Online Fun and Business

In this G Unit Biography, you will find just a touch of information on this group of men who has literally taken over the rap world, transforming it into what it has become today. First, who is G Unit? You may have heard that G Unit is the posse that is behind 50 Cent. Or, you may know them as 50, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. They are often accompanied by DJ Whookid or sometimes Cutmaster C as the DJ. In any case, G Unit offers an interesting biography.

If you don’t already know, G Unit has done a remarkable amount of work together after only a few years. Some of their most popular music trends have resulted in these mixes: 50 Cent is the Future, God’s Plan, Automatic Gunfire, and No Mercy, No Fear. Hip hop music has been forever changed by these mixes to say the least.

But, it doesn’t stop there. The group was in the middle of recording its debut album when Yayo was sent to prison on charges of gun possession. Instead, the group brought on Young Buck and kept moving. The album Get Rich or Die Trying brought on much success for the group. Still, they kept moving and offered new mix tapes. They began to hit it big with the G Unit Remix and 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P. On that particular one, Snoop Dogg was featured on the album. This in turn led to MTV easily playing it over and over again, opening the door to G Unit, finally. With this new found success, they continued to grow releasing Beg for Mercy in 2003 as their debut album. Successes here grew from some outstanding singles.

In this G Unit biography, we were only able to touch on what this group of men has to offer hip hop music. In fact, rap has forever been changed by them. There is much to learn about these artists though including the awesome stories lying behind the faces of each of these men. To learn more, check out their own G Unit Biography available on the web.

Hip Hop Capital is the home of online hip hop jewelry. The place where you can find TONS of 50 Cent bling. Hip Hop Capital has been a force online for years and only continues to grow. Go to http://hiphopcapital.com/catalog/g-unit-spinners.html and see for yourself why thousands choose Hip Hop Capital.

Columbus Day Weekend - About Blues In The Schools Program Blues
In The Schools Mission Statement Our mission is to deliver
educational experiences for students of all ages with “The
Blues”, the roots and heritage of modern American music, in an
effort to spark an interest in, and an appreciation for, all of
the musical art forms.

Education Blues music is America’s music, and young people
especially, should know about the musical heritage of America
and of the Blues. Educating them on how America’s music has
evolved and how the Blues forms the roots of today’s popular
music is important to us. The recognition and exposure that
Blues music has recently received from advertising, and most
recently from the award winning movie “Oh Brother Where Art
Thou” has led more people to appreciate the sound, style, and
art that defines the Blues.

Nat Dove

In 1978, the City of Chicago public schools introduced the
“Blues in the Schools” program which is still going strong more
than two decades later and has since spread all around the
country and even around the world. In this program professional
blues musicians are invited into schools to conduct classes on
the history of the blues, famous blues musicians, different
styles of blues, and how to write, sing and perform the blues.
The ABS is proud to have such a program in place as well. In our
program, local blues musicians combined with a culturally
diverse all volunteer staff comprised of former educators, music
professionals, and other with a genuine interest in child
development, are invited into schools to conduct different
programs tailored to specific age groups. While our program is
in its infancy and just now beginning to obtain the required
successful in conducting these session to several grateful
audiences in many of the greater California School Systems. The
CVBF feels it is beneficial to expose children whose musical
experience may be limited to just what they hear from older
siblings or what they may see and hear on commercial radio and
TV to small amount of the history behind the blues, a small
amount about how the Blues has evolved to the music of today, a
touch of music composition education all mixed together with a
whole lot of fun. Nat Dove and Mick Martin, Blues Artist, have
been very instrumental in the San Joaquin Central Valley and
Northern California areas representing and promoting the BIS
program and can be contacted directly by clicking on their names
to send email regarding information about the Blues In Schools
program. If you are interested in joining the fun and providing
a Tax Deductible Donation for financial support for our program
click on the link below.

If you would like to volunteer to participate in our
presentations, arrange for one of our events at your school or
just to let us know what you think of our efforts, please
contact us via e-mail at brandjmoffatt@yahoo.com, or call our
CVBF hotline at (209) 383-4958 .

Your message will be passed on to the appropriate BITS or CVBF
representative who will be happy to answer any questions about
or discuss our programs with you.

Guitar Playing Tips You Can Learn Overnight

Most music-oriented people always have the desire to learn how to play the guitar. Those who know how to play the instrument want to explore ways to improve their playing skills. Many people do not have the patience to dedicate themselves to learn how to play the guitar.

Learn The Guitar Here!

Learn & Master Guitar!

Some old methods may teach a person how to play the guitar but these older styles of teaching are not necessarily effective today. The new method uses guitar books and visual handouts that show the hand and finger position on the chords and on the strings. This may help those who want to learn by themselves and think that they do not need any help from an instructor.

For some reason, they always end up hiring an instructor. The biggest problem is that a person may find it hard to find a good one that can teach him. There are instances one will learn little or nothing from a “not-so-good teacher’s” influence: becoming discouraged will result in the student stopping his lessons. This might cause a total lack interest in learning to play the guitar.

For a person who wants to learn, he may check the internet where he can find new updated learning tools that will help him learn to play the guitar in just a short period of time. An overnight session may just be enough for a fast learner to understand the basics and learn to play the guitar. Here are premium lessons that will help a person learn to play the guitar overnight from an internet site:

Learn The Guitar Here!

Learn & Master Guitar

·  1. Find the desired listed button. This will be an audio file that will let a person hear a quality sound that is played correctly. It will also help the person have an idea if the notes that he is executing matches those of the audio file on the listed button.

·  2. He may go to the main tutorial screen. The interactive part of the lessons may be found here. A guitar fret board is displayed and has a guide that will enable a person ton see the proper fingering of the chords. He will also see the correct way to change chords and strum at the same time.

·  3. It is always recommended to see the hand’s page that will explain every detail and will show visuals on how to execute the hands and fingers.

These online lessons found on the internet can help a person to play the guitar in an instant – relatively speaking. It will help a person save time and he may no longer need the assistance of an instructor. Most importantly, passion is needed to make the learning faster and easier.

Learn The Guitar Here!

Learn & Master Guitar!

Guitar Playing Tips You Can Learn Overnight

In my twenty-eight plus years on the planet, I have come to believe two fundamental principals about life: Coffee is best served black & some of the best conversations you’ll have will happen in bars. A perfect example of the latter occurred last week at a local pub in Chicago. I was chatting with a close friend over a pint of Harp, when he brought up the idea of reincarnation. He posed the question: “When you die…if you could come back as anyone else….who would it be?”

My buddy Paul, who always seems to forget his wallet on Friday nights, thought it would be nice to come back as Hugh Hefner…so he could live the life of a playboy. A solid answer as far as I was concerned. But whose shoes would I like to live in, if I had the chance? At first all I could come up with was Kermit the frog and whoever is currently dating Alyssa Milano. Then suddenly it hit me: When I die, I want to come back as Rick Rubin.

There are plenty of reasons to admire a guy like Rick. He’s an accomplished record producer and label owner who’s known around the world for his work in hip hop, heavy metal, and alternative rock. At 21, he founded Def Jam records with Russell Simmons while attending NYU. At 25, they went their separate ways and Rubin went on to start the Def American label. He’s worked with the likes of LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Slayer, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Danzig, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, & Shakira…just to name a few.

Over the last 20+ years, Rubin has become successful by developing and investing in his passion for unique music. But arguably the most impressive thing about his career is that it seemed to develop naturally through his ability to understand and digest the medium. He essentially made a hobby his life and that is why so many people admire him. But the more I think about it, the more I realize….I wouldn’t want to be Rick Rubin…I’d want to work with him. I’d want to learn from him and become the mini beardless (and balding) version of him. In my mind it’s clear: Two Rubins would be better than one.

Interesting enough, many people who aspire to work in the music business are somewhat jaded. There’s a perception out there that consumers and record labels alike have become increasingly more narrow minded; that the industry as a whole has become polluted with cookie cutter artists; and that it’s more difficult than ever to break into the business without selling one’s soul to the devil. But I’d argue quite the opposite. I believe that consumers and record labels are equally salivating at the prospect of new and innovative music. Aspiring musicians and producers have, in a way, become more empowered. Advances in home recording have made it possible for obscure artists to develop and market their own material. Arguably, the only limitations are one’s own creative prowess, education, and networking skills. For every struggling artist out there, you can find hundreds (if not thousands) that are enjoying rather successful careers.

Rubin is a shining example of someone who has not given in to the negative perceptions and obstacles of the business. He wasn’t interested in a lot of the music being produced in the 80’s, so he decided to start producing his own artists. He soon realized that he wasn’t being compensated well enough by the labels he had been working with; so he went out and started his own. Obviously these ventures were quite ambitious. But if there is anything that can be learned from Rubin it is this: If you’re serious about breaking into the music business, you can’t sit on the sidelines waiting for your big break. Take your career into your own hands, and seek out new opportunities instead of waiting for them to come to you. Don’t rely on reincarnation…that’s the easy way out.

Mark Branson is a featured columnist for careermusician.com, a collection of resources for the aspiring music business professional. As a musician and music aficionado, Mark’s writing is meant to provide aspiring professionals with inspiration and a broader perspective of the art and business of music. Email the editor at mark@careermusician.com

Free syndication of this article: Feel free to run this article in your e-zine or on your web site. All I require is that you keep all links in tact and include my bio listed at the end of the article.

All of us know what jazz is when we hear it, but trying to define it is a different matter. With so many variant styles, coming up with an accurate definition of jazz is difficult if not impossible.

But I suppose that an article on jazz really ought to attempt to define the term “jazz.” My Thorndike-Barnhart Dictionary defines jazz like this:

*jazz (jaz), noun. 1. American music with the accents falling at unusual places; syncopated music. 2. Slang, liveliness - adj. of or like jazz: a jazz band.

Besides not telling us very much, it is also obviously false. I think immediately of ballads played by jazz musicians, such as Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round Midnight and Bill Evan’s Peace Piece, and countless other examples. They are based on neither syncopation nor liveliness; they are slow, extremely thoughtful, and the antithesis of “jazzy.” Yet they are considered by both jazz musicians and jazz critics alike to be well within the mainstream of jazz.

Let’s try A New Dictionary of Music and see if we can get closer to the essence of jazz:

*jazz, a term used at least from 1914 for a type of American popular music originating among blacks of New Orleans and taken over also by whites; also used generally for various types of dance music indebted to this (though purists reserve the term for such music as retains the original flavor and the original basis of improvisation.) The jazz idiom, characterized by certain syncopations over strongly reiterated rhythms, has influenced e.g. Lambert, Stravinsky, and Milhaud, as well as many American composers.

That’s better than the Thorndike-Barnhart definition, but it still leans heavily toward defining jazz in terms of rhythm alone: “characterized by certain syncopations over strongly reiterated rhythms.” I think again of ballads, but also of much contemporary jazz which is not characterized by “certain syncopations,: such as the work of pianists Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea.

What then is jazz? If the general dictionaries and musical dictionaries can’t satisfactorily answer the question, what hope is there for us?

Ask a hundred jazz musicians what jazz is, and you’ll get a hundred different answers (I know - I’ve asked at least a dozen and gotten as many different responses.)

I would like to suggest that the answer may lie, not in music, but in semantics.

I think it is entirely possible that we are lumping together widely disparate types of music, and labeling them all with the term “jazz,” then wondering why we can’t come up with a lexical definition of the term. Maybe we should abandon the word “jazz,” and use terms such as “improvised fast syncopated music,” or “improvised slow non-syncopated music.” Maybe we should, but we won’t. So we are stuck with the non-definable term “jazz.”

So let’s not define jazz.

We all know what it is, more or less. We would disagree mainly in the “grey” areas, such as ballads, some contemporary works, and so forth. But let’s agree not to disagree, and just enjoy it.

The following articles in this series will deal with the various styles we find in jazz, from ragtime to fusion.

So stay tuned.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His course on blues and jazz improvisation titled “How To Make Up Music As You Go Along: Improvising On The Piano!” is being used by musicians and pianists around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions! with over 57,400 current subscribers.

To avoid any sort of injuries when playing guitar a common sense approach is recommended. Just what do I mean by that?

Well, there are many simple and obvious precautions you can take that will prevent most injuries.

To start with you can adopt the proper technique, posture and hand position.

A good book like Scott Tenant’s Pumping Nylon or David Braid’s Play Classical Guitar can give you sound basic fundamentals in this area.

With technique keep your movements simple or, as my teacher used to say… “Employ an economy of movement.”

If you have less movement you will naturally have less friction and tension and therefore less chance of injury.

Teachers of guitar vary in their interpretation of posture and hand position but in classical guitar at least, there is generally widely accepted agreement on this subject.

You do need to be aware of your posture and hand position when a beginner or intermediate as you are learning habits that will last a lifetime.

I remember my teacher constantly pushing my shoulder down as I played. As I became tense my shoulder would “ride” upwards as my body would tense up.

He was giving me vital feedback on leaning to relax as I was learning basic technique.

It pays to have a good, alert teacher who can short circuit any problems as they appear!

Another point of note is when you begin to play guitar you can often overdo it.

Indeed, Anthony Glise writing in Classical Guitar Pedagogy states…

“Virtually all guitarists injuries are from over-use (simply practicing too much) or misuse (not warming up properly), playing pieces that are too difficult, improper hand positions, overstress, etc.”

These are all things that the beginner and intermediate player are prone to.

You must develop your capabilities in line with your common sense and resist the urge to go “too fast too soon.”

To quote the cliché…”You gotta crawl before you walk!”:)

While we’re on the subject of common sense, you need to take breaks in your practice routine.

You know how time flies when you’re engrossed in a new and exciting piece. We all have the tendency to play through the pain at times but you must learn to avoid this sort of practice if you want to avoid long term injury. It might be wiser to break your practice sessions into smaller blocks and spread it out over the day rather than all in one hit.

I know we’re all “time-poor” these days but is it worth the risk?

Only you can answer that one.

Make sure you build strength and flexibility in your hands and indeed, your body.

You can do this via a healthy lifestyle that consists of diet, stretching (including yoga), meditation and just plain relaxing and taking a break.

If you do all of this and find your still in pain - STOP!

As they say on the advertisement for a prominent pain reliever… “Pain is nature’s warning.”

If you find you get long term pain, use your common sense again and seek proper medical advice. To play through pain is downright silly.

I hope this brief discussion can give you some direction in this area.

Trevor Maurice is an Australian, living in beautiful seaside Maroubra, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

He’s been involved in playing guitar (mainly classical) for longer than he cares to remember and has also taught the instrument for many years. He is teacher trained, having a Diploma of Education (Majoring in music)

He has also taught Primary (Elementary) school for many years and had a long-held dream to build a quality website for the classical guitar that is of use to anyone even slightly interested in this beautiful instrument. He has now made that dream a reality with the highly rated…

http://www.learnclassicalguitar.com/index.html

If you are just starting out promoting your band, if you have no fan base, or if you just want to attract fans who like your style of music, then start publishing a Genre Ezine.

Genre ezines are electronic newsletters catering to your style of music. Unlike band newsletters, they are not limited to your band’s music. Instead, they promote every band that is similiar to your band and your style of music. By promoting a genre, rather than your band in this style of newsletter, you will attract people who might be extremely interested in a specific style of music, but aren’t interested in you…yet. And best of all you, you are in control.

I publish the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine, a free weekly ezine of free Celtic music downloads. In every issue, I promote two songs from two Celtic bands on MP3.com. I add these songs to my MP3.com station, entitled “Celtic Muse: Song of the Week”. And once a month, I give away a free Celtic CD to subscribers.

The newsletters is short, sweet and too the point. My list has grown mostly from Celtic music lovers who are looking for free CDs. They stick around because they are enjoying the opportunity to hear new, free Celtic music every week.

And at the bottom of every issue is printed the name, “Brobdingnagian Bards”. Of course, there’s a link to our website, and I also provide a signup form on our Bard homepage with links to my other newsletters. Most of the time when someone subscribes to one ezine, they’ll subscribe to another as well. Plus, whenever someone first signs up, they can “start hearing great Celtic music now”…our music of course.

The point is that we are now not only the sponsors of the newsletter, but we define what is “great Celtic music” for our subscribers. It gives us credibility, and likewise gives the ‘zine credibility if they like our music.

Thanks to the newsletter, we’ve seen an increase in sales, and of course, our songs are always at the top of the MP3.com stations so we get more listens than other bands on our station. And as an affiliate of MP3.com, I also get paid every time someone clicks one of my links.

In all, the Genre newsletter is a fantastic, easy-to-manage way of attracting and marketing to people who like your style of music without bothering them whether they’d be interested in YOUR style of music or not. Give it a try. You could make a new fan.

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000’s of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians’ Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE “how-to” music marketing assistance.

No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com

Here is a great tip for all you budding live music enthusiasts - DJ live your music and get free publicity and critiques online for free. Yes, you heard me right! Instead of waiting for your turn to play at your local club, why not hop online with your band members and play for the online community? Visit My Clubbing Space to see what I mean. Here we have a group of DJ’s, musicians, producers and others involved in the music industry where you can share your ideas, talk about music and play for other members. It’s a very tight knit community where members will give you their honest opinions on your music.

For the past 12 months, we have seen quite a number so call “MySpace Music” sites take off. MySpace would refer to community based sites where members can share information, profiles, designs and so on. Many people now use these sites for friendship and leads.

Well, happy playing!

How do you use guitar chord diagrams? A complete understanding of how to read and use diagrams of guitar chords is essential knowledge for any guitar player, from the “greenhorn” beginner to more advanced players. The best and easiest path to becoming a competent guitar player is by learning some chords and then applying them to learning the rhythm parts of songs. Guitar chord diagrams help you do just that!

What is a Guitar Chord Diagram?

A guitar chord diagram is a graphical representation of a single guitar chord, often referred to as a “chord box”. It is basically a box in the shape of a rectangle that shows you how to play a particular chord. It represents the guitar fretboard, and shows you exactly where to place your fingers to form the chord, and which strings to strike to play it. It is truly amazing how much useful information is packed into such a small package.

How to Read a Chord Diagram

There are several different styles and formats, but all chord diagrams have these common elements:

• There are six lines that represent the strings of the guitar. Depending on the format of the chord box, the strings run vertically up and down the page (most common), or else across the page horizontally.

• For vertical diagrams, the string on the left represents the low E string (thickest one), and the string on the right is the high E (thinnest string.)

• There are a series of lines running across the string lines (at a right angle) that represent the frets.

• The string lines and the fret lines come together to form a grid representing the guitar fretboard.

• Circles or dots are placed on the grid to show exactly which strings to press on which fret to play the chord.

With just this basic information on a chord diagram, you can form and play any guitar chord. The best part is that you don’t need to know how to read standard musical notation, or even guitar tabulature, to read a chord diagram. Well enough words! View examples of guitar chord diagrams here.

Here are some additional features of chord diagrams that pack in even more useful information:

• At the top of the box is a thicker line representing the guitar nut, or end of the neck

• An “x” symbol above the nut line means “Do Not Play This String”.

• An “o” symbol above the nut line means that the string is played open (not fingered.)

• Numbers (1 to 4) on the dots (or under the box) indicate which finger to use on that string, with 1= the index finger, and 4= the little finger.

• A line or bar running across two or more strings indicates a “Barre Chord”, in which one finger presses more than one string.

Tips for Using Guitar Chord Diagrams

1. Chord Diagrams are the single most powerful tool for learning and improving your guitar playing. Make good use of them!

2. Individual chord diagrams can be combined to form chord charts. These are a practical means to learn basic chords, chord families and sequences, and songs.

3. Make use of the wealth of free online resources to help you learn about guitar chord diagrams and chord charts. One such resource is The Guitar Players Toolbox.

Play well!

Copyright 2005 Peter Bussey of www.guitar-players-toolbox.com

This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and the resource box are included.

Peter Bussey has been an avid guitar player for over 10 years. In 2004 he became Editor of The Guitar Players Toolbox, a website dedicated to helping advancing guitar players improve with practical tools, tips, and information. Visit http://www.guitar-players-toolbox.com for a variety of free, practical resources such as guitar chords, guitar chord charts, song chords, and much more.

Related articles by Peter Bussey on Ezinearticles.com:

Basic Guitar Chords: How to Easily Master the Guitar Chords You Must Know

When a landscape artist wants to get the essence of a beautiful scene, they make a quick pencil sketch of it.

The artist doesn’t want to represent the entire landscape as it is, but as they feel it to be. A few lines scribbled here and there indicate the feelings the artist wishes to convey. We musicians can do the same thing! We can quickly sketch out our ideas on paper by using chords and a chord chart.

A chord chart is just a way to notate when chords change through time. You can write out 8-bars to begin with (as I do). Now let us suppose you have the urge to capture something musically. What do you do? Well, for starters, you can pick a key to compose with.

For example, let’s choose the Key of C. Now after deciding that, we know that the piece will have a Major sound to it. We also know that we have 6 chords to create with from the C Major scale. With these primary decisions out of the way we now can focus on notating our musical ideas and capturing a mood. Here’s how I do it:

I start by just improvising and letting the music come out naturally. For example, I play a C Maj. 7 chord and I like what I hear. I’ll write down the first 2-bars of the melody, then place a chord symbol on top of the chart so I now have the musical idea in place.

My goal is to finish charting the 8-bar phrase with chords all the way through. Once this is accomplished I have the first section of music. If more is to come, I simply write out another 8-bar phrase and keep adding more music.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!