Tune Your World

Until recently, when someone wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument, they had 2 options.  The two options that they had were to either learn via a music instructor that had experience in both playing and teaching the instrument that the person wanted to learn, or for those that were brave and highly disciplined, the self-taught method.

With the two methods mentioned above, the one that was most often chosen as the best way to learn to play a musical instrument was to hire a music instructor.  By having an instructor, the person would be able to have a mentor that could guide them from the very beginnings of playing simple notes, how to handle the instrument correctly, and how to ultimately progress to reading music and playing songs.

With the increase in technological capabilities over the last several years, now there is yet another way to learn to play a musical instrument.  The new method that is quickly becoming very popular in our fast-paced society is via online learning through the use of Skype.

With Skype, one can learn all of the same important facts and information that they would in a classroom or one-on-one setting, yet in the comfort of their own home at whatever time is convenient for both parties.  A great benefit of this method is also the fact that the teacher and student don’t actually have to be in the same location.  In fact, the music lessons can be taught from across the globe if the student and teacher are okay with doing so.  Location, while using the Skype method is of really no importance.  With the video chat features of the program, the student can gain all of the same insight as he or she would with an in-person instructor.

When most people think about careers in music, they also think about being a musician or singer. The truth is that making music is just a very small portion of the music industry. Anyone who loves both music and television/movies might want to consider a career in cinema soundtracks. The person responsible for putting together a musical score is called the sound engineer.

Music is a very important part of both movies and television shows. Even though the soundtrack is supposed to be subtle, something the viewer hardly notices, directors rely on the music to trigger an emotional response from the viewer. There are some cases when the director will spend nearly as much time working with the sound engineer as they do working with the actors.

Anyone who is interested in a career in choosing the music that makes up the score for movies and television shows has to love all types of music. The more well rounded their musical knowledge is, the quicker they are going to be able to identify what types of music is perfect for a particular scene. In addition to choosing a song that best sets the tone for a climactic scene in the show/movie, the sound engineer also has to make sure that the rest of the music that is used in the score matches the climactic scene. They also have to come up with a way to use the music so that the viewer is only aware of it on a subconscious level.

Choosing the songs for the score is only part of the job requirement. In addition to loving music and knowing a little something about all types of music, the sound engineer also has to be able to work with temperamental people. There is a bit of psychology involved in sound engineering. The better able a sound engineer is able to work with directors, the longer and more successful their career is going to be.

Schools all over the country are struggling to come up with enough money to keep their doors open and to continue to educate children. In order to save money, there are several programs that are getting eliminated. One of the programs that many schools seem to cut is the high school band program.

The loss of the band is a huge loss for the school. Now only do they lose an organization that helps provide entertainment during high school sporting events, the students who make up the band are also being robbed of a truly spectacular high school experience.

One of the reasons that schools feel little remorse about cutting the high school band program is because the school administration figures that very few of the students will go into careers that have anything to do with music. Students who are members of a high school band get so much more than just knowledge of music.

Students who are in band form very close relationships with one another. It is not at all unusual for band members to become fast friends, for without band they would run in vastly different crowds. Spending so much time together forces the students to learn how to work with others, and how to peaceably resolve conflict, and this is a skill set that students will rely on heavily when they graduate from high school and get jobs in the real world setting.

Many students form a much stronger bond with their band teacher than they do any other teacher in the school. The band teacher will often be able to identify students who are struggling and are more than willing to take the steps to make sure that the student gets the help they need.

Students who are members of a high school band will learn how to be confident. They learn healthy forms of expression, and also learn that no matter how small a role they might seem to have, they are still an important part of the organization. There are some people who claim that the only thing that got them through high school was the band program.

Even years after graduating from high school, many people still smile when they think about the time they spent as a member of the high school band. This is why schools should do everything possible to make sure that this program remains a part of the curriculum.

As a young child my mother wanted, well, she insisted that my brother and I take piano lessons. We loved the idea. We got to go with our parents to pick out the perfect piano. The owner gave my mother the name of a wonderful piano instructor. He had known her for years and loved to catch a few of her recitals when he could.

My parents didn’t have extra money really to spend on lessons for us but she felt that it would benefit us to learn to play. The instructor gave my mom a discount and my mom would bake for her. My mom loved to bake and the instructor loved to eat sweets but wasn’t good in the kitchen so they agreed to the arrangement.

I remember my mom and the instructor talking about the benefits to letting and encouraging children to learn a musical instrument. The instructor mentioned that playing an instrument was great for the mind and brain development. The motor skills and sensory information came form stimulating the brainstem. These motor and sensory skills are proven to higher levels of cognitive skills. It’s proven that children who do play instruments have high mathematical and IQ scores. Plus playing an instrument helps increase self esteem and social skill.

Keeping children involved with musical instruments help to keep the child occupied with healthy and constructive actives. Playing instruments help children to cope with stress. Younger children do not understand stress but they do experience it and music is a way to play out the tension.

There are many community centers around that offer free lessons to children. It does take a lot of practice and patients, the child must want to learn and the experience be positive to keep children interested in continuing his music learning.

It is always nice to see when celebrities give back to their communities, and country music star Taylor Swift just gave back to the town of Nashville in a big way. Swift recently donated $4 million dollars to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville to build an exhibit an educational facility that will be known as the Taylor Swift Education Center. The space will provide room for new exhibits as well as classrooms for seminars on music and music education. The new center is scheduled to open in 2014.

Swift made a little bit of history with the donation. It is the largest donation ever made by a musician to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and it is the second largest donation to the museum overall. Swift has a lot of history at the museum. It is where she inked her first record deal, and also where she gave one of her first public performances.

It is really nice to see a musician giving back in order to help the next generation of musicians receive the education and have the support that they need. Swift’s donation, along with other contributions will help to fund an expansion that will nearly double the size of the existing museum. The space will include a new concert theater and space for exhibits and archives. The new space will also allow the museum to hold more programs for teenagers and senior citizens throughout the year. No doubt many will benefit from the facilities that Taylor Swift’s contribution will help to build.

British pop singer Adele swept the 2012 Grammy Awards this month in Los Angeles. She won 6 golden phonographs in all – ranging from Best Album, for “21,” her second release, to Best Song and Best Record for the single “Rolling in the Deep.” She won in all of the categories she was nominated for, which is an incredible feat. She is now tied with recording artist Beyonce for the most awards won by a female performer at a single awards ceremony.

It was also a big night for Adele in another respect as well. It was the first time she gave a performance since she had vocal chord surgery in the fall of 2011. Due to her surgery and recovery, she was forced to cancel many tour dates and performances across the country. At the Grammy’s, however, she did not disappoint. She wowed the audience and had them on their feet after an amazing performance of “Rolling in the Deep.”

Adele has said in many interviews that the album, “21,” was written out of her own personal experiences with a broken heart, and told the audience in her acceptance speech that the album was about “something everyone’s been through — a rubbish relationship.” She was overcome with emotion when she first came onstage to accept the award, but was able to compose herself to deliver a well thought out acceptance speech. She has said she wrote the songs as a sort of healing process for herself. She was named Best Artist by Billboard Magazine for 2011. It was widely speculated that the 2012 Grammy Awards would be Adele’s night – and indeed it was.

Most children are naturally interested in music. It starts in the womb for most babies when their ears first develop enough to hear sounds from the world around them. From the steady swooshing of mom’s heartbeat to the sound of her singing along to the car radio, a baby’s first exposure to music comes prior to the first breath, first cry, or first human touch. Once your baby enters the world and begins the adventure of childhood, it’s time to continue adding music to your days. Here are some easy ways to teach your child to love music.

First, make sure you keep music easily accessible. From music DVD’s to the radio, you can expose your child to a variety of musical genres as you go through the day. Even if you have a preference for country music, make sure your little ones hear other kinds of music as well. Try playing classical music to help your child wind down before bedtime. Get a CD featuring world music to spotlight sounds that you can’t readily find on the radio.

Second, allow your child to experiment with creating music. You don’t have to pay for expensive music lessons for your two year old. Just get creative with what you already have at home. Try pulling out some old pots and pans and handing your child an assortment of improvised “Drum sticks”. He can experiment with the sounds that come from banging the pots with a wooden spoon, a metal spoon, and a plastic spatula.

No matter how you incorporate music into your family, it’s important to make it a part of every day. Studies have shown that exposure to classical music can lead to higher levels of intelligence in children and it can create more healthy emotional development too.

I grew up listening to the sounds of classic crooners like Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.  As a young boy, I dreamed of serenading people to the gentle lullaby of piano music.  As a teenager, I sang in the church choir and discovered that I actually had a little talent.  My singing hobby soon blossomed into a full time career and soon, I was living in Nashville.  I had gigs at all of the hottest clubs and jazz studios.  My first CD did extremely well, but the stress from my traveling started to get to me.  In order to cope, I picked up a nasty little habit and started smoking a pack a day.  For the first year, it didn’t seem to bother me.  Then one night during my opening song of “My Way”, I began to cough.

From that moment on, I knew I was in trouble.  Instead of being known as the modern “crooner”, the only thing people could hear at my concerts was constant coughing.  I went to the doctor hoping for a cough syrup or antibiotic to fix my issue.  Unfortunately, the cough wasn’t viral.  The doctor looked at me and with a serious tone, he gave me the news.  “Either stop smoking or your career is over.”  My vocal chords were strained, my throat was raw from smoking, and my lungs were in horrible shape from the toxic smoke.

I went home depressed and afraid.  I knew I couldn’t kick the habit.  I was too addicted to the nicotine to just walk away without losing my mind in the process.  That’s when the piano player at one of the local bars stepped in to help.  He called me to see how I was feeling and I told him the doctor’s warning.  I was expecting his sympathy, but instead he started laughing.  Then he said, “Man, cheer up!  You just need to get you an e cig and everything is going to be fine!”

I had never heard of an e cig before and thought he was joking at first.  Then he explained to me that there were really dozens of electronic cigarette brands out there.  The e cig is smoke free and so it wouldn’t damage my throat or my vocal chords.  It still gives you the experience of smoking, but you inhale a vapor mist instead of actual toxic smoke.  I got online and started reading e cigarettes reviews to learn more.

When I was reading the Smoke Tip reviews, I noticed a lot of people kept mentioning the White Cloud electronic cigarette and another brand called Green Smoke.  I made it my mission to read about both of them.  A week later, I ordered the starter kit from White Cloud and my life has been back on track ever since.  Now, I get my nicotine between concerts without jeopardizing my voice and my career.  Even better, I don’t have coughing fits anymore so I’m back to being a classic crooner instead of a chronic cougher!

Scott is a sales guy at a local cell phone franchise. He is in his twenties and is living it up in his single life. He is always seen in a crowd of friends being the center of attention. He is a smooth talker. His mom always said he could charm a snake into singing a solo. Scott is an all-around great guy and well loved by many. His job keeps him busy five days a week with his schedule ever changing based on the needs of the store. He finds his job fun but not often challenging. He hopes to own his own franchise one day, so he is working his way up into management here.

Most days lunch is the busiest time of the day for them and he works his way through lunch. When he finally has a chance to take a break he scrambles around the break room for left-over’s or abandoned meals. Scott sometimes walks next door to order a sub from the local sandwich shop. He settles into the corner of the break room and plays free bingo sites to pass the time and to make himself be still for a break. He is high strung and that often means skipping breaks and crashing later. Fancybingo helped him to stay in his seat for his break and when people glanced into the break room they would opt not to disturb him since he appeared busy. No deposit bingo was fun for him to play and he enjoyed it.

In the evenings Scott drums up a band of friends and they hit the city to find some fun. You can often find him in the batting cage, on the beach or at the skate park. Scott is young at heart and his mid-twenties body keeps up with him well. His friends all envy him as they begin to slow down and feel the stress of hectic jobs and growing families. Scott is loving his life and not looking to settle down anytime soon. He crashes in time to watch the 11 o’clock news most nights and plays some city bingo or sands of fortune slots before hitting the bed. Scott likes to have fun, but he loves his sleep as well.

Scott volunteers on the weekends at a local food bank. He helps to unload donation trucks that come in and organize the pantry. He even spends time packing boxes to help get ready for the families that would come in the following week needing assistance. The director of the food bank loves having Scott’s help and makes every effort to be there when Scott comes in because they work well together. Scott feels like volunteering at the food bank is a great way to give back to his community with his ever-changing schedule.

Scott is planning to organize a food drive in order to help restock the shelves of the food bank with so many people out of work and families needing some assistance. He feels it is the least that he can do to help.

As a DJ it is important that I am relaxed and feeling good. No one wants to listen to a cranky DJ, particularly when they are listening to pop music. The problem with this particular career is that it is humanly impossible to be cheerful and perky all the time. We all have days when we simply don’t want to play.

The way that I deal with those kinds of days is with some K2 incense. Filling my little DJ cubicle with original K2 incense allows me to relax, no matter how badly my day might have gone before I got to work. This is not like the scented incense that you purchase at the local new age store. The simplest way to buy K2 incense is online. One of the biggest concerns I had when I heard about the relaxing effects of K2 was drug tests. I wanted to know if it is safe to take a drug test after consuming K2? I found out that the answer is yes. None of the ingredients will cause a positive test result.

The mellowing results of burning a little K2 spice is only one of the things that I like about the company. I also love the fact that they have created a program that allows me to make money online with K2. The only thing I had to do was sign up for their affiliate program. As a member I can supplement my income as a DJ with some extra cash that comes in handy. I use it to purchase downloads of my favorite pop artists and also to pay off my credit card debt.

The one thing that I do have to watch out for when I buy K2 incense is that I get the real thing. There are some websites that are selling a counterfeit product.  Now you are probably wondering how to tell if K2 is real. The best way to tell if the K2 incense is real is by making sure I buy K2 incense it from the official K2 website which not only sells me the authentic product but also tells me what type of packaging the counterfeit stuff comes in.

For more information on K2 incense and to read about my favorite flavors of K2, check out this site where I order K2 Blonde, K2 Summit and K2 Blue before my weekly DJ nights.

Don’t you wish that everything you tried in life came with a guarantee?  Then no car would end up a lemon, no stereo would break after you got it home, and no clothing would shrink in the laundry and no electronic cigarettes would arrive already broken.  There would be no need to replace or restore anything if it was all covered, right?

Unfortunately in life there are very few genuine guarantees.  You may have a warranty or something similar on the more expensive products you buy, but there are all sorts of terms and conditions that you have to adhere to even to be considered to get payment.  If you’ve read some electronic cigarettes reviews online, you know that the e cig industry is no different.  Many companies make a cheap product and then don’t stand behind it if it breaks or needs a replacement part.  And what about a guarantee when you try new e-cig cartridges? How many of you have tried a new cartridge, used it once and hated it?  Wouldn’t it have been nice to be able to get your money back?

The reason companies don’t do this is for practicality’s sake. Not many companies are willing to bet their profit that you will love their product.  I find that rather sad.  Why make an inferior product that you are unwilling to stand behind one hundred percent?  If someone chooses to buy electronic cigarettes from Green Smoke or Blu electronic cigarettes and doesn’t like them, shouldn’t they be able to return them for a full refund?

The Safe Cig is just one of the many e-cigarette companies that are willing to stand behind their product no matter what.  They are so convinced that their product is superior in every way and that you will be completely satisfied that they are willing to offer a money back guarantee.  What tobacco company is going to do that for you?  Not only that, but they are absolutely certain that their products will withstand the test of time and are providing them all with a lifetime warranty.

What an incredible offer that is.  These companies want you to begin to be healthier by changing the way that you smoke.  You get the same nicotine rush and the same hand to mouth movement you need without all the nasty toxins and smoke. The switch is easy and you will begin to feel better in no time.  Now with this money back guarantee, there is no risk involved whatsoever.  Try the e-cig, see what it can do for you and support a company that stands behind its product.