In his book “Don’t Stop Believin’,” author Brian Raftery outlines a few basic rules to karaoke. First, you will look better if you sing a bad song, such as Paper Lace’s “The Night Chicago Died,” Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone,” Garth Brook’s “I Got Friends In Low Places” or Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” Secondly, avoid songs that are too long. Many performers falter halfway through Lynryd Skynyrd’s nine-minute “Free Bird,” Don McLean’s eight-minute “American Pie” and Led Zeppelin’s eight-minute “Stairway to Heaven.” Fast songs are always better than slow songs, group songs are always better than solos and staying within your key is crucial to success. Now that you know the basics, you’re ready to get your own karaoke player and start practicing for the big day!
It seems everyone is claiming to have “the best karaoke player on the market.” With so many contenders, it can be hard to choose. Today, karaoke songs can be played on portable systems, DVD players, CD players, PCs and Playstation consoles. The smart karaoke system consumer should first be honest with him or herself and ask, “What am I going to use this thing for?” If it is for killer karaoke parties, then an all-in-one machine like The Song Station is the ideal choice. This amazing karaoke system has been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine, People Magazine and on NBC, and enjoys high Epinions ratings. Ranging between $207 and $259, the system has 53,000 built-in tracks from around the globe, but also accepts DVDs, special karaoke CDGs, CD+Gs, VCDs and MP3s, and plays all in high-quality Dolby Digital.
Consumers receive two free microphones, a pedestal karaoke song search unit, large speakers and additional amplifier connections. Up to ninety-nine songs can be scheduled, just like at a karaoke club, and sixty favorites can be stored for quick retrieval. This product can be purchased at www.thesongstation.com.
Rather than spend hundreds of dollars on a karaoke player, there are also karaoke DVD players that can be purchased for $30 to $100 and will play movies too. However, shoppers will need to make sure the player also accepts CDG format or their music selection will be slim; they may also need to purchase extra microphones. One of the cheapest karaoke DVD players is the Coby DVD-637, which goes for $33 to $64. However, most of the CD+G compatible DVD players run between $100 and $200, like the VocoPro DVG399K ($110) or the Cavs 105G DVD ($119).
For kids, the GPX Karaoke Machine can be purchased from Best Buy for just $30 and will play the music, as well as the video (CD+G) and comes with a microphone. Hello Kitty also has a fun pink-and-white karaoke player for $50 that plays karaoke CDs and Barbie has a “Hits 2 Go”CD boombox for $30 or a better quality Emerson Radio Barbie CD+G system for $75, which can all be purchased at www.amazon.com. For the older kids, The Singing Machine SMG-137 Karaoke System is reasonably priced from $45 to $88 and looks more like the traditional karaoke machine, with built-in speakers, two microphone inputs, a top-load CD/CD+G drive and basic balance/echo/volume/auto voice controls.
During his interview on April 18, 2009, Mark Simone (WABC Radio 770AM, New York) asked Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits’ to name some of the many good quality singers and groups who can often go unnoticed due to poor marketing, bad management or just not being in the right place at the right time. He mentioned as a case in point, the British band, The Undertakers, in the 1960s, who were from Liverpool.
They toured extensively in northwest England and were known for their dark humor. This was largely due to the origin of the band’s name, The Undertakers. At a point when the Vegas Five had been asked to play a gig, a local newspaper advertising their show had mistakenly replaced their name with the word “Undertakers” from the an adjacent news column. Their original promoter suggested that they use this as a gimmick and in fact they started each show by playing the “Death March” (i.e. Chopin’s “Funeral March”) and changed their name to The Undertakers. They even used a hearse as the band vehicle and appeared on tv with a coffin at one point. Due largely to Lomax’s quality singing as well as Huston’s customization and amplification of the Undertaker’s instruments, the band did draw a local popular following. Using a strong saxophone influence also allowed the band to pursue some lesser known R&B material setting them apart from other local Liverpool groups. They were a very popular live rambunctious act.
More than once, the worlds of The Undertakers and the Beatles collided. In July 1962, they flew to Germany to play at the famous German Beatles haunt, The Star Club in Hamburg. While there, the band had been approached by Beatles manager, Brian Epstein to be taken under his management. Upon returning to Liverpool however, they rejected Epstein and instead first signed with Ralph Webster, who they thought with his local connections would guarantee them constant live work. Their first gig at the famous cavern was Tuesday, October 9, 1962. Then, in early 1963, they signed to signed on with Tony Hatch as their producer and Pye Records. The rest as they say is history.
In spite of the fact that “(Do The) Mashed Potatoes” was the group’s and the fans’ favorite track, it was pushed to the B-side of their first single “Everybody Loves A Lover” and the record failed to sell. The Undertakers then wanted to issue “Money” as their next release, but their record company pushed ”What About Us?” which also did not sell well. Finally being allowed to choose their third single with “Just A Little Bit”, it became their only hit when it reached no. 49 in the UK charts. In September, 1964, the released their fourth and last single for Pye, “If You Don’t Come Back” (b/w “Think”). It also was produced in insufficient quantities and also did not do well commercially as a result. For that record, they had been asked by Pye to shorten their name to the less offensive “Takers”.
While the band did tour North America in 1965, their manager abandoned the band in Ontario, Canada, and left them without money or a manager. After two months of hardship in Ontario they surreptitiously returned to New York. The band essentially broke up when one of the members contracted bronchitis and went home that Christmas.
The rest of the band’s recordings would have to wait thirty years but thanks to Amazon, all of the Undertakers songs are available in a great compilation from Big Beat records called, The Undertakers Unearthed. Enjoy the music!
Look below if you came to see motion picture reviews. To find movie downloads do a search. A good starting point might be “Unlimited Music Downloads”, after that try “Download Movie Rental” or “Movies Downloads”.
Macaroni: An uptight American businessman goes to Naples and finds some incomplete personal business left over from his last visit while he was an amorous cadet in the Second World War. 2 of the planet’s most charming entertainers try to keep this film together, and nearly triumph. Cast includes Jack Lemmon, Marcello Mastroianni, Daria Nicolodi, Isa Danieli, and Maria Luisa Saniella. (104 minutes, 1985)
Ju-on The Grudge: Ghosts of a violently killed mom and her child vengefully terrorize and murder a succession of individuals who have a connection with the humble Tokyo home where the murders took place. Not a tale as such, although a succession of eerie scenes, some peacefully scary, others outright horrifying. Cast includes Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa, Kanji Tsuda, Takako Fuji, Kayoko Shibata, Yukako Kukuri, Takashi Matsuyama, and Yuya Ozeki. (92 minutes, 2003)
Heart like a Wheel: Well-made although curiously uninspiring bio of race-car driver Shirley each other and much discussion is unintelligible to American ears (albeit if you might make it through the first reel, hang on). Cast includes Bonnie Bedelia, Leo Rossi, Hoyt Axton, Bill McKinney, Anthony Edwards, Dean Paul Martin, Paul Bartel, Dick Miller, and Terence Knox. (113 minutes, 1983)
Bootmen: Novice director Perry (of the dance group Tap Mutts) used his own background to develop this toe tapping film of a youthful gentleman’s escape into big-time show business- and then back once more as he rallies his blue collar tap-dancing cronies to build his own modern-day dance show. Cast includes Adam Garcia, Sam Worthington, Sophie Lee, Christopher Horsey, Lee McDonald, William Zappa, and Richard Carter. (93 minutes, 2000)
Belle de Jour: Bunuel’s wry and upsetting story of a virgirial newlywed who works the night switch in a high-style Parisian brothel, unbeknownst to her spouse. Bunuel’s recipe of stunning topic belies the acute humor of his script (cowritten with JeanClaude Catriere). Cast includes Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli, Genevieve Page, Francisco Rabal, and Pierre Clementi. (100 minutes, 1967)
Repulsion: Polanski’s first English-language film is phenomenal mental shocker portraying psychological deterioration of sexually repressed gal left alone in her sibling’s condo for few nights. Hasn’t lost a tad of its impact; can leave you anxious for nights later on. Cast includes Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Patrick Wymark, Yvonne Fumeaux, and James Villiers. (105 minutes, 1965)
Hail Caesar: Horrible music-megastar wannabe (Chamber) is in love with an offensive debutante, whose dad is plotting to yndermine an upcoming concert. Not a very good film. Cast includes Anthony Michael Chamber, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Gorshin, Samuel L. Jackson, Judd Nelson, and Nicholas Pryor. (97 minutes, 1993)
The Search for Signs of Inteligent Life in the Universe: This is a witty re-creation of Lily Tomlin’s 1985 one female Broadway show. Her characterizations run the gamut from box woman to juvinille delinquent to New Age Lady, with much of the material in a feminist vein. The show stars Lily Tomlin obviously. (120 minutes, 1991)
I Love You: Stupid, pretentiously arty journal of relation between Braga and Pereio, each of whom tries to exploit the other. Sonia, nonetheless, is pleasant to check out. Cast includes Sonia Braga, Paulo Cesar Pereio, Vera Fischer, Tarcisio Meira, Maria Lucia Dahl, and Regina Case. (104 minutes, 1981)
Was this list of films helpful? To find online download sites, try “Online Movies Tv” or “Online Movies Rental” in the search engines. If neither of those work use “Movies Downloads”.
Find out where to buy movie downloads by searching “Buy Films”. Thriller Video Download Type “Buy Film Online” into a search engine and you will see sites about movie downloading. To burn and download movies search “Legal Movie Download Sites”.
There’s always controversy it is suggested that musicians have included subliminal messages in their songs, however the truth is that subliminal messages in songs have been around for decades. People worry that the bands are using thee hidden messages to influence us without our knowing.
There have been claims for decades of rock bands backmasking subliminal messages in their popular tracks. Originally, it all started with Led Zeppelin when it was discovered that there were satanic messages if you played their hit song Stairway to Heaven backwards. Since then similar messages have been found in various songs from artists from every musical genre possible - from country to rock, and dance to pop.
If you were to play the song forwards as normal you would never even notice the hidden messages. It is only when you reverse the track that the hidden messages are revealed. This may sound pretty harmless..
However being the complex and powerful computer that it is, it is more than capabale of recognising these messages and decoding them. This is done without your knowledge as it is your subconscious only which is able to “hear” them. It can of pick up on information your regular conscious mind can’t.
So this information still makes it’s way to into your mind without your knowing. Now this could be harmless if the messages are just put in for fun, but do you really want subliminals which promote:
Devil worship and satanism entering your mind as in some pink floyd tracks and Led Zeppelin.
Do you really want sexual thoughts being forced into your mind from Britney Spears?
Even Queen have subliminal messages promoting Marajuana use.
Michael Jackson subliminals seem harmless enough, he seems to talk about how upset he is, but still, are these negative thoughts that you want in your mind?
Soon everyone from Britney, to Queen, Madonna, and more have used subliminal - with even movie producers Walt Disney getting inlvolved in the craze! Even more lately there have been lady gaga subliminal messages found.
It is a shame that musicians don’t use beneficial messages in their music - subliminals aid you in life and develop your mind. Maybe this is the future… but I doubt it.
People are always telling you that you have a great passion for music. As you sit in your basement or living room with your stereo blaring and channeling your inner DJ you try to figure out the way to go to create your own beats. Sampling beats might be a good way to start your beat making career. However, be aware that you might have to deal with copycopyright infringement.
The internet is loaded with beats and people are gathering reputations for some of the work they are doing creating beats that are getting used in the music industry. Whether you are looking to make beats for others to use, or if you are just looking for a way to make your own beats for your own entertainment you will still need the computer software necessary to create quality beats. Of course, you could pay for it, but there are various places where you can get free beat maker software.
As you examine the various downloadable beat machines trying to decide which ones offer the best beat maker software, you should definitely make it a careful and well thought out process. If you see beat maker software that is free take into account the old saying if it’s too good to be true it probably is. Supposed free beat maker software can be the costliest in terms of dealing with viruses and adware among other potential problems. One problem with free beat maker software is that million of people are using the same software and you might end up having the same beats. When it comes to quality software you will have to pay out some money but you’ll appreciate it in the long run.
Before you buy a beat maker software you should make sure it is Ok for newbies and will be good for advanced musicians as well. A program that is limited to how many platforms it can be used on is definitely one to avoid at all cost. Remember this should be a program that is fun to enjoy either alone or sharing it with others. one thing you should do before buying a software is reading user comments. This will help you making a buying decision.
If after you’ve tried all the above and still are unable to find what you are looking for the ultimate website for beat making is HowTo Make Music Online.
To download an incredible cutting edge music sequencer with mp3 export capability and for comprehensive music production tutorials with different keyboards go to Make Music Online
The small time promoter has to work hard and on a shoestring to get an audience of a few hundred people to fill a venue. Flyers, word-of-mouth and media name checks are some of the tools promoters use to fill small venues or club nights. Building up a loyal following from scratch is no easy task. For an up and coming band a lot of effort can go into attracting enough people to fill even the smallest of venues and those promoting the event need to take every opportunity to establish a relationship with the audience that will continue beyond the end of the performance.
For a small outlay online surveys can be set up to provide the promoter with feedback and the opportunity to maintain an on going relationship with their audience. Using online Survey Software a promoter can now quickly and easily create an online survey.
With an online survey a promoter can find out exactly:-
who attended;
what persuaded them;
what they thought of the event;
would they expect to attend again;
would they recommend future events to their friends.
A way to ensure a good response is to have a number of business sized cards that are marked clearly with words like “Feedback”, “Your opinion counts”, “Tell us what you thought”. Each card would display an address that points either directly to the survey or to a website where a link to the survey can be placed. Cards can be issued at the door with the tickets, or handed out among the crowd and if they are made the size of business cards they will be small enough to be slipped into a pocket, purse or wallet. Small incentives such as a chance to win a free guest pass for a future event, a signed CD or T shirt would help towards improving the response rate.
Using the results from online surveys the promoter is able to:
Obtain a profile of the audience
Gauge the overall success of the event;
Measure the effectiveness of different promotion;
Receive feedback on the venue and facilities;
Receive feedback on the act;
Promote on a one on one basis;
Build a targeted database for future events;
Build a loyal audience;
Link to merchandise and other promotions.
Considering the effort that it takes to promote an event and the little extra effort required in using online surveys to encourage further contact and all the immediate and long term benefits that will bring – it really couldn’t be any easier.
The following sample survey shows the feedback that could be used for a breaking band. It not only gathers valuable feedback, but continues to promote the band, their CD and gives the opportunity to encourage further contact.
Many parents want to encourage their children to learn to play a musical instrument, to encourage their musical development.
The first instrument is often a music keyboard. These are reasonably priced and stimulate an interest in music even in very young children. Some of the very low cost keyboards are very limited so ask your school music teacher for advice. The higher priced keyboards play notes softer if they are hit less hard, more like a piano.
Your child may enjoy the sound of a particluar instrument. If you initially go with the childs ideas it can be a major motivational factor in getting them to practice. in the first few years of their music education, many children change instruments some two or three times.
Many children may find it easier to play woodwind instruments like a clarinet than brass instruments like trumpets and trombones. Woodwind instruments do not require the lip vibrations that brass players need.
Most children’s choice of instrument is a matter of chance. It depends on what instrument is favored by visiting music tutors.
More professional musicains play violin than any other instrument. This is why many parent encourage their children to learn to play violin to begin with. When buying a violin you need to be aware of certain things.
On the internet you can buy a violin for under 70 dollars. Should you buy it? Only if you want your child to to try an instrument but do not want the hassle of renting.
A violin is much more than a pair of shoes. Shoes are designed to be used and thrown away when they wears out. A well made violincan last for hundreds of years when taken care of. The 70 dollar violin above can just be thrown away when it is no longer usuable. Buying a low cost well made student violin is a good way to determine if your child really has an interest in learning to play.
If your child is taking up the violin, or any instrument, it might be an idea to rent rather than buy, until you see how your child takes to the instrument. That is the point at which you should consider buying. If you don’t have access to a rental program then buy an inexpensive instrument at the beginning.
You need to buy the highest quality music instrumentsyou are able to afford. Price is definitely linked with tonal quality and the higher price the better the tone for the most part. You will be able to notice differences between the varying musical instruments so listen to a range of trumpets, violins, and electric pianos being played by other musicians. When you find an instrument that you and child like the sound of, buy that one. As your child learn his instrument, the ear will learn to attune itself to any deficiencies an instrument may have and the pleasure if playing it will be enhanced greatly.
A beat maker these days usually requires a download that you then install on your computer. The internet has made it very easy to download a beat maker and try it out on your computer. This means that you can essentially try out as many beat makers as you like before you purchase one. This is a nice change from the old days when you had to purchase the software and try it out while you crossed your fingers and hoped you didn’t waist your hard earned money.
A beat maker will usually provide 16 tracks which can allow a song writer to layer their beat or song. This layering effect provides the different sounds you might hear including the drum, sneer, hi-hat etc. You can also take these 16 tracks, and depending on the beat maker, bounce those onto one of the tracks leaving you with 15 more tracks to work with and so-on and so-forth. However, just because you use more tracks there is no guarantee the song your are writing will sound better. In fact sometimes a simple beat is all you need.
Obviously each track is going to have a volume control slider so you can adjust the mix to meet your needs. There is also going to be a tempo setting for the entire song as well. This will work with something called ‘beats per minute’ or BPM. So if you have a song at 120 BPM this means that every minute 120 beats will be played (of course they don’t all have to be used.). Along with that feature, there might be a measure setting, meaning 4/4 time or 3/4 time etc (which has to do with the beats per measure).
Virtual beat makers allow you to add the sounds by assigning a sound to a specific beat. Typically, a measure will loop round-and-round and you can assign a sneer drum to every other beat for instance, and then when it loops around again you will hear the sneer on every other beat. Then you can add other sounds using the other tracks at your disposal. This makes it very easy to create a beat in a very short amount of time. The newer beat makers will have a piano key-set as well so you can add piano sounds, bass-lines, guitar parts or vocal samples etc. (without having to buy any hardware). This is nice if you want to make the entire song from start to finish using an inexpensive virtual music beat maker.
One of the most important things to look for in a beat maker is the quality of the sound library you have access to. If the sound of the samples is poor, then no matter how good your beat, you will be frustrated with the final product.
Once you have produced your hip-hop or rap beat you can usually convert this to an mp3 with the click of a button. This is a feature you should definitely look for in a beat maker and the more exporting options available, the better. Many people will make a quick loop in the beat maker and then transfer the mp3 to a more sophisticated multi-track sequencer for further polishing.
So to re-cap, you should look for at least a 16 track sequencer, individual controls for the volume, tempo control, and high quality samples as well as an easy-to-use export option. Other than that, it is important to shop around and try out as many beat makers as possible so you know what you like and don’t like about the different software interfaces.
Since the karaoke party in America is thirty years old now, there are many ways songbirds can explore their singing talent. There are personal attachments one can affix to an iPod to practice singing around the house while doing chores. Or extroverts may prefer to seek out a karaoke club to belt-it-out in front of dozens of strangers for prize money and fame. For house parties, a karaoke machine can be a great way to entertain guests for hours on end. Video game systems can also transform traditional karaoke into challenging games. Finding karaoke online can transform a hobby into a social community, where friends can upload their karaoke recordings and trade with others.
So which systems are getting the most buzz? The $60 doPi Karaoke “Party in a Pod” system can turn a video iPod into a karaoke machine. Consumers will also get a microphone, a mixer box with two inputs, echo effect, video in/out ports and all cables needed to connect an iPod to the box, which plugs into the wall. A song card comes with three free downloads and many karaoke songs come with video too. This system, which has been featured by InStyle, People, Seventeen, WIRED, Mac Life, iLounge, FHM and Entertainment Magazine, as well as Good Morning America and The Early Show, can be purchased at www.dopikaraoke.com.
Another great karaoke machine system is the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, which sell for $300 on average, but also plays hundreds of video games and connects to the internet. The karaoke software, “Karaoke Revolution Party,” only costs $30 and comes with 50 karaoke hits and a microphone. The game, which comes with varying levels for beginners and pros, allows singers the ability to practice meeting the right pitch to win points. Players can choose different singer characters, sing duets or sing in party mode when friends are over. There is even an “American Idol” version, which features Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul as guest judges, who offer critiques. Game versions for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Wii and Nintendo GameCube are available as well at www.konami.com.
The $199 Singing Machine Pedestal CDG Karaoke system offers a more professional singing and recording experience than the average karaoke machine. In addition to having two microphones, the system also comes with a built-in camera so singers can watch themselves on the video monitor. Additionally, the RCA output allows singers the ability to tape themselves on a VCR or DVD recorder as well. Unlike other systems that are all-vocals or no-vocals, this unit comes with Auto Voice Control so the vocals are eliminated when the singer starts to sing and returns when the singer stops singing. This function is ideal for practicing a new song. Additional features for this CD/CD G player include key, echo, balance and pitch control. Ipod-compatible systems also exist for $249. Consumers can purchase this product at www.singingmachine.com.
Consumers are not the only demographic for the karaoke machine. Some business owners see karaoke as a great opportunity to add entertainment or set themselves apart from the competition. Obviously, the karaoke club is nothing new, but what about the karaoke cab? In cities like Dallas, New York City, Chicago and San Francisco, there are cabs with built-in karaoke machines to start off a pre-party or occupy riders for long rides. Some videos of karaoke singers are posted at www.mykaraokecab.com. Karaoke Yellow Cab out of Dallas, Texas says that the karaoke hits up his tips and that the most common songs requested are Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”
It’s not just guitar hero that’s doing a good job of getting a whole load of people back into the world of writing and recording their own tracks. The hugely successful game may have inspired countless wannabe rockstars to pick up a guitar and start rocking out but with so much new technology available to budding musicians, it seems the cutting edge of new music is becoming less Gibson and more… Gameboy?? No, you didn’t hear that wrong. As musicians try to come up with more and more ways to keep their sound fresh and new people are discovering musical gold in all kinds of unexpected places, from state of the art phones to old toys and retro games consoles. Here are a few of the innovative and unusual uses for technology in music that we’ve found:
Old Nintendo Gameboys – perhaps one of the strangest musical creations around, DJ Scotch Egg doesn’t actually use any normal DJ equipment but produces his tracks entirely using sound effects and software from gameboys. But they’re not the new, shiny, slick consoles we’re used to nowadays – he only uses the old chunky grey ones you remember from the early 90s. Not only does this work surprisingly well (he even manages to pull it off live and gives a very energetic performance) but it’s also a real blast from the past as you pick out the sounds and snatches of tunes you recognise from the games of your childhood!
iPhones – Due to play a series of gigs at Wembley Stadium in the summer supporting Take That, Gary Go’s set is not exactly what you’d usually expect from a pop concert. He doesn’t play any instruments live, and he doesn’t have a band – he just does it all on his trusty iPhone. In fact, he wrote, played and recorded a number of the tracks on his album using only software he had downloaded especially to his phone. It should be an interesting gig to see, as long as his mum doesn’t decide to call him half way through!
Laptops – OK so maybe this one’s not quite so weird and wonderful, it’s not exactly unusual to see a laptop being used onstage during a show. But what makes the laptop such an important aspect of making your own music is that if you have one you literally don’t need anything else. With so many different programs for musicians out there, able to recreate the sound of any instrument almost perfectly, and then record and mix your tracks, it’s just a case of picking the right DJ software and going for it. Gone are the days of ‘but I don’t know how to play the guitar’ and ‘I don’t know the first thing about recording music’, nowadays truly anyone can be a rockstar.
