2008 July : GEAR-MONSTERS

Archive for July, 2008

Victor Epand asked:

Drums are percussive instruments built by stretching a membrane across an opening in a vessel. The most common property of various types of drums is their pitch. Drums are the one of the oldest and the most omnipresent instruments. Even with the various types of drums present, the most common aspect is the origin of sound. Sound in a drum originates from the vibration caused when you strike the membrane, called the head, with another object. Drumheads can be made from the skin of a goat, cow, antelope, or sheep, or even a synthetic material. The types of drums that exist vary as markedly as the people who use them for communication, ritual, or entertainment all over the world.

The common way of classifying drums into different types of drums is by their shape. Most drums fall into the following categories

cylindrical, barrel, conga, waisted, goblet, or bowl.

A frame drum, with its squat hoop, and a long drum, which is thin and tall, are both the cylindrical variety. A barrel such as a Tabla, goblet such as a Djembe, and bowl such as a Nakari, are named for their shapes so they are easily recognized. The conga tapers at its bottom, and the waisted drum tapers in the middle, as with a Changko’s cinched waist.

A further classification on the types of drum is made on the basis of which side the drum might have a head. A drum may have a head at either end of the body or only on one. Drums like congas and bowls have one head, but frame drums have two. Some drums can be carried while walking or dancing while some drums are stationary, such as the Djembe from Mali.

Besides the categorization of various drums into types of drums one should be aware that not all drums are specifically tuned. The drums develop their tone due to body shape or head size. Pulling a cord or shifting a peg to stretch the head can adjust the pitch of a drum.

The western world of rock music listeners is more familiar with non-pitched drums, such as a bass or snare drum in a drum set. These can be used in combination with any harmony or key.

We can also differentiate drums in a drum kit as types of drum. A drum kit consists of a collection of various types of drums and cymbals. It can also be accompanied by various percussion instruments such as cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines arranged in a suitable manner for the convenience of the drummer.

Differing music styles implement the components of a drum kit in different manners. Ride cymbals and hi-hats are usually preferred more in a jazz set-up, whereas a bass drum and snare drum is preferred more for rock music.

With the on-set of technology another type of drum that gained popularity is the electronic drum kit. It was in 1980 that electronic drums were introduced. Today they can be easily used as an easy replacement for other various types of drums in acoustic settings.

Used Music Equipment

Do you want to be a guitar player, or do you want to play guitar?

During one of John Grisham’s recent book tours, Grisham answered questions posed by readers. One reader posed the basic question “How can I become a writer?” I thought Grisham’s response was fantastic. He essentially responded by saying “Do you want to be a writer, or do you want to write?” It was a very thought-provoking answer, and I think the same logic applies to the guitar.

I think most of us got into playing guitar because we wanted to be a guitar player. We were inspired by our favorite guitarist(s), and we picked up the instrument to try and recreate the music that we loved. Moreover, many of us wanted to be a famous guitar hero that other people look up to like we looked up to our heroes. Wanting to be a guitar player is not a bad thing. However, at some point, those of us that stick with the instrument must make the transition from wanting to be a guitar player to wanting to play guitar.

You might be wondering, “What’s the difference?” The distinction is this. Wanting to be a guitar player is an external motivating factor. The focus is on how other people perceive you. By contrast, wanting to play guitar is an internal motivating factor. You are playing guitar because you want to, not because you want others to perceive you as a guitar player. If you want to play the guitar, you will do so even if no one else knows about it. It takes a lot of hours woodshedding in order to be a great guitar player, and most of those hours are spent alone hunched over the guitar. And, spending all that time requires a great desire to play the guitar.

Although I think wanting to play guitar is more important than wanting to be a guitar player, I’m not suggesting that you can’t want to do both. In fact, some of the best artists are those that love the guitar so much, they can’t think of doing anything other than being a guitar player and playing the guitar all the time. The choices are not mutually exclusive. However, I don’t think you can ever be a great guitar player unless you want to play guitar all the time.

Source:
Guitar LlifeStyle

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Drumming Technique – 2 Golden Rules to Improve Any Drummers Performance When Playing Drums

Darren tunstall asked:

Are you a student taking drum lessons or are you a drum teacher of music lessons? Playing drums can be fun and you can learn (or teach) drums in a short while, or be a much better drummer, by following two (2) golden rules of drumming. If you want to learn drums more effectively and efficiently, then this article is for you.
So, what are the two (2) golden rules? They are:
1.       Technique
2.       Stick Heights
The first golden rule is Technique. In drumming, this is how you hold your drumsticks or keyboard mallets while playing a pattern of sticking that is suitable for a particular drumming exercise or drum music. The way that you hold the stick is called grip. There are two types of grip in drumming. They are:
·         Match Grip
·         Traditional Grip
Each grip is really a matter of preference. Sometimes, the type of percussion instrument you play will determine the type of grip you should use. In many cases it is good to know how to play drums with both types of grips. This will allow for you to always be prepared no matter the situation.
If you are beginning drummer, recommendations are to begin with the match grip. Match grip is exactly what the word match describes; the hands are holding the drumsticks exactly the same. It is kind of like holding bicycle handle bars with a few adjustments to angle and thumbs. This grip is generally held by many concert percussionists, jazz drum kit players, rock band drummers and by marching percussions tenor drummers and bass drummers. See a hand example of how to hold a drumstick using the match grip by clicking here.
The next grip, traditional grip, is a technical drumming hold that if done properly, can approve your drumming abilities in terms of speed, endurance, accuracy, finger and hand agility and overall aesthetics. When teaching drum lessons, drum teachers should instruct their students to include door knob turning as part of their daily exercise. The reason for this is because the motion that the forearm performs is the same turn that that is used when playing drums with a traditional grip. Furthermore, the fingers are place properly on to the stick. Two fundamental notes to having better control of the stick when playing with the traditional grip:
·         Never release the thumb from the index finger
·         Keep the pinky and the ring finger together working as one (this can be accomplished by taping the two fingers together)
Traditional grip is often used in marching percussion by snare players. Many jazz drummers, like Buddy Rich performs with the traditional grip as well as Drum Corps drummers like the Concord Blue Devils. There are also many drum videos and drum DVD’s that portray the traditional grip. A great example can be seen at Drumex.com, where the drum video shows a snare drummer auditioning for the UCLA Drumline. A hand illustration of the traditional grip can be seen by clicking here.
The second golden of drumming is stick heights. In marching drumlins and percussion ensembles, the focus is on uniformity. Meaning everyone needs to look the same including their hand positions (grip) and levels of heights. There are two types of stick heights that should be required for anyone playing drums, especially when playing snare drum rudiments. They are:
·         Accents
·         Taps
There is a distinct difference between the two. Bottom line is accents are played higher than taps. Drum teachers usually explain this by saying taps are all the inside notes, the low notes. Accents are taught to be played vertically. The common misconception is that accents and taps is just for marching drumlines, but it can also be played by drum kit drummers too. The benefit to playing drum music with proper stick heights is that it sounds and it looks good. One of the best books that could teach you how to play proper stick heights is Accents and Rebounds by George Lawrence Stone. Stone is well-known for his first book, Stick Control.
The two golden rules, technique and stick heights will improve your drumming abilities. Pay close attention to each of the two in detail when playing drums. You get the most benefit of your drum lessons by practicing and researching. Review drum videos and watch a lot of Buddy Rich and Mike Portnoy to better your drumming. Good luck and don’t use drum tabs, read drum music.

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Bob Lutz: Detroit’s Big Three are not Losers

Evander Klum asked:

According to General Motors Corporation Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, he is getting fed up by the widespread notion that the big three are nothing but big losers.

Vice Chairman Lutz said, “We have been routinely dismissed as dumb, unprepared, anachronistic — an endangered species. Are we to believe that three independent companies, with three completely diverse global management teams, grounded by three different and independent boards, all at once nearly imploded because they were all just the same level of stupid at the same time?”

Although the big three in the past have their shares of wrong management decisions, product development that have proven more of a liability than a profit earning venture and of course labor relations which until now is weighing down on the three automakers—it is according to Vice Chairman Lutz view an exaggeration to brand the three automakers as losers.

It can be noted that GM, maker of GMC fender cover, and Ford have been able to turn itself profitable again this year despite the sad fact that they are losing money on their US markets. Last year GM and Ford have collectively lost $14.7 billion.

On the part of Chrysler after a not so good nine-year merger with Daimler, it is now finally independent and starting fresh led by an aggressive new management. Jesse Toprak, Executive Director of Industry Analysis at Edmunds.com said, “I think they’ll all be around for a long, long time.” But he also added that these companies will likely end up smaller than they’ve been in decades attributed to the cutting down of their work force by almost 70,000.

Aside from that just last month Detroit’s Big Three has dropped below a combined 50 percent share of the US car and truck market. According to Autodata Corp., a sales-tracking service, Detroit’s Big Three has only 49.5 percent of the total US market share as of July.

J.D. Power and Associates has its own story to tell with regards to Detroit’s Big Three market share and that is that they control 53.2 percent of the US market. But according to GM and Ford their market share is dropping due to their decisions to reduce sales to less profitable rental car fleets.

Analysts say that the Detroit Three have no one to blame for their suffering but themselves due to their over reliance to gas-guzzling trucks at a time when gasoline prices were reaching their peak. Similarly, consumers are not also to blame for turning to Japanese vehicles since they are more fuel efficient and eco-friendly.

Erich Merklea, an auto industry analyst at IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids said, “The Big Three need to be able to compete more strongly with the Asian automakers outside of trucks.”

Another factor that is hurting the high-profit pickup-truck market is the deep recession in the housing market since most building contractors including their workers are part of the main market for pickups.

The failure of the big three to get a favorable contract from the UAW is also affecting their chance to be profitable again.

Guitar Message Forum

Guitar Lifestyle T-Shirts!

Guitar Lifestyle T-Shirt

I love t-shirts. I feel like a good t-shirt sets the tone for the day. If I’m in a guitar mood, I’ll put on a guitar-related t-shirt, and the shirt will help keep me focused on the guitar throughout the day, even if I’m not around my guitar. It’s also a great conversation starter; it lets people know that you’re a guitar player. And, one of the things that I’ve wanted to do ever since starting the Guitar Lifestyle Web site in 2005 was to create a guitar-related t-shirt. To that end…

I’m very pleased to announce the availability of the Guitar Lifestyle t-shirt! The Guitar Lifestyle Web site is currently being redesigned by my friends at Purr Design, and the Guitar Lifestyle t-shirt sports the new logo design that they have come up with, which I’m very fond of. The shirt is available in several different colors: Military Green (shown), Black, Cardinal, Navy, Red, Royal, Brown, and Charcoal.

The shirts are fulfilled by CafePress, which is a well-known online provider of custom-made products. I have the Military Green shirt and am very impressed with the quality of the shirt. The shirt is pre-shrunk and 100% cotton.

If you love the guitar and guitar-related t-shirts like I do, show the world with the Guitar Lifestyle t-shirt!

Source:
Guitar LlifeStyle

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Elements of Classical Music

Zack Fair asked:

For the most part it can be distinguished by the type of instruments in the musical piece. Most modern forms of music only have a couple of instrumentations used in its creation, whereas classical music uses several types of instrumentation. Musicians of this type of music are extremely skilled in their chosen instrument because of the detailed compositions.

The instruments used in classical music generally come from five or so different groups of instruments, including string instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments and percussion instruments. The use of these types of instruments generally makes up a symphonic orchestra. When the human voice is added to this ensemble of instrument, and opera is formed.

The forms of classical music are numerous as and tend to be very well defined. The concerto is a musical work in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. This form of music was established in the Baroque period and has continued to be a strong musical force today. The symphony is a musical composition and is usually for an orchestra. The opera is an art form in which singer and musicians work together to produce a work that combines text and musical. Another form is known as dance music and its specific use is to facilitate or accompany dancing. This form can either be a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. The suite form of music is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces of music that are performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniments. An etude is a short musical composition designed to provide practice in a particular technical skill in the performance of a solo instrument. A symphonic poem, also known as a tone poem, is a piece of orchestral music in one movement in which some extra-musical program provides a narrative or illustrative event.

Classical music requires a strong knowledge of music and as well as skill in playing an instrument. Knowledge of music must include the familiarity of development, modulation, variation, musical phrases that are of differing lengths, counterpoint, polyphony as well as sophisticated harmony. The skill involved in playing an instrument requires the musician to be adept at sight reading, have the ability to coordinate with other players in the ensemble as well as experience in playing a composer’s music.

The popularity of classical music has been debated for years. It has been said that it is strictly for upper-class citizens, and at the same time others have said that it is popular with the working class. All in all, the popularity depends on what one considers to be classical music. Certain staples of classical music are often used commercially. Movies and television often use standard clichéd pieces of classical music to convey certain emotions to their audiences. In order for the commercial use of classical music to be effective, it has to rely on the fact that anyone who listens to the music will recognize it and be emotionally drawn to it.

Classical music has many forms that make up the genre, even though no specific form is implied in its description. The knowledge and skill of classical musicians makes these musicians sought after for orchestras or symphonies. The commercial use of certain classical pieces helps to keep the classical music alive and available to all classes of people.

Buy – Sell – Trade used music gear

David Gilmour Stratocaster

DavidGilmour.com is reporting that a Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour Stratocaster, which is modeled after Gilmour’s famous Black Strat, will be released on September 22, 2008. The release is scheduled to coincide with the release of Gilmour’s “Live in Gdansk” album, which will also be released on September 22.

Here’s what DavidGilmour.com has to say about the guitar:

In the two years that the guitar has been in discussion, a number of prototypes have been produced, and the final version was only approved when David was happy that all elements combined to make a sound that was as close as possible to his own guitar’s. The ‘Black Strat’ comes in a hard case (by G&G) stuffed with extras: Phil Taylor’s ‘Black Strat’ book, a set of GHS David Gilmour Boomer strings, a copy of the 3-disc version of Live In Gda?sk, a cable by Evidence Audio, a deluxe Fender leather strap, and a David Gilmour plectrum. The interior of the case is a plush green, including embroidered David Gilmour and Fender Custom Shop logos.

There will be two models: a relic model and a ‘New Old Stock’ model:

• The ‘Relic’, which replicates the ‘Black Strat’ as it is today with aged parts and worn paint, plus all the wear and tear of David’s heavily-used 30-year-old guitar – with no backplate.
• The ‘New Old Stock’ model, which replicates the ‘Black Strat’ as it is now – but with all-new parts, ‘new’ paint finish and an additional white plastic backplate. The NOS model should be found at a lower retail price than the ‘Relic’.

Looks nice!

* Photo credit: DavidGilmour.com

(via Strat-o-Blogster)

Source:
Guitar LlifeStyle

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Best Buy = Music Instrument Retailer?

Would you buy a guitar from Best Buy? You may have that choice soon. The Associated Press is reporting that Best Buy is planning on opening up music centers inside as many as 85 of its existing retail stores:

The nation’s largest consumer electronics retailer will announce Tuesday that it plans to open as many as 85 of the music centers inside its stores by the end of the year and could add even more locations in the future, executives told The Associated Press.

Each site will use about 2,500 square feet of retail space and include roughly 1,000 different products with well-known brand names such as Fender, Gibson, Drum Workshop and Roland.

There are already 10 stores that include music centers in California, Illinois, and Minnesota. In addition to instruments, the music centers will have sheet music and other guitar accessories. It sounds like they’ll have a variety of instruments, from beginning-level instruments to high-end instruments.

I think it’s great that more people may be exposed to a wider range of musical instruments, but I think I’ll still be buying my instruments from music stores. A lot of buying a musical instrument involves asking questions, and I’m not sure that Best Buy can compete in that area. I’d be surprised if they are able to hire and staff the music centers with knowledgeable sales people, but maybe I’ll be proven wrong.

Source:
Guitar LlifeStyle

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Cold is Reuniting Album out 2009

cold band Cold is reuniting according to lead singer, Scooter Ward, on Cold’s MySpace page. Cold is expecting to release a new album in the fall 2009. After producing their emotional Different Kind of Pain album the band went in different directions. Cold’s front man, Ward, created The Killer and the Star featuring Limp Bizkit’s drummer John Otto, together they have created songs Symphony for a Mind, Living with Musicians, and Angels Fall. Cold has a new record label called Sonicstar. The boys are sure to please the fans with the much surprising album. The MySpace page told fans to stay tuned for updates.

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The Basics of Jazz Drums

Victor Epand asked:

Music has got its own unique appeal, which can energize your drooping spirits and transport you to a different world altogether. Different musical instruments help to live up the entire musical process all the more effectively. Drums have their own unique appeal.

What sets it apart from other musical instruments, is its capability to jazz up any session and add color to it. It can add the western touch to every music show. Jazz drums form an integral part of the live music sessions.

Jazz music is one such genre of music, which was popularized largely by the famous music composer Louis Armstrong. In fact, jazz music reached new heights under his noble guidance. His legacy still inspires many of the jazz musicians of the present generation.

The drum is usually categorized as a member of the percussion group of instruments. Drum usually is composed of one single membrane known as the drum skin. Drums qualify as the world’s oldest musical instrument. One unique feature of a drum is that its basic design has remained unaltered for ages. Nearly all types of drums fall in the category of untuned instruments. However, modern musicians have started the concept of tuning drums. Often several drums are also arranged together to create a reverberating effect.

Drums usually qualify under the following categories
Aburukuwa
Ashiko
Bass drums
Bongo drums
Jazz drums
Bougarabou
Chenda
Conga
Davul
Dhol
Djembe
Dong Son drum
Dunun
Ewe Drums
Goblet drum
Hand drum
Kpanlogo
Log drum
Mridangam
Side drum (Marching snare drum)
Slit drum
Snare drum
Steelpan (steel drum)
Tabor
Tambourine
Taiko
Tabla
Talking drum
Tapan
Tar
Tenor drums
Timbales
Timpani

Characteristic features of jazz drums

Jazz drums have got an amazing rhythmic quality and sound structure.

They can help to create amazing compositions.

It can jazz up even the most boring music show.

Some of the luminaries in the field of jazz drumming are as followed
Steve Davis
Alan Dawson
Jamey Aebersold
Joe Morello

It is important to learn the fundamental mechanics of jazz drumming to become a consistent player. Playing jazz drums is easy provided you learn the basics right. With the proliferation of the online media there are several software, which can assist you in getting your basics right. Some of them are as followed
Multi media jazz learning kits.
Jazz sheet music.
Jazz backing tracks.

The products can be easily downloaded from different websites according to individual preferences and needs. Some of the popular jazz backing tracks, which can really be helpful for upcoming jazz drummers, are as followed
Lady is a tramp for drums
Summertime for drums
Misty for drums
Green dolphin street for drums
I get a kick out of you for piano

What set jazz drums apart from other categories is its unique toning quality. It can really transform the entire ambiance of a musical concert. But, the whole credit goes to the efficient Jazz drummers, who have transformed the entire musical landscape globally and infused a lot of life into it.

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Archive for July, 2008

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