The Wail Trade











{March 07, 2010}   Pipe Organ Music, A Quick Glance
For those who listen to pipe organs. Particularly listening to a live pipe organ, or if that is not possible, listening to the pipe organs with headphones can be sincerely heartwarming. It may be for specific audiences only, but pipe organ music is really significant. Part of the pipe organ’s grandness is in the way it enriches people’s lives today, and part of the importance is in how it has impacted the development of music. We will go over the types of organs and things to be aware of when talking about organs.Also, we will cover how this type of music has affected historic figures, and people close to home.
Many of the most well-known pipe organ composers were from the Baroque era. Johann Sebastian Bach is the most favorite of this time. Some of the most renowned pipe organ music was written by him during this time. Most people think his best peice was the Fuge in G Major. Johann Pachelbel and Dietrich Buxtehude also wrote remarkable pieces. One can easily enrich their life by gaining the experience and skill of performing on the pipe organ. During the early years is when little ones in our area start out on the pipe organ. Not only does this give children something to be proud of, but this also helps them with fine motor skill development. Stress reduction is another benefit of playing the pipe organ.
The keyboard was not originally integrated with early pipe organs, which alternatively used a slider. The Baroque organs constructed in Bach’s day had a keyboard. Pipe organs also have a pedalboard which is worked by the feet. There are many types of organs, many of them are quite beautiful. Some pipe organs cost over $100,000. For this reason many churches prefer to use electronic organs. Yet, nothing beats the sound of a true pipe organ.
Accomplished technicians are required to keep pipe organs in tune, since it is a complex process equal to that of playing the instrument. Many people don’t understand that for most of history there was no pitch standard. In 1939 the modern tuning standard was suggested. The pipe organ has had a big affect throughout history and pipe organ builders continue to construct organs to serve our needs. One might marvel what they will evolve to in the years to come.
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{January 21, 2010}   Human Performances Could Be Improved Simply by Listening Background Music

Music is magical. Some people dance to it, some write, play or sing it, and others just listen. Music’s power is that it touches everyone in different ways. Valerie, Graphic Designer, claimed: “I love to listen to music while I work, but I’m careful to choose which type to listen to. I know that music has a profound effect on how my subconscious is working and can affect my mood. Sometimes I even change the type of music to parallel the type of client that I’m working on. I feel it helps to get me in the mood for a certain type of project and can affect my results.”

HealthDay News recently announced a study exploring whether harmonic sounds are therapeutic for people who suffer from neurological disorders. That makes us wondering wether our brains are tuned to healing frequencies? This is not surprising that background music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways. Those who practice music therapy are finding a benefit in using music helping them on their daily mood. Sports music isn’t useful for the regular distance runner in search of that extra boost. It may work in warm-up, it may help in cool-down, but when it comes to really pushing your aerobic limits, Depeche Mode said it better than anyone: Enjoy the Silence.

Human beings have an innate tendency to co-ordinate movement and rhythm - this is final piece in the exercise and sports music puzzle. Performance can be greatly improved by choosing sports music with the right tempo for the right exercise. That is yet very interesting to know. Music is our happiness and we always feel in side. While the benefits of using background music should be evident, employers ought to consider the type of music played in a workplace to ensure that the mood and style best fits the workforce and their desired behaviour. It is a win-win process for the employer as well as for the employee. A recent research conducted by the University of Leicester monitored the effects of classical and pop music and background silence on consumers’ buying behaviour. It revealed that classical background music has a serious impact on the spending process while a customer is at the restaurant.



{June 06, 2009}   Self-Regulating Secondary Ticket Market Helping Out Fans

It’s constantly been tough to get hold of a ticket for a music gig or sports event. For Instance, the entire Michael Jackson’s marathon residency at London O2 (50 dates) sold out at 33 tickets PER MINUTE. So how on earth can a person who’s in full time employment get to buy a ticket if they’re selling out so quickly?

Go to the resale marketplace online.

Not so long ago, the only way to buy a resold music gig or sports ticket was via a dodgy ticket tout just outside the premises of the event. This meant paying double or triple the face value, or even perhaps being given bogus tickets which would inevitably be spotted as you tried to enter the event - and that means you not only miss the music gig or sports event, you’ve lost a lot of money in the process.

Nonetheless, the situation has improved for music and sports lovers. The secondary ticket marketplace has cleaned up its act in the last 10 years or so, thanks to the internet. These days there is a huge amount of competition to resell tickets online, the marketplace has actually become self-regulating. You’re offering the ticket for HOW much money?! I’ll buy cheaper on another site Many ticket sellers offer insurance if the sports event / music gig is cancelled. And with tough competition online, secondary tickets have dropped in price to the point that sometimes you’re not paying a lot more than the face value price. Many ticket buyers compare prices between lots of vendors selling secondary tickets for the same event / gig. They check the prices, insurance, seating, and even history of the seller prior to deciding to buy or not - so the force has very much shifted away from the dodgy looking tout of days gone by to the ticket buyer.

Nowadays you can purchase tickets for many sorts of sports events and concerts. From basketball games to soccer to cricket, to getting your mitts on decent seats for your favourite band; secondary tickets offer a 2nd opportunity to go to the concert you want to see. How can you get tickets on the web? Simply use a search engine and type in your keyphrase like Beyonce tickets, and you will see a huge range of resale ticket agents who can offer that ticket to you.

Not all people are content with the idea of secondary tickets however. Some people label secondary ticket vendors as leeches, and desire to see the forbiddance of resale tickets. They don’t seem to see the worthwhile function resale tickets bring : there’s such a small sliver of time that one can buy a ticket when it’s on sale the first time it’s on sale.



{May 08, 2008}   Effective Rehearsal In A Rock Band

If your band is in rehearsals, either preparing for gigging, or
practising new songs to add to your repertoire, the chances are
you will have to hire a rehearsal room. The costs of hiring a
room can soon mount up if you don’t organise your time
effectively. You could be wasting time and money going around in
circles, with a growing frustration that your band doesn’t seem
to be making any progress.

The answer is to set a Schedule for your rehearsals. Without a
schedule it’s difficult to monitor progress if in fact any is
made. Disorganised rehearsals can soon turn into chaos, with
everyone throwing in ideas and playing different things at the
same time. The rehearsal is not the time for your guitarist to
hone his right hand tapping skills, or your drummer to perfect
his lightning fast paradiddles, it is valuable time for working
together as a band, and should be used as such. Band members
should have their own private schedules for practising
instruments and learning new techniques. During a rehearsal you
should all be working towards the same goal and making each
other sound as good as possible. The rehearsal should never turn
into a ‘who can play the loudest’ competition.

What should your schedule consist of?

Set goals for your rehearsal times and WRITE THEM DOWN! You
should know which songs you are going to rehearse in advance. If
you have planned your strategy, you will avoid getting stuck in
a rut and your time will be used constructively. Songs you
already know can be perfected and the little nuances worked on,
stamping your own identity on cover songs and putting the
finishing touches to originals.

You should make a list of ‘finished’ songs, ‘work in progress’
songs, and ‘new ideas’. As each one progresses, move it up into
the next category, thereby revising the schedule for your next
rehearsal.

I would suggest starting with 2 or 3 songs you are happy and
comfortable with, simply to give the band a positive vibe to
build on, and then start work on new numbers. Set aside a
certain amount of time for each song, and then move on! Don’t
waste time trying to perfect something that just isn’t working,
you can come back to it later or at the next rehearsal. Perfect
the numbers that do work, and you will see positive results as
your repertoire builds up considerably.

Always take regular breaks. Coming back to a number that wasn’t
going too well with fresh ears can often be all it needs to make
a distinct improvement. If that doesn’t help, there’s no point
in flogging a dead horse, so move it to the bottom of the list
or consider dropping the song altogether and concentrating on
another one.

Work on band dynamics and expression, i.e. fast, slow, loud, and
quiet. Get your fills as tight and as fluent as possible. What
you are working on is that elusive ‘feel’ that is the hallmark
of a good band. Everybody should not only be playing his/her own
instrument, but also actively listening to the rest of the band.

Tape your rehearsal. You don’t need any fancy recording
equipment - a simple tape deck and mic will be sufficient. The
idea is simply for the band to be able to listen to their
efforts afterwards. Listening to a song while you’re not playing
means you can listen more subjectively and discuss the merits.
Take notes while you listen, that way you are already forming
the schedule for the next rehearsal.

And finally, remember; you are in a band! As such, the sum of
the parts should be greater than the individual contribution.



{April 18, 2008}   Top Five Tips for Mastering Your Musical Solo!

If you stumble when it’s your turn to play a musical solo, then taking a few simple steps can make your performance much easier.

Music is like the English language. When you speak you do not think about each word, you just say what you want to say. When you play music it is the same. Theory is useful for learning and getting out of a jam, but do not let it rule what you do. Just do it. The act of going for it and seeing what happens is the root of a lot of wonderful music.

Let’s take a look at five simple tips that will help expand your skills so that people will get excited when it is your turn to solo.

1. Solo using only one note.

What is left once you take note choice away? You can use rhythm, space (silence), and dynamics (louder and softer). Free yourself from the notes and concentrate on the other aspects of playing music.

2. Play the wrong note.

Play the wrong note and use one note only. Use the three tips from number one (rhythm, silence, and dynamics) to make it sound good.

3. Take a solo using only wrong notes.

Use this technique in a solo and when you return to the right notes, they will sound better.

4. Play a familiar rhythmic phrase.

Pick a familiar rhythmic phrase. It can be anything from a nursery rhyme to a popular song. Play your solo using the familiar rhythmic phrase and then put a rest in it. Just stop playing where people expect you to play. They will stop talking and start listening.

5. Get ideas from other things.

Listen to other instruments and use them to get other ideas. Then just listen to things. The dripping of a water faucet, a plane going overhead, or birds chirping will all give you ideas. Listen to the rhythm of sounds and play them on your instrument. Learn the melody and play that back.

Last words of advice:

Think of the first time you played with an instrument that you were not familiar with. A person will normally hunt and peck at the notes until they find something that sounds good. The problem is once we learn more theory and technical skills, we forget to continue to hunt and peck. Rediscover how to hunt and peck and your musical world will be opened once again.

Scott Morris manages the site on song melody.




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