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The origin of rap started sometime in the mid 1970’s in communities thriving with people of African American and Hispanic descent who were music performers in New York city. During the foundation of rap, this genre of music was associated with a nimble style of dancing that is known today as break dancing. The term rap was derived from a slang word for conversation during the 1960s.

It generally consisted of song, usually spontaneous verses along with a range of well known recordings such as funk or disco music. Critics have condemned most rap music for its endorsement of violence and hatred of women; while others have recognized it as a creative exploitation of cultural expression and acclaim many rappers with an ardent social and political awareness.

Rap music has influenced several forms of popular culture, mainly the film industry, and has been increasingly incorporated in pop music. Some of the early rap groups include Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash. Some of the more well-known rap artists include the legendary Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, and Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony.

Rap music is a form of musical poetry; the beat has rhythm and the song lyrics flow to it. The lyrics to rap songs give the listener a glimpse to a certain point of view, the lyrics describes the lives of the rapper and usually tells the listener the struggles the young black rapper had to go through in his life. Some rap song lyrics also have a dark side and most people associate rap lyrics with disrespect for women and violence because many rap lyrics talks about killing rival rappers and shooting cops. In the early 1990’s the rivalry between west coast rappers and east coast rappers claimed the lives of the two biggest rappers of their era, Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.

The positive side of rap music consists of a lot of artistic value, but one has to look for it real hard. Take 2Pac (Tupac Shakur) for example, 2Pac might have had the same kind of sound as most of the so called rappers that are putting out album after album now a days, however, 2Pac was a true poet and lyricist. One could take some (not all) of his lyrics and find art within them. He chose rap to deliver his poetry through his lyrics, because that is what he was most at ease with doing.

To most people, the music is half the song; the song lyrics are just as equally important as the music. In the song lyrics to 2Pac’s Dear Mama he talks about how his mother didn’t always do the right thing but he still appreciated all the sacrifices that she had to make to raise him. Not all rap lyrics are about putting down women, shooting cops, driving Escalades and making money.

Today’s rappers may have catchy rhythms and lyrics to their music and many young people are impressed with the fancy cars and half naked girls in the videos, but it’s just all the same, in every song. Most of the songs and lyrics have the same or similar rhythm with semi-carefully placed keyboard melodies and pounding bass that’s good for dancing. So maybe it’s art in its own realm.

If you are looking for the lyrics to your favorite rap song check out our huge rap lyrics database.

The advent of new technology has brought in new possibilities for bands to reach fans and hopefully make some money. The internet clearly has the potential for many acts to further their fan base but many people are also tipping mobile phones to generate a lot of publicity.

Many mobile phones are now being used as mp3 players which make it easier for people to have music with them without carrying around extra devices or gadgets. A few years back people predicted that bands would make a lot of money from selling ring tones but this trend has still to take off in the manner it was suggested.

“There’s only music so that there’s new ring tones”

So sang the Arctic Monkeys on ‘A Certain Romance’ and there have been suggestions that ring tones have been outselling CD singles for certain artists and releases. The only problem is that technology has caught up with the mobile phone and it is now fairly easy for a person to download any track from CD or their computer onto their phone. This has reduced the potential for selling ring tones but this does not mean that bands and management should abandon all consideration of this promotional channel.

There may not be the money in selling ring tones but it could generate a lot of extra publicity and awareness in a band for no great cost at all. Just imagine if a fan had your songs as their ring tone or message alert, every time they received a call your bands music would play.

Give Stuff Away for Free

This is why bands who have websites should consider offering songs or snippets that are designed to be used on a phone to their fans. Any track could be edited to feature the chorus or perhaps just a riff to ensure that the impact is noticeable every single time a phone rings.

Equally, wallpapers and graphics for people to place on their phones can be offered too. Doing this is no guarantee of success and you have to accept the limitations of trying to reach people in this manner but it’s a worthwhile option at not much cost for a band to consider.

Even if it fails to generate any new fans, it will be seen as a good gesture to existing fans. People like getting stuff for nothing and by offering freebies for people to download onto their phones, a band will create a better spirit between themselves and their fans.

Release Exclusive Content for Mobile Phones

Alternatively, some bands are offering exclusive content that cannot be purchased anywhere else to fans through their phones. Perhaps it could be live tracks from a gig or perhaps a remix of a popular track but the option to give away exclusive content or perhaps sell it for a small fee could greatly improve the popularity of a band.

The possibilities of this are only limited by the technology available to a band. If fans at a gig all had the Bluetooth facility enabled on their phone, they could easily receive exclusive content from a band. This would further encourage fans to come along to gigs if they felt they were being offered something exclusive and again, it would be create a stronger bond between band and fan.

With technology moving forward at a great rate, artists who are able to react to the new possibilities and use it to communicate with fans, existing or potential, are giving themselves a greater opportunity of being found by more people. If you don’t do it one of your rivals probably will so be sure to check out what the latest mobile phone technology can do for your band.

Ian Dougherty is a freelance music writer from the UK. Dougherty has written for well known music magazines, Ezines, and websites for over fifteen years. For the latest in indie ring tones and indi music, visit MadeLoud.com, where bands keep more from each digital music download.

New pianists learn notes first. An understanding of musical notes and their values is the foundation for learning any instrument. That includes the piano. The values of the notes are easy to remember because their names denote their values.

* Whole note: A whole note looks a bit like an egg on its side. It is round or oval-shaped and not shaded/solid. A whole note is held for four beats in 4/4 time.

* Half note: A half note is so called because it is held for half as long as a whole note. In other words, it is held for two beats. It resembles a smaller version of whole note, but with a line attached to its side.

* Quarter note: A quarter note is held for a quarter of the time a whole note is held: one beat. A quarter note looks like a half note, with one minor difference. While the half note is not shaded, the quarter note is.

* Eighth note: The eighth note is, of course, an eighth of the value of a whole note. In other words, it is held for half a beat. It looks like a quarter note with a curly “tail” at the end of its line. Eighth notes can also be joined together in groups of two, three, or four. If they are joined, they are connected by a bar across the top, rather than having a “tail.”

* Sixteenth note: The sixteenth note is one-sixteenth the length of a whole note when held. It is held for a mere quarter of a beat. A sixteenth note looks similar to an eighth note, but has a double “tail.” When two, three or four are joined, they are connected by a double bar.

There are seven different names for the keys on a piano. If you look at the keyboard on a piano, you’ll see that the keys repeat their order every eighth white key. The names of the keys are denoted by letters of the alphabet. The middle white key on the piano is called “middle C.” Going up the scale from C, the rest are D, E, F, G, A, B, and they start again with C. The notes from any C on the keyboard to the next C make up an “octave.” It is so called because it contains eight keys, or eight notes.

The notes in a song or scale are written on a “staff.” These are the series of lines and spaces that you’ve probably seen on a piece of music. The staff consists of a treble clef and a bass clef. Each line and each space on the clef denote a particular key/note. The notes on the treble clef begin on the bottom line of the staff with E above middle C. The notes on the bass clef begin on the bottom line of the staff with the G below middle C.

Which type of note appears on which line or space on the clef determines which key is played and for how long that key is held. In other words, if a whole note appears written on the bottom line of the treble clef, then the instrumentalist would play an E above middle C. It would be held for four beats. Once the note types and names are learned, the beginner is ready to start playing!

A free email newsletter on exciting piano chords and chord progressions from Duane Shinn is available free at “Exciting Piano Chords & Chord Progressions!”

Pianos, as a whole, can be a pretty costly investment. They often range into the double digits of thousands for even some of the lower end models.

There seem to be manufacturers that have both an “economy” line of pianos that it would be easier for an average, middle class family to afford as well as a range of higher end pianos designed for the more serious player. Though the most sought after pianos, and those often mentioned as the favorites of more experienced players come from manufacturers that exclusively craft high end, very expensive instruments.

Fazioli

Fazioli are makers of some of the most incredible and unusual specialty pianos available - ranging in price from just under six figures at the bottom of the scale, all the way up to a whopping four hundred thousand dollars. Fazioli’s most expensive piano is beautifully hand crafted from the wood of the mighty Sequoia and is accented with jewels and mother of pearl.

Much of what Fazioli produces is not patented, they are confident enough in their creations and craftsmanship to give others a free pass to try and duplicate it. Fazioli is ever striving and succeeding to be the most innovative piano company in the world, so if you can’t live without one of these incredible instruments - you’d better be prepared to pay for it.

Steinway

Often mentioned among the most popular brands of piano of all time, Steinway also makes some of the most expensive pianos as well. Though the Steinway name is much more prominent and widely available to the general public than that of specialty manufacturer Fazioli, its Steinway that boasts the single most expensive piano ever produced - the Alma-Tadema, which sold at auction for in excess of one million dollars.

Mason & Hamlin

Mason & Hamlin is another high end manufacturer, producing some of the most beautiful and well crafted pianos in the world. With Mason & Hamlin you are sure to get a high quality instrument, but you won’t run into prices that are quite as astronomical as that of Steinway or Fazioli. Mason & Hamlin has pianos starting as low as about twenty thousand dollars, but for their top of the line instrument, you can expect to spend in the neighborhood of one hundred thousand dollars.

Kawai

Kawai is a very popular manufacturer that covers both ends of the spectrum when it comes to pricing. Kawai makes Grande pianos that range in price from just over ten thousand dollars (which is very reasonable when it comes to an instrument from a reputable manufacturer), all the way up to almost one hundred and twenty thousand for their most expensive model.

Yamaha

Yamaha is one of the most popular brands of piano in terms of both sound and quality. Yamaha has an extensive line of pianos, including several that would be considered “affordable” in the world of piano players. They have a few higher end pianos that exceed the fifty thousand dollar mark and their top of the line model comes in at nearly one hundred and thirty thousand dollars.

It wouldn’t be unheard of to see Yamaha ranked, in terms of quality, right up their with the manufacturers that produce nothing but the most expensive instruments, so the argument could certainly be made that Yamaha may pack the most punch for your dollar spent when it comes to their fine instruments.

For the most part, the old adage of “you get what you pay for” is just as true with pianos as it is with everything else. So if you want either a specialty piano, or one of the high end instruments from one of the more respected and reputable manufacturers, you should probably expect to pay top dollar for it - and with pianos, sometimes top dollar is well over six figures.

Renowned and respected piano store Toronto offers the prestigious Fazioli pianos. Quality, uncomprimising and exotic, the Fazioli piano is truly a product of the modern era.
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Having your piano tuned is definitely the single most important part of the instrument’s maintenance, but unfortunately, very few piano owners follow a reasonable schedule when it comes to having their pianos tuned. Piano owners often think that they can go years between tunings and everything will be fine, or that they can try to replace a professional tuning by subscribing to some myth or old wives tale (like keeping jars of water in their piano), but this simply isn’t the case. To truly get the most out of your piano, it needs to be taken care of by a professional, and with regularity.

When does my piano need tuning?

It’s an often heard question among tuning technicians and piano manufacturers, most of whom suggest a minimum of two times a year. Depending on what type of climate you live in, however, once about every three months (or whenever the seasons change) would be an optimal schedule for tuning.

What do the seasons have to do with piano tuning?

With every seasonal change there are also usually drastic changes in both temperatures and levels of humidity. Your piano has been meticulously crafted out of wood, and wood is a material that is particularly susceptible to changes in humidity and moisture.

The changes in the level of moisture cause the wooden sound board to expand and shrink causing a big change in the tension of the strings, and causing the piano to go out of tune.

If it’s impossible for you to afford the once every three month tunings, there are a few things that you can do on your own to help keep your piano in the best shape possible between a less frequent maintenance schedule.

Preventative maintenance

Try to keep the temperature of your home at a relatively consistent level; despite what the temperature outside happens to be. Somewhere in the neighborhood of seventy degrees would be ideal.

Keep your piano away from direct sources of heat and cold. Avoid getting too close to radiators or central air and central heat registers.

Try to keep your piano away from direct sunlight. You may be surprised to find that, even if your home’s thermostat is set to seventy and its cooler outside, direct sunlight can make the piano very hot and cause an internal increase in humidity, wreaking havoc with the tuning.

There are also internal humidity control mechanisms that can be installed inside of your piano to monitor and regulate levels of humidity to make sure that all of the internal wooden components stay at the optimal level of humidity and keep your piano in as good a shape as possible. Though this can be a bit of an initial investment, it will prevent you from needing to have your piano tuned every three or so months, so it would likely save you some money in the long run.

Your piano can also become out of tune from an over abundance of play, this however is a best case scenario. The more often you sit down to play your piano, the more enjoyment it is probably bringing to you and those around you, so if you are playing so much that you need frequent tunings, the investment in your piano was a very wise one. If you are one of the few with this problem, you should consider yourself lucky.

If you follow along with the preventative maintenance suggestions, then the suggested twice annual tunings will probably be enough to keep your beloved piano in shape. If you can afford the internal humidity control, that’s even better for your piano’s health. The bottom line is - have your piano professionally tuned and maintained as often as you can to keep it’s environment as ideal as possible - if you can do that, your piano will give you years and years , if not a lifetime of beautiful music.

Provides a diverse selection of quality pianos, piano tuning and piano lessons Toronto from one of the most respected piano stores in North America.

Christian music has come a long way from the church-sanctioned melancholy chants of centuries gone by. It has rich history going back several hundred years. In fact, the earliest music manuscripts were of church origin.

When the separation of church and state began, secular music emerged in full force. Some people mistakenly believe that so-called “Christian” music died with this new era. In truth, the church’s loosened grip on music actually led to more diversified styles in Christian music.

Musician Larry Norman was considered a pioneer of Christian rock music. In fact, many still refer to him as “the father of Christian rock.” (Later in his life, the aging musician was tagged with the new tongue-in-cheek title: “Grandfather of Christian rock.”) Norman’s music may have been the anti-Gregorian chant, a fact that made him a criticized figure among his fellow Christians.

Still, Norman managed to gain an astounding following that hasn’t waned despite his recent death of heart failure. His musical talent is undeniable. Those stolid church leaders who would condemn his style needed only to listen to Norman’s songs. His faith in God was unquestionable.

Norman’s artistry flung open the door to Christian rock, as well as other popular music styles. Hip hop, dance, punk, metal, blues and pop-style music has been put to sacred words and ideas since.

Some on the outside of the Christian music scene criticize it all as un-original, carbon copies of secular music. However, a true study of Christian music and its history reveals that Christian musicians have been trend setters. Christian musician Phil Keaggy is regarded as possibly the world’s best guitarist. Even the legendary Jimi Hendrix was known to acknowledge Keaggy as a more worthy musician than himself.

Other artists have managed to make successful from crossovers from Christian to secular music. This seems to demonstrate that their talent transcends religion. Artists like Amy Grant generated fans in both the religious and the secular music industry. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is another artist who made an impression in both the Christian and the secular market. His first album in 1993 went platinum. It stayed on the gospel chart for an astounding two years. What is perhaps more astounding is the fact that it charted on the R&B charts.

Today Franklin is a respected artist in many genres and circles. The band DC Talk broke new ground in the Christian music world in the 1980s and 90s. It began as a hip hop group, later evolving into a more pop-style group with rap influences. DC Talk managed to win respect in both worlds.

Today’s Christian music scene still burgeons with successful artists making names for themselves of their own rights. Michael W. Smith is a renowned singer, songwriter and three-time Grammy award winner. He has reinvented his career over the decades and is a noteworthy praise and worship leader and recording artist today. Bands like POD, Switchfoot, Relient K, Sixpence None the Richer and Lifehouse have proved that Christian artists can hold their own on the secular stage. Christian music and secular labels alike will undoubtedly continue to turn out high quality recordings from talented artists for many years.

A free email newsletter on exciting piano chords and chord progressions from Duane Shinn is available free at “Exciting Piano Chords & Chord Progressions!”