Learn to Play Piano - 5 Elements of Music to Learn Before Taking Lessons

Learning to play piano or any musical instrument needs knowledge of the code that allows music to be read and to make sense.

1. Music is played at a speed depending on the type of music it is. To achieve this two things are written on the music. The first is to split the ledger lines (also known as the staff or stave) into sections with vertical lines. These are called bars or measures. Local to the clef on the left of the ledger lines, a time signature is placed there to show the timing of the music. This could be 4/4 or 3/4 or other such numbers. In the case of 4/4 this would mean that each section between the bars would have 4 beats or counts in each section. The other 4 would indicate the type of note that each of the beats would be. In this example the beats are quarter notes so are short notes meaning that the music would be of an average speed. If the time signature had been 4/2 there would still be 4 beats in each section but the number 2 represents a 1/2 note which is slower than a 1/4 note resulting in a slower speed.

2. The pitch between notes can have half pitch notes. These are called sharp notes or flat notes. They are represented on the music by the sign # for sharp and b for flat. Sharps and flats can be confusing as the same half note can be called sharp or flat. For example the half note above G is G# the whole note above G is A. The half note below A is exactly the same note as G#. This time we call it Ab.

3. Understanding where the half pitch notes on piano are is very easy. All you do at this stage is either go to the next black key to left or right of a white key this is counting up in half notes, Progressing from left to right the black notes will be called sharp and if progressing from right to left the black notes will be called flat.

4. Music can be played in a number of ways. Bright, sad, soft, loud, aggressively, to name just a few. In addition to the notes and timing the music has comments written on it. These can be whole words but are generally shortened to a single letter. An example would be (f) meaning fortissimo or loudly, or (p) meaning pianissimo or softly. There are many more that will need to be learned as your learning increases.

5. Not all music is suitable to be played by all instruments. The piano cannot bend strings as a guitar can or other such things. A guitar cannot play 5 bass notes and 5 upper pitch notes at the same time such as a piano can. A violin cannot play three or four notes at the same time to form a chord which flat string instruments can. The choice of music needs care to ensure it is suitable for your instrument.

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Jackie Clark has been teaching piano, keyboard and guitar for over 30 years in several countries. She has a 100% success rate with pupils taking exams in traditional teaching methods and also has on line courses of instruction

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Soothing Qualities of Relaxing Piano Music

It's incredible how a piece of music can elevate one's soul. Whether it's playing in the background or in the fore-front, it is always there for us to grasp. Many have correlated their feelings and expressions and coined them to paper or straight to an instrument for all to hear.

What pleasure the mind, body, and soul takes you through as you hear a beautiful version of a relaxing piano music piece. The essence of the timbres as they hit the strings resonating thoughts of elegance and beauty. It is the mere fact that these sounds are given you a feeling of relaxation and pleasure.

Throughout the years as we grow through this journey of life, we find ourselves striving for the peace and tranquility we know we deserve. Can it not be that these artist who we listen to feel, and have felt the same way? Bringing out what we hold deep down inside us, and captivating us with the mystique of utter brilliance.

Did you ever just sit and listen to a relaxing piano piece? The soothing qualities relax you mind, body, and soul. Nurturing the soul and giving you thoughts that you have encompassed throughout your existence, shedding the dark and encompassing the light, surely what we possess deep down inside.

So why then do we choose the piano? Why do we listen to it for relaxing music? The piano is like an orchestra. There is no other instrument that has been given to us that can do the work of the piano. Sure all instruments can convey sound, but when it comes to composition, it cannot be out matched. Many who study an instrument while learning their craft, whether it be trumpet, woodwinds or guitar, if serious with their craft, know they have to study the piano in one way or another to grasp the full essence of composition. A great jazz trumpeter by the name of Dizzy Gillespie once said, if you don't know the piano, then you don't know composition.

The soothing qualities of the piano are like a warm night's summer breeze. It has been heard in many areas of our life. From television to movies we listen to it in the background, waiting for the next scene to arrive. Anticipating what would come next.

It is said that music holds the key to our hearts and soul. Soothing qualities of relaxing piano music plays a large part and forever shall stay in our lives.

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Flamenco - Where to Enjoy Spain's Soul Music

Where can you witness the best flamenco? Surprisingly, the answer often enough is: "In New York City!" That's because the best practitioners of this passionate art form spend a good part of their career performing for high pay at venues outside their home country.

And there's another aspect. Tourists visiting Spain are often lured to third-rate performances, tour operators knowing that the average visitor can't distinguish between the good and the mediocre.

There is far more to this constantly-evolving art than swirling skirts, flashy foot-stamping, and throbbing guitars. Its true home is in southern Spain, particularly in the area of Seville, Cadiz and Huelva.

If you visit that region, check out what's on at the various "penas", or flamenco clubs. These are where local enthusiasts gather and where you are likely to catch authentic flamenco song and dance. Also, particularly in summer, many towns hold flamenco festivals. Be warned: they start late and carry on until the early hours.

Much of the passion of flamenco reflects the sufferings of the gypsies and the poor of southern Spain down the centuries. Its origins are complex, with roots in the many cultures that have made their mark on Andalusia. Gypsies are believed to have started entering Spain from the eighth century, bringing with them the influences of Indian and Byzantine music. Their song and dance mixed with those of Arabs and Sephardic Jews and with Christian religious and folk music.

Jews, Moslems and gypsies had one thing in common, their persecution by the Kingdom of Castile, and this helped form flamenco, making it the voice of the oppressed.

Aficionados (enthusiasts) divide flamenco singing into three categories, cante jondo, intermedio, and chico. Cante jondo, literally deep song, has been compared with the blues of America's blacks. Singers of cante jondo seem to tear at their own entrails as they strive to express their anguish and communicate it to their listeners.

A genuine performance is a rare experience, for the truly emotional, magical moments only occur when duende (roughly, the spirit) moves the singer.

Intermedio is less profound flamenco and easier to perform. Chico (small) is happy, sensuous and frivolous.

Sadly, what you are most likely to see and hear in or out of Spain is pop flamenco, a mish-mash of the above three forms with non-flamenco pop rhythms thrown in and with little feeling or depth.

At any fiesta, however, you can enjoy the sevillana. This is a light-hearted, fast-moving dance. Purists don't take it seriously, but it's lots of fun.

For an idea of what serious flamenco is all about, listen to the earlier work of wild-living singer Camaron de la Isla, regarded as a true phenomenon of cante jondo until drugs and alcohol got to him. Or delight to the music of the great guitar maestro Paco de Lucia, on the cutting edge of modern flamenco.

Journalist and author David Baird specialises in books about Spain, fact and fiction. His book Between Two Fires - Guerrilla War in the Spanish sierras has won praise from leading historians. For a humorous insight into life in rural Spain, read Sunny Side Up. His latest books are works of fiction: Typhoon Season, a nerve-tingling thriller set in Hong Kong, and Don't Miss The Fiesta!, passion and adventure played out in southern Spain. More information at the Maroma Press website, http://maromapress.wordpress.com/

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How Online Karaoke Music Has Changed Karaoke For The Better

Online karaoke music has changed karaoke for the better. No longer do you have to get up in front of a bunch of strangers and perform a song you aren't completely prepared to play. With the advent of online karaoke music, the stressful part of karaoke has been removed. Now, you can practice as much as you want and just record or stream yourself and your performance to thousands of people when you feel ready. To achieve this dream of stress-free karaoke, you need to follow a couple steps.

The first step is to find karaoke music. You can do this for free at many websites, but I recommend the following: Love To Know, EZ Tracks, Free Karaoke, and My Music Tools. These websites allow you to try the online karaoke scene for free. If you cannot find what you are looking for available for free, the next step is to move on to paying for karaoke songs.

There are a couple options available to those who want to buy karaoke music. The first is to buy CD+G discs, a common format employed by many karaoke machines. These CD+G discs come equipped with instrumentals, lyrics, and even videos to the songs you're singing.

Another option is using an internet karaoke MP3 distribution service. There are a couple options available to consider for those who want to karaoke. The Singing Station has many high-quality songs and is available 24 hours a day. It is used by many professionals. Another option is Karaoke Island, which has MP3s available that come with instrumentals, background vocals, and lyrics. One plus of Karaoke Island is that they will turn your computer into a karaoke machine if you choose not to purchase one. Yet another service is StreamKaraoke, which has over 15,000 songs available and full-screen lyric streaming available 24 hours a day.

Once you have the songs that you want and feel confident that you want to pursue internet karaoke, the next step is to buy a karaoke machine. There are many options here, of course, and it all depends on your budget. Do you want to spend a lot of money and buy a professional machine with thousands of songs and pitch-correction technology, or do you want a budgeted machine lacking some features? The choice is yours to make depending on budgetary factors, but I would personally recommend any portable karaoke machine made by Emerson or Singing Machine. They both make quality products and you cannot go wrong buying any of the models of karaoke machines they sell.

After all these steps, you are well on your way to being an internet sensation with your karaoke skills.

Gary is a freelance graphic designer and has worked with several companies in the past. In his spare time, he likes to unwind by belting out a few tunes with his friends with some online karaoke. For more information on the topics raised, visit Sing To The World.

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Finding Free Karaoke Music Online - Where Is It?

There is no shortage of free karaoke music to be found online today. If you are looking for this kind of source for you entertainment needs, then there are a few avenues that will make your search easier. There are also a few tips about what to expect and how to get the best quality music for your entertainment needs. The details are not complex, but there are a few basics that should know about finding this sort of music online.

Where do you find free karaoke music online? The answer to that question is almost anywhere that you would find other music, but there are a few tips to make sure you find what you want. The best resources for free music for sing along devices can be found on sites that already specialise in downloadable music. There are many major retailers that will sell you online tracks and sets off their main websites which may be purchased with simple registration and providing your payment information.

There are also other sites that specialise in the needs of sing along devices and their music for download. These are similar to social networking sites which they have a community of users that are all interested in entertainment modules and music for their equipment. The catch is usually, that they are also selling other things related to karaoke. They may have portable players, in-house systems or monitors available. They may have used equipment for sale. Very often they do have some free music for downloading, but this is an enticement and the rest of their catalogue is for purchase only. Either way you will still be able to use some free music for your trouble.

What should you know about free karaoke music before you download it? Make sure that you verify that the music you are accessing for download is compatible with the particular system or player that you will be using it with. There are different formats in some countries and it is not always clearly marked online for you. The transaction ends at that point, and usually there is no refund policy.

Most downloads will have formats available in mp4, mp3, mp3+g, and midi. They should be marked as such for you to find them. Generally midi sounds a bit like keyboard music or Muzak, but it is often very cheaply mass-produced. The formats marked mp3+g will have the ability to output the song titles and lyrics as included, to your television or video monitor. Those that are in mp4 formatting will have music with some kind of music video compliment. Which is best depends upon the personal equipment setup.

This should help you find great music for your karaoke needs online.

For further information on free karaoke music, karaoke machines, online karaoke or any other topics raised in the article, visit Sing To The World who have experience in the relevant field.

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Is My Child Ready for Music Lessons?

Music teachers handle music students of all ages, and while it is never too late to improve one's voice or learn how to play an instrument, exposure to musical training is most beneficial during the early years. Children as young as toddlers can be effectively taught the piano, provided that they already show interest and readiness for music lessons.

One advantage to getting an early start on music lessons is that it also serves to enhance other intellectual skills. There are numerous studies showing how exposure to music during the early years has many benefits, such as improved mathematical abilities and spatial reasoning, improved concentration, longer attention spans, and increased self-confidence. Music teachers also emphasise that music lessons develop a child's ear for rhythm, melody, and other musical concepts, leaving them with a sincere appreciation for music that lasts well into adulthood.

While toddlers as young as three years old may already be ready to take music lessons, Most music experts recommend that parents should carefully consider their own child's current developmental stage. Although Music teaching experts teach voice and other instruments, students who begin young are usually started at piano; compared to other musical instruments, the piano requires less strength and coordination.

To determine whether your child is ready to take music lessons, consider the following checklist:

1. Interest

Does your child indicate a desire to sit at the piano for a few minutes at a time, and does he seem intrigued by the various sounds he can make by pounding the keys? Interest is perhaps the most crucial criterion in determining your child's suitability to take music lessons. After all, forcing him into taking lessons is bound to be more harmful than beneficial: he may form a negative perception against music and develop a resistant attitude towards learning.

2. Ability to sit still and take directions

Piano lessons take at least 15 minutes at a time, and your child must be able to focus on what the teacher is saying during this period. Although a good piano teacher knows how to provide timely and fun breaks, your child must have enough maturity to work seriously during lesson proper.

3. Motor Development

Your child must be able to dextrously use both hands, and isolate finger movements quite well. This is self-explanatory really, given that the piano keys need to be pressed in order to produce sounds.

4. Intellectual Development

Your child should be able to tell his left hand from his right, and know how to identify the different fingers in each hand. And while he does not need to know how to write, he should at least be able to recognise the letters A to G when he sees it written.

And on a final note, the best music teachers reminds parents that enrolling your child in music lessons also calls for a certain commitment on your part. Ideally, a music student should practice at least 15 minutes a day, and while parents are discouraged from coercing their kids into complying, it is a good idea to actually sit down with them and offer positive reinforcement.

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How Did Rock Music Change America

Precisely how rock 'n' roll got its name probably never will be definitively answered, but there can be no doubt that it entered popular usage thanks to a disc jockey named Alan Freed, a "wild, greedy and dangerous man" who was, in the mid 1950s, "the dominant nighttime personality on radio in New York City." Almost exactly half a century ago he changed the name of his show to "Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party" and began to plug the music of black rhythm-and-blues performers as well as the young whites who began to copy and reinterpret their work.

The rest is history, not a blip on the pop-cultural radar screen but a development of major importance in 20th-century American, and eventually world, history. Thus we now have, in Oxford University Press' ongoing series called "Pivotal Moments in American History," Glenn C. Altschuler's account of rock 'n' roll's formative years, the decade immediately following the Second World War. Its three predecessors in the series cover the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education, the stock market crash of 1929 and the battle of Antietam, which is to say the editors, the distinguished historians David Hackett Fischer and James M. McPherson, put rock 'n' roll in rarefied company.

They are right to do so. "How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America," as Altschuler's subtitle puts it, really should be phrased as a question rather than a declarative statement because the exact nature of its influence is not easily pinned down, but it surely ranks with the movies and television among the most important developments in 20th-century America. Inasmuch as that was the century in which pop culture shoved high culture aside and became (to borrow a pop-cultural slogan) the heartbeat of America, it must be viewed in a far larger context than historians traditionally have been willing to accord such matters.

If a strong case can be made (and it can) that the most important American of the 20th century was Walter Elias Disney, then by the same token the Founding Fathers (along with a few Mothers) of rock 'n' roll must also be given their place on history's stage.

This is what Altschuler attempts to do in "All Shook Up." He is a something less than riveting prose stylist, and it's not likely that many readers familiar with the music and literature of rock 'n' roll will find much here they don't already know, but the books in this series apparently are intended to be syntheses of primary and secondary sources rather than ground-breakers. This Altschuler accomplishes capably. He also gives overdue recognition to a number of people, some of whom made absolutely wonderful music that deserves rediscovery not only because of its undeniable influence upon the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and others, but also for its intrinsic merit.

These men and women created and performed within the genre of rhythm and blues as well as its several sub genres. R&B came into being soon after the war as "a distinctive musical genre, drawing on the rich musical traditions of African-Americans, including the blues' narratives of turbulent emotions, and the jubilation, steady beat, hand clapping and call and response of gospel." It "tended to be 'good time music,' with an emphatic dance rhythm." Its most famous performers were and still are Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, but there were innumerable others.

R&B is the essential link between the blues, jazz and swing and all the forms of rock that developed in the 1950s and thereafter as whites began to "cover" to borrow, copy and often homogenize black music. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and other, far tamer white musicians Bill Haley, Pat Boone, Ricky Nelson couldn't have done what they did without the black foundation to build on.

In sex as in other matters, "the influence of rock 'n' roll was not always pivotal." Altschuler correctly notes that though it did affect attitudes toward race, "the civil rights movement would have unfolded much as it did without rock 'n' roll." But in other aspects of 1950s America, its influence was important:

"To a significant extent, a distinct teenage culture, with its own mores and institutions, did develop during the decade. A catchy and insistent rock 'n' roll led the way by encouraging boys and girls to resist the authority of parents, be more sexually adventurous, and learn from their peers about what to wear, watch, and listen to, when to study, and where to go on Saturday night. With the development of a separate market for teenagers, differentiation based on age became more pervasive and permanent in American culture and society. The values of young men and women were by no means fully formed, nor were they necessarily all that different from those of their parents. But in increasing numbers these young people were unwilling to be policed or patronized. As the '50s ended, the vast majority of baby boomers had not yet become teenagers: rock 'n' roll and the youth of America had history (and demography) on their side."

What all of this means is still being debated, not least because it is still very much a work in progress. It is useful, though, to be reminded that this work didn't begin when Elvis slipped into his blue suede shoes or when the Beatles landed in New York. Like just about everything else in American popular culture, its roots are deep, old and sometimes very, very hard to trace.

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Learn to Play Piano - 5 Elements of Music to Learn First

In order to learn to play any musical instrument it is necessary to learn a small amount about music. Difficulties in understanding the instrument are compounded when you do not understand music or the instrument. Music is quite simply a map that provides a musician with the information needed to play the right notes. To read the map it is necessary to understand a simple code. A note will have a pitch, a period of time it is played for and loudness. The code provides that information. Knowing the simple code allows you to read music.

Here are 5 basic elements of the code to learn before you start to learn to play piano.

1. Music is written on paper in the form of symbols to represent the length of time a note is to be played for. The symbols can be called after their original names of crotchet, minim, breve, semi breve, or by their more modern names of quarter note, half note, double whole note, whole note respectively.

2. The symbols above are written on horizontal lines arranged in two blocks of five lines. The lines and spaces between them represent the pitch of a note. The lines and spaces at the top of the five lines are a higher pitch than those on the bottom lines or spaces. The blocks of lines are called the staff, stave or ledger lines. Which one you use is unimportant.

3. The two blocks of horizontal lines represent the higher pitch notes on the top block and the lower bass notes on the lower block. These are differentiated by the use of a sign placed at the left of each block of lines. The top block has a symbol called the treble clef. (sometimes also called the G clef)This is similar to a British pound sign. The lower block of lines has a symbol called a bass clef which is similar to an upside down letter C with two dots after it. Using two blocks easily shows the range of the notes that are to be played. Not written in music is a line between the two blocks of five. This apparent line is called C representing the note of C; this is the middle C note on piano.

4. Musical notes are called by letters. The notes start at A and finish at G. The lines of the stave are called after the same notes. The middle line (The one not written on the paper) as you know is the note called C, the space above the line is D, the line above is E, the space above that line is F, the line above is G and the space above that is A and so on up the lines.

5. Musical notes on the piano follow exactly the same system. The C in the middle of the piano is C the next white key to the right is D the next right key is E and so on up the piano. A note symbol on the line called G calls for the key of the piano called G to be pressed.

Music is basically simple as can be seen above. Symbols represent the note to be played. Knowing the code enables the music to be understood.

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Jackie Clark has been teaching piano, keyboard and guitar for over 30 years in several countries. She has a 100% success rate with pupils taking exams in traditional teaching methods and also has on line courses of instruction

http://www.jackieclarkmusic.com/

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What Makes a Quality Music Sample Pack?

When looking for quality music sample packs online there are a few key pieces of information that will help you succeed in your effort. The first is to know what type of music you are looking for. Be familiar with the types of instruments that are typically associated with that particular style. With this information you can filter through many sample packs that do not fit your needs. The next most common thing to take into consideration is how limited the instrumentation appears to be. Typically you find loops of drum beats or short samples of a particular composition.

If this is what you are looking for then your search should not be a painful one, but if you are looking for single notes or a more limited range of sounds from particular instruments then the process can be a bit more tedious. The kinds of sounds we are talking about here are individual snare drum hits or single notes from a saxophone. Samples such as these allow for a broader range of creative options and more freedom for the individual producer.

Once you have narrowed down your parameters for the type of sample that you are looking for then you can start investigating the quality of the actual content in the package. Here, we are talking variety. A common problem to run into is a huge amount of samples that are only slightly different. Another common problem is the palette of the instruments. Often packages contain kits of a particular instrument. This kit will contain an instrument played in a particular style such as jazz or rock. In a quality music sample pack you should find a greater variety of instruments, rather than a small amount of instruments played in a wide range of styles.

Quality packages often provide information regarding where the sound was obtained or the musician that produced them in order to be used. This information can guarantee for the user a 'natural' feel to the sounds available. This point brings us to the final element crucial to finding good music packages online, and that is the quality of the individual sounds or how natural a particular instrument sounds. If an individual is looking for something more techno or house oriented then a concern would be how synthetic or computer generated the texture is for a particular sound.

However, if as a producer one is interested primarily in jazz, then the human element prevalent in the sound is a major concern. Also related to the quality of individual sounds are question such as, "How crisp is the snare drum and how full are the kick pedals?" Keeping these things in mind when searching for quality music sample packs online should lead to the success of any aspiring musician or producer.

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

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Music and Movies: History of the Soundtrack - Pt 1

Music and film have always gone together. In fact, before 'talkies' came along, the only sound you'd hear in a silent movie would be music. Silent film star, Charlie Chaplin was one of the finest physical comedians to ever grace the silver screen. But despite this, without music in the background, even his best films would be missing something. There's no doubt about it, music adds an emotional element to whatever may be occurring on film. Music can enhance and punctuate the entire spectrum of human emotion. Can anyone imagine a movie without music? Would you even want to?

One the first great musicals, the 1939 fantasy masterpiece and timeless classic, "The Wizard of Oz", starring the velvet voiced Judy Garland, is probably most peoples' first exposure to a movie musical. The longtime children's classic about a Kansas farm-girl named, Dorothy, who, along with her dog, Toto, is whisked away by a tornado to the magical land of Oz. There she befriends many strange and wonderful characters and makes a serious enemy in the form of a wicked witch, as she tries to get back home. Along with the imaginative story, the songs such as, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead!", have since become a part of our popular culture. That same year, the first full length color film, the sweeping epic, "Gone With the Wind", about life in the south before,during, and after the civil war. The film's main musical theme was widely popular and still recognizable even today. Another very popular soundtrack was Walt Disney's first full length animated film, the classic, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Released in 1937, Snow White made musical and movie history by being the first film to have it's soundtrack transferred to record disk. Other notable Disney film soundtracks were 1940's "Pinocchio" and the animated and live action, "Mary Poppins", released in 1964.

In 1955, Rodgers and Hammerstein's broadway musical, "Oklahoma", was brought to the big screen. Director, Fred Zinnemann fillmed the movie in the wide open spaces of Arizona. The visually beautiful film was big, bright, and colorful. However, the cinematography did not overpower Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical score, but rather complemented it. Oklahoma is classic musical film fare for all audiences. Remember "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin"? That song, along with other classics graced the film's soundtrack. Another Rodgers and Hammerstein musical brought to the big screen in 1965 with movie classic results, is the beautifully filmed, "Sound of Music". The memorable songs and Julie Andrew's outstanding performance as the governess of a wealthy man's children in Nazi occupied Austria, is a wonderful musical about the human spirit's ability to be uplifted by song in the face of unspeakable madness.

In 1961, we saw a musical retelling of Shakespeare's,"Romeo and Juliet" in the film "West Side Story". Starring the beautiful Natalie Wood, the story revolves around two rival gangs, the 'Jets', a white gang, and a Hispanic gang called the 'Sharks'. Complications arise when Maria,(Wood), the sister of the Sharks gang leader falls in love with the leader of the Jets. True, the fighting/dancing sequences are a bit corny, but the songs in the film, such as, "Somewhere", "I Feel Pretty", and of course, "When You're a Jet" are all classics. In fact, the 2003 film, "Anger Management", starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, there's a scene in which Nicholson playfully goads Sandler into singing, "I Feel Pretty", to ease his tensions. 42 years later, and yes, youthful audiences may not have known where the song came from, but they recognized it.

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Music Lessons - Fulfill Your Thirst for Music!

Music is the very essence of life. Listening to music is the best way to get away from boredom or stressful thoughts. It makes you completely relaxed and eases all your worry. For some people listening to music might simply be a hobby or pastime. You will also come across people who desire to play music and wish to make a career out of it. Regardless of the reason of learning to play musical instruments, music lessons are progressively demanded. Its popularity is increasing day-by-day. Music lessons are mainly considered as formal teaching methods of playing music which is complied with singing.

Playing a musical instrument is not that easy as it sounds to be. You are required to undergo rigorous training in order to improve your skills. For a stipulated period of time, you are given suitable training by the music instructor. Basic instructions on how to grip the instrument and how to have a definite control over your fingers are learnt gradually with practice. They allot you with certain musical pieces and assist you in developing your technical as well as melodic abilities. Music lessons help amateurs to gain appropriate training and enhance their abilities to a great extent.

If you are conceited on the fact on becoming a guitarist, then Guitar Lessons will certainly be helpful to you. Learning acoustic guitar demands adequate knowledge of musical tunes. You are required to be trained from the very basics which comprise of reading musical sheets and playing the instrument with utmost perfection. A face-to-face conversation with your instructor is quite essential in order to judge the level of your performance and gain timely feedback. It allows you to rectify all your mistakes for delivering better results. Therefore, attending sessions of private or group music lessons becomes extremely important.

Piano is another pleasing instrument that offers beautiful musical compositions. For mastering the art of playing piano, you are required to undergo piano lessons. Being a beginner, you are supposed to visualize the keyboard keys and memorize musical notes. This involves a lot of patience and perseverance to keep trying until you can perfect it. Appropriate music lessons helps in accomplishing your dream of becoming a pianist. Apart from learning piano, you are also given the facility of enrolling for band instrument lessons as well as voice lessons.

With the assistance of online resources, you can gain information about various music schools that offers you the chance to learn musical instruments. Music school becomes an exclusive platform wherein you can polish your skills and acquire private lesson, attend musical workshops and artist development programs. You can go through reliable websites that provide insightful knowledge on music classes and their teaching module. It assists you in choosing affordable pricing package. Renowned music schools offer a comfortable environment and intrinsic learning ground to potential candidates. It is necessary that you check through their facilities provided before enrolling your child. In order to ensure the progress of your child's musical career, make sure that you don't compromise on the quality of learning centre.

M Schmidt is the author of this article on Music Lessons.

Find more information on Music School here.

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Music Creation and Editing - An Introduction to MIDI

The late 70's and early 80's saw the birth of electronic music rather than the traditional instruments of guitars, drums and piano. During this period an electronic sound style known as 'MIDI' was used to create music for the new electro style. A few well-known groups at the time used electronic MIDI to create their unique sound. Although MIDI was certainly not a new thing - some artists like had been using it for some years and the style was often termed 'synthesiser music' - but in the earlier days of MIDI many performing artists shunned it in favour of a more traditional approach; however by the 1980's most bands were using some type of MIDI interface to record music.

MIDI music was often recorded via an electronic keyboard, drum machine or some other electronic instrument connected to a recording device or even recorded within the internal memory of the keyboard or instrument itself. Technology was advancing rapidly and computers were beginning to make an appearance in society, and of course as another type of interface on which to work with MIDI files. With the new technology these recordings could be used on a computer or specialist expensive editing equipment to manipulate and change the properties of the recorded MIDI file until the desired sound was achieved.

Some electronic music of the era was actually produced or created on computer equipment itself rather than being inputted as an external recording.

The basic process of music creation through the use of MIDI files is still in use today and of course modern computer and electronic equipment makes editing a breeze.

So what is MIDI? MIDI is an abbreviated term for 'musical instrument digital interface' that is universally recognised. A global standard that uses the same data throughout the world, so effectively any MIDI compatible equipment can communicate with any other MIDI compatible equipment.

The best thing about MIDI is that files can be manipulated to your own desire. You can totally change the sound, tempo, pitch, just about anything you like to create your own unique take on the original music.

The only disadvantage is that MIDI files do not have any vocals - an advantage if you want to use as backing music or karaoke. Some have an instrumental version of the vocals, but this can easily be removed with the correct software to leave just the backing music.

There are several free MIDI editors and players available on the internet, however 'windows media player' will play MIDI files with no problem but they cannot be altered through 'media player', so an editor would be required to achieve this.

Using MIDI to create music is fairly easy once you have mastered the basic concept and understanding. Even people with no musical knowledge or talent whatsoever can create great tunes using MIDI. Admittedly those who have some knowledge or skill will find MIDI easy to use, even someone musically inept like me.

In summary, MIDI is a great and easy to use musical interface that anyone can master.

More information about MIDI and other related subjects can be found on my media blog at http://www.MediaTailor.wordpress.com/

Pete Etheridge

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Experimental and Independent Live Music in Manchester, UK

Manchester, UK was dubbed Mad-chester in the 1990's at the peak of the indie and rave scene that was encapsulated by a particular haircut, baggy trousers and the Hacienda club. Although Manchester is still in touch with that legacy and such haircuts can still be spotted, it actually offers a lot more variety of live music. White boy bands, sometimes with a female lead singer may still be prevalent statistically but there is so much more going on too for the more experimentally minded music listeners and gig- goers looking for creative music and independent music that may be a bit different.

Experimental, independent and creative music can be found in the more elite venues as well as the smaller under the radar spots. High class venues such as Bridgewater Hall and Lowry Theatre host all sorts of contemporary classical and independent pop acts. And it does not always have to cost an arm and a leg. The Bridgwater Hall have free lunchtime concerts in their foyer which still has better acoustics than many venues in the city. And at RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music) you can often find a free concert by students experimenting beyond their more traditional repertoire.

Of course the Apollo has some great bands and artists stopping by on their national tours such as the experimental and popular female solo artist Bjork, and Bristolian trip-hop bands Massive Attack and Portishead. And even at the Opera House Antony and the Johnson's have played while female solo artist Joanna Newsom delivered a sublime performance at the Palace Theatre. The newly refurbished Band on the Wall provides gigs in Manchester playing host to many more international acts too such as Fela Kuti and Kid Creole and the Coconuts while also being home to a regular monthly night by local Mancunian wonky funk maestro Mr Scruff. With it's brand new sound system and lush new grand piano, the sound quality feels fresh and new too.

More modest venues include the sadly now closing Green Room which has been a hub of experimental theatre, creative music and spoken word for over 20 years in the city. Apart from that we have Kraak Gallery and the Coffee Pot putting on interesting events, performances and gigs in Manchester's Northern Quarter. And Fuel Bar and Cafe in Withington often has local talents making independent music as well as touring independent acts. The monthly improvisation night called "The Noise Upstairs" is experimental music in action with an open mic approach to musical improvisational performance by some of those present. Night and Day cafe, more reknown for gigs in Manchester, sometimes have a more experimental band or artist passing through too.

Like any large city, there are many gems to be discovered by just exploring and asking people for recommendations when you are in town. I hope some of these suggestions may be of use.

Living in Manchester, caro snatch has been described as "pioneering independent musician" (Metro UK). She produces and performs her own creative music, often appearing on stage with guests and collaborators from Manchester and beyond.

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Instrumental Music Downloads - Listen to India

I know some people who love to have instrumental music downloads from India. When Hindus play music, this is only one aspect of the immense indian cultural diversity. India is a home land for music, as well as the powerful generator of a special kind of harmony.

Actually, the hindu type of music is a mean to raise the souls of the listeners, a special support for meditation. Not really what westerners are used to as regard to their pop or rock predominant music culture. Besides, the west is also the nest of classic and, although this point might be debated, jazz music. Those are widely known and appreciated instrumental music downloads. Nothing wrong with that. Nobody will dare blaming you for listening to such musical genres.

Music plays a big part in Indian culture. You can find it anywhere, including within the now renowned and prolific Indian movie industry. If you ever watched any Bollywood movie, you did not miss the songs, the choreographed dances, the overall presence of music, did you?

But Hindu music is not predominant in the movie industry, for it is very deep, contrary to what the apparently monotonous sound of God, Om would show. This music serves other purposes. It is for example believed to be very useful for those that rest or that are recovering from a disease. Also, the special monotonous sound of an instrument carries a strange form of solitude with its music.

When two instruments are mixed together, this is called jugalbandi. It allows both artists to unleash their creative power and produce an enchanting sounding atmosphere. Two sitars together can hypnotize the listener. So one very common way of using this charming music is to put a baby to sleep for example. Some westerners actually search for those instrumental music downloads to help them and / or children fall asleep! Also, singing along with those kind of formless melodies is the best way to call upon the spiritual nature in every mother.

There are different forks in Hindu music, called gharanas, with different schools. There are six different ways of playing the tabla, for example, and several sitar gharanas as well. Although many prefer to stick with classic oriental music and composition, the quite recent mix of jazz with Indian instruments opened the door to new and beautiful music production.

This gave us wonderful live performances and a new and interesting source of instrumental music downloads.

John is specialized in instrumental music. He has been involved into instrumental music for documentaries, promotional clips scores, backing tracks and karaoke for over a decade. You can read more and get interesting resources as to instrumental music downloads in his blog: Instrumental music downloads.

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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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Rockabilly Music Explored Uncharted Territory

Having sprung from very familiar and comfortable roots, rockabilly music took off in a completely new and unexpected direction. The musicians of rockabilly were making things up as they went along. There was no plan for how the music would develop. It just did. Several pioneers of the genre took control of the ship's rudder and steered a course for uncharted waters. And the splash they made was heard around the world.

Country music, the blues, gospel music, and rhythm and blues were the main influences behind early rockabilly. Other forms of music like jazz, big-band swing music, and others also spiced up the rockabilly world. Rockabilly musicians were eager and enthusiastic youngsters who came from all different corners of the United States. Along with them, they brought all of the musical influences they'd grown up with and infused it into their style.

It's fun to listen to rockabilly music and various artists and analyze their sound in an attempt to dissect it and figure out where it came from. With Elvis, you can easily see the rhythm and blues influence in the way he moved and the way he presented himself and his music. When you listen to his voice, you can readily hear the gospel choirs and the singing congregations that he'd spent so much time hearing and participating in as a youngster.

Carl Perkins was a bit more countrified than Elvis in my opinion. Yet there's no denying the blues and rhythm and blues influences that also shaped his delivery and playing.

Eddie Cochran also brought a good dose of country into his musical style, but it was a more refined, elegant country than that which inspired Perkins. Jerry Lee Lewis clearly hear plenty of honky-tonk and rhythm and blues piano players in his time and he melded the two styles together in a particularly wild way that put him on the outrageous edge of rock and roll performances early on.

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. What these guys were doing was taking the raw materials of the music they loved, blending it all together, and shaping it into something completely new. No one could have predicted whether it would be successful or not, although Sun Records' Sam Phillips might have a legitimate claim to an argument against that statement!

But even the musicians themselves couldn't have known what they were unleashing. They were just doing what creative musicians do: they were trying to come up with something fresh and new. And they certainly did! Once they began to recognize how thirsty the fans were for what they were creating, the energy fed upon itself and rockabilly music took off like a rocket. And the splash that those early pioneers made with this new, crazy form of music is still making waves today. Wonderful, rich, glorious rockabilly waves!

Buster Fayte is an author and rockabilly musician. Visit his Rockabilly Romp blog at http://rockabillyromp.info/, download free rockabilly computer background artwork as Buster's way of welcoming you to the blog, and join the rockabilly discussion.

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Tips On Effective Music Promotion For Amateur Singers

A musician aspires nothing else but to make his/her music be heard and appreciated by the masses. Well-known bands and solo artists have the advantage of getting backed up by the largest music brands in the industry. But how about the newbies who are still trying to prove that they have the talent and what it takes to become the next big thing on everybody's radio and iPod? If you want to promote your songs even without the support and influence provided by major music labels, here are a few effective tips on how you can make your music be heard. You don't need to spend a load of cash to promote your songs. All you need to do is to believe in your talent, have lots of patience, and never lose sight of your goals.

Make a Web Presence

The Web is the biggest community that is visited by hundreds of millions of people every day. These people often visit social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube. Why not take advantage of this large traffic of individuals and sign up and upload your videos and songs? Signing up is free. What you have to invest on is the time of adding new friends regularly so they can get to know your songs. Many music wonders such as Justin Beiber got discovered online. Wouldn't you want to become the next singing sensation by simply posting your songs?

Make Multiple Digital and CD Copies of Your Songs

Any professed professional singer should have multiple copies (in digital form and CD) of his/her songs. You should take advantage of every opportunity to let your songs be heard by other people. If they ask for copies, let them have a copy of your songs with the title and name of the artist recorded at the beginning and end of each song. There are numerous success stories of how talented amateurs got discovered because of demo tapes that have passed through several sets of hands and landing at the "right" one-usually a person connected to music labels.

Join Contests

The best way to showcase your talent to an interested and watchful crowd is to join music contests. Remember how sensational the American Idol series is? Now, even if you don't manage to become part of the final contestants, getting seen on TV with your "minute of fame" is, sometimes, the only thing you need to get discovered by the people who can help boost your career. Aside from contests, you can also participate in night gigs and play a few songs for the crowd. Who knows, a musical producer may be there and was commissioned by fate to witness your stunning performance and help your career get a move on.

Billy Joe is the leading provider of music promotion tips. Get your music heard with single song distribution on iTunes, AmazonMP3 and many more.

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Gastown Music Festival - Fete de la Musique

The streets are alive with the sound of music.

On June 21st, the longest day of the year, Vancouver hosted a free, five-hour outdoor music festival. The event took place on the oldest streets in the city - the cobblestones of Gastown. It ran from five in the afternoon till ten at night and featured musicians from various musical backgrounds. They all performed in the nooks and crannies surrounding Water Street. The sounds of guitars, voices and percussion instruments blended into a musical quilt of auditory diversity.

The event was titled Fete de la Musique Vancouver - or in English, Make Music Vancouver. The festival has its roots in France, where the idea was formed to create a free annual music festival on the summer solstice that would be accessible to everyone. It was the brainchild of Joel Cohen, an American employed by the national French radio station, Franc Musique. The idea took on a firm form under Maurice Fleuret, a French Music and Dance director, who spearheaded the first gathering. The inaugural festival in France was held in 1982. It has since spawned similar festivals on the same date and under the same conditions in countries around the world.

There are now over 100 countries taking part in the annual event. In Canada, the festival has premiered in Toronto, Moncton, Ottawa, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec City and Montreal. This was the first year that it took place on the streets of Vancouver. The two francophone institutions responsible for organizing it were Alliance Francaise de Vancouver and Francais du Monde a Vancouver. The event also had the support of the French Consulate.

With a distinctly French background, organizers encouraged French-speaking artists to submit their applications for a festival spot. The final line-up showcased a variety of culturally diverse acts, with vocals in a number of different languages.

The festival site had 35 musical zones, or temporary stages, where artists rotated through a set line-up. Each zone had a specific musical feel. For the rock fans, there was the corner of Water and Richards. The hip-hop fans had the bottom of Cambie, by the rail yard.

With a mix of professional and amateur musicians, the festival included raw and polished talent. None of the musicians performing were paid - a key element to the festival. The performers shared their music for the love of their craft.

The musicians were asked to bring their own instruments, chairs and music stands, with the festival organizers supplying only the location. The performances concluded at 10 pm, when the bylaw noise restrictions came into effect.

Make Music Vancouver also encouraged local bars and nightclubs to continue the party indoors, after 10 o'clock. Bar and club owners were asked to stick to the same principals and not charge for admission.

If you missed out on Fete de la Musique, make sure you buy your tickets early for this summer's most anticipated music festival, Live at Squamish. Metric and Weezer will headline this two-day event in the middle of August.

Simmons Mattress Gallery - Vancouver's Mattress Professionals

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Bodily Responses to Music: Jazz and Genres Alike

Music's link with culture is apparent throughout history. Music plays a role in every civilization known to man and appears to be one of the basic actions of persons.

Evident in the lives of figures like Albert Einstein and Thomas Jefferson, it's obvious that music has an influence on society. The human response to music, both good and bad, are proven to be observed in the emotional, spiritual, and physical states with instantaneous and long-term effects. A person's perception and response can totally vary in different ways solely based on one's experience with the music.

A person who is a trained artist of music can perform a selection with such an enthusiasm that the listener can feel enlighten by the music. While someone who is a beginner could play the same selection and would not understand the passion between the notes and merely play the keys. Thus causing the listener to experience the music in an entirely different manner; simply acknowledging whether or not the music was played well.

When looking at responses to music, rhythm is also a significant feature of the music to observe. There are two typical reactions to rhythm. Hard to separate due to the fact that they are associated and one response cannot occur without the other response. These reactions are, one; the actual hearing of the rhythm and, two; the physical response to the rhythm. Rhythm systematizes physical actions and is in every way abundantly related to the human body. For example, the body is comprised of rhythms in the heartbeat, while walking, during breathing, etc. Another noted example of how rhythm displays movement is how an autistic boy who could not tie his shoes was able to learn how on the second time around when a song about the task of tying his shoes was created. The rhythm aided him in organizing his physical movements.

Studies show that a person's mood could be impacted by the style of music he or she listens to. A selection can uplift a funeral with up-beat tones; while a down-tempo could turn an atmosphere from chaos to calm.

Jazz was and still is any many ways a genre of music that can transform the aesthetics of a room. With subgenres like soul jazz, smooth jazz and cool jazz people could mellow their environment and create a mood that soothes the spirit and casts beautiful dreams. While free jazz, bebop, jazz funk or jazz fusion (which later branches to contemporary jazz) made the body want to move and created an up-beat tempo certainly suitable for dancing.

Following the baroque period, it was believed that classical music could cause the heart beat and pulse rate to relax as a result of the beat or rhythm of the music. As the body was able to relax and become alert, it was easier for the mind to concentrate.

On the hand, in jazz and associated melodic styles like contemporary jazz, the word swing is used to define the musical relations between the artists that created the sense of propulsive rhythmic "feel" or "groove", principally when the music created an "instinctual response" common to feet-tapping or head-nodding.

Richard Brown is a jazz flautist that embodies the ability to either calm the mind or get you out of your seat. This flautist has a gift to take a rhythmic groove and make you feel it in your dreams. His debut album "Dreams" is an example of this gift; his free flute style will take you on ride across the spectrum of emotions.

Sign up for a Free Jazz Newsletter and receive a free jazz download. Log onto http://www.flautist.us/

Andrea Harris
Marketing Director
Blue CW_LLC.

Buy "Dreams" by Richard Brown at http://www.flautist.us/productpage.htm

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Relaxing Piano Music to Relieve Stress

It is said that music does many things to alter one's state of mind. From therapy to meditation, music plays a vital role. In many instances when you listen to a particular song, it generates feelings or thoughts either from the past or present.

In the world we live in today, along with the stress in our lives, where exactly would we be without music? Relaxing piano music is one way to relieve stress. You find it in therapy and meditation, even though you don't have to meditate to enjoy the benefits. You can go about your daily activities while listening to a song or songs that you might like to relieve the stress and tension.

Waking up in the morning to a nice song that you enjoy can lift your spirits immensely, as it takes away what you were thinking or dreaming. Enhancing what you enjoy, this is key and beneficial to your mind and soul.

Let's examine what music does to us while listening to it. When we listen to music, our breathing automatically slows and deepens while it also increases serotonin, which is called the feel good chemical. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in our brain that affects our feelings of happiness, comfort, and relaxation. Listening to music before bedtime or while drifting into sleep, plays as an aid to a healthier and restful night of sleep. It also reduces pain and slows down the heart rate, while lowering the blood rate.

Do you enjoy listening to music from your youth? Music from our youth brings back the thoughts and memories of people and places you haven't thought of for years. Music heightens your memory of the times when you were at a high point, generating feelings of security or a special moment that you have treasured over the years.

As I stated the fact that music was given to us for a reason and purpose. Whether you're listening to classical music or straight up jazz,, you will be benefited by what it has to offer. Playing an instrument as well can bring great comfort and joy. Many people take up playing an instrument at a later age solely for that purpose.

Enlighten your mind and soul with the things you enjoy most. Listening to music around twenty to thirty minutes a day, even as you walk for exercise with your mp3 player, stimulates the mind and soul.

It's crucial to the well-being of your mind and soul to enjoy the rewards you feed it. Always try to feed it with positive and uplifting thoughts. Remember, music is the happiness and key to your soul. You only have one lifetime to do things right, so enjoy what has been given to you.

For soul soothing and relaxing piano music visit us here.

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