Adv. Vikram Swaran Singh Chadha asked:


At Innovation Entertainment, we believe in music. As a way to encourage songwriters to continuously develop their craft, we created the Low Budget Love Music Competition. Our contest was founded on the belief that “you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make quality music that people will love.”

The monthly subscription based music competition gives songwriters and artists the chance to win cash prizes, gain industry access, obtain potential licensing opportunities, and have their music heard by industry professionals, including Grammy award winners and chart-toppers.

you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make quality music that people will love.

Artists of all genres entered Innovation Entertainment’s April 2008 Low Budget Love Music Competition, each entry was judged based on lyrics, melody, originality and composition by a group of listening panels comprised of music industry insiders, music lovers, and concert-goers.

The finalists are as follows:

Artist, Song, (State/Country)

-Jenni Alpert, Damage Done (California)

-Jenni Alpert, Tragedy (California)

-Jenni Alpert, Untied (California)

-Alexx Calise, Morning Pill (California)

-Alexx Calise, Out of Sight (California)

-Daphne Darling, Eight (Ontario, Canada)

-Daphne Darling, Until Then (Ontario, Canada)

-Deanna Dellacioppa, So Simple (New Jersey)

-Nicholas Deonigi, Back to You (Washington)

-Derek Elton, Redneck’s Lament (Todmorden, UK)

-Elana Harte, Heart Soul and Song (Ontario, Canada)

-Elana Harte, My Poor Heart (Ontario, Canada)

-Elana Harte, Only Lover (Ontario, Canada)

-Sly Joe, Melody (Wisconsin)

-Brian Mazzaferri, About a Girl (Illinois)

-Brian Mazzaferri, Pass Through (Illinois)

-Brian Mazzaferri, Snowfall (Illinois)

-Karen Meeks, Didn’t You Know (Pennsylvania)

-Karen Meeks, I Go Deep (Pennsylvania)

-Karen Meeks, Sand in My Shoes (Pennsylvania)

-Gaby Moreno, Bella (California)

-Gaby Moreno, Escondidos (California)

-Gaby Moreno, Ghosts (California)

-Gaby Moreno, Little Sorrow (California)

-Justin Sheehy, Call My Name (California)

-Brooks Taylor, Things Ain’t Looking So Pretty (California)

The second round of judging will be carried out by our esteemed industry panel, this month’s judges are:

Michael Sembello (Grammy Award Winner)

Tim Carmon (Producer & renowned musician for Eric Clapton, BB King)

Keith Rouster (Songwriter on Temptations Grammy Award winning album Ear – Resistable)

Ralph Hawkins (Music Director & Producer for Eddie Murphy, Rick James)

clevverTV asked:

17 Again Movie Trailer – Zac Efron Follow Us- Twitter.com What would you do if you got a second shot at life? That is the plot of 17 Again when Mike ODonnell played by Matthew Perry is magically transformed back to the age 17. Zac Efron plays the younger version who goes back to high school to relive his glory days. This could be Zac Efrons first big breakout role outside of the musicals like High School Musical and Hairspray. A little funny, a little touching, I dont see how this can miss …

Shine Music asked:


Why is Music Important for Kids?

This question has been debated for as long as time has existed. Even the great Greek and Roman philosophers approached the question: is music something that should be taught and does it help the development of children? Plato answered “I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all arts are the keys to learning.” And again “what then is the education to be? Perhaps we could hardly find a better than that which the experience of the past has already discovered, which consists, I believe, in gymnastic, for the body, and music for the mind.”

In all cultures of the world music plays an important role. While these roles may change depending on the culture it is impossible to separate music from the life of an individual. While some may argue the role of music in our lives it is impossible to escape it. Even in the popular culture of Australia it is impossible to go shopping without hearing music. Music provides a means of communication and expression of culture and individual identity.

Children are immersed in music from birth and will be for their entire life. If this is the case why teach it? Is not the constant immersion in music enough? To this I say; is the fact that we witness the results of scientific principals on a day to day basis result in the understanding of those scientific principles? No it does not and likewise for music it does not either. The day to day encounters we have with music can move us but the understanding of this music can help us grow as individuals.

In many cultures the family plays the main role in music education. Families are most commonly the ones that teach children the music of their culture. As young children, we are commonly sung nursery rhymes. These provide entertainment for the child and often information in small repeated fashion. Children learn through the repetition and structure that the information was delivered in. many nursery rhymes teach fundamental life lesson and therefore sets music up as a means of educating. Children learn from music from a young age and will continue to for the rest of their lives. In a world where globalization and consumerism are dominating cultural identities are drifting into the background and children are more likely to be sung pop songs as lullaby’s than nursery rhymes. The benefit of nursery rhymes and progressive learning has become an issue. Children are missing out on fundamental learning opportunities.

The Mozart effect which gained a large following in the 1990’s claimed that listening to Mozart as a baby will make a child smarter. While this movement was short lived and there is little proof that it works there has been no denying that children who learn music will achieve higher in other aspects of their academic life. In earning music children learn to express their identities, gain confidence and develop sense of time and space. A research team at the university of Munster in Germany discovered that students who study music have more developed abstract reasoning skills which are closely linked to learning in the areas of science and maths.

I do not believe that there is any argument to this question…music is a vital part of a child’s education and should be taken seriously. Listening to music is not enough! A child must learn to think musically and that is what will help assist the development of the child and their academic development.

written by Gemma Lee from www.shinemusic.com.au teachers of piano, saxophone, violin, singing, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, flute and clarinet

Davion W asked:


Anime video downloads for Japanese cartoons like Naruto, Evangelion, Sailor Moon, Doraemon are much sought after by manga and cartoon fans. While these are normally screened in Japan over TV, the teens and even young adults around the world are getting fascinated with these anime series. Since they are not able to watch them via TV broadcasts, they are buying up anime VCDs and DVDs. With anime video downloads made available nowadays either for free or for a fee, here is a quick discussion on both free and paid options.

Free Services to Download Anime Videos

Fans have been downloading free videos for a while now at P2P networks. It is not totally problem free of course. Users have complained about the videos being incomplete with scenes cut and viruses, spyware and adware are often downloaded together with the video files. The performance of their PCs goes down as a result.

On top of P2P networks, you can also find anime videos at fan sites. They are not exactly free as we would soon realize. Similar to peer-to-peer, your videos may have missing or skipped episodes. Tell me which fan likes to watch an incomplete cartoon series where all the major scenes like showdowns are taken away. Fansub sites are also prone to the same problems at P2P when downloading anime videos.

Anime Video Downloads Membership Services

Registered members can now download not only anime videos but movies also at membership services. We are talking about dozens of DVD quality videos you can have access to. Transfer them to a DVD or CD and you can play it on both your PC and TV. Typically, such services do not cost more than $39.99 and it is a one off deal to download unlimited anime movies and videos. There are no bandwidth restrictions at all.

Like what we mentioned earlier, you can download anime videos and movies in full complete series and seasons. Even movies adapted from manga and anime like Death Note are available to members. No wonder it has gotten cartoon enthusiasts all over the world getting excited.

You can start to watch Death Note, or catch Bleach in a moment’s time when you download the full length DVD quality anime video downloads at my video blog.

Steve Allen asked:


I’m talking about live recordings and live videos.

It isn’t necessarily the bands’ fault that, on the whole, the quality of these recordings is below par. However it is the bands’ fault to release these recordings to the public.

A band needs to understand that live recordings of ‘established’ artists are finalized in the recording studio, many times re-recording voice and removing parts of the show where obvious mistakes were made onstage.

Live performances are a series of moments. If you make a mistake, the moment when you made that mistake passes and is quickly forgotten by the live audience because they are listening to the music from the next moment in the performance.

The problem with live recordings is that if you don’t remove those error moments, every time the listener hears your performance they will hear the mistake, because the mistake has been permanently fixed into the recording. Sure sometimes it’s okay to leave a mistake or two, after all you need to appear human, but drums out of time, singing flat or sad guitar solos are too much.

Bands make the mistake in recording live with inadequate equipment, where the source is normally taken from the ambience which, on the whole, produces a distorted sound, and not taken from line to the table and passed onto multi channel equipment to be mixed and finalized later on in the studio. The extra cost of doing this will result in a recording of better quality and the tracks could be used in a live album at a later date.

Live recordings are to remember the spectator what they experienced during the shows of their favourite band and should be directed to this audience. A live audience will experience more than the music during an event, they would experience the atmosphere, the emotion of being at a live event and not concentrating directly on the music in itself. Rarely a live album would create for a cold customer the same experience and so the live recording needs to highlight the quality of the music.

As we are in the video age, this attention needs to be doubled as we are able to see the empathy of the artist onstage also. Image quality is important, as is the interaction between the artist and cameras; I say cameras as just one camera won’t give adequate dynamics.

For up and coming bands I would advise to use video recordings as a tool for self improvement, to be kept in private, to be analyzed to make the live stage performance better, to see what could be done to improve the presentation.

I would also advise them to only make public studio recordings which can be quality controlled better to generate a fan base and release the live recordings later on when the fan can relate more with the band. I’m not saying that you should from day one produce a mega album, as that would probably be unviable, but produce one song at a time when the cash flow permits. That way at the right time you will eventually have enough material to have your collection of songs and put them all together on one album.

Success.

Steve Allen

Steve Allen Steve Allen is consultant and music producer. Author of “Marketing Your Music – Success Strategies”, “Personal Management in the Music Industry” and “Street Teams – Expand your Fan Base” http://www.marketingyourmusic.net

You may copy this article and post it in your site, without onus, as long as you keep the due credits for the author and source intact, with an active visible link, below the text to the url: http://www.marketingyourmusic.net

Rita Henry asked:


According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Musicians, singers, and related workers are employed in a variety of settings. Of those who earn a wage or salary, almost two-thirds were employed by religious organizations…” and “Most new wage and salary jobs for musicians will arise in religious organizations.” If you’ve decided to enter music ministry, then you’ve chosen the best segment of the music industry in which to work, and not only financially. As a minister of music, you’ll have the tremendous satisfaction of fostering both the love of music and the love of God in your work. But there’s more than just playing music in the typical job description for a minister of music.

Long gone are the days when the Minister of Music was the choir director, working on his or her own to draw beautiful music from the voices of the congregation. Today’s job description for minister of music is as likely to include supervising a full team of music directors and leaders as it is to have you standing before the choir yourself. More and more, the job description of a minister of music puts a high premium on understanding the use of the newest technology in planning and presenting music as part of worship services. As a member of the music ministry, you may direct choirs, sit on the planning ministry to help steer worship goals and objectives, produce and direct lavish performances on a world class scale. Your job duties may include any or all of the following:

-Direct church choirs of varying sizes and commitments from kindergarteners to professional singers

-Provide and schedule music for all church services

-Select or help select the hymns for church services

-Prepare choirs and bands for competition

-Offer special music classes to parishioners

-Arrange and direct special music retreats for choir, band and chorus members

-Oversee other musical staff such as directors of choirs, organists and other musicians, worship leaders and accompanists

In some smaller churches, you may be the only music minister, and be responsible for developing and directing all church music. In a larger church, there may be many music ministers all working together under one director of music services.

If you’re considering a career in the music ministry, you’ll find that foremost under the job qualifications in a job description for minister of music are a deep commitment to the faith and a call to the ministry. Most churches require that you uphold the standards and beliefs of the religion as well as have excellent musical and teaching skills.

If you are drawn to a career in music ministry, your path may begin as a part time choir director or paid accompanist. As you demonstrate your abilities in leadership and music, you will find more and more doors opening to you. A career in the music ministry is deeply and richly rewarding. If it’s the path to which you’ve been called, you’ll find that there are many opportunities for you to share your love of music with others who feel the same way that you do.

Tom Aaron asked:


ng English communication in Japan differs from teaching a foreign language in America. Many Americans have studied a foreign language at some point in their lives. You may remember a class where you learned vocabulary and grammar, practicing all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Foreign language education in America is far from perfect as we can see from the number of Americans who speak English, and only English. The biggest problem with foreign language studies in America may be that Americans do not get enough. Japanese certainly have enough foreign language studies; the problem in Japan is different: Foreign language education is lopsided.

In Japan, students learn grammar and vocabulary much as Americans generations ago learned Latin. While this situation is slowly changing in Japan, students who want to learn to communicate in English generally have to go outside the normal school system to study languages in private language schools. Many native English speakers teach in such schools. The students come to use English, to practice what they know. Many teachers in these schools have materials provided for them, but many teachers also need to create their own materials. In this article, we would like to present a topic that we have found of interest to students in Japan: alternative American lifestyles.

Read alternative American lifestyles and you may immediately think of the ways that people can live based on religion, sexual identity, or other factors. We are only talking about people who live on boats or in RVs. Many Americans live on boats or in RVs across America and around the world. In Japan, people do not appear to live on boats or in RVs. Most Japanese are very interested in different lifestyles. Below is the information that we have used in our classes:

Boat Life

Although most people in the United States live in houses and apartments, a significant number of people live on boats. In some ways, life is different from living on land. Land dwellers do not need to think about checking that the boat is securely tied to the dock or having the barnacles scraped every six months.

We call people who live on boats liveaboards. Liveaboards do what most other people do, going to work, attending school, and listening to music. Their lifestyle is unique in that water surrounds their homes. Liveaboards can enjoy living on water near an urban environment, seeing birds on the dock, and watching them fly overhead. Sitting on the deck and watching the moon at night is a lovely boat experience. Listening to the water lap gently against the side of the boat can make each day feel just like a holiday.

When a storm comes though, the same water may seem like a roaring ocean about to attack.

Being a liveaboard can present other problems. Boats can have leaks, grow mold, or become damp. Forget about crispy pretzels. On a boat, you’re more likely to have slightly dampish pretzels if you don’t eat them right from the store. The dampness from the water permeates the boat, making staying warm in the winter a challenge.

Liveaboards also have the great advantage of flexibility. If you want to go someplace, you just take your boat. Going inland can be difficult though.

RV Life

Drive around Japan and you will probably see small RVs, which are recreational vehicles. They are little cabins on wheels for camping with space for sleeping, showering, and cooking. RVs in America are usually much bigger; some have toads. A toad is slang for a car that you tow behind your RV. Drive somewhere in a 40-foot RV, which is a fairly standard size, and you will probably not want to drive the RV if you have to go grocery shopping or run errands. The toad is the answer and many people with RVs have toads. We think the word “toad” comes from “towed.” RVs come in many sizes, some under 20 feet and some about 40 feet.

Not that long ago, most RV owners were senior citizens. Now, however, Americans from babies to senior citizens live and travel in RVs. Some RVS are simply for vacations, but many people actually live in their RVS, traveling around the United States and Canada. If you live in an RV, America is your home. There is always something new to see or do.

If you ever travel to Japan and teach English there, you may want to think about teaching alternative lifestyles like these.

Gabrielle Price asked:


I first purchased a 35mm camera, a German made Practika, back in 1987 when I was a green 20 year old, living in England.  Upon my return home to the US I had learned that my little brother was playing in a punk rock band.  This was surprising to me, since he’d never really played an instrument in 1985 when I left to go across the pond!  The band he played in had booked their first local show so of course I had to go and take photos of my brother’s 15 minutes of fame.  As it turned out, that fame lasted a lot longer than 15 minutes and the moments I captured then were seeds planted.  My passion for photography and specifically, music photography grew from those moments.

 

Music has always been a major theme in my life.  I’ve always been a music appreciator and listen to many styles and genres.  **** Clark once said that ‘Every life has a soundtrack’ and I believe that wholeheartedly.  Although my brother’s band broke up many moons ago, music never left me as an inspiration to create and capture moments in photographs.  Many of my artistic shots are titled after songs, albums or specific lyrics that never left me and inspired many pieces.

 

Recently, I feel I have come full circle when I take photographs for current bands and venues.  People whom I had met in those early days are still promoting and still playing and it is great to be there with them, watching, listening and snapping.  What I have realized during this renaissance is that the photos I take now are better than before because I have grown.  I think they capture more energy because my eyes and ears are more seasoned now.  I know what to watch for and listen to…chord changes, leads, nods, rim shots.  Even the silences in between…the music simply directs me where to go.  Its great to experience moments like that as an artist because you feel a sense of soundness – one that does not come from outside yourself.  You know you are doing what you love and it loves you right back.

 

Punk rock has been very good to me as a visual artist but there are many genres of music that I love and enjoy.  Each show offers unique moments of connection in the spirit of communicating to an audience and also the unique communication between musicians.  I believe that live photos will only be as energetic and passionate as the band performing.  If I’m at a music event and the members heart’s aren’t really in it, the camera can’t hide that.  Other bands are so energetic that you have to match the energy level to get great captures – which requires a good amount of stretching beforehand if you really want to dig your heels in!  That’s where I have the most fun, when I can feed off that energy and deliver it back in photos.

 

Witnessing a live show has always been a sharing of energies.  For me, taking photographs at shows marries my passion for the art of photography and the love of music.  Mingle that with the passion of the musicians as they perform their craft for an anticipating audience.and that is an old recipe that yields nothing short of magic for this shutterbug.

Thank you for reading.

 

You can find my live music and other photography at www.gabriellepricephotography.com

Davion W asked:


Anime fans are constantly on the prowl for the latest season of anime video downloads. While there are many series like Naruto, Evangelion, Full Metal Alchemist and so on available in nicely packed video collections you can find in retail stores, watching them on PC remains a nice option for the adolescent especially those who spend hours on the internet. There are places online where you can download your favorite anime videos for free or for a fee. We will take a look at these options and give you some clues as to how to select a great download site for anime video downloads.

Free is not always good

You may be able to download some videos at several fan sites for free. These are anime fansubs ie anime videos that are subtitled by fans for the local audience. Unfortunately, many of these sites are plagued by problems. You may expose your computer to viruses and other harmful adware and spyware. Many of these also offer incomplete videos or in worst cases, corrupted files.

There are now paid membership sites where membership for unlimited access to anime video downloads cost less than $30. Why go to the trouble of downloading free when you can do so safely and conveniently for so little money? We will look at some characteristics of a good site.

1. Wide Collection of Anime Video Downloads

Since you are paying, then you should choose one with a wide selection of anime series. There are some that offer you at least a few hundred series. These sites are worth a second look.

2. Cheap Pricing

Needless to say, the price is important and you should compare around if you can spare the time. Anything that costs more than $40 needs reconsideration.

3. Multi-Genre of Anime

If the site offers both old and new anime videos, this is a rare deal. Most of the time, the download sites offer either new or old videos but not both. Outstanding ones even have those versions that are no longer available on the shelves or in the market. You will find one through my recommended link below.

4. Safe Downloading

I shared about how risky it can be to download anime videos at free fan sites. With the paid membership services, you need not worry about this at all.

5. Fast Download Speeds

Another important factor is the download speeds. If you have any experience downloading music files online, you should know how heavy the media files for videos are. The site that you choose must allow you to download the anime videos quickly so that you can watch earlier.

6. Media Files Other than Anime Video Downloads

Stretch your dollar further by choosing a site that gives you more than just the ability to download anime videos. It would be ideal if you can find one where they give you extras like anime movies, manga movies and more.

Do such quality sites for anime video downloads exist at all? Yes they do. Find out more at my anime blog.

Eric de Fontenay asked:


Leading music-industry expert The Moses Avalon Company announced the launch of an interactive educational portal based on its successful Confessions of a Record Producer live-workshop series. Confessions Workshop On-Line contains 11 lessons, containing subjects ranging from copyright and royalties to new developments in digital distribution, music piracy, and the iTunes model. There is also an extensive library of Q&A compiled from years of live workshops and a link to ask Mr. Avalon direct questions. The only music-business workshop in the nation accredited by the California Bar Association, Confessions Workshop On-Line makes it simple for artists, songwriters, producers, and others to view the program anytime, anywhere.

Superstar producer Rob Chiarelli (Christina Aguilera, Will Smith) describes it as “the most well thought-out, articulate, and comprehensive workshop ever conceived. Absolutely the best”. Other industry pros’ comments have echoed this sentiment. “With so much change in the music industry lately and more artists using unconventional methods to further their careers, Confessions Workshop On-Line is the perfect tool for them to stay informed and empowered about their rights in a contract and their business in general”, says CEO Moses Avalon, “This is like having 24/7 access to a music-industry expert at your beck and call. Considering today’s economy, it’s far better than traveling to a live workshop or spending thousands on a music-industry college class.”

For more information, visit http://www.confessionsworkshop.com.

About The Moses Avalon Company

For over eight years, the Moses Avalon Company has offered a wide array of products and services for those interested in learning about the music business. From platinum-selling recording artists and producers to the US Senate Judiciary Committee on Record-Industry Accounting Practices, countless knowledge-seekers have sought the company’s expertise on the ins and outs of the ever-changing business of music. Services include music-industry contract analysis and consultation, dispute resolution, expert-witness testimony, and the ever-popular Confessions of a Record Producer live workshop, based on Mr. Avalon’s best-selling book. The workshop, the only one of its kind to offer CLE credits to practicing attorneys, is also available online at www.confessionsworkshop.com. For more information, visit http://www.mosesavalon.com.

About Moses Avalon

Mr. Avalon began his career by producing and engineering records for several major and independent labels. After noticing that all the “how-to” books on the music industry were written from a formally-legal perspective and thus inaccessible to musicians, he took a more informal, real-world approach when writing his first best-seller, Confessions of a Record Producer: How To Survive the Scams and Shams of the Music Business. The book is now integrated in over 40 colleges’ curricula and the inspiration for a successful live workshop and online education portal. Mr. Avalon remains an active lecturer around the world, popular blogger of Moses Supposes, frequent guest at Bar Association events, CEO of The Moses Avalon Company, and author of two other books on the music industry.