Power of Music

Boy, I really detest how some people do websites. Bands are some of the worst. Seems like any band that wants to look “professional” feels they must create a website using pop-ups and flash. Why? Cuz that’s what the Majors do?

I tried to go to a friend’s website today to find his email address. He’s in a band. “Click here if you have a pop-up stopper.” Now is that a stupid way to start a website or what?

So I clicked… dreading the outcome… For the next minute the minute flash loaded… A MINUTE!

Meanwhile, I was enjoying some wonderful music by Angelo Branduardi, a wonderful Italian world folk musician. Then “BLLAAAAARRRR.” The frickin flash program was trying to play music that was causing problems with the music I was enjoying… All I wanted was an email address, not a headache!

I find it intriguing. Do you really WANT to alienate journalists?

I publish this newsletter and the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine, and I have to steer clear of Flash websites, because they cause problems. I skip them. NO Band is so good that I’m willing to put up with that crap!

Not to mention Flash websites hinder my ability to review the band. You see, when I start researching a band, I go to their website, copy and paste some info about the band, finish my comments, and voila! There is NO copy and pasting available with Flash. Again, you’ve cut your opportunities for getting decent reviews in half.

I know you want to take advantage of the cool technology available, but technology is useless unless it is used with intelligence. So seriously folks, lay off the Flash websites!

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

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

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You probably remember those dreaded aptitude tests in school. You know,
those tests that revealed your abilities to perform certain tasks?

Well, it’s time to stop dreaming, and put your desire to learn music to the test.

The desire for music is within you, but do you really have what it takes to learn to read music? Discover your own musical capabilities below.

Musical Talent or Not - Does it Matter?

You may not be able to read music right now. You most likely cannot pick up a flute, a guitar or a violin and play a beautiful melody. Even so, everyone around you is always saying how musically talented you are.

Perhaps you can memorize musical tunes on key upon hearing them, create an original song in your mind, or maybe even play an instrument or two without really knowing how to read the music. These are all indications of having natural musical talent.

But, do you have the potential to achieve music?

Even if you have none of the musical abilities above, you can still learn to read music.

Where “natural talent” doesn’t exist, learned musical skills can still be used to make beautiful music. Your love and desire for learning and achieving music is what will make the difference whether you have natural talent or not.

Think of your present career. If you pursued what you loved, you were able to
achieve the skill through learning, right? If you’re a typist, you learned to type.

If you’re a nurse, you went to nursing school.. If you’re a mechanic, you attended
a technical school to achieve this. To read music, you must learn it as well.

Question #1: Do I love music enough to learn how to read music and play a musical instrument?

Learning to Read Music for Adults

If you missed out on music lessons as a child or simply forgot what you
learned, it’s not too late to develop musical skills. Adults can learn to read
music. In truth, a person who has a real desire to learn might achieve more than a child who is being pushed to learn.

Why? As an adult, you already understand the great potential of having this skill. Having a passion for music will drive you to practice often and develop your skills quickly. Only those adults and children who have a desire to continue with music will actually achieve the skill for life!

Question #2: Are you willing to learn music and be dedicated to practice at this stage of your life?

A Goal for Your Music Skills

Another determining factor for learning to read music is your reason for
learning. There should be a goal in mind while developing this skill. Whether
it’s to play an instrument in church, at special gatherings or to have a career in
music, you should have a goal in mind.

With a goal, you’ll be pushed to learn even when you don’t feel like taking a lesson. This is similar to taking college courses.
You attend the classes because you must if you are going to have a successful
career in that field.

Question #3: Do you have a goal or reason for learning to read music?

If you answered “Yes” to all of the above, read the questions below.

Which instrument do I want to play?
If a skilled music teacher is not available, am I willing to teach myself through online training?
When my music lessons begin, can I dedicate at least 15 to 30 minutes per day to practice?

If you answered “Yes” to all these questions, you’re ready to pursue music
lessons.

Start developing your musical skills today to discover a life-long
treasure!

Bob Pardue is the owner of Music Playground. Have some fun and learn to read music FREE by visiting http://www.largemart.com/read-music today…

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The flow of music between England and America operates under laws known to none but a blessed few. Why is it that for many English people, myself included, American music has always implied bland soft rock; the Eagles or Journey? Yet fine musicians like John Hiatt are rarely heard in England. The same discrepancy applies to English music. There are English musicians who seem fated never to gain the recognition they merit and of these, Richard Thompson must be the saddest casualty.

Originally the co-founder of the seminal folk rock band Fairport Convention, Thompson’s career has lasted almost 40 years now. Fairport made some impact in America, but are chiefly remembered for a troubled residency at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, which resulted in the band owing money to the promoter; their bar tab had exceeded their wages. Given this delight in wine and women it is remarkable that Thompson ever got around to song. Amongst his achievements however, are tracks like “Meet on the Ledge” a passionate avowal of faith in the afterlife. Listen to this, and you’ll understand why I think this is the finest song ever written.

Thompson left Fairport in the early 70s, and since then his career has included both solo work and albums with his wife Linda. The best of these. “I Want to See the Bright lights Tonight” was his most successful in the United States. Yet even this was out of print for many years. While Thompson has never achieved great commercial success, other musicians consider him a peerless songwriter. Many of his songs have been covered, amongst the best being Elvis Costello’s soul wrenching version of “Withered and Died”.

With this album “Across a Crowded Room”, Thompson aimed to make an impact on a wider American audience. Written after his painful divorce from Linda, this album shows no mercy in its dismissal of her. The titles of the tracks reveal the depth of the writer’s feelings … “When the Spell is Broken”, “She Twists the Knife Again”, “Love in a Faithless Country”. This last song is snarled to the accompaniment of a mournful chant of “… that’s the way we make love …”

His chilling rejection of conventional romance quashes any possibility of salvation through love. Even when love does come, it can only be transitory: “Love letters you wrote, get pushed back down your throat and leave you choking, when the spell is broken”. Not even tokens of love remain. If love is not possible, then all that remains is lust. A less mournful song, “Fire in the Engine Room”, is a barely veiled hymn to physical satisfaction … you take what you can get in a wasted land.

There are one or two weaker tracks on the album, in particular “Little Blue Number”, an upbeat song which seems incongruous on such a melancholy disc. As a whole, however, this is amongst the most impressive albums by England’s greatest unsung hero.

You can read more of Tuppy Glossop’s thoughts on music and popular culture at his Web site, AtTheFamilyPlace.com

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