The Collected Poems of Octavio Paz, 1957-1987: Bilingual Edition

tr Weinberger, w/Bishop, Blackburn, Levertov et al
Customer Review: Collected Poems of Octavio Paz
This is an excellent edition of the collected poems of Octavio Paz, with English translations facing the Spanish originals. I purchased this as a gift for my Spanish teacher and she was delighted! My favorites are his poems written when he served as a Mexican diplomat in India and Japan. His sensitive mind absorbed the nuances of place and religion, which are recreated for us in the poems. His efforts at haiku en espagnol are enlightening, pun intended.
Customer Review: excellent poetry
I bought this book after reading an excerpt of one of Paz's poems at a camp. I didn't know what poem it was from, so I bought the book and scoured it until I found the poem. It was Brotherhood. The poetry is beautiful and moving. It is the type of poetry you can read and enjoy no matter if you understand what it is saying, the writing is that beautiful

The Beijing Opera, with its distinctive Chinese opera masks, is one of China's most recognizable cultural icons. Combining Music, Dance, Theatre, and Martial Arts, it has existed for over 200 years portraying Historical Events and Literature with beauty, style, and dynamic performance. It is most prominent in Beijing, but almost every Province in China has some form of Opera theatre. With its elaborate costuming, complex musical orchestrations and seemingly limitless Make-up and Mask designs, the Beijing Opera is seeing revitalization in popularity with both young and mature audiences.

What is now called the Beijing Opera originally came from a combination of several sources. In about 1790, four great theatre troupes from Anhui came to perform for the Royal Family. They brought arias and melodies called Xi Pi. Around 1828, performers from Hubei came to the same area and staged combined shows adding their local pieces of music called Er Huang. These performances were for the Royals but soon were to become more mainstream during Emperor Qianlong's reign as well as support from the notorious Empress Dowager Ci Xi. During this time, thousands of pieces of repertoire were developed covering the historical events, classic novels and stories of China as well as revisions of Western stories.

There are four basic categories of characters in the Beijing Opera style.

SHENG- The main Male actors in a performance. Either civil or military, there are several different aspects of training for the various lead male parts.

i. LAO SHENG- Senior Male roles, middle aged man with beard of black, grey or white. A soft or pleasant voice with dignity.

ii. XIAO SHENG- Junior male role or young man. No beard and a high sometimes shrill voice that may, on occasion, crack denoting immaturity and adolescence.

iii. WU SHENG- Acrobatic male roles or roles that require much activity. Military plays or civil plays that demand high standards of acrobatics. Performs the stylized martial arts fight scenes with sword or spear. Not usually trained as opera singer.

iv. WAWA SHENG- Kids and children roles. DAN- Female roles of several categories.

i. QING YI ( Ch'ing I)- Lady of good character. Quiet gentle disposition. Graceful flowing movements in "water sleeves" costume. Elegant but not vivid. Singing voice is high pitched.

ii. HUA DAN ( Hua Tan)- Flirtatious young girl role. Usually not as high a social standing as Qing

Yi. Coy and quick movements. A very difficult part to play. Attractive eye movements and continually changing facial expression. Vivid costume featuring handkerchief to flutter in her hand. Strong voice but more speaking than singing.

iii. GUI MEN DAN (Kuei Men Tan) - Young unmarried girl. This role may turn into Qing Yi or Hua Dan. Mischievous but not as much as Hua Dan. Immature reactions and movements.

iv. DAO MA DAN (Tao Ma Tan) - Female Warrior role. Trained for acting and singing but
performs highly skillful martial movements often with feathered headdress. Still a very feminine role. The now famous role of Disney's "MULAN" was based on Hua Mulan who disguised herself as a man to prevent her father from being conscripted into the military. She served for 12 years during the SouthNorth Dynasty and was decorated as a national hero.

v. WU DAN (Wu Tan) - Female Acrobatic roles. Steps in on any role that requires high acrobatic ability. Purely an acrobat but role can demand a talented actress to make for a successful performance.

vi. CAI DAN (Cai Tan) - Female Comedians. Serves to add relief to stressful scenes in serious plays. See also CHOU roles.

JING- Painted face male roles. These parts are known more for courage and resourcefulness than for scholarly intelligence. Often a high-ranking general or warrior/official. Jing actors are usually extroverts. A robust, sometimes gruff, bass voice. Full of swagger and self-assurance. There are many common color schemes associated with Jing roles but some of the more common are easily recognizable.

v Red- Good character and virtuous person.

v White- Treacherous and guile

v Green-Lack of self-control, rash, stubbornness

v Black- Brusque character

v Blue- Wild perhaps a Robber

v Gold/Silver- Used only for Gods and Spirits

The facial painting patterns also give information about a character. There are hundreds of patterns and designs for many situations and roles.

There are 3 main types of Jing roles:

i. DONG-CHUI- (T'ung Ch'uei) Also know as Hei Tou (Black Face) this role is a good singer and usually a loyal General

ii. JIA ZI- (Chia Tze) - A very good actor for more complicated characters.

iii. WU JING- Fighting and acrobatics. Seldom plays a prominent role.

CHOU- Comedy Roles. Dim but likable and amusing characters. Sometimes slightly wicked perhaps a rascal or a scholar/Prince who would not command much respect. There are two basic types of Chou roles:

i. WEN CHOU- Civilian roles.( Jailer, servant, merchant, scholar)

ii. WU CHOU- Minor Military roles but skilled in acrobatics

Of special mention should be the popular role of SUN WU KONG -The Monkey King.

This is a famous story of a Monks journey from China to India to collect scriptures to bring back to China... He is usually accompanied by a Pig for comedic effect, a not-so-learned monk to mediate the many quarrels and the Monkey King. This is played by a Wu Sheng actor. Known for the bent knees and an arms forward stance that imitate monkey movements. He has mastered Longevity, the 72 transformations of his physical body and can do somersaults in the clouds. Sun Wu Kong is followed by a troupe of monkeys who behave in the same manner but have individual personalities (greedy, naughty, sleepy, etc.). The Monkey King continues to be one of the most popular story lines in all of Chinese Opera Theatre.

The Opera Theatre form suffered during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) when all traditional pieces were banned. New versions became stories concerning "Class Struggle". The "Eight Model Plays" were a very popular theme, as were stories concerning Communist Activities, Anti-Japan sentiment, and the Civil War against Nationalists. The traditional stories were allowed to be shown in 1978 but by then they seemed out of date and the productions lacked historical and theatrical knowledge. Audiences lost to more contemporary forms of entertainment were hard to replace with the exception of those who were children when the Beijing Opera was at its peak. Many who lived through the Cultural Revolution preferred the newer versions and still favor those melodies.

Campaigns exist to bring back this lost art from as well as other Theatrical Arts. The Plum Blossom Award, sponsored by the Chinese Opera Journal, gives awards, judged by the Journal, to new artists. The actors and actresses must be under 45 years of age and come from all over China. These and other competitions are seen on the CCTV, China's main television network and radio stations, particularly during the New Years special concerts. There has even been designated a Beijing Opera Month.

In recent years, performances worldwide of Beijing Opera theatre have brought this marvelous art form to broader audiences. It has served as ambassador to the West providing many new opportunities for people to enjoy a performance style that rivals any of the Grand Operas and Symphonies of Europe and North America.

Timothy Jordan was born in Detroit, Michigan where he began a career in music at a very early age. Having studied with the regions top teachers and performers he set off on his own "MUSO SHUGYO" or musical wanderings and ended up in Boston, Mass. While there he has performed in some of the top music groups, touring, and recording for live, television, theatre and movies. His percussion skills took him to Japan where he had an intensive study with the drummers of KODO. Mr. Jordan also has studied several martial arts styles including Iaido, the Japanese Sword. He continues today to further his cultural studies and is currently the owner of an Asian art and cultural goods Internet retail business, LIVE COMPLETE and ZENSHO PRODUCTS.com

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Dawnbreaker

Dawnbreaker is the debut solo album from former Chesterfield's frontman, vocalist and guitarist, Scott Sharrard. Imagine the soulful, funky rock of Prince and Lenny Kravitz combined with the confessional ballads of Coldplay or Zero 7 and fused with the virtuostic guitar styles of Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton... now you might start to understand the sonic landscape that is the music of Scott Sharrard. Diverse influences abound in Scott's musical palate and the resulting fusion becomes the kind of sophisticated pop music that we have not heard in generations. He is already a renowned songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and producer and Dawnbreaker also features his talents as a drummer, bassist, keyboardist and arranger. Scott Sharrards music was originally introduced to the world through his work as lead guitarist and vocalist of the New York City band, The Chesterfields. The band independently produced and released two albums (2001's Henry Street Soul and 2003's The Chesterfields-EP) to wide critical acclaim. The band received strong college radio airplay and performed and toured at a wide array of East Coast and Midwest clubs, theaters, and festivals. They also opened shows for such artists as Dr. John and Midnight Oil and received critical praise from Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20), Billboard Magazine, and Ahmet Ertegun. During this time, Scott built a solid reputation as a freelance guitarist, vocalist, producer, and composer; working with a variety of artists such as: P. Diddy, Marshall Crenshaw, Cornelius Bumpus, LewSoloff, Michael Powers, Matt Wilson, Jerry Vivino, Grant Green Jr., P.J. Lougrhan, KatyPfaffl, Brian Charette, and many others, performing all styles from HipHop to Modern Jazz. In 2003, Scott amicably parted ways with The Chesterfields and began recording demos for what is now his debut solo album, Dawnbreaker;, with Producer/Engineer Charles Martinez (Rob Thomas, Keith Richards, MickJagger) and drummer Charlie Drayton (Keith Richards, B-52's). Scott's music can tell stories of fast living and urban isolation (A Thousand Days and In Her Arms&), explore the trials and complexities of love (Down), or express a need for truth and spiritual redemption (Approval and Show Us The Way). All of these lyrical themes, combined with an endless palate of relentless grooves, soulful vocals, soaring guitar work, and dense harmonies culminate to create a universal soul music that is the music of Scott Sharrard. Dawnbreaker Written, Arranged and Performed by Scott Sharrard Produced by Scott Sharrard and Charles A. Martinez Mixed by CAM Music and Lyrics by Scott Sharrard, Copyright 2003/2004 (except track 1, additional music by Charles A. Martinez) Mastered by Michael Fossenkemper at Turtle Tone Recorded and Mixed at Halo Sound, Cold Spring, New York, 2004 Featuring: Scott Sharrard: all Vocals, Guitars, Bass, B-3 Organ, Key's, Drums and Percussion with: Charles A. Martinez: Bass (tracks 1,4, 6 and 9), Synth Bass (3 and 6), additional Guitar (1), Murf (9) Charlie Drayton: Drums (tracks 3 and 9) Brian Charette: B-3 Organ (track 3) James Dooley: Piano, Guitar harmonics and Strings (track 9)

Around 1997, products such as ReBirth RB-338 (Propellerhead Software) appeared, which had a staggeringly accurate emulation of the ubiquitous Roland TB303. Today software synthesizers are taken very seriously. Dynamo V1.0 by Germanys Native Software is indeed one of the most serious music software products I have ever seen.

Dynamo V1.0 is a piece of software for both the Power Macintosh and the PC that turns your computer and soundcard into a powerful synthesizer and audio processing system. It is based on the more expensive Reaktor V2.3 which has a completely modular structure that enables you to create simple analogue synthesizers or complex modular systems which can feature sampling and different kinds of synthesis such as FM, made popular in 80s by Yamahas DX7 and more exotic methods such as delay-line resonance and granular synthesis (a.k.a. re-synthesis).

With Dynamo V1.0 you cannot modify the instruments or build your own, instead you have access to the growing NI Premium Library, which is supplied on the installation CDROM and also on the regularly updated Native Software web site.

From initial impressions, I think that if you really get into Dynamo V1.0 then you may well want to upgrade to Reaktor V2.3, otherwise most will be happy with the massive possibilities that Dynamo offers.

Dynamo can be used as a VST 2.0 plug-in, DirectConnect or stand-alone, using your soundcards MIDI interface.

Installation

The full install (recommended) requires 180Mb of your hard drive, 100Mb of which is a key file so you can run Dynamo V1.0 without the CD in your drive. This speeds up some operations so its the preferred mode of operation.

Copy protection rears its ugly head once again in the form of an occasional request to insert the original CD-ROM into your drive for verification. Not an unreasonable request but an inconvenience I could do well without. Copy protection has become more advanced so this sort of nonsense is no longer necessary. However, it could be worse, it could be a dongle.

System Requirements

As with all software synthersizers, the more processing power you have the better. You can run Dynamo V1.0 on a Pentium 266MHz machine, but you will manage more notes and simultaneous sounds with a faster one.

The minimum system requirements for the Mac are OS 8.0 or higher, 604e/250 MHz, and 64Mb RAM. For the PC you can use Windows 95/98/2000 or NT 4.0, with a minimum of a Pentium 266MHz and 64Mb RAM.

The choice of soundcard can be crucial to your long-term enjoyment, some offer low latency to give an almost instant keyboard response, while others can make playing software synthersizers from a keyboard feel right gooey. This depends largely on the soundcard driver design, and cant always be predicted.

Any Instrument can be used to try out Dynamo V1.0s real-time performance, optimise the Play Ahead setting for your particular soundcard by reducing the setting until you start to get audio clicks, and then edge it back up to the next higher setting.

My SoundBlaster Live worked on the lowest 10mS setting, and playing Dynamo V1.0 from a MIDI keyboard felt very responsive, but other cards may not prove so successful. However, NI also provide downloadable demo versions of their software, and apart from giving you a taster of the sounds on offer, these will also let you try out the products with your own soundcard to see how it performs.

Active Loop Zone tracks are available on Myspace. Further details can be got by contacting Rick Lomas. Rick is currently working on various websites selling mortgage payment protection insurance.

80's dance music

Ultimate Santana

2008 reissue housed in a deluxe cardboard slipcase. This single disc anthology brings the legendary guitarist's best recordings of his Arista Records era together with his greatest classics from the Columbia Records years on a single compact disc. Among the 18 tracks are the chart toppers 'Smooth', 'Maria Maria', 'Black Magic Woman', 'The Game Of Love' (with both Michelle Branch and Tina Turner), 'Oye Como Va' and many more. Sony/BMG.
Customer Review: big mistake
YUK! I just recently started downloading mp3s and really screwed up when I bought this thinking it would be the Carlos Santana music I knew in the 60s. What else would "Ulitmate Santana" mean? Instead most of the album is just Santana accompanying some bozo singing stupid disco type songs. My bad. Remember, when it says "featuring so-and-so" it usually means you better like so-and-so and not care too much about who the titled performer is.
Customer Review: Great songs, but...
Carlos Santana has very few bad albums, or even bad songs. (Stay away from his collaboration with John McLaughlin though.) If you're looking for a one-disk compilation and are familiar with his later songs plus his late 60's hits, the songs here will be familiar. But... try Caravanserai, Borboletta, or some of his other unbelievable albums from "in between". If this is all you know of Carlos Santana, you have a lot to discover! What you hear on this disk is just an introduction. I give this review 4 stars rather than 5 not because there are bad songs on this CD (there aren't), but because you, as a Santana listener, deserve more.

I've been around horses for the better part of 25 years. I've had my share of mishaps, and every one of them was my fault. I've never had a horse intentionally hurt me, throw me, bite me, or try to fool me. Horses just don't lie. It's one of my favorite things about them. They are as honest and authentic as we could ever hope to be. They are the epitome of "what you see is what you get". In short, horses are just horses and they never pretend (or attempt) to be anything else.

Horses are very intuitive animals. They rely on their instincts/intuition to keep themselves safe. They have an uncanny ability to identify emotions, even when you're doing your best to hide them. I can't tell you the number of times I was in a bad mood and tried to get near my horse, only to have him walk away from me every time I got close. I'd put on my happy face and use my happy voice but it didn't matter. That horse would avoid me like the plague UNTIL I just allowed myself to feel whatever I was feeling. The moment I'd stop trying to mask an emotion, he'd come right up to me and give me his usual nuzzle, as if to say, "See? That's all you had to do. Just BE how you feel. It's really okay with me." I swear, it's the craziest thing, but my horse always knows when I'm faking it.

Now, there are a couple of things about the care and handling of horses that are always under dispute. But, in my experience I've found that the best way to get a horse to do what you want is to ASK. The whole idea that you can beat a horse into submission is about as barbaric (to me) as taking a branding iron to a child who is misbehaving. You wouldn't do that would you? So why in the world would you try to force such an intelligent, intuitive creature into submission? Here's the thing: horses want to make you happy. It's true, I swear it. But there is an agreement that must be honored. That agreement is we get to ride on their backs and use their power to facilitate our needs and we must honor them for what they are. That includes listening to them and caring for them and showing some respect. It's got to be a mutual thing or it just won't work.

One last thing before we get to the little 'summary'. Horses and people don't view time in the same way. What I mean is, let's say you are trying to teach the horse to load into a trailer. The horse isn't having it. You have to be somewhere in 30 minutes and the horse won't budge. So you might try all sorts of ugly things to get that horse to load. And the horse is still not having it. There is really only one solution. You are the one who's trying to beat the clock, so you need to rearrange your schedule. Because as sure as the sun rises in the Eastern sky, that horse isn't going to load until it's good and ready. The time issue is YOUR problem, not his. And he couldn't care less about your appointment. So, don't force the issue. It'll turn into an ongoing nightmare every single time you try to load that horse into a trailer. The best way to get a horse to do something is to make it so he WANTS to do it. (But that's for another day). In short, don't expect that your definition of 'timely' is the same as your horse's. It isn't.

How does all this apply to my business? Well, it's pretty simple really. To recap:

1. Be who you are. Don't pretend to be anyone else. While you may not please all the people all the time, authenticity goes a long, long way in terms of the Big Picture. People, like animals, know when you're being real. So, be real.

2. Don't fake it. Feel what you feel and let yourself go through those emotions. This does NOT mean that you can treat people badly. What it does mean is that if you paste a smile on your face that you're not feeling, it's as easy to spot as plastic vampire teeth on Halloween. Never underestimate another person's intuition.

3. Always ask for the sale/business/etc. Don't think that just because you're in front of someone they're going to know what you want. Treat them with respect. Respect their ability to make choices. Honor their perspectives. Listen to what they're saying. It's all about communication.

4. Throw away your expectations of timeliness when dealing with your customers. Your definition of "soon" and theirs may be totally inharmonious. You can certainly ask for a commitment, but you must respect their time line too. Make it clear if you're on a deadline so they can take advantage of whatever it is you're offering. But always remember that we all 'dance to a different beat' and that beat may be completely different than yours. Think Waltz versus Rumba!

One more thing: next time you think it's everyone else who's messing up and ruining your day (business or otherwise) take a moment to look in the mirror. I'd be willing to bet that 9 times out of 10, it's the reflection you'll see that's causing the discord. Take responsibility for your life, your business and your future. Once you've done that, the rest is easy to figure out.

To your success~~~in all areas of your life!

Camille Strate is an author, critter-keeper and entrepreneur who has spent her life in search of the perfect pasture. Her latest book, "Whispers" will be released sometime in Spring of 2008. http://www.genuineintentions.com

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COLDPLAY X&Y - Group Music Poster

COLDPLAY X&Y - Group Music Poster 91x61cm

Do you want to learn how to sing or just how to sing better? You may not be aware of it but its likely a case of learning how to sing better for most of us. Its not that absolutely everyone can sing, but most of us can if we take a sensible approach to trying.

There is a wealth of information available on the internet offering lessons and scales and claiming to reveal the Five least known Singing Secrets. Well heres something to ponder, there are no secrets. The ability to be a good singer is nothing more than learning how to listen to yourself, being able to correct you pitch if its off, breathing for a continuous supply of breath, and muscle control in your throat and body to produce the best tones, not to mention, tons of practice. Proper practice that is, not practicing mistakes.

Singing lessons will certainly help guide you to being able to recognize how all of these things go together but the reality is that you can quite likely do it yourself with only a little help.

Have you ever seen advertising that claims you can increase your range by an octave? That to me is a very big claim. Personally I would have to see it to believe it. Im not saying that its impossible but its not as possible as some would have you believe. The only real way to increase your range is to practice properly, without hurting yourself, and building your range up over a period of time. Thats the only way to do it safely and still keep a rich tone about your voice. My sense is that anything else would be falsetto singing and in my world, theres no real room for that.

This practice is where scales and such come in handy. You sing ascending scales and descending scales in a variety of phonetic phrases. Its a controlled environment and you can make improvements in your range for sure, but it will take time if you do it properly. Naturally the more you practice, the greater your improvement.

You may need to consider that range is not the be all and end all of being a great singer. When you listen to your favorite songs it becomes apparent that at least most of the song stick to a certain range and doesnt go too much higher or lower than that. Most of those notes are quite reachable by the average human so dont kill yourself trying to do something super-human when it comes to increasing range.

Instead of range, worry about pitch. It really doesnt matter how high or low you can sing if you cant hit the right notes in between. Stick to the easy stuff you know you can do and work up from there. Use your ears. If you sound like youre off, correct it and dont be shy about it. Youll be surprised at how quickly you stop singing wrong notes. Your ears are the greatest aid you have to being a great singer, you should learn how to use them first, then decide if you need lessons.

Ian Kurz is a singer/guitarist that has been performing for many years. He has played in front of thousands of people and has performed as an opening act for various recording artists. He uses the principles of singing found at http://www.discoveryoucansing.com

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Petra Haden & Bill Frisell

A Collaborative Release by Bill Frisell and Unique Song Stylist Petra Haden, Daughter of Jazz Bassist Charlie Haden. Includes a Cover of Coldplay's "Yellow".
Customer Review: Good enough to want what could be better
I've been listening to Bill Frisell for years. Some of his "doodles" and "zigzags" don't appeal to me, and some of his blues rock doesn't stand out from the crowd, but his country/folk and ambient work (e.g. "Family) sets his music off into the realm of "art." So it was my search for more Bill Frisell art that led me to this collaborative effort with Petra Haden. I like the album. Petra's vocals are good but not great. It has made me itch for a more satisfying piece of art. I'm waiting for Bill to line up a different vocalist(or set of vocalists). Petra, do you have the vision and ability to put out another album that exceeds what you've done here with Bill?
Customer Review: Didn't make it for me
I enjoy both Petra Haden's voice and Bill Frisell. In this case, the combination of several weak songs and few suprises on the stronger material combined to make this a disappointment. I could see what they could be getting at, but I was underwhelmed.

Each instrument has its own voice, and just like the human voice, it can express a wide range of sounds. The acoustic guitar produces everything from lush chords to delicate bell-like tones. And just compare a Cajun fiddle to a classical violin to hear the variety of timbres that instrument can produce. Effective practice is essential to coax that voice from your instrument. This article will help you get the most from your practice sessions.

Of course, the instruments themselves don’t make any sounds at all. They all require one thing -- the human touch. A person must take up the instrument and coax the voice from within it. And just as a new-born baby can’t recite poetry, a novice musician can’t evoke the instrument’s full natural voice. Through practice, he or she develops a level of skill with that instrument.

Don’t confuse skill with talent. Skill is acquired through hard work and a desire to excel. Talent is an innate ability; a gift that is bestowed on us at birth. Everyone has talent, but some people seem to have only to glance at an instrument and have it emit the most beautiful sounds. These musicians are blessed with a wealth of natural talent. The rest of us must spend countless hours ‘wood shedding’ in order to make our improvements. We depend more on our skill, which we hone and build upon with practice, to make us good players. Using that practice time effectively may be the most important thing a player can do to improve his or her musical skill level.

The goal in practicing is to improve our ability to coax the natural voice from our instrument. We want to be as expressive and nimble with it as we are with our own voice. Without thinking, we all use inflections, whispers, shouts and myriad other devices to express ourselves vocally. Ideally, we should be equally adept at manipulating the instrument’s voice to express musical ideas. Most of us can’t spend as much time playing and practicing as we do speaking, so we must make the most of the time we do have with the instrument.

Daily practice is necessary to sustain progress. When you skip days or weeks, the improvements you might have made fade quickly away. Establish a daily practice regimen that you can stick to. If you work a ‘normal’ job every day, it’s a good idea to practice before you start working. You’ll feel good knowing that you’ve been musically productive before you even begin the work day. Also, take one day of the week off. The rest will help you maintain a fresh approach to your music.

And don’t over-do it. If you intend to practice for more than an hour-a-day, work up to it slowly. Don’t jump right in with two hours in the morning and two at night. You can easily cause permanent damage in the form of tendonitis, carpal tunnel, or other repetitive stress injuries. These are debilitating and may never heal. If you do feel discomfort while you’re practicing, stop immediately. Do not keep going and think the pain will go away. If you feel pain every time you play, see a doctor.

You should also strive for privacy when you practice. If your environment is quieter at night than it is in the morning, set aside time in the evening. Let those around you know that this is your own time and that you are not to be disturbed. Turn off your beeper, don’t answer the phone, and stay out of earshot of the television or stereo. The further you are from the mainstream of household activity, the less likely you are to get distracted. Practicing in private also helps you feel less self-conscious about making mistakes.

And if you don’t make mistakes when you practice, you aren’t working on the right material. You should be concentrating almost solely on the passages that give you trouble. Instead of playing a song through from start to finish over and over, you should play it through only once to warm up and then work on the difficult measures. During the warm-up, make note (no pun intended) of any bars where you miss notes or beats. Then go back and practice each of these trouble-spots slowly enough so you can play every note clearly. Repeat the offending section until you can play it twice without errors. Then increase the speed a little and repeat the section some more until you can play it twice without errors. Continue this way until you can play the part up to speed. If after you increase the speed you find that you can’t play it without making a mistake, slow it down again and repeat the section until you can play it cleanly.

Practice sometimes seems like drudgery. The repetition gets boring and it’s easy for your mind to wander while you’re playing a passage over and over. You go into a sort of ‘auto-pilot’ mode and your fingers move without your brain being engaged. While this is sometimes desirable when you’re performing, it can be counter-productive during practice. Stay aware of what your hands are doing to make sure you’re playing a passage correctly. If you are playing it wrong over and over, you wind up reinforcing mistakes rather than correcting them. And if, while you practice, your wondering about what to have for dinner, you are not fully present for the activity at hand. Keep focused on the instrument and making it sound as musical as you can. Even if you’re practicing “Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star”, you should be fully aware of the sound (or the voice) that you are forming.

Varying your practice material is a good way to minimize the monotony of repetition. If you work on songs A, B, and C on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and songs D, E, and F on Tuesdays, Thursday, and Saturdays, you won’t become bored with your daily practice. And be sure to do warm-ups every time you pick up your instrument.

Developing a good sense of timing is as important in music as playing the correct notes. Just as with spoken language, your playing must maintain a natural, rhythmic flow. If your speech is fractured and difficult to follow, no matter how profound your words are, people will have a hard time listening to you. In music, if you hit every note but your rhythm is off, the musical message will be lost. A metronome is the best practice aid available to this end. It serves a couple of different purposes. First and foremost, it keeps you playing in time. It taps out an indisputable beat, and as long as you listen to it, you’ll be right on the money. Secondly, a metronome helps mark your progress on a given piece or passage. When you slow a difficult part down, make note of the metronome setting at which you can play it without making any mistakes. As you master the piece, set the speed higher and higher as described earlier. Keep track of your progress by marking down the songs and metronome settings that you’re working on in a practice journal. This makes it possible for you to know exactly how fast you played it yesterday, the day before, last week, etc.

Good technique is the cornerstone of good musicianship. If you form proper habits when you start playing an instrument, you’ll set a strong foundation upon which you can build. If you form bad habits, you may find at some point that your technique actually hinders your playing ability. Breaking old habits is extremely difficult, especially if you’ve been repeating them for years. Do everything you can up front, including taking lessons from a reputable teacher, to develop the proper technique for your instrument. While you practice, pay close attention to maintaining that technique. Eventually, it will become second nature and you won’t have to think about it.

Remember, when you practice, you are improving your ability to express yourself musically. Strive to find your instrument’s natural voice and listen for that voice in every scale, arpeggio, or paradiddle that you play. Follow these rules for effective practice and you will be rewarded with a lifetime of music.

Practice daily, but don’t over-do it

Don’t practice mindlessly.

Focus on the musicality of what you’re working on, even if it’s only a C major scale.

Work on material that you find difficult

Use a metronome

Keep a practice journal

Develop good technique.

Joe Pescatello is an author, a guitar player and commercialsoftware developer. Visit http://FourthFret.com for a sample of his work.You can reach him at joe-p@unclebobsattic.com.

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THIS IS THE MODERN WORLD: Videos By Radiohead / Pink Floyd / Coldplay / Liz Phair / Starsailor / and More.

Lauren Peterson, another nationally recognized yoga practitioner and teacher, meticulously crafted Yoga Motion: White Swan Yoga Masters Vol. 4, as a sacred blend of male and female energies. Lauren is one of the few advanced (Fourth Series) ashtanga yoga practitioners in the United States. She has been featured in many magazines including Yoga Journal, as well as on television in the PBS series Healing Quest. If you're familiar with Dance Wave or Sweat Your Prayers events, you will readily appreciate the fabulous selection of music Lauren made for Yoga Motion. Starting with the slow, sensuous "Invocation to Water" by Shaman's Dream, by the third track, "Partner World" by Mass Ensemble, you'll be dancing like there's no tomorrow.

Of course, you may choose to do yoga or other forms of movement instead of dance with this incendiary collection of songs, but dance is my thing. "Napas," the next track, by Mercan Dede, continues the intense, even outrageous world beat groove. But then, a few tracks later, Jai Uttal and Ben Leinbach slow things down a bit with "Mahadeva." Before this exquisite CD concludes, we're treated to Prem Joshua and Manish Vyas doing "Habibi" and Deva Premal singing "Guru Rinpoche Mantra" as only she can. In short, Yoga Motion: White Swan Yoga Masters Vol. 4 takes the listener on a most extraordinary journey. With over 77 minutes of music, by the time you're finished moving your body to this delicious selection of tracks, you'll be ready for a break.

As is often the case with great compilations, one of the joys of Yoga Motion is the opportunity to get to know some terrific artists who you might not otherwise get to hear. I urge you to spend some time soon with the exotic, over-the-top joy of Yoga Motion: White Swan Yoga Masters Vol. 4.

Steve Ryals has been writing music reviews since 1994, and to date has published more than 1200. Steve specializes in World Beat, Native American, New Age, Meditation, Contemporary Instrumental, Chanting, Devotional Singing, and more. He currently writes two music reviews every month as part of his Drunk with Wonder Newsletter. To sign up for his FREE newsletter go to http://www.drunkwithwonder.com

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The Coldplay Phenomenon

This unauthorized documentary uses musicians critics interviews and archive footage to examine the rise of the British band Coldplay to international status.System Requirements:Running Time: 66 minutesFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/LIVE PERFORMANCES Rating: NR UPC: 823880023064 Manufacturer No: HUR-DV2306

Even if heavy metal is seen by many people as evil and destructive it is still very popular among young and old. It is pretty obvious that the thing teenagers today (and yesterday and tomorrow) are crazy about is music. Of all the musical genres the one with probably the most enthusiastic fans has to be heavy metal and all the hundreds of sub-categories, whether it is classic hard rock or grindcore.

Discordant heavy metal music struck a chord with many teenagers during the late '70s and '80s. The loud, fast, guitar-driven music has since languished commercially as successive generations have chosen newer soundtracks to fuel their rebellion against the establishment. Many of the original fans, however, never moved on, even as they aged, started careers, got married and had children of their own.

"If you're seeing a 40-year-old at a concert, you're quite sure at 18 you know what kind of music he was into. For so many people the music of the most emotional point of their lives is a touchstone that they return to for the rest of their lives, there keeping their own youth alive.
Heavy metal fans wear their passion on more than just the sleeves of skull T-shirts and black leather jackets. For many of them, the music--louder and faster than anything heard before--became a way of life. The mostly white, mostly male and mostly middle-class listeners found a feeling of power over their parents, over their teachers, over the jocks at school that treated them as outcasts.

Metalheads, or headbangers, as they called themselves, built up a community linked through underground tape swapping networks and conversations about Metallica lyrics while camping out on line for concert tickets.

A second wave of British and American rock bands became popular during the late 1960s to the 1970s, with groups that were more steeped in American blues music than their more pop-oriented predecessors. Bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Status Quo, Aerosmith, Queen, Black Sabbath, and Uriah Heep played highly amplified, guitar-driven hard rock that would come to be known as heavy metal. Heavy metal languished into obscurity in the late 1970s. A few bands including Kiss, Queen, Black Sabbath,AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith maintained large followings and there were occasional mainstream hits such as Blue yster Cult's "(Don't Fear) the Reaper". Music critics overwhelmingly disliked the genre. This began to change in 1978 following the release of Van Halen's eponymous, self-titled debut album. The album helped to usher in an era of high-energy rock and roll, based out of Los Angeles, California.

One genre that was widely popular in the 1980s (c.1983) was glam metal. Taking influence from various artists such as Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Queen, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Twisted Sister, (all but Queen would eventually play glam metal at some point in the 80s), Sweet and the New York Dolls. The earliest glam metal bands to gain notability included: Mtley Cre, W.A.S.P. and Ratt. They became known for their debauched lifestyles, teased hair and use of make-up and clothing. Their songs were bombastic and often defiantly macho, with lyrics focused on sex, drinking, drugs, and the occult.

By the mid 1980s, a formula developed in which a glam metal band had two hits -- one a "power ballad" (slow-dance tempo, with soft verses and bombastic anthemic choruses), and the other a hard-rocking anthem. In 1987 a second wave of glam metal acts, sometimes referred to as sleaze rock, emerged including L.A. Guns and Faster Pussycat.

My name is John Tahan a webmaster , computer specialist and also a musician singer song writer, working on my new demo , I invite you all to check out my sites for all metal fans at: http://www.tzarrockmetal.com and have a listen at my 80's Rock metal album called "Players of the Game" and for everyone starting out at playing guitar I have created a small site called: http://www.guitarapprentice.com enjoy them

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Chance: Six Through Ten

Kids all over the country dream of making it big in show business. While acting jobs can be hard to land, it is possible to break into this difficult field by answering a call for a Disney Channel acting audition. Many of today's hottest young entertainers got their start from a Disney Channel acting audition. Though there are sometimes hundreds, or even thousands of people competing for just a few spots, this has been the big break that boosted the career of many performers.

The easiest way to land a Disney Channel acting audition is through an agent. They are made aware of current calls and will have the specifics of the open roles available. It is much easier for inexperienced actors and actresses to get themselves noticed by using an agent than attempting to land these highly sought after roles on their own. While there are ways of getting a Disney Channel acting audition on your own, this is the simplest route.

A great resource that will allow you an inside look at a Disney Channel acting audition listing is the Disney website at http://corporate.disney.go.com/auditions/. Their corporate section has a special page that will let the public know about any open auditions, casting calls, or extras opportunities. While this may not get you the scoop on every Disney Channel acting audition, it can be a foot in the door if you do not have an agent. Check this page regularly to see what auditions are being offered nearest you.

Though winning a part through a Disney Channel acting audition can be difficult, with hard work it is possible. Just take a look at all of the big name celebrities who have become hugely successful after a start on the Disney Channel. Who knows, maybe you could be the next huge success!

Rian Avanau is an avid Disney fan. He happily maintains a website with reviews of disney games and the games based on the latest disney channel shows

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Art Poster Print - Coldplay (Group B&W) - Artist: Anon - Poster Size: 24 X 36

This poster is 24 inches by 36 inches approximately. It is in mint condition

The origin of the word "art" can be traced back to the old English "thou art" which means "you are". Again, art as in "fine arts" owes its root to the Latin "ars" or "artis". However, in comparison to the dual meanings in which we may express the word, the second meaning has remained unchanged with the process of time. The word "culture" however originated from the Latin language. It said to have a Latin base "colere" which means to inhabit, to cultivate, or to honor. Broadly it can be said to be a human activity carrying several meanings and definitions.

The two distinct words "art and culture" if linked with each other, it exhibits two distinct concepts

Art may be a product of the extensive culture (cultivation) of human sentiments.

Culture of different strata of society at different places at different time has been expressed in art.

Art can be said to be a "result" of extensive culture of human emotions, sentiment and thought of an artist, supplemented with the artist's skill. It is a product of an artist's cultivation of different strata of society at various moments. Thus if one can culture on society at different situation, he can generate a good piece of art .So we may say that "art is a reflection of society" at different time.

Practically time being the dictator in the evolution of society; it also influences a product of art. The classical period was a period of reason, order and rules.
Art has thereby exhibited such meanings at that time.

The Romantic period being a period of reasoning, so the dominant subject of art was emotion, adventure and imagination. Art in its cultural form gained impetus during the renaissance. Again, the 19th century culture was the theory of truth and beauty thus the form of art that came up during this period was based on "truth" and "beauty".

Early 20th century culture brought forth the concept of modernism -this is the time, when the human nature was undergoing turmoil. The bizarre mundane society was undergoing a deviation from humanity at this time. The late 20th century is the postmodern period The puzzled society is now trapped in such a ditch that an exit from this phase is next to impossible. Men are said to have been transformed into robots. Junked up with work pressure they have little or no time to cherish their emotions and sentiments .The work of art that comes up at this stage are to call up an attention to human sentiment and art at large. The overall disjointed sentiment when cultured by an artist; it is reflected in the works of art through abstract expressions, images, ideas and concepts.

Besides, a piece of art may also echo a specific culture. We may find several piece of art vividly exposing the "Byzantine culture". Again a work of art might focus on "Iranian culture", "western culture" or "modern culture" and so on. Moreover the art of working in a particular place at a particular time is the work culture. Likewise we have club culture or organizational culture.

Actually art in its own form has developed itself with its multicultural heritage over time. Thus, it is worth saying that both art and culture are complimentary to each other and an overall support to each other to attain some sort of fulfillment at large.

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Leadsinger LS-3C07 R&B, Motown, Latin Cartridge for LS-3000 Series Karaoke System (200 Songs)

200 songs for your Leadsinger LS-3000/LS-3700 portable All-In-The-Mic karaoke system / Contains songs from Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole, Enrique Iglesias
Customer Review: Great Karaoke System
This cartridge adds 200 songs to the basic system. I has a good variety of music that I like. I highly recommend it.

If you are interested in beats, then you are sure to be interested in other instruments besides the usual drums that can give you the right beats. Well then let us discuss bongos and congas from the family of drums.

Bongo is a small version of drums. Actually it is a compilation of two open-ended drums. These two drums are joined with each other. Drum heads are normally made of animal skins, but plastic made drum heads are also available. The body is made of metal, wood and sometimes with ceramic also. Both the bongos are of different size. And for that reason each of them sounds different. You have to coordinate between both of them, to play it well.

A pair of simple bongos does not have those stretchable drum heads that can be tuned to play different notes from different parts. But the better quality bongos have this option. Their heads are adjustable. These heads are fixed firmly with metal made bars.

The way of playing bongos is very interesting. You have to use your finger strips, heel of your hand and thumbs. You need to strike the heads with the help of these hand parts. Striking different place of the head will produce different sound. Special drum oil is necessary to protect the head of the bongo. Otherwise your hand and the air will absorb all the moisture of the bongo skin. This will make the bongo skin dry. It can also pave way for cracks.

The best thing about bongo is that it is small, and not very much expensive. And if you know how to play it and if you have some friends who can play bongo, then you can form a band. If all of you play together some small groove then it will sound amazing.

Conga is almost like bongo. But it measures quite high in comparison to other drums. It is slim build and single headed. It is a Cuban drum but probably it is derived from Africa.

The shells of most of the congas are made of wood or fiberglass. The playing system of conga is almost like bongo. They are normally 75cm tall.

Congas are used in both popular and folk music. African music has a varied use of congas. This instrument is also very popular in Rumba, Afro Caribbean, Latin and salsa music.

Bongos and congas are almost similar kind of instrument. But former are smaller than latter. There sound is not totally similar but they are not that much different also.

Both are rhythm instruments. Their playing style is almost same. Both of them are very popular. They can be used in almost every kind of music.

But there are some difference between bongos and congas. Bongos are easy to carry. But congas are not. Both of them have a different look also. Congo just looks a bigger version of bongo usually. But if you watch closely and minutely, then you can trace the difference. But whatever is the difference is, it can be said that both bongos and congas are brilliant instruments. And both of them can change the way a particular song sounds.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, drums, bongo, conga, drum heads, and synthesizers, keyboards.

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Radio Ready

One of the greatest things you can do for your body is to dance to the cadence of pleasing music. Many scientific studies have shown that dance can improve your outlook on life and prevent depression and anxiety. Indeed, those who dance quite a bit have fewer injuries, stronger muscles and stay lean and trim. Staying in shape, improving your physical and mental health and taking off unnecessary weight is very wise. So, why is it that more people do not partake of the sport of dance?

Many people have fragile egos and low self-esteem and keeping rhythm to dance is not so easy for many folks. It takes practice and perhaps even dancing lessons. Some folks do not wish to take dance lessons because it makes them feel silly, of course, everyone has to start somewhere and it's a lot sillier to be unhappy and overweight and do not nothing about it. That makes no sense at all. So, where can one start?

Probably the best place to start is to consider what type of music you like best and figure out where they play that music and see if you fit into that group of people. Every city has various dancing clubs and you can either look them up online or peruse the "what's happening" section of your local newspaper. I think what you'll soon find is that there are many choices and options. Thus you can pick what's best for your style, level of skill and attitude and you'll "feel like dancing, dancing, dance the night away!" It's time to get thin and find yourself as a healthier and happier you.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance Winslow's Bio

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