Archive for the ‘Music’ Category
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
So much is said about The Beatles legendary 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band but I think too much of what is said is about it’s historical significance and the like. Not enough attention is paid to the music itself. And that’s why with this article I’m focusing entirely on the music, one song at a time.
01. “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” - The album starts off with this brilliant Paul McCartney rocker (he wrote it, sang lead, and even played the lead guitar part) which really sets the mood (and the “concept”) for the entire album. I love how the song intersperses pretty heavy rock with the somewhat ridiculous horn sections. The imagination displayed in this music is really overwhelming. I can imagine people who have grown up listening to the drab obvious music of “rock bands” like Nickelback being very confused by what’s going on in this music as they’ve never really been introduced to imagination or creativity in music before. But if they can get over that initial confusion, I think they will begin to understand the possibilities of what music can be.
02. “With a Little Help from my Friends” - I much prefer this original Beatles version over the completely over the top Joe Cocker version that is probably more famous at this point (mostly because it was used as the theme song to the very popular Wonder Years TV show.) To me it’s the perfect song for Ringo to sing and of course John & Paul wrote it specifically for Ringo. It fits like a glove. What a brilliant song.
03. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” - This psychedelic journey through the mind of John Lennon remains one of the band’s most famous songs. I love how it goes from the visions of the verse to the exciting sing along of the chorus.
04. “Getting Better” - The “it couldn’t get much worse” lyric that Lennon added to this McCartney song is such a great example of the way that Lennon and McCartney made each others songs better even when they weren’t righting them “eyeball to eyeball” like in the early days.
05. “Fixing a Hole” - Tracks 4 through 6 are a beautiful slice of McCartney magic and I think this is actually my favorite of that great trio of songs.
06. “She’s Leaving Home” - This song is very interesting to hear in mono because it’s actually sped up (and thus pitched up) in the mono mix. It has a lot more energy that way. Definitely worth a listen!
07. “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” - I think my favorite part of this song is the cut up tape section where it sounds like sort of insane random carnival music.
08. “Within You Without You” - This is a song that gets a lot of hate by a lot of people and that makes me sad. It makes me feel like they don’t really “get it.” This song is an essential part of what makes this album so brilliant.
09. “When I’m Sixty-Four” - I love how quickly the musical styles change with this album. We go from a carnival to India to music hall!
10. “Lovely Rita” - In an album filled with stand-out tracks, this one is probably somewhat forgettable in comparison. Of course it’s still a great song.
11. “Good Morning Good Morning” - My least favorite song on the album. Yet I still think it’s pretty great at times and it has some very interesting elements. I think that says a lot about how much I love this album.
12. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” - This song, of course, ties together the whole album by linking us back to the first song. It gives the impression that everything we’ve been hearing (even though it’s all of these wildly different styles) has been a part of one big performance by this fictional band.
13. “A Day in the Life” - The greatest song ever.
The Beatles In Mono Box Set includes the original mono mix of Sgt. Pepper’s. The Beatles In Stereo includes all of The Beatles albums in remastered stereo.
Tags: Classic Rock, Music, The Beatles
Learn to Play Piano: How Piano Lessons Can Increase your Child’s IQ
My father had it all worked out. He would put us through every lesson imaginable and maybe one of us would come out a genius. (Thank God our piano teacher had the patience of a saint.) Many years later, I realized my (well-meaning) father was right.
With two kids of my own now, I’m thinking of the same thing. A piano lesson can be a wonderful gift I can give to my kids - it’s practically a rite of passage. Some experts say that when kids learn to play piano, they pick up some invaluable skills:
How to Be More Creative
Children actually learn better through music, and learning to play piano can improve your child’s visual learning skills. Visual learning stimulates creativity because it deals with how the brain visualizes ideas from the things we see around us.
How to Be More Confident
Taking piano lessons can boost a kid’s self-esteem! Though recitals are scary, kids appreciate it when parents cheer them from the audience. Their confidence goes through the roof when they see that you’re proud of their accomplishments, no matter how small.
How to Focus
Playing the piano requires a certain focus which can be developed through practice. It’s important however that kids start lessons at 7 so that they can sit still and listen. They should be able to follow instructions and know basic math and the alphabet to learn how to read notes.
How to Have More Coordination
Did you know that piano playing involves a lot of eye-hand (and foot) coordination? Piano pieces have to be played with varying degrees of loudness and softness which require a lot of energy. It’s almost like competing in an athletic sport!
Family Fun
The greatest thing about having a piano in the house is - everybody can join in! You can also take a piano lesson or two and learn along with your kids. It’s better than being couch potatoes all day long.
While I didn’t go on to play at Carnegie Hall, piano lessons were a memorable part of my childhood. If you want to give your child some happy memories and skills that can last a lifetime - piano lessons are the way to go. Just don’t forget to buy some earplugs and get ready for some ‘creative’ noise.
Tags: Entertainment, Hobby, learn to play piano, Music, online piano lessons, piano, piano lessons, recreation
The Evolution Of Karaoke Nights - Singing In Karaoke Bars
After expending time searching Karaoke by visiting local joints during Karaoke night and by experimenting with friends and a Karaoke machine, it seemed like the English version for Karaoke might be “don’t quit your day job.” However, a little more research turned up the true meaning: “empty orchestra.”
Karaoke started in Kansai, Japan, in 1984, and promptly extended to worldwide popularity. It’s not difficult to encounter a bar hosting a “Karaoke Night” or a “Karaoke Competitions.” Wannabee vocalists flock to these bars and line up to belt out their best number for a passing moment of micro-fame. What’s the attraction of the Karaoke craze? Is it that minute in the spotlight?
One of the greatest ways of intriguing yourself is to relish karaoke singing. Karaoke is becoming more and more popular these days. It is a pursuit for some people, and a mere answer for all your troubles for the day to some. The idea of singing will help you to relax and savour the moment. Karaoke is perfect for young.
Being in a karaoke bar is even more entertaining for you as you can contend with other people who are there for enjoyment too. Karaoke singing in general has no tips to help you can improve in whatever level you are singing. Karaoke singing is usually for amateurs and not for professional people. Everyone is there to simply just have fun no matter how good you sing. The first theme is to have fun.
If you genuinely wish to be the superstar in karaoke bars then you can take up karaoke singing lessons. There are singing lessons available online, and in music centers. There are also free accomplished online singing lessons, which have productions like: learning to sing DVDs, which also offers musical harmony lessons; a very primary part of singing if you want to be the next pop idol.
This technology of learning to sing online, may eventually take some time from your busy schedule. You can discover to sing in the comfort of any location as long as there’s an Internet connection. The thought will also let you improve on your knowledge of the songs that are very modern in karaoke bars
Tags: arts, arts and entertainment, Entertainment, Hobbies, karaoke, Music, singing
Learn Guitar Online With Ease
Which type of guitar comes to your mind first when the subject of guitars comes up? Either you said the electric guitar or the acoustic guitar. The acoustic guitar has been around much longer than the electric guitar, dating back to 1779. The electric guitar did not come into being until the 1930’s.
Countless bands and musicians have used the acoustic guitar as a staple in their repertoire. The acoustic guitar produces a sound that represents true emotion at its most raw level and all without the use of an amplifier.
Right now you may be thinking that it will be too difficult to learn to play the acoustic guitar. This is far from the truth. Get started on your journey by first picking out a guitar that fits your body style.
Stop right there! Don’t make the mistake of borrowing an acoustic guitar from a buddy. It is worth it to own your own. It can be used or brand new, but make sure it is a good fit for you.
Find a local music store and go take a look. A good store will have several styles and sizes for you to choose from. Other ways to find an acoustic guitar are newspaper classifieds or online classifieds such as craig’s list. Always be sure the size is right.
After finding and buying your acoustic guitar, you will have to determine which way you will use to actually begin learning to play. Our schedules often vary wildly so pick the way that best suits your lifestyle. A few ways you can go about learning to play the acoustic guitar are:
Lessons-this is the most common and well tested way to learn the acoustic guitar. Of course you want to find a qualified guitar teacher. The benefit is that you have a coach that can work with you if you should get stuck or stop progressing. You will learn proper technique as well.
There are disadvantages of taking private guitar lessons. You will have to go to the instructors place of business at set times unless they agree to come to your house. This will definitely increase the cost. Again, lesson will be at set times that may be hard to fit into your busy schedule.
Online Acoustic Guitar Lessons-In this day and age, it is really easy to learn just about anything you can think of through an online course. There are many acoustic guitar courses available, both free and paid. I recommend finding and purchasing a good course as they are more likely to be better organized.
Let’s talk about the advantage of using a paid guitar course acquired online. A one time fee and you can start learning acoustic guitar from the comfort of home, or any place you may have a computer. Remember offline lessons can be very costly. Use the money you save to upgrade to a nicer guitar or buy some strings.
Thanks for reading this article. Follow these easy steps and you will be on you way to campfire stardom. I know you can do it. Just take the first step!
Tags: Education, guitar, guitar lessons, guitar lessons online, Hobbies, instruments, learn acoustic guitar, learn acoustic guitar online, learn guitar, learn guitar online, Music, music education, musical instruments, online guitar lessons
Having Fun With Karaoke Music - DVD Karaoke Songs
Most people associate Karaoke with going out to a bar and wailing away in front of complete strangers or being prodded to get up there and sing when they know they can?t sing at all. Especially after a few drinks, people tend to put pressure on you and some just don?t like that feeling.
Well, many are finding a new way to enjoy Karaoke ? with their family. Karaoke is now being enjoyed in the home too, and for some very good reasons. Kids love to watch their parents get up and sing and have fun, and parents love to see their kids do the same thing. Karaoke is fun for the whole family because everyone can participate.
Everyday living and the stress associated with it can put strains on the family, and when it comes to looking for something they can all do together, there aren?t a lot of common ground areas that are for the whole family, that don?t cost a bomb. That in itself is stressful ? knowing that you have to pay around a hundred dollars just to start so that the whole family can do something together.
With Karaoke, it is relatively inexpensive to get a machine that has all kinds of tunes on it. Getting a Karaoke machine at home lets the kids practice not just singing but feeling comfortable doing it. There is nothing a child in their formative years likes better than the approval of their family when they get up and sing. It builds confidence and character, not to mention boosting the confidence of that special child who has ?it?, and is the next rising star.
The beauty of Karaoke is that the technology of it has come a long way. With most songs now, the Karaoke version is out very shortly after the song has been out. It is now, easy, up to date and above all, affordable to have Karaoke in the home. All different kinds of songs are available with Karaoke and there are literally thousands to choose from.
A family can pick and choose the songs that they like, so if dad loves classic rock, he can have that, and if mom likes country and western, she can get that, and for the kids, they can have whatever they like as well. This means that the whole family can participate and have fun while they?re doing it, so that the family is together as a unit, doing the things together that each of them enjoy.
Karaoke is an inexpensive and fun way for all in the family to have fun together. There is nothing more wonderful than the whole family getting together to have a lot of fun together watching each other do what they enjoy doing. It brings a family closer with each other and it builds confidence in the kids. So, next time you?re wondering what the whole family can do together, try Karaoke ? you?ll be glad you did!
Tags: arts, arts and entertainment, Entertainment, Hobbies, karaoke, Music, recreation, songs