines, maple for violin backs and bassoons, and basswood for "cases.

Some people find less music in the orchestra when they learn that the death of from two to three sheep is required before one violin can be equipped with strings. It doesn't seem necessary, but such is the case, and such is the price of great music. So-called "catgut" used on violins is made from the intestines of sheep.

The average length of the sheep intestine is twenty-four feet, and it requires from ten to twelve half-intestines to spin a string only four one hundred ths of an inch in diameter, since only the fine, soft, submucous membrane is used. A set of four violin strings is eighty-eight inches long on the average, and into a set of four violin strings go the intestines of from two to three sheep.

Even old Dobbin contributes his bit, for what would a violin bow be without horsehair? Makers today use 150 hairs about twenty-eight inches long in a standard bow, although Tourte, who created the violin bow of modern times, used slightly fewer hairs. Then the pig comes in for his share, for tom-tom heads are usually of pigskin.

All fine drumheads are of calfskin, the thinner and finest heads coming from the skins of "slunks" or unborn calves. Many different materials are used for mallets of bass drums, tympani, marimbas and bells. Among them are yarn, felt, soft rubber, hard rubber, rawhide, lamb's wool and pyralin.

Copper is the most important metal used in the construction of band and orchestra instruments. The big tympani or kettledrums are drawn from one piece of copper sheet into the half-sphere bowl.

Copper is also the principal ingredient of brass used in the bells of brass instruments, about seventy parts of copper being combined with about thirty parts of zinc to form brass. Valves, keys, braces and other parts of the brass instruments are made from a brass alloy incorporating in addition small quantities of tin, aluminum, lead or other metals, depending upon what is expected of the part.

Metal clarinets and flutes are often made of what is called nickel silver, an alloy of nickel and other metals. Nickel, chromium, silver and gold are used in plating various parts of many instruments used in the band and orchestra.

From the forests, from the foundries, from deep mines and across great seas, from desert wastes and tropical jungles come, in a real and true sense, the great music of the symphony.

If asked to give a recipe for making a symphony orchestra, the historian might start out: Take some oboes from the Orient, some clarinets from Greece and some horns from Palestine. The man of commerce might start out: Take some cane from the Var district of France, some Pernambuco wood from Brazil, and some grenadilla wood from Mozambique, South Africa.

Another and better way would be to say : To form a symphony orchestra of about one hundred pieces, make a mixture of about 40 per cent violins and violas, about 20 per cent cellos and basses, with just a sprinkling of a harp or two.

Make another mixture of woodwinds composed of flutes, single reeds and double reeds, up to about 15 per cent. Make an equal quantity of brass mixture, composed of trumpets, trombones, horns and tubas. Pour all three mixtures together and add about 6 per cent tympani, drums, bells and traps.

The recipe for a modern concert band would be something like this: Make a mixture of about 38 per cent clarinets soprano, alto and bass. Add to it about 10 per cent other woodwinds oboe, English horn, bassoon, flute.

Then make a mixture of about 38 per cent brass, including cornets, trumpets, trombones, horns, baritone horns and bass tubas. Pour these two mixtures together, stirring in at the same time about 8 per cent saxophones. Then add about 6 per cent tympani, drums, bells and traps.

About the Author: Malcolm Blake has spent years of his life devoted to studying music online and off. He is currently working on projects about learning to play the guitar and how to learn guitar chords online.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Recipe for A Modern Orchestra

The Dark Mysterious Sound of the Cello

2009-09-28T12:04:00.001+07:00

Author: Victor Epand

The cello is a member of the violin family and looks like a larger version of the violin. It is played with a bow, has four strings, is hollow and is made with different kinds of wood. The strings, however, differ from the violin in that the highest sounding string in is the A string, the next is the D string, then comes the G string and then the lowest string is the C string. The cello is too big to be played by resting it on one's shoulder, so it is set on the floor on its supporting endpin with the neck of the violin being held in the player's hand, with the musician sitting on a chair behind it. The instrument is usually played with the bow in the right hand and the left hand is manipulating the strings to get the desired notes.

The cello could be seen as a more flexible string instrument than the violin in that the upper strings can be adjusted in order to adapt it to play older classical pieces. Part of the reason for this flexibility could be attributed to the loss of an older type of cello that had five strings.

Today's cello only has four so adaptations have to be made on occasion. The range on this particular instrument is quite extensive as a result of its flexibility and like the violin it comes in many different sizes in order to fit the different sized people who play the instrument. Also like the violin, the cello is made out of different materials instead of one piece of wood. Spruce, maple, willow and poplar are the favored types of wood used in making cellos. As a result of the size of the cello, there is a brass bar that is placed under the top of the cello in order to support its weight. As mentioned before, the cello is hollow inside and because of its size a little extra support is needed.

It is believed that the cello originated from the base violin, which was a three stringed instrument, and became extremely popular in the 1700s. It is a fairly new instrument compared to other string and percussion instruments that were used long before the cello was created, but it does not take away from the richness and grace the cello shares when used to play classical music. It is surprising that a relatively young instrument would be just as elegant as the violin.

While it has been used in other types of music, such as some rock and pop, on occasion, its elegance is best for the classical genre and is largely used in orchestras and symphonies. This is not to say that it can't be used for just about any kind of music. It can be a wonderful addition to the background of just about any kind of music because of its deep, rich sound. The cello is an extremely flexible instrument and can be adapted to just about any kind of genre.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Dark Mysterious Sound of the Cello

Instrument Master

2009-09-26T19:10:00.002+07:00

Author: Umberto Quadrino

Instrument Master is a great new music website that offers online music lessons with easy to follow video violin and piano lessons. It’s like having a music teacher in your own home, but only better!

The great video lessons take you through a step by step music course that teaches you how to play the violin and piano and are supplemented by audio learning tools and play-along tracks for both musical instruments.

Online violin and piano lessons are relatively new but they are becoming very popular because they are so much cheaper than ordinary music school tuition. Instrument Master was one of the first to offer online lessons and in my opinion is the best.

Learning to play the piano or violin online is incredibly easy with the Instrument Master Course as the step by step video music lessons show you exactly how to play these musical instruments. I never realised that learning to play the piano and violin could be me so much fun. The video lessons are truly fantastic as you can see exactly what notes are being played, and how to make certain sounds. I even learnt how to play some of my favorite songs!

I love the fact that this course is online, because it means that I can pick up the violin whenever I get spare moment in the day, whether it be in the morning or late at night.

Instrument Master is like having a music teacher in your home. A new lesson is only one click away! And learning to play a musical instrument in the privacy of your own home is not only more convenient, it also gives you confidence as you progress at your own pace. The how to play videos cover basic music theory making them a great place to start learning to play violin and piano.

www.InstrumentMaster.com currently includes a bonus free membership (full reciprocal arrangements) with a ‘brother’ site www.MusicMasterPro.com

www.MusicMasterPro.com also offers online music lessons by downloadable video for guitar, bass and drums, i.e. for a short time only you can get membership to BOTH sites for the discounted price of one.

Even if you already have a violin or piano instructor or just want to review what you learned years ago, this online music tuition will boost your knowledge and skill. You can even use the Instrument Master course to learn about the violin or piano prior to paying for formal music lessons (which normally cost $30+ an hour!).

Instrument Master is a great way to learn how to play a musical instrument and the quality of the lessons is far superior to anything else I have seen on the Internet. The videos are definitely designed by professionals, and the focus is to provide quality music lessons in a self-directed learning environment.

I can highly recommend www.InstrumentMaster.com, you will be amazed by the incredibly affordable lifetime membership fee.

If you are genuinely interested in learning to play music then I strongly suggest joining now, especially while the bonus extra offer of free reciprocal membership arrangements with the ‘brother’ site www.MusicMasterPro.com is available. For such a great music education, this is truly a bargain.

Full access to music tuition for violin, piano, guitar, bass and drums is an amazing offer and definitely won't last long.

Check it out straight away – after all, playing a musical instrument is a whole lot of fun.

www.InstrumentMaster.com – for Violin and Piano Lessons

www.MusicMasterPro.com – for Guitar, Bass and Drum Lessons

About the Author: The Author has 25 years of experience as a writer and editor in dailyjournalism, trade publications, and academic publishing in music & entertainment. Author's articles on dance, performance, and culture have appeared in scholarly publications including American Studies, Dance Research Journal, Dance Theater Journal, Journal of American History, Performing Arts Journal, TDR: The Journal of Performance Studies,Theatre Journal, and Women & Performance.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Instrument Master

Sherlock Holmes Mania

2009-09-25T20:19:00.000+07:00

Author: Chris Haycock

Even the characters in books have loyal and adoring fans. One such character is the most popular detective of all fictional detective classics. His name is Sherlock Holmes. His fans still visit the address that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle so gave him long ago in the late nineteenth century. It is a place of solace to the extreme fan and a place of admiration for any fan. The building itself being a work of historical architectural art, its large presence calls to people from the street. Old buildings like this often do that. Even if it were not the said living quarters of the famous Sherlock Holmes, people would still be somewhat drawn to the beauty of the old architecture as not too much of that is left standing anymore.

You can find the museum at the common but famous address that was written about in the book so many times. It sits on Baker Street, 221b is the address and the famous Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are written to have lived there from around 1881 1904 as Doyle states in his stories. What used to be an original boarding house that was built in 1815 is now protected by the Government for historical purposes. The first floor, as well as the rest of the interior, is also advertised to still be in the immaculate condition that it was described in the book; every little intricate detail in just the right place. Perfectly preserved for any Sherlock Holmes enthusiast to visit and take pictures of, this museum is a work of fantasy and reality combined.

There, in the museum, everything is just as it was described in the many stories by Doyle. The armchair near the fireplace, the violin, the pipe, etc. it is all there. Even the bedroom off the study exists in perfect detail. The rooms also contain personal effects for both Holmes and Watson; interesting details for two completely fictional characters to leave behind. There is even a gift shop where items relating to Sherlock Holmes can be purchased for gifts or even for ones own collection of Holmes memorabilia. Pictures are allowed to be taken if one chooses to visit this enchanting destination and tours are always welcome. Hansom cabs are even available to tour the area around the building and around London! Wouldnt that be interesting! A cab drawn by horse to ones destination is unheard of today. With vehicles such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc being available today that are much quicker as a means of transportation, most people do not think about the enjoyment of riding along in a horse drawn taxicab.

There is also a Society of Sherlock Holmes fans. One can log into the site and meet many people sharing the same interest and love for the famous character. It is free to join and easy to do. Joining takes only a moment of ones time and it provides a plethora of news and information to the Holmes fan. The museum is a fantastic tribute to the world renowned classic fictional detective.

About the Author: Chris Haycock is an information publisher, one of whose many hobbies includes crime fiction. Early detective fiction in particular. A particular favourite is Sherlock Holmes. If you would like to know more about Sherlock Holmes and an excellent offer, why not go now to http://www.sherlockandwatson.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Sherlock Holmes Mania

Who won the Eurovision song contest in 2009 – A Norwegian, a Belarusian, or a true European?

2009-09-24T20:35:00.001+07:00

Author: Stig Kristoffersen

We choose the latter conclusion. As the young fiddler Alexander Rybak who was born in Minsk, Belarus and lived in Norway since he was 4 years old with his Belarusian music talented parents won this year contest with a storm.

Alexander Rybak is a true European, born in Belarus and brought up in Norway by his music loving family. He may be the new evidence that Europe is growing into a melt pot of nations, and borders are beginning to fade out. People are migrating through the continent as never before, in all layers of society and from almost everywhere on the continent.

Europe has always consisted of adventurous people, wanting to expand their horizons through expeditions to seek trade and fortune. In today’s Europe, people move around to seek work and opportunities wherever it is offered.

Alexander Rybak is a product of his time as well, born in Minsk, Belarus on May 13th 1986, a violinist, singer, composer and actor from Norway. Rybak represented Norway and won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.

Rybak was born in the former Soviet Union in BSSR, named ????????? ???????? ????? written in Cyrillic writing. He and his parents moved to Norway, where he grew up, since the age of four. Rybak has been playing instruments since the age of five, and he now plays both violin and piano. His parents are Natalia Valentinovna Rybak, a famous pianist, and Igor Alexandrovich Rybak, who is a well-known violinist in Norway. Alexander has stated "I always liked to entertain and somehow that is my vocation." He lives in Nesodden outside of the Norwegian capital Oslo.

Rybak was awarded the highly respected Anders Jahres Culture Prize in 2004. He entered the Norway's version of Idol reaching the semi final and in 2006 he won the talent competition Kjempesjansen on NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) with his own song Foolin’. Alexander Rybak has collaborated with artists like a-ha's lead singer Morten Harket and Arve Tellefsen. As of 2007, Rybak played the fiddler in Oslo Nye Teater's production Fiddler on the Roof. For this role he won the Heddaprisen. He stars as Levi in the film Yohan directed by Grete Salomonsen, also featuring the noted model and singer Aylar Lie.

Alexander Rybak won with overwelming 387 points, the 54th Eurovision in Russia 2009, singing Fairytale, a song inspired by Russian and Norwegian folk music. The song was composed and written by Rybak himself. The song is performed with the modern folk dance company Frikar. The song has received good reviews with a 6 out of 6 from Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet. In an ESCtoday poll he was the lead in a poll with 71.3% to get into the final from the semi he was in.

Alexander Rybak broke the previous record of 292 points scored by Lordi in the 2006 final, finishing with a grand total of 387 points, 169 more than the runner up of Iceland and 95 points more than the previous record holders.

About the Author:

He has a background as civil engineer and geoscientist. He has worked mainly within the oil and gas industry from the mid 1980s. He has written a few fictional novels as well as being the author of some professional litterature within oil and gas sector, he is now an editor of some web sites.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Who won the Eurovision song contest in 2009 – A Norwegian, a Belarusian, or a true European?

Violinist, Diana Yukawa Headlines in Qatar

2009-09-23T20:38:00.006+07:00

Author: Dianayukawapress

On the back of a performance in Dubai in April 2009, London based Violinist, Diana Yukawa, was asked to headline a show in Qatar at EMIR Football Cup Final on 16th May to a crowd of 60’000 people in The Khalifa Stadium.

This event is the most followed one-day sports event in Qatar and it is here that the country officially announced their successful bid to host the 2022 Football World Cup.

The award winning violinist has had 2 successful solo albums with BMG Japan. Following her debut album Diana released at age 14 and she was acknowledged as one the country’s top 10 artists.

Diana began learning the violin at 5 years of age and has lead an extraordinary life. Born in Tokyo to English ballet dancer and Japanese banker just 3 weeks after the 1985 Japan Airlines disaster that took her father’s life, Diana has crossed cultural boundaries in her personal life and is pushing to cross even further in her professional life as a talented and much celebrated violinist.

Her debut album ‘La Campanella’ released in 2000 on BMG RCA became a No.1 best seller and was released in the UK under the title ‘Elegy’ in 2001 to rave reviews including Classic FM’s Henry Kelly. Her second album – works by Saint-Saens with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was released in 2001.

Now at only 23 years of age Diana is working on the music for her third album, due for release later in 2009.

For further information see links below;

Recent Tweet - http://twitter.com/DianaYukawa/statuses/2676814090

www.twitter.com/dianayukawa
www.dianayukawa.co.uk

About the Author: http://twitter.com/DianaYukawa/statuses/2676814090

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Violinist, Diana Yukawa Headlines in Qatar

Photo: dianayukawa

A Violinist’s Guide to Fingering

2009-09-22T19:49:00.000+07:00

Author: Valerie Gardner

One important aspect of a violinist’s artistry is his or her ability to choose fingerings for a piece of music that facilitate technique, enable expression, and serve the style of the piece. Two challenges particular to violin (or any bowed string instrument) must be considered when fingering a piece or passage: shifts to different positions and string crossings.

There are several ways to conceal or smooth the rough edges of shifts. Shifting on a bow change may aid in masking a shift. Using the same finger to shift a half-step up to the next position, when possible, could eliminate a larger jump. Depending on the passage, reaching (climbing) to a position might be the best way to conceal shifts. “Reaching” means extending a finger to reach a note that is not within the current position of the hand, then allowing the rest of the hand to follow that finger into the new position. In any scalar passage, shifts should be placed between half-steps rather than whole-steps.

In some instances, an audible slide or glissando might be desirable for expression, depending on the style and period of the piece, the composer’s written directions, and the performer’s artistry and taste. For instance, it is currently generally accepted that slides are inappropriate in Bach, whereas in Tchaikovsky they are not only permissible but also tasteful and stylistic. When purposefully playing slides, never use an audible shift both into and out of a note. Choose one or the other. Think about whether you will shift on the finger of the first note or on the finger to which you are shifting.

Another consideration, as far as expression is concerned, is on what string to play certain notes. Generally, upper strings produce a brighter, stronger sound, and lower strings produce a darker, softer sound. The G string in its upper register may be used for strength or emotional tension in some cases, such as the second movement of Sibelius’ concerto or the beginning of “Tzigane” by Ravel.

When possible, awkward string crossings should be avoided. One should avoid playing only one note on a string, unless a particular string-crossing pattern requires it. Open strings may be used in passing, especially in a fast passage. (A finger is preferable for notes with longer values, for expression’s sake.) The hand position should ideally allow the fourth finger to play the highest note and the first finger to play the lowest note. Employing this kind of forethought can vastly ease the right hand’s task.

The most general goal in choosing a fingering is simplicity. For instance, unless a fourth-finger trill is absolutely necessary (as in Paganini’s sixth Caprice), it should not be used. Normally, open strings should be played in ascending passages and fourth-finger in descending ones. Above all, stay in position when possible to avoid unnecessary, risky shifts.

About the Author: Valerie Gardner has nearly fifty years of teaching experience. She has published complete" target="_blank">www.violinvirtuosity.com/products/bookmusic/complete-scale-book-violinviola-bundle">complete scale books for violin and viola, and a DVD" target="_blank">www.violinvirtuosity.com/products/dvd-set/dvd-set-building-blocks-violin-virtuosity">DVD series on learning to play the violin.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Violinist’s Guide to Fingering

LINZI STOPPARD ROCK FROM THE ROOF TOPS IN MONTE CARLO

2009-09-21T04:25:00.002+07:00

Author: John25

FUSE PERFORM FROM THE LARGEST TERRACED PENTHOUSE IN MONTE CARLO AT MONACO GRAND PRIX

FUSE perform at the Candy & Candy pre Monaco Grand Prix Party 2009......
Performed two high energy sets for the Candy Brothers in Monaco for their pre Monaco Grand Prix party attended by celebs and high flyers alike, the atmosphere was electric.
The whole of Monaco came to a stand still as FUSE's music set the Monaco skyline alight rocking out literally on top of the world, on the largest terraced penthouse in Monte Carlo!
No sign of any let-up in the social whirl of those goldmine-owning property developing brothers, Nick and Christian Candy.

They are hosting a lavish party for the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend at their stunning penthouse in Monte Carlo, once owned by banker Edmond Safra, who died there in a fire allegedly started by his nurse.

Among their guests will be Prince Albert, whose Grimaldi Palace can be viewed from the Candys' three terraces, F1 figures Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone and Eddie Jordan, as well as Lewis Hamilton and girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger.

FUSE are recording their debut album in the studio for an early 2010 release. Rumoured to be taking the electric violin to the next level like never before, FUSE promise to surprise and innovate as they strive to show what is considered to be a traditionally classical instrument, as a real alternative to the more common place guitar.

Watch out!

Linzi and FUSE are going to shake up the classic world! Click HERE for more

About the Author: Never before has a string act dared ventured into the world of electric guitars like FUSE in 2009 – it’s a first. Don’t be fooled by the incredible guitar-like sounds, arrangements, techniques and solos – these are not guitars you are listening to but electric violins FUSE-STYLE.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - LINZI STOPPARD ROCK FROM THE ROOF TOPS IN MONTE CARLO

What Kind of Instrument is the Piano?

2009-09-18T20:56:00.001+07:00

Author: Gianni Truvianni

As many who read my articles may already know about I am what could be called a true opera fan, as not only do I attend performances on a regular basis but have even written a book about the subject called “New York’s Opera Society”. A lot of my knowledge however about the subject started when I was a student at New York’s Hunter College, it was there were I learned many things about music such as the four kinds of instruments, with the first being the human voice. In other words singing which all those who hear me know I have absolutely no talent for but yet it was this which came to be man’s and woman’s first instrument.

It was after the voice was discovered for the purpose of making sounds of harmonies beauty that other instrumented followed suit to imitate it, such as those that contain strings which came in form of guitars, violins but basically any which we stroke the strings with either our fingers or a vow; as the case is with the violin. I mention strings second, when in reality it might have been the kind of instrument known as percussion which followed directly after the human voice.

Percussion being those that can be just about anything and everything from a table which we tap to a beat we hear to a set of drums as the kind that is played in most rock bands. As an added factor we could say that percussion instruments for the most part do not have notes to go along with the instrument as they limit themselves to setting the rhythm and tempo.

The last and fourth kind of instrument man or better put humanity came up with was winds, meaning those instruments that require us to blow in to, such as the saxophone, (an instrument which I once saw Bill Clinton play on a late night show), trumpet, clarinet and others. It is now after having explained so much that I will ask in to which category would one place the piano?

I once put this question to a tenor, I met in Poland who told me that the piano was what could be considered as a percussion instrument, though many a piano player detest the idea of being referred to as a percussionist even if that is what they are. This due to the fact that one does not actually stroke the strings on the piano but tap them through a key which one strikes which makes a pad do like wise to the strings. Actually, one has to corner a piano player specially classical trained ones, to admit to being those who play an instrument of percussion as I did once to a pianist lady friend of mine. This by saying, in the piano; there is no singing, no blowing but strings which are being hit.

About the Author: My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. I also am the author of the book entitled “New York’s Opera Society” which is now available on Amazon.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What Kind of Instrument is the Piano?

Integrating Your 4 Freedoms (Part 2 of 9) - String Theory

2009-09-17T16:52:00.001+07:00

Author: Al Link and Pala Copeland

String Theory

The theory of strings, sometimes referred to as the theory of everything,i is considered by many physicists to be the most promising explanation to date for the nature of ultimate reality. It suggests the possibility that there is a connection, as well as a separation, between the realms of the material and consciousness. Both conditions can exist at the same time.

According to physicist David Gross:

There is about as complete unification as one could desire. Within this theory one is not saying that there are a few kinds of objects, and that everything else is built out of them. In some sense, we are saying that in string theory there is one object.... In the same way that if you take a violin string, and you pluck it, it has many kinds of vibrations. So, one violin string can give rise to many sounds. All of the tones of a vibrating string are different modes of one object.... That is true unification of everything, in that all the particles in the theory, and all the interactions, the particles that govern interactions, are all vibrations of the same string.

In other words, a string is not a building block, as we have previously imagined particles to be. Apparently the universe is not made by adding a bunch of strings together in different combinations to create all the different things we observe, such as giraffes and people, buildings and stars. In Gross's view, there is only one string.

If physical reality is not ultimately made out of matter, but rather vibrates out of something called a string, then it is possible that material reality and consciousness, rather than being dualistically separate, are instead intimately connected, affecting each other in mutual feedback loops. They not only have points at which they interact but are a single undivided system.

Excerpted from our new book Sensual Love Secrets for Couples: The Four Freedoms of Body, Mind, Heart and Soul, by Al Link and Pala Copeland, Llewellyn, 2007

About the Author:

Al Link and Pala Copeland own and operate 4 Freedoms Relationship Tantra. They regularly host lover's romantic weekends near Ottawa Canada, and weeklong retreats in exotic locations. For more info Visit www.tantra-sex.com, www.sexyspiritualrelationships.com and their blog www.askaboutloveandsex.com or send email: 4freedoms@tantraloving.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Integrating Your 4 Freedoms (Part 2 of 9) - String Theory

The Beginners Guide to Music Lessons

2009-09-16T19:58:00.003+07:00

Author: Brian Eliason

This guide is intended to help new students avoid some of the common pitfalls when beginning to learn an instrument. Using these guidelines, students of any age can have successful and rewarding musical experiences and will enjoy playing music year after year.

Step 1: Choose the right instrument.

When beginning music lessons people are usually drawn to a particular tone from an instrument and will want to choose the instrument that has the most appealing sound to them. It is important to pay attention to this desire and to follow it, however the age of the student must be considered as well. Very young students such as 5 year olds will probably not have the lung capacity to play certain wind instruments and may not be grown enough to play larger instruments such as the bass. Typically the violin or the piano are the best choices to begin with when studying music, and can serve as an outstanding foundation to branch out and learn other instruments as time goes on. The ear training, coordination and balance those students learn from the violin or piano is universal to music and serves as the perfect building block for learning other instruments when they are ready.

Step 2: Find a knowledgeable, inspiring, and enthusiastic teacher.

The world is full of many music teachers. Some of them love to play music and share it with others but lack the technical understanding of the instrument to teach effectively. Some teachers are full of knowledge but they are tired out from teaching so many lessons over the years. The truth is that although music is fun, learning music can also be difficult. What students need is an instructor who completely understands the instrument so that they can help them through the technical challenges, while at the same time support and encourage them to move ahead into their next level of play. Learning in anything is never an even road. Sometimes progress will be easy and fun while other times reaching the next level of play will be slower and you may feel discouraged. The combination of a motivating and enthusiastic teacher, who is also an expert with the technical aspects of the instrument, will propel students forward into higher levels of performance and understanding.

Step 3: Participate in performing opportunities such as recitals.

When choosing a music program it is a good idea to choose one that provides performing opportunities at least once a year. Recitals allow students to not only have a goal to work towards, but it allows them to share what they have learned with an audience. The sense of accomplishment as well as the applause received from family and friends helps students to reaffirm that all their time spent on practicing is really worthwhile. Typically after a recital students will show an increased enthusiasm in their music and will be eager to dive into practicing.

Step 4: Have a plan for implementing a practice routine.

When students first begin lessons they are usually very excited and cannot wait to begin playing music at home. This enthusiasm will last for a long time for some, and others will lack motivation to practice once the novelty of playing has worn off. It is important to have a strategy to motivate children to move ahead and continue to put time and energy into their music. In our studio we give students and parents a list of 9 things that they can do to set up successful practice sessions at home. This list contains the best ideas that have worked for many families to help them achieve successful practice over the years.

Step 5: Learn how to read music.

Many teachers send their students out into the world with a good playing technique but without the ability to read music or understand music theory. For violinists this can cause problems for them if they decide to play in a youth symphony or group orchestra because they will not understand how to read their part. For piano students this lack of note reading and theory will make it take longer to learn new pieces and they will tend to perform pieces less accurately. In the beginning of lessons it is important to first set up the technique correctly and to focus on proper technique and tone production. However, once excellent technique and habits have been established then it is time to learn how to read music and explore reading new material. In our studio we make sure students learn the combination of proper playing technique as well as note reading and a good understanding of music theory. When students begin to prepare for competitions or auditions or play in a group orchestra or ensemble they have positive experiences because they can easily understand and comprehend their part.

Have fun!

Music is something that you should bring enjoyment to your life. Whether you are aspiring for a career in music or choose to play purely for fun always remember to enjoy the journey and the gift of music. It is my hope that by using these guidelines you will have the most positive musical experience possible and will continue to enjoy playing for a lifetime!

If you have questions about music lessons, please feel free to contact our school at Eliason School of Music

Violin Lessons & Piano Lessons in Portland Oregon

About the Author: Brian Eliason is a professional violinist and educator with over 28 years of experience. His is the founder of the Eliason School of Music in Portland, Oregon. For more information please visit the school at Eliason School of Music

Violin Lessons & Piano Lessons in Portland Oregon

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Beginners Guide to Music Lessons

9 Things Parents Can Do to Boost Music Practicing

2009-09-15T20:29:00.000+07:00

Author: Brian Eliason

1. Explain what practicing is to your children. Help them to understand that practice involves playing your instrument repeatedly with the goal of improving your music. As a student, you are working on creating good habits which make playing your instrument easier and more enjoyable.

2. Explain to your children why practicing is important. If you can convey 5 good reasons to practice, they will be more motivated to do so. These reasons could be to have fun, to develop your concentration or to grow your self confidence. Perhaps you feel sharing the gift of music with others is important or the excitement of exploring the world of music. The more reasons you have and share, the better.

3. Choose the same time of day to practice. If you sit down with your children and plan the practice days and times for the week then you can begin to develop a practice routine as a habit. This technique is highly effective and easy to maintain once that habit of practice is established.

4. Use incentives to help motivate. When children learn music it will take some time for it to blossom. Children may have difficulty understanding what is in it for them until they have more experience. Using an incentive that works for kids such as stickers, stuffed animals, computer time or TV time is an excellent way to initiate a practice routine and establish practicing as a habit. Eventually students will begin to see that music is its own reward and requires no compensation.

5. Help initiate practice with one simple question. When I was 8 years old and beginning the violin, I usually did not want to practice and my parents knew I had difficulty getting started. They would simply reason with me and say “I know you don’t feel like practicing, so why don’t you just go in and play one song with your best tone. That way at least you won’t have a no violin day.” One song sounded pretty simple to me so I would go in and play one song with my best sound. 9 times out of 10 I would keep playing though all my songs.

6. Open the doors to inspiration by exposing your children to great artists. I have heard many stories over the years of students who were inspired to play music because they saw a concert, heard a piece of music, or saw someone playing music on TV. The more exposure to music that children get the more likely they are to become inspired. When I was young I dreamed of playing, “The Holberg Suite” and I would sit and listen to it over and over. Less than a year later I was playing it in our school orchestra. It is important to discover the music that inspires your children so they can dream and work towards fulfilling those dreams.

7. Play music with others. Sharing your music with others is a wonderfully rewarding experience and highly motivating. If your children are violinists then they would probably enjoy playing in a youth or school orchestra. If your children are learning piano then you could learn a duet with your child or we could set up a play date with another student. Feel free to talk with your teacher about duets and play dates so they may assist you in setting things up.

8. Practice Charts. Make a goal to completely fill in a practice chart with stickers, checks or stars for the week. Place the best practice charts on the kitchen refrigerator or someplace where your children are likely to see it often to remind them their excellent practice.

9. Mini recitals. Set up a mini recital for your children at home. Gather family and friends to come hear your children play. The audience may be as small or large as you wish and may even include pets and stuffed animals. Make sure to reward your children with lots of praise and applause and to thank them for sharing their music.

For more information about this article or about music lessons feel free to contact the Eliason School of Music at Eliason School of Music

Violin Lessons & Piano Lessons in Portland Oregon

Violin Lessons & Piano Lessons in Portland Oregon

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - 9 Things Parents Can Do to Boost Music Practicing

Violinist Diana Yukawa names New Album

2009-09-14T17:33:00.001+07:00

Author: Dianayukawapress

Sony signed violinist, Diana Yukawa has finally named her long awaited third album – The Butterfly Effect.

Eight years after the release of her second classical album Diana is set to reveal a new sound for the violin with her third. Although respectful of her roots, Diana is determined to prove the violin’s versatility and with her new album will rid the belief that her acoustic violin is only a classical instrument.

The title, The Butterfly Effect, which is to be released through Sony Music Japan on 21st October 2009, was carefully picked by Diana. The Butterfly Effect is a phrase often used to sum up the more technical belief of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory. The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly’s wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in a certain location. The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale alterations of events.

Diana, who is a distant Samurai descendant, found the butterfly effect theory somewhat fitting to her life. If any of the seemingly small things in her life didn’t happen, or happened differently would she still be releasing her third album, maybe it would have been sooner? Maybe never at all? Coupled with this is that Diana has a fondness of butterfly’s and can often be spotted donning one or two on her person.

Diana’s album, The Butterfly Effect, has been in development for the last year at a London studio with notorious Producer Andy Wright.

The final recording took place in Studio 1 at the world famous Abbey Road Studio’s at the end of July 2009, accrediting her alongside the likes of Michael Jackson and The Beatles.

Diana’s older sister Cassie Yukawa, a notorious and hugely talented pianist, recorded the piano parts at Abbey Road on three tracks for Diana’s album. This is the first time that the sisters have played together for more than 10 years, making it a very special occasion for both. One of Diana’s tracks is also speculated to be named after/dedicated to Cassie’s daughter, Noma of which Diana is the proud Auntie and Godmother.

The Butterfly Effect will contain 10 original tracks with 2/3 covers all aimed at the modern-day music listener and will be released in October starting in Japan, with a hopeful release shortly after throughout Europe, the Middle East, America and Canada.

The Anglo Japanese violinist is said to be preparing for the live performance of her music. A string of small happenings have brought Diana to this stage but we can now expect a unique show of epic proportions!

New website coming soon

Follow Diana on Twitter

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Violinist Diana Yukawa names New Album

Cultured Tangos

2009-09-13T15:48:00.003+07:00

Author: Philip Spires

It may be that in musical retrospect, from a luxury of twenty-twenty critical hindsight, that Astor Piazzolla will be seen as having done in the twentieth century for the tango what Frederick Chopin did in the nineteenth for the waltz. It is perhaps already an accepted position. With the waltz, Chopin took an established popular form and stretched its boundaries so that what an audience might have expected to be a little ditty was recast to express heroism, sensuality, pride or even occasional doubt. The little dance tune then, in Chopin’s slender hands, became an elegant art form, highly expressive, utterly Romantic in its ability to convey human emotion.

The tango represents an apparently different proposition. Already sensuous by definition, there are elements of the romantic towards which the tango need not aspire. If Romanticism placed individual emotional responses upon the pedestal of artistic expression, by the time the tango aspired to truly international currency in the twentieth century, there was no longer any need to worry about an artist’s right to make a personal statement.

With the rise of serialism, neo-classicism and, later, minimalism, artistic mores were already, perhaps, heading in the opposite direction, towards a new espousal of rigour and structure. Emotion worn on the cuffs, like concepts plucked from the back of a matchbox, seemed to dominate cultural activities in the latter part of the century whilst, at the same time, Althusser and Derrida, allied with the populism of mass culture, seemed to suggest that there were no new statements, let alone discoveries, to be made. A spectral free-for-all ruled, where distinctions of quality were suddenly both particularistic and individual to the point of exclusion. (This, of course, is necessarily a paradox for people promoting a populist pop culture, since they aspire to mass consumption of a single artistic vision, a statement that by definition cannot be worth more than any other – even randomly selected statement. As a result, those who tend to deny a critic’s right to make value judgments must themselves assume that such judgments are perfectly valid in the marketplace. It’s a contradictory position, but an essential one for purveyors of pop, since they must continue to describe the form as popular, despite the fact that the vast majority of its products prove themselves to be anything but.) Post-modernists thus hailed the soap opera alongside Shakespeare, a logic that renders a Coca Cola advertisement the greatest film ever made by virtue of its viewer numbers. And then there was Piazzolla, an enigma par excellence.

On the one hand Astor Piazzolla is the quintessential mid-twentieth century composer. Classically trained, a pupil of Alberto Ginastera and Nadia Boulanger, and inspired by the commercial and folk music of his own country, he could have slotted alongside Villa Lobos, Ponce, or even Martinu or Copeland as a contributor to the century’s neo-classical-folk music paradigm. But what he did was quite different.

He devoted his compositional energies to recreating and reinventing a popular idiom that was thoroughly specific to his own country, Argentina. The form, of course, was the tango. What is more, Astor Piazzolla concentrated on performance via his own ensembles and he achieved considerable success, albeit local until near the end of his life, over a career that spanned fifty years. But he expressed himself on the bandoneon, a squeezebox that lends itself to staccato, slapping attack, an instrument not peculiar to Argentina, but perhaps only well known to Argentinians. He died in 1992, his Romantic heroism national at best.

It was in the early 1990s that arrangements of Piazzolla’s music began to appear on “classical” programmes. By the time a figure as august as Daniel Barenboim recorded his Tangos Among Friends, Mi Buenos Aires Querido, in 1995, they were already becoming established in the repertoire. I personally have heard performances of Piazzolla’s music for full orchestra, string orchestra, chamber orchestra, various formats of chamber ensemble, piano trio, solo piano, solo harp, flute and guitar, guitar solo, violin and piano, string quartet, string trio and, of course, bandoneon. But it is surely the chamber group that best fits this music. There is always a toughness to its apparent sensuality that tends to be overstated by the large numbers of a full orchestra. Lack of volume, on the other hand, tends to stress the saccharine.

And if you want to find an exquisite match between the music’s toughness and sensuality, its durability versus its novelty, there is surely no better experience than that provided by Camerata Virtuosi, a septet led by violinist Joaquin Palomares and featuring saxophonist Claude Delangle. Their recording of Piazzolla’s music features Joaquin Palomares’ superb arrangements that capture the music’s directness and beauty while preserving its toughness.

A Camerata Virtuosi performance in the Auditori de la Mediterrània, La Nucia in February 2008 featured all the pieces included in their recording of Piazzolla’s music. The group performed all four of the Seasons as a sextet with two violins, viola, cello, bass and piano. These pieces offer Joaquin Palomares a perfect vehicle to display his virtuoso violin playing which communicates the music’s line whilst at the same time decorates with highly effective jazz-like riffs. The rest of the pieces were performed by a septet in which Claude Delangle’s perfect soprano saxophone bent and teased its way through lambent legato lines. It was playing of the highest quality.

As on the recording, particularly successful were Oblivion and Milonga del Angel. Oblivion is the quintessential Piazzolla, a popular sing-along for the manic depressive perhaps, and not therefore a rarity. But the simplicity and understatement of the piece always works beautifully, even when played twice in the same concert, as in La Nucia. Milonga del Angel is a different kind of piece. Though superficially similar to Oblivion, it manages in its six minutes to develop through its binary form, so that different movements create different moods within the same material. A true highlight.

Joaquim Palomares’ violin playing was, as always, more than elegant throughout and by the end the audience had experienced again the genius of Piazzolla courtesy of Palomares’ superb arrangements. Great music needs great interpreters, and Piazzolla’s has surely found one in Joaquin Palomares.

About the Author: Philip SpiresAuthor of Mission, an African novel set in Kenya http://www.philipspires.co.uk

Michael, a missionary priest, has just killed Munyasya. It was an accident, but Mulonzya, a politician, exploits the tragedy for his own ends. Boniface, a church worker, has just lost his child. He did not make it to the hospital in time, possibly because Michael went to the Mission to retrieve a letter from Janet, a teacher, and the priest’s neighbour. It is Munyasya who has the last laugh, however.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Cultured Tangos

Indian Classical Instrumental Music In Varanasi : Through The Ages

2009-09-13T02:56:00.001+07:00

Author: deboshree roy

‘Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together…’-Mark Twain.

Sitting atop the trident of Lord Shiva , the Kashi, the luminous one, is the place where the eternal light of Shiva intersects the earth. The city of Shiva, the Mahashmashaana, the sacred circle of all Gods, city of Moksha- a place teeming with people, yet there is place for everyone. A civilization that historians have termed as one older than history, yet startles you when you come across its modern face

By virtue of being the oldest living city, Benaras has its own rich history, tradition and treasure of music. According to mythology, when Renu, son of Vishwamitra and Mahagovind founded Kashi (Varanasi), they also brought with them the Aryan traditions and the Vedic culture. Going back to history, we find numerous instances of dance, music and drama evolving in Varanasi. Excavations at Varanasi have shown a terracotta figurine in which two musicians are playing percussion instruments. The literature of ancient and medieval times also point out to a great tradition of music in Varanasi as in 14th century’s drama ‘Vikrant Kauravam’. The ‘Bhakti’ movement in the medieval period also contributed to the development of music in Varanasi. ‘Jataka’ tales narrate the storyeof Veena competition in the ‘Sudarshan’ city. Ashwaghosh in his famous work ‘Sunderananda’ describes Ganikaas of Kashi. In the 16th century Govind Chandra ruled Varanasi and during his rein Dhrupad was the royal music. It is said that Mian Tansen took birth in Varanasi. Texts say that Jaffar Khan, descendant of Bilas Khan (youngest son of Tansen), invented the instrument ‘Sursingaar’- lower part of which was made of hollow wood and steel plates were set in the upper part and the strings used were made of steel and brass, and gave his first demonstration of this instrument in the court of Raja Udit Narayan Singh of Kashi.

Varanasi, the seat of learning, virtually reverberates with the chants of Vedic hymns that are said to be the oldest genre of musical form. Dixitar (1776-1835), whose signature is Guru Guha-the most recent of the trinity of Karnatak music, is said to have studied Dhrupad in Varanasi. Of more recent times, Sitar maestro Bharatratna Pt. Ravi Shankar was born in Varanasi on 7th April 1920. Music is an integral part of this city of Natraj. The city has credit of producing several music virtuosos liked legendary Late Pt. Anokhelal Mishra, Late Bari Moti, Late Pt. Mahadev Prasad Mishra, Bharatratna Late Ustad Bismilla Khan, Padmavibhushan Late Pt Kishan Maharaj, Vidushi Girija Devi, Pt.Chhannulal Mishra, Vidushi Purnima Chowdhury, Pt.Rajan Sajan Mishra, Pt. Balwant Rai Bhatt"Bhavrang", to name a few. Varanasi, the cultural capital of India, has always possessed a central position not only in the sphere of Indian Classical Vocal scenario but also has contributed much to the field of Instrumental Music. Among the pioneers of Instrumentalists of Varanasi, the most revered and noted name is that of Pt. Laxmi Prasad Mishra. His descendants and disciples gave a wide platform to Stringed Instruments.

‘Sangeet Nayak’ Pt. Dargahi Mishra, a stalwart amongst musicians, played a vital part in promoting Stringed Instruments by producing disciples in the fields of Veena, Sarangi, and Sitar. His two sons, Sarayu Prasad Mishra and Govardhan Prasad Mishra were well known artists in the field of vocal and Sarangi. Mithailal Mishra was an acclaimed artist in the field of Veena and vocal. Musicians like Chote Ramdas Mishra (Veena), Pannalal Sharma (Veena, Surbahaar, Sitar), Shivprasad (Vocal, Sitar, Mridang), Kanta Nath Vyaas (Veena) and Srichand Mishra (Vocal, Sitar) played an important role towards the upliftment of Stringed Instruments in Varanasi. Amongst the string instrumentalists of Varanasi, Ustad Vaaris Ali was a huge personality and following his tradition were Ustad Ashiq Ali, Ustad Mushtaq Ali. Pt. Debu Choudhury of Delhi, disciple of Mushtaq Ali Khan, is a world renowned artist carrying forward the ‘parampara’ of his Guru. Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma too is related to the Banaras Parampara.

Legendary musician Baba Alauddin Khan Sahab’s disciples Pt. Ravi Shankar and Pt. Jyotin Bhattacharya (Sarod) are related to Varanasi. Pt. Ravi Shankar, as already mentioned, was born in Varanasi and Pt. Jyotin Bhattacharya resides with his family in Varanasi. Renowned musician Late Pt. Lalmani Mishra is a well known name in the field of Vichitra Veena who is known for his scintillating renditions on such a tough instrument. Carrying on his Parampara, his son, Late Dr. Gopal Shankar Mishra and Pof. Pushpa Basu are musicians of great repute.

Varanasi has a rich tradition of String Instuments of which Sarangi is one. Among the Sarangi players of Varanasi, Tamakhu Mishra has been a signature. He was not much into limelight and performative glamour. Other Sarangi players who made Varanasi proud of themselves are Sumernath Mishra, Sursahay Mishra, Kashinath Kinnar, Siya Ji, Birayi Ji, Sheetal Mishra, to name a few. Late Pt. Hanuman Prasad Mishra, father of the world renowned vocalists Pt. Rajan - Pt. Sajan Mishra was an artist of great repute.

Among the Guitarists of Varanasi, Sri Shibnath Bhattacharya (disciple of Late Pt. Nalin Mazumdar of Allahabad who was the first to play Indian Classical Muisc on Hawaiian Guitar), Sri Gopal Das, Dr.Sanjay Verma , Dr.S.Kamala are known figures in this field.

Bharatratna Late Ustad Bismilla Khan Sahab, a synonym of Shehnai is the most revered and noted name in the field of Wind Instruments. Vilayatu Miyan had been a great artist of this field and caryying on this tradition were Ali Baksh and Samsuddin Khan and finally Shehnai was taken to its heights by Bismilla Khan Sahab. In the present days we have Sri Ramashahkar , Sri Sohanlal who have taken the instrument ,which is almost a synonym of Hindu marriage, to its heights.

Also, the flautists who have made Varanasi proud of themselves are Sri. R.K.Srinivasan, Dr.Prahlad Nath, to name a few.

Varanasi has been a confluence of musical genres. Not only North Indian Classical music but Karnatak music has been flourishing here too. Way back in 1964 Late Pt. V.K. Venkatramanujam, a violinist of great repute came to Varanasi and thus started the flow of Karnatak Music. Another stalwart violinist from South, Dr. ( Smt.) N. Rajam ( disciple of ‘Sangeet Martand’ Pt. Omkar Nath Thakr) stayed for a long time in Varanasi and headed the Faculty of Performing Arts,B.H.U., as the Dean. Her renditions are of the Norh Indian style.

The tradition of Instrumental music in Varanasi has gone through various phases. Many a noted musicians have remarkably made Varanasi proud, bringing home laurels. Some noted instrumentalists of recent times are Late Dr Ramdas Chakraborty, Pt. Surendra Mohan Mishra, Dr. Rajbhaan Singh, Pt.Amarnath Mishra, Prof. Krishna Chakraborty (all Sitar) ; Prof. R.P. Shastri, Dr. V. Balaji, Dr. (Smt.) Jayashree Roy,Sri Sukhdev Mishra, U.H.R. Pradeep, Dr. Swarna Khuntia Sri Vijay Choubey (all Violin) ; Sri Santosh Mishra, Sri Kanhaiyalal Mishra, Sri Sangeet Mishra, Sri Sandeep Mishra( Sarangi) ; Dr. S. Kamala, Dr. Sanjay Verma (Guitar) ; Sri Rajesh Moitra, Sri Vibhas Maharaj (Sarod).

The style of performance as compared to the ‘Chaindaari’ of yester-years has changed a lot. The present day performances are comparatively in a faster pace with not much peace of mind and soul, which fulfils the demands of a commercialized society. This is what is the symptom of the ‘Pop’- or rather the ‘Popular’ culture. By the impact of a Globalized market, improvisations in the built of the Musical Instruments has been carried out for the betterment of performances by the musicians of Varanasi. Artists like Dr. Vishnuchittan Balaji has designed a Violin which has eleven strings and this Volin has been named “Bala Bela” by Padmavibhushan Late Pt. Kishan Maharaj. Dr. V. Balaji has designed another Violin which has twenty-five string and has named it “Triveni Bela”. He is now working on a new set-up of a violin that has two necks in a body. Another technical improvisation that has been done by Dr. Sanjay Verma is that he has attached the ‘Daand’ of Tanpura to his guitar. Dr. S. Kamala has also made improvements in her Guitar by adding strings and has named it Shankar Guitar. As per the rendition on Guitar, the Guitarists have evolved the style of playing Chotakhyaal instead of the age-old Razakhani Gat and is accepted well. Violinists like Prof. R.P. Shastri and his disciple Dr. (Smt.) Jayashree Roy present their recital with a blend of Tantrakaari and Gaayaki Anga.

The changes that have been adapted in the built of various instruments have changed the tonal quality, which is more pleasing than of the yester-years and these changes brought in by the instrumentalists of Varanasi have been acclaimed all over the world and has taken instrumental music to its heights.

About the Author: Deboshree Roy-a research scholar of the Department of Vocal Music, Faculty of Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.Is a Gold Medalist, UGC NET qualified.Did Graduation and Post Graduation from BHU,Varanasi.Did M.Phil from Delhi University.Has won the Uttar Pradesh Govt. Sangeet Natak Academy competition.Is a disciple of Vidushi Kamala Bose (allahabad) and Dr.Jayashree Roy (varanasi).

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Indian Classical Instrumental Music In Varanasi : Through The Ages

FUSE (Linzi Stoppard & Ben Lee) Sign Unprecedented Record Deal

2009-09-11T19:09:00.000+07:00

Author: John25

Ben Lee and Linzi Stoppard are FUSE, the rock prince and princess of the violin world. Today at the InterContinental London Park Lane they have signed a global record deal with edel Record.

FUSE are original and unique - they aren’t classical violinists, they are rock violinists, pioneering a new unique musical sound for a traditionally classical instrument.

They are putting the finishing touches to their 12 track debut album “Glorious”, co-produced by FUSE. This is the first time in a long time a UK string act has signed a major deal to a pop/rock label through "traditional" channels.

Ben and Linzi met in 2006. Having both had successful live performance careers, they decided to merge their talents and form FUSE, a one-of-a-kind, glamorous rock, boy-girl electric violin duo.

When Ben and Linzi set out to break the mould and push the boundaries they realised they had two choices: to be followers or to show the way with initiative. The latter was the only real option.

While following their instincts the band recognised their competition had all failed to conquer the same conundrum - how does a new violin act avoid sounding exactly the same as the one before?

Other string acts call themselves ‘electric’, but often record using acoustic instrument or with no effects limiting them sonically. This narrow path leads to most violin / cross-over string acts covering the same music again and again and in the same style.

Not so with FUSE – the answer to the conundrum was a fresh progressive approach using the most up to date techniques, original guitar valve amps, sonic processors and of course their bespoke gold Bridge electric violins - the FUSE sound was born.

More importantly through these original methods the instrument comes alive like never before opening up a whole new genre of music – ROCK!

Edel is a major player in the music industry that can proudly boast a roster of legendary artists including Stevie Wonder, The Police, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Deep Purple, The Jam and Kiss.

Linzi Stoppard said: "We're proud and excited to have the platform we've always wanted to help our music reach a wider audience. It’s been a while in the making and this deal recognises our hard work and belief that our innovative style will light the way for a new generation of rock violinists."

Ben Lee said: "After touring and recording for other bands it's great to get my own sound out there."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

FUSE Online: http://www.myspace.com/fusemusic

FUSE Information: info@deepsprings.co.uk

Deep Springs Entertainment, +44(0)20 3008 7355

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - FUSE (Linzi Stoppard & Ben Lee) Sign Unprecedented Record Deal

Music for children, what are the benefits?

2009-09-10T21:41:00.000+07:00

Author: Lesley Komlos

Teaching a child a musical instrument at an early age has been shown to assist in the development of certain mental thought processes, especially developing spatial intelligence, pattern recognition, forming conclusions and reasoning skills.

For example, look at violin lessons for children. The child begins to learn how to play the violin, how to pay attention and listen to his violin teacher, and to play simple musical songs. For example, with the Suzuki method violin teaching, the children imitate the violin teacher, playing songs by ear, and learn to associate playing correct notes with success. There are patterns involved, and it is not unlike learning to read using phonetics. The mental connection between making the motions to produce a correct note, hearing that correct note, and following musical patterns aids not only in reading, but helps to set the stage for better math skills as well.

It is quite important for the parents to be involved in the process, because learning to play a musical instrument requires an amount of discipline most children do not have. Learning the discipline of practice, whether it is beginner violin or math or reading, is what leads to success. The children benefit from praise from parents and teachers, and have the immediate satisfaction of knowing they played the right notes, once they have learned exactly what the right notes sound like. Again, it is similar to learning to read by phonetics.

Results of studies have proven that there is strong connection between music and spatial intelligence, but so far there has been no explanation of why this happens. Knowing that it does occur, however, is plenty enough reason to encourage even the youngest child to begin musical knowledge, as with learning how to play beginner violin. It is clear that musical training improves reading skills, especially at the phonemic stage. Recognizing patterns of music will aid learning patterns in other areas, such as reading and math. Just studying music for its own pleasure also increases creative and cognitive skills and abstract thinking in children.

It is important for parents and teachers to realize the wonderful benefits of learning music for children, and to encourage learning how to play the violin, and to know that a patient, caring violin teacher can guide the young developing minds towards success in many other areas as well.

About the Author: Teaching your child to play the violin is now a possibility for everyone.

Giving your child every advantage is now within reach, give your children music, in their lives! Let me show you how.

Visit TeachYourChildViolin.com to find out more.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Music for children, what are the benefits?

Violins Have More Than One String

2009-09-10T01:16:00.000+07:00

Author: John Scott

Science is one of those endlessly fascinating games that people play with ideas. The method could not be easier to state. You propose a hypothesis and design an experiment to collect evidence to test whether your hypothesis is true (I always pay particular attention when anyone starts talking about truth — if ever there was a flexible friend, truth would be it). So, now your results are in. You claim definitive evidence that “proves” what you speculated was either true or not true. Now it is up to the rest of the world to see whether it can replicate your findings. The more independent people who can reproduce the same results, the more likely it is that your hypothesis is true or not true.

As an irrelevant aside given that I am writing about acomplia, did you see that they are cooling down the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), near Geneva, to look more closely for Higgs boson — the controvesially-named “God” particle. And, hoping that you will forgive me for a flippant moment, weight loss is also increasingly a “holy grail” given the epidemic proportions of the spread of obesity in the human population. So, this April has seen the results of the Stradivarius study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and featured in a presentation and discussion at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Cardiology held at Chicago.

The Strategy to Reduce Atherosclerosis Development Involving Administration of Rimonabant - The Intravascular Ultrasound Study (that is Stradivarius for short) has been looking for evidence that acomplia (generic name riminobant) will slow down the progression of heart disease among overweight individuals whose arteries are hardening. In other words, the trial was trying to define a specific role for acomplia in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Now a simple headline statement of the results — much to the disappointment of the College of Cardiology, there was no evidence that acomplia had any effect in slowing down the progression of atherosclerosis. You cannot imagine an audience more likely to be disappointed and therefore downbeat about acomplia. But, like those canny Scottish lawyers, I have a third wheel to my justice system. You are guilty, not guilty or the case is “not proven”. So the specific hypothesis of the Stradivarius trial is not proven. We still do not know to what extent acomplia may or may not have a part to play in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. But the other parts of acomplia continued to play in Stradivarius according to specification.

Stradivarius had 839 participants with an average BMI 35, whose average waist measurements were 46 inches. After eighteen months, those taking acomplia had lost an average 9.5 pounds and had trimmed their waist measurements by an average of 1.8 inches. Those taking acomplia showed improvement in other factors affecting the risk of cardiovascular disease: high-density cholesterol had risen by 22.4%, triglycerides had reduced by 20% and C-reactive protein diminished by 50%. There was also one very important component under the spotlight. The researchers report with statistical certainty that there were no psychological side effects to taking acomplia — a factor that caused the Food and Drug Administration to treat acomplia with suspicion and will be one of the key considerations when Sanofi-Aventis resubmit acomplia to the FDA later this year.

So, on balance, the results of the Stradivarius study are encouraging. They show a continuing pattern of weight loss maintained over time and a reduction in waist measurements among the participants. The study also does not rule out a future role for acomplia in the treatment of heart disease.

About the Author: Learn more about the information you read here on acomplia and by John Scott at http://www.newageweightloss.com/blog/violins-have-more-than-one-string.html.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Violins Have More Than One String

How to choose violin strings

2009-09-08T18:54:00.001+07:00

Author: Peter Mendoza

It is a little known fact that to really have a great sounding violin, strings choice is essential. Seasoned professionals and experienced amateurs alike, violinists in the know can wield a wide variety of sounds from their instrument from something as small (and essential as we'll find) as careful string selection. In this article we'll delve into string selection and help you find out whats best for your desired tone.

You should consider a few types of strings when ordering. Here they are, along with some characteristics of each.

Gut strings - These are strings that the cores are actually made out of guts of animals. The initial type of string offered, these are normally utilized by period violinists and those focusing on early music. One of the most played gut strings around without doubt is called the pirastro eudoxa. It's popular for a reason folks, and we highly recommend this fine specimen of a gut string.

Synthetic Strings - Synthetic cores are known for being great at resonance and have a very long lifespan. An old standby favorite and likely the most played of this type are thomastik dominant strings, or the similarly popular pirastro evah pirazzi strings Both Thomastik and Pirastro are very visible in the violin world and have built up great reputations.

Steel core strings - These strings have the reputation of being strings for students. This is somewhat of an unfortunately and unkind, not to mention incorrect assumption as many skilled violin players prefer steel core, and probably as many as prefer synthetic or gut. The standard in steel core strings would have to be the super sensitive red label strings. These have been used by student violinists for ages and are popular amongst teachers for a reason.

It is important to identify what value the retailer is bringing to the transaction when selecting who to purchase your strings from. As violin strings are likely to be viewed a commodity by retailers, it's essential to look at how they enhaance the deal for you. Look to a violin forum with other players and see what stores they routinely buy from and can recommend to you.

To end, go out and talk to other people in the violin community and see what they recommend and can say about the individual string tonal qualities and be aware of these at your next purchase.

About the Author: A professional concert violinist for 12 years, Thomas Enhasens is a self proclaimed novice in violin playing but an expert in bad sounding violins.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How to choose violin strings

Toyota Introduces Its Violin-playing Robot

2009-09-07T18:57:00.001+07:00

Author: Anthony Fontanelle

It seems that Japanese automakers are not only competing in terms of vehicle models but are also rivals in the field of robotics. If Honda (producer of high quality Acura CL brake booster) has the ASIMO, Toyota has come up with a robot that can play the “Pomp and Circumstance” on the violin.

Toyota has introduced its musically inclined 5-foot-tall-all-white robot last Thursday. The robot’s mechanical fingers are precisely programmed to press the right strings while its other arm was used for bowing. The movements were perfectly coordinated allowing the robot to effortlessly play the violin.

This robot-playing-violin is not the first of its kind, Toyota has previously shown robots that can play the trumpets and roll around working as guides. According to Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe robotics will be an important part of the company in the coming years. Toyota will also create robots for used at hospitals, for its facilities and for other places where robotics may be applied. The automaker is also hoping to put what it calls as partner robots to real use by 2010.

Mr. Watanabe has told reporters at the Toyota showroom in Tokyo, "We want to create robots that are useful for people in everyday life." He further stated that it is not that surprising for the company to venture into robotics since it’s a natural extension of the automaker’s robots used in manufacturing and in the development of auto-related technology such as the use of artificial intelligence for the sensors and pre-crash safety systems.

Toyota has also given a glimpse of what the future holds in terms of new technology like the wheelchair like “mobility robots” that are designed to offer “bed-to-bed” services to people especially the elderly and the sick. Actually the concept used for this technology was derived from cars that take people “door-to-door”.

If you are to compare Toyota with the other automakers that are involved in robotics as mentioned Honda with its ASIMO, Hitachi Ltd., Fujitsu Ltd., and NEC Corp.--Japan’s biggest seller of automobiles is a late bloomer. Just take Honda for instance which has started working on robots since 1986 believing that such technology would play an important role in delivering mobility in the future. Its ASIMO robot an acronym for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility or simply “legs” in Japanese was first offered in the year 2000 for rental. It is also one of the most advanced humanoids in the world considering the fact that it can do primary body function such as walk, jog, wave, evade obstacles, and can even carry on simple conversations.

The ASIMO also looks like a real-life child dressed in a white space-suit. This remarkable advancement made on the ASIMO is what Toyota would like to surpass and to achieve this goal the company is working with universities to speed up research and development on robotics.

In addition to robots, Toyota is still continuing its research on biofuels while Honda is expanding its other business such as its jet and motorcycle units.

About the Author: Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Toyota Introduces Its Violin-playing Robot

What You Should Know More About Violin (for Beginners)

2009-09-05T13:39:00.000+07:00

Author: Nor Nan
When you first read this article header's you may be curious to know about what the article is really all about? It is just a small piece of musical instruments and it is commonly known that violin is one of the instruments that are very easy to play. The following article has described some of the hidden information about how to get started with violin and also some other practical facts that can be used now or in future.

If we think about one of the most popular musical instruments, violin can be one of them. As we can see most of the beginners are interested in playing and practicing violin because they can see a lot of benefit of playing violin. Firstly, violin can be played in both solo and back up issue, which is really flexible.

Players can choose their favourite to match the style of playing. Secondly, violin is the acoustic musical instrument that needs no electricity due to which it can be played anytime and anywhere. Thirdly, violin has very attractive sound, which is probably the most distinct benefit of playing violin. Finally, some people say that playing violin is very easy to practice, unlike similar type of instrument such as cello, mandolin or viola.

However, I think it will be useful for beginners who want to start practice violin but have no idea what violin looks like. There are also some other kinds of musical instruments that look very much similar to violin such as cello, mandolin or viola. Therefore, it is quite necessary to explain more about the physical shape of the violin.

The shape of violin basically consist of hollow box, which is generally made from wood (not include the electronic violin) with rounded ends and a narrow center like the shape of guitar but violin is very much smaller.

Violin consists of four strings and it has a violin bow when playing. The method of changing the tone of violin uses the same concept of guitar, which depends on the finger that pushes on the string and pitch. Push on the lower pitch give higher tone, meanwhile push on the higher pitch gives the lower tone.

If you don't have accurate details regarding how to get start with violin, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don't let that happen. Please keep reading the further information described. When playing, the violin must be held by the player's neck of the instrument with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand.

When you hold it by using left shoulder, it must be firmly supported in order to keep the sound in consistent position. In the mean time, your left hand will be used to control the tone of the violin by pushing on the strings and your right hand should carry the bow to make the sound. Now this is just only the basic info that you as a beginner need to know.

About the Author: The article is written by Nor Nan. Please visit Play Mandolin for more information.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What You Should Know More About Violin (for Beginners)

Benefits To Online Violin Lessons

2009-09-04T04:56:00.000+07:00

Author: Richard Rowley

Online Violin Lessons are growing in popularity every day and this is due to the long list of benefits compared to the conventional class lessons or one to one lessons. The technology on the internet is growing so rapidly that you can learn just about anything.

The benefits are huge and this industry of learning online cannot be ignored.

So what are the advantages of Online Violin Lessons?

Well lets dive straight into the cost. A one to one lesson for one hour will cost around $40 or £25. Yes you may find a few cheaper, but to study with a professional you are looking at that price or more. An online course that can last for 10-12 months is available for under $40-50!
Many of the online instrumental lessons are no disadvantage when it come to quality. They are often taught by a famous performer or teacher. Your getting world class teaching for low budget on the internet.
Many of the courses come with hundreds of videos. I love this feature as you can download them all and then complete at your own pace. If you miss something just go back and watch again. If you haven't had much time to practice then wait until you are ready for the next video.
Many people are a little intimidated at the thought of being watched by a teacher as they learn. Well online it couldn't be any more private.
There are often great features like backing tracks to play with, downloadable books and music, online metronomes and tuning videos. The list goes on and on.
The best tutorials online will also be suitable for all ages and abilities. So if you are a total beginner or a seasoned performer there should be plenty to get your teeth stuck into.

Online Violin lessons are structured and catered in such a way so as to appeal to as many people as possible.

About the Author: Being taught by someone who heads up The Manhattan String Quartet for under $30 is nothing to be sniffed at. The Violin Master Pro course for online violin lessons is perhaps my most recommended.

The creator has 12 months worth of lessons, tons of bonuses and 1000 videos to learn from.
Discover it here - http://www.onlineviolin.info

If at any time you're not totally satisfied with the teachings of a world renowned player, then simply use the 100%, no questions asked, money back guarantee that is available.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Benefits To Online Violin Lessons

Teach Me - How To Play The Violin

2009-09-02T03:11:00.001+07:00

Author: Richard Rowley

Discovering how to play the violin is a wonderful but sometimes frustrating experience. You will not master it overnight and there will be times that you feel like giving up because you think it's too difficult. Don't worry we all go through days like this, as I am sure Paganini did when he was a beginner!

An ear for music:

Since there are no frets on a violin neck then you will need to use your ears in order to pitch each note. When you play an instrument like a piano, you hit the right key, you get the right note. On the violin it is a little more refined than that. You have to place your finger in the exact right place otherwise your note could be slightly too sharp or slightly too flat. Listen to each note you play and make small adjustments to become more accurate.

The right instrument:

I must say or write about this several times every week. Getting the right instrument is essential. Many people do not spend enough money! I know as a beginner you don't want to spend too much, especially if you are buying for a slightly unsure child but if you don't buy a good beginner instrument then you are starting on the wrong foot anyway. A poor quality instrument will be hard to play, wont produce a good tone and can leave the player bored and frustrated. if your ear is excited then you will want to play, practice and learn more, right?

Getting the right lessons:

One of the best ways and a method of learning that is growing rapidly is to learn with video lessons. These can be purchased online and have many benefits.

Many are given by world class players making them a unique privilege.
They have an incredibly low cost.
You can replay a video lesson as often as you want.
No traveling to a teachers house.
Nobody looking over your shoulder as you play and practice
Backing tracks to play along with are often included in the best online violin lessons
Many features such as books, documents and PDF's are included.

Learning how to play the violin should be fun and rewarding and if you select the right lessons you will be able to make good consistent progress.

About the Author:

However do be aware that there are a few things you need to be aware of when looking at how to play the violin online.

One of these is a full money back guarantee, which is always a nice safety net should you not enjoy the lessons or decide to switch to the old Tuba.

Discover which programs have all of these benefits and much much more at http://www.onlineviolin.info

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Teach Me - How To Play The Violin

The Stroh Violin And Your Health

2009-09-01T04:57:00.000+07:00

Author: Zach Hunt

The Healthy Benefits Of Keeping Your Body In Tune

Picture yourself sitting in the Opera House, on the edge of your seat, ready to take in a beautiful symphony.Silence follows the conductor as he holds up his baton.

The piano opens with wonderful precision, you close your eyes and hear the woodwinds chime in. Your ears are full of pleasant harmonies and the brass and percussion begin to do their part to make this arrangement magnificent.

Then it is time for the strings to unite, first the harp, soft and pleasant, then the cello and viola immerge and you can feel the music flow through your body.

Then from the back row, hidden behind the violins that have just begun to play, you hear a horrible noise, a screech, the audience gasps and the musicians stop playing and turn around. The conductor looks horrified. Who could be causing this terrible racket? You learn that it is a Stroh violin that is out of tune.

A Stroh violin, or violinophone, is a violin that amplifies its sound through a metal resonator and metal horns rather than a wooden sound box as on a standard violin. Invented in 1899 by Johannes Matthias Augustus it is rarely used in modern symphonies.

This is the culprit of clatter, and it has just ruined your first symphony in.

The Out Of Tune Instrument
Instruments that are out of tune can take a beautiful thing and make it dreadful.

Our bodies are the instrument and we need to take good care of them. There are so many negatives when you don't get the physical activity that you need in order to stay healthy. Just as the out of tune Stroh violin ruined the symphony, the out of tune body can damage you in many ways.

Tips For Staying In Tune:

*Eat well, include plenty of protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains

*Exercise regularly, even just getting out for a brisk walk has many benefits

*Drink plenty of water

*See your doctor annually for a physical, be in control of your health

*Get plenty of sleep, this helps reduce weight gain and stress

Always keep in mind that a healthy you leads to a happier life. Being out of shape, overweight or stressed out can leave you feeling out of tune just like the Stroh violin player.

By consistently checking if your tune is correct, you will gain the confidence of the conductor of the symphony, knowing that you can keep perfect harmony in all of the instruments.

Learning how to play an instrument takes practice and instruction. For training and education, visiting a personal trainer can teach you the art of keeping your body fit and in tune.

About the Author: Zach Hunt is a Spokane Opera House expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: personal trainer Spokane for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Stroh Violin And Your Health

7 Steps - How To Play The Violin

2009-08-29T19:54:00.001+07:00

Author: Richard Rowley

Welcome to my article on how to play the violin. I hope here you will find some interesting information on the ins and outs of the basics of the instrument.

The violin is a bowed instrument with 4 strings tuned in perfect 5ths.G-D-A-E with G being the lowest string found just below middle C. Th violin is also an orchestral instrument and this is where it is most commonly heard and played yet due to it's massive repertoire it can be found in all kinds of bands, ensembles and genres from classical to country to rock.

Here are my top 7 tips on learning to play the violin:

Firstly tighten your bow. Turn the screw end clockwise but don't tighten it too much. The bow strings shouldn't touch the bow itself but shouldn't be loose either.
Add some rosin to your bow. When you first purchase your bow, ask the shop owner to demonstrate this. Repeat every few days or if you practice a lot do this everyday.
Learn how to hold your bow correctly. For me to detail this I would need another article so for now, check with your teacher on this one.
Tuck the violin underneath your chin whilst it rests on your shoulder. An important but often overlooked part here is to keep a good posture. Many people begin to bend their back which can cause all kinds of problems.
Begin practicing using the bow with both upstrokes and downstrokes. This should be done halfway between the bridge and the fingerboard. Apply a good amount of pressure to ensure that you make a warm and whole tone not a scratchy sound.
Stick to playing on the open strings. Using the left hand is quite a way off yet. Focus on the bowing technique, tone and begin to read some of your first pieces of music but again only with open strings.
Practice everyday! Yes I am afraid that repetition is the mother of all learning. And remember the hardest thing about practice is getting your violin out of its case. So once you have done the difficult part start playing and having some fun.

Learning how to play the violin is a very rewarding experience. Yes it can be a little tricky to start with but just keep persevering.

About the Author:

One of the best, most affordable and fun ways to learn how to play the violin is to take online lessons with a world famous violinist.

Imagine what it's like to learn with the principal violinist of the Manhattan String Quartet?

Discover why you can get 12 months of lessons for the price of one here - http://www.onlineviolin.info

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - 7 Steps - How To Play The Violin

A Background To Learning To Play Violin

2009-08-28T17:01:00.000+07:00

Author: Joaquin Downs

It's a desire for numerous of us. Learning to play violin is a tremendously gratifying and vastly enjoyable musical pastime which is easy to learn but thought-provoking and entertaining to conquer. To make it as an accomplished player of the violin, however, what you will have to do is to rehearse and rehearse a large amount.

Learning to play violin is like many other kinds of pastime - it requires commitment and eagerness to study it the accurate way.

The internet is packed of how-to's and instructions on learning to play violin , but jumping from source to source isn't going to get you into the kind of learning regularity that you need to correctly understand the essentials before moving on to the higher points.

By merely scouring the internet for tips randomly and not creating a scheme via a instructor or classes, you won't get the advantage of expert knowledge which is desirable to do well. You want to grasp what the lesson of the moment is followed by as much practice as you can to get it correct prior to moving on to the subsequent one. Nothing will hinder you more than dipping in and out of several tutorials and topics and not completely taking on board the knowledge required prior to hopping to the next one - it is detrimental and means you'll study nothing correctly.

The problem with standard education channels passed out by private teachers when learning to play violin is that have to take in what you can, then leave until the subsequent session, having to wait to discover the subsequent stage even though you have completed the recent one. The answer to this is learning online, allowing you to steadily be taught in a professionally put down method but being capable to take those steps ahead at whatever time you are prepared.

Learning to play violin is an realistic and entertaining practice when done correctly. With any luck this piece has given you the impetus to have a go at learning in a way which will present you the maximum success.

Click here to find out more useful violin playing information.

About the Author: Click here to find out more useful violin playing information.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Background To Learning To Play Violin

Master the Violin - Practice Makes Perfect or Does It?

2009-08-27T11:20:00.001+07:00

Author: James Pender

Why is it so hard to improve on your instrument, even though you know you've practiced? Unfortunately, the adage "practice makes perfect" isn’t always true. Instead, improper practice often leads to poor results, not perfect playing. Why? Many of us simply don't know how to practice productively.

The following overview of the fundamentals of practicing will provide you with useful ways you can create your own productive practice sessions.

1) Practice Time - When is your "prime time"? If you feel freshest in the morning, early morning practice may be for you. If you feel your energy peak in the afternoon or at night, practice then. Do you tire easily when you practice? Divide your practice time into two segments instead of having one long practice session. Whatever time you do choose, be consistent and try to practice at the same time five or six days a week.

2) Location - When you practice, find a quiet room where you won't be disturbed. Turn off the TV, put away your CD player, and turn on the answering machine.

3) Music Accessories - Before timing every nanosecond of your practice time, gather together all of the practice materials you'll need. Music, a pencil to note difficult passages and fingerings, and a music stand are basic necessities. If you do practice sitting down (some teachers prefer that you stand while practicing), make sure you use a chair that isn't too soft, or it will be difficult to use proper playing position.

4) Physical Needs - Before you even begin to practice, drink some water, have some fruit or a healthy snack to rev up your blood sugar level, and change into something comfortable. If you prepare yourself physically before you start to practice, you'll find you can concentrate easily, and you won't be quite so tempted to interrupt your practicing for kitchen or bathroom breaks. Playing a musical instrument is not a passive experience. You need physical strength and energy to practice with proper playing position. If you practice while you're tired, you may run the risk of slipping into poor playing habits

5) Length of Practice Session - How long you practice every day is irrelevant. How much you accomplish when you practice is what counts. It's great to follow a scheduled practice time, but if your daily practice ritual consists of playing straight through pieces over and over while you daydream, you might be better off not practicing at all. It's easy to reinforce mistakes when you don't concentrate while playing or when you practice without purpose or focus. Strive for quality practice, not quantity mediocre results.

6) Productive Practice Sessions - Structured practice sessions are the key to productive practicing. The following suggestions will help you progress, instead of regress, when you practice.

7) Warm-up - Each practice session should begin by limbering up and strengthening your fingers through scales, exercises, arpeggios, or trills.

8) Practice with Purpose - Have one or more focused goals each time you practice. At the beginning of practice sessions, ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish today? Do I want to polish a piece? Slowly learn part of a new piece, play with heightened musicality, or fix some problem spots?" As you practice, your focus may change as you continue to analyze your playing with questions such as: "Am I playing in tune? Is the rhythm correct? What parts of the piece need work?"

9) Problem-solving - One of the most effective ways to make a piece sound better is to pinpoint the difficult passages in the piece and then work on one small section at a time. Don’t reinforce mistakes by repeating them. Identify what the problem is, then determine how you will fix it. Play the notes of a problem spot very slowly, one note at a time, until you are playing with the proper rhythm, fingering, and notes. Once it sounds correct, play that small section over and over, gradually picking up speed until that segment of music is up to tempo. It's always simpler to begin at a slow tempo and increase your speed rather than go back and correct new errors.

10) Problem spot tips - At times, it may be useful to record yourself (tape or video) to pinpoint problem spots. If you’re having difficulty with a fast passage, playing a small section first very slowly, then experimenting with rhythmic variations, often helps. For example, if the small section you’ve identified as a problem spot contains four measures of sixteenth notes, instead of playing them all at the same tempo, try: long-short-long-short-long-short-long etc. Then, reverse the sequence and play the passage: short-long-short-long-short-long-short etc. Another practice technique for fast passages is to to quickly repeat each note two, three or four times (e.g. d-d-d-d-a-a-a-a-c-c-c-c—almost as if you were playing a bowed tremolo on the same note).

11) Musicality - Are you expressing yourself through your music, or are you mechanically repeating notes from a printed page? Musicality, the ability to interpret a piece with feeling, is what distinguishes the performance of a fine musician from that of an automated, boring performer. Need ideas? First, try following printed directions such as dynamics, style of playing, and the tempo or speed at which the music should be played. You can gain additional interpretive insight by listening to recordings of the same piece played by different performers and by researching the history of the composer or the era in which the music was composed. Then, experiment! Try different phrasing or explore variations in tone production, style, and intensity. Memorizing a piece also may assist you in achieving freedom of expression. Once you know a piece so well that you are "free" from the music, you may find it easier to interpret music on your own.

12) Fun time - At the end of each practice session, it's always fun to sit back, relax, and enjoy playing straight through the piece. The progress made during "problem spot" practicing can be reinforced, and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment hearing changes you’ve made in the full context of the piece.

So let the music-making begin! You CAN make the adage "practice makes perfect" come true for you. All it takes is a little hard work and a lot of concentration. You'll soon find just how rewarding productive practicing can be.

For MORE information on the magical world of violins visit - www.TheViolinMaster.com

About the Author: James Pender, Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Master the Violin - Practice Makes Perfect or Does It?

Violin Lessons For Your Superb Performance

2009-08-26T11:04:00.002+07:00

Author: Angelo P. Catchillar

Violin Lessons with ViolinMasterPro

ViolinMasterPro.com: YOUR GATEWAY TO SUPERB PERFORMANCE
ViolinMasterPro could not only assists well developed and middle experienced players but can help out beginners or young players and even those who have not touched a violin before all their lives.

Violin: An Elegant Music Instrument

There is a possibility that assured Brescian instrument makers like Zanetto Montichiaro and Giovan Giacobo dalla Corna might touched the first models of violins since both makers were pointed out by Lanfranco as makers of lyras, lutes and the likes.The original string of the violin were formerly all gut and remained to have those for quite some time.

During the early times, violin comes into two models, one is quite longer than the average or normal violin which is 35.
Nowadays, the violin is a lot more powerful instrument whose strings are wire wound or generally of steel.Then later on, they replaced it with a silver wire to give a much better response.8 cm on its top end and 3.

It has four strings which are tuned using an interval of a fifth as well as a fingerboard which is unfretted.It started to formed formally in Northern Italy in the year 1500s and the instrument then undergoes few physical changes.

Beating down History

But on the year 1834, Baillot recommends that the violin should be placed under the left chin and later on implements the left side procedure of holding it.

The Mind behind the Music

Lewis who was the then its first violinist have been popular and was taken as the leading recording and touring assembly of classical music lovers worldwide- from North to South of America, Russia, China and Europe.
During this time he had the chance to study with Rachmael Weinstock who was known as the first violinist of the version of Manhattan String Quartet during 1930?s.
His early training was at Manhattan School of Music.

Honestly speaking not all people are born with the capability to play tunes within their minds like the great Ray Charles have had.

You will all get it here.

The only additional feature this product could give you after you?ve finished having the course will gradually give you no reason to go back for another set of violin lesson since this product will enlighten you tips and techniques that most violin teachers neglect to inform in their students ever.

The system package is all downloadable within their members section.
The complete ViolinMasterPro learning system package includes tips and techniques on how to play the violin from the beginners point level to the professional level of playing at the comfort of your very own home through the use of your computer.

ViolinMasterPro will definitely stimulate your brain and gain great video lessons which will open and expand your horizon in navigating your fingerboard at no required level of expertise needed.

About the Author:

Complete Violin Lessons.
Play like the greats! Very possible 1000 online instruction videos.
ViolinMasterPro

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Violin Lessons For Your Superb Performance

Online Violin Lessons- Do Online Violin Lessons Mean the Death of Violin Teachers?

2009-08-25T11:18:00.001+07:00

Author: Jason Rodak

Online violin lessons are the best thing that could happen to the violin community, at least as far as the student is concerned. If you haven’t yet heard of them, it’s not surprising. Generally people go about learning an instrument by calling up a local music school and asking if they offer private lessons for your instrument. When you go to meet your teacher, I very seriously doubt they will say, “I charge thirty dollars per half hour lesson, but at the same price you could master your instrument using online violin lessons and never have to pay me again.” If they did, they would ALL be out of a job! Unless you live next door to your violin teacher, you’ll pay several times more than that price just for the gas to get you to your lessons during the course of your music education. In this situation, ten times out of ten the opportunity for the student will be swept under the rug.

No violin teacher could make a living trying to keep up with such rates, but suppose they tried. Most aren’t of the teaching caliber you’ll find online. As a fair representation, let’s say traditional violin lessons run from about 20 to 100 dollars per half hour (sometimes slightly less from someone who teaches as a hobby or significantly more if you’re learning from someone who carries a lot of clout in the field); that would mean the average teacher charges 20% of what the master does. Applying this rate to online violin lessons would mean the average teacher would charge $6 to teach a student how to master the violin. Even if taking twenty at a time that’s not enough to pay the rent for one month, and he or she would be tied up for possibly years.

Why would I so fervently shout about the opportunity of online violin lessons if it’s going to be so harsh on violin teachers? The bottom line is I love music, so I choose the student’s side over the teacher’s. I’m sure there are many who would love to learn how to play violin, but can’t afford to get quality lessons, so they never learn. Other would-be violin players lack the time to learn how to play. Learning from home will free up some time for the student to play by eliminating the commute. I want to see more violinists, and there’s no longer a question of where to find the best lesson quality or if it fits your budget.

About the Author: Are you ready to finally realize your violin playing dreams? Get the reviews on the best online violin lessons around.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Online Violin Lessons- Do Online Violin Lessons Mean the Death of Violin Teachers?

Violin Lessons-The Best Way to Get Cheap Violin Lessons

2009-08-25T11:16:00.000+07:00

Author: Robert

“If you want to play like the best, you have to learn from the best.” How many times has that phrase been the bane of your existence? In this economic slump, who can afford to pay $100 per half hour for violin lessons from a seasoned professional? That’s assuming you can even find one that’s willing to teach you. Even on the low end, violin lessons are $15 for thirty minutes. But what if you could learn from a professional violin player and not have to pay bihourly prices that will make you question how much you really want to learn to play violin? I’m going to share with you a secret that will allow someone of any budget to get premium violin lessons.

Time is money, but in the rising age of video, instructors no longer need to spend their time in one-on-one environments. This means they can reach more people and provide more information at a cheaper price. Eric Lewis, member of the Manhattan String Quartet who has been giving private violin lessons for over 40 years, is on the forefront of this market. He has a digital product out that gives hours of instruction, right for any level of violin player. He teaches you finger placement, how to increase dexterity, how to read music, music theory, how to play violin in any style, and how to become an all around pro with your instrument. This is going to be a hot market, so I’d jump on it before the demand goes up (along with the prices). Violin Master Pro has a one-time cost of $29.95, with regular updates, and he guarantees it for 56 days. Personally, I’d take that over private lesson prices any day. Call me crazy, but if I can learn to play violin at home for cheap, I’m a happy camper.

I don’t want to be one of the millions of pushy guys telling you what to buy and what not to buy. I’m just advising you to shop smarter, not harder. Many will tell you that slim, sleek wallets are sexy to get you to spend more, but I believe there’s no substitute for a wallet, fattened by the cash you save. You can get many things for much cheaper in digital format online. If cheap violin lessons are something you’re interested in, you can check out the link in my bio box for more information.

About the Author: Jason Rodak was never able to learn violin, due to money and time constraints, until he discovered online violin lessons. Want to get the cheapest violin lessons around? Go to http://www.violinlessonreviews.com to learn which program is best for you.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Violin Lessons-The Best Way to Get Cheap Violin Lessons

Violin Lessons- Are your Violin Lessons a Waste of Time and Money?

2009-08-25T11:11:00.001+07:00

Author: Jason Rodak

Do you pay large sums of money for your violin lessons just because you believe it’s the only way to learn? Maybe you return from your violin lessons and can’t seem to remember the right hold, finger position, or bow angle, for whatever reason, and you’re stuck winging it until the next lesson. Obviously you’re not going to call up your instructor and ask, “Hey, was I supposed to hold the bow at a 36 or a 38 degree angle? Uh-huh, and was the arch on my fingers supposed to be smooth like the Appalachians or sharp like Kilimanjaro?” In the midst of the frustration and the forehead slapping you wish there was a better way.

I bring news of one of the hottest new things to hit the music education market, online violin lessons. Stick with me; I’m going places with this, and furthermore, you’ll thank me for it. “So what do online violin lessons have to offer me,” you ask. Well, you don’t get any of the perks of traditional violin lessons, like having to spend money on gas, battle traffic, spend more money for each lesson, keep a rigid schedule, and having to wonder if you’re messing something up when you get back home. Online violin lessons allow you to practice whenever you want and review lessons as needed. These are video violin lessons, so you’re not stuck reading some tedious e-book.

Using this medium, you can also learn to play violin from a master that you probably couldn’t afford to take lessons from in a traditional environment. This kind of program is designed to help you master the violin, so you only have to pay once, generally under $30. How many traditional lessons would that be? My sources tell me that on average violin lessons cost a buck a minute, so you could get a complete course guaranteed to make you MASTER the violin, or you could buy one violin lesson. It wasn’t a tough choice in my book.

Thus far, I’ve only found two quality programs like this. If you’re ready to find a better way to learn violin, I have a review website comparing them, viewable from the link in my bio. Good luck and happy violin playing!

About the Author:

If you’re tired of wasting time and money on traditional violin lessons and ready to try online violin lessons, click the one of the text links to learn which program best suits your needs.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Violin Lessons- Are your Violin Lessons a Waste of Time and Money?

Complete Violin Lessons Play like the greats! Very possible 1000 online instruction videos

2009-08-24T17:00:00.000+07:00

Author: William James

ViolinMasterPro

VIOLINMASTERPRO.COM: YOUR GATEWAY TO SUPERB PERFORMANCE
On this site you will be able to learn the way how to play solos, sonatas, concertos and a lot more.

VIOLIN: AN ELEGANT MUSIC INSTRUMENT
There is a possibility that assured Brescian instrument makers like Zanetto Montichiaro and Giovan Giacobo dalla Corna might touched the first models of violins since both makers were pointed out by Lanfranco as makers of lyras, lutes and the likes. The four pegs of the violin are the one responsible in giving its tone and by turning those into a desired position could give proper pitch. It uses an abbreviation of Vln. The purpose of the bow gives the ability for sustained and repeated notes which may be of any length which gives a much fantastic expressive effect. The movement or the direction of the bow is taken as the most important factor that would contribute to the sound that the violin would produce. 5 cm and the other one is slightly shorter. It is still a mystery that through music, a person may transmit as well as express their emotions and moods through its instruments. It is only during those years that craftsmanship and techniques were much better when it comes to assembling the 70-odd parts of the violin.

BEATING DOWN HISTORY
In ViolinMasterPro.

THE MIND BEHIND THE MUSIC
Lewis who was the then its first violinist have been popular and was taken as the leading recording and touring assembly of classical music lovers worldwide- from North to South of America, Russia, China and Europe. The Manhattan string Quartet had the chance to host the Taneyey String Quartet during the United States initial launch in 1987. He helped young violin players to gain confidence as well as achieve self fulfillment with regards to their violin playing dreams.

You will woo and amazed your friends as well as family members with such superb and incredible violin skills.

I just want to ask if you really want to have that superb performance you've been dreaming of? The chances would be great if you already know how to position proper yourself in playing the instrument.

The notes will be as easy to understand just like understanding the letters in the alphabet.

Can you believe that? That is so cool, isn?t it? They also give you the ability to master the rhythm of the violin itself.

There are also individual lessons accompanied in it like improvising, using octaves and the primary duty of the left and right hand plus the correct fingering as well. Playing like a pro is not that hard to attain once you got hold of this amazing system. This great innovation will definitely woo your friends and family members at home.

Whether it is Pop, Jazz, Classical, Latin, Fusion, European, Hip Hop, Rock, Country, Folk and many more, this will truly enhance your playing skills.

For more information please go to: http://bit.ly/407a4h

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Complete Violin Lessons Play like the greats! Very possible 1000 online instruction videos

Online Violin Lessons- 10 Reasons You Can’t Afford to Miss Out

2009-08-24T02:47:00.001+07:00

Author: Jason Rodak

If you’ve been interested in learning to play the violin or just increasing your skill level recently, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about online violin lessons. The question now posed has to be, are online violin lessons really the best way to go?

I’m sure taking online violin lessons or learning any instrument online, for that matter, will be big in a year or two, but for now you’re worried about scams or quality. You’ve probably said to yourself, “If they were that amazing, I would have heard something about it from my friends.” Social proof has an implied guarantee of quality, but all products/ideas start somewhere. You may also ask yourself why it’s so cheap, thinking that might be indicative of the quality; no one could master an instrument at that price. There are two reasons that this is possible. The first is that, naturally, there will be a lower demand for new product ideas that haven’t been exposed mainstream. The second is that there are almost no overhead costs for digital products. You are just paying for quality information.

Now that you know why it can be done, here are my top ten reasons you should take online violin lessons today.

The price is extremely low. In fact, it’s often less than the price of one normal lesson, but the price of online violin lessons will go up as more people recognize this golden opportunity.
You learn from masters. These are seasoned pros that know everything about playing violin and can teach you easily. Quality teachers of this caliber would make your wallet cry if you tried to learn from them in normal environments
These are complete collections of online violin lessons, designed to teach you from beginner to pro. No, you don’t pay per lesson, like you would anywhere else. You pay to master the violin.
You get secret tricks of the trade. For example, you’ll learn how to increase energy and hand strength, sometimes in as little as three days! Not to mention, something violin teachers never tell their students…
If you don’t know how to read music, they will teach you.
Music theory is part of the teaching course.
You learn to play violin in every style imaginable.
Don’t have a violin? They’ll show you how to get quality instruments for cheap, sometimes even free. That alone sounds like it’s worth the cost of the course, wouldn’t you agree?
Most have lifetime updates. Some updated frequently, so I imagine even if there was something you found to be missing from the product, it would be added in time.
Some even go as far as to give you a 56-day guarantee. Try it, if it turns out it’s not for you, feel free to get your money back.

If you’re willing to try online violin lessons, but don’t know which program to invest in, I have a review site for online violin lessons. Feel free to check it out below.

About the Author:

If you’re tired of wasting large sums of money on traditional violin lessons, try online violin lessons. Check out my review site to find out which program is best for you.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Online Violin Lessons- 10 Reasons You Can’t Afford to Miss Out

The Violin: Its Origin and Mystique of the Stradivarius

2009-08-22T21:24:00.000+07:00

Author: Charles Dixon

The violin as we know it today, evolved from very early stringed instruments sometime in the 15th century. These instruments sometimes only had two strings, but like the violin, were also played with a bow. Two famous “schools” of violin making began in the 16th century. The Cremonese school was started by a famous maker of that period, Andrea Amati. About that same time, there was another famous maker, Gasparo da Salo, who was of the Brescian school. During this time period, all violin production was done in Italy. Later, in the 17th century, very good violins began to be made in Germany also.

The most famous violin makers of all time were Stradivari and Guarnieri. Both of these Italian master violin makers produced violins in the early 18th century. These violins are highly prized and sought after. The best professional violinists of today play one of their instruments. There was also a very good German violin maker of this time period named Jacobus Stainer. However, he did not achieve the same level of notoriety as the Italian makers.

The sound quality of the Stradavarius and Guarnierius violins are considered the best in the world. Although there were very good quality violins produced after the 18th century, and very good quality violins are produced today, they do not have the same rich phonic characteristics as the violins these early masters produced. There has been a lot of investigation and speculation into why this is. Some believe it was the quality of wood used at that time, or the fact that the wood was transported by floating the logs down a river, or perhaps the skill of the craftsmen, or maybe it is caused by the aging of the wood and the varnish through the centuries that produces their unique sound.

There are others however, that believe it has more to do with the wood “filler” that was used prior to the varnishing, and perhaps also the varnish itself. It is possible today to duplicate a Stradivarius or Guarnierius violin in every way, using the same type of very old wood, and using the same dimensions, techniques and tools. However, prior to varnishing, a newly made violin was coated in a liquid to fill the microscopic gaps in the wood, so that the varnish would not soak into the wood but have a perfectly even finish. It is this “filler” that violin makers and restorers cannot duplicate. Today’s violin makers do not know what was used by the early masters, and so, cannot duplicate it. There are craftsmen that dedicate a great deal of time experimenting with various formulations in an effort to find the “secret”, but is has eluded them so far. Also, the varnish of today is a fast-drying variety. The old varnishes would take months to dry. Perhaps a combination of all these things makes it impossible to exactly duplicate the sound of the early masters’ violins, even though they can be physically duplicated.

While duplicating the sound of a Stradivarius is not possible, fortunately, learning to play like a master violinist is possible. Though it takes dedication and concentrated practice, the techniques used by today’s master violinists can be learned by the serious student, who may one day also become a master violinist able to teach others

About the Author:

Charles Dixon is an amateur musician and full-time music afficionado.

more violin-related links and information

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Violin: Its Origin and Mystique of the Stradivarius

Learn To Play The Violin Online

2009-08-21T19:08:00.002+07:00

Author: Kristi Ambrose

Violins are one of the most beautiful instruments anyone can own or play. A little history behind the violin; The violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello. A violin is sometimes informally referred to as a "fiddle." The word violin comes from the Romance Languages from the Middle Latin word "Vitual" which means "stringed instrument." The word Vitual is also believed to be the Germanic source of "fiddle."

Did you know that you can actually take lessons online through video programs to learn how to play the violin? Pretty amazing if you ask me! From way back when, the one instrument I have always wanted to play was a violin. So, why didn't I ever get into it? Well my main problem was it always looked so confusing to play. If you have had someof the same feelings as me, then these online lessons just may be the answer for you!

There are several different sites you can visit as well as different packages you can buy to learn how to play some of your very own masterpieces on the violin. This sites allow you to buy and download these packages which include hundreds of videos. These packages also include other things besides videos such as jam tracks, exercises, scales and cards, and step by step instructions.

If you are searching around on the Internet for violin lessons online, then you are in luck! A few good places you could look if your searching for these professional video lessons or packages are listed below:

- eBay
- Amazon
- ViolinOnline
- TheViolinSite

Or you can do a search online and look for things that pertain to Violin Lessons Online, or Violin Lesson Packages Online! I wish you luck in finding the perfect package, I have no doubt that you are going to have an extreme amount of fun learning how to play your violin! Have fun!

You can also search for these online video lesson packages below to get an idea of what these are! These are all free so they don't include a lot of things the paid one above does, but at least you get a little taste of what you are in store for!

Violin Master Class

Violinmasterclass was created for violin professionals, teachers, parents, and students at all levels to enhance the study of playing the violin. This site provides information that was until now available only to those able to audition into the world's foremost violin studios, such as the classes of Dorothy DeLay, Ivan Galamian, and Carl Flesch.

Dan Mans Music

You can learn music and learn how to play your instrument by watching my Video Lessons online. Learn songs, theory, technique, how to read music, how to write music, how to play by ear, by chords, by cheat sheets, by teacher methods... so many ways to learn music... it's all here.

Learning Violin

Here you can view 6 free video lessons that they have written and produced. These lessons will help you get familiar with the basics needed to get started on the violin.

About the Author: This author is a huge fan of Online Violin Lessons
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Learn To Play The Violin Online

A Look at the Electric Violin

2009-08-20T11:59:00.001+07:00

Author: Richard Romando

An electric violin is an amplified violin that sends out a signal through an electrical pickup device. There are several different models of electric violins. Some are standard acoustic violins with an electric pickup added to the bridge. Other types of electric violins are designed differently and only work properly when plugged in. Electric violins are often used to play different types of music than standard acoustic violins.

The pickups of electric violins are important. Since electric violin strings are usually made of metal, either magnetic or piezoelectric pickups are used to transmit the sound to the amplifier. This system is similar to the way electric guitars work.

Some people add an electric pickup to a standard acoustic violin so that it's signal can be transmitted to an amplifier. The problem with putting a pickup on an acoustic violin is that acoustic violins have a hollow wooden body that can create feedback when it is played electrically. The resonance of the sound vibrating in the violin's body interferes with the sound made by the strings and can cause annoying, high-pitched squealing noises to come out of the amplifier.

Most electric violins have a solid body design. The solid body keeps the instrument from feeding back. Also, any necessary electrical equipment, such as any wiring or batteries, is housed in the body. Since the electric violin is a relatively new invention, it has no standard body shape or design, and makers are free to experiment and invent new ways of designing the instrument.

Electric violins are usually used in different situations than acoustic violins. An electric violin is viewed as an experimental instrument and is not found in classical or traditional music, but is often used in avant-garde music. Guitar effects like reverb, chorus, and distortion can be used to give the electric violin a unique, otherworldly sound.

Electric violins are unique instruments with a sound all their own. Electric violins are perfect for musicians and composers who want to have their own individual sound.About the Author:

Violins Info
provides detailed information about antique and electric violins, violin music, sheet music, strings, and shops; violin makers and repair; and explanations of how to play the violin and a short history of the violin. Violins Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Look at the Electric Violin

Buying Expensive And Well Crafted Used Violins

2009-08-20T11:58:00.001+07:00

Author: Victor Epand

One of the more difficult types of instruments to play is the violin. It has been played for centuries and has become a staple of not only classical music, but also more modern music like Bluegrass.

It is not unusual to have some children who want to learn to play the violin, while other children will have parents who want them to learn how to play the violin. The sad part of this is that violins actually cost quite a bit of money, and the better the violin, the more money you are going to be shelling out.

You should not be surprised if you end up spending hundreds of dollars for a violin, and for many families, that is simply too much. However, if you have a child eager to play the violin or you are a parent who wants them to play the violin, then your best option comes in the form of used violins.

Far from being broken and disused violins, used violins are actually very well taken care of and have been put back on the market for a variety of reasons. It could be that the children who did play decided not to anymore, so the parents sold the violin, or it could just be a matter of someone upgrading the violin.

If you are looking online or through a pawn shop, you will find that you can get a great deal on a great violin, and all you have to do is look for it. You may pay as little as $50 to $100 for a violin if you look in the right places, and all it takes from you is the persistence to find what you are looking for in a pawn shop or online.

This means that your child will be able to learn to play the violin, which is an excellent instrument to learn because it can allow them to learn how to play other stringed instruments, including the harp and the guitar.

By buying a used violin, you also save money in case your child tires of learning the instrument. That way, when you decide to get rid of the violin, you can take it to another pawn shop and make a small profit, without worrying about a huge loss on what you paid.

Buying a used violin is the best option for any family that is looking to brighten up their home with the sound of music. Violins are a very classical instrument to play, used by classical musicians and rock musicians alike. It has an amazing sound, and when you have a child who learns how to play it, they will have the ability to spring board to other types of instruments.

Used violins will cost much less than other types of new violins, and when you have to pay for many instruments for your children, then you need to be able to save money. This is key, and if your child decides they want to keep playing the violin, then you can upgrade as they get older. You can never go wrong when you give a child a used violin.

About the Author:

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments. You can find the best marketplace for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments at these sites for used violin CDs, autographed violin CDs, and used violins .

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Buying Expensive And Well Crafted Used Violins

The Digital Age Of Violins

2009-08-20T11:54:00.000+07:00

Author: highposition

The violin, next to the guitar is possibly one of the older instruments of our time. Both the guitar and violin have progressed from a simple wooden bowed string instrument, to becoming available as electrical instruments producing enhanced and customised sound effects. The violin was once popularly associated with classical music since the Baroque era, until the twentieth century reinvented its sound using electric violins in modern popular music.

Electric violins are not as established as electric guitars or bass guitars, but many violinists use the violin for performances in mainstream pop and rock music. This produces an amplified sound of the violin, using an electric pick-up. Non-classical musicians popularly use these for experimental music. One band in particular, known as 'Yellowcard', uses the electric violin for their punk rock genre music. It has also been used in musical theatre productions, more famously with 'Whistle Down the Wind' by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

However, electric violins have been around since the early twentieth century, as far back as 1935, to which this had profound influence on the music industry today, fusing contemporary music with classical sounds. The main differences were that the sounds are sent down an electric pick-up, and unlike conventional violins, they were made with six strings as opposed to the standard four. The extra two strings stretched the sound further.

History

The actual violin as we know it has been in use for over 500 years which was designed by an Italian family known as the Amati family; however, earlier versions of the violin have been around for 7000 years. The electric violin was first in production during the 1930s by Richenbacker, who were also behind the production of the first electric guitar. This sparked the rock and roll era, taking music to another level. This also coined a new name for the violin as 'electro'.

During the 1950s, Leo Fender had redesigned this and reproduced electric violins tailoring it for modern music. However, these were heavy blocks of wood, therefore were not as popular. Fender is commonly associated with making popular electric guitars that are produced and widely used today.

Musical Uses and Design

Violins that are customised with an electric pickup tend to be easier to play without needing to be plugged in all the time. Whereas a normal electric violin will only sound out the desired tones when it is plugged, because they are designed differently.

Since the electric violin is still considered new, this does not come with a specific generic body design, so makers and musicians can freely create a unique shape to it. However, electric violins do come with a solid body rather than a hollow wooden back, because the electric pickups are more likely to cause a piercing feedback noise, whereas a solid body will not create this kind of a feedback.

The electric violin is widely experimental and far more diverse in the music seen than the acoustic violin. Some people have even installed electric pickups to the bridge on standard acoustic violins, similar to how bass guitarists customise their instrument to either change the pickup or make it fretless. The electric violin on the other hand, is commonly used to create reverbs and chorus distortions making it unique in its sound.

Musicians that use the electric violin tend to create experimental and progressive music; this has also been used in punk rock or avant-garde music, making it quite a diverse instrument. However, this is not used in traditional or classical music. One thing is for certain, this will develop into the next rock music must have accessory, like the electric guitar because of its unique sound in music.

About the Author:

Anna Stenning is an expert on electric violins, as she enjoys listening to music that is progressive and electric in genre.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Digital Age Of Violins

An Introduction Into the World of Violin

2009-08-19T19:11:00.002+07:00

Author: James Pender

Violins are among the most versatile musical instruments, evidenced by their use in many different musical genres. Some types of music that commonly feature violins are classical music, pop, bluegrass, country, and jazz.

A violin is the smallest of the stringed instruments. Other stringed instruments include the viola and the cello. It has four strings, tuned, from low to high, G D A E, each note being a perfect fifth of the one below it. A violin looks like a hollow wooden box with a long neck protruding from one end. The body of the violin is usually made of a couple of different types of wood. The top of the violin, also called the belly, is customarily made of spruce, which is a strong type of softwood. The sides and back are made of maple, which is harder and more durable than spruce. Ebony is most commonly used for the fingerboard, but sometimes ivory is used. Some less expensive models have other types of wood that are merely painted to look like ebony. Traditionally, violin strings were made of gut, but they are usually made of metal now.

The violin is played by pressing the strings against the fingerboard with the left hand while rubbing a bow across the strings with the right hand. The bow is a long wooden rod with stands of horsehair tied to each end. A violin bow looks similar to a bow used to shoot arrows, but is much smaller. Violinists usually play one note on one string at a time, but they can play chords by holding down and bowing more than one string at once. Some pieces of music require the violinist to pluck the strings with the fingers of the right hand rather than bow them, producing a short, staccato sound.

Violins have been in use for many centuries and are still common is contemporary music. The sounds produced by a violin can compliment many other musical instruments and enrich a piece of music.

For MORE information into the magical world of the violin visit - www.theviolinmaster.com

About the Author: James Pender. Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - An Introduction Into the World of Violin

Free Violin Lessons - Learn To Play Violin Today

2009-08-19T19:11:00.001+07:00

Author: Alexander Storm

The first thing you need to know in order to learn to play the violin is how to hold it. It’s important to hold the violin properly. Therefore you need the right size as there are many different violin sizes. The right size depends on your arm length and hand size. If you are not sure about the right size, go to a music store and ask the owner.

When it comes to holding a violin, some people say there are many different ways, but actually, there is only one proper way to hold a violin. You have to place the violin on your left shoulder (if you are right handed), and your chin on the chin rest on your violin (most violins have a chin rest). The neck of the violin must rest between the thumb and first finger. Try to hold the bow lightly with thumb and fingers. The fore finger should be on top of the pad.

As there are no frets on the violin, beginners can use finger taps that you have to place on the fingerboard instead. Another well-known technique uses dots of white-out on the fingerboard. The first position - this is the way the placement of your left hand on the fingerboard is called – is the most commonly used position for beginners. The lowest note in this position is an open G; the highest one in first position is played with the fourth finger on the E-string, sounding a B. If you move your first finger on the place of the second finger you reach the second position and if it takes the place of the third finger, you have the third position. If you need more information on how to play the violin, take a look at How to Play the Violin

About the Author: ...

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Free Violin Lessons - Learn To Play Violin Today

A Brief Guide to Violin Sheet Music

2009-08-19T19:09:00.001+07:00

Author: James Pender

Nearly all violinists are well versed in reading sheet music. There are literally thousands, if not millions of musical pieces for violinists to play. Violin sheet music is available for a wide range of classical music, including pieces written by composers like Beethoven and Mozart to contemporary pieces by Phillip Glass. Other violinists play bluegrass music or even rock and roll songs. People can either buy violin sheet music at music stores or online, or they can find free violin sheet music from many websites.

Sheet music appears on one of two clefs, either the bass clef or the treble clef. Each clef has a number of horizontal lines that are put into perspective by the clef symbol that appears at the left side of the lines. The bass clef features a symbol that looks like the letter "F" while the treble clef is designated by a symbol that resembles a "G." Lower pitched notes are written on the bass clef and notes of a higher pitch appear on the treble clef. Since almost all of the notes produced by violins are above the middle C, violin music is written on the treble clef. The place a note appears on the clef determines where it is played on the violin.

Violinists who play any in any genre can find sheet music of interest. Players interested in classical music can find sheet music for entire symphonies. Other players can find books containing bluegrass violin sheet music. The advent of the Internet was a boon to musicians in that it became possible to view or download many pieces of free violin sheet music. People often transcribe violin music and put it on websites for others to play.

Violin sheet music is available for players of all ability levels. Beginners can find instructional pieces to help them master the basics while expert violinists can play transcriptions of long and complicated symphonies. People could even transcribe contemporary pop songs into violin music.

www.theviolinmaster.com provides detailed information on Violins, Electric Violins, Violin Music, How to Play the Violin and more...

About the Author:James Pender. Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Brief Guide to Violin Sheet Music

How to Take Care of Your Violin

2009-08-18T21:13:00.000+07:00

Author: James Pender

If you want your musical instrument to perform well, you should take good care of it. The violin can be a very expensive purchase, depending on your budget. Thus, it makes perfect sense that you shouldn't only learn how to play it, but should also learn how to maintain it.
Some of the common damages that happens to a violin are:

The tailpiece might break.

The fingerboard might come unglued.

The bridge of the violin might snap.

The bow might snap.
Here are some tips on how to take care of your violin:
Avoid Extreme Temperatures
Do not store your violin in or near areas that have extreme changes in temperature, such as in the basement or attic. Violins are very fragile instruments, when they are continuously exposed to temperature changes and humidity, it will eventually break and fall apart.

Good Storage

When you're not using your violin, put it inside a good quality case to ensure protection. Most damages a violin undergo is because of the owner's neglect, such as placing it in areas where it's more exposed to possibilities of damage, like near the sink or behind a bedroom door.

Too Much Rosin

Rosin is applied to the bow hair causing it to grip the violin strings when playing. Without it, the bow hair will slide across the string without producing any sound. There are two types of rosin: Light Rosin is best suited for warm climates. It's harder and not as sticky as the dark rosin. Dark Rosin is most suited for cool climates, it is softer than the light rosin. Avoid putting too much rosin on the bow as it will drip onto the violin and cause staining.

Invest on Quality Strings

Cheap strings will cause tension on the violin resulting in cracks, warping and other damage.

Do Not Ignore Minor Problems

If you notice a slight damage on your violin, don't wait. Go to an experienced luthier immediately. Most damages that start out little become huge, not only to the violin, but also to your wallet.

Go to a Luthier

If you need repairs for your violin go to an experienced luthier. These people have been trained and are experts in repairing stringed instruments that are either bowed or plucked, including violins. Of course, you must do your research first before going to one. Ask for recommendations from trusted family, friends and music teachers.

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" - www.theviolinmaster.com

About the Author: James Pender. Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How to Take Care of Your Violin

The Value of Antique Violins

2009-08-17T07:26:00.000+07:00

Author: James Pender

Musicians and collectors alike can enjoy antique violins. These violins can be hundreds of years old and can sell for thousands, if not millions of dollars. Antique violins are artifacts of the past as well as beautifully made musical instruments. There are a wide variety of antique violins available, some of them one-of-a-kind treasures.

Many European Violin makers began making replicas of early violins in the mid 19-th century. These replicas were not made to confuse or trick collectors, but to appeal to students and other people who appreciated the designs of these instruments but did not have the money to purchase originals. Many contemporary violin companies continue to make these replicas in the hope of perpetuating classic violin designs. This strategy makes sense when people realize that the basic design of the violin has been relatively unchanged since the 18th century.

Antique violins are valuable for several reasons. They are rare artifacts, not much different from paintings and sculptures. Antique violins also provide models for current Violin makers to follow. Musicians appreciate the design and innovation present in original violins.

http://www.theviolinmaster.com provides detailed information on Violins, Electric Violins, Violin Music, How to Play the Violin and more....

About the Author: James Pender. Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Value of Antique Violins

An Introduction Into the World of Violin

2009-08-15T07:09:00.002+07:00

Author: James Pender

Violins have been in use for many centuries and are still common is contemporary music. The sounds produced by a violin can compliment many other musical instruments and enrich a piece of music.

For MORE information into the magical world of the violin visit - www.theviolinmaster.com

About the Author:

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - An Introduction Into the World of Violin

Free Violin Lessons - Learn To Play Violin Today

2009-08-15T07:06:00.001+07:00

Author: Alexander Storm

About the Author:

...

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Free Violin Lessons - Learn To Play Violin Today

A Brief Guide to Violin Sheet Music

2009-08-15T06:58:00.002+07:00

Author: James Pender

Sheet music appears on one of two clefs, either the bass clef or the treble clef. Each clef has a number of horizontal lines that are put into perspective by the clef symbol that appears at the left side of the lines. The bass clef features a symbol that looks like the letter "F" while the treble clef is designated by a symbol that resembles a "G." Lower pitched notes are written on the bass clef and notes of a higher pitch appear on the treble clef. Since almost all of the notes produced by violins are above the middle C, violin music is written on the treble clef. The place a note appears on the clef determines where it is played on the violin.

Violinists who play any in any genre can find sheet music of interest. Players interested in classical music can find sheet music for entire symphonies. Other players can find books containing bluegrass violin sheet music. The advent of the Internet was a boon to musicians in that it became possible to view or download many pieces of free violin sheet music. People often transcribe violin music and put it on websites for others to play.

Violin sheet music is available for players of all ability levels. Beginners can find instructional pieces to help them master the basics while expert violinists can play transcriptions of long and complicated symphonies. People could even transcribe contemporary pop songs into violin music.

www.theviolinmaster.com provides detailed information on Violins, Electric Violins, Violin Music, How to Play the Violin and more...

About the Author: James Pender. Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Brief Guide to Violin Sheet Music

How to Take Care of Your Violin

2009-08-14T19:48:00.001+07:00

Author: James Pender

The tailpiece might break.

The fingerboard might come unglued.

The bridge of the violin might snap.

Good Storage

Too Much Rosin

Invest on Quality Strings

Cheap strings will cause tension on the violin resulting in cracks, warping and other damage.

Do Not Ignore Minor Problems

If you notice a slight damage on your violin, don't wait. Go to an experienced luthier immediately. Most damages that start out little become huge, not only to the violin, but also to your wallet.

Go to a Luthier

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" - www.theviolinmaster.com

About the Author: James Pender Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How to Take Care of Your Violin

The Value of Antique Violins

2009-08-13T10:28:00.001+07:00

Author: James Pender

Many early violins are extremely valuable. The original King Charles IX violin made in 1564 by Andrea Amati is priceless. Other violins made in later years of the same century can sell for millions of dollars. Violins made by such world renowned makers as Amati, Stradivari, Vuillaume, Amati, Bergonzi, Guarneri, Gasparo da Salò, Stainer are extremely rare and are of great value to collectors.

These instruments are of great value because of their historical significance. Musicians prize these antique violins because they show the craftsmanship of their makers. They are often intricately designed and feature elaborate and unique carvings and engravings that are not found on many models today.

Many European Violin makers began making replicas of early violins in the mid 19-th century. These replicas were not made to confuse or trick collectors, but to appeal to students and other people who appreciated the designs of these instruments but did not have the money to purchase originals. Many contemporary violin companies continue to make these replicas in the hope of perpetuating classic violin designs. This strategy makes sense when people realize that the basic design of the violin has been relatively unchanged since the 18th century.

Antique violins are valuable for several reasons. They are rare artifacts, not much different from paintings and sculptures. Antique violins also provide models for current Violin makers to follow. Musicians appreciate the design and innovation present in original violins.

http://www.theviolinmaster.com provides detailed information on Violins, Electric Violins, Violin Music, How to Play the Violin and more....

About the Author:

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Value of Antique Violins

An Introduction to the Electric Violin

2009-08-12T12:28:00.001+07:00

Author: James Pender

Some people add an electric pickup to a standard acoustic violin so that it’s signal can be transmitted to an amplifier. The problem with putting a pickup on an acoustic violin is that acoustic violins have a hollow wooden body that can create feedback when it is played electrically. The resonance of the sound vibrating in the violin’s body interferes with the sound made by the strings and can cause annoying, high-pitched squealing noises to come out of the amplifier.

Most electric violins have a solid body design. The solid body keeps the instrument from feeding back. Also, any necessary electrical equipment, such as any wiring or batteries, is housed in the body. Since the electric violin is a relatively new invention, it has no standard body shape or design, and makers are free to experiment and invent new ways of designing the instrument.

Electric violins are usually used in different situations than acoustic violins. An electric violin is viewed as an experimental instrument and is not found in classical or traditional music, but is often used in avant-garde music. Guitar effects like reverb, chorus, and distortion can be used to give the electric violin a unique, otherworldly sound.

Electric violins are unique instruments with a sound all their own. Electric violins are perfect for musicians and composers who want to have their own individual sound.

For MORE information into the magical world of the violin visit - www.theviolinmaster.com

About the Author:

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - An Introduction to the Electric Violin

Learn to Master the Violin

2009-08-11T11:41:00.003+07:00

Author: James Pender

Play The Violin Like A MASTER.

“Learn to play the violin from one of the greatest players in the world. All from your own home on video”

If you could learn to play violin like a pro for less than $30 would you want to do it?

The easy and inexpensive way to learn to play the violin like a true master is with Violin Master Pro. When you download the Violin Master Pro course you will have instant access to violin lessons in video form from Prof. Eric Lewis.

Learn to play the violin like a pro with a cutting edge, step by step method that is easy to understand and apply. Learn the techniques used by the greatest classical, band and electronic musicians, leaving your audience blown away.

Start amazing your family & friends immediately with incredible skills on your violin.Learn how to play music from memory, using the ViolinMasterPro ear training method, which is more than easy to develop. It is said you either have this talent or you don't. Most people were not born with this talent, which the greats like Ray Charles had. The Violin Master Pro course makes it possible to develop this talent without being born with it. Learn how to "almost magically" play whole pieces of music after hearing them only a couple times.

Blow through the most difficult passages, scales and riffs with a collection of tricks and methods used by professional players.

Learn to play Violin in every style imaginable: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Fusion, Latin, European, Rock, Hip Hop, Folk, Country and more! Be able to play any song imaginable.

Visually stimulate your brain with the video lessons, opening up your horizons to "own" the fingerboard, no matter what level of expertise.

Become a Master of Music Theory with the ViolinMasterPro performance upgrade. Use the measure combos to internalize the makings of great music. Build the talent up from beginner to advanced until it is a matter of instinct.

Do you already play Violin? Chances are, (if you have never formally studied the instrument,) you are positioning yourself entirely the wrong way! Most players who are not familiar with the wrist stroke are throwing their energy right out the window! Maximize your energy and hand strength in three days.

Help yourself to the extensive library of every scale, chord, arpeggio and groove known to man! Every resource is written in music and provided via Video and Audio as well.

Discover the power of muscle memory. You will learn that your brain is not the only part of your body that remembers! Your hands will remember too!

Learn how to read music! Violin music is actually fun to read! Notes will become easy to understand, just as letters are. You will soon find that it is a truly amazing feeling to be able to play any piece of music on call, with help from a written page.

Getting your hands on the best instruments. Learn where and when to acquire the most valuable violins and other string instruments at discounted prices and sometimes even free!

Master rhythm! Become more of an accurate player immediately. Blaze through any time signature you need to interpret and be able to handle all feels and rhythm changes. Amaze your family and friends when you play intense grooves and fills from heart!

Discover the one thing the violin teachers don't tell their students EVER. If they told you this, you would have NO reason to go back for another lesson.

The Violin Master Pro is a person-report violin live course. All the ideas techniques and methods played in Violin Master Pro was created by Prof. Eric Lewis an urbanized pro (consequently the course is also known as the whole Prof. Eric Lewis method).

Prof. Eric Lewis is a member of the World Renowned Manhattan String Quartet and has been a private violin lecturer for more than 40 years. The foundations of ViolinMasterPro were set in 1988 when Professor Eric Lewis was conducting university orchestras. His aim was to help players develop much closer and saw that a new reasoning of beliefs will be required to achieve this. So he developed his own, the Eric Lewis practice. This logic was later refined, Eric recorded 100s of schooling videos and put the structure into letters. Now this packet is known as the Violin Master Pro System.

With its help you’ll learn to play violin like a pro.

• How to play all types of music on the violin.
• How to play improvisational music.
• How to play the violin by ear.
• How to read music.
• How to find the best instruments at the best prices.
• How to write songs on your violin.
• How to play with perfect rhythm.

Within minutes from right now. The entire video course is available for instant download - www.TheViolinMaster.com

About the Author:

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Learn to Master the Violin

Tracking Down Your Perfect Antique Violin in the Workshop of a Modern Master Violin Maker - is it Really Possible?

2009-08-10T11:40:00.002+07:00

Author: Lola Olaru

Having trouble tracking down your perfect violin? You're not alone. Many have found that getting a great sounding violin that fits their playing style can be confusing and frustrating, especially for students and beginners. No matter where you look there doesn't seem to be any definitive guidelines that work for everyone when it comes to selecting a violin. This has contributed to both professional and amateur musicians relying on the misconception that the oldest and most expensive instrument that you can afford is what you need. While violin experts continue to assert that old violins are worth the small fortunes it takes to obtain them, a growing number of musicians are beginning to realize that they can equal the sound of an antique violin with a good new instrument, crafted by an accomplished modern luthier. After all, violin makers today follow the same process as the old masters by constantly experimenting with size, proportion, and other variables to achieve the best sounding instruments possible. They also have the advantage of the centuries of experience by the numerous great masters before them to study and use for inspiration.

A trustworthy and experienced modern violin maker takes pride in his creations and can offer you solid information on the products that he offers. From his workshops in Reghin, Romania, master violin maker Vasile Gliga crafts high quality handmade violins and other stringed instruments in a time proven Romanian family tradition, which utilizes sophisticated and time-tested finishing techniques along with modern tools. Near the "Italian Valley" of the Transylvanian forests, the Gliga Group fashions their instruments from the same Carpathian spruce and flamed maple that ancient Italian masters used for their now highly-prized antique violins. In such close proximity to these forests, Gliga's knowledge in violin construction has grown up around the characteristics of these woods. Like the accomplished luthiers of the past, Gliga transmits the soul of these unique woods into every violin, cello, viola, and double bass that he produces, making each instrument a one-of-a-kind personal expression of his passion for the craft. But unlike antique violins that command over-inflated prices, the full range of Gliga's instruments from beginner and student versions to maestro and special versions are available to anyone who desires a highly-resonant and aesthetically beautiful instrument at down to earth prices.

When they pick up an instrument, experienced musicians intuitively know how to find that sweet spot that will make a violin sing. But a good violin that has benefited from the perfect combination of high-quality wood and its violin-maker's careful and precise workmanship can sound absolutely spectacular. Professional players such as Yehudi Menuhin, who are blessed enough to be able to play original Cremonese masterpieces, have acknowledged and praised the fine craftsmanship of Gliga violins. Despite all the evidence to the contrary though, some musicians continue to insist that only antique violins can achieve that magical sound which results from an instrument surviving the test of time. In reality, often what these musicians truly value is aesthetic beauty and the connection one feels to the masters of the past when playing an instrument marked by a long history. You don't have to own an authentic Guarneri or Stradivari violin in order to feel in touch with the roots of an world that you decided to be part of.

Satisfying the desire for an antique violin is often a risky venture, dependent upon large sums of money and an arduous search for the perfect unaltered specimen in the hands of questionable individuals. On the contrary, it can also be very spiritually gratifying to finally come upon the violin that fatefully seems as if it were meant to be in your possession, and makes you a part of its story. For those to whom their destined instrument has not revealed itself and for others who simply cannot afford the extravagance but enjoy the aesthetic beauty of an aged instrument, Gliga offers the antiqued violin as an alternative. These antiqued violins feature an exquisite manipulation of color and finish that expertly replicates the aesthetic beauty of an antique violin without devaluating the high standards of Gliga sound quality. A Gliga antiqued violin can fulfill the need to play an instrument with a body that has survived a battle with time while beginning your own musical tradition to be passed down through the generations. In addition to beautiful high-quality violins, the Gliga Group also offers specially designed stringed instruments as well as premium accessories such as bows, cases, strings, and much more. As Christmas is just around the corner, this is the perfect time to satisfy your special someone's love of music with a gift that they will cherish for a lifetime. Visit http://www.violinslover.com to find that sweet spot in your beloved this year with a Gliga violin, viola, cello, or double bass.

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Antique Violin

Guarneri or Stradivari Violin

Handmade Violins

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Tracking Down Your Perfect Antique Violin in the Workshop of a Modern Master Violin Maker - is it Really Possible?

A Brief Guide to Violin Shops

2009-08-09T06:52:00.001+07:00

Author: James Pender

www.theviolinmaster.com provides detailed information on Violins, Electric Violins, Violin Music, How to Play the Violin and more...

About the Author:

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - A Brief Guide to Violin Shops

Sizes & Types of Violins

2009-08-08T23:24:00.003+07:00

Author: James Pender

The violin is one of the most user-friendly musical instruments because it comes with varying sizes to suit the age of the player. Here are the various sizes and types of violins:
Sizes of Violins

1/16 - Suitable for young children age 3 to five years old. with an arm length of 14 to 15 3/8 inches.

1/10 - Also for young musicians age 3 to 5 years old, with an arm length of 15 3/8 to 17 inches.

1/8 - Again, for young violin enthusiasts age 3 to 5 years old with an arm length of 17.1 to 17.5 inches.

1/4 - With an arm length of 17.6 to 20 inches, this violin is suitable for children 4 to 7 years old.

1/2 - For children ages 6 to 10 years old, with an arm length of 20 to 22 inches.

3/4 - Children 9 to 11 years old with an arm length of 22 to 23.5 inches will enjoy playing this size violin.

4/4 or Full Size Violin - For violinists age 9 and above with an arm length of 23.5 and up. This is the size for adults.

Types of Violins

There are many violin makers from all across the world who create violins for specific name brands. Generally, there are two types of violins:

Acoustic or Non-Electric Violin - This is the traditional violin that is more suitable for beginners. The violin is a bowed string instrument that has the highest tune and is the smallest among the violin family of instruments. It is also called the fiddle when used to play traditional or folk music.

Electric Violin - As the name implies, electric violins use an electronic signal output and is suited for more advanced players. The sound of an electric violin is sharper than that of an acoustic.

Violins amy also be classified by period or era:

Baroque Violin - The violin of this period had a shallower angle and neck, there was not much thought given to chin and shoulder rests and the strings were strung in gut with equal tension.

Classical Violin - The violin of this period had a thinner neck and smaller heels than that of the Baroque period.

Modern Violin - The neck of the modern violin is more sharply angled, the wood used is thinner and smaller and the strings are tuned higher.

Violins may also be classified by the country from which it originated such as China, Korea, Hungary, Germany and Italy. People who make violins are called luthier. Less expensive violins often come from China, while the most expensive, the Stradivarius, (named after Antonio Stradivari) comes from Italy.

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy - www.theviolinmaster.com

About the Author:

James Pender

Founder and "Public Service Announcement Guy" TheViolinMaster.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Sizes & Types of Violins