Finding Your Wedding And Reception Band

On the most important day of your life, your wedding day, you want all of the details to be perfect. It is only natural for you to be worried about the reception details as well, including the entertainment. There are two choices for musical entertainment at a reception: a wedding band and a DJ. A DJ is someone who plays different tracks of music that you choose for your special day, and wedding band is live entertainment. The choice that many people choose is based on the overall budget of their wedding.

The best pictures taken at your reception will be of your loved ones and other guests dancing or enjoying the music. You need to choose accordingly and make sure that your choice will be the best for your wedding day. If you are video recording the entire event, then it is even more crucial that you take the wedding entertainment seriously.

Most people, especially women, already have a specific idea in mind for their reception when they are planning the wedding. However, if you and your spouse are completely stumped as to which choice to go about for the music, there are ways to decide. The Internet is a great place to start, and you can even compare prices for all of the local music entertainers in your area.

The choices are endless, especially for live wedding bands. There are group wedding bands, solo wedding musicians, classical wedding ensembles, and of course a wedding DJ. You then have to choose the specific genre. Group wedding bands usually have a much more vast choice of genres, such as cover bands, 80s bands, country bands, etc. Solo wedding musicians are those such as harpists, guitarists, a wedding singer, and a flutist.

Many couples hire a solo musician to play in the wedding and then have them play a set of music at the reception. Classical wedding ensembles are usually the same way, with a string quartet or chamber ensemble. The wedding DJ is often the easier choice because they can play whatever you want and they are a bit more affordable if you are on a tight budget. The basic price for a wedding music band or any other performer is around $300 to $1500. It depends on how long you want them to play, and many performers will calculate in how much it is to travel to your wedding event.

Keep in mind that if you are having your wedding and reception in a church or synagogue, you might have to stay within the appropriate guidelines that are set by the church. You should also plan your wedding music band early. The best talents are booked fast and you do not want to have to deal with finding another band at the last minute, especially those who are not as reputable. It is best to book your music at least a year in advance, but if not, try to have it planned six months before the wedding date.

In some cases, certain wedding locations have a person in charge of taking care of the wedding band music and you will not have to search for long periods of time. If the ceremony is outdoors, then you will also need to make sure that there are electrical hook-ups for the special equipment if it is needed. The key here is to have each band perform for you and decide if they are acceptable. You should check their references, and if there is a contract agreement, make sure that the both of you are in agreement. Find out what their cancellation policy is as well as a refund policy. While all of these insignificant details might be the farthest from your mind when it comes to the wedding, it is crucial for your special day.

Mac's Music Sharing Philosophy

We use a Macintosh computer for music sharing. The application we have come to rely on is called Acquisition. It's a great, user-friendly music sharing program exclusive to the Macintosh platform. It allows you to download and upload concurrently, and provides helpful ratings to ensure that you are sharing with a reliable peer.

Acquisition is highly compatible with ITunes. We have been able to organize and play hours of music for parties by collaborating between Acquisition and ITunes. The combined technology of these two programs is incredible and so easy to use, that even our kids have learned how to search and locate music of their choice.

If we are trying to locate a particularly elusive music file, we also have come to depend on a bit torrent client called Azureus. Azureus is more than a music sharing program however, you can share all sorts of files. However, while Azureus can often allow us to access more obscure titles, Acquisition is still our first choice as a music sharing program due to its ease of use, quicker upload and download times and minimal steps required to acquire music files.

One of the best things about Acquisition is that it can be used free of charge got an extended period of time. You do have to tolerate occasional pesky nag messages, however, this does little to interfere with the overall process, and is a small annoyance when you consider how great a program Acquisition really is.

The other great thing is that almost all files have been pre-verified. That means that most times you will be able to acquire the actual title you have selected. Nasty surprises are very rare. Also, the benefit of working on a Macintosh computer is that the chances of getting an infected file are much lower, since most viruses are created to attack PC computers. Since macs aren't as mainstream, they aren't as plagued with viruses. Just another benefit that we've found with use.

In the past, we have tried a few other music sharing programs including Napster, Limewire and Kazaa, however since switching our file sharing usage to our Macintosh we have come to rely on Acquisition, as well as, Azureus from time to time. We've found that in order to maximize our download times and access to files, the best thing to do is to enable or allow file sharing amongst peers. Of course, this is not an absolute requirement, but you may be viewed as a 'freeloader' if you only take from other users, but never allow sharing of your files with others.

Another thing to keep in mind, depending on where you live, is that sharing of music files is a grey area. Meaning that there is a lot of controversy over where to draw the line when it comes to copyright infringements. If you want to err on the side of caution, your best bet is to only download music files that you actually own the rights to - in other words, you need to own the album. The only purpose this serves is to give you an MP3 version of a song, rather than only a CD version. Whether this holds value to you or not, is up to you to decide.

The Interesting Connection Between Beethoven And Napoleon

Beethoven and Napoleon never met. However they played their individual roles in the new "Romantic Age" apparent in Europe at the beginning of the 19th Century.

Beethoven, the independent composer of his time, rather liked many of the ideas that Napoleon had. He had managed to build a strong new power with the will of the people, rather than that of the aristocracy whose lack of government as we would know it today was somewhat archaic, and certainly did not involve one’s average citizen.

Napoleon changed the laws of the land (very frequently); he restructured the Civil Service so that it was functional as well as being efficient; he had scientists from all areas working for him to bring France to a stage where it was technically the best in the world. He achieved much. His metric system is used in nearly all countries today. Most Europeans under 20 today would not recognise a gallon or a yard. Litres and metres, with 10 or 100 increments are actually much easier for your average chap (which the French population was at the time) rather than having to multiply by obscure fractions at which the French uneducated population would be inept.

A lot of people say that the reason for this hunger for scientific information was purely philanthropic. Possibly Beethoven thought so before 1804. Others, perhaps more perspicacious, showed that much of this work was put to almost purely military use. The man was a genius at warfare. Baring in mind the turbulent political climate after the French Revolution, the guillotine executions and the enormous strength of the Secret Police at the time, nobody dared say a thing. Napoleon just got on with it, on pain of death if it was not done.

Beethoven, meanwhile, had been looking at the good things coming out of France, particularly during the ‘truce’ of the early 1800’s. He could see the things that Napoleon was doing for the country and its infrastructure as well as its artistic side. Beethoven wrote other pieces during this period, but his Great Work’ at this time was the fabulously innovative ‘Eroica’ symphony.

This was dedicated to Napoleon and, no doubt, much of the musical content was composed as a result of the successes of this extraordinary leader.

However Napoleon, having re-armed his troops and ships during the ‘truce’ took his ambitions even further. He made himself an Emperor and his family his successors in perpetuity. The Napoleonic Wars resumed and Beethoven was not pleased with this ‘would be’ hero.

Beethoven apparently tore out the dedication page of his manuscript for the Third symphony, and simply dedicated it to celebrate a “great man”, whilst renaming the symphony as we know it today as the ‘Eroica’, rather than ‘The Napoleon’.
In 1809 Napoleonic forces bombarded Vienna, and Beethoven hid in a cellar with mufflers round his ears frightened that the dreadful noise would remove the last of his remaining ability to hear.

Bruton Music

Bruton Music (sometimes known by its full name, the Bruton Music Library), was founded in 1977 by Robin Phillips, who was at the time employed by ATV Music chief Lou Grade. The name of the company comes from its address at the time of founding; namely, 12 Bruton street in London. The label was started as a subsidiary of ATV music, but at this time is owned by the BMG/Zomba company.

The label features the work of composers including Francis Monkman, Brian Bennett and others. The music released by the label has found something of a cult following, with tracks from the label being a favorite among many, particularly in electronic formats for downloads. In more recent years, Bruton tracks have also found a following with hip hop and electronic music DJs, who sample the works for use in their own compositions.

Much of the releases of the Bruton Music label fall into what many like to call "copsploitation"; that is, music which would sound not at all out of place in the context of a 1970's police drama film or television program. The music, especially the works by composer Brian Bennett bring to mind filmic chase scenes and other action sequences.

The label has also released music specifically composed for television and radio use, in the form of jingles. These not quite a minute long compositions are a special favorite with fans of the label and are frequently downloaded for enjoyment at home or on the go (in the interests of full disclosure, there are some of these tracks on the author's iPod at the moment).

Another interesting fact about the label is that none other than the self-proclaimed "King of Pop" himself, Michael Jackson is a fan of the releases on the label and was in fact for a time the owner of the company! Jackson purchased the company in 1982, but resold the firm in 1985 to the Zomba group (now a part of BMG).

The Bruton Music Library is a functioning label to this day and with its releases enjoying more popularity than ever before, it is a certainty that people will continue to listen to and enjoy the music they have released over the past three decades for some time to come. Whether as downloads, CDs or even the collectible vinyl releases, these records are something which are treasured by many all over t

The Influence Of Indie Rock

Indie music, or Indie rock, is a term used to refer to artists who are unsigned or are signed with independent labels. In the beginning, Indie music was not a term used to reference to a specific genre of music. As years have passed, it has become the generic term for a sound of a particular band or bands that they have influenced. The styles associated with Indie rock is similar to regular rock music, but it is connected to a variety of underground culture. The genres and subgenres that are usually associated with Indie rock include post-rock, C86, math rock, sad core, and lo-fi. Shoegazing and Indie pop are also genres associated with Indie rock.

Artists who practice Indie rock are in complete control of their music, by releasing their own albums and often starting their own record labels. They rely on spreading the word of their music with touring around different areas, word of mouth, and airplay time on college radio stations or independent radio stations. After time, they eventually move to larger labels, but it takes a strong amount of determination and patience.

In the UK, ‘The Smiths’ are regarded as the most successful Indie artists of the 1980s, while the ‘Pixies’ were one of the main influences in the US. During this time period, Indie rock was referred to as a broad variety of musical styles, especially experimental. As we entered into the 1990s, Indie rock became more mainstream into the musical culture, as more Indie bands began to be successful with larger record labels. The US was slightly different, with Indie rock being a generic term for “underground” music.

In our world today, Indie rock attracts mostly college students. Many of the Indie bands have started their careers by offering free concerts at universities and colleges. Arts Councils have been large contributors to some of the independent bands, but the UK has benefits from the fact that the term “mainstream” and “Indie” have overlapped genres. There are many Indie bands, both in the US and in the UK, that continue to make experimental music without trying to achieve mainstream success.

Online companies, such as CFTA, or “CDs-From-The-Artist.Com” helps promote artists that specialize in Indie rock. The company’s mission is to help independent artists accomplish their own promoting website, list audio clips of their music, and sell their CDs. Companies such as CFTA are beneficial to Indie artists to help promote their work. Many of these sites were created by artists and music lovers alike with the mission to provide the latest and greatest web technology. The services are usually free, and often they are supplied by college students who are wanting to practice in their particular field of study.

If you are an Indie rock artist who is trying to get your name out there, the best advice that could be given is to immerse yourself into your local scene. Be involved in any music aspect that you can find, especially the college scene. This is where true success lies. Look for music parties in your area where all different types of artists come together and practice their music. These are often companies that host the music parties and help to promote your music in the process.

Ludwig Van Beethoven (Von Beethoven)

If you turn on the TV in any country in the world, and listen for a while, you will hear a bit of Beethoven played. OK it may be a parody of it in a soap opera but the tunes written 200 years ago are still good today.

If you get Classic music from the UK on FM and the net you will know that every Easter a poll is taken of the 2 million or so listeners who decide which are the ‘top’ 300 classical pieces of music that people want to listen to. Ludwig van Beethoven came second this year, with Mozart first. He would have been pleased if he was still alive, of course, because Mozart was his original inspiration. Mozart, despite the fact that he died at a much younger age, was a prodigious composer. Rather like Bach he could knock out a sonata before dinner-time or a whole quartet in a few days (when pressed). Beethoven, on the other hand really grafted hard to put together something new in the musical community. He would often, particularly in more complex music, have many draft ideas written down before finalising orchestration, which could take months.

Beethoven, once he was able to get away from his family, went about things in a different way from his mentors. (Haydn, his teacher, helped him to be one of the foremost pianists of his time, the forte-piano being a newly invented instrument whose refinements lead to the pianoforte we know today).

Ludwig van Beethoven became a known name in music at the time. He was one of the first ‘independent’ composers, making his money from concerts, music and conducting, rather than from the patronage that many previous successful composers enjoyed (or worked very hard to keep). However his music inspired several people over his life to sponsor him both before and after his deafness created new problems. Money was difficult at times purely because he would spend whatever he had and either hope for more or have to work very hard for it. During his several depressive periods a shortage of money could not have helped.

After a spell of, perhaps understandable, depression at his deafness he studied hard to be able to keep composing. He was familiar with Bach’s keyboard works, and having studied composition and counterpoint with Handel, he went ahead to change music, in its classical form, into new music for the 19th Century.

His music is generally thought by music critics nowadays to be the transition between the ‘classical’ and ‘romantic’ genres, but of course these apparently sacrosanct terms belie the truth. Beethoven gave to other composers the ability to develop music for the new century whilst giving his audience something to really enjoy. Some of his later works could not really be called ‘romantic’ perhaps? Different though.

Early works, if not known by the listener, could be confused with Hayden and Mozart, but his ‘middle’ period showed a vast development of the symphony as well as his technique on the piano (an instrument still in its comparative infancy), whilst at the same time taking music for small ensembles such as quartets and sonatas to new heights.

By 1811 he had stopped performing, his deafness being too severe, but his genius and musically technical brilliance did not in any way prevent his composing ability. He was able to ‘hear’ the music in his head and his mind. He even went on in his ‘late’ period to compose new styles of music which were greeted with great accolade by contemporary composers, although initially less so by some of his audiences, perhaps because they did not appreciate the subtleties of these new forms. This would come later.

This great composer, and indeed Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the truly ‘Great’ composers of all time, died at the age of 57 after a lifetime of illness and during a thunderstorm. If you listen to his music you may consider this an appropriate finale to a somewhat tempestuous life.

20,000 people turned up for his funeral in Vienna, his home of choice.

Where To Find Trumpet Music Books

Playing the trumpet is one of the most common instruments most people will pick when they decide to join a marching or symphonic band – the trumpet is a pretty easy instrument to pick up, play and maintain compared to a few of the others. This is why the trumpet, with its bright and versatile sound, is considered to be one of the most popular band instruments. To become good at playing the trumpet you have to have some means of practicing on the instrument on your own time without the presence of other band members. This is when having trumpet music books can be helpful.

Trumpet music books have different kinds of practice pieces in them at all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Also, trumpet music books contain parts to different TV show themes, popular song themes rearranged and movie themes. The website http://trumpetpuppy.com offers a selection of trumpet music books divided by genre. These books are well-organized by skill level and content. The songs can be used to practice scales, slurred note techniques and any other element of playing the trumpet you can think of. Also, trumpet music books help the player to become better at sight reading.

Sight reading is just what it sounds like: taking a piece of music without ever having seen or studied it before and playing it on an instrument. Many music competitions and music classes will have this as part of their curriculum, so it’s best to learn this skill as soon as possible.

Local music stores, libraries or schools will also have trumpet music books available to buy, or at least borrow for a while. The most likely music books you’ll find are the basic technique-based ones, which show you how to play the trumpet from proper posture to increasing your note range. These types of trumpet instruction books also found on http://trumpetpuppy.com, teach you how to properly hold and clean the trumpet for when you’re not playing it. One of the most important things to know about playing the trumpet is that it requires good, erect posture. The breath has to come from the diaphragm, otherwise the sound gets pinched by the muscles of the throat and doesn’t sound good at all. Another mistake seen in many beginners is that they lift their fingers high off the buttons when not pressing them. This is a bad habit, because it takes time and effort to bring the fingers back down onto the valves. On that note, always keep trumpet valves oiled. There isn’t anything more embarrassing for a trumpet player than to have valves get stuck in the middle of a performance.

The best principles of playing basic trumpet can be found in many trumpet instruction books, but even with the best book, it’s not a substitute for a good, qualified teacher. A good trumpet teacher, such as a band director, will be able to spot mistakes in posture or form and correct them before they become too ingrained in the mind.

The Life And Times Of The Great Wolfgang

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the sovereign archbishopric of Salzberg, now in Austria in January 1756. His father was one of Europe’s foremost music teachers, who, in the year of Mozart’s birth published a highly influential textbook for the violin. The Mozart biography is unusual.

By the time he was three Mozart’s genius was already in evidence and his proud father was already giving him intensive music lessons in the violin, clavier and organ. By the age of four he could play several pieces and by five he even composed a few. His piano playing was extraordinary as a six year old and he could even play blindfolded.

Mozart had a very unusual childhood, as he accompanied his father all over Europe for several years, beginning with a trip to Bavaria for the 1762 exhibition; on to the Imperial Court in Vienna; then to Prague. During the next three and a half years concert tours took them to many courts all over Europe, including London, Paris and The Hague. After returning home they went on to Vienna in 1767, remaining there for almost a year.

Another year in Salzberg followed then three long trips to Italy. Two particular highlights of this time included Mozart being accepted as a member of the acclaimed Academia Filarmonica; and the occasion when he heard Allegri’s Miserere for the first time in the Sistine Chapel and was able to write it out in full from memory. An astonishing feat.

In 1778 Mozart embarked on a concert tour accompanied by his mother who died in Paris.

By this time of his life Mozart had met many great composers and was a superb concert pianist and composer. He used the style of many of the composers he respected in his earlier music whilst at the same time developing his own.

By 1781 he had become Konzertmaister to the archbishop in Salzberg but after a visit to Vienna he became disenchanted with the strictures of his employer, and was keen to take his music further. Whether he was actually sacked or not is a matter of conjecture, however he moved and settled into Vienna life, and indeed got married to Constanze Weber in 1782, against his father’s wishes.

The year of 1782 was a great one for Mozart; he had success after success with his piano concertos as director and soloist and with his opera “The Abduction from Seraglio”. During this period he became familiar with and studied the Baroque composers, particularly J.S.Bach and G.F.Handel the result of which is very evident in his music of these and subsequent years.

The Mass in B minor, partially written to bring his father and wife together, for she was the soloist in the premier in Salzberg, whilst being a popular success did not bring the two together.

Mozart met and was friendly with Hayden in Vienna, and Hayden was very aware of Mozart’s extraordinary talents. Meanwhile he appeared as a soloist until 1785 enjoying financial success, but by this time he is suspected of having hand injuries, and his composition decreased.

Whilst his lifestyle and suite of 7 rooms were somewhat lavish during this time, entailing his occasional borrowings, he was by no means a pauper. His compositions and commissions from the rich earning him a very good living, and his frequent visits to Prague earned him fame and considerable financial considerations.

There is no doubt that Mozart died at about 1.00am on 5th December 1791. However there is some conjecture as to how long his illness had lasted. It is generally understood that he was pretty healthy until soon before his death, and so the Requiem he did not manage to finish was written during the time when he was healthy.

His family and friends were shocked by his sudden death at such a young age. Mozart was buried, as was the tradition at the time, in a regular communal grave pursuant to he 1784 laws of burial. Memorials were later set up.

This brilliant composer is certainly amongst the Great Composers and despite living only 35 years managed to complete an enormous number of works, most of which we still listen to and enjoy today

The Care And Maintenance Of Your Guitar Strings

Metal guitar strings are subjected to many conditions that shorten their life. The life of guitar strings can be extended with care and proper maintenance. This article will help you extend the life of your guitar strings.

Guitar strings can lose their tonal quality prematurely due to factors that include:

*Stretching

*Wear

*Corrosion

Stretching: Guitar strings naturally stretch during tuning and while playing the guitar. Over time strings slowly lose their elasticity and their tone quality. Guitar strings that are stretched no longer produce rich tone or harmonic overtones. As a result, the guitar becomes difficult to tune and the sound of the strings become dull and lifeless.

Wear: Guitar strings wear during the process of playing. This process comes from moving the metal strings against the metal frets on the fretboard. Of the two most common types of strings, wound and plain steel, wound strings are more susceptible to fret wear. Wound guitar strings tend to "flat-spot" more rapidly than plain steel strings. If left unchecked, the flat spots can create breaks in the windings of the strings. Flat spots and broken windings will decrease tonal quality and can also cause the strings to "buzz".

Corrosion: Metal guitar strings are subject to tarnish, rust and corrosion. Metal guitar strings are also subject to the body chemistry of the individual guitar player. Individuals with higher acid levels in their pH will get less life from their guitar strings due to an accelerated rate of string corrosion.

There are several things guitar players can do to get extended life from their guitar strings. Taking the time to follow these simple steps will ensure that you get the most from your strings and reduce the cost associated with premature string failure.

*Do not over-stretch your strings during the tuning process.

*Be careful not to crimp the strings at the tuner peg when replacing the guitar strings.

*Periodically, check the condition of the guitar bridge and bridge saddle to avoid breaking a string during the replacement process.

*Monitor the condition of your guitar frets and replace any frets that develop excessive wear or sharp edges.

*Always clean your guitar strings when you finish playing the guitar.

It is impossible to say how long a new set of guitar strings should last. The life of guitar strings depend on many factors and variables. It is possible to extend the life of guitar strings through proper care and maintenance. Be sure to take the time to care for your guitar strings and you will get the longest life from each set.

When the time comes to replace the strings, choose quality replacements and change the strings carefully.