Reasons why you should learn to read music
February 28, 2010 by Guest · Leave a Comment
Learning to read music is necessary to communicating with other musicians.
Music is as much of a language as French or Spanish, all must learn before speaking.
All musical groups must have this written roadmap before they begin. Since man began to sing, he has invented ways to teach the next generation his songs with some sort of written music.
Before learning to have a musical conversation one must learn the language basics.
It all comes down to if you cannot read; you cannot be with a group that reads. This leaves you as a performer left out of a large portion of musical performance venues.
reading music is essential to understanding theory. All of the structure of chords, melody, harmony and so forth can only be understood completely through the written note. I know you say well, this is boring, but someday you will be so glad you started now.
You can learn music by only reading it like you would a book. When you follow music you can learn a song without an instrument in your hand. If you can read music you can go straight to the book and get all of the basic information on your own. Have you ever learned a song from someone else and not known if you got it right or got all of the information you need? Knowing music enables you to take a piece you have never heard before and make sense of it on your own.
It is fascinating to realize the author may have intended something different that what you have heard recorded. I have many times been very surprised to find out a song was written very differently than I have always heard it performed. In “Georgia On My Mind” by Hoagy Carmichael, for example, no ones plays the intro. If you only know a song because of a certain recording, chances are good that you do not have a complete picture. If you are involved in songwriting, I am sure you would want people to know the way you wrote it. Think about that for a moment.
When you can read music the discovery of new worlds awaits you. If you can read music you can open up a songbook and discover new worlds. I have found many songs this way that are favorites of mine now and if I did not read I certainly would never have found them.
Discover new music you would never know otherwise. Everything you learn is hard at first but soon it becomes a delight and fun. Think of how hard it was at first to ride a bike and how many times you fell over.
You will only become a better musician if you learn to read music. Learn to read music and you can discover music you would never hear otherwise, be able to speak with authority
about the intent of the author and you will have more fun, I guarantee it.
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Overcome Your Fear Of Public Singing - Karaoke
October 17, 2009 by Jackie Cummings · Leave a Comment
Are you afraid of public karaoke performance? Before you start singing, you must: Memorize your songs - Discover the tune, the language, and practise the actions you are going to use. It is also really essential to learn and know precisely where to come in at the opening of the song.
Sleep - Get lots of rest the night before you perform.
Singing - Rest your voice on the day of your public presentation but make sure you warm it up the right way before you perform.
Eating - Make sure that you don’t drink bubbly drinks or ice drinks before you sing. Same goes with milk, yoghurt, cream, ice cream, cheese etc. This is not at all proposing that you should avoid taking these foods altogether. Just be careful that when you have to perform particular foods can interfere with your singing. It is a right idea to eat a couple of hours before you have to perform in order to provide the food to digest. It is no fun trying to sing on a full stomach. Some individuals wait until after they perform to eat, but I wouldn’t advise this. First reason is that you need the energy to be able to sing well. I have also found that it’s better to eat before you sing because it will help to keep your anxiety at a more manageable level. If you don’t eat you will become even more stressed and unable to control the anxiousness.
Breathing - Deep ventilation is suggested to facilitate you with performance anxiousness. The more you sing the simpler it gets. Still, this does not happen with everyone. Some individuals proceed to battle with anxiousness. The fundamental thing you want to remember is to never give up. Don’t let the fearfulness stop you from doing what you enjoy.
Dress to impress - When you are going to perform make sure that you dress fitly. It is better to be over dressed than under dressed.
Make up - Stage lights can make a person look washed out or really sick. So a bit of colour will help you to avoid this. Age appropriate make up please!
Hair - Make it look special!
Warm up your voice before you sing - Do your vocal practices, breathing and warm ups.
Arrive on time - You could get disqualified or a replacment might be found if you are late.
Smile - As soon as you walk on stage you have set about your performance. Put your shoulder joints back and smile confidently.
Enjoy yourself - Masses will savour your public presentation more if you are involved in what you are singing.
Mistakes - If you happen to make a mistake act as though nothing encountered and keep enduring. Don’t say sorry, whoops, wind your eyes or commence laughing. Most people won’t have a hint that you have made a fault.
Recognise and pass along the message of the song - During performance it is very fundamental to commune the substance or narrative behind the song. Dont just stand like a statue. Learn about your character. Rehearse this at home when you sing your songs. If you do not practice beforehand you will not be able to make it materialize on the day of your performance.
Applause - Stand and receive the applause as it’s being given and then walk off the stage. Constantly make sure that you hold back until the music stops before you depart. Remember that walking on and off stage are both critical parts of your performance.
Reward yourself - After singing try not to think about the negatives. A performance is rarely perfect in every last way. Don’t grant faults or disappointments halt you from singing once more. A person who never makes any faults doesn’t do anything.
Rachel is the founder of KaraokeStarDVD. KaraokeStarDVD was founded to provide a collection of affordable karaoke songs for music lovers.It offers the most popular karaoke songs on 4 DVDs.
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3 Methods To Get The Most Out Of Your Music Lessons
September 19, 2009 by Michael Bell · Leave a Comment
Whether you are using a book, video, a real live human, or online lessons, keep these pointers in mind in order to get the most out our your studies.
1. Complete and master each section before moving on to the next: As you work through your studies make sure you have each new technique or idea conquered before moving on to the next. Lessons are planned to build upon each other and trying to rush through without fully understanding one will just lead to frustration and wasted efforts.
2. Study as if you were back in school. Do your homework every evening. If all you have is 30 minutes then harness those 30 minutes. If you dont have time to study and apply then do the application of your last lesson or drills such as scales and chords. Reading/watching and not having the opportunity to apply immediately will usually mean you have to relearn your lesson. Take notes. Especially if youre watching a video or working with a human. Also dont be afraid to write all over your workbooks and sheet music.
3. Apply what youve learned: Play for others. Your church, your family, that spare piano sitting in your favorite department store (ask first). Nothing drives a music lesson home better than a recital. It will also show clearly and reveal what you need to work on.
These tips have an effect whether your a youth or an adult. Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful activity.
You can now also produce your own Hip Hop tunes yourself with the world’s best music production machine called SonicProducer. You may create thousands of beats and you don’t even need to be an experienced musician or have any experience. It has been made super easy to produce your own beats and you won’t believe the quality of the sounds they packed it with.
SonicProducer is an incredible current edge music sequencer with mp3 export capability. SonicProducer also features music production tutorials with several keyboards, studios as well as tutorials on how to use the Sonic Producer software. All this is available online through the “members area” and contains everything including the software, sounds and the system of video lessons and documentation.
Click here to learn more about SonicProducer.
Michael Bell has been in the music industry for more than ten years and is very into historic evolution of Rap and Hip Hop as we know it today. He is Hip Hop producer himself and recommends Sonic Producer as a very sophisticated music production machine to newcomers, who want to get their first music production experience and are eager to get fast results. Click here to learn more about SonicProducer.
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Learning To Sing - Where To Start
August 19, 2009 by Charle Rivers · Leave a Comment
Singing is an innate part of human nature. There is just something that is so freeing when you sing out in celebration of life. Some choose karaoke, others reality television, and still others, the privacy of their own homes, where they choose to share their natural singing abilities. There is always room for improvement, though, in your vocal prowess. There are just a few myths that need to be eliminated from everyones perception of the human beings capacity to sing ” whether they are extremely talented or not so much.
It is not uncommon for people to fail to learn to sing because they believe singing involves some unique, inborn abilities. We have all heard the term “tone-deaf” used to describe someone. It is true that some people are born with an innate ability (or talent) to control pitch or volume but nearly everyone can develop these abilities.
In fact, only two percent of the worlds population truly cannot tell one tone from another! Scientific research has proven that all people can become good singers with a little training. By learning to recognize different tones and pitches, you will actually train your ear to become one with the music.
Frequently, people fail to sing commensurate with their ability merely because they are not singing in an appropriate range. Even an excellent alto cannot sing in a sopranos range with the same accuracy. A voice teacher can help you find your natural range and choose songs appropriate for your voice.
You must know how to breathe corectly if you want to sing beautifully. Take slow, deep breaths with your diaphragm, not your lungs. Take a long, slow breath, and try to push out your abdomen, keeping your shoulders still. This sort of breathing uses your diaphragm properly.
Next, sing out of your head, not just your mouth. See your voice moving through your forehead. You will learn to use your “head voice,” which sounds pleasing and better to others.
Once you learn all of these basic skills, even the least confident singer will be presenting their voices in the best light. Also, infusing passion and emotion into your performance will certainly up the ante and improve your overall performance because you will be pulling the heartstrings of your audience. This is why just living in the moment and experiencing the song with your most passionate and heartfelt emotions will increase the effectiveness of your performance even if you are not Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston!
Adults often think it is too late in their lives to learn how to sing beautifully. It is never too late! Many instructors do not like to work with children, as their voices still need years to develop. Adults can certainly benefit from teaching. With a good teacher and some solid practice, you will sound wonderful!
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Singing, Guitar, & Piano Lessons Online
March 6, 2009 by Guest · Leave a Comment
In the dark ages you didn’t have much of a choice if you wanted to learn to sing or play piano, you had to get extremely expensive private music lessons. This was a very expensive way to go about mastering music! It was also not always very efficient because the unfortunate fact is, many local music teachers are not very good at teaching and getting music lessons from such a teacher may be far worse than not getting music lessons at all.
Now it’s the age of the internet and it’s much more easy to receive the musical lessons you desire as you can download them online instantly. This means there’s nothing to wait for. These lessons are also satisfaction guaranteed which means there’s not any risk in trying it out.
Singorama online singing lessons are the recommended singing lessons. Everything you need to learn how to sing like a real professional is included and you can actually be singing just like a pro in less than three months if you follow the program closely. Like I said before, the program is 100% satisfaction guaranteed and can be downloaded online immediately. You can start learning to sing just like your favorite vocalist whether it be some American Idol singer or Mick Jagger. Singorama also includes a lot of great free bonuses such as a free “mini recording studio” which you will also get instant access to.
Jamorama online guitar lessons are the recommended guitar lessons. You can learn to play like your favorite guitarists and also develop your own unique style with these very effective guitar lessons. As with Singorama, Jamorama can be downloaded online instantly. If you truly want to master your guitar then why should you have to wait? Start learning to play like Jimi Hendrix, The Edge, Radiohead, and Clapton today!
Rocket Piano lessons are the recommended piano lessons. Rocket Piano is just as effective for learning to play piano as Singorama is for singing and Jamorama is for learning to play guitar. It is highly recommended that you learn to play piano even if it’s not to be your main instrument. It really helps you to understand music when you can play piano. With these lessons you’ll learn how to play your favorite songs that feature piano whether they are by Coldplay or Chopin.
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Singers:Do You Want to Extend Your Voice Range?
January 14, 2009 by Will Sandey · Leave a Comment
Most singers has a range where they feel best singing. If a singer attempts to sing a high pitch, most of the time the voice does not have that rich sound quality because it changes to a falsetto. Sing pitches as high as you hum as this will present a more realistic view of how high you can actually sing without falsetto.
If you want to sound like a certain performer you might be out of luck, only they can sing like them. You can practice and match their range but your voice was designed for you. People know you by your voice, so be proud of sounding uniquely yourself.
If you want to increase your range you have to practice, no question about it. It sounds boring and tedious but remember that nobody ever stepped on stage the first time and became a star. They worked at it and practiced until they didn’t want to even perform but when you hear them you think that you could do that too.
Your range can be expanded when you become aware how you speak and when you read a passage while you carefully modulate your voice. When you do this, you will notice that your voice sounds higher and thin sounding and when you suffer from a cold the voice has a husky sound. Believe it or not, you can train your voice this way by training to expand the range.
Try experimenting reading aloud a childrens story using a lot of expression with your voice because at times it can reach a range in your voice that can surpass your singing range. You are training your voice to reach higher pitches without breaking and then you are relaxing your vocal cords when you sing lower pitches. The vocal cords do fall in comfortably what that are used to singing, except when you reach a higher range they begin to separate and the falsetto voice begins.
When you sing, train your vocal cords when you want to sing in a higher range. Practice speaking dramatically with emotion as this will train your voice to stretch its range. After some time, you could be able to sing higher notes more easily without as much strain.
Singers must not try to sing beyond their range as the stress and harm on the vocal cords will be bad. The voice may not heal if there is repeated stress on the cords. Repetitive shouting and screaming will weaken the vocal cords tremendously, as we need our voices for communicating with each other.
When you practice the right way, your vocal cords will begin to expand your range gradually. You might not ever sound like your favorite performer because their voice is just one part of their stage presence, but you be able to sing higher and in range. Octaves are part of your range so if you can increase your range you can sing higher octaves as your vocal cords are more relaxed.
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Expand Your Vocal Range
December 16, 2008 by Elizabeth Schohl · Leave a Comment
Most singers has a range where they feel best singing. If a singer attempts to sing a high pitch, most of the time the voice does not have that rich sound quality because it changes to a falsetto. Sing pitches as high as you hum as this will present a more realistic view of how high you can actually sing without falsetto.
Only your favorite singer can sound exactly like themselves as no one can copy their trademark sound exactly. Keep in mind that you can practice and spend time to sound like them or get the same range, but your own voice is your sound. Learn how to work with your voice and cultivate your distinctive sound which people will learn to know.
If you want to increase your range you have to practice, no question about it. It sounds boring and tedious but remember that nobody ever stepped on stage the first time and became a star. They worked at it and practiced until they didn’t want to even perform but when you hear them you think that you could do that too.
Your range can be expanded when you become aware how you speak and when you read a passage while you carefully modulate your voice. When you do this, you will notice that your voice sounds higher and thin sounding and when you suffer from a cold the voice has a husky sound. Believe it or not, you can train your voice this way by training to expand the range.
Reading some children’s stories is a great way to express your voice and expand it past what singing can do. You’re teaching your voice to expand but not to break, when you lower your voice you’re teaching it to relax. Your voice has a memory that tells your brain how far you can stretch your vocal cords before they separate and start to use your falsetto voice.
When you sing, train your vocal cords when you want to sing in a higher range. Practice speaking dramatically with emotion as this will train your voice to stretch its range. After some time, you could be able to sing higher notes more easily without as much strain.
Singers must not try to sing beyond their range as the stress and harm on the vocal cords will be bad. The voice may not heal if there is repeated stress on the cords. Repetitive shouting and screaming will weaken the vocal cords tremendously, as we need our voices for communicating with each other.
When you practice the right way, your vocal cords will begin to expand your range gradually. You might not ever sound like your favorite performer because their voice is just one part of their stage presence, but you be able to sing higher and in range. Octaves are part of your range so if you can increase your range you can sing higher octaves as your vocal cords are more relaxed.
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Sing Along Fun with Karaoke
December 14, 2008 by Douglas Blackwall · Leave a Comment
Sometimes you’ve just got to sing, and when the mood strikes you to belt out a favorite tune, karaoke can set the stage to find the hidden star in you.
With karaoke, anyone can be in the spotlight. Singing is a great stress reliever and the perfect way to leave your worries at the doorstep. Besides, singing makes you feel good and it’s just plain fun. A karaoke machine is a great way to have a blast with your friends and family and it’s the perfect starting point to building your own in-house jam session.
The Japanese word Karaoke is derive from two words: Kara, which means “empty”, and Oke, short for okesutora, or orchestra. Karaoke entertainment systems provide pre-recorded musical accompaniment of popular songs. In most cases, karaoke performers follow the lyrics on a video screen as the music plays on.
Karaoke has been popular in portions of North America for more than a decade, but it has been a full-on sweeping sensation throughout Asia for more than thirty years. The first virtual concert machine was introduced in Japan in the 1970s. Since then, karaoke parties have been favorite pastimes for all countless performers on the small stage. The phenomenon of karaoke was so huge that the media adopted the term to use for all occasions when pre-recorded music replaced live performances.
Musical elements have always been paramount in the formation of Japanese traditions. Music is reflected in all aspects of Japanese mythology, history and culture. Even Japanese Samurais implement singing, dancing and music into their vigorous education and training regimes.
The history of karaoke in Japan begins in the early 1970s with a singer named Daisuke Inoue. He was so popular at a bar called “Utagoe Kissa” that the crowd began to ask for recordings of his music so that they could sing along. Seeing the potential, Inoue created a tape recorder that would play a song for a 100 yen coin. At that time, 100 yen would buy two lunches, so this was considered to be a rather pricey pastime. Regardless, the combination of old-fashioned jukebox and would-be karaoke machine proved to be a huge hit in Japan. Inoue decided to lease the machines to nightclubs and stores, so that they would not have to purchase new songs on their own.
The development of the karaoke machine held such social importance, Daisuke Inoue was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. His award was based on his ability to provide “an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other”.
The act of singing karaoke is known as “Karaoke Time”, and has been a popular form of entertainment in East Asia since the early 1980’s. The karaoke phenomenon quickly spread to other parts of the world, and its popularity soon reached record heights. Before long, the karaoke craze reached North American shores, took the entire continent by storm and opened brand new opportunities for enterprising individuals.
The new entertainment import industry of karaoke flourished in the Western world. Many Americans, quick to see the investment potential in this new style of entertainment, saw the moneymaking value in offering a new, trendy and fun way to bring people together in a tolerant, patient manner. Across North America, karaoke bars and nightclubs known as “KTV boxes” began to pop up. Eager karaoke performers took advantage of these new venues, software and equipment.
Since karaoke first reached the shores of North America, people have regarded the pastime with increasing regard. While few American bars offer karaoke seven nights a week, as many in Asia do, these clubs have upgraded their equipment and replaced those tiny standalone machines that were popular two decades ago. Performers and audience members are able to sing along to song lyrics shown television screens placed throughout the club, and many clubs provide big screen TVs for viewing lyrics.
Many North American homes have also welcomed the karaoke sensation. From inexpensive machines for kids to pricey high-end versions, home karaoke machines can be connected to a pre-existing entertainment center, allowing family and friends to join in the fun. When performers tire of the karaoke music on hand, they can simply go online to download karaoke tracks from the Internet. With music available on the web, plus a couple of computer speakers and a microphone, you don’t even need a karaoke machine to sing like a star.
When your inner party animal needs a little soothing, try belting out a few karaoke tunes. It’s a great way to have fun, relieve stress and get your fifteen minutes of fame.
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The Best Way to Sing on Pitch
November 7, 2008 by Lisa Lopez · Leave a Comment
Do you know what the meaning of “tone deaf” is? Some singers unable to sing in pitch despite they had trying a lot of ways to solve this problem. Normally, they failed to identify the different of the musical frequency or pitch from the others. Singers find it difficult to sing in harmony with others or to accompany notes of some instrument.
Do you know the causes that make you a “tone deaf”? Actually, it might be possible as a child you were not involved in enough musical activities. You might not have got the training in your childhood. But it’s not a problem. It is never too late to learn singing on pitch.
In case of singing on pitch, tone deafness and actual deafness should be differentiated. Tone deaf people can hear the music and the other audible sounds like street traffic, noise etc but they are not able to differentiate one pitch from another. There is “ear training”, a special form of training that can help you in singing on a pitch. Ear training can help you in the personal development of areas that are a bit lacking.
There is additional thing to acknowledge that a lot of people can hear music in their head, when no music is being played at their places. It’s comfortable for such people to overcome singing on pitch. A lot of composers have this ability and they can compose symphonies in their brain, without bringing their ear to it. Fundamentally, astounding auditory memories are advancing popularity among people. It’s like we can recall certain smell and taste like a chef.
You have to learn the fundamental differences between singing and hearing is you really want to sing in pitch easily. Both these terms are very much dependent on each other. Dr. Alfred Tomatis, a French audiologist, had established an important relationship between the two terms.
He told that if a person cannot produce a particular sound, he cannot hear it. He gave this reason for the change in the voice of older people. As they lose their hearing ability, their voice changes. So hearing on pitch plays an important role in singing on pitch. You fail to copy the pitch, unless you learn to distinguish it.
You have learn to hear pitch before you ever think about of singing in pitch. You must start from hearing the pitch. If you can hear, you can move to the next step to differentiate between the sounds of different pitches.
For it, you need to find some good ear training exercise or you can hire a good coach to teach you the same. They can provide you an aid to improve your singing technique. Singing on pitch needs lot of practice. So keep practicing. Don’t give it up. It is in your reach.
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You Need Breath Control to Sing Well
November 6, 2008 by Elizabeth Schohl · Leave a Comment
Have you ever seen a singer perform in front of a large audience and all of a sudden the singer loses their breath while singing? No singer wants to experience this, no matter if they are a professional or amateur singer. There are ways to clear this up, and that is learning breath support.
One of the most important aspects of singing that ought to be taken into consideration by any singer is breathing techniques. Proper voice control is impossible without proper breathing exercises, which allow the singer to retain and modulate his breath for longer periods of time. This prevents choking of breath in the middle of a song and allows the singer to produce a powerful, well-modulated performance.
The key to proper voice modulation through breathing techniques is Diaphragmatic Breathing (also called deep breathing or belly breathing or abdominal breathing.) This involves breathing deep by flexing ones diaphragm instead of the comparatively shallow breathing, by flexing the rib cage. This is considered generally to be a healthier way of breathing since it involves fuller ingestion of oxygen.
If you practice good breath support you should be able to breathe deeply, which is important in singing. You need to be fully calm and hold no tension in your body while you attempt the breathing exercises. Don’t wear tight-fitting clothing such as belts, skirts, ties, slacks, jeans as these will restrict circulation and air flow from the lungs.
Keep in mind if the jaws are not clamped together, your hands are not squeezed together in a tense grip, and the your legs are not taut yet standing firmly on the ground. The point is you want to feel totally relaxed with no muscle tension so that you are mentally willing to sing effortlessly.
When you have you hand on the chest and stomach, you will be able to observe the enlargement of them. You can use some breath support with your breathing in and out and note where the body is enlarging. When and if the rib cage is expanding, think about breathing from the stomach.
Exhalation is often more important in deep breathing than inhalation, so you should breathe out slowly. Believe it or not, panting exercises can help you in the form of breathing exercises. Panting or taking sharp, quick intakes of breaths in short groups of five helps in feeling the diaphragm work.
Deep breathing techniques are essential can be repeated a lot during practice as a regular habit. With perseverance and gradual building up of breath, a singer can master the art of deep belly breathing and use it successfully everywhere. Keep in mind that this type of breath control develops slowly so that the singer should be patient.
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