Hammond Music

Archive for March, 2009

Okay, so I’m probably the one of the few people who don’t really get into American Idol. I remember when it first started and I was so surprised by the show thinking that it would be a flop. By season 2 I realized I was completely wrong. The show continues to not only survive but thrive, and shows following the same model come out like Americas Got Talent. I lament the good old days of shows like Saved By The Bell.

Now 7 seasons later and it’s bigger than ever. It’s a very coveted time slot for advertisers to get their products in since it’s audience runs the gamut from teens to grandmas.I have to admit though that this season may end up being a guilty pleasure. I can’t even pry my girlfriend away from the TV when the show is on, and once I start watching something I generally have a hard time stopping.

I love see watching the beginning shows for the awful performances of wanna be idols. I don’t even believe that the really bad people are even legitimate, they just want to get 15 minuets in the spotlight. There are a few really talented people on this season including Anoop Desai, Allison Iraheta, and Alexis Grace.

Although I do think there have been a lot of talented people who have been discovered on the show, I feel the premise of the show kind of sucks. Many many talented artists out there work hard everyday to get the big one and have no hope of ever getting a contract, but these “idols” seem to have it served on a silver spoon.  With a few exceptions, most of the winners turn out to be a one hit wonder. I think this may be my year to come around to the phenomena that is American Idol, and if not I know I will love people making themselves look stupid early in the season. I can’t wait to see who makes it all the way to the end.

If you’ve been looking for ways of learning the guitar on the internet, then you’ve probably seen some of the various downloadable guitar courses on offer. You’ll find lots of these courses on the internet, but some of them are a total waste of time. One such course is called Jamorama. In this review, you’ll find out just how good Jamorama really is, so you can decide if it’s worth buying.

If you’d like to see a comparison between Jamorama and other similar courses, please visit Best Learn Guitar Products

Ok, first we’ll look at what exactly the Jamorama guitar course is all about, and what’s included in the price. Basically, Jamorama is a comprehensive ‘learn guitar’ course suitable for complete beginners, and intermediates alike. It uses both written lessons, and audio and video, to teach the fundamentals of playing the guitar. The course content is spread over 2 ebooks in more than 250 pages and 44 chapters. In these lessons you’ll be taught different chords, and how to combine these into chord sequences. You’ll also be taught how to strum the guitar properly on order to produce different rhythmic effects, which will enable you to play a large number of songs on the guitar in a very short space of time. As well as the written material, you are also provided with 148 video examples, so you can see precisely how the lessons should be played.

It doesn’t stop there, though. You’re also given more than 20 audio tracks to jam along to, giving you the opportunity to perfect what you’ve learnt in the course. This is a great way to experience what it’s like to play in a band, and can really improve your playing. As well as the main course materials, you also get extra software for teaching you to read music, and train your ear. Both of these are invaluable skills, and once you’ve mastered them, you’ll be able to play any piece of music just by hearing it once.

Using the course itself is dead easy. You access the lessons from within an attractive software interface. Fist of all you have to choose if you want to use the beginners or the advanced book. Then, just select a lesson, and you’ll be taken to the appropriate page. To access the video or audio content you just click on the icons within the lessons.

Ok, I’ve shown you what you get for your money, but what about it’s effectiveness; does it actually work? In a word, absolutely. I’m confident you’ll become a good guitar player using the Jamorama system. The way Jamorama teaches guitar is certainly very effective, and the inclusion of video and audio make it even easier to learn. I’m quite sure that, if you put in enough work, and follow the course properly, you’ll find that you improve much more quickly that you ever thought you would, and become an excellent guitar player in no time. Thanks to the way Jamorama is put together, and the inclusion of video and audio in the course, I think you’ll find Jamorama to be not only an effective learning method, but also a very enjoyable one.

To conclude, then, Jamorama is certainly one of the best ways to go about learning to play the guitar, and I recommend it highly. It is well worth the money, so if you really want to learn to play guitar, I suggest you take a look at it.

For a more in depth look at the Jamorama guitar course, please take a look at Jamorama

Or

Take a look at my blog Jamorama

If you’re learning to play guitar, then you probably already know about the many different learning options available to you. But how do you know which is the best option for you? That’s what this article is all about.

It’s true that many of the best guitarists around taught themselves to play, but for most beginners, you’ll find it much easier and quicker to be taught by a professional instructor. There is nothing available that can completely replace having a real teacher walk you through the steps of learning a new skill.

But that doesn’t mean learning to play guitar by yourself is a bad idea. Luckily, there are many learn guitar DVDs, books and courses which can teach you everything you need to know without needing a professional teacher. One of the best ways to learn learn guitar, is with the Jamorama guitar course.

Using the internet to find free video lessons is an effective way of learning to play guitar by yourself. In fact, there are several popular courses online which features audio, written, and video content. Some courses even allow you to email professional guitar teachers with your questions – which allow you to learn at a similar speed to private tuition, but for a significantly cheaper cost. Jamorama is a good example of an online product which offers all of this, and more.

You can also learn to read guitar tablature (which is easier than it sounds). Guitar tab is just a way of notating where to put your fingers and which strings to play. There’s hundreds of sites online dedicated to helping guitarists share guitar tablature. This can be a great way to progress as a guitarist once you’ve learnt the basics.

If relying on the web to find your lessons isn’t working out for you, then you should try buying a DVD course. You just can’t replace the ability to watch and learn from someone in person – especially if you are a beginner.

In conclusion, learning to play guitar is a great experience that improves your life in many ways. You have many available options if you want to learn guitar by teaching yourself, so don’t feel let down if you can’t find a teacher who lives near you. If you want to buy a guitar course online, you should check out some Jamorama reviews and see what you think – because it really is one of the best methods around.

Do you want to learn how to play piano? If so, this article was written for you. Specifically, we are going to talk about how to teach yourself to play piano, whether you need a professional teacher, and how to use the Internet to teach yourself without needing any outside help. We will also tell you why rocket piano is one of the best courses available.

By the time you finish reading this article, you should have good idea of the next step you need to take when it comes to learning how to play piano.

A popular way to learn any instrument is to teach yourself. This is easily done by purchasing books (specifically ones which teach you with step-by-step lessons), videos and DVDs by professional piano teachers (a great way to learn specific styles such as jazz, blues, or gospel). Or, if you’re particularly ambitious and skilled you can attempt to learn piano by ear.

If this option is not the one for you, then another option is to take lessons with a professional piano teacher. This is the most recommended learning method, and it’s also very expensive. The quality of instruction can vary from teacher to teacher, but the main benefit is that you receive instant feedback and correction whenever you make mistakes, which ultimately means you learn to play piano quicker.

If you don’t have the money to pay for a profession teacher, the next best option is to use the Internet. The first thing you can do is use free websites which offer audio and video lessons. The benefits to this is that it is free, but you also receive quite a good lesson because you can see exactly what to do. The biggest drawback is that your lessons aren’t going to follow a well structured learning path, which can make it harder to reach the more advanced skill levels.

One of the best ways to learn piano online is with the rocket piano course. This is a comprehensive piano learning course which is suitable for beginners and advanced players alike.

In conclusion, I have shown you three effective ways of learning to play the piano. These ways were to teach yourself with videos and DVDs, hiring professional teacher, or using the Internet. We also gave you a quick rocket piano review.  Now you’ve read this article you should have an idea of which option is right for you when it comes to learn how to play piano.

The quality of your practice is much more important than the quantity. The old saying “practice makes perfect” is only true if the practice itself is perfect. Here are 7 tips to help make your practice more effective and efficient.

Practice motions slowly

The muscular memory of our bodies allows us to physically carry out patterns of motion with little or no conscious involvement. Examples of muscular memory include walking, riding a bicycle, typing, and of course playing a musical instrument.

In order to develop this memory, the muscles require training in the form of repeated conscious guidance from the mind. First the mind must learn the pattern. Muscles must learn this pattern from your mind.

All the motions of your muscles must be controlled by your mind. The more controlled and precise the motions, the more quickly the muscles will develop muscle memory.

Slow practice also allows the mind to teach “antagonistic muscles” to relax. Muscles that move in opposite directions are called antagonistic muscles. By relaxing antagonistic muscles you can reduce tension and facilitate faster and easier performance and avoid potential injury.

Practice in small cells

A “practice cell” is simply a finite series of motions. Musical cells can correspond to anything from a few notes to an entire work. The important thing is to practice small cells of a few notes at a time. Practicing small cells limits the amount of information the muscles have to learn at one time. This will also help with the mind’s concentration and focus.

Link the end of one cell to the beginning of the next

To help the muscles develop a sense of continuum throughout the piece of music, the last motion in a cell should be the first motion of the following cell.

Practice each cell in bursts

Once the muscles have learned a pattern, they will be capable of executing it without conscious control. Initiate the pattern through a conscious command and allow the muscles to execute it in a burst.

Don’t practice mistakes

For every repetition required to learn a pattern of motion, it takes 7 times the number of repetitions to change the pattern. If you mess up during your practice time , then stop and start over. Review the pattern in your mind. And further reduce the speed of your motions.

Pause between repetitions

When dealing with repetitive activities, the mind is better able to focus when the repetitions are broken up by short pauses. Pause for 30 seconds and regain focus after two or three repetitions.

Take frequent breaks and don’t “over-practice”

B.F. Skinner and other experts have found that the mind’s ability to learn drops significantly after prolonged intense concentration. Research shows that studying too long (i.e. more than four hours) can deplete chemicals in the brain necessary for learning. Therefore, it is best to take frequent breaks (a 5 minute break about every 20-25 minutes) and practice no more than 4 hours consecutively.

By applying these techniques, you can dramatically improve the quality of your practice. You’ll be able to use your time more efficiently and increase the effectiveness of your practice.

What are the benefits of branded merchandise for your band? to proove a point lets take a look at one of last night’s Brit award winners.

Iron maiden, The ‘troopers’ won ‘best live band’ last night to my delight. About time they were recognised for the brilliant band that they are. I saw Iron Maiden at Twickenham last year in June, there were 5 seperate merch stands always surrounded with people needing an Iron Maiden t-shirt. To let you in on one of the dirty little secrets of the music industry- unless you go triple platinum on record sales, you arent going to see money from album sales- all the money bands make comes from touring and merchandise sales. Bands such as Maiden and Metallica sell thousands of t-shirts at concerts, which depending on the stadum size and t-shirt prices can be a very profitable gig. But when they were a smaller band in the late 70’s early 80s those merchandise sales were going towards keeping the band on the road and keeping them going until the Number of the beast album- when ‘Maiden mania’ took off and sales and interest in the band really happened, which made things financially easier on the band. Other bands such as the infamous Cannibal Corpse (yes, they exsist) sell t-shirts just on the basis on the shocking (and awesome) imagery -what can you expect from a band with an album called ‘gallery of suicide’, merch sales have helped keep them going for years and they are currently touring as we speak.

Promotional merchandise can also help get your bands name out there.

People buy band shirts ro display their alligence to a band publically, and the shirt will be seen by other people who may be interested in the band and deicde to investigate further. The more this happens the more people interested in your band, which means more people at your gigs, and/ or buying your merch. people will have one copy of the album, but 2 or 3 different t-shirts (i myself have numerous maiden t-shirts!!!!).

The Gibson Les Paul Electric Guitar

The modern day guitar revolution began in 1952. It was in this year that Les Paul and Gibson teamed up to create the Gibson Les Paul electric guitar. Whether you are aware of it or not, you have no doubt heard this guitar in action. Whether you have gone to a live a show and seen your favorite artist playing it or you have heard it on your favorite albums, this guitar is a staple in the music industry and has been since its creation all those years ago.

The story of the guitar's burth is a little different depending on who you ask. Les Paul is responsible for adding elements to the guitar such as the trapeze-style tailpiece. Les Paul was a very popular Jazz musician at the time. When the guitar was created, Ted McCarty was in charge of Gibson. He claims that the guitar was completely designed and made before Gibson ever approached Les. Gibson did this to get an endorsement for their new guitar from a well known jazz and pop guitar player.

Despite the legendary status the Les Paul has these days, believe it or not, it was rejected when it was first introduced. He submitted a prototype nicknamed 'The Log' only to be turned down. Les Paul's vision was to attach electronics to a solid piece of wood as opposed to the semi-hollow body guitars that were popular at the time. His unique design spurred the industry in a new direction and expanded on the idea of the electric guitar that became wildly popular. Since then, Les Paul's guitar has gained traction with guitarists through the decades to finally rise to icon status.

The rich, storied history of the unique Gibson Les Paul electric guitar still attracts guitar enthusiasts and collectors to this day. Many studio musicians and professionals prefer the tone of the Les Paul. Many notable musicians use this guitar still today. Many famous guitarists have used this guitar: Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Edge, David Grohl, Eric Johnson, Ted Nugent, Keith Richards and many, many more. It has a rich clientele that continues to grow, making this guitar one of the most landmark electric instruments to hit the market.

After Playing the Guitar Hero game, are you considering taking guitar lessons? Guitar Hero is a fun game to play, but it won’t help you learn to be a true guitar player. You might be thinking you would like to become a guitar player and get that same rush by playing the guitar or performing in a band.

Ironically, it takes “work” to “play” at guitar – but as you get better, it feels more like “play” than “work”. When you learn a song, it gets more and more fun – when you learn two songs, it’s double the fun. At least, that is how it was for me when I started to take guitar lessons (when I was ten)! I learned to play some chords that you can use for many songs. That is a good way to start – you’ll feel that you accomplished something. For example, if you learn these chords: C, G, and D. You’ll find that those three chords will allow you to play many easy guitar songs.

Look up good information online about guitars (learn what the parts are called, learn about tuning and putting strings on a guitar). There are beginner lessons on videos that can teach about guitar chords.

How hard is it to learn a song?

When I learned to play guitar, I had a guitar teacher and used some guitar chord books. But that was before the Internet (I know – a long time ago) and today there are so many other options to find guitar lessons for beginners. I know that the online lessons are good. Some things haven’t changed, one of the fasted ways to become a guitar player is by learning an easy song. After that, learning the second and third song will be much easier!

What kind of guitar should you buy?

Most often, beginning guitar lessons are taken with acoustic guitars or sometimes a classical guitar. Here is an article that shows the three main types of guitars. Basically, those two guitar types have strings made of different materials – classical / folk guitar use nylon strings – acoustic and electric guitars have steel strings. Believe me, the nylon strings are much easier to start out with because they don’t hurt your fingers as much!

There are benefits to learning to play on either kind of guitar. Students who are definitely planning to play rock and roll usually start with electric guitar lessons. Acoustic guitars are great for most kinds of music, you’ll need a classical guitar if you plan to play Spanish or Flamenco music, though.

Go buy a guitar, if you don’t have one. Make sure you hear the guitar played first. If you are looking at guitars in a store, get someone there to play the guitar for you. Or take a friend with you that knows about guitars. Then, start learning your first song. You will become your own guitar hero!

A list of some of the London event venues in London, which are mainly used for music.

• The Hammersmith Appollo, which used to be know as the Hammersmith Odoen, and still is in some circles. Iron maiden swear by this venue, as it has housed some pretty impressive bands. Hammersmiths floor is sloped from the middle to the back, which allows you to see wherever you stand, and the barriers in the middle and the drop in the floor are great for seperatinhg the mosh pitters and people who just wannna the band. A good place for gigs.
• Brixton academy -Similar to Hammersmith in that both have sloped floors so you everyone can see the bands without pushing down the front. Unlike the Hammersmith, the barriers in Brixton are right down the front, which will have people smashed against them at some point during the night. I dont know if those barriers have been removed, but the bars are a lawsuit waiting to happen -they need to be removed, or pushed further back.
• London Astoria -Its not there anymore -to my disgust its being torn down for the 2012 olympics- im not amused? Not as long as the two pervious venues and without Hammersmiths reputation, but alittle wider than Birxton, so you could still get a good number of people in there. The sound did travel well in there. Not the biggest loss in the world, but still a loss.
• The Kentish town forum -A meduim to big arena which can fit a boxing ring in for the bands to play in and still have room for people to rock out in. The area to go get merchandise is quite small, so get ready to besiege it with a few hundred others.
• Earls court -No barriers at all to getted whacked against, but no sloped floor -hopeyou dont get stuck in front of the tall guy with the afro. A huge venue which has a specail queing part downstairs, which, is a godsend in decemeber after queing for so long outside -just prepare to loose your spot when you have to get out to pee. This venue is very large, with separte sections outside the gig area for food and drink and merchandise stalls.

What is it that makes the Stratocaster such an individual guitar is the unique, intimate sound that comes from the three single coil pickup configuration. Although they can be a little noisy at times and need time to learn to handle at high volumes, they do have a raw sound  that is perfect for that rock n roll sound. They have a distinguished fit and finish, with great attention to detail. I’m know others would agree I’m sure that the Fender Strat holds tuning very well. The action on my Fender Stratocaster was setup great for me, which is an added bonus as well. you will sometimes find the factory settings on some guitars higher than you may want it to be. I decided to go with a maple board for my Fender Stratocaster as it seems to glide smoothly, and a satin neck which is nice and slick. They comein a number of wood finishes, but obviously its all about your own preference. The American Standard Stratocaster includes a new bridge, with improved bent-steel saddles for an increased resonance and sustain. The saddles maintain that classic look and tone, but with a few modern improvements for example spacing, slot elongation as well as height screw length.The bridge is designed to complement the 22 medium jumbo frets and rolled edges which allows more space for your fingers . They have also elongated the string slot to reduce friction and string breakage, while improving the string break angle over the primary contact point. Besides all this the fact the Fender Stratocaster is one of, if not the most sought after guitar tells you a lot in its self.

I ordered my Stratocaster on the net from Music 123, which is a great site not just because of their prices, but the fact they are so honest with their reviews. The products they sell are of the highest quality. My Stratocaster was available with various finishes which include the wood finishes and colors as well as a number of different knobs, tips and pickup covers.