Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Seven Ways To Compose Music More Effectively When Working Towards a Deadline

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AppId is over the quota

We've all been there.

Struggling to come up with a melody or working out that perfect ending for your song.

This is one of the most frustrating aspects of composing music, especially when you are working towards a deadline. This article contains a few suggestions on how to compose more effectively.

1) Don't disregard your ideas too quickly

This happens all too often with composers and songwriters, who do not persevere with their ideas for long enough. If you start over too often, you will go round on circles and not get anywhere. This quote by one of the most famous inventors of all time is certainly very true when it comes to composing music.

"Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration"- Thomas Edison

Obviously there are occasions when you should start again, but only do this after exploring all the different ways of developing your ideas.

2) Write something every day

This follows on from the previous point in displaying perseverance as a songwriter. Unfortunately, you cannot assume you will write X number of bars each day. Composition does not work that way as you will have more productive days than others.

However, by doing just something each day, no matter how little, you will feel a sense of progress that will keep you motivated to finish your composition.

3) Go for a walk before you start composing

Rather than dive straight into your music making at the crack of dawn, go for a walk first. The extra oxygen from all the fresh air helps you focus better when you compose and you may come up with some interesting musical ideas or lyrics from just being inspired by nature and your surroundings.

4) Listen to your music with fresh ears

Take regular breaks when you compose as your ears get tired listening to the same repeated loops and musical ideas. Have you ever wondered why you create some music one day, and the next morning you sometimes feel deflated with what you hear? If you work for too long on the same passage of music, your ears learn to accept what they are hearing. This is especially true for mixing your tracks using music software.

5) Write out a structure

Planning a composition in advance really works wonders in certain situations. If you are writing some film music, it is essential to have a structure in mind in order for your music to fit the scene. However, it could be argued that planning too much can stifle true creativity. You should try composing both ways and see what works for you, but it generally helps to have a rough plan in mind when you write music.

6) Seek the advice of other musicians and friends

Often you need a second opinion on your work. If you hit a dead end with your composition, ask your friends to hear your music and ask their advice on what to do next. Even people you regard as non-musicians can often surprise you with their suggestions. Ensure you take any criticism constructively and ask what they like or don't like about your music.

7) Write in a style you have never done before

This can really help to improve you as a musician and develop a real interest in composing. If you write hip-hop music, have a go at writing a jazz composition. If you compose film music, try your hand at creating a dubstep track. This may seem a bit off the wall, but it keeps you fresh as a composer and exposes you to new and interesting styles of music. Just spend time listening to new genres of music and go for it!

Would you like some great tips on how to write a song and compose music in any style? Download a FREE 10-page guide on "5 Essential Elements On How To Improve Your Music Making In Any Style" at http://make-music.net/



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Monday, November 5, 2012

Songwriters - How to Reference A Melody You Like to Write Your Own

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If you're stuck with coming up with an idea for a melody, you can always reference other melodies from some of your favorite songs, for inspiration.

When you do that, it's important to realize that melodies are composed of two things: rhythm and pitch. With that in mind let's look at how we can change a reference melody to make it your own.

A cool trick to try for changing the notes of a melody from a song you like, is to keep the rhythm exactly the same, but invert the notes. You'll play all the exact same notes, but they'll be in reverse order. Let's look at the song "Deck the Halls" as an example. The rhythm and notes of this song are arranged roughly as follows:

1----2----3----4----1----2----3----4

C-----BbA----G---F----G---A----F

The melody portion I've selected occurs in the beginning of the song on the words "Deck the halls with boughs of holly." The numbers on the top represent the beats of measure. This song is in 4/4 time in the key of F. Now let's invert the current melody to create a new one:

1----2----3----4----1----2----3----4

F-----A--G---F----G---A--- Bb---C

If you play along with that, you'll see that the melody sounds pretty different from that of "Deck the Halls," even though the rhythm is exactly the same. All I did was reverse the order of the notes. Of course, this idea won't work with a song that has a single note melody.

You can also experiment with changing both the notes and the rhythm to really get a melody that's completely original. I recommend you try that. Have fun with it.

To learn more, download my free EBook here: http://www.SuccessForYourSongs.com/freeoffer/

Anthony Ceseri is the owner of http://www.successforyoursongs.com/, a website dedicated to the growth and development of songwriters of all skill levels.



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Saturday, November 3, 2012

6 Tips That Wedding Bands Should Use To Play Good Music

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A wedding party is an eventful day that you should live to remember. Apart from decorating the venue to suit the occasion, you might want to hire a wedding band that will entertain your guests throughout the occasion. Beginning from the ceremony processional towards the first dance, it is often challenging figuring out the correct songs for the weddings. You could be interested in keeping your guests engaged with sweet music to honor the occasion.

Wedding bands may find it easy to choose the right music according to the theme of the wedding and its set-up. Also, the band has a wide collection of songs and all they can do for you is to choose a collection that is going to be compatible with the colorful day. They will match up to the standard of the songs that the bride or groom desires. There are various tips that wedding bands can use to get good music for the wedding parties:

• The band should ensure that it has a right collection of songs and tests them to ensure that it can actually play the songs in question. If you choose a jazz band for instance, they might want to include other kinds of songs that will kill monotony and instead, liven up the atmosphere. The band will have to choose what it is "in" currently and advise you on the different kind of songs that will suit different events during the wedding party.

• They will also get songs that are fillers on a CD and try them through their equipment. It is a much popular choice as it is the least hassle that enables the band to create an impact when it kicks off the first set immediately. Of course, the band does not rely on the CDs only but only utilize the CDs for filling gaps between performances.

• Prelude songs are also chosen to be played just before the start of the service, when guests are seated. This would require a pianist who would play some nice and soothing music to the audience.

• The band should choose a great meaningful father-daughter song, which signifies an emotional moment. The song is always a symbolic one between the bride and her father when the moment of walking away arrives. A song with a meaning is often chosen at this time and one that represents their relationship.

• The wedding band has the freedom to choose a traditional song to play because all weddings have a traditional side to them so make sure this song is practised well.

• During the reception, the music being played should be engaging such that people, both young and old, can dance along.

There are a number of songs that all wedding bands play and ones that are preferred in the wedding ceremony. These particular songs bring glamour and joy in a wedding despite the fact that there are a million nice songs to be sung in a wedding. Choosing a wedding band enables you to have some good music during your wedding ceremony. It is important to check out on various things like tastes and preferences, the budget, reputation of the wedding band in question and the budget for you to hire the service. You might want to hire a wedding band that is characterized by the kind of songs it performs or sings so that it matches your wedding theme.

When it comes to wedding bands in Toronto, you will be spoilt for choice but do hire a reputable band so that your wedding day will create lasting memories for yourself and your guests!



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Friday, November 2, 2012

Shiny LA Tragedy Channeled in Orange

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'Channel Orange' almost feels like a midnight car ride with Frank Ocean, him sitting on the front seat delivering breathtaking observations. Mr. Ocean takes us on a tour around gloomy Southern California, pointing towards L.A., the neighborhood stigmatized by excess and misery. The focus of these observations shifts deeper into allegorical life stories or lifelong dreams, which excel in both depth and variety. The rich narrative collection includes lamentation on prematurely having a baby in 'Sierra Leone' or bittersweet satire about 'Super Rich kids ', song concerning wealthy west coast teenagers, branding them as having loose ends and only fake friends. Each storyline introduces unbelievably realistic, made-to-care, individual honestly presented by the narrator, Frank. The instrumental section follows the idea of a grim celebration of life, by fusing R'n'b with neo-soul and jazz fundamentals, sometimes incorporating experimental rock elements. Vocally, Frank is not hesitant to skip to different alter egos between songs, each of them expressing emotions distinctively but each at an equally high level. Although, this 50-plus minute thrill ride mainly takes place in the City of Angels, however we visit other exotic places, at least in our imagination.

In 'Pyramids', the potential for fantasy is present in every step made by the epic poet, the setting being beyond modern America in mystique glistening sand dunes of the Old Empire. This 10-minute grandiose techno lullaby about Ancient Queen Cleopatra is set between several time frames, which unwind monumental tale of the rise and fall of once glorious empire as metaphor for the continuous moral corruption of individual. The whole plot ends with a chillingly twisted conclusion, revealing horrifying example of human degradation. In the end, the dreamy psychedelic guitar solo guides you towards the passage from the resting place of both archaic and modern Cleopatra, both of whom eventually end up with complete loss of dignity.

After the brief fantasizing moment we return back to the gritty reality. The unbearable loudness of shaking consciousness at breaking point. The starting motif of non-judgmental tragic ballad about drug addict 'Crack Rock', captures the mood brilliantly enough to print mark in the listener's mind. Frank's breathless display appears to represent the loss of all the hope and sadness brought by the destructive attitude of the addict and his inevitable fate. The dynamic drum-led tempo serves as a contrast to the sorrowful voice, creating schizophrenic emotions, the second one characterized by the anger with an eventual end of his brother. The troublemaker is eventually murdered, when Frank avenges his brother's death by following the quest to help his community.

Later, as the night moves on, the storytelling maestro gets more comfortable in his seat, minimizing the shyness, revealing some of his most intimate secrets. The heartbreaking unrequited love in 'Pink Matter' and especially in the soulful peak 'Bad Religion', are the great boulders he gets of his shoulders. In Bad Religion, he accuses Christian religion for bringing him to his knees for his sexual orientation. With minimalistic arrangements, Frank's voice and the string section are the prime emotional sources.

After some of the most unexpected but liberating revelations it seems Frank finally tamed all his demons and found a tranquil corner of his mind in 'Forrest Gump', but his sudden departure from the roaming car into the Orange lights on the famous empty streets, leaves us eager to hear more from his captivating repertoire.



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Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Violin: Is Playing the Violin Therapeutic or Is That Another Urban Myth?

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Playing any musical instrument is a wonderful gift that can give the player hour upon hour of pleasure both when practicing or performing with friends or in front of an audience; but is this all it is, or is there some kind of hidden therapeutic healing process that will help the musician? In this article I want to examine in an honest unbiased way if there is any sense to the theory that the Violin is anything other than just a musical instrument that can be enjoyed but nothing more.

First let us examine the negative aspects of playing the violin. If we are seriously saying that just playing can give you some relief from a physical problematic symptom then this is a definite no. In fact due the unusualness of the way we hold the instrument it is the opposite. Many violinists suffer back problems, shoulder problems and general aches and pains because of their craft. We are all taught the classical way to hold the instrument but this is seriously not a natural way to play and has to be induced by hours of practice.

If we switch to mental healing powers we may be on to something. One of the biggest causes of illness in our society is stress. Stress may not cause an actual physical illness but it will certainly make it worse. The violin has an effect of somehow washing away this stress and can take the player to another place. I have experienced this many times over the years and my violin has become the key that opens a door and takes me out of daily stressful situations, and after an hour or so of playing I feel like my stress levels are nonexistent. It is extremely difficult to explain this to a non-musician, but I suppose that levels of concentration in playing the violin don't leave room for other things, and therefore it has a therapeutic effect on the player.

To a non-violinist you need to imagine playing the violin as a musical massage for the brain, just like going to a health farm will cleanse your body of toxins, so the violin will cleanse your brain of everyday problems. Unfortunately they soon come back when you stop playing, but for a time your stress-levels will fall, and that can't be a bad thing.

So in conclusion, the violin does have therapeutic powers for the relief of stress and this is not an Urban Myth. I would argue that this is also the case for all other instruments, and a good argument to take your children to some form of musical lessons, they will thank you for it when they become adults.

If you are considering learning to play the violin, then The Violin website is as good a place as any to start. Enter here



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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Songwriters - How to Reference A Song You Love to Come Up With a New Melody for Your Song

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A great way to come up with a melody is to look at one you love and modify it to be completely new. Let's reference the song "Firework" by Katy Perry as an example.

Let's look at the notes of the chorus aligned to the beat. The numbers on top represent the beats of the song:

3-------4-------1-------2-------3-------4-------1-------2-------3

Ba-by--you're-a-fiiiii-----------------yer-------work

Eb-Db-C------Bb-Bb---------------Ab--------C

Let's try keeping those same notes, but changing the rhythm to come up with a new melody. We'll start our melody on beat 1, instead of beat 3:

1-------2-------3-------4-------1-------2-------3

Ba------------------by-you're-a-fiiii----yer

Eb------------------Db-C----BbBb---Ab

Of course, we wouldn't use those same words, but I wanted you to be able to easily follow along. If you play these notes on your piano or guitar to the new beats I've assigned them to above, you'll see the melody takes on a completely different feel. You'll noticed I deleted the last C note from the original melody, which also helped change up the melody a bit.

There are endless ways in which you can keep the same notes as a current song, while modifying the rhythm, to come up with something new.

You probably noticed in that last example that aside from changing the rhythm of the notes, and omitting the last note when I was referencing "Firework," I also started my melody on a different beat. I started on the 1, whereas the chorus in "Firework" starts on the 3.

The beat you start your melody on can affect the mood of your song. A lot of times songwriters write their melodies starting on the downbeat (or beat 1) of a measure, because it tends to come more naturally to do so. If you do that all the time, it can become tedious.

It's also important to note that whatever word lands on the downbeat (the 1 beat) will tend to be the most highlighted word. Even though Katy Perry starts the chorus melody on the 3 beat, the word "Firework" hits on the downbeat. That makes sense, because it's the title of the song, so it stands out when it's placed on the 1 beat. The word "firework" also stands out because she stretches it out to over a measure long.

Changing the beat the melody starts on is seldom considered, but can make a big impact in how your melody hits your listeners' ears. It's definitely worth experimenting with.

To learn more, download my free EBook here:
http://www.SuccessForYourSongs.com/freeoffer/

Anthony Ceseri is the owner of http://www.successforyoursongs.com/, a website dedicated to the growth and development of songwriters of all skill levels. Anthony's writings appear as examples in the book "Songwriting Without Boundaries: Lyric Writing Exercises For Finding Your Voice" by Pat Pattison, an acclaimed lyric writing professor at Berklee College of Music.



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Monday, October 29, 2012

Songs about famous people

It is not at all surprising that there are so many songs about famous people. From the earliest days of civilization, people have sought ways to pay tribute to people in their lives, particularly those who are considered as cultural heroes. Artists capture their images in paint or clay, and they to musicians and song writers, the best possible way for them to show how deeply care about the contribution that (a) the person has made in the world, or even just for them personally, is to use the form of art they are most familiar with.

American Pie - Don McLean
The song pays homage to several celebrities from highly respected rock and roll who were killed in a tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were killed in the crash. Their death was regarded as such a loss to the world of music that date became known as "the day the music died".
Candle in the wind-Elton John
Candle in the Wind is a song that was written as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, the American movie star emblem. The song originally used the words, "Goodbye Norma Jean", in which the singer later changed to "Goodbye England Rose" in tribute to Princess Diana after her death in an automobile accident.
George Harrison - all years
George Harrison was a member of the iconic rock and roll band by the Beatles. Although the Group had destroyed some years earlier, when John Lennon was murdered in New York, they wrote this song tribute after the joy of their friendship and work together.
Abraham, Martin and John-Dion
Rather than being written on a single person, this song was written as a tribute to four giants of social justice and the progress, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., John f. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, who were all killed by assassins.
Happy birthday-Stevie Wonder
In fact written as a protest song, Stevie Wonder wrote the lyrics to "Happy birthday as a reaction to the rejection by the political leadership of a national holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., national leader of civil rights."
King, Steve Martin
Certainly one of the more unusual songs written for someone famous, the King was a song written and Sung regularly by comedian Steve Martin comedy. Even if some words are quite stupid, the song is very popular and served to familiarize the youth about the history of the ancient Egyptian rule.
Biko-Peter Gabriel
Steve Biko was an activist against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. He was arrested after taking part in a variety of anti-apartheid activities, and after his arrest, he was beaten and taken to prison, where he died. The song is a tribute to him and was featured in the film Cry Freedom, which was on the death of the activist.

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