Music Marketing - The Essentials of an Effective Music Press Kit

As a struggling independent musician in a highly competitive over-crowded market it should be left unsaid that you need to stand out from the crowd. There are many ways to do this. There is music publicity, radio promotion, extensive tour presence, and the almighty music marketing and music promotion. You need to get your message out there --period.

Getting your music marketing message out there is one thing but getting the right message out there is another. Your professional image as an independent artist is of the utmost importance in order to rise above the sea of competition. Most independent bands and independent artists have some sort of a music press kit or music promotion kit that they use for promotional purposes. Generally, musicians will use either a traditional print music media kit, a digital press kit (DPK), or an online EPK (Electronic Press Kit). But just how professional and convincing are they?

A frequently asked question that I get all the time from my independent artists and musicians is which type of press kit should we put together? Which kind of music press kit works best and is most impressive and effective? The answer to that question depends on a few things.

What I mean by this is that I recommend creating and maintaining two types of press kits -- either a print or digital music press kit, and an electronic press kit. The reason for this is simple. Certain media outlets, labels, venues, music management companies, etc. prefer a print press kit or digital press kit with your full blown CD so it can be listened too on high efficiency stereo equipment to get the full effect of your music and its production qualities. Others prefer not to have their office congested with piles of press kits, and their preferred method is just reviewing your music online.

For the reasons just noted, we recommend you do a print or digital press kit and have one online as well. There's really nothing to creating an online EPK so why not have it available. There are a few very good EPK services out there and they cost just a few dollars per month. But I am putting an emphasis on the fact that an EPK (Electronic press kit online) is not enough. You still must have the traditional print or digital press kit in your music promotion arsenal.

It is notable to mention that your Music press kit is probably your most valuable promotional tool and it needs to be taken very seriously. Other than your CD and live performance it is usually the first impression of you as an artist that labels, venues, and other music media outlets will receive. There are many graphic art firms that specialize in the preparation of media promotion kits that you may want to consider if your budget permits. If not, for a few dollars, a little creativity, and time and effort, you can do it yourself. Here are the basic elements of a print press kit and Electronic press kit, and the professional means by which to go about it.

In your traditional print music press kit version the elements to include are a professionally designed cover with your logo or photo, a cover letter of introduction, Band or Artist biography, a professional 8- x 10- black and white glossy promotional photo, media feature articles and press releases, album reviews and quote sheet, your full length - extended play, or professionally recorded demo CD, an industry CD-one sheet, a business card and professionally labeled envelope. The supplies needed are heavy stock paper, portfolio cover, large envelope, address labels, business cards, and your 8- x 10- glossy photo. Now here's how to go about putting the print press kit together.

COVER AND LETTER OF INTRODUCTION:

Your professional music press kit should have an impressive cover. This should include a photo of the artist, artist's name, and artist's contact information. Sort of like the cover of a book. You should also include a cover letter of introduction. This should introduce you as the artist stating briefly a little about yourself. Don't get too specific in this letter you can leave that for the bio and other media which you will include.

Make sure you address the letter to one specific person - - being personal is important. It gives the appearance of a non-cookie cutter look and that you feel this media outlet, label, venue, or music agent has significance. Make sure that either at the top or the bottom of this letter you have included your full contact information or your artist's representative's contact information. The cover letter should be inserted just inside the kit's cover prior to any other information. The contact information should also be included at the bottom right on every page in the music promo kit.

Artist or Band Biography:

The next page or what would actually be the first informational page of the music media kit would be your artist biography page. Here you should include a brief history of the artist or band, a little about each member if it's a full band. This should be no longer than one page and should not be a long drawn out history of the band but just a brief synopsis of what you have accomplished and where you plan to go. More importantly, you should include things like significant shows or tours, contests won, radio play, or any achievements that you feel are noteworthy and may raise you above others in terms of popularity and development. Keep it simple, concise, and meaningful. If there are no writers among you or your friends than we highly recommend having your band bio written for you by a professional music copywriter. It's so important and it must be professional.

Media and Press Section:

The following pages in your music promotion kit should be media and press. These are basically significant clips of any feature articles you may have received in music industry magazines, or newspapers. Don't go overboard. Include only media clips that really highlight you as an artist. Pick the best five clips you have and make sure they are professionally reproduced. Noting irritates a person receiving these kits more that sloppy crooked copies of media. Take pride in the quality of the kit. Plastic see-through partitions should be used for each individual item.

Album Reviews and Quote sheets:

You may want to consider including good reviews of your CD and quotes you have received regarding the CD or your performance. This page should be professionally laid out with categorized headings. One should be -Album Reviews and the other should be Quotes. Don't forget to put quotation marks before and after each review and quote.

CD: Either a Full Length Album, EP, or Professionally Recorded Demo:

There are a few different ways to attach your CD to your music press kit. If your portfolio has a sleeve in the rear you can just slip it in there. Another method is to use Velcro strips placed on the rear of the CD and attached somewhere on the inside of the back cover. This however is not the recommended method. Especially if the rear cover of your CD has important information printed on it. If you are enclosing a full length record or EP (Extended Play) the hope would be that you have taken the time to release a professional recording so its professionalism is up to snuff. However if you are only using a demo CD it is extremely important to note the following:

- Make sure it is of professional recording quality (No basement stuff)

- Make sure the production quality is as professional as possible

- Include no more than 3 songs, maybe four of your very best

- Place them in a sequence of best

- Do some semblance of professional cover art and labeling

- Make sure your contact information is displayed on the demo

- If you really want to make sure, have it evaluated by a professional

CD- Music Industry One-Sheet:

If you are enclosing a CD of a professionally recorded and commercially released full length album or EP than it's a good idea to attach a music industry one sheet. One-Sheets are generally used during the music distribution process but by enclosing one it gives the recipient of your press kit more insight on your actual record. A one sheet usually includes a photo of the album cover, album title, artist's name, brief description of the record, track listings, UPC code, price point and a few other things. Notes in the one sheet should include touring information, radio play, some quotes, and a few other things. The one sheet should be professionally written and produced as it is an item that generally can get into the hands of very important people.

Business Card and Professional Envelope and Labeling:

If you or your representative has a business card that should also be attached to the folder somewhere. Once the package is fully assembled it should be placed in a professional envelope with printed address and return address labeling. This may seem very time consuming and you may think, why can't I just write out the recipient's address. Well, that looks sloppy and unprofessional and remember what we said about sloppy. A lot of people won't even open a package if it looks unprofessional on the outside. Some may call us anal-retentive, but we get results by utilizing these professional methods.

Some important notes to help you make the most of your print music press kit.

One thing you need to remember is that things are constantly changing with you as an artist. New feature articles, new national tour, new more updated image/photos, etc. Therefore once you get the first version of your music press kit finished, you are never finished. Keep updating it with new materials and new photos for future mailings. Remember when it comes to your music press kit, you are never done. It's a work in progress.

Once you have sent your press kit to someone it does not end there. FOLLOW UP a couple weeks or so later with a phone call, email, or correspondence. Labels, media, and venues receive hundreds of press kits weekly. Don't let yours get lost in the shuffle. Make sure to bring it to their attention and to the forefront of the barrage of music press kits they receive.

The Digital Music Press Kit (DPK):

The Digital Press Kit generally contains the same information as the traditional print music press kit, although it has the ability to allow you to actually add more without being overcrowded. Basically all your information, your bio, media articles, music, quotes, etc. are housed on a CD Rom as files. The DPK, because of certain expertise involved in programming, graphic arts, etc., should however probably be professionally done. Unless of course you, another band member, or someone you know, is proficient in doing this. The benefits of a DPK are pretty obviously. They take no paper, no portfolios, no paper photos, or any print media. Everything is digital. The DPK is usually housed in a DVD Case which has professional artwork. So there is still the element of graphic artwork involved on the cover and CD stamp. Overall, the DPK is a good alternative to the print music press kit.

Electronic Press Kit (EPK):

The Electronic Press Kit, better known as the EPK is basically an online version of your promotional materials -- sort of like a website but not quite. It's similar to the DPK only in that all the files and graphics are digital. You basically create an EPK like you would create a website. However there are a few good services out there that provide template based WYSIWYG editors that basically give you the opportunity to simply upload your files. There is usually a section for your biography, your photos, your press, your music, your videos, and your backline requirements. The EPK is something that you should use in addition to your print or digital music press kit.

Whichever kind of press kit you decide to use, please remember it must be professionally reproduced and prepared. This is your first impression so you must make it a good one.

©2009 Ken Cavalier All Rights Reserved

Ken Cavalier is a music business consultant, artist manager, speaker, and author. He is widely considered an expert in his field and his focus is the advancement of his musician's and artist's careers. Ken is also the founder of Allure Media Entertainment, an artist management & consulting firm in Philadelphia, PA. As a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (The Grammy Association) and other distinguished music industry organizations, Ken has authored many informative guides on music promotion and music marketing. His widely popular Music Business Tip Sheet "The Unstoppable Indie" is published and distributed monthly to thousands of independent artists and bands. Ken is available for independent artist consultations on an hourly basis or on a short term management-consulting basis and he also provides music publicity copywriting services such as artist biographies, press releases, feature articles, music marketing plans, and other music industry related press for independent musicians.

You can visit Ken's Website http://www.indieartistcoach.com

How to Transition From Your Day Job Into a Successful Music Career

Do you want to be a professional musician, but don't know where and how to start? Do you really want a successful career in music, but your fear of failure is holding you back? Are you unsure about what to do if your plan doesn't work?

Most aspiring musicians receive a lot of advice from friends and family about the best approach to take with building their music career. Among the many things suggested, is the idea of having a backup plan. Many people give advice about "the need to have something to fall back on in case the music career doesn't work out" or "a Plan B". Typically, musicians are encouraged to go to school and get a degree in something they can easily find a job in, and do music on the side, in their "free time".

If/when you reach the point where your music career begins to develop, you are probably advised to work less in your day job and focus more on the music until you can leave the day job and make the music career work for you. This advice sounds good in theory, but in reality fails to work as intended in almost every case. Why? Usually the job that most musicians get to support themselves until their music career kicks off, has nothing to do with music in general, or their music career specifically. As a result, most end up in a very frustrating situation that makes it virtually impossible to achieve any kind of lasting success as a professional musician.

4 Reasons why this kind of "backup plan" is usually doomed to fail

Reason #1: Not having an effective exit strategy

The idea of slowly phasing out your day job while building your music career is good, but in order to work, it needs to be done in the right way. Most musicians have nothing planned or prepared that will allow them to gradually decrease the time spent at their day job and focus more on music. When choosing a "backup plan", musicians typically find a job that is the most "safe and secure" and the one that pays the most money. However, most people fail to plan the "exit strategy" and think ahead to the time when their music career situation will allow you to focus less of your time on the day job. When they finally reach that point, they realize that they are trapped in their day job and are unable to "gradually" phase it out. They are faced with the choice of either quitting the job entirely, or sticking to it until retirement (more on this shortly).

The best exit plan is to have a job that will allow you to gradually decrease the number of hours you spend on it: from 40 hours per week to 30, from 30 hours to 20, from 20 to 10, until eventually you can quit the job altogether! So you must take care to select an occupation that allows a lot of flexibility in work schedule. That means you need to be careful to select an occupation that allows a lot of flexibility in work schedule. This way, when the time is right, you can make a "gradual" transition into a full time music career. Unfortunately, most traditional occupations (such as being an accountant, computer programmer, office manager etc...) do not allow this flexibility. Remember, your boss at work will not all of a sudden allow you to "work 3-4 days per week instead of 5", simply because you want to work on your new CD an extra few days per week. It is possible to begin by working in a non-music related job at first, BUT do not select "any" job offer without considering the exit strategy first.

An ideal job for an aspiring professional musician is teaching guitar. Not only can you make very good money doing it, but you are in complete control over how many hours you choose to work. Not everyone may desire to teach full time for the rest of their life (and this is fine). But as long as you are going to be working anyway, why not do something that is already related to what you enjoy, help students reach their goals faster and make money in the process? In addition, teaching is already a "music related" activity that is probably much more fun to do than sitting in an office!

Another possibility is to work as an independent contractor in sales or marketing or doing consulting work for hire. Always check about the flexibility of work schedule before accepting a job offer. Remember that in most industries, the 40-60 hour work week is the norm, with little or no possibility for part time employment. This makes it impossible to make a smooth transition to a full time music career.

Reason #2: There is too much risk involved

Slowly phasing out your day job seems to be a very 'safe and secure' approach, but it can actually backfire and "trap" you by its sense of security. If you are making $60,000 per year at your day job, and have managed (through working nights and weekends) to build up your music related income to $25,000 per year, then, all together, you have a total income of $85,000 for the year. Here is where the reality catches up to you. Should you decide to go full time into music, you will invariably need to quit your day job completely at some point. Until you can recover and build your music career to higher and higher levels, you will be making $60,000 less per year than before! This kind of risk is uncomfortable to think about for most people (especially those who get married, have kids and/or have significant expenses), and keeps them trapped at their day jobs their whole lives.

Reason #3: You are often not able to take advantage of opportunities.

What if you put extraordinary effort on nights and weekends into recording a great sounding CD with your band, spend a lot of time promoting it in hopes of getting signed by a record company and go on tour, and then you really get the opportunity to do a 10 week tour in another country in the world. It is VERY probable that you would NOT get paid a lot of money while on a first tour, but as a whole, this kind of tour is exactly the kind of breakthrough you have been searching for. What are you going to do? Are you going to turn down a huge opportunity to advance your music career? Or are you going to agree to take a huge cut in pay by quitting your day job to do the tour? I think you can agree that neither of these options sounds entirely appealing. Wouldn't it be great to do the tour and not worry about how you are going to feed yourself (and your family) while you are gone?

Reason #4: There is not much quality time and energy to get anything done.

This may seem like a more subtle issue, but it is actually very important. If your most productive hours in the day are spent on the least productive activities, then reaching your goals will take MUCH longer than it needs to. Think about it: if you wake up at 6:00, get to work by 8:00 or 9:00 and spend 8-10 hours there, and another 1-2 hours commuting back home, by the time you are ready to begin working on your music career, you are already tired! This is also not taking into account the time taken up by other things in life that you have to tend to. It will take a truly extraordinary effort to get anything worthwhile accomplished during the time on nights and weekends, to build multiple streams of music related income that will enable you to quit your non-music related job without putting yourself and your family in financial struggle.

Now that you see why this kind of backup plan isn't as good as it seems to be, you may ask yourself what you should do instead.

What is the solution?

Well, having no backup plan is definitely NOT the solution. In order to build a successful music career, you need to be prepared and you cannot simply hope that "things will work out". The underlying problem with the conventional backup plan I described is that it originates from thinking about how not "to lose". This type of thinking lacks real ambition and it forces you to stick to that which is the most familiar and so called "safe and secure". As a result, you typically end up with what you wish for: a familiar, average, safe and secure life. However, this attitude rarely leads to significant achievements, breakthroughs and victories in the music industry.

What the most successful musicians do is arrange their backup plan or Plan B around their MUSIC CAREER GOALS (Plan A). This requires real ambition and courage, and it is based on thinking about how "to win". This also requires you to think how you can integrate Plan B with your present and future life as a professional musician.

There are many possibilities for truly effective "back up" (which are more like "support") plans. In many cases, they involve designing systems and multiple income streams coming from music business sources that will support them continuously.

It's important to put a lot of thought into which kinds of "backup plans" and approaches are best suited to your specific goals. To find the right plan for you, there are two important things you need to do:

First, study how the music business works (this is key!). Understanding it will greatly help you with designing the most effective strategy for reaching your goals in the fastest period of time. Building a successful, long term career takes a lot of focused effort and dedication. The more you understand about the music business, the easier it will be to design the kind of backup plan that will help you reach your goals instead of restricting and trapping you.

Second, be careful about taking advice from people who may have great intentions, but lack knowledge and experience about how the music industry works. Very often, our friends and family, with the very best intentions at heart, attempt to give us advice on what to do to "make it". However, if you pay attention, you will notice that this advice has a common theme, which is "here is what you must do in order not to lose". Very rarely do you get advice about how "to win"! This mentality (as described above) keeps you away from taking steps that will propel your dreams forward.

To make matters worse, although your friends and family may have the best intentions in their heart, most of the time, they simply aren't qualified to give advice about the music business. It will be similar to you asking your brother who is a plumber (for example) about how to cure a disease, or asking your uncle who is a carpenter (for example) about how to solve a legal problem. It doesn't matter that these people have your best interest at heart. If they don't know what they are talking about (in a particular subject), they are not likely to give helpful advice.

If you truly want advice that works and if you want to learn the strategies of how to reach all of your music career goals, you need to find a mentor who you can rely on for effective advice. This means learning from someone who has already done what you want to do, and ideally someone who has trained many others to do the same.

The most effective, predictable and safe strategies to "phasing in" your music career

Now that you know about the problems with the conventional approaches to backup plans, I will show you the characteristics of a good backup plan (Plan B).

1. Flexibility

Your plan must be flexible. This can mean many things. One of them is having the ability to "gradually" decrease the amount of time you spend working on Plan B and increase the time you invest into Plan A! This can also mean the ability to integrate (leverage) the skills acquired (or the results earned) from Plan B into Plan A.

2. Passivity

Your plan should be mostly passive: it will really help if your Plan B mostly consists of passive income streams that you have created by only investing the work once! It should be pretty obvious to see how this will free up a lot of time to dedicate to your Plan A! (your music career)

3. Diversity

The plan should be diversified: do not become so dependent on only one stream of income! Many people argue that a music career is not secure, when nothing could be further from the truth. Which do you think is more likely, that a company lays off an employee in the blink of an eye (cutting off his one and only source of income, the paycheck), or that a music teacher with 40 students (who essentially has at least 40 "diversified" income streams) will suddenly lose all of his clients overnight?

By making your Plan B options diversified, you also build your own financial security, without depending on anyone else. I don't know about you, but I feel much safer knowing that I am in control of my own future, rather than putting my faith into someone else's idea of security.

4. Congruency and Relevance

This means that Plan B needs to make your primary goal (music career) MORE likely to occur! This also means (ideally), that the time you invest into developing skills and experience in Plan B can be easily used to enhance Plan A. For example, if you are known as an excellent guitar teacher, you can easily integrate teaching clinics and workshops with performances of your music, selling your future music CDs, other merchandise etc...etc...

I hope that you can see now how this strategy is vastly different (and superior) to the conventional wisdom of getting a day job, and then doing your best on evenings and weekends to launch a music career from scratch.

As you design your own path to a successful music career, compare the steps you are taking against the criteria above and modify your strategy if necessary. This will help save you from the frustration felt by most of the 'wannabe' musicians, who realize (much too late) that their strategy leaves them no way to manifest their dreams.

If you haven't done so yet, I encourage you to test the effectiveness of your music career back up plan.
Learn more about how to build a Music Career. Visit tomhess.net to get 15 free music career tips. Tom Hess is a professional touring guitarist and recording artist. He teaches, trains and mentors musicians from around the world.

Indian Music Vs Western Music

The Indian music characteristics are evident when you compare it with Western music. In both the systems you will find some essential differences: the Indian music is based on melody or single notes played in a given order, while the Western music is based on harmony: a group of notes known as chords played together.

Dr. Rabindranath Tagore who was well familiar with both the systems, explained the difference as follows: "The world by daylight stands for Western music which is a flowing concourse of vast harmony, composed of concord and discord and many disconnected fragments. And the night world stands for Indian music: one pure, deep and tender raga. Both, touches our heart, and yet both are contradictory in spirit. But this is natural. Nature, at the very root is divided into two, day and night, unity and variety, finite and infinite.

Indian men live in the realm of night; we are inspired by the sense of the One and Infinite. Indian music draws away the listener beyond the boundaries of daily joys and sorrows and takes us to the solitary space of renunciation which exists at the root of the universe, while Western music leads us to dance through a limitless rise and fall of human joy and grief.

" Indian classical music basically stirs our spiritual sense and discipline - a longing for realization of the self salvation. Singing is a worshipping act and not an intellectual exhibition of mastery on the technique of a raga. In Western culture, singing is a formal and secular exercise, and does not involve piety or devotion as compared to Indian music

The teacher-student (Guru-Shishya) tradition in Indian music is responsible for the deep dedication and attachment of the student to the teacher. In the West, a music teacher is taken as a hired person who teaches lessons and there is no deep attachment between the teacher and student.

Like Western music, Indian music too is based on melody and rhythm, but it has no foundation of harmony which is so significant in Western music. Indian music is "modal" - based on the relationship between the permanent individual notes known as tonic, with the successive notes. This is the reason why Tanpura (drone) is played in the background of Indian music which reminds one of the tonic notes.

The Indian classical music system is horizontal; one note follows the other, while the Western music is vertical; many notes played at a time. Yehudi Menuhin, the noted musician, highlights the differentiates both systems by describing Indian music as: "for appreciating Indian music one has to adopt totally a different set of values... one must orientate oneself and at least for the concerned period, forget the passing of time and just sink into a kind of thematic, almost hypnotic trance. The rhythmic and melodic features of Indian music that are repetitive, acquires an extraordinary charm and fascination... despite the domination of this hypnotic mood's domination, which is an Indian music characteristic, actively frees the mind."

The place of "composition" in these two systems is notably different. In Western music, the music is first composed by the composer and arranges it in notation: then the musicians play this composition under the guidance of a music conductor. Here improvisation hardly takes place, and the performance value lies in the uniformity and the pre-determined conduct of tone and music speed (tempo). In Indian music, while the melody grammar and rhythm is fixed, the ingenuity and skill of the musician lies in his creativity and improvisation, especially in mood evocation and rasa of a particular raga.

In this context, an international musicologist has written: "In the West, solid blocks of music are constructed. After carving out like building stones, the seven degrees of diatonic scale, lined up and placed on top of each other with cleverly worked out harmony and counterpoint. In this way fantastic edifices in sound are erected.

In Indian classical music, no one can think of dividing sound into blocks; instead it is refined into a wire-thin thread. The sound is stretched out to refine it to an extreme point of delicacy... No standard materials, no building of three or five floors, but just like silk thread which unfold and rises and falls and evokes a world of sensations and feelings."

In music of India, melody and rhythm offer a variety of subtleties, which is not possible in Western music. Indian notes are divided into units called shruties (22 microtones), whereas Western music consist of 12 semitones. The microtones are more subtle than semitones. These microtones adorned with gracetones (gamakas) create a magical effect.

Western music has the capacity of producing many feelings and moods. While Indian music, has the capacity to produce a principal emotion or a mood in a raga. An Indian musician improvises with his own creative genius within a raga's framework, but in Western classical music, except in jazz, such an improvisation is inconceivable. Moreover, the percussion in Indian music emphasizes its rhythm. It is only through keeping one's mind and ears open that one is able to appreciate the melodies and sequences different from one's own. This applies to Indian audiences attending Western music performances, and to Western audiences attending music of India concerts. Just remember that the both music systems are complementary, like two halves of classical music.

Pankaj Mistry is a freelance professional copywriter and content developer. He has won couple of awards for his concepts and themes for various topics. You can contact him at: artystry@hotmail.com

Music Therapy - How Music Works As a Catalyst to Promote Health and Wellness

"If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! It had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odor!......"

Thus starts the Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's romantic comedy "Twelfth Night", with the love-struck Duke Orsino ordering his musicians at his palace to feed him with music all the night, as he desires to have the sweet strains feed his appetite for romance. The bard makes him describe the music played as an energizing "food of love", and in the following lines makes him pour forth sweet words of passion, all of which originate from the tranquilizing effects of the music being played.

Centuries before, while this play had been staged, and even epochs later, the cultivation of music and the arts used to be perceived merely as aesthetic pursuits, entertaining and relaxing the mind and the soul and also connecting the performers with people at large. Today, while numerous groundbreaking researches have proved that music, as an entity, has a profound effect on the body and the psyche of all living organisms, that which was perceived only as an aesthetic pursuit is today regarded as an established therapy to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages. In fact, quite some time back researches had shown music used as a therapy to not only bring about qualitative changes in humans, but also in animals and plants.

While today's youth are completely in love with music having beats and rhythms, it is a fact revealed by scientists that these beats have a definite impact on the stimulation of the body of an individual. Let us for once think about the immensely mentally invigorating music like the symphonies of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart! Can anybody ever deny the level of creativity, positive energy, powerful melodies and harmonies they produce that compel the mind and the soul to embark on a journey of powerful emotions and impulses? Any classical form of music, for that matter, has been said to have profound effects on both the body and the psyche of individuals, playing an instrumental role in the healing and harmonizing of the mind, body and spirit. Long accepted as both soother and stimulant, any form of "positive music", including classical music has been proved to profoundly impact the cognitive abilities, creativity, optimism levels and the overall 'state of the mind' of an individual. By the term "positive music", researchers have actually referred to the kind of music which is usually emotionally and spiritually uplifting, and that which is gifted with beneficial qualities, healing the mind and the body in the process. Apart from the pure classical variety of music, pop songs that are romantic in content, country tunes, and some amount of rhythm and blues (earlier referred to as 'race music') with evocative lyrics and tune are considered to be parts of "positive music". Today's world music, a vast arena of music dedicated to the great non-western traditions of music, including Indian, Chinese, Persian (Iranian) and Sufi forms-comfortably fall into the category of "positive music" as defined by scholars and exponents of music.

What the ancient cultures, including the Vedanta philosophy, the ancient Greek philosophy had to say about the effects of music on an individual:

If we look back into the history of ancient, age-old philosophies and cultures, the extent of philosophical, spiritual impact that music was said to have on the human soul would become obvious to us. Ancient historians have come up with the fact that for thousands of years, the Vedic culture had used the profound sound effects of music not only for the tranquility of the mind, but also for the proper balance and equilibrium between the body and the soul, for encouraging a heightened state of awareness in humans, and even for health enhancement and promotion of healing. It had been believed by the unique Vedanta philosophers that ancient oriental music, in its true nature, was an enriched exercise of the human mind in its path of exploration into the mysteries of Nature and of Ultimate Truth (the "Brahman"). It was ages and thousands of centuries ago that in the ancient Vedanta philosophy, music had been considered as a subtle divine thread capable of linking the "Jeevatma" (individual soul) with the "Parmatma" (Supreme Soul). And why not, when the Vedanta philosophers had identified "shabda" (sound) as "brahma" (absolute reality), the primeval source of creation of the universe? This ancient concept of the "shabda-brahma" had been embraced in its entirety by ancient Vedic philosophers to understand the beauty, depth and elevating powers of ancient Indian music. On the other hand, the myriad effects that the various "raagas" of classical Indian music that inspire the human mind and rejuvenate the senses are quite undisputed till today. Saying this, it is imperative why the ancient spiritual music form (termed as the "Dhrupad") performed in the temples and the courts from the ancient to the medieval times was connected to its spiritual roots and also why even contemporary researches still try to delve deep into its magical prowess on the human body and soul.

On the other hand, researchers have found out that in ancient Greece, the legendary mathematician Pythagoras theorized that music had the power to diminish and even eradicate negative energies and emotions from the human mind. Other ancient Greek philosophers had full faith in the ethical powers of music, including philosophers from around the fifth century B.C. to around third century A.D. Most of them recognized the immense impact of music on the development of one's personality. The stupendous power of music over the ethos of an individual, and on the overall human disposition has been time and again emphasized by philosophers like Plato and also by Chinese authors of various documents.

The healing benefits of music established by modern science:

Apart from the immense spiritual, emotional and ethical impact of music in the human mind, today modern scientific studies are constantly emphasizing on the astonishing benefits that music has in terms of healing human ailments. Adequate amount of modern scientific researches in recent times have explicitly shown that specific sounds and music have resulted in measurable and multiple healing benefits. Even in case of critical human ailments, the ever-growing field of health care popularly known as "Music Therapy" is utilizing music and its various forms to heal cancer patients, children with ADD, and so on. It is amazing to find out today how hospitals and health care services are treating music therapy as a distinct research area in order to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits.

Numerous researches starting from 1950 till today have proved that music has a strong impact on the human brain. The beats and rhythm of music, which can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, has the ability to transport the human mind to a crescendo of concentration, and even promote a tranquil, meditative state of the mind. Similarly, as the beats and rhythm of music have the ability to impact the brainwaves and other resulting physiological functions, researches have revealed that activities related to the autonomous nervous system, like breathing and heart rate are greatly impacted by the "magic wand of music". Keeping this in mind, exponents of music therapy today are constantly using the super-power of music to counteract or prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress, resulting in relaxation, health and wellness. It is even been claimed by researchers that the pleasant, soothing effects of "positive music" can reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time, boost immunity, ease muscle tension, working as an ultimate "stress-buster" of all times!

It is a fact that most of the findings of the current researches regarding the effects of music emerged in the wake of the realization that all our bodily functions, starting from breathing and pulse to heart rate and the pumping of blood in the heart-work in a cohesive, cyclical and rhythmical pattern, just like music does. While the basics of music are based on the rhythmical and cyclical movements of sound patterns, it is the synchronization of the various sound patterns and rhythms that influence all our physiological actions. All music therapy interventions, designed by experts to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, and promote physical rehabilitation emphasize on this synchronization of various sound patterns and rhythms as the fundamentals of music therapy.

Very recently, a new type of music therapy has reportedly been offered to individuals with severe intellectual disabilities, with some remarkable results. As reported by The World Today, music, very much like mediation and yoga, two of nature's own tranquilizers, is giving a voice to profoundly affected people, thereby providing new insights into their inner, emotional lives. The World Today reported as many as a half a dozen case studies of individuals with severe disabilities responding to music as an absolute direct channel of communication, which is definitely an instance in itself.

Keeping in mind these profound effects of music which many have discovered in their lives personally, I guess now when somebody would say that a certain kind of music "lifted" him in spirit, mind and body, every word of that should be taken, literally. The ultimate sense of intense well being that one is capable of reaching through music, is truly euphoric in its essence, and quite amazingly, sustains even moments after listening! So, from now on, take some time everyday to move out of the chaos of the world, pick up Mozart, Beethoven or some other classical music CD, create a simple playlist for yourself to ensure tranquility, productivity and calm living for an entire lifetime!

Nickelback: We do not follow the trends in music

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Music Promotion Online - 8 Essential Tips to Viral Internet Music Promotion

As an independent musician you probably all ready know it, if you do not, you better get with it. Marketing and promoting your music online is the way to go today. Even major signed artists are going this route, some major players even going to the extent of releasing a new album in digital download format only. 

In a pretty detailed telephone conversation with a good friend and associate who is the president of a pretty big independent record label he reports that digital music sales or digital music downloads has now reached the 50% point of all music sold. That means that pretty soon there may not even be a need to have a physical product. Needless to say it will sure beef up the budget for independent artists not having to put out for CD pressing and manufacturing. Not to mention how much easier it will make your music distribution initiatives.

So, long story short, where am I going with this?  What I am saying is that you should be putting the majority of time, effort, and money, into promoting your music and project online. You should seek Internet music publicity in a larger proportion over traditional print publicity. After all, look at all the print newspapers and magazines going out of business today or transferring all their publications to a strictly online version. Yep, we should face it,; If you are not not on the Internet band wagon yet for promoting and marketing your music, you better get there quickly. Keeping in touch with your fans in as many ways as you can is the way go today. Do not make them come to you, reach out to them.

To briefly summarize, here are a few of the methods you should be employing as an independent artist in order to promote your music and music career, and stay in touch with your fans in the today digital age.

Para Social Relationships Online

You should be setting up a presence for you or you band on as many social networking websites as you can. Surely you have a myspace website, which we all know is important, but today, that is just not enough. You should be keeping your fans and potential fans informed constantly by using social websites such as Twitter, Facebook, iLike, Squidoo, iMeens, Reverbnation, and there are many more. Socializing in music forums specific to your music genre is another thing you should be doing a lot of. Setting up meet and greets via these Internet portals is also quickly becoming a new way to keep interactive with your fans.

Official Band or Artist Website and Blog

Your official band or artist website is important as well.  It should be as professionally designed as possible and be consistent with your artist image. This is your home on the web and should be updated and kept fresh constantly. It should have a news page, a press page, and audio page which should be kept fresh with new news, press clips, and music. You should also have some interactive functionality going on at your home page so fans can get involved, place comments, and interact with you. A blog is another great way to keep fans informed provided you keep it fresh and updated as well. With a blog, fans can subscribe via RSS Feed, and everything you post will be delivered instantly to their desktop. Very powerful.

Online Press Kit and Publicity

An online press kit, also known as an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) is a promotional tool that every artist or band should have, even if you have a print or digital press kit. The online EPK allows you to quickly send out your bands information and music samples to venues, labels, agents, and even fans for the purpose of music promotion.

Widgets -- A Big One

Widgets, as I write this article, are a relatively new form of online music promotion but if used properly are an extremely powerful method of viral Internet marketing. Essentially a widget is a digital screenshot of your profile and can contain streaming or downloadable music, bio, publicity, etc. It also enables you to gather fans email addresses. The widget code should be placed on each and every website from the official, to as many social sites, including your myspace site as possible. The beauty of widgets is that they enable fans to actually grab the widget from your website and place the code on their own website, hence spreading the word to eventually thousands of new fans. You can get your widgets free just by signing up for an account on a place like reverbnation.com. Are you starting to get the meaning of Viral Music Marketing?

Digital Mailing List

I should not have to mention it but unfortunately most new artists at early stages of development I take on still do not get it. That is, the vital importance of a digital email sign up module on all websites. Gathering your fans and potential fans email address and storing it in a database for distribution is crucial. What you can do with that mailing list is amazing. Announce all show details; hence bringing out more fans, send out a new news or publicity announcement, broadcast a contest, and announce new CD releases; hence more record sales. A digital mailing list is something no artist, either independent or major should be without.

Advertising on Genre Specific Web Portals

Another good online idea, if it fits your budget, is to consider banner advertising on music portals that are within your music genre. You can advertise a new release, a tour, or a new deal of some sort. Some music portals get many thousands of visitors a month and this can definitely increase your exposure. Make sure however, that the banner is professionally designed and animated if possible. Some of the genre specific music portals I speak of will only charge twenty to thirty bucks a month to advertise your brand. As I mentioned, if you have disposable money in your budget, it sure cannot hurt.

 

Search Engine Marketing, Drive the Traffic to all of Your Websites

Needless to say, you can have the most professionally design, stunning, and functional websites online but if no one visits them they are not much good, are they? So you want to take some time and effort to explore search engine optimization. Find out all the techniques search engine savvy techies use to get ranked high in all of the search engines and especially in music related results. Search engine optimization, done right, is not easy if you do not know much about it. Again, if you have a few extra bucks in your budget you may want to consider hiring a search engine optimization expert. Getting your band found in the search engines can be an awesome boost to your awareness.

Digital Distribution

Distributing your music online is key. As I mentioned in the first or second paragraph of this article, digital downloads now hold 50% of all worldwide music sales. It will very soon be exceeding physical CD sales completely, never to turn around again.  You should make your music available for digital download on as many digital distribution portals available. Some of these include iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, and there are a ton more. When making your product available online for digital download make sure to include a profile on each portal. Also find out how they do their sales stat reporting. You want to make sure you are getting the proper credit for sales in the industry as on sound scan and sound exchange for your downloadable sales.

These are only 8 tips and suggestions for marketing your music online. There is a great deal of other methods as well. The way to gain exposure for your music on the Internet is exploding with new strategies everyday. Make sure to keep up with this and use every possible technique at your disposal for a greater chance of music success. Good luck!

c2009 Ken Cavalier All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Ken Cavalier is a music business consultant, artist manager, speaker, and author. He is widely considered an expert the area of online music promotion and viral Internet music marketing. His focus is the advancement of his independent musician's and artist's careers. Ken is also the founder of Allure Media Entertainment, an artist management & consulting firm in Philadelphia, PA managing the music careers of signed and unsigned artists and Allure Media Entertainment, a music marketing and online publicity company.

As a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (The Grammy Association) and other distinguished music industry organizations, Ken has authored many informative guides on music promotion and music marketing. His widely popular Music Business Tip Sheet "The Unstoppable Indie" is published and distributed monthly to thousands of independent artists and bands. Ken is available for independent artist consultations (First consultation Free) on an hourly basis or on a short term management-consulting basis and he also provides music publicity and copywriting services.

You can visit Ken's Website for More Information: http://www.music-promotion.name

Bret McKenzie discovers the secret of the music of the Muppets

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Music Instruction in School, at Home and Online

Music instruction refers to any lesson involving music and instruments to create music. It can be part of a school's curriculum or as a special class for students who are musically inclined. Examples include music instruction on voice, piano, guitar, drums, and flute, among many others. Music teachers have the responsibility to teach students with the basic elements of music, playing instruments, and forming groups such as choirs or bands in a school. However, music teachers may also provide private lessons at the student's home or in their music studios. There are also music instructions available online which provide step-by-step procedures in written, audio or video formats.

Music instruction usually starts in elementary schools where children are taught how to play instruments such as the keyboard, sing in choirs or school plays, and learn about the elements and history of music. In high school, music instruction may continue as part of the curriculum but can also be offered as an elective for those who are talented in singing and playing musical instruments. Academic credits are also provided in the tertiary level for arts and humanities programs. This often includes the history of music, music appreciation and different musical styles. However, a student can also choose to major in music.

Music instruction in the United States can be traced back to the 17th century when music played an important part in traditions and religion. The first singing school was established in 1717 in Boston, Massachusetts which provided lessons on improving singing and music reading in the church. Subsequently the Boston Academy of Music was formed for teaching singing and theory and the methods of teaching music. In early 20th century, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio was the first to offer the Bachelor of Music Education degree. Nowadays, schools have a wide variety of options available for students on music course offerings and even entire degree programs especially for online music education.

Music teachers nowadays, are those who are graduates of music education and are hired in educational institutions or musicians who share their talents by providing private lessons or similar to apprenticeship. They are also available online where they often publish step-by-step procedures in how to play instruments and other how-to's, tips, and lessons on the history of music and other details in music appreciation. Music teachers and the schools where they teach at can adopt their own standards for teaching music. However, the National Association for Music Education has created "The National Standards for Music Education" which include:

Singing - involves singing alone and with others
Performing - using instruments, alone or with others
Improvising - melodies, variations and accompaniments
Composing and arranging music with specific guidelines
Reading and notating music
Listening to, analyzing and describing music
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding the relationships between music and other arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture

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Producers of "Hunger games" under fire for along the Union of music

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Zooey Deschanel finds music an need to bear (Winnie the Pooh)

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Country Music - The Soulful Rhythms

No matter what your preferences are, no matter what kind of disposition you have- you simply cannot refrain yourself from being mesmerized and enticed by music. Since its inception, music has been the most loved source of entertainment and people with different tastes and likings admire several kinds of music. It has different kinds and forms. Across the world different kinds of music has evolved with the emergence of distinctive civilizations and the characteristic nature of the people in different countries etc. The influence of music can be felt in every corner of the world. Various genre of music like rock, pop, classical, jazz etc have been immensely applauded by the people.

Country Music is also well accepted and admired by the music listeners across the globe. This highly melodious and mellifluous form of music is awesomely pure and subtle. Unlike the conventional pop and metal music, this genre is known for its flawless and soft rhythms that are soothing to the ears and pleasant to the soul. Many popular artists have given amazing performances and great albums that have remarkable influences from this music. These albums have achieved admirable success and recognition from the listeners.

Country music is a remarkably enticing genre of music that focuses on the melodies and the rhythms. It is identified by its immensely mellifluous tones and upbeat numbers. It is a blend of various distinctive music forms from across the world and mainly has influences from the music that was originated in the southern parts of the United States and the region of Appalachian Mountains. Around 1920, this category rapidly evolved and gained popularity among the masses. This kind of music has its roots in the various traditional and classical types like folk music, old times music, Celtic music, gospel and the blues. In the southern United States the various ethnic groups created music of different styles and the combination of all these styles emerged as the Western Music that comprises a major part of the country and western music.

There have been a number of artists and performers who have gained immense popularity with this genre of music. Elvis Presley, who was earlier known as The Hillbilly Cat was one of the biggest pop icons in the history of music. He won recognition through his immensely admirable country music performances. He was featured on the radio program Louisiana Hayride where he used to give amazing performances based on this music. Similarly Garth Brooke is one of the most appreciated Country Music artist whose albums were chart toppers. He made short debut in other genres too. This genre saw its greatest high in the year 2006 when the country albums sales increased by the 17.7 percent to a whopping 36 millions.

The country pop has its roots in the soft rock and the country-politan which emerged as a sub genre of this music in the 1970's. It was well accepted by the wide variety of audiences during the same decade. The singers like John Denver, Glen Campbell and Anne Murray were some of the most admired artists of this genre. "RhineStone Cowboy" by Campbell is amongst the best and biggest crossover music hits. The songs in this music CD are still hummed by the teenagers and youngsters. Olivia Newton John is considered as the best female country vocal performer.

Outlaw country revolutionized this genre of music completely with the derived Honky Tonk sounds of late 1950's. After 1935, the Western Swing Big Band leader Bob Willis used drums as the major instrument in his band Texas Playboy. The drums were readily used by the country musicians and the rockabilly groups till 1955. Later, they became significant in the country bands also. The electric guitar was used in the bands that were originated in the beginning of 1938. Arthur Smith achieved immense success with the Guitar Boogie a MGM records album that declared the beginning of guitar as the most influential instrument in the country band.

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Information About Music Online

Using the internet to find music you like to listen to and build your music collection in any style of music is an easy and affordable way to add to your music library as you can easily burn your own CD's or download mp3's to your iPod or other music player. It is also a great way to find out about current and new artists, new album and single releases, get free lyrics and find free music downloads. The popular free iTunes software and music library allows you to create your own music library, find TV shows, podcasts and get free music downloads and for only $0.99 a song download you cannot really go wrong. Plus there are a lot of websites online where you can find free music videos and mp3 downloads like YouTube, MySpace, Rawkus, CDBaby, Soundclick and so many others.

What does this mean for the future of music? With the everyday consumer buying on average 2 new music albums a month this could have an effect on the music industry but most shops like Virgin, HMV and other well known music retail shops also have online websites which offer even more discounts and sometimes a music community so the music lovers using the internet can only boost music sales.

The internet is also a good place for independent artists without a major record label to upload and promote their music. There are a lot of independent music websites where you can create your own profile, update fans with your news and even sell your own music. The royalty companies like ASCAP, PRS, Harry Fox and BMI also have internet music licenses you can get so that you receive royalties and commissions for all music plays on internet radio stations, and for any music downloads and mp3 or CD sales.

You can even make your own music by buying and downloading music production and creation software you find online to your PC or laptop and if you have a good sound card and microphone you can make and record your own music and beats very easily. In fact, you can find hundreds of free loops and backing tracks you can download and even license for commercial use making it easy for the music producer and songwriter to make their own music.

And if you want to learn about music, study an instrument or get advice on the music industry you can do a search on the internet and find so much free and useful information in articles and on music websites and blogs.

Does this take away the traditional way of making and playing music for the musician? Some think so but you can look at it like this; the internet has opened up the whole globe to us and you can make good music contacts from all over the world and build your own worldwide fan base just by promoting your music online. Music you may never have even heard of has become easily available and the whole music scene and industry has benefited and grown because of internet and satellite communications.

You can see then that using the internet connects music lovers around the world and Cyber Technology has made it easier for the songwriter and musician to create and record their own music. Plus it opens doors for the independent music artist and also increases exposure for major record label artists so that they can build their fan base and sell more of their music.

For more information on finding music online, making your own beats, downloading free music videos, getting free lyrics, buying instruments and production software and generally about the cyber music world visit my blog Cybertunes [http://cybertunes.blogspot.com].

Did you know you can use this article on your blogs and sites for free? Just visit the article web page and copy and paste, there's usually an HTML and text version of all my articles.

The Powers That Be - Is The Music Industry Pimping The Music?

The music industry made up of several record labels is often given a "bad rap". No, they do not force our children to listen to the negative music that they sell - remember we all have freedom of choice. However, what they are guilty of is flooding the market with the same types of music and turning a deaf ear to any music that does not fit into their profit margin. So, what you don't hear - you won't want to buy. The music industry has always done this, but even more so now that their profits are decreasing due to the popularity of online websites who offer a large library of music not only from artists we are familiar with, but new artists who have not been able to break through the industry road blocks. Music labels are notorious for keeping music that does not promote their interest off the radio stations by making sure that the music that DOES promote their interest is played in rotation - what kind of deals do they make? Is it payola? Not sure - that is for a legal mind to determine. The fact remains that only certain music selections are on the air - and we keep listening and buying the same song, different artist - just like the music labels want us to.

The Pimp Factor

Recording labels have even been known to contract with an artist, so that they can own the rights to their music - and then refuse to promote it - why? To control what you and I listen to on the .radio and keep the type of music that they want to promote in the forefront. In any other arena this action would be considered as "pimping". This may seem like a harsh term - but what is a Pimp? According to the website EduQna "What Does Pimping My Ride Mean?", the explanation fits pretty well "'Pimp my Ride'' is a phrase meaning the modification of (something), usually, impractical but very flashy way (think pimp-like). (making) modifications, etc. (something being) altered to achieve the appearance (something more media than real)". I really love EduQna's Rough translation: "Please sir, if you would kindly pull the cash from my pockets to make my (possession) appeal to my need for compensation." If the word fits, recording labels should wear it. Many artists have complained that they feel "pimped out" due to the types of contracts they innocently sign just to break into the industry - the signing may be innocent, but the wording of the contract is by design - to control the music and the artist who creates it.

The music industry is really shooting itself in the foot and hemorrhaging slowly by not joining with online music sites whereby both can profit. However, in its effort to control the industry as it has in the past, they are missing out on a large opportunity to sell a larger variety of music to their demographic target - 13 to 18 year old listeners. But those listeners are growing up and due to their computer and internet abilities, they are "hacking" into an online market of music that the mainstream music industry can't touch - Online Streaming Music.

Gently Down the (Music) Stream

In 1999, an 18-year-old college dropout named Shawn Fanning changed the music exchange forever with his file-sharing program called Napster. His idea (not the 60 hours of creating the computer code it took to create it) was simple: a computer program that allowed computer users to share and swap files, specifically music, through a centralized file server. His response to the complaints of the difficulty to finding and downloading music over the Net was to stay awake 60 straight hours writing the source code for a program that combined a music-search function with a file-sharing system and, to facilitate communication, instant messaging. Napster was born. But was Shawn patted on the back for his ingenuity? Are you kidding? The Recording Industry Association of America filed suit against Napster charging them with tributary copyright infringement, which means Napster was accused not of violating copyright itself but of contributing to and facilitating other people's infringement. However, Napster argued with some success that because the actual files are never in Napster's possession, but transferred from user to user, that Napster is not acting illegally. The issue in P2P applications (Peer to Peer) is that if Napster is guilty of copyright infringement, then the consumers of Napster are guilty too. Likewise, if the consumers are not guilty, then how can Napster be held responsible?

So Shawn and his tiny company of 50 employees in Redwood City, California was up against media empires like Universal, Sony and BMG. But what the music industry failed to see is that whatever the outcome of the Napster lawsuit, Napster had opened a proverbial window of possibility on the Internet and more companies would and did spring up over time. After a protracted legal battle the site would eventually be shut down. Years later, after being bought by Roxio, it would reemerge as a popular digital music service. Since that time, there are thousands of sites worldwide, that have grown from and perfected what Shawn started moved through the controversy, and now provide quality music to its online customers through a process called "streaming". "Streaming" is a generic term in the computer world. It basically means that the data being transferred can be used immediately, without having to download the song in it's entirety before it can be used. Audio (music) and video (that is a topic of another article) can be streamed successfully, and with a high quality result.

One of the most popular providers of streaming audio and video, of course is Apple Computers. With the introduction and popularity explosion of the I-Pod, which was created for downloading, transferring and playing music and now video, Apple created I-Tunes, a service where you can purchase individual songs or full albums, from an extensive library - from any genre you can think of - where customers can purchase tracks online for a nominal fee. This is due to the fact that I-Tunes and other streaming music companies have created partnerships through licensing agreements with some artists and some music labels. And now with the I-Phone gaining popularity, there is no end to what "streams" of media can be had by anyone with an media player.

Though technological progress has been made in this area, megalomania is still pervasive. There is still a large population of record labels and companies who have chosen not to partner with digital/streaming music companies. Why? Control - the music companies want and have control over the majority of music and artists of the music that you listen to.

Where the "Buck" Stops

A large majority of the music industry's record labels still own around 75% of the world's most well-known recordings, yes the world's! All streaming music companies are clamoring for new media to sell its customers, and offers the recording labels licensing agreement opportunities that would allow wider distribution of legal music downloading and streaming - without a license for every single song they offer to the public - they now, after the successful ligation brought on by the Napster controversy - companies can be successfully sued. When the record label refuse licensing agreements, those songs or records cannot be offered for consumers like us to listen to or purchase online. This is the sole reason why you cannot find many of the most popular artists or songs you have come to love on streaming music sites. It is because the major recording labels have still not gotten around to agreeing to license these sites to offer their music. Who suffers? Really everyone. With declining CD sales, the music label suffers, we the consumer suffer and the artists as well, because they are missing out on the opportunity to be heard on the largest media network in the world - the internet. Though money is a major factor in why the music industry is not partnering up with streaming audio and video companies - more so it is about control. Fear of losing it, has compelled many to act unwisely, and unfortunately music labels are no exception.

So, until the major recording labels wake up and smell the MP3 (a fancy word for music file); and until artists either insist on contracts that include their right to sell their product through other mediums OR artists peddle their music online on their own, as many new artists are doing, and until the consumer stops purchasing music from the labels that don't support the streaming music industry, our ability to increase our library of music selections will continue to be limited. The technology is here - but the music is being held hostage - with the ransom being a purchase of a CD wrapped in cellophane. There are thousands of new artists popping up every year, with new and exciting music of every genre, and hopefully these new artists will work with record labels who actually live and work in the 21st century and create a powerful partnership to distribute their music online.

So in conclusion, I guess that in one case at least, the Gangsta Rap artists did something positive, and delivered a line that fits this situation in a limited sense - until we "fight the powers that be" in the music industry, we will be forced to keep listening to the same song - with a different beat - over and over again.

Denise Daniels is a married mother of four who writes as a hobby. Denise owns a successful catering business and also is a personal assistant to a wonderful couple in Hope Ranch. Denise is formerly an executive director of a non profit organization in Santa Barbara, and is now devoting her time to pursue her spirituality, spending more time with family and writing.
Check out more about this author at http://www.greenmilk.wordpress.com

Ambient Music - Nature's Sounds Put to Music

It's often playing in the places you go. Whether it's in an art gallery, a unique specialty shop, or a restaurant, ambient music creates a mood. This music genre has seen a growth in popularity in the last 30 years.

Ambient music relies on sound and sound patterns. It does not rely on formal, traditional musical elements in its composition. While it may include these, it is open to bending or completely doing away with any rules.

Ambient music is atmospheric in nature, in the sense that it creates an atmosphere of sound to arouse the senses. It often uses the natural environment as inspiration. A composer of this type of music may use a beautiful moonlit night as his or her basis for a sound sculpture that evokes this scene.

Ambient music has its roots in classical music. It uses elements borrowed from impressionism, musique concrete, avant-garde and minimalism. However, it is not any one of these styles more per se. It is its own animal. An understanding of these musical styles will give you a better understanding of the elements of ambient music.

Impressionism: This music draws from atmospheric effects and descriptive ideas. The sound of the wind is an atmospheric effect that can be part of a piece of music. A descriptive idea to base music on could be: "I love the way sand forms ripple patterns in a windblown desert." This word picture can inspire a composer to write an ambient piece using sound to bring images to listeners' minds.

Musique Concrete: This music relies on natural sounds from our environment. It also uses any other type of noise that one would not consider musical. Putting these sounds and noises into a composition creates a different, non-traditional music experience. For example, the sound of a jackhammer is a legitimate sound element to place into a sound recording.

Minimalism: This music is unadorned and pared down to its basics. It may use one sound pattern or an individual sound that the composer repeats continually. There may not be any complex arranging or orchestrations done to enhance this music. Often a listener hears the repetition of one entire sequence throughout a composition.

Avant-Garde: This music seeks to break through the boundaries of normal musical parameters. It operates at the extremes of conventional musical thought as it seeks to explore new territory. Avant-garde music knows the inherent rules of traditional music and then seeks to break, modify or expand on them. This is why much avant-garde music is experimental in nature. Composers of this form experiment with tempo, time, timbre, tone, and chord and scale patterns.

Therefore ambient music takes aspects of all of the above to create a hybrid music all its own. This music developed from the works of Erik Satie, Terry Riley, Phillip Glass, John Cage, Brian Eno and others. Satie's early form of this music had the unusual term, "furniture music," to describe its suitability as background music during mealtime.

However, some ambient music devotees reject the notion that ambient music is only unobtrusive, subtle, background filler. Adherents to this view see ambient music as viable music that one can appreciate and listen to as one would an intricate classical, jazz or popular piece.

Eno explained it best during his musical experimentations when he said ambient music could be "actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending on the choice of the listener..." He said it exists on the cusp between melody and texture. He is credited with creating the term "ambient music."

Ambient music can be part of any environment. It's suitable as party music if you want guests to enjoy quality sounds and be able to converse with one another. It's suitable for sitting back with a drink while you're reading or just de-stressing and staring out a window. It's also music to listen to critically. One can study sound, both artificial and natural, and how they can co-exist in a composition.

If you desire to create ambient music, all you need is simple recording equipment and something to create or capture sound. You can record natural atmospheric conditions to put in your song. This could be the sound of rushing water or the cries of birds. You can record the sounds of the city: buses, children laughing, cars beeping, to inject into your music. You can play and record a musical instrument. You can modify the sound of an instrument and record its sounds. Put it all together to create the sound you desire.

Take the time to chill out and tune in to ambient music of different kinds. Explore the works of the pioneers of this musical form. Check out who's new and upcoming in the ambient music community. It's music that's adaptable, varied and able to create a mood for any occasion.

Duane Shinn is the author of the popular online newsletter on piano chords, available free at "Exciting Piano Chords & Chord Progressions!"

Technology in and For the Instrumental Music Classroom

Music education, in some form, goes back as far as education itself. While sometimes struggling for legitimacy, it nonetheless has had its champions. More recently, as technology has flourished within education, technological applications designed specifically for the teaching of music have been developed. While much of this technology is designed primarily for the classroom there are programs designed for the student to utilize in the home, albeit limited to those students with a home computer and internet access.

The teaching of music in the American educational setting dates back 1838 when Lowell Mason introduced singing classes to Boston grammar schools. Instrumental music appeared in fits and starts over the next fifty years but was never included during the school day; rather, it was relegated to the ranks of extracurricular activities. Around the turn of the century, instrumental music began to see some acceptance into the classroom, though often was taught by those untrained in the area of music education. Moreover, little if any standardization of the instrumentation or music literature existed. (Rhodes, 2007)

Near the conclusion of World War I the quality of school music began to increase. This was due primarily to veterans who, after having been musically trained in the various service branches, began to fill music teaching positions in the schools. Band, however, was still regarded as an extracurricular activity. (Ibid)

In 1907, the Music Supervisors National Conference or MSNC, (now known as the Music Educators National Conference or MENC) was organized to support school music. In 1912 a proposal was made to include, as accredited subjects, a number of music activities including choruses and general music. Band was included - but at a much lower priority. Later, however, at the Cleveland MSNC conference in 1923, Edgar B. Gordon stated,

"The high school band is no longer an incidental school enterprise prompted largely by the volunteer services of a high school teacher who happens to have had some band experience, but rather an undertaking which is assigned to a definite place in the school schedule with a daily class period under a trained instructor and with credit allowed for satisfactory work done." (Ibid)

In the same year, and likely due to the increase in both acceptance and importance, Carl Greenleaf (then head of C. G. Conn Ltd.) helped organize the first National Band Contest in Chicago. Later, in 1928, he directed the Conn company to contribute to the founding of the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan and later supported publications designed to support band directors. While these endeavors may have appeared somewhat self-serving in light of his position with Conn, they nonetheless helped establish school band as a significant part of school curriculum. (Banks, 1997)

Despite a gradual, while still limited, acceptance of instrumental music within the school curriculum, budget cuts have often curtailed or even eliminated these programs. Further, with the recent increased emphasis upon "teaching to the test" due to the pressures of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and similar state requirements, support for the inclusion of music in schools has begun to wane. Michelle R. Davis, in "Education Week," stated "The federal No Child Left Behind Act is prompting many schools to cut back on subjects such as social studies, music, and art to make more time for reading and mathematics..." (Davis, 2006) This is most unfortunate considering that the study of music, especially instrumental music, has proved to be beneficial for all students - even increasing their ability to reason and problem-solve.

Many theorists have contributed to the elevation of music as central to education, or at the very least, demonstrated that limiting the school environment to the "Three R's" is short-sighted. Howard Gardner postulated his "Multiple Intelligences" theory with the understanding that children do not possess identical propensities for learning. Not only do they have differing capacities for learning but have differing capacities for learning in many areas. These areas, as he explained, are the varying intelligences of which he speaks. Originally describing seven intelligences (of which music is highlighted) he identified two specifically (linguistic and logical-mathematical) as "the ones that have typically been valued in school." (Gardner, 1999, p41) Obviously, Gardner recognized that the educational system was not reaching all students - only those that could "do school" well. Gardner did not limit his study, of course, to the mere existence of multiple intelligences but demonstrated that a given person can be strong in more than one, enabling those intelligences to interact one with the other. He explained that, "there are other ways in which different intelligences can affect each other...one intelligence can mediate and constrain the others; one intelligence can compensate for another; and one intelligence can catalyze another." (Gardner 2, 2006, p219) He further extolled the advantages of a musical intelligence by explaining that "...a strong musical intelligence may lead a person engaged in a linguistic task to be more sensitive to the rhythmic properties of language as well as its meaning." (Ibid, p223)

While many may assume that music and the study thereof is associated primarily to that which is heard, it is also related quite closely to mathematics. Dahlhaus, reflecting Rameau stated that "music had its origins in the Pythagorean proportions; (i.e., music is a mathematics)." (Gargarian, 1996, p137, 138) Regardless of whether or not one agrees with the theory that music is mathematical in toto, there should be little dispute as to the relativity of music notation to mathematics. Indeed, introducing the coordinate, or Cartesian, plane appears to aid the new music student in understanding the horizontal (x), and vertical (y) axes of music notation. Simply stated, the horizontal (x) axis on the music staff relates to duration while the vertical (y) axis relates to pitch. This, of course is a reflection upon Gardner's aforementioned theory of intelligence interaction.

There is further evidence that instrumental music study is advantageous for the student. In 1995, Gottfried Schlaug, et al, published a study, "Increased Corpus Callosum Size in Musicians" wherein they described an increase in neural fibers across the Corpus Callosum (CC), contributing to its enlargement. They further were able to determine that this increase in fibers/CC size was attributable to instrumental music study. (Schlaug, et al, 1995) Obviously, the supposition can easily be made that, if there is greater cross-talk between the two hemispheres of the brain (specifically, the left - thought to be the analytical, and the right - thought to be the creative) the result would be a person with a greater, more creative, problem-solving ability.

Reflecting upon Gardner's theories, as well as those of Schlaug, et al, it should surprise no one that others have confirmed links between music and other skills. Bahr and Christiansen in their article "Inter-Domain Transfer Between Mathematical Skill and Musicianship" published findings demonstrating that students who had studied music demonstrated superior performance on mathematical tasks provided there was some structural overlap with music. (Bahr, Christiansen, 2000) This "structural overlap" could be nearly anything, including the relationship of dividing measures or notes into fractions, relating pitch to frequency, or, as aforementioned, establishing the link between the coordinate (Cartesian) plane and the music staff.

With this enhanced problem-solving ability; this increased awareness of mathematical concepts, it would not be a grand leap to assume that music students might perform well with classroom technology. Indeed, music students should be expected to do at least as well as other students with regard to technology. If that is true, then the next step would be to assume that they would do especially well with technology geared especially to them.

Somewhat recently, technologists, recognizing a dearth of technologically-based music applications began to develop computer programs for music education. Music theory websites began to appear, many having been produced by, and linked to, symphonic organizations. Others have been produced by teachers and graduate students either as part of coursework or perhaps for their own use (and anyone wishing to utilize the application). A quick search of the internet reveals that there are quite a number of available technological tools produced and published for the music student. There are interactive music games, in-class keyboard music theory applications, countless online pitch and rhythm websites, and, perhaps most powerful, applications known as "computer assisted instruction" (CAI)" specifically for the music classroom and student. In January 2005, Steven Estrella published the findings of a study demonstrating how music teachers in the U.S. used music technology. Among his findings, he discovered that approximately twenty percent of the survey participants used some form of CAI as part of their instruction. The survey further discovered that the predominant software application was "SmartMusic." (Estrella, 2005)

SmartMusic is a teacher/student interactive application allowing students to practice, at home, with a synthesized band or orchestral accompaniment. The program can also, with an included microphone, record the student's efforts and grade them using rhythm and pitch data. The student can immediately see their results and can retry if they wish. The recording and the accompanying grade are then emailed to the student's teacher/director and automatically entered into the teacher's database grade book. The program includes accompaniments for around thirty-thousand compositions including band and orchestra method book pieces. (Nagel, 2007) While early reviews of the program were mixed, the company that produces SmartMusic, "MakeMusic," was apparently responsive to teacher/consumer complaints and suggestions. The program requires that the home version be installed on the students own computer and, in earlier versions, installation, setup, and microphone placement were problematic. In the latest version, SmartMusic 11, many of these issues were addressed either by simplifying the process or with enhanced user guides. (Whaley, 2008)

For the classroom, SmartMusic holds a wealth of applications. The most basic functions of the program include a displayed tuner and metronome. (A music classroom with an interactive whiteboard can make excellent use of SmartMusic's utilities.) The teacher can then play a pre-recorded version of a piece to be studied and, while the students are playing along, can instantly record them independent of the pre-recording for later playback. The program also includes fingering charts for all instruments so a quick check for the students perhaps needing additional instruction is easily accomplished. Keys and tempi can be changed easily, if necessary, and if a single performer wishes to play with a pre-recorded accompaniment, that accompaniment, "listening" to the performer via a microphone, can follow the performer's changes in tempo - not unlike what the conductor of a symphony orchestra would do in a live performance.

As important and powerful as SmartMusic is in the classroom, its most powerful application - and the primary purpose for which it was intended - is that of a home practice and assessment tool. There are literally thousands of accompaniments and scales included in the software as well as thousands of music titles. Once the students have subscribed, downloaded (or installed from a CD), and set up the home version of the program, the teacher can design playing assignments which the student then accesses at home on their own computer.

Playing through a microphone to the program's accompaniment gives an instant visual and aural response; while the recording of the student's performance is played, their correct notes are displayed in green while mistakes are displayed in red. The student can decide upon and set their own tempo, then practice with the computer-generated accompaniment as many times as they wish prior to recording for a grade. In short, the student is in control while at home. Students having access to broadband internet and a reasonably up-to-date computer can fully realize the potential of the program - as well as their own. (Rudolph, 2006)

But what of those students not fortunate enough to have a computer at home - let alone internet access?

Obviously, the power of SmartMusic would be largely lost on those students without a home computer or internet access. The cost of the home version is small, and some districts have even provided the subscription free of charge for their students. (Nagel, 2007) However, can districts provide a workable computer and internet access or all of its students?

David Thomas stated that schools have made great progress in the introduction of computer and internet access. However, that access, for disadvantaged students, remains at school. (Thomas, 2003) Thomas further quoted then U. S. Secretary of Education, Rod Paige:

"We need to address the limited access to technology that many students have outside of school. There is much more we can do. Closing the digital divide will also help close the achievement gap that exists within our schools." (Thomas, 2003)

A 2007 study in New York revealed that between seventy and eighty percent of students have computers at home. (Traber, 2007) One might suggest that the real numbers cross-country are actually much lower.

There are many music students dependant upon school-provided instruments, method books, and even instrument supplies such as reeds and valve oil (usually provided out the teacher's own pocket). These students are already behind their more affluent counterparts and cannot afford private lessons, let alone a workable computer and internet access. These are the students who could benefit most from a program such SmartMusic. However, as useful and powerful as SmartMusic is, it cannot by itself bridge this "digital divide" that still exists.

Educational technology holds great promise for the student musician but until a method for equitable access is discovered, disproportionate achievement will persist.

References

Bahr, N. & Christensen C.A. (2000). Inter-Domain Transfer Between Mathematical Skill and Musicianship. In Journal of Structural Learning & Intelligent systems (Vol. 14(3), 2000, pp. 187 - 197). US: Gordon & Breach Science Publishers

Banks, Margaret Downie (1997). A Brief History of the Conn Company (1874-present). The National Music Museum.

Davis, Michelle R. (2006, April). Study: NCLB Leads to Cuts for Some Subjects. Education Week.

Estrella, Steven (2005). Survey of Music Educators and Music Technology. Shearspire.

Gardner, Howard (1999). Intelligence Reframed, Multiple Intelligences for the Twenty First Century. Basic Books/Perseus Books Group: New York

Gardner, Howard (2006). Multiple Intelligences - New Horizons. Basic Books/Perseus Books Group: New York

Gargarian, Gregory (1996). The Art of Design. In Kafai, Y., & Resnick, M. (Eds.). Constructionism in practice: designing, thinking, and learning in a digital world. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Nagel, Dave (2007, August). Tucson USD Gives SmartMusic Subscriptions to Students, THE Journal.

Rhodes, Stephen L. (2007). A History of the Wind Band - The American School Band Movement. Lipscomb University.

Rudolph, Tom (2006, February). The Wide World of SmartMusic. Music Education Technology.

Schlaug, Gottfried; Lutz, Jäncke; Huang, Yanxiong; Staiger, Jochen F., Steinmetz, Helmuth, (1995). Increased Corpus Callosum Size in Musicians. Neuropsychologia, Vol. 33, No. 8, pp. 1047-1055, Retrieved June 19, 2008 from http://www.musicianbrain.com/papers/Schlaug_CCallosum_1995b.pdf

Thomas, David (2003). Internet Access Soars in Schools, But "Digital Divide" Still Exists at Home for Minority and Poor Students. U. S. Department of Education.

Traber, Chris (2007, September). Poor Students Struggle In Class. YorkRegion.com News.

Whaley, Roger (2008, September 10). SmartMusic 11! - MakeMusic has released SmartMusic 11!. The Band Ed Tool Shed (Weblog).

Thomas (Tom) Crawford is a Middle School Instrumental Music Director in Tucson, Arizona - currently finishing a graduate degree in Education Technology.

He can be reached via email: tom.crawford@tusd1.org

Website: http://edweb.tusd1.org/maxwell/band/

Groove to Enthralling Pop Music

Pop music is the most awesome and popular genre in music. This genre is extremely famous and is acclaimed world wide. It is the music style of modern times and has led to a great revolution in the world of music. It is the awesome category of music which has broken various barriers of conventional and traditional music. This music is beyond the formal education in music or typical music styles. The sole reason of the immense success of this kind of music is its ability to muse and entertain people.

The music is created with an intention to attract and appeal the masses. Anyone and everyone can enjoy this music without being an expert and connoisseur of music. It focuses more on entertainment than the artistic and expert conceptualizations. This music does not emphasize on the some particular music form. However, it simply gives the artist freedom to experiment with the various kinds of music and express them in their own styles.

The genre is immensely famous amongst the youngsters and the teenagers. Its style has become the favourite of the masses due to its flexibility. People can easily comprehend it and relate to it. Pop songs are written with sheer goal of entertaining the audience. This music genre cannot be typified or classified as per one's style. This exquisite style comprises of different moods and it is sheer expression of the artist's creativity that matters the most.

Pop Music is gaining popularity since 1950's this great music style has overshadowed all its contemporaries. Played with the typical musical instruments like Guitar, Drum and electronic keyboards, the music is all about high spiritedness and fun. These music bands are very famous and people across the world admire them. The orchestra and the singers together comprise the pop band.

Many popular artistes of the music genre have ruled the music world. Its lovers keenly wait for the release of the albums from their favourite artistes. The Beetles has been one of the most popular music bands in the world. They have ruled the music charts and people have loved their music crazily. Over the years the singers, song writers and the musicians played a vital role in the expansion and growth of the genre. Everyone loves to listen to this incredible music style.

We are the World, Careless Whisper and Footloose are some of the most rocking hits of the 1980s. It was the era in which the genre gained its highest position. In 1990s, the music gained new heights with female artistes coming up with awesome pop music videos and songs. There were some awesome female singles released that outclassed the male performances. Vogue, The power of Love, Hold On and the Hero are the few outstanding numbers.

Madonna, Shania Twain etc were some of the most admired pop stars of the last decade. Elton John came up with some of the most astounding Pop classics that gave the music immense popularity. Michael Jackson gained the greatest fan following with his unique style and incredible pop numbers.

In the present times, the pop music has ruled the music world. No other genre is so popular and admired by the people. With young pop stars coming with innovative and sizzling numbers, this music is all set to achieve new heights. Britney Spears is one of the hottest pop icons of the new generation. Her deadly music videos like Oops! I did it Again, I am a Slave For You etc have made her the most desirable Pop icon amongst the teenagers. Beyonce Knowles' Crazy in Love, White Flag and other hits have also rocked the music fans the world over.

Jennifer Lopez, Boy Zone, Spice Girls and other pop stars have given great entertainment to the people across the world. Shakira has set a new trend with her individual style with the smashing hits like Hips Don't Lie and Whenever, Wherever.

Hip hop based pop music video made waves, with great hits like Hot in Herre, Don't Phunk With my Heart, India Club and Candy Shop. Latin Pop also became significantly popular with the amazing hit By Enrique - Hero. The Ketchup Song was also an outstanding hit in 2002. Pop music has enthralled people across the globe. Everyone should listen to pop music for great entertainment and rejuvenation

Alden Jerry is an expert author. Visit to know more about latest Pop Music, Rock Music at music cd store.