How Does Music Influence Our Lives

Music influences our lives considerably because there is no man who can admit he doesn't like music and he doesn't have a favorite song or artist. Many people live or breathe through music; others earn money from it, but most of them relax while listening to music. It is said that music therapy is so powerful that it can cure diseases or disorders of the brain. Our musical preferences reflect our image in society, influences our mood, makes us more courageous, more cheerful, or, on the contrary, more sad and depressed. It all depends on the way we understand or feel it.

Many research shows that not only our personality is influenced by music, but also our sexual activity that improves or gets worse depending on the music we listen. It seems that those who listen to jazz have better sexual performance than those who listen to pop: it seems that the saxophone has this significant effect on people. Those who have the lowest sexual activity are those who listen to classical music. Heavy metal music, however, makes you be temperamental and stubborn.

Music develops certain parts of the brain that can not be stimulated otherwise. It seems that when small children learn to play piano, they are willing to acquire much more information than those who do not play to any instrument. Thus, children who learn to play the piano have a greater intelligence than those who learn to use a computer.

Music influences our health and has a great contribution to the adjustment of neurological and moving deficiency. In some cases, patients suffering from Parkinson's were able to move only when they remembered certain songs from their youth. It also seems that we choose the rhythm depending on our heart or breathing rate. The combination of musical rhythms seems to induce our fluctuations of blood pressure, sometimes being imperceptible, but usually influencing our feelings. Therefore slow music calms us, while having a fast rhythm makes us tense, but when music is based too much on harmony, then it may tire our brain. What influences our state of mind is the length and location of breaks in a song.

The way we react to a song depends much and our state of mind or previous experiences. If we associate a song with a sad event in our life, we will grieve when we hear it, while others, with no memories connected to that song, will consider it happy. Also, we often associate an ad or a movie to the music we hear. That's why music is used in commercials and films, because, if the message did not reach us, music will do for sure.

Music has also its own message. Rock and rap songs with videos that incite violence and sexual messages addressed directly send the same message to its listeners. Young people who listen to this genre of music have more hectic lives and a more aggressive behavior. Rap has a more powerful effect because its lyrics are more explicit and even if the lyrics can not be understood, usually because the volume is too loud; its melodic line that repeats succeeds, eventually, to transmit the same message.

But music doesn't influence only people, it was noted that plants grow faster and produce more flowers, fruits and seeds when in the room is instrumental music, especially violin, flute and harmonium.

How To Record Your Own Rap Songs At Home

There has never been a better time to be an independent rapper or singer. No longer do you have to spend countless dollars on expensive studio time to record quality sounds. You'd be surprised how many of your favorite songs were probably recorded in the artists basement, then taken to a professional studio to be mixed and mastered. Because the processing power of the computer has increased so drastically, it is now possible to have the power of a fully functional studio in your house. If you purchase the correct equipment, it is possible to record your own music at home.

The first thing you need is a computer with a high amount of RAM and a hard drive (internal or external) with a lot of memory. Having a Mac would be ideal, but a well built PC will suffice if you lack the funds. I also recommend getting a TB (terabyte) hard drive, as they are relatively inexpensive and will most likely last you your entire music career. I have a terabyte hard drive that is not even at 60% yet and I've had it for three years. Having a lot of memory is important because recording Wav and AIFF files take require loads of memory. Your system will crash if you don't have enough available resources. The good news about this is that memory is very inexpensive these days. Expect to spend about $80 to $160 for a good hard drive. You can spend anywhere from $1,000-$5,000 for your entire computer system.

The next thing that is necessary is a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as Pro Tools, or Logic. Pro Tools is still the leading competitor when it comes to DAW's because your session are compatible in any major recording studio in the world. While Logic is a great program, you may run into problems when traveling from studio to studio with your music. If you don't plan on transferring your music anywhere, Logic Pro may be an ideal choice for you.

Along with the DAW, you will need to purchase a good quality condenser mic. If you spend anywhere from $100-$500, you should be in good shape. But if your budget can spare, spend $1,000+. This alone will set you above the majority of rappers that record their vocals at home. You get what you pay for, and you will definitely notice a difference in the crispness of your voice.

Once you have your recording set up correctly, you're going to need to get some instrumentals to rap to. A good producer is not hard to find these days, it seems like everyone makes beats now. You can search the internet with terms like "buy beats online" or "beats for sale" and you'll find some very good online producers. Having high quality beats is another important aspect of recording at home, if not the most important. A great instrumental can mask a less than ideal recording environment and give you an expensive sound.

Recording at home seems to be the ideal for up and coming rap artists. The costs are lower and it expands productivity given that it is possible to record at anytime at no cost. It is not necessary to over spend when it comes to studio equipment, but it is also important not to be cheap. You will be safe spending about $2,500 for your entire setup, and it will last you a long period of time without having to upgrade anything.

A Short History of Gangs and Rap Music

It can be said that gangs and rap music are somehow related to each other because rap music is almost considered akin to gangs and prison. In fact the first rap track was released by a gang called the Sugerhill Gang, their track 'Rappers Delight' had hit #36 on the US pop charts and #2 on the US R&B charts.

The history of gangs is as old as humans ever existed in towns. It can be as long as piracy. States authorities generally consider gangs to be disturbing elements although many gangs see themselves as protectors of their community and performing a justifiable social service. Rap, on the other hand is a style of poetic rhyming set to a heavy beat often including a chorus sung by another performer in the style of traditional pop, rhythm and blues. It is mainly an American medium of music but in recent years has boosted onto the world stage and rappers can now be found in almost every country.

As gangs and rap are related with each other, they have always struggled in their history and some were jailed before their performance. There is not a lot of information about gangs that existed before Roman times in ancient history. Many historians are of a view that if gangs were a law and order problem in Rome then older states and empires must be familiar with gangs.

There was a major boost in the popularity of Rap music in the 80s with the first gangster rap singles projecting rappers such as Ice-T and Niggas With Attitude made their way into the positions of famous and well-known rap performers. There was disagreement over their choice regarding track names and lyrics. Fuck the Police and Cop Killer were the name of such songs that added problems.

Although the gruesome presentations of murders and gangster shootings of rap performers was not good and it shook the industry but it did nothing to adversely affect the uptake of rap as a mainstream music style. Artists like Tupac, Shakur Notorious B.I.G., Big L and Jam Master Jay were all gunned down in drive-by mafia style murders.

Some people consider rap music as bad because they are related to gangs. Regardless of this, there has been growth in rap music. Performers from outside the traditional base have been encouraged by rap music like Eminem, Lil Kim and Salt n Pepa. These performers have successfully proved that rap music is not at all the identity of black males.

Writing Rap Songs

Writing rap songs is a process in which the writer has to use their innermost thoughts and imagination. This makes songwriting a creative process though, it is a bit more than that as well. It is not just the creativity that is important in a rap song, it is also about how the rap lyrics are laid out and written as well.

Rap songs have to have a meaning, be creative and make sense all at the same time. This is why many people who are writing rap lyrics will have difficulty creating a great rap song. Catchy rap lyrics will usually rhyme and go along with the beat of the music. In short, it will make people want to sing along. These are the main keys to writing rap songs.

When you are creating a rap tune, you will start by coming up with a theme in which will need to be followed throughout. This means that everything in your rap tune will go together in some way. For example, if you are writing about the sun then, you would want to have things that remind you of the sun in your lyrics.

These things could be anything from shine or warmth to the beach or flowers because these are all things that could be related to the sun. After you have come up with your theme, everything else will basically just fall into place as long as you stay on course which is important when writing rap lyrics. A song that does not make any sense to the listeners will be hard to follow or sing along to.

Another important aspect to writing rap tunes is that the song has a catchy chorus. The chorus is the part that goes in between the verses and is also what most people will remember, sing when they enjoy a rap song. If the chorus is no good, it will not matter how good the verses are; people will not listen to the song and it will be a failure. By following the theme and having a catchy chorus, you should be able to come up with a rap song that has capabilities to top the music charts.

The History Of Rap Music

These days, rap music is such a significant part of popular culture that it is difficult to imagine that there was ever a time without it. However, the truth is that rap has only been in the mainstream music market for just over thirty years. The tradition, though, goes back much farther and this genre of music actually has quite a rich history.

The origins of rap are attributed to a few different sources, most of which center on the African culture. One popularly believed theory is that it grew from West African tribes who had a great deal of respect for "men of words." Another is that rap music came from Jamaican fold tales, which were essentially stories told in rhyme.

When rap music finally made its way over to America, it first became popular on the streets and in school yards. Early raps mostly focused on rappers boasting about their skills and cutting down other rappers. Watching these rap battles became a popular form of entertainment at many neighborhood parties.

Rap music stayed on the streets and did not begin to make its way into popular culture until 1979. This was the year that Sugar Hill Gang released their single, Rapper's Delight. The song was such a huge success that the music industry had no choice but to sit up and take notice, leading to the huge rap industry that we are familiar with today.

These days, rap music is one of the most popular genres on the radio, in clubs and on television, but it did not start out that way. The music finds its origins in a number of places, including African tribal traditions and Jamaican folk tales. After spending years being developed on city streets, rap music has finally taken its rightful place as one of the most popular and dynamic forms of music around.

Make Beats for Rap Music With Software

The first time I had a chance to go to a professional recording studio, I was 19 years old. This was 1994 and I was working with a young producer writing songs for a local r&b group who was trying to get a record deal.
The control room was freezing cold and filled with, what I now know was, tens of thousands of dollars worth of audio gear. Years later when I started producing beats for an independent label overseas, we started our studio with a few thousand bucks. Admittedly, our set up didn't sound as good as the pro studio I first worked in, but in the hands of the right engineer we managed to get broadcast quality songs out.
Fast forward to today and I do the majority of my production work on software that I got over five years for a couple hundred bucks. The beauty of the particular software I bought is that I get free updates for life. As long as the company is around I don't have to worry about my software becoming obsolete. With older hardware it can be a nightmare trying to get spare parts or upgrades or add ons.

So to recap, the professional studio I worked in at 19 was easily tens of thousands of dollars, my first studio set up I got 5 years later cost about one tenth that much. The software I bought 5 years after my project studio cost me about one tenth as much as the project studio.

To be fair, there are somethings that I could have done at the pro studio that I could not dream of doing with just my laptop and some software. But I am making rap beats, not recording a live band. After I make the beats, I can always pass them along to a good engineer to mix and master them. Or, if and major artists wants to use it, I can always translate the idea into a bigger production.

For the purely creative part of making beats I don't need much more than my computer and some inspiration. It took me a while to embrace the idea of using software to make beats. Sometimes it feels like cheating. But when I think about the thousands of dollars I have saved over the past five years, I get over it.

In reality, most of the tools that have been used to create hip hop music for the past two decades have been software driven. All the sequencers, digital samplers, keyboards and drum machines used in the classic hip hop of the 1980's and 1990's are basically computers running specialized software.

More than any other genre of music, technology drives hip hop. First, DJ's manually looped records with rigged up sound systems. Mixers evolved to include cross-faders and effects to make the DJ's life easier. When hip hop was recorded, samplers, sequencers, and drum machines evolved to emulate the action of the DJ. Now the software that made it possible to automate the performance of the DJ has been lifted from the gear and installed on my laptop

The Need for Music Recommendation Systems

The music industry can re-engage musical audiences by making the online music consumption and recommendation process more personal, through a number of music recommender services that take into account a service user's personal tastes. These recommendation engines, based on machine learning technology, work by providing personalised music listening experiences using data about the user's preferences and behaviour, as determined by the user's past ranking associations on the service, without the service having to ask for it explicitly. This personalised experience empowers the industry to generate increased, targeted exposure for artists and devise more efficient marketing strategies overall.

The need for personalisation is due in large part to the dramatic digital developments that the music industry has undergone in recent years. Prior to the digital age, audiences had little input into the workings of the music industry; influential decisions about which artists would receive the most promotion belonged to a restricted number of "gatekeepers" such as record label executives and artist managers within the music industry. Digital media has transformed this relationship, giving individual users the ability to define their own music consumption experience. The large digital music catalogues have freed music consumers from the restriction of a limited musical offering, but has also left them disoriented amidst the vast number of choices there now have. Consequently, the efficiency and growth of music recommender services is important as they allow listeners to discover new music that they enjoy through a musical experience that is tailored to their specific tastes, exposing them to emerging and unknown artists, and possibly enabling the user to financially support these artists by purchasing their art as well.

A personalised experience also benefits the music business, as the digitization has given the industry global market reach and reduced the weight of physical distribution barriers to new audiences. Personalisation is used as a powerful marketing tool, to exploit the potential of these new markets and their demographics by using a detailed understanding of different audiences' tastes and preferences. This development benefits all music industry parties, primarily through the generation of greater listening figures and increased revenue for record labels, artists, managers, as well as more satisfaction for fans.

The benefits of website personalisation are not restricted to the music business and its constituents, as successful recommendations benefit customers on all websites by providing them with items they are bound to be interested in, and in some cases, suggesting items the user was not aware of to begin with.

Rap Technique

So you want to know how to rap? Are you a beginner trying to put your first rhymes together or are you more advanced? Tired of reading about rap theory and actually want some practical exercises?

A lot of people think that rap is a natural talent; a mystery that cannot be taught. This is not true. While many people have a strong sense of rhythm and timing and others are good with words, these are skills that can be worked on and developed. Even freestyling can be gradually developed; though this is something that people often have a predisposition to. Like with everything in life, with knowledge and practice you can develop and improve. Nobody tries to learn the piano without knowledge and practice; why would rap be any different.

Rap can be seen in Jazz, Rock, Folk, and World music as well as more traditional urban genres such as Grime, Drum and Base and Hip Hop. I have also aimed this at people who already rap, and the information will hopefully increase understanding and ability.

There are some fundamentals of rap, so before you use the links let me break down the key things you need to be able to work on to develop good rap technique.

Timing - to put it simply if you can't count the beat then you can't rap. When you learn to play the music you learn to count 1234 along to the music. This is your basic skill and something you can practice to any track.

Rhyming - most of rap revolves around the ability to rhyme words. While it is not essential and groups such as Public Enemy 'I don't rhyme for the sake of riddling' didn't use rhyme to a large extent, it is still key to the rap sounds.

The ability to listen - listening to other rappers, listening to the track, listening to other types of music, listening is vital. One of the most important exercises you can do is to simply take part in call and response exercises, imitating what rappers do. After all, you don't start composing music on the violin the day you have your firs lesson; you imitate starting off with simple things and then becoming more complex.

Imitation - Another key exercise is to simply write down songs you hear and learn the raps, rapping along with the rapper. if you can rap other peoples lyrics, you can rap. The next step is to write your own.

Counting The Beat

Counting the beat is essential in all forms of music and rap is no different. If you can't count the beat,you can't stay in time with the music and the other musicians.

Most songs that are used in Hip Hop and other popular forms of music are counted in 4 time. In other words we count along 1,2,3,4 and then start the cycle again.
Sometimes the music is counted in 3 time, think of the 123,123, sound of the waltz.

We can also rap in a 123,123, way over a standard 4 count.

For an example of a 3 count track listen to Kanye West Spaceship.

A great way to start out practicing rap technqiue is to put a moderate tempo track on and count along to it,1 2 3 4. Some will find this easy; some will find it difficult, but with practice you will lock into the rhythm of every track you put on.

Then to add to this, try putting a word on each 4 count, for example 1,2,3, rap, 1,2,3, name.

Once you have done this, try putting a word on the four and then thinking of a rhyming word to go on the next four. See how long you can keep the rhyme going for. This will improve your ability to count to a track, your ability to put words to that count and your capacity to rhyme words. Try listening to different genres and see if the 4 count works, or if you think another count is needed.

Rhyme Patterns

There are an infnite number of rhyme patterns but there are also a core few that are commonly used. But what is a rhyme pattern? It is simply a way of constructing your rhymes in a song.

One of the most common rhyme patterns is called 'rhyming on the snare'. Think of the best as boom bap boom boom bap. The bap sound is the snare drum. Often it is on the 2 and the 4.So rhyming on the snare can often be thought of as rhyming on the two and on the four.

For example.

Kick Snare Kick Kick Snare
I am writing a rhyme
It sounds funky every time.

With the rhyming words 'rhyme' and 'time' on the snare or the four.

Another rap pattern is called internal rhyme. It simply means having rhymes inside each line rather than simply at the end of each line.

For example

Forgot monotony, I probably created a monopoly.
Its possibly the hottest beat and mixed in with philsophy.
This also uses multi syllabic rhymes: rhyming words with more than one syllable. this gives it a complex and sophisticated sound.
There are many other rhyme patterns and some are more common to diffferent genres.

Meter

Meter is all about the placing of syllables in lines to create different rhythms. To understand meter you need to understand word stress and syllables.

Lets start with syllables.

The word today has two syllables or 'sounds'. 'to day'.

The word tomorrow has three syllables or sounds.

So what about stress? Word stress is something we do naturally. When we say a word we push down on a particular syllable. For example with the word 'photo' we push down on the 'pho' part of the word.

With the word 'beserk'. We push down on the 'serk' part of the word. So its beSERK and not BEserk. Another way to think about is to think that we are holding that sound a little longer. Say the two variations slowly pushing down on one sound and then the other.

The word address is interesting. In America they stress the ADD part of the word, ADD ress. In England we stress the 'ress' part of the word add RESS.

Meter is how we place words with different types of stress next to each other. There are four types of meter.

Iambic
This is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, for example

i WRECK the MIC and RIP it HARD.

Trochaic

The first sound is stressed and the second is unstressed.Take for example famous poem.

TI ger TI ger BUR ning BRIGHT

IN the FOR est OF the Night.

To hear the difference between these two types of meter try repeating the word

'eject eject eject' over and over, Notice the feel of this and how it seems to lift at the end of each word.

Then repeat the word 'tiger tiger tiger'. Notice the feel of this and how it seems to drop at the end of each word.

These two types of meter can be applied to tracks to give them these different feels.

Dactlyic

This is a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed. The waltz has this feel. Try repeating the words 'rashers and sausages, rashers and sauages' and you will get this feel.

Anapestic Meter

This is the reverse of Dactylic so we have two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed. The rapper APL.D.AP uses this is the song 'like that' by the Black Eyed Peas (2.30 in)

Meter is an advanced technique and something you start to feel rather than over analyse but once mastered can give your rap rhythms a varied and interesting feel.

Phrasing is the way in which we use pauses in a rap, emphasise certain lines, or say things earlier or later than expected.

Phrasing

The best way to think about phrasing is to listen to Jazz solos. When does the saxophone player choose to pause in their solo, which bits do they speed up for, which bits do they slow down for.

One way to work on phrasing is to take a line from a song and practice saying certain words earlier or later, stretching out certain sounds or placing pauses in different places.

It might help to think of the idea of a joke. In a joke we place a pause before the punchline. This is a choice of phrasing. We constantly phrase throughout conversation, sometimes simply to accommodate breathing, at other times to create suspense, convey excitment or keep our listener engaged.

Freestyling

Freestyling is the ability to improvise rap lyrics, thinking of rhymes over the top of your head. The best freestylers engage with the environment around them, talking about what someone in the audience might be doing or an object in the room.

All freestylers have lines that they have stored in their heads ready to use when necessary. These 'fall back' lyrics give them something to fall back on while they think of the next thing to say. The more rhymes you know, the more lyrics you have stored and ready to use.

One of the best exeplars of freestyle rap is the rapper 'Supernatural'.

While freestling is a great way to impress, some of the best rappers can't freestyle and some of the best freestylers can't make a decent rap song, so it is not the be all and end all.

Freestlying is now also sometimes used as a term to denote something rapping a pre written verse over a track that they have just heard.

A good way to practice freestyling is to simply talk about your day or a topic you know well, along to a track. Then try emphasising whatever particular word you are on when you get to the four count. This will get you used to improving in a rhythmic way.

Another effective way of practicing is to start with an easy word to rhyme such as 'sea'. Then write a few basic lines. Learn them; rap them; and then try to add on other rhymes from the top of your head.

Wherever you choose to take your ability to rap is up to you, whether it be on a rap, rock, folk, or jazz track; or whether just to impress your friends.

Resource for learning how to rap

Top Rap Songs Right Now

Music is something which enlightens the mind and soul, a huge stress buster too. It comes in humongous varieties like pop, rock, trance, house, hip hop, rap etc. Some people have a thing for rap songs like that of Eminem, Sean Paul etc. The top rap songs right now is those of Eminem, Link in Park, Limp Bizkit, snoop dog etc. These types of songs are well suited when one is in ager or rage or aggression and can get a feel of it. The lyrics turn the mood up side down and give a rocking feel.

Top rap songs right now is very common among the young crowd and many folks enjoy to its tune. The genre of rap is generally hip hop and has awesome beats. Folks who are into hip hop etc definitely enjoy rap and memorize to their hearts and enjoy it to the core. Rap songs are played in various parties and clubs, though one cannot really shake a leg on these songs but definitely get into an euphoric mood and dip oneself into the music with complete surrender. The lord of rap is Eminem and has a huge fan following. His raps are worth listening to.

Talking of music dub step is one of the most common among the music fans. It is a type of electro beat which just makes body groove. The most played music in clubs and discs. The top ten dub step artists are Burial, Skream, Benga, Joker, Rusko, Excision, SPL, Pinch, N type, Matt U. These are the gods of electro music. Its music consists of amazing drum beats and overwhelming bass lines. The artists of dub steps are way too talented and their music composition raises the goose bumps with such awesome beats.

The music genre dub step was originated in London UK and since then its been he favorite of all. The top ten dub step artists have given many hits and have a huge fan following. The way they compose their music with the use of drum music and bass lines with electro beats it just makes one want to shake a leg and do not stop till the music stops. They have created a new set of music which is liked by many teenagers or adults, everybody likes this genre of music and play it in every even possible.They will hook up one lucky winner with two free tickets to the sold out show.

Our Kids and Rap Music - Where Do We As Parents Draw the Line

Rap Music continues to have an important role today-especially among young people. The Journal of the American Medical Association notes: "Between the seventh and 12th grades, the average teenager listens to 10,500 hours of rap music, just slightly less than the entire number of hours spent in the classroom from kindergarten through high school." According to The World Book Encyclopedia, "rap music is no longer only the music of young Americans. It is music of the world."

The Message of Rap:

Take rap music, for example. In rap, the lyrics-streetwise slang set to rhyme-are spoken, not sung, to the accompaniment of a powerful beat. Of course, there's nothing inherently evil in this concept. Many popular songs over the decades have incorporated the spoken word. But rap music often takes this idea to wild extremes.

Rap (or, hip-hop) reportedly became popular back in the 1970's in small New York City dance clubs frequented by inner-city youths. As disc jockeys began chanting rhymes (or, rapping) over a background of prerecorded percussion, dancers responded with near hysteria. Rap music soon moved from the streets and basement clubs to the musical mainstream. Rappers sporting names as brash as their music-Public Enemy, M. C. Hammer, and Vanilla Ice-were soon filling the airwaves with their thundering brand of music.

Interestingly, when an Awake! reporter asked a racially mixed group of suburban Christian youths, "Do many of you listen to rap?" a surprising majority said yes! "What do you like about rap?" he next asked. "The beat," replied one teenage girl. "It just flows, and it's easy to listen to." "You can dance to it," replied another. The next question, however, drew a somewhat less enthusiastic response, "Is some rap music a problem for youths?"

After an embarrassing pause, one girl admitted: "Some rap music is really, really disgusting." Others begrudgingly agreed with her. Indeed, it turned out that many of the youths were alarmingly familiar with a lengthy list of objectionable songs-songs that promoted promiscuity and perversion in outrageously graphic terms. Some confessed that many of these songs freely used profanity.

Yes, much of rap music appears to send a message of rebellion, violence, anger, racism, and sexual prowess. Rap promoter Daniel Caudeiron, president of the Black Music Association of Canada, who praises rap for being "overwhelmingly positive," admits that much rap is "misogynistic [antiwoman], sexist and occasionally foulmouthed."-Maclean's, November 12, 1990.

The Rap Life-Style

Granted, not all rap music is immoral or violent. According to an article in The New York Times, some of it is devoted to such positive goals as education, discouraging drug abuse, and solving social ills. But inoffensive lyrics may very well be the exception, not the rule. When Newsweek rated the top ten rap albums, using a standard similar to the U.S. movie-rating system, only two were considered G, or suitable for general audiences. Newsweek rated four of the albums R (restricted to adult audiences), and two were even rated X because of "gutter language" and explicit sex.

Besides, the message of rap goes beyond its lyrics. Rap has spawned a cultural revolution. Millions of teenagers wear the oversize clothing, unlaced high-top sneakers, baggy jeans, gold chains, baseball caps, and dark glasses that make up standard rap attire. Many also imitate the flamboyant gestures and the attitude of rap performers. And to the consternation of parents and teachers, nonwords such as "yo!" and "dis"-the abrasive street slang glorified in rap-have crept into everyday speech.

Rap may very well represent a rebellion against injustices. But taken as a whole, rap is also a culture of rebellion against certain standards of behavior, dress, and speech. Would a well-respected individual, by his taste in music, want to risk being drawn into such a questionable life-style?

Of course, rap music is hardly the only form of music that goes to wild extremes. Time magazine reports: "There's an acrid tang [bitter taste] in nearly every area of modern American pop culture. Heavy-metal masters Motley Crue invoke images of satanism and the Beastie Boys mime masturbation onstage." Even the bible itself predicted that "in the last days . . . wicked men and impostors [would] advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled." (2 Timothy 3:1, 13) So should it surprise you, then, that much of today's music sends the wrong message to our young ones?

We as parents may therefore rightly be very concerned if our children go in for rap or other extreme forms of rock music. We fear that a steady diet of such music can harm our children. Could our fears be valid?

Well fortunate enough for us there is rap music that our children can listen to. They have rap music out now that teaches math, addition, spelling, division, and so forth. It takes what has been perceived as a negative influence on youth and injects a more positive outcome.

Podcasting Music

By definition, podcasting music describes a technology platform which allows you to distribute your audio music files via the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) format. Since this technology has become very popular among the global youthful generation, it can provide you with an inimitable opportunity to expose your music. So, as an upcoming artiste, what are the benefits that you get when you podcast your music? Learn here:

* It Provides You With A Chance To Build A Community: One of the vital steps of gaining recognition in the music industry is to develop a community. Podcasting your music and consistent communication with audience in your community can help you strengthen and expand your fan base in your community and beyond.

* Opportunity to Get Gigs: Gigs are very important to any artist. Podcasting music is one of the proven ways to get entertainment joints to listen to your music and to gauge your music genre against their targeted demographics. Therefore, podcasting is a vital marketing tool that will go a long way in finding you more bookings for your music in night clubs and other entertainment joints.

* It Provides a Powerful Distribution Channel: As aforementioned, without the backing of a reputable recording label, it can be very challenging to get an air play on your local radio stations. Podcasting music provides a very powerful distribution medium that can greatly increase your exposure as an artist.

* It Provides A Platform To Sell Your CDs: Podcasting music can also help you sell your music CDs. Sharing your sample audio files or single songs freely as a podcast can also encourage your fans to purchase CDs that contain your additional songs. This can significantly increase your general music sales and publicity.

* Promotional Opportunities: Podcasting music is also known for its ability to provide cross promotional opportunities. You can use podcasts to exchange promotional adverts with other artists who are of a similar music genre. This can significantly increase your fan base. Additionally, podcasting can be used as a stage to announce your new albums, songs, interviews and other promotional information that you want to reach your fans.

* Catching the Interest of Your Fans: Through podcasting your music, you can attract more fans, especially if you can feature music samples in your podcasts. Your loyal listeners will share the music samples with their close associates

Top 100 Rap Songs Of All-Time

Popular top rap songs have revolutionized music sending messages with unique beats. The top 100 rap songs are still enjoyed to this day by many.

Listing the top 100 rap songs throughout history:

100) Biz Markie: "Just A Friend"
99) Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz: "Get Low"
98) Warren G ft. Nate Dogg: "Regulate"
97) Eve: "Who's that Girl"
96) DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince: "Parents Just Don't Understand"
95) L'Trimm: "Cars With The Boom"
94) Master P: "Make 'Em Say Ugh"
93) N.E.R.D.: "Lapdance"
92) Yo-Yo: "Can't Play with my Yo-Yo"
91) Chamillionaire: "Ridin'"
90) Pete Rock & CL Smooth: "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y) "
89) Cam'ron: "Oh Boy"
88) Jungle Brothers: "What U Waitin' 43
87) Wyclef Jean: "We Tryin' to Stay Alive"
86) Heavy D. and the Boyz: "Now That We Found Love"
85) Black Star: "Definition"
84) UTFO: "Roxanne Roxanne"
83) 2 Live Crew: "Me So Horny"
82) Chubb Rock: "Treat 'Em Right"
81) PM Dawn: "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss"
80) Three 6 Mafia: "Hard Out Here For A Pimp"
79) DMX: "Ruff Ryders' Anthem (Stop Drop) "
78) Arrested Development: "Tennessee"
77) Cold Crush Brothers: "Cold Crush Bros. at the Dixie"
76) Big Punisher: "Still Not A Player"
75) Lil' Kim: "Crush on You"
74) EPMD: "You Gots To Chill"
73) Black Sheep: "The Choice Is Yours"
72) J.J. Fad: "Supersonic"
71) Whodini: "Freaks Come Out at Night"
70) 3(rd) Bass: "Pop Goes the Weasel"
69) Common: "I Used to Love H.E.R."
68) T.I.: "What You Know"
67) Mase: "Feel So Good"
66) House Of Pain: "Jump Around"
65) Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three: "Love Rap"
64) The Roots: "What they Do"
63) Kid 'n Play: "Rollin' With Kid N Play"
62) Digable Planets: "Rebirth of Slick"
61) Slick Rick: "Children's Story"
60) L.L. Cool J: "I Need Love"
59) Ol' Dirty Bastard: "Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
58) Ludacris ft. Shawna: "What's Your Fantasy"
57) Big Daddy Kane: "I Get the Job Done"
56) Busta Rhymes: "Woo-Ha! Got You All In Check"
55) Terror Squad ft/ Fat Joe and Remy: "Lean Back"
54) MC Lyte: "Cha Cha Cha"
53) Lox: "Money, Power, Respect"
52) Foxy Brown: "I'll Be"
51) Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew: "The Show"
50) Lil' Wayne: "Tha Block Is Hot"
49) Boogie Down Productions: "My Philosophy"
48) Nas: "One Love"
47) Young MC: "Bust A Move"
46) De La Soul: "Me, Myself, And I"
45) Geto Boys: "Mind Playing Tricks On Me"
44) Method Man: "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By"
43) Game, The ft. 50 Cent: "Hate It or Love It"
42) Roxanne Shante: "Roxanne's Revenge"
41) Funky 4 + 1 - "That's the Joint"
40) Run-DMC: "It's Like That"
39) Tone-Loc: "Wild Thing"
38) Coolio: "Gangsta's Paradise"
37) Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock: "It Takes Two"
36) Nelly: "Hot In Herre"
35) Queen Latifah: "Ladies First"
34) Cypress Hill: "Insane In The Brain"
33) Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: "Tha Crossroads"
32) Puff Daddy & The Family: "It's All About The Benjamins"
31) Kool Moe Dee: "How Ya Like Me Now"
30) Tribe Called Quest: "Check the Rhime"
29) Digital Underground: "The Humpty Dance"
28) Ice Cube: "It Was A Good Day"
27) Beastie Boys: "Hold it Now, Hit it"
26) MC Hammer: "U Can't Touch This"
25) Fugees: "Killing Me Softly"
24) Eric B and Rakim: "Paid in Full"
23) Outkast: "B.O.B."
22) Naughty By Nature: "OPP"
21) Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force: "Planet Rock"
20) Kanye West: "Gold Digger"
19) Ice T: "Colors"
18) 50 Cent: "In Da Club"
17) Sir Mix-A-Lot: "Baby Got Back"
16) Missy Elliott: "Get Ur Freak On"
15) Eminem: "Stan"
14) Tupac: "I Get Around"
13) Wu-Tang Clan: "C.R.E.A.M."
12) L.L. Cool J: "I Can't Live Without My Radio"
11) Jay-Z: "Hard Knock Life"
10) Kurtis Blow: "The Breaks"
9) Salt-N-Pepa: "Push It"
8) Snoop Doggy Dogg: "Gin and Juice"
7) Notorious B.I.G.: "Juicy"
6) N.W.A.: "Straight Outta Compton"
5) Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five: "The Message"
4) Run-DMC: "Walk This Way"
3) Dr. Dre; "Nuthin But A 'G' Thang"
2) Sugarhill Gang: "Rapper's Delight"
1) Public Enemy: "Fight The Power"

The 1st song sent a strong message about racism that attracted listeners; some lyrics may have caused controversy. Many fans believe that Rapper's Delight is a song that is "true" and classic. The 3rd song on the list is an old school rap song that many fans believe sets a high standard for rap artists trying to be successful; there's just no match. The 4th top song successfully merged 2 of the most popular genres: rock and rap. The 5th of top rap songs is another classic that just doesn't compare. This list sets high standards for emerging rap artists.

Rap Music - Expression of Power

The success of rap music has made it into a financial powerhouse. Billions in revenue is now generated every year from the sale of rap and hip hop music. While it has long been the voice of the streets, today's rap has changed the identity of rap as a tool for the underprivileged. Some feel that rap is no longer focused on the art. Instead rap music has become an avenue to be used for profit. Some feel commercial rap music has probably led to the downfall of its power as an art form. Its a far cry from old school rap which was created over two decades ago. A long way, folks, from 'Rapper's Delight' by The Sugarhill Gang to 'Bed Rock' by Young Money.

It was always easy to produce rap music. Rap has always had a do it yourself mentality. Remember, in the beginning, all you needed were two turntables and a microphone. A large recording budget from a major label was not needed. Though rarely given credit, rap is indirectly responsible for the resources and technology now readily available and more affordable to many artists. From drum machines to record manufacturing. From selling CDs out of the trunk to selling MP3s on the internet. No matter how small the budget, any rapper can start their own label. Today's new school rap can be run with the efficiency of a large company.

The power of rap music has changed corporate sponsorships. Businesses that once steered clear of rap now have no problem pouring millions of advertising dollars into the pockets of rappers who promote clothes, shoes or other merchandise. I sure you have seen commercial jingles with a G Funk beat. Rap is so integrated into society that even those who do not listen to rap music can perform most of the top songs. Hundreds of movies, serious or not, have rap music as part of the storyline. People used to think or hoped that rap was just a fad. It has instead become a big part of American culture.

Rap music has created lots of financial opportunities for street smart individuals. It has also created many young millionaires. Rap has also provided an opportunity for some to blame rap for society's problems. As if these problems didn't exist before rap. We are not going to go into them with this article. It has been debated long enough and will continue to be debated. Recognize that it is only distraction from the real causes. Rap is a powerful form of expression but it is also only music. Music has always been what the musician wants it to be, and it has always been what the listener wants it to be.

The History of Rap Beats

The origin of rap beats or hip-hop music in general is traced back to the ancient tribal years in Africa. During the early civilization, rap beats was often referred to as diverse chants, drumbeats and foot-stomping sounds performed from African tribes. They made use of chants and drumbeats as a form of signaling the start and end of war, as well as birth and death of their tribe leaders.

The development of rap music started during the 1960's when several African tribes migrated to Kingston, Jamaica. Along with impoverished Jamaicans, the tribes gathered together to form a group called the "DJ Conglomerates". The latter primarily focused in communicating their target audience using their cultural roots. In the late-1960's, a Jamaica-based African named Kool Herc made use of traditional blue records and spun rhythms to please the people in their community. Herc also made use of personal touches to communicate with his target audience. When the people responded to his technique, the "Call and Response" in music was born and since then, it has been primarily used during Methodist and Baptist church services in Kingston. Several music historians compared Herc's call and response technique to the origin of Jazz music development under the renaissance years in Harlem.

Rap music began to emerge around the world during the 1970's when it was first introduced in the South Bronx area of New York City. Famously known today as the "Bronx", the latter is considered as the city's haven from gang violence and other criminal activities. The early Bronx residents embraced the music by making use of samples and drum combination. The residents accompanied the combination using "Spoken Word". In the mid-1970's, rap music was predominantly used in block parties to promote peace and harmony in New York.

The 80's decade signaled the diversification of rap music. "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" was the first rap song released worldwide. Afrika Bambaataa's 1982 hit, "Planet Rock" connoted the use of synthesizers in rap music. "Beat Bop" by K-Rob and Rammellzee was the first rap song that made use of dub and mellow sounds. The middle of 1980s became a prominent year for rock and roll after the global success of Run DMC and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" in 1985. In the late-80's, a sub-genre of rap music called "New School" was introduced. The second generation wave of Hip-hop music was originated in 1983 - 1985 when Run DMC and LL Cool J started recording rap songs. Among the Hip-hop musicians classified under the New School sub-genre are Cypress Hill, People under the Stairs, A Tribe Called Quest, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and Beastie Boys.

The "Golden Age of Hip-hop" or simply known as "Jazzy Hip hop" was introduced during the mid-90's. The sub-genre primarily focuses in making use of Hip-hop and acid jazz to spread messages of "Afrocentricity". Some of the recognizable jazzy hip-hop artists are Gang Starr, Common, Digable Planets, Talib Kweli, Eric B. & Rakim and Jungle Brothers.

Thanks for reading. I have more information about free rap beats [http://freerapbeatsandinstrumentals.com] at my blog. Feel free to visit and read some of the articles that I have written there.

How to Record Your Music

Recording Studio or Recording/Mixing/Sampling Software

Recording is the process of capturing sounds through the use of microphones to be stored and heard later. Mixing is the process of taking all the different sounds you've recorded and blending them together to create a full song. You can either go to an established recording studio and hire them to record and mix your music for you, or you can purchase the necessary equipment and software to record and mix it yourself. I'm assuming you already have all the necessary instruments to create the music you want, so I will not go into detail about that.

Recording Studio

A recording studio is a place where all the necessary equipment is located in order to record, mix, and produce music. Prices will vary a lot. It all depends on them and how much they feel their time and equipment is worth. So, please call ahead and get a price quote before you commit to anything. Since going to a recording studio depends on where you live, you will need to look in a local directory to find a Recording Studio near you.

Microphone/Recording Device

In order to record yourself you will need some sort of microphone with a computer interface or a recording device. A microphone will require some sort of cable that connects it to your computer, preferable through a USB interface. Tascam and Zoom both make great little hand-held recording devices that can be either battery powered or plugged in. They also come with USB, so that you can transfer your recordings to the computer. There are several models to choose from and most will be around $100.

Recording/Mixing Software

In order to record and produce music yourself you will need some recording and mixing software. You will need a recording program that saves your music files in wav and mp3 format, or get an additional program that can convert to those file types. Whether or not you need mixing will depend on the style of music you want to record. If you're recording just voice and guitar, chances are you probably don't need software with mixing capabilities, but recording onto separate tracks will give you much more freedom and the sound quality will be much better. It is possible to record a song onto one track without mixing, but it's not recommended since the final mix won't be as good.

Free Recording/Mixing Software

If you're looking for a good free program, Audacity would be a good choice. It's an excellent program for recording and mixing, and it'll work on Windows, Mac, or Linux. Another good choice is ACID Xpress, but it's only available for Windows. Sound Recorder or GarageBand would have to be combined with another program in order to get all the features you need. Sound Recorder only records for 60 seconds and only saves in wav format. GarageBand can record and mix, but will only export in mp3, aif, or m4a format. So, you will need an audio conversion program to convert to wav format.

Paid Recording/Mixing Software

There are many recording/mixing software programs out there, with the professional versions priced as high as $500. The best professional programs, in alphabetical order, are: ACID, Cubase, Logic, and Pro Tools. They all have pretty much the same features, so you'll have to decide based on your operating system and personal opinion. Each program has cheaper versions with less features. There is another program out there called Soundforge, but that's mainly designed for editing already existing audio.

Recording/Mixing Software Plug-Ins

A plug-in is a piece of software that only works combined with another program and not by itself. The program Auto-Tune is a popular plug-in that will only work with a Recording/Mixing program like Cubase or Pro Tools. Auto-Tune is a pitch correcting plug-in. It will change the note of the music every so slightly in order to get it in tune. Cher's song "Believe" was the first to use it. It's mainly used for vocals, but it can be used for instruments as well. It's used in electronic music often and makes voices sound more electronic when set to the extreme settings. It can also be used more subtly in other genres to help get everything perfectly in tune without sounding electronic at all. There are several versions between $130 and $650 depending on how many features you want. There is also an Auto-Tune
app for phones.

Music Sampling & Music Samples

Music sampling software doesn't work without music samples and vice-versa. Think of it like the Music Sampling program is a CD player and the Music Samples are the CDs. Except, you'll have the ability to adjust and mold the sound on the CD. Music samples increase the sound quality of your music immensely. Instead of sounding like a cheap MIDI, a full orchestration will sound like a real symphony and electronics will sound like a professional DJ. Basically how sampling works is they will make a recording of a live instrument playing every single note at every possible dynamic level, each as a separate recording. They will save each recording and group them together into one sample file. The program will then play back a song picking the correct notes and dynamic levels from the sample file. The result is a very realistic sound. In electronic sampling, they will record a certain passage and make it so that it can play over and over again without sounding choppy. They call these loops. They save each loop as an individual file. The program will play back the loop as many times as you want, starting and stopping as much as you want, while adjusting it to match whatever tempo you've chosen. Drum beats are usually recorded as loops. Samples will take up a lot of room on your hard drive and require a lot of memory, since they are high quality sounds.

Music Sampling Software

Finale and Sibelius both come with their own music sampling software programs and samples. Players and samples are both very basic, but are included for free with the program. There are other programs you can use as a plug-in if you don't like the samples that come with the notation program. Kontakt is an excellent program for playing samples and loops. It's mainly used for playing orchestral music. It also has the ability to produce reverb and other effects. It can be run by itself or as a plug-in for Finale or Sibelius, and can play a huge variety of samples in different formats including Giga Studio files (an old sampling program that's not made anymore). The more samples you load into the program the more memory and processing speed you will need. It works best with only a few instruments at a time. It will cost $400 and it comes with lots of samples. You can also get a bundle package called Komplete that comes with lots of software programs, including Kontakt, and tons of samples. Prices range from $560 up to $1100. Kontakt is available for both Windows and Mac. Fl Studio is also an excellent program for playing both samples and loops. It's mainly used for producing electronic music. It has many features and can support lots of plug-ins. It's a very stable program and does not require a lot of memory or processing speed, but it is only made for Windows. There are different versions running from $50 up to $400 depending on how many features you want.

Music Samples

There are many music samples out there to choose from, so I'll just mention the standards and a few personal favorites. Garritan has good intermediate samples that will only cost $170 for orchestral sounds. Concert Band, Jazz Band, plus several other packages are also available. They don't sound as good as the professional samples, but the style in which they play sounds better and they don't require much tweaking. A basic set of Garritan samples with a basic Kontakt player are the samples and sampling program that come with Finale. Sibelius makes their own software and samples. Westgate Studios are an excellent source of woodwind samples. They also have lesser known woodwind instruments that don't come standard on other sets. Each instrument group, flutes, clarinets, etc., are sold separately and will cost between $50 and $100. They also have French Horn, Timpani, and Harp. Kirk Hunter has really excellent string samples. Especially their samples of solo instruments like Violin and Cello, and are designed to work with Kontakt. Packages range from $325 to $900, but you can also download individual samples from their website. The Vienna Symphonic Library is the professional standard for music samples. They do not come cheap, but they are amazing! A basic set is included when you buy Kontakt. These samples may require some tweaking in order to sound their best. Different dynamic levels will sound different and may play with a slightly different style, especially when adding different levels of reverb or other effects. $445 will get you the standard edition with 28 instruments and ensembles, containing 36,003 samples, and taking up 81 GB of space. There are many other packages ranging all the way up to a staggering $8,070 for the Full Vienna Symphonic Cube! Just a warning, this full package comes with 763,949 samples taking up 550 GB of space. Vienna also offers music sampling programs designed by themselves to play their own samples ranging from $305 to $745. All Vienna software require at least 2GB of RAM to run and at least a Core 2 Duo processor. They will both work on Windows or Mac, and please note that they will require the ViennaKey, a USB protection device, at an additional cost. There are also a lot of free samples out there. Just do a basic search for free samples online and you will find many. Some are better than others, just make sure they're compatible with whatever sampling program you are using.

Audio Conversion

Having your music in both wav and mp3 format is essential to selling you music online. Again, if you're looking for a good free program, Audacity is an excellent choice for converting your audio files. It's compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. AVS Audio Converter is available for free download, but is for Windows only. Sound Forge Audio Studio is an excellent program for editing existing audio and for audio file conversions. It's only $65, but runs on Windows only.

Transcriptions

Once you have a recording of your music you can hire someone to transcribe it for you if you don't already have it in sheet music format. What that means is someone will listen to your song and notate it to create sheet music for you. Clearbell and Broschinsky music both offer this service. Prices will vary depending on the length and complexity of the song.

Recording Studio:
Check your local directory for a list of Recording Studios near you.

Recording/Mixing Software:
Sound Recorder: FREE on any version of Windows
GarageBand: FREE on any Mac
Audacity: FREE download (Windows, Mac, Linux)
ACID: Pro- $300, Music Studio- $65, Xpress FREE download
Cubase: Pro- $500, Artist- $250, Elements- $100
Logic: Studio- $500, Express- $200
Pro Tools: Pro- $600, MP- $300

Recording/Mixing Software Plug-Ins:
Auto-Tune: TDM + Native- $650, Native- $400, Evo- $250, EFX- $130

Music Sampling Software:
Kontakt: Komplete Ultimate- $1100, Komplete- $560, Kontakt- $400
FL Studio: Signature Bundle- $400, Producer Edition- $300, Fruity Edition- $140, Express- $50
Vienna: Suite- $745, Ensemble Pro- $305

Music Samples:
Garritan: Personal Orchestra- $170, Concert & Marching Band- $150, Jazz & Big Band- $150, World Instruments- $150, Authorized Steinway- $180
Westgate Studios: Flute- $50, Oboe- $50, Clarinet- $50, Bassoon- $50, Recorders- $70, French Horn- $100, Timpani- $100, Harp- $70
Kirk Hunter: Diamond 2 Plus- $900, Diamond 2- $800, Diamond 1- $550, Ruby- $450, Emerald- $325
Vienna Symphonic Library: Standard- $445, Extended- $525, Special Edition Full- $970, Symphonic Cube Standard- $3,630, Symphonic Cube Extended- $4,440, Symphonic Cube Full- $8,070

Audio Conversion Software:
Audacity: FREE download (Windows, Mac, Linux)
AVS Audio Converter, FREE download (Windows only)
Sound Forge Audio Studio $65 (Windows only)

Rap Song Writing

Rap song writing involves skills, ideologies, and musical background knowledge. Many people love listening to rap music and mostly refer to it as hip-hop. However, many like it due to the message and rhyming abilities. There is a lot of poetry used in rap song writing and you find most experts take tie mot create the message. Some prefer listing the direct message and have easy to flow tunes, while some choose proverbs, riddles that require one to find the deeper meaning.

However, some rap song-writing professionals do not take time to spread the message but rather focus on making the song famous. This is the reason why most rappers are not lasting long in musical charts. You will find some have many rap songs but do not give the positive impression to give them many fans. This writing requires skills since it is the art of expression, which explains the current situation one is facing in different subjects. This can be love, hardships, society, or religion, but placed in a rhythmical way to capture the attention of people.

Some writers choose songs based on the needs of rappers and others prefer writing their own creations and give a detailed description to the musician on areas they need to emphasize. Rap song writing is all about creativity hence the need for a musician or producer to choose a qualified and creative party. This means choosing words carefully to describe an entire situation. This means they should stick to main subject but institute different terminologies that are popular with rap songs.

This captures listener's attention and enables the artist to portray their intended message. In rap song writing, talent goes a long way, but experience generally wins out. The irony is that by the time many rappers have the experience, they are less marketable. These displaced rappers often become producers or rap ghostwriters.

Some have taken many years to attract global attention, while others are still in the learning process. These songwriters need to have different points of view when writing and creating music. They need to embrace current times, understand different topics, and have a memorizing flow.

Rap song writing involves different genres besides rapping. Some mix it with afro fusion and others with R&B. It takes good practice and skill to fuse different genres when writing and structuring songs and their hooks chorus. Having a good hook means listeners will sing to it and be able to master after hearing it just a couple times.

Useful Tips On How To Play Electric Guitar As A Beginner

When you want to learn how to play electric guitar, you need to start from the ground up, as it is the case with any other instrument. The following useful tips will help you identify the best ways for learning this very specific instrument.

Great timing is everything

Although you may hear guitar solos in rock songs, the electric guitar is meant to be part of a musical ensemble, and it needs to sound harmoniously together with other instruments. There is also another thing you need to know. It is quite a rhythmic instrument, which means that it serves to learn how to play sequences of notes that are then repeated all throughout a song. In order to learn how to play this instrument efficiently, it is important to understand the importance of timing. Using a metronome can help you grasp the great rhythm of an electric guitar.

Playing chords

The essence of playing this amazing instrument is to be able to play chords that are grouped in rhythmic patterns. As a beginner, you will have to start with some basic chords and then try to switch between them fluently. Strumming is quite a commonly used method of playing electric guitar. Learning the chords, the patterns and strumming will help you become better at learning this instrument. Also, you should be able, in time, to play individual chords and notes, to give your interpretation more personality.

How to play electric guitar with muted strings

The electric guitar is a very powerful instrument. However, when the volume reaches its maximum power, the amplifier can make the strings on your guitar vibrate and sound off, when you least expect it. If you want your musical evolution to sound as it is supposed to, you need to learn muting the strings, to avoid this effect. Use your strumming hand to keep the strings in place, muting them, and preventing them from vibrating.

Start with simple scales

Any guitarist needs practice in order to become better, and the same rule applies to those playing electric guitar. As a beginner, you may want to start by learning simple scales. After you master the most common scales, you can broaden your horizons by learning more difficult ones. Combining them with licks and ad lib notes lends more personality to your interpretation, but these are usually tips for more advanced guitar players.

When learning how to play electric guitar, it is essential to dedicate a lot of time to learning the chords, how to mute and bend the strings, and other specific techniques that have been developed for this specific instrument.

In Conclusion

I remember way back in the 70's when I first picked up an acoustic guitar for the first time, I had no clue how to go about learning this wonderful instrument. The internet was not born yet so the only way I had to teach myself this craft was to buy a guitar chords manual and a rock scale course in a cassette format from an ad in the National Inquirer.

Learning how to play electric guitar in my days was quite a challenge. I could of hire a guitar teacher but since I didn't have the money I had to learn slowly on top electric guitar books and cassettes I had to use my record player by playing over and over the same song until I managed to pick up a few notes and chords. Now days with the internet era there are some fantastic guitar courses online to help you speed up the learning process

Top 5 Myths About The Music Business

if you are involved in the entertainment business then you've probably heard a few tall tales. The following is a list of some of the top myths about the music business.

1. People in the music business will help you out of the kindness of their hearts.

Facts:

The music business is called the music business for a reason. It is a business that just so happens to sell music. Businesses are in business to make money. They are not in business to make ART, however they will sell it. You may find a handful of good Samaritans willing to help for free but generally speaking if helping does not benefit the other party, they won't help.

"People (not counting loved ones) will help you if they think your art will make them money. They will not help you if they think your art will not make them money." -David Naggar, Esq. from  The Music Business Explained In Plain English-

2. Since the economic decline people aren't buying music anymore

Facts:

People are buying music, but they aren't buying it in the same way they used to. Sales of CDs may be down but the sale of single tracks is up! If you are still an unbeliever just check iTunes sales records. Reportedly, Apple has sold 10 billion and counting!

3. Music superstars have and are making tons of money.

This is one of the biggest myths in the entertainment business. When you see a Sean Kingston or Lady Gaga on television you may think that they are living the good life, but really the amount of money he/she brings home is really dependent on the terms of their contractual obligations as well as their money management skills. Simply put, if you spend more than you make you are bound to go broke sooner or later.

Need examples:

MC Hammer

Marvin Gaye

Michael Jackson

Willie Nelson

Toni Braxton

Billy Joel

George Clinton

Isaac Hayes

Jerry Lee Lewis

Ron Isley

Need anymore? The list goes on.

The fact of the matter is that all of these artists have seen the highs and lows of the music business. Micheal Jackson, the "King of Pop", even had his money woes. No "superstar" is exempt. Good money management skills are needed in order to maintain a "superstar" lifestyle.

4. You can become an overnight celebrity in the music business.

This is one of the most common myths about the music business. People believe that you can sign a record deal and then all of sudden you are magically on magazine covers and receiving Grammy awards. All of this talk is nonsense. At the end of the day it takes a decent amount of leg work, dedication, passion, perseverance, and strong networking relationships to achieve "success" in the music business. NO ONE HAS BECOME SUCCESSFUL OVERNIGHT however, some people have achieved their goals faster than others. Artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, and Eminem spent years building their reputation and brands to become the people they are today. This is why working smarter and not harder is essential in the music business.

5. Talent Trumps Work Ethic

In today's music business, talent still counts but work ethic counts for more. An extraordinarily talented person with average work ethic will generally not do as well as someone with extraordinary work ethic and average talent.

A strong work ethic, more often than not, means that you can be consistent which is of the utmost importance in the music business.

Why?

One word. Marketing. Being able to consistently deliver high quality to the consumer is paramount.  This is where work ethic trumps talent. A person that is able to consistently deliver a satisfactory product to the consumer is, in the words of Charlie Sheen, WINNING! Because of our increasingly shortened attention spans, having someone or something consistently in our faces helps in branding the product, service, or person. Ultimately, this results in people getting paid!

Top 5 Weezer Songs

Weezer is probably one of the most important American rock acts of last 20 years, and their unique sound and sense of humor have won them legions of fans. We thought we'd do a run-down of our top 5 Weezer songs, and what we like about them.

5. Hash Pipe

With a chugging, relentless, and infectious central riff, a descending falsetto vocal during the verses, and an instantly catchy and memorable chorus refrain, 'Hash Pipe' is one of the most recognizable Weezer songs, as well as being quintessentially Weezer - the mix of the heavy and the quirky is a hallmark of their sound, and well represented here.

4. Say it Ain't So

Beneath the big, crunching chord-progression of the chorus, and Rivers Cuomo's sing-along-friendly chant, 'Say it Ain't So' is one of Weezer's most personal songs. A thoughtful expression of Cuomo's childhood fears about his stepfather, the song's melancholy undercurrent makes this one of Weezer's most thoughtful compositions.

3. Island in the Sun

In some ways 'Island in the Sun' is unmistakably Weezer, with sections dominated by crashing, crunching chords and vocals to match. But much of the song is a sleepy, dreamy track, drenched in sun-drunk lyrics and gentle, lilting guitar work. This contrast is one of the song's strengths, and the way the big chords give way to the song's beautiful central melody must rank as one of Weezer's greatest musical achievements. And special mention must go to the song's music video - Weezer plus cute animals! What's not to like?

2. Undone - The Sweater Song

'Undone - The Sweater Song', may not quite be Weezer's best song, but is one of their most loveable. It captures almost everything great about the band, from the mix of quiet, melodic guitar and heavy chorus-chords, to the sense that the apparently silly lyrics are hiding something more melancholy and profound.

1. Buddy Holly

If you ask people to name some Weezer songs, odds are the first on they'll come up with is 'Buddy Holly'. It's also likely that what they'll remember most about the song is its Happy Days-inspired video, which has become a classic, and remains a mainstay on music television and lists of 'all-time best videos'. However, to some extent the video has overshadowed the song, which is an absolute classic in its own right, and is a text-book example of how to write a great pop-rock song. The vocals are just so catchy, and the guitar lick in the final bridge is one of the most memorable of all time. So it had to be our number one.

And it has to be said... the video is pretty good.

How To Make Beats or Instrumentals On Your Computer For Free

 If you enjoy listening to music and you feel that you have music potential in you that waits to be explored, then why don't you start making your own beats. You must be wondering how to start making your own music without paying for expensive instruments or professional software programs that you don't even know how to use. So, in this article, we will try to answer your question how to make beats on your computer for free, recommending you few useful software tools and providing few useful tips.

Where To Start

Every beginning is difficult, so it would be nice to have some ground information to lead your way. If you are wondering how to make beats on your computer for free, then you should know that the first step towards becoming a famous music producer is download a good quality beat making software, which should preferably be free. So, you could start by Google search for free beat making software and we are sure that you will find hundreds of them. In order to save you some time and trouble of checking them all, we recommend you to try the Dubturbo beat making software and its Dubturbo 2.0 version. Before downloading the software, it would be nice to read few reviews and watch Dubturbo videos, just to see what you should expect. The Dubturbo software is great for beginners and is user-friendly. It is really easy to use, so you won't have to spend hours and hours trying to figure out its features and you will start creating music within hours after you install it on your computer.

Get Decent Equipment

The story how to make beats on your computer for free continues with buying yourself a decent musical equipment and set it up properly. You should definitely spend some time setting up you equipment to improve the quality of your music and get the product you were hoping to. So, don't forget to position your speakers in a way so they make an even sided triangle (2 speakers + your head). In case you use headphones, make sure that the volume is too loud. When making beats, it is much more preferable to use speakers, but in case you can't use them (translation: until your parents finally learn to accept your new hobby), use good quality headphones. If the volume in your headphones is too loud, it can distort the sounds. Once everything is set, start exploring the software. You need to be curious if you want to learn something new. Don't be afraid, start playing around with the software, check all buttons, explore all options. This is the only way to learn by trying. You could also rely on the reviews or videos available online (both for Dubturbo and any other software you may use) and learn more about the different options available on the software you are using. Such reviews are just like user manual for software and they are really helpful, especially if you are a beginner.