What Type of Input Is Best for Making Beats, Keyboard or Drum Pads?

With the proliferation of so many amazing technologies with which to create drum samples, the aspiring and sometimes even the professional musician may be at a loss to decide which is the best method for their music to use. If, like many musicians you are operating on a tight budget and already happen to own a keyboard, then the question of spending more for new gear may be prohibitive. While there are exciting new less expensive models of devices that create awesome drum samples, if your existing keyboard already does the job and you are happy enough for now with its results, then perhaps you can hold off for a while and be able to eat instead.

A lot may also depend of the type of musician that you are. Someone who is a total keyboard player with a limited background in percussion may be more comfortable with the familiar feel of the keys. A musician that may be more percussively oriented, like a person that started out playing the drums and has moved on to playing keyboards, might therefore be more at home creating their drum samples using real drum sticks and pads that deliver a nice feeling of impact with at least some modest rebounding capability.

It may be hard to duplicate the primal feel of pounding on a surface with a stick as opposed to pressing on plastic with your fingers. Though if you are more of a keyboard oriented musician then that still may be best for your strengths. A well financed musician can avoid this quandary by investing in both a keyboard that will perform the task as well as the drum pad sequencers.

Why not have dueling devices and let them play off of each other? Try several takes on your drum track using each method and then compare or even combine the results. Splice and dice with a few measures dedicated to each device. Most of all, remember to be creative. Don't procure all this great new technology and play the same tired old riffs. Resolve to move out of the humdrum and into the world of the elite beat makers. Find your groove by tapping your inner creativity, not retreading others' work. Of course, retreading, or interpreting someone's music is a creative act in itself. The Beatles jammed on a Buddy Holly tune for hours and wound up with 'Love Me Do'. Going beyond this mixed message to quote that ultimate of writers Erich Von Daniken, from his book 'Proof', 'Duo quum idem faciunt non est idem-When two people do the same thing, it is not the same.'

For more information on the topics mentioned in the article such as using drum samples, please visit Dance Midi Samples where they have tutorials.

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Are Vinyl Records Making a Comeback and Why?

Did you ever think vinyl records would make a comeback? If you're part of the generation who grew up on records, you may have had some doubts. After all, you've seen 8-track tapes take a backseat to cassettes only for them to be replaced with CDs, iPods and MP3 players. All of these changes were made in the name of technology to improve the way we listen to music.

With all of the music advancements made through the years, you have to wonder if vinyl records have a place in this world of technology. This brings us to the question, are vinyl records making a comeback and why? The answer is "yes" vinyl records are showing up everywhere, even places you would least expect to see them like college dorm rooms. So, why the sudden interest in vinyl when it was once thought to be long gone from the music media?

First, it's important to realize that vinyl records never really left the market. Instead, the places where you can buy them have changed. Retailers don't push them in stores like they once did because they tend to stick with the most modern merchandise that hits the market. They appeal to the consumer who wants to have the latest invention. You usually need to go to specialty record stores to find your vinyls.

However, you can still buy albums and some singles online at music stores and on sites like eBay and Amazon. You also have the option of checking out yard sales, estate sales and thrift stores where you can often find vinyl records for sale cheap. There has been a steady demand for records all along but now, they're becoming even more popular and this is why you're starting to hear more about them than what you may have heard over the past few years.

So, why are vinyl records making a big comeback? The answer to this question has a lot to do with the wonderful sound they produce. They have a warmer sound than digitally produced music. It just naturally sounds better and music lovers want the very best. Therefore, they're trying records to see what they've been missing and when they hear the difference analog recordings make, they're ready to invest in more.

The album covers is an added bonus that consumers of all ages can enjoy. The detail that went into some of these covers is simply stunning and they make excellent collector pieces. Many of the younger music lovers enjoy the social experience they have to offer because a group of people can gather around and enjoy an album all at once. Vinyl records are making a comeback and growing in popularity each year.

About the Author:

180 Gram Records is a premier producer and distributor of collectible vinyl records from best selling music artists and other limited-run collectible merchandise. They offer select and expertly crafted items to satisfy the demands of collectors, music enthusiasts, and fans alike.

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The DJ Business - Starting And Making Money With DJing

Do you need to know how to start a DJ business? If you play out then you are ALREADY in the DJ business. Many people earn money from DJing and for some, DJing is your sole source of income.

Generally, the DJs who make a bit more money and enough to live off are mobile DJs or wedding DJs. Some club DJs can also make enough for them to live.

The super star DJs like Tiesto, Van Buuren and Guetta and the rest of the top DJs can make a living from DJing too, and much more than the rest of us. That's pretty obvious.

Everyone has a chance of getting there, but what if you don't? The guys that do school discos, functions and weddings generally just rely on DJing and maybe another one or two other activities to live off.

Not the coolest guys in town admittedly, and no, they wouldn't be invited to play at my party. But they often know how to run a successful DJ business, so you have plenty to learn from these guys.

I don't know if you'll want a "real job" and to DJ on weekends. Or if you want to set up a DJ business as a mobile DJ, doing weddings, hotel functions and events, that's fairly lucrative. You can have other activities on the side to improve your income.

You may need to concentrate on not just depending on DJing for a living. After all, you want to earn more cash from the DJ business.

What's the best advice for making money from DJing?

If I was to condense all my advice down to you about this, I'd try to get into this mindset: Try to earn good money by doing what you enjoy. You need a decent level of cash to live normally and secure the future. Doing what you enjoy separates you from the crowd and makes you happy. Most people don't really like what they do.

Build yourself a DJ website

The obvious tip here that you may be overlooking is to build your own DJ website. This is especially useful if you're a mobile DJ and DJing at events and weddings is your main source of income. You want to attract bigger and better paying clients.

How do you do this? By appearing high up in the search engine rankings. Many DJs fall into the trap of failing to make their websites appear in online search engines. Starting a DJ business is not easy, but possible using clever networking techniques, internet bookings and video marketing.

This article and many more other DJ tips, reviews, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

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Music Licensing and Making Movies

Making movies and securing music for a soundtrack go hand in hand. Indie filmmakers and indie music producers are starting to connect more. This is a really cool thing happening right now. Indie filmmakers want quality music for their project and indie music labels want to get their artists more exposure. Cross-promotion is what really makes working at the independent entertainment level thrive.

The reality is an indie produced movie is not going to be able to swing the cost of music licensing to use a song from the Rolling Stones or Jay-Z on their movie soundtrack. Every indie filmmaker out there I would bet has thought how bad ass it would be to use a certain song in their movie. I personally would love to use the Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil in the horror movie Psoro as a producer.

That's just not going to happen on an indie movie budget. This is why indie filmmakers and indie record labels are starting to pull together. Being greedy at the indie level makes no sense to me. It is night and day between working on studio backed movies and indie driven movies fueled by sweat equity. That's why I like to go to the street so to speak to find music for movie soundtracks.

Reaching out to music artists and music producers that have indie labels is a good way to get killer tracks that add production value to your completed movie. It works the other way when music artists reach out to indie filmmakers with their creative goods. The truth is that we all need exposure in the entertainment business. Without it your career ends up in a ditch bloated with flies hovering around it and some kid poking the corpse with the shitty end of a stick.

For filmmaking purists that might be reading this I'm not touching on scoring a film. That's another wild animal to me entirely. This is focused on already completed tracks that can be used in opening and ending credits, plus in certain scenes like Quentin Tarantino does in his movies. The music sometimes has as much impact as the visuals. Music licensing doesn't have to be complicated or empty your pocket.

When you're an indie movie producer you need to make things happen. It feels damn good to get a movie shot and start post-production. It feels better to have music licensing agreements in place before you cut one scene. Movie editors can vibe off certain tracks you're going to use. This makes your finished film the best it can be with the resources you used to make it.

If you come across an indie record label or artist hit them up with an email about using one of their songs in your movie. It could cost you some money or not. One thing for sure is won't come close to anything the Rolling Stones or Jay-Z record labels would charge for music licensing. There is always a flip side to the entertainment business. It could be you're approached by a record label or artist that wants to submit their music to be used on the movie soundtrack.

That works. To keep things even and straightforward do what you say you're going to do as a producer. Send them the music license agreement terms upfront. Let them know that their track might not be used at all. Shit happens during editing of a movie that can change where their music was going to play. When their music is used give them proper credit that includes written by, performed by and any other information they want known regarding the track.

Times are changing. It's not always that an indie filmmaker has to pay the music label. I've been learning of a shift where sometimes the music label has to pay the production company. It's like product placement. The best music licensing agreements to me are the pay it forward type. No money is exchanged. What is exchanged is a good faith effort to cross-promote the movie and music. I would love to see a new music artist get exposure off a movie that I produced and vice versa.

I'm not in the entertainment business to screw anybody over. I don't want to get screwed over. Writing, directing and producing movies is a passion that will never die as long as I'm here. I appreciate what music adds to each and every scene in a movie. I'm working on finding completed tracks for the horror movie Psoro soundtrack. Director Wayne Daniells and visual artist Paul While are working hard to deliver shocking gore. I'm working to deliver the music that makes this a cult classic. This is indie filmmaker Sid Kali typing cue music licensing.

Get the inside scoop on writing, producing, directing, and movie distribution at Slice Of Americana Films. Check out the life and times of filmmaker Sid Kali.

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The Top DJ Tips, Tricks and Advice for Club DJing and Making People Dance

Here's my multi steroid booster, magic bullet little blue pill designed to make you perform like the best hot list of 6 key DJ tips:

1. Be the Master of your equipment

Don't think you'll somehow get by without enough practice.
You may not want to hear it but you'll need to know your DJ gear inside out and like a real pro.

Read the manuals, look up the best video tutorials, practices and advice on how to use it and try some little tricks with it yourself in the weeks and days leading up to events.

Develop your own little techniques and wizardry. Take it to the max.

Be the geek who knows all about how to make the most of your gear.

Make sure it's 100% reliable and carry out all the maintenance checks you'll need. Take a back up solution if you can.

Back up gear

For example: if you have no back up for your laptop, burn some tunes onto CDs. At least if your laptop crashes you'll be able to play from them.

Know exactly how everything works. Be relaxed with it. This'll free you to think about other things, such as..

2. Know your music

Knowing exactly what tunes you've got in the bag, case or on your hard drive is a huge bonus.
Knowing when to play the right tunes and who to play it to is just as important.

A deejay who cannot perform should either not be playing or has forgotten to check through his or her music recently.

Check my pro DJ tips on knowing all about your music.

3. Watch the crowd

Now, you can master your DJ equipment perfectly well.
You have the best tunes in town.

But if you're not paying attention to the heart and soul of the party, then none of that matters.

A real pro will be watching the crowd every few seconds.

He or she won't be just looking up every ten minutes, they'll be feeling the dancefloor out, connecting with them.

A top deejay won't be so immersed in their mix that they can't look up. They are comfortable enough with their mixing techniques that they can afford to check out who's dancing, who's going crazy and they'll see if people start to sidle off the dancefloor.

Reading reactions

You'll be able to gauge people's reactions. Maybe they're happy, drunk, drugged up, boys or girls, black, brown, white.

All of this is important when deciding how to react by choosing your next tune.

It's the intuitive part of DJing and it's why some make it and others don't.

Luckily you can find out much more about DJ Tips to read the club dancefloor.

4. Look great when DJing

Like it or not, how you look is part of your image and impact.
Some people even prefer a good looking guy or girl to someone who puts on the best tunes.

No really, it's true.

Ask your image conscious friends some tips on how to dress and adapt to the venue you're playing at.

People will relate better to you if you at least make an effort.

I'm not saying you have to look like Brangelina, but be smart, adapt and make the most of what you have.

When I say adapt, I mean that you'll need to know about the people who hang out there and they'll react better to you if they relate to your image.

You'll go further if you do that.

5. Don't get distracted from your set

It's all to easy for the weak willed boys amongst us to get distracted by a hot gorgeous girl coming up to the booth with a flirtatious smile and asking for Lady Gaga right this minute, because it's her birthday, she says. Be respectful, but remain in charge Be polite, but don't get distracted. Speaking to her is not more important than getting your mix right. Now, maybe it's just me but people always seem to ask me for stuff right when I'm lining up a tune and I need to concentrate. I just ignore them until I'm set and satisfied. Then I'll answer them, quickly. Remember your priorities Don't let them distract you from your set. Listen, be nice, but they can't change the course of a night that's going so well. The priority is your set. You need to remember that before some big breasted dolly puts you off. If you find that you have difficulties with saying no to requests then see exactly how best to handle them with my tips on dealing with booth requests.

6. Play the music they want and not what you want

Now let's get this straight.

While it's hard not to think this is all about you, numero uno, number one son of a gun and the king of the booth, it isn't. I know I just said you shouldn't get distracted by hotties asking you for music, leave that until the end. One of the best DJ tips is for you to pay attention to the whole crowd, not just one person asking for Lady Gaga. You see, people are there to have a good time and very few of them will actually be looking at and wondering about how cool the deejay actually is. It feels grand to lay down tunes that make people dance from a club booth, but you're here to make people dance. You're not playing to jerk yourself off in a booth. The more people that dance, the more successful the night will be and the more chance you have of getting bigger and better paid future gigs. So it's up to you to adapt to the crowd and not the other way around. The above DJ tips should help you play your set better, get invited back for more gigs and rock the dance floor.

This article and many more other DJ tips, advice and a free guide to getting DJ gigs can be found at The Total DJ Blog

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Piano Benches for Sale - The Principles Every Buyer Should Understand Prior to Making the Investment

When you are looking for a piano bench, you need to bear in mind that you are not looking for a regular bench. A piano bench serves a different purpose from an ordinary bench; therefore, the demands will be different. First of all, the piano will be used while you or someone else is playing the piano; therefore, it should be comfortable at all times and in no way should it obstruct your playing.

There are times when the level of comfort that a pianist experiences will affect the quality of the music he or she plays, in addition to his or her performance. The posture of the pianist also has a great influence on the pianist's movement, as he or she plays the piano. When looking for benches for sale, you should be aware that they are available in various styles and models.

Prior to purchasing a bench, you need to determine how often you will use it, and then you should select the model that best suited for your needs. You should also determine how much money you have to spend before you start looking at benches for sale. This is important, as prices differ based on the model, size and style of the bench.

There are many models of benches available, inclusive of swivel stools, leather, double, common duet and adjustable. The adjustable model is the one that is most commonly used by pianists, and many of them also purchase piano benches that have music storage. Cheaper benches for sale are usually made from materials such as vinyl leatherette, while the more expensive ones are made from genuine leather. Acoustic pianos generally come with common duet benches with plain wood or padded top, and will also feature music storage. If you have an interest in four hand literature or if you are a music teacher, you should consider purchasing double benches for sale.

If you plan on matching the piano bench with your piano, you should take into consideration the style of the piano and the bench. Look at piano benches for sale that you know will complement your piano. The piano and the bench should complement each other in such a way that anyone would think that both were purchased together. All models of piano benches are universally used for digital and acoustic pianos including uprights, grands and baby grand pianos and usually have the uniform height and dimensions.

Once you purchase your piano bench, the assembly process will be quite simple. A majority of the online piano benches for sale come pre-assembled; as such, you will only be required to attach the legs. All you would need to do is unpack the piano bench legs, and carefully bolt them in the appropriate places on the bench.

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The Best Beat Making Software

Are you searching for the perfect music tool to produce magnificent beats out of hip hop, pop, rap, and other music genres? If you're currently on the hunt for the best beat making software in the market today, here is a guide for you to help you determine which product features you must look for while searching the internet. It is a great starting point for any novice trying to get started on the road to making their own rap and hip hop beats on their personal computer or their laptop.

Beat making is a worthy profession to work with and many folks out there are making a living through producing wonderful beats. Some individuals treat it as a hobby while others are using the skill to earn additional income aside from their current profession. This is the reason why many beat making software programs are being launched to help beat makers in fulfilling their desire for success in the beat making industry. However, not all of them are designed with same features and some software programs specialize in a certain genre of beats. Therefore, your first step in searching for the best beat making software is to check the specs to see if it matches your needs. Take your time in analyzing all the software you can find online and make a comparison afterwards.

For those who are just beginning to make beats, it is sensible to go first for the free trial versions (if offered by the brand) in order to familiarize yourself with the functionality of the software. Although the free trial is incomplete, the main purpose is to have a brief idea if the product is user-friendly and the interface is easy to use for novice users. Once you try out the free version you can then make a decision on whether you want to paid version or not.

The next point to take into account is the quality of the produced beats, this is very important to music producers who are selling their tracks to make an income from their talent in beat making. For instance, you must look for the software that saves your work in a digital formats and on the standards as set by the industry. The price is another aspect in searching for the best beat making software but not sacrificing the quality of the beats. Don't be lured to cheaper software that only gives you disappointments, but choose wisely considering the satisfaction and contentment while using the beat maker.

If you are ready to start making your own rap beats then the first thing you will need is beat making software. However, there are literally hundreds of different programs you can get so how do you decide which is the best? Luckily for you we have taken all the guess work out of it with our list of the best beat making software. We will show you which beat maker is the best and which one will work best for you.

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Use Beat Maker Software and Start Making Your Own Beats

For as long as I can remember, I've had a strong passion for music. Maybe you share that passion and that's how you ended up here today. Have you ever gotten chills from listening to your favorite song? Do you write your own lyrics, and need some production to back you up? Maybe you just want to feel what it's like to create a masterpiece. Whatever the case, you're at least a little curious about beat maker software and making your own beats. If you're like many other people just starting out, you maybe worried about how expensive this new hobby is going to be and if you can afford it. With computers being what they are today, now all it takes is a little inspiration and drive. Although previous experience with music will help you greatly, it's no longer necessary to spend months learning music theory.

Take me for example. The only training that I have in music, or music theory (the study of creating music) isn't even fair to call it training. I took a few classes in high school and college, but other than listening to it obsessively, I never really learned how to create a song. So about two years ago (I'm 28 now) I got serious and decided to see if I could learn how to make my own rap beats. I listen mainly to hip hop so it made the most sense. I listen to a little bit of trip hop also, like Pretty Lights and Bassnectar. For me I wanted a program that could do both.

If you ever wanted to learn about beat maker software, then why not start today? Trust me if I can do it and afford it, then anyone can. Whether its musical talent you lack or funds, these main hurdles can intimidate any aspiring beat maker. I've met more than a few musically talented people in my life that just can't afford all the expensive equipment that's needed for creating music. With all the overnight advancements in technology and growing number of software options, the stepping stone to music production just got a whole lot cheaper.

Right now you may be starting to wonder where you can pick your own beat maker software but not have to pay thousands for it. You may or may not have already done some searching and found a ton of options for equipment and software. Finding them is the easy part, finding one that's within your budget? Pardon me while I lol. It's not the amount of choices for programs that make me laugh, but how many of them are beyond affordable. Almost like music production is some elite club that only those with extra money to burn can be a part of it. Well, not anymore. Thanks to computers and beat maker software the need for studio space, time, and even money, has been greatly reduced.

If you've done your homework, then you already know there are some great beat maker programs out there. However not all of them will allow you to produce studio quality music. There's one that I just started using recently that I'm having a lot of fun with. I never even made it through the first video tutorial before I was messing around with the program and making music. Now I've been a big fan of music my entire life, but the thought of making my own was something I would always get to "When I had the time or money". With the beat maker software that I'm using right now, I'm making beats that are making some of my friends jealous. I let some of them in on my secret and most of them are making better beats than me in way less time. The best part is that it cost me less than $50!

I really hope that you still want to get started on making music. Don't get discouraged if you can't get the beat to sound exactly the way it does in your head the first time. That will come with time. You have to play with all the sounds and get to know the software. You think a chef knows how a dish is going to turn out before tasting his ingredients? For right now stick to learning how to make a basic beat and go from there.

Evan Wright

Produce your own music with beat maker software!

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The Guitar Kits Edge When It Comes to Making a Custom Guitar

Exactly which Guitar kit should you really pick for making your very own new guitar?

When making the decision to build your very own guitar your selection will come as a result of individual choice such as the style of music you prefer to listen to and play. Nearly all designs of guitar are available as a kit, ranging from steel and nylon string acoustics to single pickup Stratocasters and twin humbucker Les Pauls.

You probably have a decent idea of the kind of sound you are going to be seeking, however subject to ones experience handling timber there's a couple of things we recommend that you choose to take into account.

Acoustic Guitar Kit or Electric

When you find yourself building your own guitar just for the first time, you are well advised to commence with an electric guitar kit instead of an acoustic. Electric guitars obviously have a number of elements to contemplate e.g. pick-ups, volume level and tone controls, nevertheless the electrical circuitry in most of these kits is completed for you (as a result it is not necessary to drag out the soldering iron!) and on the whole the procedure is simpler. An acoustic guitar kit involves quite careful shaping and bracing, which isn't particularly complex if you have some previous woodworking experience, can often be reasonably a challenge if putting together your very own guitar for the first time.

An electric guitar kit tends to be considerably more forgiving towards the inexperienced guitar builder mainly because the tonal quality belonging to the guitar isn't as affected by the building process. Accidently getting the depth or bracing incorrect could cause problems if wishing for a beautiful sounding acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars are often pretty unforgiving if things do not go quite as per the program, and this is for the most part precisely why we endorse getting started utilizing some kind of electric guitar kit. A concluding reason is that if you happen to prefer a slightly different approach and not obtain a complete kit, and instead prefer to take a crack at building a completely custom-made guitar by shopping for the materials separately, you are likely to realize this almost insurmountable if trying to assemble an acoustic guitar. On the other hand, the vast majority of electric guitar replacement parts within reason are compatible, which often means that you don't have the necessity to stick to the plan nearly as much, presenting you way more control over the course of action and additional overall flexibility. Ebay is a great store to shop for spares individually when you make your own guitar.

Favorable aspects of an electric guitar kit when making a new guitar for the first time
Far less difficult building taskConsiderably less crucial with respect to guitar tone if the process doesn't go wellMuch more robust guitar for working on and considerably less easily damaged if knocked or accidentally droppedSignificantly less tools and equipment requiredElectric guitar accessories are usually far more exchangeable

Get started with a kit that is a little more cost-effective

If you have assembled instruments in the past or may have skills and experience carrying out work using wood then setting up an acoustic guitar is a really special thing to try and is strongly suggested. Crafting an acoustic guitar is a lot more problematic when compared with putting together an electric guitar but it is in no way too hard for anyone willing to take the time and has an eye for detail. The beginner really should take a look for something straight forward to begin with though, ie. a guitar pre-assembled with thorough instructions supplied inside the kit. When building this first acoustic guitar we highly recommend getting started with a guitar kit that is a little less expensive and working your way up ~ this really is good advice for the novice electric guitar maker.

Guitar kit companies e.g. Saga provide good quality electric guitar kits at reasonable prices, beginning from around $110.00 for a Telecaster style electric guitar including all parts. Grizzly is another guitar kit supplier and provides cost-effective acoustic guitar kits from as little as $90.00 to help you get started off.

So as you can see getting started making your own guitar is a lot simpler than many realise if you start out using Guitar Kits.

You can come by and check us out at Guitar Kits for some great practical information and resources to help you get underway.

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