Aaliyah

Aaliyah Haughton was an iconic American R&B singer, model, actress and dancer. She is best known for the numerous hit albums she recorded, her modeling work with Tommy Hilfiger, and for her starring roles in the movies "Romeo Must Die" (2000), and "Queen of the Damned" (2001). She died in a tragic plane accident on August 25th of 2001.



Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn on January 16th, 1979, to parents Michael and Diane Haughton. She spent most of her childhood growing up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended performing arts schools at a young age. In 1993, she signed on with her uncle, Barry Hankerson�s label and released her first album, "Age Ain�t Nothing but a Number". To date, her first album has sold two million copies in the United States, and five million worldwide.



In something of a tabloid scandal, it was leaked to the press in 1994 that Aaliyah and R. Kelly, who had co-produced her first album, had been married. Aaliyah was 15 at the time, and had apparently claimed to be 18 so that the marriage could commence legally. Neither Aaliyah or R. Kelly ever confirmed that they had indeed been married, and any marriage they did have was promptly annulled.



Aaliyah released a second album in 1996, "One in a Million", which went double platinum in sales within its first year. The album was mostly written and produced by Missy Elliot and Tim Mosley.



With the attention she gathered from the major success of her second album, Aaliyah caught the eye of Tommy Hilfiger, and was signed on as a model. Over the next few years she would do a series of modeling campaigns and advertisements with Hilfiger, and made several guest appearances on the albums of other singers such as Missy Elliot and Timbaland (Tim Mosely).



In 1997 Aaliyah appeared on the soundtrack for the Disney remake of Anastasia, and performed the song in the Oscars that year having been nominated for an award. She also appeared on the Doctor Doolittle soundtrack of 1998, her song from that movie becoming a large success. In 2000 she began her acting career starring along side Jet Li in "Romeo Must Die", and followed it up with Stuart Townsend in 2001�s "Queen of the Damned".



While working on the production of "Queen of the Damned", Aaliyah recorded her third album, self-titled "Aaliyah". When it was released in July of 2001 and went gold within a month.



After filming a music video in the Bahamas, Aaliyah boarded a small Cessna airplane with the destination of Miami. Unfortunately, the plane crashed into a dense forest shortly after taking off and everyone on board was killed. It was later revealed that the plane was dangerously overloaded and the pilot had drugs and alcohol in his system. It was also reported that the pilot had faked his flying hours in order to get his license.



Though no longer with us, Aaliyah made a tremendous impact of the R&B world, and her albums are still popular around the world today.



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Danielia Cotton

Music review - Danielia Cotton

I can recall several times in my life when I heard a song on the radio for the first time from a new artist and said to myself, "That's a hit." or "They're going to be huge." I did it with Joss Stone, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Smashmouth, etc. Now, I'm no producer or talent scout(maybe I should be?) but I've got a pretty good track record. I've heard enough great music by great musicians that never "made it" to know that it isn't just the music that gets you to the big time.



It's luck. It's timing. It's the one big break. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to know someone on the inside.



All that being said, I'd like to direct your listening ears to Danielia Cotton. I listen regularly to a podcast called Bandana Blues that features great blues music, commentary and interviews with artists. I'll be doing a music podcast review in the upcoming days. On their last podcast, they featured a song called "Devil In Disguise" by Danielia Cotton and let me tell you, it absolutely blew me away. The song has power and raw emotion and her voice just rips through it and sends chills down my spine. I later found out that she also plays the guitar. Now I can't stop listening to her self titled EP and full album release, "Small White Town".



In the music and voice I hear touches of Janis Joplin, Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz and Melissa Etheridge.



The Philadelphia Daily Local News says,

"Her music has the swagger of 'Let it Bleed' era Rolling Stones. Her singing has the raw emotional power of Janis Joplin. Her songwriting places her among the top new musical storytellers."



Essence Magazine said,

�She sings with raw intensity, ranging from beautifully tender to howling, not even caring if her powerful voice cracks�this Jersey girl who names Led Zeppelin and Tina Turner as influences confirms that rock is Black Music too.�



World Cafe Live also chimes in,

"What if Janis Joplin was Black and beautiful? Because Black isn�t always soul, blues, or gospel. Listening to Danielia Cotton, you�re bound to believe: Black is rock and roll."



From her bio she says that her early influences were AC/DC, Judas Priest and Todd Rundgren. She also mentions her mother who was a gifted jazz singer and the gospel music at church as influences. She's played all the big local clubs in NYC and has shared the stage with Living Color, Sister Hazel and others. Her debut album, "Small White Town" is aptly titled. She grew up in rural Hopewell, NJ. She ended up being the only one of 7 black kids in her high school.



Her big break is coming, that I know.



If you like Rock and Blues, you have got to give her a listen. You will be impressed. I'll stake my talent searching reputation on it!



"You're the devil in disguise and the last thing you're gonna see is my-my-my backside."

Electric Guitar Buying Guide

Are you new to guitars and ready to make your first electric guitar purchase? Are you a seasoned player who owns several guitars and you find yourself adding to your guitar collection? No matter which category you find yourself in, getting the most from your instrument purchase is very important. It is also important to understand the types of electric guitars available.



The choices include:



1. Solid Body Electric Guitars

2. Hollow Body Electric Guitars

3. Semi Hollow Body Electric Guitars

4. Acoustic/Electric Guitars

5. Pedal Steel Guitars

6. Hawaiian Style Lap Guitars



Guitars, and particularly electric guitars are not created equal. There are many brands of electric guitars to choose from. Making the right choice when purchasing a guitar will depend on some basic factors, including:

1. Evaluate your particular situation.

2. Determine the specific application for using the guitar.



For example, if you are a beginner, there is little reason to consider investing several thousands of dollars into a pro level guitar such as a custom Les Paul or a Paul Reed Smith. Another example regarding a specific application would be if you are a traveling musician. Traveling guitarists may want to consider a slightly less expensive guitar to take on the road while saving their finest instrument for a studio environment. Regardless of your situation or the application, the bottom line is there are several factors to consider. Understanding your position as a potential guitar buyer will help you make the right decision and ensure that you make an informed purchase.



Here are 5 tips to help you in choosing the right electric guitar.

Tip 1. Evaluate your level of commitment to the instrument and the art of music.



Before you choose your electric guitar be sure you understand the level of commitment that you are prepared to invest into the instrument. Electric guitars can be expensive and understanding the level of dedication you plan to invest in the instrument should play a vital role in choosing your guitar.

Tip 2. Identify your particular application for the instrument.



If you are a beginner and just learning to play the instrument, your application will be quite different from an intermediate or advanced guitarist who is adding to their collection. Determine your particular situation and application for the guitar you will purchase. Consider whether or not you will be keeping the instrument at home or frequently traveling with it. For example, if you plan to keep the instrument at home for recreational use, you may want to consider including a less expensive case for the guitar. Road cases can be costly and will not be necessary if you do not travel with the guitar.

Tip 3. Identify your budget and include patience regarding your guitar purchase.



Many aspiring guitarists have wandered into the local music store only to be overwhelmed by the vast choices and different price ranges of guitars. As with any purchase, pre-planning and understanding your budget is critical. Prices for electric guitars range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. If you are serious about playing the guitar, selecting your instrument will be one of the most important decisions you make. Be sure to take ample time during this stage of the process. Patience is more than a virtue when selecting your guitar.

Tip 4. Consult a professional to get tips on guitar quality and performance.



It is a good idea to take the time to visit several musical instrument dealers in your area. Retail guitar shops will be more than happy to help you understand what to look for when buying an electric guitar. Get several opinions if you are new to guitars. Most guitar outlets will have seasoned players on staff who will be happy to impart their experience and wisdom. Ask questions. Find out what you need to consider when selecting an electric guitar. Getting several opinions in this area will shed light on the overall picture and will be very beneficial information when it comes time to buy.

Tip 5. Include additional items and training resources to help you get started playing the guitar.



Once you have made the right guitar purchase, be sure to have additional items on hand that will be vital to the process of learning. You will need an extra set of guitar strings, some extra picks, a tuner and a stand for your guitar. It is also very important to purchase some beginner books that include chord charts, guitar tab and chord progression exercises. You can also find free guitar lesson videos on the web at Riff TV.com. Riff TV.com is an online guitarist community that provides free membership, free guitar lesson videos, chord progression exercises, scale exercises, scale charts, basic key/chord overviews and more. If you are a beginner guitarist and need free resources, training guides and tools, Riff TV.com is available and can be your virtual classroom. Be sure to stop by today and sign-up for a free membership.



Learning to play the electric guitar is fun and exciting. There are few things in life that will provide the relaxation and feeling of accomplishment you can experience by becoming proficient with guitar chords, guitar tabs and guitar chord progressions. Applying the knowledge you gain from the right learning resources to your favorite style of music is very rewarding. Carefully select your electric guitar.

Use your practice time wisely by taking advantage of great guitar resources such as Riff TV.com. Be sure to practice to develop skill, musical knowledge and basic music theory concepts. Apply what you learn on a daily basis and you will be amazed at the progress you will make with your new electric guitar.



About The Author

A. Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV.com. He is a guitarist and a guitar enthusiast. He is also a studio musician and producer. He has produced several CD's and radio

programs featuring his original music.

Ashanti

Ashanti is an American R&B singer and actress who came into the spotlight during the early 2000s. She has released four char topping albums, has appeared on several television shows, and more recently has begun appearing in movies, such as "Bride and Prejudice" (2004), and "Coach Carter" (2005).



Ashanti was born on October 13th, 1980, in Glen Cove, in the Long Island area of New York. Her full name is Ashanti Shequoyia Douglas, though she uses her first name only professionally. Her father is a mix of Chinese and African American, while her mother is a Dominican African American blend. The results have worked out very well for Ashanti, she has a kind of exotic and rare beauty that is unique to her. Her mother was a dance instructor and her father a skilled singer; her stunning good looks and family background for performance made Ashanti an almost certain success in the entertainment industry.



Ashanti�s sang in gospel choirs from the age of six, and honed her vocals throughout her childhood. Before she was even in high school she had danced at Carnegie Hall, and a played a role in the Disney TV movie "Polly".



In 2001, Ashanti caught more attention when she appeared as background vocalist in Vita�s remake of the Madonna song "Justify My Love", and in Big Pun�s single "How We Roll". Then in 2002 she was featured in Ja Rule�s "Always On Time" and Fat Joe�s "What�s Luv?", which were both enormous hits and brought Ashanti a lot of recognition. At one time during the year, these two songs were at the number one and number two slots on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.



Ashanti�s new found fame landed her a deal with the label Murder Inc. and she released her first album, self titled "Ashanti" in 2002. The album went gold in a week, and platinum many times over in the months to come. She won numerous awards for her work on the album, including a Grammy, and was without a doubt the hottest new female artist for the year.



Ashanti has released three albums since then, "Chapter II" in 2003, "Concrete Rose" in 2004, and "Can�t Stop" in 2005, though "Can�t Stop" was actually recorded in 1997. All of these follow ups have been very successful, but none have matched the sales she gathered on her debut album.



Ashanti made several television appearances starting in 2003 with a cameo on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", and on "First Date". Her first film role came with the �Bollywood� movie "Bride and Prejudice". The movie role she is best known for came in 2005 with �Coach Carter� where she acted along with Samuel L. Jackson. She is scheduled to star in a 2006 movie, "John Tucker Must Die".



With many talents, a beautiful voice and amazing good looks, hopefully we�ll all be seeing plenty more of Ashanti in the years to come.



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Guitar Hand Positions

Guitar hand positions vary according to technique and choice of music. But the generalities remain the same. Here are a few tips for using:



The Right Hand or Picking Hand



1. Experiment with different types and thicknesses of picks. General rule is to choose a thicker pick for a mellow sound and a thinner one for treble sounds. Most players prefer a medium pick.



2. Avoid too much arching of the wrist.



3. Avoid any kind of anchor that restricts freedom of motion. A little bit of an anchor for certain sounds or picking is acceptable but for the most part keep it loose and flexible.



Left Hand or Fretting Hand



1. Fingers should be arched and knuckles bent



2. The fingers should move straight up and down on the strings, like little hammers, at a right angle to the fretboard.



3. Lift the fingers just high enough to clear the strings, too high is wasted motion.



4. The thumb should ride approximately at the center of the back of the neck. Try to maintain a consistent relationship with the second finger.



Both Hands Working Harmoniously



The left and right hands must work in perfect unison. If the pick attacks first and the finger follows, you�ll hear two sounds which isn�t your goal. If the finger attacks first and the pick follows, again two sounds, still not acceptable.



You must pick and finger the note at exactly the same time. To reach that goal, play very slowly when you start to practice the scales or anything you like to play. Concentrating only on picking and fingering that note at the same time. Remember we�re not looking for speed when just beginning your musical adventure � but technique that�s vitally important in early stages of the music game.



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Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer and songwriter, known for her �goth� and �punk� disposition. To date she has released two albums, both of which have ranked high on charts around the world, and have yielded numerous very popular singles in the �pop� genre of music.



Avril was born on September 27th, 1984 in Belleville, Ontario, Canada to parents John and Judy Lavigne. She spent most her childhood growing up in Napanee and early on took an interest to singing and music. She sang in a church choir, and taught herself to play guitar.



Her initial interest was in country music, and she was �discovered� by a management organization while singing a country cover at a bookstore in Kingston, Ontario. She was invited to perform at a New York City studio, where she was overheard by Anotonio �LA� Reid, a representative of Arista Records.



At just sixteen years old, she signed on with Arista Records and began work on her first album. After moving to LA and enlisting the help of the songwriting team �The Matrix� to co-write her album, the album itself was released in June of 2002. Went to the top of the charts in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and to the number two spot in the United States. It sold over four million copies within the first six months, and over 15 million copies worldwide within the first year and a half.



Her Canadian roots and rough, cynical image led many in the media to liken her to fellow Canadian performer Alanis Morisette. She won the title �Best New Artist� at the MTV Music Awards of 2002, four Juno Awards, a World Music Award, and was nominated for eight Grammys.



Avril Lavigne followed up her debut album with �Under My Skin� in May of 2004. It hit the number one position on charts across the world, including the United States. Avril reported to have had more artistic control in her sophomore album, and that she was able to express herself more freely. The music definitely has a matured quality to it, showing her growth since her sudden exposure to audiences around the world.



Rumors have been abound about a third album to be released in 2006, though Avril has been reported saying that she wants to take a break and enjoy her life a while first.



Whether or not her music is your cup of tea, Avril Lavigne is a talented young rock/pop artist that is destined to make an impact on pop performers to come.



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Beyonce Knowles

At the writing of this article, Beyonc� Knowles will be in direct competition with Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys�for Beyonc� Knowles, 24-year-old songstress, is nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Female R & B Vocal Performance, for �Wishing on a Star.�



And Beyonc� is also nominated in another category as well�Best R & B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, for �So Amazing.�



Those of us who first encountered her found Beyonc� singing with Destiny�s Child, the Star Search-discovered singing group Beyonc� co-formed, produced, and was the chief songwriter and lead singer for.



Others will recall first hearing Beyonc� at the 46th Grammy Awards, where she performed (with Prince, a surprise show) a medley of pieces including her �Crazy in Love� and three of Prince�s Purple Rain hits; or Beyonc� performing �Believe,� �Look To Your Path [Vois sur ton Chemin],� and �Learn to be Lonely� at the 77th Annual Academy Awards; or Beyonc� singing at any number of the awards shows�where she was often a winner.



Her talent and consistent performance record, that is, is known and greeted with as much gushing, gratitude and applause as is her winning record: in five short years she has rocketed to stardom with such awards and accolades as those from ASCAP Awards; BET Awards; Billboard Music Awards; Black Reel Awards; Brit Awards; Capital FM Awards; Grammy Awards; MTV Awards; People�s Choice Awards; Radio Music Awards; Soul Train Music Awards; Vibe Awards; and World Music Awards.



In addition, Beyonc� Knowles the actress, the celebrity, and the humanitarian has won image awards, NAACP awards, Teen Choice awards; and Kids� Choice awards.



However we each first �met� Beyonc� Knowles, her fans will tell you what�s more important is her skill and appeal as a stylized performer, her grace as a high-profile celebrity, and her beneficent contributions to charities and non-profit causes. And her R & B singing, her range, her versatility, and her beautiful and graceful stage presence all contribute to the star�s gifts and, subsequently, to her popularity.



Will Beyonc� Knowles win her 49th (and 50th) awards this year? Her competition, of course, is stunning in their own right. But if you listen to her fans, you might likely champion Beyonc� as the winner�for according to one statistic, a Universal Music poll conducted in early 2005, Beyonc� was granted�over Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera�the moniker �Princess of Pop.� And the fans know best.



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Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette is a famous Canadian singer, composer, and actress, most famous for her chart-topping album �Jagged Little Pill�, which to date has sold over 30 million copies around the world. She released three follow up albums, all of which have been huge successes, though none have sold as �Jagged Little Pill�.



Alanis Morissette was born on June 1st, 1974 in Ottawa, Canada. Though she is best known for her music, her performance career began with a series of appearances on the Nickelodeon kids show �You Can�t Do That On Television�. Shortly after she recorded and released her first single, �Fate Stay With Me�, using her own funds. With her growing recognition, Alanis landed a number of gigs around Canada, and even a spot on the American talent show, �Star Search�, though she lost after the first round of eliminations.



Morissette�s first full length album, �Alanis�, came as a result of a two album deal she signed with MCA records. The album sold over two million copies, and several of the songs on it topped charts in Canada. Her second album, �Now Is the Time�, came in 1992, completing her deal with MCA Records, though it was far less successful than the first.



In 1993, Alanis Morissette moved to Los Angeles in the hopes of connecting with other musicians, and effort that initially proved fruitless for her. She eventually met the producer and composer Glen Ballard, however, and the two �hit it off�, artistically speaking.



Ballard and Morissette together recorded the music that would make up the international success, �Jagged Little Pill�, Ballard playing the guitar and Morissette singing. For some of the songs, they literally recorded them as they wrote them. During this period, Alanis was robbed at gunpoint in LA, coming home from a grocery store. She was unhurt, and latter was reported saying that her only concern at the time was the book of lyrics she had been holding. The lyrics were fortunately untouched.



In the spring of 1995, Morissette signed on with Maverick Records, and �Jagged Little Pill� was released. The album started off slowly, reaching 118 on the Billboard 200 chart, but when a LA DJ from a popular radio station came across one of the songs from the album he began playing it around the clock.



The song was �You Oughta Know�, and its sudden popularity rolled it into a video on MTV. It was an edgy, angry song, and its use of harsh language startled many people unused to hearing it from a female singer. Several of the albums other songs also began to get a lot of coverage, and the album itself soared in sales.



Since then, Alanis has released three other albums, written a song for the movie �City of Angels�, and has made appearances in the movies �Dogma� (2000) and �Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back� (2001). Though she is still a popular singer today, she has yet to achieve the same kind of success from �Jagged Little Pill�.



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Baby Grand Piano

Being able to play a musical instrument is a talent that many people wish they had. The piano is an elegant instrument and once you learn how to play it will stay with you for the rest of your life.



Although a grand piano is the dream of many people who do play, it is a large and cumbersome instrument. Unless you have a very large space you simply won�t be able to accommodate one in your home.



A perfect alternative is a baby grand piano. A baby grand piano has all of the same features as a grand piano but just on a smaller scale. Many people choose to purchase a baby grand piano for their child as they begin lessons. This is a wonderful motivator for the child as they feel proud to be playing such an impressive instrument. The child will continue to play the baby grand piano as they mature. With proper care and maintenance the piano will actually last the child their entire life.



Purchasing a baby grand piano can seem like a daunting task especially if you�ve never bought a piano before. It�s not difficult though and there are several avenues available when it comes to buying one.



Many baby grand pianos can be purchased used. People lose interest in playing or someone passes away and the piano sits quietly collecting dust.



Your local newspaper may be a good resource for finding a used baby grand piano. You�ll want to contact the person selling it and inquire about its condition and price. If you are impressed by what you hear over the phone you should schedule an appointment to view the piano.



If you do choose to purchase a used baby grand piano you�ll need to contact a piano mover. Piano movers are unique in that they are skilled in moving pianos without causing any damage to the instrument.



Baby grand pianos can also be purchased at many music stores. In this case you may even be able to specially order the color of the piano as well as the piano bench. Although black is still the most popular color in baby grand pianos many people like the beauty of a white piano as well. Another benefit of purchasing from a music store is that they will be able to arrange delivery of the piano for you.



It takes a good deal of time to learn how to play the piano. Investing in a quality instrument will showcase your talent. It also spurs you to practice more when you have the baby grand piano in your home just waiting to be heard.

Eminem

Eminem is a famous (or notorious?) American rap musician and actor, and his music continues to top charts in the United States and Europe. He is praised for his versatile rhythms and his use of literary techniques in his lyrics to make for songs that flow exceptionally well.



Though praised for his talent, he is also the subject for criticism and controversy for the content of his lyrics. In spite of the criticism, he has been enormously successful in his performance career, and has already won a Grammy award and has had several multi-platinum albums.



Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, in St. Joseph, Missouri, on October 17th, 1972. He grew up in both Kansas City and a suburb of Detroit. From age thirteen, Eminem showed an interest in the rap genre of music, and early on achieved some regional fame with a group, Soul Intent. In 1995, his wife Kim Mathers gave birth to a daughter, Hailie Jade. Shortly after he released his first album of his own music, called Infinite. Reportedly, he sold several hundred copies of his album out of his car.



In the year following, he and his wife Kim went through a volatile period, and Eminem attempted suicide after a particular heated argument. Drawing on these emotional experiences, Eminem released his second album, Slim Shady LP in 1997. The considerably darker album sold over three million copies and was one of the most successful albums of 1999. He and his wife Kim were eventually divorced. In 2000, he released his third album, The Marshall Mathers LP which sold over two million copies.



Though his successful career alone would gather a lot of attention, much of his fame is centered on the controversy his lyrics stir up. Critics cite that his lyrics are abusive and disrespectful of women, and that they encourage violence and drug use. Regardless of the criticism, he is still considered one of the most talented rappers alive today, and is something of a phenomenon for being white in a genre that has traditionally been virtually all black. For this reason, he is sometimes referred to as the "great white hope" of the rap world.



Eminem went on to release several more albums, which have all been highly successful on the charts but have had mixed degrees of success in sales. He is also a member of the band D12, which has produced its own album with some degree of success as well. In 2002, he began his career as an actor in the movie �8-Mile�, which won him his Oscar.



More recently in 2005, Eminem announced that he had entered into drug rehabilitation for an addiction to sedatives. He has alluded to ending his career as a rapper, but still performs to sell out crowds today.

Super Guitars - Made In America

The evolution of the guitar in its present form is forever tied to American ingenuity and precision. The development of the modern steel string acoustic guitar and the electric guitar is an American tale. This article will discuss interesting facts about the development of modern acoustic and electric guitars.



The logical place to begin our discussion is with the development of the modern steel string acoustic guitar. The

modern steel string guitar is certainly an American invention. The instrument was developed and refined in the USA. From the mid to late nineteenth century until the early twentieth century, many immigrants of European descent made their way to the United States. Among these immigrants were extremely skilled musical instrument makers, also known as luthiers. These skilled craftsmen would play a pivotal role in the development of the modern steel string acoustic guitar.



As the acoustic guitar evolved, two different types of guitars would dominate the development of the instrument. The first type of steel string guitar to be developed would come to be known as the "flat-top" guitar. The "flat-top" guitar was a descendant of European classical guitars. The name is derived from the shape of the guitar soundboard. The soundboard is also called the "top".



The second type of steel string acoustic guitar would come to be known as the "arch-top" or "f-hole" guitar. The "arch-top" guitar has a contoured soundboard and back. The soundboard and the back are carved from a single piece of wood. The design and construction of the "arch-top" guitar are descendants of European violin construction techniques.



The two pioneers in American steel string acoustic guitar construction are Gibson and Martin. These companies still exist today and they produce some of the finest American acoustic guitars available. The Gibson "arch-top" guitars are a favorite of many musicians. The Martin company is famous for their "flat-top" Dreadnought guitars. The Martin "flat-top" guitar of choice is the Martin HD-28 or the Martin D-45.



The role of America in modern guitar development defined the evolution of the electric guitar. The electric guitar is an amazing device. It creates excitement and sound unlike any instrument on earth. The electric guitar is a combination of craftsmanship, engineering, physics and electrical power. At the flip of a switch, electric guitars have the ability to create smooth gentle sounds or chaotic hysteria.



In the United States there are many quality electric guitar manufacturers. It would be impossible to mention each one in this brief article about America's role in the development of the electric guitar. I would like to mention the two American guitar manufacturers that are commonly associated with the modern electric guitar. These two manufacturers are Fender and Gibson.



The Fender guitar company was started by Leo Fender in the late 1940's. Leo's purpose was to create an innovative solid body electric guitar. It has been reported that Leo was most concerned with the utilitarian aspect of the guitar rather than its appearance. Leo wanted to build a clean sounding guitar that minimized the feedback problems associated with previous solid body steel guitars.



In 1948, Leo Fender introduced a guitar that was destined to make music history. He called the guitar the Fender Broadcaster. The guitar was made of ash or alder and had a detachable maple neck. The detachable neck was just one of the innovative features associated with the Broadcaster.



The headstock design placed the tuning machines on one side and at an angle. This design was another clever innovation that accented the Broadcaster. The Broadcaster was later re-named the Telecaster. This stellar guitar is still in production today and is sought out by many guitarists around the world.



In 1954 Leo Fender introduced the Stratocaster. This guitar is widely recognized as a design standard for solid-body electric guitars. This standard remains to the present day. The Stratocaster has been immortalized by guitar greats such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton.



It is also very important to mention Gibson guitars when considering the role of America in modern guitar development. Gibson electric guitars encompass many styles and models. However, none are more important than the Les Paul. The Les Paul was introduced in 1952. The first Les Paul was equipped with two high-impedance single-coil pickups with cream colored cover plates. It included a three-way pick-up selector switch with separate volume and tone controls. The Les Paul "Standard" that was introduced in 1952 could not have been more aptly named. The Les Paul Standard is a yardstick by which many musicians measure other fine guitars.



The Les Paul guitars that were created from 1957 to 1960 are regarded as some of the finest solid body electric guitars ever made. As a result, they are some of the most coveted guitars in the world.



Most serious electric guitar players will tell you they have owned or will own a Fender or a Gibson electric guitar. These fine guitars are a benchmark and a plateau for other guitars to emulate. Chances are, if you are a guitar player, you own a piece of this American heritage.



The modern guitar era is far from over. It will be very exciting to see the future development of acoustic and electric guitars. One thing you can be sure of, America will be there and it is likely that Martin, Gibson and Fender will play a direct role in the creation of the next generation of "Super Guitars".



Al Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

The Acoustic Guitar - Anatomy Of A Fretboard

The acoustic guitar is an amazing instrument. It provides mankind with color and harmony in the hands of a qualified musician. This article will discuss an interesting part of the acoustic guitar known as the fretboard.



The fretboard of a guitar is often called the fingerboard. The fretboard is a thin piece of wood fixed to the front of the guitar neck. Most quality acoustic guitars will have a fretboard that is made of ebony or rosewood.



To understand the physical anatomy of the fretboard, one must begin by looking at the neck. The neck of an acoustic guitar is joined to the body of the guitar in a flush manner. The fretboard is then "over laid" on the neck. The fretboard runs along the neck and extends onto the body of the guitar. On most steel string guitars, the fretboard joins the body near the 12th or the 14th fret. There are usually 4 to 6 frets beyond the location where the neck and the body of the guitar are joined. On classical guitars the neck is shorter. The fretboard of the classical guitar joins the body of the guitar at the 12th fret. The fret located where the neck joins the body of the guitar is commonly called the "body-fret".



The fretboard contains horizontal steel wire at specific intervals. This wire is known as "fret-wire". The "fret-wire" is created in the shape of a "T". The top of the "fret-wire" is rounded which permits the strings and fingers to slide across without harm. The "stem" of the "fret-wire" has a serrated edge which holds it in place within the channeled grooves of the fretboard. The strings of a guitar are depressed at a given fret location on the fretboard. The frets control the length of the string and therefore the pitch of the note.



The fretboard is usually marked with "fret-markers" at specific locations. The usual locations for these markings are at frets 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15 and 17. The "fret-markers" serve as visual aids for the musician. The "fret-markers" can be simple dots or elaborate inlays. The elaborate inlay patterns and markers are made of various materials. A common material is Abalone, otherwise known as "mother-of-pearl". Intricate inlay work at the "fret-markers" on the fretboard will dramatically affect the cost and value of an acoustic guitar.



The fretboard playing surface can be flat or curved. The classical guitar and the "Flamenco" style guitar have a flat fretboard. The steel string guitar usually has a slightly contoured playing surface on the fretboard. The contour of the fretboard on a steel string guitar will be a convex shape.



The width of the fretboard is narrow at the nut (near the headstock) and slightly wider at the body (near the sound hole). There is no standard width for a guitar fretboard. As a result, fretboard widths will vary on different guitars. The fretboard width plays an important part in the selection of a guitar by the musician.



There are two main factors that experienced guitar players will consider when selecting a guitar. The two factors are the feel of the fretboard and the sound of the guitar. It is very difficult to say which of the two factors are considered most important. The answer will depend on who you ask. Some guitarists will sacrifice some of the tonal quality of a guitar to get the perfect feel from the neck and the fretboard. Other guitarists will not compromise the sound of the instrument they purchase even if it means the feel of the fretboard is not ideal. It is clear that the best case scenario is to shop until you get the best of both the sound and the feel of the fretboard.



In closing, I would like to mention two phrases that are often used to define the characteristics of the guitar fretboard. These phrases are "Action" and "Playability". The "Action" is the measured height of the strings above the fretboard. The "Action" can be adjusted to the preferences of the owner. The "Action" should be set to place the strings as close to the fretboard as possible. If the strings "buzz" on any fret when depressed, the "Action" is set too low. The "Action" on an acoustic guitar should be adjusted by a professional. The "Playability" refers to the overall feel and comfort of the neck and fretboard in the hands of the musician.



Top quality acoustic guitars will offer superior playing characteristics and sound. If you are in the market for an acoustic guitar, take the time to research and "test-drive" many models. The time you invest in selecting the right acoustic guitar will be time well spent.



Al Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

Guitar Strings Care

Metal guitar strings are subjected to many conditions that shorten their life. The life of guitar strings can be extended with care and proper maintenance. This article will help you extend the life of your guitar strings.



Guitar strings can lose their tonal quality prematurely due to factors that include:



*Stretching



*Wear



*Corrosion



Stretching: Guitar strings naturally stretch during tuning and while playing the guitar. Over time strings slowly lose their elasticity and their tone quality. Guitar strings that are stretched no longer produce rich tone or harmonic overtones. As a result, the guitar becomes difficult to tune and the sound of the strings become dull and lifeless.



Wear: Guitar strings wear during the process of playing. This process comes from moving the metal strings against the metal frets on the fretboard. Of the two most common types of strings, wound and plain steel, wound strings are more susceptible to fret wear. Wound guitar strings tend to "flat-spot" more rapidly than plain steel strings. If left unchecked, the flat spots can create breaks in the windings of the strings. Flat spots and broken windings will decrease tonal quality and can also cause the strings to "buzz".



Corrosion: Metal guitar strings are subject to tarnish, rust and corrosion. Metal guitar strings are also subject to the body chemistry of the individual guitar player. Individuals with higher acid levels in their pH will get less life from their guitar strings due to an accelerated rate of string corrosion.



There are several things guitar players can do to get extended life from their guitar strings. Taking the time to follow these simple steps will ensure that you get the most from your strings and reduce the cost associated with premature string failure.



*Do not over-stretch your strings during the tuning process.



*Be careful not to crimp the strings at the tuner peg when replacing the guitar strings.



*Periodically, check the condition of the guitar bridge and bridge saddle to avoid breaking a string during the replacement process.



*Monitor the condition of your guitar frets and replace any frets that develop excessive wear or sharp edges.



*Always clean your guitar strings when you finish playing the guitar.



It is impossible to say how long a new set of guitar strings should last. The life of guitar strings depend on many factors and variables. It is possible to extend the life of guitar strings through proper care and maintenance. Be sure to take the time to care for your guitar strings and you will get the longest life from each set.



When the time comes to replace the strings, choose quality replacements and change the strings carefully.



A. Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

Chords and Tablature

As an aspiring guitarist, the road to accomplishment may seem tough to travel as you begin your journey. Knowing where to start can be a large part of the battle when you are new to guitar. Many new students dream of a moment in the spotlight when they will be able to showcase their talent and skill while playing onstage. Some students dream of their first great guitar solo and the accolades it will bring. Soon they realize that dreams of becoming an accomplished guitarist are great but the problem becomes, how does one get there.



It goes without saying that a certain amount of natural skill and talent, which comes from God, is part of the equation. Having conceded this point, it is also very obvious that no matter how talented you are, a certain amount of work and preparation is also a factor. Proper planning, study, practice and execution will make all the difference in success or failure for the aspiring guitar player.



It is important for the new student to study and gain knowledge regarding music theory and how it applies to the guitar. Many resources and publications exist that will provide useful tools for guitarists. Music courses and online resources are a great place to begin.



Two very important tools for the beginner guitarist are guitar tabs and chords charts. Using these tools in tandem can help a new guitar player gain insight into musical structure and theory. More importantly, using both tabs and chords together will help the musician understand the association between music theory concepts and the guitar.



Developing skills which revolve around guitar tabs and chords will familiarize the student with the fretboard and teach additional fretboard concepts. Combining guitar tabs and chord studies will help the musician understand key structures, scale structures and also relative key and scale mode variations. Mastering the use of chords and tabs and understanding their relation to the guitar fretboard will prepare the student for solo work as well as playing with other musicians.



Using guitar tabs to map various scale modes on the fretboard will be very beneficial in regard to understanding your lead and melody work on the guitar. Using guitar chords ( i.e. movable chord types, open chords and chord variations ) will be very beneficial for learning the keys of music and their relative keys. Combining the two will give a guitarist the versatility they need to to be a very important part of any musical group or solo effort.



The process of using guitar tabs and guitar chord studies to further your knowledge as a guitarist will take commitment and dedication. Becoming an accomplished guitarist is not something one can do overnight. Taking the time to learn basic music theory will help you lay a foundation which will guide you as a guitar player for the remainder of your life. When the proper foundation is laid in the beginning, the process of becoming an accomplished guitarist will be naturally accelerated.



Al Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

How to Care for Your Acoustic Guitar

Protecting the investment you have made in your acoustic guitar is very important. Here are a few tips and ideas for making your instrument last more than a lifetime.



Let's consider some potential threats to your acoustic guitar. Some of these threats may be glaringly obvious while others may be a bit more obscure. While it would be impossible to include every scenario or potential threat element in one article, perhaps the items mentioned in this article will prevent a new guitar owner from experiencing the certain regret associated with a damaged instrument.



Here is a list of things to be aware of that could be a potential threat to your acoustic guitar:



1. Stage Damage

2. Climate and Element Effects

3. Improper Storage

4. Children and Pets



Let us address these potential threats in the order they are listed above.



1. Stage Damage



I mention stage damage first because it is the most common factor I have seen regarding damage to acoustic guitars. Countless guitarists have severely or irreparably damaged their acoustic guitar by failing to take extra precautions on stage. When setting up on stage, it is necessary to have a solid and secure guitar stand. Quality acoustic guitar stands are designed to stabilize your instrument. Be sure to buy a sturdy stand that has a low center of gravity. You will be well advised to spend the extra money required to obtain a higher quality guitar stand.



Also, set your guitar on the stage in an area where it is less likely to be upset by anyone passing by the instrument. Be sure to do the best you can to set the instrument away from cords and cables. This may prove to be easier said than done, especially in a tight stage setting, but the bottom line is to do your best.



Finally, whenever possible, place your guitar on stage as one of the last items to be set up. The less time the instrument is on stage, the less risk there is for accidental damage.



2. Climate and Element Effects



One might be surprised to note the statistics related to acoustic guitar damage which are caused by the elements. Some of the scenarios associated with this damage are very obvious while others may not be so easily recognized.



A. Heat and Sun Damage:

Be very careful not to leave your guitar in a closed automobile in the summer months. Extreme heat can severely damage the instrument and may void your manufacturers warranty. Be very careful not to leave the instrument in direct sunlight for extended periods of time. This rule applies even if there is sufficient ventilation in the area.



B. Rain and Water Damage:

Be careful not to leave your acoustic guitar outside during wet weather. Also, be very cautious when you are playing around a pool or fountain. Be mindful of the wind if you are playing outdoors near a fountain or waterfall.



C. Humidity Effects:

If you live in a very dry climate such as Arizona, you are well aware of the effect that extreme dry conditions can have on many objects. Your guitar is not exempt. However, you do not have to live in Arizona or any other extremely dry climate to be mindful of the effects dry air can have on your guitar. This is especially true over long periods of time.



TIP: Here is a great tip that will prolong the life of your guitar. Also, over time it will help the instrument to age with mellow tonal qualities:



Get a zipper style plastic sandwich bag. Create perforations in one side of the bag (15 to 20 holes with a hole punch). Get a small household sponge, one that fits easily into the sandwich bag. Make sure you get a clean, new sponge. Saturate the sponge thoroughly, but NOT dripping. Place the sponge in the sandwich bag. Close the zipper. Place the sandwich bag in your guitar case with the perforated side of the bag facing up. This practice will keep your acoustic guitar from drying out in any climate. Over time it will also help prevent your guitar finish from crazing (cracking). This simple tip will add life to your guitar.



3. Improper Storage



During the life of your guitar you may find it necessary to place the instrument in storage. If you find you need to store the guitar for an extended period of time, consider these simple tips.



A. Store In A Snug Fitting, Plush Lined, Hard Shell Case

B. Remove The Strings

C. Clean And Polish The Instrument (Using Protective Wax Or Wood Preserving Oil)

D. Place The Plastic Baggie Containing Wet Sponge In The Case (TIP: Mentioned Above)

E. Store In A Cool, Dry Place

F. Loosen The Truss Rod (If Applicable)



Taking the time to properly prepare your acoustic guitar for storage will extend the life of the instrument. It will also help to ensure your guitar is unaffected by its time in storage.



4. Children And Pets



This category is obvious. Keep your guitar protected from damage and abuse by keeping it out of the reach of children. This will not only protect your guitar, it will also protect a small child from being injured by the instrument. A falling guitar can be dangerous to a small child. The guitar also has sharp string ends that can puncture the skin. If your child is old enough to have an interest in the instrument, by all means provide the child with an inexpensive entry level guitar of their own.



Finally, many times Fido loves to chew or Felix loves to scratch. Keeping your acoustic guitar out of the reach of your pet is safe and beneficial for everyone involved, especially your guitar.



A. Wielder is a host and instructor at Riff TV. Contact Al Wielder at Riff TV.com, your source for guitar tab, guitar lessons and free video guitar training.

Kelly Clarkson

My workmate only wants one thing in life. Well, one person. He wants Kelly Clarkson, first-year winner of the screamingly popular American Idol. He wrote me an email the other night extolling�as always�Kelly Clarkson�s virtues and begging that I figure out a way to satisfy this one wish.



Granted, the girl has got gifts. Consider such songs as those my pal plays incessantly, songs such as �Since U Been Gone� and �Before Your Love/A Moment Like This� (both of which have some mildly decent metaphors). She sings them with a moderately skilled range, appeals to a great number of listeners (and viewers) in a semi-sexy semi-cutesy fashion, and has a clarity and familiarity of song lyrics that even this old lady can appreciate at some level.



But my young friend is serious about having Kelly Clarkson as a friend. He just wants to hang out with her, drink coffee, go on hikes�and you know, I can see them as hitting it off quite well in this respect. Kelly seems active, engaged, dynamic, willing to go on those mountain treks one day or futz about in the orchid garden another.



But I can�t be clich� and give him Kelly Clarkson CDs; and besides, he belongs to one of those MP3 download clubs. I could do the next obvious thing and give him a Kelly Clarkson poster, or better, a life-sized Kelly Clarkson stand-up cardboard cutout. Or a Kelly Clarkson mug or potholder or keychain.



And I have heard about the stars who are accessible for such odd requests�along the lines of the baseball star who promises to hit a homer for the kid in the hospital�as making a quick video greeting or phone message, but my friend doesn�t have any debilitating illness or disturbing brain damage, really, so Kelly might likely ignore my letters and requests.



And a one-time private concert won�t do, for my spoiled friend says, no, he wants her singing here every day, delighting in her laughs, sharing her soul.



I understand his obsession (which is, don�t worry, quite tongue-in-cheek innocuous); I have obsessions of my own, but my friend�s rejection of the gardening tools, Anne Rice books, and pounds of chocolate as inferior gifts, along with his adamancy about getting Kelly Clarkson here in all their stead is driving me bonkers!



Any ideas?

Music Theory and Harmony

If you compose a piece of really nice (to you anyway) music you need to write it down so that you can remember it and other people will be able to play it too. Maybe you want to orchestrate your piece? Well, you have to know all about music theory and harmony to be able to do that, otherwise a Bb clarinet will be in the wrong key, or an Eb French horn will sound terrible instead of beautiful.



If you are learning an instrument you will have to learn music theory and harmony anyway, but many people treat this vital knowledge as unnecessary and just continue to try to play the notes because they sound nice. However all music students get to a stage quite early on in their progress of learning when they suddenly find that this, to some rather boring subject, is pretty useful and so have to go about trying to learn more about it.



Rather like one�s knowledge of the English language, if you know lots of unusual words for instance, it enables you to read more interesting and complicated books, so with music.



If you can get to grips with music theory you can understand so much more about the music you are learning, and in due course you may well wish to compose a piece or two of your own, write it down, let your friends play it, or even publish it if you are good enough.



The logical steps are comparatively simple after that. You learn the rules of harmony, only to break them, no doubt with your own music, and see how the great composers harmonised their melodies in different ways. You discover how to put more than one tune into a piece and create co-existing melodies which become their own harmony within existing music structures. Bach�s double violin concerto is a splendid example of this with what sounds like two violins wrapping around each other to create a wonderful effect.



So having got to this stage after quite a bit of study away from your beloved instrument, be it piano, guitar, double bass or French horn you may want to take a leap into composing either for your instrument, a group of instruments or even go the whole way and hazard an orchestral piece.



This is where music theory and composition comes in. Once you understand the basics you have to go on to understand the art of composition. Here you will discover your own style. You may have thought that you had it already, but scoring music for an orchestra so it sound like what you want it to sound like really is an art.



Unlike just playing your music on one instrument many other people are involved, so you have to be able to hear in your own head what you want, and then transpose it into writing on the staves so that they can read and play it.



This takes no little talent but fortunately many people over the years have been able to give us the wonderful music that is generically termed �classical�, whether it was composed in 1700 or 2000. It may be a bit tedious at first, but if you stick with it music theory will give you pleasure for the rest of your life in your appreciation of the music of all ages.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears is another high-profile mass media target (though one might suggest anyone entering celebrity village does so knowingly and of her own volition). Beautiful and entertaining pop star Britney Spears gets much coverage for her antics, attitudes, actions, and values, even. But what we wonder is this: which are intentional as contributions to her publicity campaigns and which are unintended leaks to the public?



�Oops, I did it again/I played with your heart�,� smirks the cheeky, sexy Spears. But is it really an innocent faux pas? With the debut and platinum catapult to success of her first album, Baby One More Time, Spears was the school girl with sex appeal�and the singing/dancing star at the top of the pop charts. Innocent, cute, but Lolita-esque at best. So the information begins�or, that is, the rumors take up housing in her high-profile life: she�s only seventeen (read: still a minor), and she has had breast implants. The publicity has begun!



Next, with only three years (and many best-sellers and awards) to her credit, Britney drops the maulable baby doll persona, drops a few more yards of material, and picks up a giant albino snake to writhe about with for her performance at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, and picks up slack from PETA.



Next, a Razzie Award for worst actress ever later, Britney�s painful separation from Justin Timberlake exposes the possibility of infidelity on her part. Britney opens a restaurant; it closes a year later. Britney goes into hiding for a bit�fueling fires of chat about her loss of pop princess status�. Britney tongues Madonna, and sparks of media coverage resuscitate�.



Britney then marries a boy from her childhood years, the marriage getting annulled three days later. Two months beyond this, she gets engaged to Kevin Federline, divorced father of two at 26 years old. Within six months, Spears is married; three smash (and a few not so) hits, a moderately successful fragrance, and a crashing five-episode reality show failure later, Britney gives birth to baby Sean Preston Federline.



And though Britney has purportedly an �Original Doll� album in the making, clearly suggesting her awareness that her Lolita image is what works (or worked best), it is that image that has incurred the disdain of many: Governor Robert Ehrlich�s wife, First Lady Kendel, would �like to shoot Britney Spears;� is questioned as a fit role model; and is, of course, likened to Madonna�though she is far less the savvy and knowledgeable one, and cannot claim anywhere near the struggles and creative challenges Madonna has earned the right to.



So, consider the latest kinds of coverage on Britney Spears: first, while a star-search online usually yields a Wikipedia entry on page one of Google, for example, when you search for Britney Spears, the wiki entry shows up half way down page two. Hmmm. Next, in the latest edition of Us Weekly (which is generous with Jessica Simpson shots or plastered with Angelina Jolie articles and features), the items that appear on Brit involve 1) a photo of her in a food-stained dress, which she wore, Us said, on March 14; 2) a photo of her coming out of a gas station bathroom sans shoes, August 04 [also shown in earlier grocery store rags, btw].



But where are the shots of the baby? In that same issue, motherhood (and father hood) is a predominant theme�a three-paged bit is done on Angelina Jolie, featuring a full-paged and an additional inset photo of Jolie with newly adopted Zahara; centerfold �Mommy & Me� photographs appear with Liv Tyler, Kate Moss, and Denise Richards hanging out with their kids; and in �The Stars are Just Like Us!� we even see monumental stars like the great Dustin Hoffman taking his son to a NY Nicks game.



So is lack of baby evidence to protect the baby as well? Is it to protect and endure Britney�s teeny-bopper image? Is it to protect the hearts of the wishful thinking fans who fantasize being with Britney without baby or happily married mate in tow? It may be we will never know, as the line between popularity (candid, serendipitous coverage) and publicity (intentional stagings) is paper thin.

Music Appreciation Class

Many people are very good at making vast �generalisations� about music of particular types and thumb their nose to thoughts of music appreciation classes or music appreciation courses. The critics and even the computer people nowadays try to call them �genres� and categorize music as if it was something from a supermarket shelf. �Do you want baked beans or classical music, corn flakes or modern jazz? We have 10 different brands of each�.



Whilst these generalisations are all very well and good for some people, there are others who have somewhat more discerning tastes and are looking for more. These are very often the people who appreciate music. It really does not matter what type of music you �like�, whether it�s rock, Baroque, rave or Ravel you do appreciate �your type of music�.



�Musically blinkered� has been the thought of many people appreciative of different kinds, types and even specific �genres� of music. Why stick to one when there are so many out there?



Music appreciation classes are very often the answer. They will teach you to listen to music with much more of an open mind. For instance, many people who �don�t like classical music� can sit through a whole class and keep on saying �Oh yes I really like that one but I didn�t know it was classical music�. A good music appreciation class will be able to give anyone between the ages of 5 and 95+ a taste of what they did not know was classical music. They can do the same for jazz and many others.



It is no secret that it is not a question of �not liking� the music but failing to �understand� it. The simple equation backwards would be �I do not understand this music therefore I do not like it�.



Some people have been lucky enough to go to schools or colleges who had compulsory classes in this very important subject which will lead to pleasure for the rest of their lives, and some have been even luckier and have undertaken music appreciation courses.



The whole point of these classes is to enable you to open up your senses of hearing and to keep an open mind about the music you�re listening to. If you are asked to close you�re eyes or all the lights are turned off you may gain an entirely different perspective of a piece of music you thought you �did not like�.



You will be exposed to all sorts of music during your music appreciation course and each piece will be explained to you either before or afterwards. Possibly you will be told to listen out for the oboe solo in the middle of the piece, and of course you will remember what an oboe sounds like. The bass viola stands out because of it�s dissimilarity from the double bass.



You learn that Paganini wrote pieces for the violin which cannot be equalled to this day; that J.S. Bach had 21 children (therefore his own family orchestra in his later years); that a clarinet only came into being in Mozart's time and when taken abroad into hot climates split, (the answer being to make them out of metal and, when they wanted a deeper tone, to bend it like a trumpet and make 3 types of saxophone out of it, all of which have similar fingering, the 4th, the soprano, remaining straight).



So you've been on your music appreciation course and what do you do now? Maybe you will listen to a piece of music you have not heard before, and before judging it you will listen with new ears. You may recognise the French horn, the violas, the contralto or the harpsichord. You will understand a lot more about the music now and perhaps understand a lot more about what the composer is trying to say. You have learned a new language without realizing it. All thanks to your music appreciation class!

Jazz History 1920�s

Whilst the origins of the type of music we know as jazz go back many centuries, their true roots in terms of popular appreciation and international exposure really start at the beginning of the 20th Century in a Southern city in the United States called New Orleans.



As the name implies this city started life with a French influence but soon became a melting pot of many races and colours, all of whom brought with them their own brand of popular music. Soon these started to intermingle and some unusual sounds were produced.



Despite the 19th Century Civil War and it�s problems, and later the virtual disenfranchisement of Creoles who previously had been musically more classically trained, this melting pot of races started playing a new form of music, enjoyable to all races and it was called jazz.



Creoles learned from blacks how to improvise, often on ex-civil war martial instruments such as trumpets as well as Spanish guitars, the American banjo, clarinets, double basses, no doubt originally from orchestras, and indeed any other instrument they could lay their hands on. The drums often had an African or Latin American beat, and the music could be either up-tempo or sad blues.



The jazz history of 1920�s America was like a wheel whose spokes originated in New Orleans and spread rapidly all over the country and abroad. To begin with New Orleans bands started to travel, then with the recording age upon them, recordings of this innovative and "fun" music soon found their way over the Atlantic to Europe and elsewhere.



In terms of jazz history New Orleans brought in the "Jazz Age", but has always retained its special affection for many as the start of a new era in music. Initially improvisation was the key to being able to play it, and many musicians had to �throw away� their classical training to be able to play and understand this freeform type of music. Soon though this music took on its own form, and small and larger groups of musicians became popular, leading later to the Big Band sound.



Jazz history 1920�s style was mostly all about what New Orleans had to offer and export, namely the music, the players who could play it and teach it to others, the fun aspect of new (or old to be more exact) rhythms and the narrowing of the gap between different cultures which only music can sometimes achieve.



Jazz was "good stuff". Mummy and Daddy may not like it so of course it became even more popular with young people, but of course for many people and races this was the music of their childhood, simply made more interesting by the skills of the modern 1920�s jazz players.



In early 1920�s New Orleans bands started to make recordings as well as play at the numerous caf�s, dance halls, restaurants and functions, and from these the style which many today know as "classical jazz" was born. Many bands took these ideas and added their own to move to New York or Chicago, and many visitors took back to Europe the ideas and adjusted them to their own audiences in home countries.



When new ideas came out of 1920�s New Orleans they were soon copied elsewhere, and most jazz musicians, even today, will acknowledge that 1920�s New Orleans was the decade when jazz and its worldwide popularity really took off, both musically and of course financially.

Jazz History Timeline

Many people argue that the beginning of Big-Time jazz in Chicago started in 1922 when the popular trumpeter Louis Armstrong moved from New Orleans bringing with him the new sound we now all know. Of course not everyone knows that as well as Armstrong another forty or so well known jazzmen also moved to Chicago during the 1920�s from New Orleans, making Chicago, for some time, the new city of the jazz era.



The music of these jazzmen and bands became different from the more "traditional jazz", or "Dixieland jazz" of New Orleans as they developed new techniques, rhythms and forms from the jazz they already played. Soloists began to come into their own and many a band had a number or two featuring all the instruments separately performing their own solo within the same piece of music.



Music that was either was written down or remembered as a �number� now included improvisation from the musicians as well (rather like the original jazz of early 20th Century New Orleans), and this musicianship and expertise thrilled the audiences.



Naturally, in the course of jazz history Chicago received its own reputation during the years of �Prohibition�. The anti-alcohol laws were flouted and the �speakeasy� became the place to go. Where there was a �speakeasy� often there was a jazz band playing there. Police corruption and gang �protection� helped many of these thrive and perhaps gave jazz a somewhat sleazy name in the States during this era, whilst at the same time popularising it as something a bit risqu�.



However all these events only served to improve the music as the music spoke easily to all as well and this helped to diversify the audience. Whites and blacks could sit down together in Chicago and the Northern States which they were often unable to do in the Southern ones where a policy of apartheid was still far from unusual.



The gradual move north at the beginning of the century of many black families due to the ancient prejudices of the south ensured that there was an appreciative audience in the more northern cities, particularly Chicago. The jazz history timeline moved northwards from New Orleans, as did the developments in the music itself. It became a form of free speech for black and white people alike, although it must be admitted that there were still, at this time, many less whites able to play this type of music as competently as black musicians, and many people thought of it as "black music".



This rapidly changed, particularly in Chicago, as many white musicians wanted not only to enjoy but also to cash in on this popular music medium. Sheet music was available in the days when many people had a piano at home and other instruments were learned as a matter of course in the more �middle-class� families, and indeed on the streets.



The music of Chicago has lasted the test of time and has gone on to be innovative to this day. Whilst it could be argued that the centre of jazz moved to New York, as did many bands and musicians from both New Orleans and Chicago, these innovative centres continued in their own right as places of excellence. As transport between the two was comparatively easy both in the 1920�s and subsequently, the players from New York drew on their Chicago musical compatriots and vice-versa to give mutual inspiration. Bands based on one would often tour the other and indeed the cities in between, bringing jazz in its new style to people all over the country.



The same spirit of the age also travelled abroad from Chicago to Europe, particularly in the new medium of the recording. The world was now hearing what was played in Chicago and tried to copy it.



This early era of innovation in jazz music can very easily call Chicago its original home. From there it blossomed and continues to do so today, both worldwide and in its "home" city.

Crescendo Now, Pay Later

In the hierarchy of musical priorities, dynamics have often appeared to me to be relegated to fairly low niche and left there to languish, their immense potential for beauty and expressiveness being overlooked and ignored. Even in recordings of professional orchestras it is not at all unusual to here a crescendo or diminuendo begin and end without any unified idea of where it is heading. Concerts or recordings where the music making is otherwise of a very high calibe all to often approach the dynamics with far less care and intelligence than other musical matters.



Every musician knows what dynamics are and will tell you that when they see an mf on the music, by golly they play mezzo forte! And when they see a crescendo to a fff, watch out, buddy!



Crescendos (or crescendi, for our purist friends) seem to bring out a primal Darwinian, survival of the fittest impulse in many of us. If you can do it, e.g. low brass, most percussion, etc., then do it. If you can�t, e.g. low register flutes, middle register clarinets, etc., then get out of the way. It is quite understandable. After all, you flutes and clarinets get all the great melodies and technical calisthenics while we timpanists and trombonists are stuck back here counting rests. So, when we are finally allowed to speak, our voices will be heard! Then to our delight and to the delight of our audiences, excitement happens! Everybody wins, right? Absolutely. The only casualty is the music.



I don�t wish to claim any tremendous pre-eminence in this area, but I have listened to what others have to say on the topic and have explored a number of approaches on my own. I also don�t wish to suggest that any of my findings are original with me. Au contraire, anyone with keen musical sensitivities would be very apt to make similar explorations and discoveries on their own. So with your kind indulgence, perhaps we can investigate a few of these principals together. If you find something here that might squeeze your own creative juices, then my fondest hopes will have been realized. If not, then I recommend you demand a full refund from the author.



Why don�t we continue flogging the subject of the crescendo for just a moment or two? Most of them seem to have a destination or a specific point in the music when the energy and momentum gathered by it is released in a heightened moment of drama or intensity. Obviously, for the full dramatic potential of the passage to be realized there has to be general agreement exactly where and when that moment will arrive. If a few people in the ensemble peak on the crescendo prematurely the effect is spoiled, and the audience slinks out of the hall feeling violated and unclean.



A question that is too rarely asked is, �What should the shape of the crescendo be?� The written symbol has two converging straight lines, yet in most instances, to shape the crescendo like a trumpet bell would be musically and dramatically much more effective, i.e. very little crescendo at first, then gradually increasing the volume, saving the final 50% of the crescendo for the last 10% of the passage. You may wish to experiment with this idea in a few select passages to see if you agree with the results. My guess is that you will be heralded as a genius and promoted at least as high the custodial staff.



Another oft-neglected question is, �Who should crescendo when?� May I offer a suggestion here, also?



A typical passage containing a crescendo might consist of the melodic material in the upper voices, the harmonic or accompanimental figures in the middle voices, a bass line, and some rhythmic figures in the percussion. If you were to encourage the melodic instruments to begin the crescendo first and the accompaniment to construct their crescendo entirely in support of the melody, but never upstaging it, you will find that the melody will maintain its primacy. Now, if through coercion or perhaps even bribery, you can appeal to the percussionists� better angels and make them aware of the ever-present danger of premature gesticulation, you may have crated the ideal crescendo. If the percussionists save a solid 80% of their crescendo until the last couple of beats before its apex, they will provide the perfect dot for the perfect �i� and prove once again, even to the most skeptical, that, except in certain one-on-one disciplinary actions, intelligence and sensitivity trump brute force every time.



It is my fervent hope to continue to lobby for the liberation of the crescendo. If there is any true justice I have recruited you to become a like-minded zealot to this most noble of causes.



Any comments about your own glorious victories you might wish to contribute would, no doubt, serve as an enduring inspiration to us all.



Carl Hammond Phd. composes all sorts of music, plays piano, and as you've seen writes a mean, entertaining article. He's the CEO of:



www.musicalcompositions.net



where you can download purchased sheet music for concert bands, choirs,chamber ensembles,jazz groups.

See it,hear it,download it, rehearse it. FREE Newsletter and FREE Special Report written by Carl Hammond a 35 year international music veteran.



Well written interesting music for your groups to play right now via download

Practice is Soooo Boring!

Are your students loathe to practice as much as they should? OK, you can stop laughing and pick yourself up off the floor now. I know it wasn�t the brightest question.



But I asked it to make a point, of course. Haven�t you been guilty of that misbehavior? I personally am a lifetime repeat offender. As adults we all know intellectually that if you don�t practice something, you don�t get better. We tell our students and ourselves this until the bile rises in our throat threatening an embarrassing episode. So why do we keep putting it off?



In the darkest recesses of your psyche a nagging whisper gives you the answer. It�s not fun. And in this day and age nobody wants to do anything that�s not FUN!



Now while I am not an advocate of the �everything should be entertaining� school of thought, it is also true that practicing vies for your student�s miniscule attention span. Practicing is going head to head against the latest video game.



To compete with that there needs to be some pretty excellent mind candy. The very best flavor on the market seems to be success. Generally if you are good at something you like doing it over and over.



In order for you or your student to feel like he�s being successful he has to pass a number of observable milestones. According to studies this is one of the attractions to the ubiquitous computer games. Let�s face it, it doesn�t take long to see some progress on the computer. Most of us know that allure of almost getting to the next level of the game.



To capitalize on that same feeling our students need to have small enough goals to feel great pretty often. Not only that but they need to be able to look back and really experience how far they have come in the short practice times of a few weeks.



And you know what? There are ways to plug into this type of feel good. And a great bonus is that the student will do most of the work to set it up and get himself there.



Here is the trick. No, I am not going to quote any of the success gurus you regularly see on TV. Well OK, I really am, but you know they do have some good things to say and this is one they all seem to agree on.



Goal setting. And I mean setting it down on paper every week in the same little log book. Make up several menus to give your students a few ideas. Initially they will choose the things they want to accomplish. As they become more proficient many goals will become self evident, and they can come up with them alone. Your input will be necessary as they don�t know what they don�t know, but be aware of the fact that a major part of the process is that the student must participate in setting the goals, otherwise it is just more homework.



The goals need to be in several categories. Daily, weekly, monthly, for the term, for the year, for several years. Once a system is put in place and there is some small amount of class time devoted to it every week then the thrill of achievement will be built in. The pleasure loving student will begin to find practice can be fun because they can check off items and see success written into the book a mere few weeks after starting. The amount that can be accomplished with this miniscule discipline is amazing. The book fills up and your young musicians are impressed with their industrial strength production levels.



The trick is to put the system in place and then work with it for several months. A session at the end of the month where students get to share what they have accomplished does wonders for everyone�s feel good quotient and spurs more goals and more success.



Try it. You and your students will all be much better off for the experience.



Suzie Hammond is a teacher turned writer and factotum for: www.musicalcompositions.net



There you may purchase and download sheet music for concert bands, choirs,chamber ensembles,jazz groups. See it,hear it,download it, rehearse it. FREE Newsletter and FREE Special Report written by Carl Hammond Phd. a 35 year international music veteran.



Well written interesting music for your groups to play right now via download. Score pages, MP3s to help you decide suitability.

Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms

In English �Cockney� rhyming slang �Brahms and Liszt� means something like �Not quite sober�, however, interestingly, it was these two erstwhile composers rather than their mentor, Beethoven, who was celebrated by this expression, still used today, due to its alcoholic connotations and rhyming obviousness.



At the beginning if the 19th Century, classical music, like today, was enjoyed by many different types of people, and names like Brahms, Schubert and Liszt (even less sober it would seem from �Cockney� rhyming slang) were as common names on the street as they were in the boudoirs. Music was popular everywhere.



In the more purely musical environs of both then, and indeed today, much is talked of Beethoven and Mozart. Most musicians, and many �experts� will tell you, upon cogitation, that Beethoven was possibly only able to write after he became deaf because of the inspiration given to him by Mozart and probably Bach as well.



A musician, and many other people who know, may say that Mozart was technically the better musician in term of counterpoint, harmony, melody and the music theory of the latter 18th Century. They would, though go on to say that Beethoven took the �baton� over from Mozart and relayed it on to the type of greater things that Mozart may have been able to achieve had he not died at the age of 37, and would most certainly have approved of.



Certainly, in the first period of his life, Mozart was a serious inspiration to Beethoven. He really wanted to take lessons from him but, as Mozart had died at a young age, Haydn readily became his joint-inspiration when he became his teacher.



Brahms was a keen follower of Beethoven�s music and Liszt was a pupil for a while in the early 1800�s. Beethoven and Brahms, who died in 1897 are now buried next to each other in Vienna�s cemetery. Schubert, who died within a couple of years of Beethoven, and laid next door to him in his previous cemetery, was also moved to the same place in 1888. Strauss makes it four next to each other. Perhaps the originator of the school of music now called "romantic" and his keen followers can rest in more peace than they were able to do during their lives.



Inspiration. That is what Beethoven and Brahms had in common and in mind when they composed their music. Times were changing. Beethoven, originally a supporter of Napoleon, turned against him, particularly when Vienna was being bombarded and he was sure he would lose the rest of his hearing. The History of the European 19th Century lead to a rearrangement of attitudes, and in music.



Rather like Beethoven �taking over the baton� from Mozart it became Brahms� turn to do the same for Beethoven, and adapt his music to this century of artistic change in all fields. Literature and novels were different; art was different; life was different; and, of course, the music was different.



The composers of the mid-18th Century took great store of the new gifts they had been given by their predecessors and in their musical legacy.



Beethoven started the �romantic� style of composers at the time, and much of the European music of that era echo�s Beethoven�s attempts to create a new and deeper understanding of what was possible instrumentally.

Beethoven Music and Biography

Beethoven has been said to have been schizophrenic, and it�s a very good thing he was. He had a pretty rough life on the one hand but he has given us his beautiful music on the other.



The reason for this is that Beethoven had a real passion for music. Even after he became deaf he continued to write deep, serious music. He was expressing his soul, his musical energy and unbelievable technique, totally new to the age perhaps, to allow other people to understand how he was feeling himself. Whether it was a cry for help; a monumental triumph; a quiet evening; or a day in the country; he could show you all of these in his music.



Not only can he put you, even today, into different moods by listening to his music, but he wrote music you remember when you�re by yourself.



Beethoven�s music, put against Beethoven�s biography, changes very little in terms of the way one sees the composer himself, unlike some other musicians.



Ludwig van Beethoven was the son of a strict music teacher of Flemish family, whose grandfather became Kappelmeister, and who was both a singer and an alcoholic. He was recognised at a very early age as being talented. Despite this and his journey to Vienna as a young man he was forced back home to look after his 2 brothers after his mother�s death. He only got away in 1792 after the eventual death of his father.



Going to Vienna he was fortunate enough to be taught by Haydn, Mozart his �favourite� inspiration having recently died and was noticed by the Elector who sponsored his music lessons.



From the time he was about 20 years old, perhaps earlier, Beethoven had medical problems. He also had great depressions even before he started to become deaf.



During his 20�s Beethoven became increasingly aware of his deafness, and must have had a brilliant mind to have been able to continue with his composing whilst he was loosing his hearing. He became possibly the best music theoretician of all time, initially taking after Mozart, and then going on to even greater transformations.



During the next 22 years he composed music only he could hear in his head but which we can all hear in its perfection today with full orchestra or in other forms.



He was a pretty obnoxious chap to the people around him, bathing well but putting on old smelly clothes, however he had numerous very good friends despite this. He left very little money, as such, when he died, as he was always a person who lived �equal-to, but not always within his means�. He had an extravagant life and borrowings seemed to be always against money owed to him. It is said that he was most prolific when he had exhausted his financial credit.



The Beethoven biography gets worse. He never married, but is either thought or presumed to have had a variety of short and long time girl-friends, most of who came from seriously up-market backgrounds so were already married. He did eventually marry though.



Apart from a few years when Beethoven did not write very much due to deep depression (1812-16) he tried not to be a victim of his diseases, but rather an educator in the new music that could try to explain the torment and pleasures of his life.



Beethoven�s illnesses may or may not have been the cause of his genius; or his deafness; the cause of his incredible knowledge of harmonies; his �gut� problem; the reason why he was very rude occasionally, or indeed, as has been suggested, have schizophrenic tendencies; why one minute he could write a symphony and the next he was exhausted.



It was a question, many people believe, in asking the human brain to do too much with its passions. The Beethoven biography reads really sadly. However from a generally unhappy composer we gain great riches.



Beethoven has left all of us with this legacy. Listen to him. You�re mood may well be there in his music too.

Beethoven Symphonies

If you are learning to play the piano, the violin or indeed most instruments developed before 1827 you will no doubt have come across Beethoven. He�s a feature of many music examinations from the comparatively lowly Grade III to the lofty degree.



Beethoven�s sheets of music apparently covered his attic when he died, and therein must have been a treasure trove of unheard snippets of music, whole sonatas, later re-written and bits of symphonies. A wonder for the music historian to ponder over and put in place.



Much of Beethoven�s sheet music was just bits of scribbling, you may think on first sight. �It doesn�t even have the notes in� you may say. Ah! But we are actually talking about a genius here who was able to compose wonderful and powerful music despite his deafness, he therefore had to be a perfectionist in both his melodies and his harmonies. His new use of larger orchestras for the bigger and better form of symphony needed a bit of work. His attic seemed to be his waste basket for genius he may use later.



If you actually have a look at some of Beethoven�s scribblings, particularly for his symphonies, you may not see any actual notes on the staves because the scribble was working out rhythms rather than the notes to put to them (Beethoven�s 5th da-da-da-daaaaa, for instance). The odd one may be trying to find a good melody for the French horn or clarinet to counterpoint together in the background of a symphony, or just provide some good ideas for the full orchestration of parts of the Second movement.



Beethoven�s teacher and mentor Hayden wrote over 100 symphonies and Mozart 41. The styles of both these composers featured in Beethoven�s earliest symphonies, but, whilst not getting entirely lost, took second place in his later ones. Beethoven expanded the idea of a symphony, four movements, a medium sized orchestra and not very long, to include larger orchestras, grander themes and longer performances.



His transition away from the more �classical� towards and eventually into the more �romantic� age, for which he had a lot of admirers from fellow composers, made Beethoven famous in his time and, indeed to this day.



Some people at the time criticised his symphonies as heavy, but the 6th (Pastoral) perhaps puts paid to this. His 5th of course became Britain�s signature�tune in the Second World War, (da-da-da-daaaaa, spelling in Morse code V for Victory), whilst �Ode to Joy� in the last movement of his 9th and last symphony was more usually heard the other side if the Rhine at the time.



Political connotations apart, the great thing about Beethoven�s symphonies is that they are still listened to by people all around the world. Many people don�t know its Beethoven they�re listening to, but they �know the tune�. What a wonderful way to be remembered. That�s a really good tune. Says it all really.



The more you listen to Beethoven�s symphonies the more �tunes� you will hear in them. He was not a Master of counterpoint for nothing. Just listen to what is going on underneath the melody and you will immediately recognise that here is a �Great� composer at work. It�s not just what you hear but the harmonics and orchestrational cleverness which may not be apparent in first hearing.



Oh, and some of his endings go on for ever, and ever, and ever����..Enjoy them.

Ludwig van Beethoven (von Beethoven)

If you turn on the TV in any country in the world, and listen for a while, you will hear a bit of Beethoven played. OK it may be a parody of it in a soap opera but the tunes written 200 years ago are still good today.



If you get Classic music from the UK on fm and the net you will know that every Easter a poll is taken of the 2 million or so listeners who decide which are the �top� 300 classical pieces of music that people want to listen to. Ludwig van Beethoven came second this year, with Mozart first. He would have been pleased if he was still alive, of course, because Mozart was his original inspiration.



Mozart, despite the fact that he died at a much younger age, was a prodigious composer. Rather like Bach he could knock out a sonata before dinner-time or a whole quartet in a few days (when pressed). Beethoven, on the other hand really grafted hard to put together something new in the musical community. He would often, particularly in more complex music, have many draft ideas written down before finalising orchestration, which could take months.



Beethoven, once he was able to get away from his family, went about things in a different way from his mentors. (Haydn, his teacher, helped him to be one of the foremost pianists of his time, the forte-piano being a newly invented instrument whose refinements lead to the pianoforte we know today).



Ludwig van Beethoven became a known name in music at the time. He was one of the first �independent� composers, making his money from concerts, music and conducting, rather than from the patronage that many previous successful composers enjoyed (or worked very hard to keep). However his music inspired several people over his life to sponsor him both before and after his deafness created new problems. Money was difficult at times purely because he would spend whatever he had and either hope for more or have to work very hard for it. During his several depressive periods a shortage of money could not have helped.



After a spell of, perhaps understandable, depression at his deafness he studied hard to be able to keep composing. He was familiar with Bach�s keyboard works, and having studied composition and counterpoint with Handel, he went ahead to change music, in its classical form, into new music for the 19th Century.



His music is generally thought by music critics nowadays to be the transition between the �classical� and �romantic� genres, but of course these apparently sacrosanct terms belie the truth. Beethoven gave to other composers the ability to develop music for the new century whilst giving his audience something to really enjoy. Some of his later works could not really be called �romantic� perhaps? Different though.



Early works, if not known by the listener, could be confused with Hayden and Mozart, but his �middle� period showed a vast development of the symphony as well as his technique on the piano (an instrument still in its comparative infancy), whilst at the same time taking music for small ensembles such as quartets and sonatas to new heights.



By 1811 he had stopped performing, his deafness being too severe, but his genius and musically technical brilliance did not in any way prevent his composing ability. He was able to �hear� the music in his head and his mind. He even went on in his �late� period to compose new styles of music which were greeted with great accolade by contemporary composers, although initially less so by some of his audiences, perhaps because they did not appreciate the subtleties of these new forms. This would come later.



This great composer, and indeed Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the truly �Great� composers of all time, died at the age of 57 after a lifetime of illness and during a thunderstorm. If you listen to his music you may consider this an appropriate finale to a somewhat tempestuous life.



20,000 people turned up for his funeral in Vienna, his home of choice.