Sheet music can be expensive to purchase on a regular basis. If you want to expand your piano music library without spending a lot of money, download free sheet music from the Internet. A simple Internet search for “free sheet music,” “free piano music” and “piano music online” opens up many avenues for you to explore. Consider even more variations and your website possibilities will overflow.

Many sites offer total access to their piano music library. Others permit limited access to free sheet music. If you desire their full complement of music, you may have to sign up for a membership and pay a fee. However, even limited access to their free resources may give you the music you require.

The best sheet music sites allow you to refine your search for piano tunes. Many have detailed search functions that let you search by artist, genre or period. You can specify Baroque or Impressionist classical music and find what you need quicker. You can perform a search that narrows things down even more, for example, indicating you want “Jazz Christmas Tunes.” You can be as specific as you need to be on a quality piano music website.

When searching for free piano music, you will find music directories that list other sites that can offer piano music. These directories are a valuable resource. With these sites you obtain links to a host of other sites containing a wide variety of music. A good piano music site often has little extras. Some supply the sheet music in a PDF format for download.

Many sites supply free piano music and have accompanying audio files that allow you to listen to songs as you print them. Some incorporate free music lessons and piano tutorials in a digital feed format. You can find lots of free piano music online by joining a music forum. Here you can chat with other musicians and share information about where to find the piano music you need. You will find that others often know about less popular websites that have great databases of free sheet music. You cannot efficiently search every website in cyberspace yourself; why not get help from those who already know where the good ones are?

Another great source for free piano music is university or college online libraries. You can find specific music to download on many of these sites. Many of these also provide links to even more sites that have free sheet music downloads. A university site is a wonderful resource for older collections of piano music as well.

One caveat is to be sure the sites are truly free sites. Don’t be lured into giving out your credit card number as a one-time administration fee or anything like that. While you may access a lot of music, you did pay. You may find you will pay even more if you do not read the fine print and have authorized monthly payments on your card for a membership to a site.

A savvy searcher can find tons of free piano music online. Free piano music from reputable websites can provide you with an endless stream of music for your enjoyment.

By: Duane Shinn

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Caffeinated Content

Audio and Visual evidence is becoming more and more prevalent in court cases around the world.  In the UK there are more CCTV cameras than in any other country, some would say this is big brother watching over everything we do, others would see past the scaremongers and see that everyone is using it as it can be an effective way of getting convictions in court.

The main issue with visual evidence in particular is the quality of the recording.  There are high definition quality cameras, but these are still relatively scarce due to their cost.  Visual forensic analysis can extract data from seemingly unusable digital video content and lead the way to vital information that can solve criminal cases and stand up in court.

Audio forensic analysis is similar in that by examining audio that may at first listen seem inaudible; experts can extract sounds and clear any background noise to give a clear stream of audio evidence.  Such recordings can come from any number of sources including mobile telephones or recorded conversations.

As an extended arm of digital forensics, audio and visual forensic experts will also look to recover audio and video information that was thought to have been deleted.  With many people storing digital data on computer hard drives or other removable media, it is often the job of computer forensic experts to first recover the data from deep inside the computer’s memory.  This multi-step recovery process, from first getting hold of the hardware that is storing the data, to recovering the data to then clean it up so that it can be clear what its contents are can be a large undertaking, but is often ultimately worth it.



By: Philip Morgan

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Caffeinated Content

MP3 players are originally designed and invented as cute simple, light, small and mobile entertainment device in the field of audio entertainment. With the advent of time and technology, it has become a source of easy to use, entertainment in the audio visual field. This is the most recent development in the field of audio video entertainment. They are incorporated with picture browsing, e-book reading, and USB 2.0 high-speed transmission along with its basic function of audio-video entertainment. MP4-MP3 USB Music Video Player with 1 GB memory, 1.5” LCD Screen, FM radio and voice recorder with65k true color display is packaged with Stereo earphones, USB Data Transfer cable, Driver installation CD and 100-240V AC Mains Charger. Mp3 Players with Fm, speaker, voice recorder and 1 GB Samsung flash memory is available in aluminum case with 1.5 inch 65K true color OLED screen. The system has a built in clock and picture browser and a tuner with 87MHz-108MHz capacity. An IPOD style MP4/MP3, one video, Fm Player in ultra slim model is available with 2GB memory. It is approx 40g in weight and is available in black, pink, silver blue and green colors respectively. Device has built-in microphone for high quality digital voice recording for up to 18 hrs. Chrome plated aluminum shield and elegantly designed recent launch is powered with 4GB Audio Movie FM MP4 player in 1.5” 65k color display technology. This is an all in one model with excellent memory storage capacity. It is supported by MP1, MP2, MP3 WMA, WMV ASF WAV Audio format. 7 preset EQ for the music i.e., Natural, Rock, Pop, Classic, Soft, Jazz and DBB provides user to experience different levels of sound. High quality voice digital recording enables 18 hour voice recording and screen automatic turn off function saves energy. JKX-M101: pure audio entertainment device with 2 GB storage capacity and without a screen. It dimensions are 44mmx29mmx12mm and is available in various colors like black, silver, pink, blue and green. Product is supported with built-in li-ion battery. All these are readily available at electronics.homeshop18.com at a price range which others will envy.



By: Tom Lopez

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Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress

A couple weeks ago, R&B singer Alicia Keys was forced to cancel a performance in Cleveland, OH. The show was scheduled to take place on April 26th before Keys decided to cancel. Earlier last week, Keys canceled another show. That one was supposed to be held in Pittsburgh, PA.

Why did she cancel, you might ask? Keys was suffering from swollen vocal chords, making it impossible for her to sing.

Of course, Keys isn’t the only one that has suffered from swollen vocal chords. Former “American Idol” winner and current pop star Jordin Sparks suffered a similar problem recently. Ironically, Sparks was the opening act on Alicia Keys’ tour. She was forced to miss several shows because of her illness.

Most people see concerts or watch artists perform on TV, and don’t realize the enormous pressures of being a singer. It seems like a glamorous life, because as a viewer, you’re only seeing this person for five minutes as they sing on “Saturday Night Live” or “Letterman” or “Good Morning America.” But the effort that goes into those five minutes is incredible. Singers are constantly singing. They do tons of interviews and performances. You just never see/hear most of them because they’re on programs you don’t watch, or confined to certain markets where you don’t live. Singers go on tour and perform 2-hour sets every night for months straight. That’s two straight hours of intense singing, because after all, they want to give their best effort every night. When they aren’t on stage, they often doing vocal warm-ups backstage. Warm-ups don’t require the energy of a live performance, but they do add to the constant tension on one’s vocal chords. It’s something that’s hard to imagine if you haven’t been there.

And it’s not just singing. We all know that the keys to being healthy are getting proper rest and maintaining a low-stress lifestyle. Neither of these things come to fruition when you live the life of a pop star. Between practice, recording, press and performances, singers are often putting in 12-hour days. It’s not uncommon for a huge pop star to get only a couple hours of sleep a night, which is devastating on the vocal chords. And then of course we’ve all heard about the partying that goes on. But even without the partying, there are constant stress factors that affect a singer’s health.

That’s why you see this sort of thing all the time. It’s not just Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks. Bono of U2, a veteran who’s been doing this almost 30 years, still has to use an oxygen tank and try not to talk on U2’s off-days. Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, known for having one of the most intense and loudest voices on the planet, has spent his share of time in the hospital. Nearly everyone who has worked as a singer has suffered a vocal chord injury of illness at some point.

So if you’re one of the people who was supposed to see Alicia Keys, only to have it canceled, you’re probably upset. Try to see it from the singer’s standpoint. They need to rest those vocal chords in order to give great performances. After all, a singer can’t survive off ringtones alone.



By: Jason Gluckman

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Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress

Music lovers may argue long and hard over which form of music is the better and lovers of jazz, opera, classical, rock, pop and country etc will all have differing opinions depending on where their allegiance lies. However, one area where all who appreciate music will agree is that whatever the type of music listened it is always better heard live.

And who could argue that point? A concert or performance creates an atmosphere and excitement that cannot be reproduced remotely. However, Linn have spent the last three decades perfecting their Hi-fi systems in an attempt to bring the “live” experience, just, that little bit closer.

Music should never be, merely, a feast for the auditory system (ears), but, should engage our minds, through our interpretation of how it makes us feel (happy, sad etc) and, perhaps, what the composer wishes to invoke us to hear, and should affect our hearts, through fond memories and experiences we associate with our choice of musical intercourse.

With the combination of precision engineering, quality sound reproduction and Ivor Tiefenbrun’s (Linn’s founder) own quest for musical sound perfection, Linn Hi Fi systems have built a world-renowned reputation for superior performance music systems.

The Klimax Hi Fi music system is the flagship model in Linn’s impressive line-up and provides authentic musical accuracy through its DS digital music player, its Kontrol pre-amplifier and its 350A loudspeaker system. This Gold standard Linn Hi-Fi is for the connoisseur who values quality above everything.

Akurate is Linn’s silver standard music Hi-Fi, which gives you surround sound or stereo excellence over a range of musical format formats.

The Majik Hi Fi system sets the bronze standard with its straightforward approach to music deliverance of “near” live performance quality.

Adding the Linn turntable to Linn’s Hi-Fi systems allows your vinyl collection to be dusted off and enjoyed at a level of sound perfection never imagined.

Rococo System and Design can assist you to make the most of your Linn Hi Fi experience, by helping you choose the correct stand alone Hi Fi product or by integrating into your Linn Knekt multi-room system.

Whilst listening to your favourite music, if you can close your eyes and feel the emotional intensity of a live performance, then you are listening through or Linn music product or you are actually there in the front row.



By: Ivor Davies

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Caffeinated Content – Members-Only Content for WordPress

Teams make faster decisions using dynamic web conferencing with VoIP and video

The ability to make fast decisions is essential in delivering a project to specification within time and on budget. However, the internationalisation of many projects coupled with a greater emphasis on out-sourcing has meant project managers must supervise an ever-increasing number of dispersed and external stakeholders. This can dramatically affect their ability to respond to the many situations that can arise during a project.

Web collaboration technologies enable project management teams to meet virtually with full audio-visual interaction, irrespective of their multiple locations. These solutions work by allowing one team member to securely share their desktop and its content in ad hoc or scheduled meetings with their colleagues, and allow anyone to access and contribute to the information in real time. This ability is enhanced through live video and audio conferencing, so the team members can see and hear each other while looking at the same screen.

Faster decision making and issues-response

Empowering project managers with web conferencing technologies enables them to work directly with team members in real time. They can host spontaneous, interactive meetings with regional or internationally based team members to extract status updates or overcome obstacles.

The ability of a team to collaborate on a single record vastly reduces the risk of version control issues that can arise when multiple team members contribute in a team meeting. When coupled with the ability to share leader control of an online meeting with a co-moderator if necessary, these technologies streamline project administration, and minimise the impact of interruptions during meetings.

Interactive video-enabled meetings

Interactive video-based meetings add significant value to a live project management meeting. Many web conferencing solutions include multi-video display, which allow a number of simultaneous participants to see each other in real time video windows enabling the face-to-face communication. The ability to have face-to-face exchanges, seeing gestures and expressions increases the effectiveness of communication and can assist in building team spirit, making for better online meetings.

Reducing planning, implementation and evaluation costs

The ability to host effective virtual meetings greatly reduces the impact of travel costs on a team budget. Team members no longer need to travel as often to meet with other team members, customers or suppliers to assess the project specifications, provide milestone updates or review the final outcome. In addition to the direct costs of travel, hours of otherwise unproductive time is recouped.

The latest web conferencing technologies are making expensive teleconferences a thing of the past. The market leaders offer high quality multi user speech through VoIP which eliminates the telephone charges that add substantial cost to conventional online meetings using a separate telephone conference system.

Integrating web conferencing into other project management tools

When evaluating a web conferencing technology, project management teams should seek a flexible solution that integrates with other communication technologies. Many web conferencing systems can integrate seamlessly with project management software and plug directly into the popular telephone and Instant messaging programs such as Skype and email and scheduling solutions like Microsoft Outlook. Such integration means users can start instant web conferences directly from their project management tools or from within Skype, and dynamically update their team’s Outlook calendars with full details of planned web conference meetings.

By 2010, web conferencing will be just as common as e-mail

The latest report on web conferencing by industry analysts Gartner states that web conferencing is becoming a generally accessible tool and predicts that by 2010, it will be just as common as e-mail communication in 75 per cent1 of all companies.

In the not-too-distant future, making a meeting via live web conference will be as common as making a traditional phone call – with the latest systems it takes just a couple of clicks to start a web conference.

Managers looking to improve the communications on their project should take the plunge and test some of the latest web conferencing solutions to see how they benefit their project.

Embracing these technologies will assist project managers to improve their agility, ability to maintain oversight and fully resolve issues as they arise. This will save them time and money on travel, be better for the environment and reduce phone costs.

The greatest benefits will come from tools that can be used internally and externally without all parties needing new software installation or pre-configuration. With the right solution, project managers will begin to wonder how they ever lived without web conferencing.



By: Rachel Lane

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YouTube in the College Classroom:  History, Impact, and Curriculum Enhancements

By Reed Markham, Faculty, Daytona State College

   

     Peter Drucker, author of Managing the Future observed: “We live in a very turbulent

time, not because there is so much change, but because it moves in so many different

directions.” (Drucker, 1993) Effective college and university instructors have to be able

to recognize and run with opportunity to learn, and to constantly refresh the knowledge

base.”  The complexity of rapidly changing teaching technology makes it a critical

objectives for practitioners to learn about the latest tools to enhance presentations in the

classroom. YouTube has proven in the last two year to be an emerging technology with

strong potential for enhancing classroom discussions, lectures and presentations.

     The following paper discusses the history of YouTube, the impact of YouTube on

 today’s public speaking audience, and the use of YouTube to enhance public speaking

curriculum.  As part of the research 77 undergraduate students taking the introductory

speech course at Daytona Beach College (DeLand, Florida campus) were surveyed about

the use of YouTube technology in the classroom.

History

     YouTube, the latest gift/threat, is a free video-sharing Web site that has rapidly

become a wildly popular way to upload, share, view and comment on video clips.  With

 more than 100 million viewings a day and more than 65,000 videos uploaded daily, the

Web portal provides teachers with a growing amount if visual information share with a

classroom full of young multimedia enthusiasts. (Dyck, 2007)  Based in San Mateo,

YouTube is a small privately-funded company. The company was founded by Chad

Hurley and Steven Chen.  The company raised over $11 million of funding from Sequoia

Capital, the firm who also provided initial venture capital for Google, The founders

initially had a contest inviting the posting of videos.  The contest got the attention of the

masses and Google, Inc. In October 2006, Google acquired the company for 1.65 billion

in Google stock.

     Since spring of 2006, YouTube has come to hold the leading position in online video

with 29% of the U.S. multimedia entertainment market.YouTube videos account for 60%

of all videos watched online . . . The site specializes in short, typically two minute,

homemade, comic videos created by users. YouTube serves as a quick entertainment

break or viewers with broadband computer connections at work or home. (Reuters, 2006)

     .In June (2006), 2.5 billion videos were watched on YouTube.  More than 65,000

videos are now uploaded daily to YouTube. YouTube boasts nearly 20 million unique

users per month, according to Nielsen/NetRatings. (Reuters, 2006) Robert Hinderliter,

Kansas State University developed an interesting video history of YouTube.com.  The

segment can be found on the YouTube.com website.

Impact of YouTube in the classroom

     “The growing adoption of broadband combined with a dramatic push by content

providers to promote online video has helped to pave the way for mainstream

audiences to embrace online video viewing.  The majority of adult internet users in

the United States (57%) report watching or downloading some type of online video

content and 19% do so on a typical day. (Madden, 2007).  Daytona Beach College

students surveyed indicated that a majority of the students watch videos on a weekly

basis.  College instructors can capitalize on the surge in viewing online videos by

incorporating their use in the classroom.

     Communication research on using visuals as an enhancement to presentations is

supported by early researchers including Aristotle.  “Although ancient orators weren’t

aware of our currently research on picture memory, they did know the importance of

vividness.  They knew that audiences were more likely to pay attention to and be

 persuaded by visual images painted by the speaker. In his Rhetoric (Book III, Chapters

 10-11) Aristotle describes the importance of words and graphic metaphors that should

“set the scene before our eyes.”  He defines graphic as “making your hearers see things.”

 (Hamilton, 2006)

     “Today’s audiences expect presentations to be visually augmented, whether they are

communicated in the guise of a lecture, a business report, or a public speech. What’s

more, today’s audience expects the speaker to visually augment such presentations

with a level of sophistication unheard of even 10 years ago.” (Bryden, 2008)

     The use of visuals increases persuasive impact.  For example, a University of

Minnesota study found that using visuals increases persuasiveness by 43 percent

(Simons, 1998).   Today’s audiences are accustomed to multimedia events that

bombard the senses.  They often assume that any formal presentation must be

accompanied by some visual element. . . Presenters who used visual aids were also

 perceived as being more professional, better prepared, and more interesting than those

who didn’t use visual aids.  One of the easiest ways you can help ensure the success

of a speech is to prepare interesting and powerful visual aids.  Unfortunately, many

speakers either don’t use visual aids or use ones that are overcrowded , outdated or

difficult to understand. (Ober, 2006)

      “The saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” is usually true.  .  . A look at

right brain/left brain theory explains why visuals speed listener comprehension. 

While the left hemisphere of the brain specializes in analytical processing, the right

hemisphere specializes in simultaneous processing of  information and pays little

attention to details. Speakers who use no visual aids or only charts loaded with

statistics are asking the listeners’ left brains to do all the work.  After a while, even a

good left-brain thinker suffers from information overload, begins to make mistakes in

reasoning, and loses interest.  In computer terminology, “the system shuts down.” 

The right brain, however can quickly grasp complex ideas presented in graphic form.” 

(Hamilton,  2006)

     “Most people process and retain information best when they receive it in more

than one format.  Research findings indicate that we remember only about 20 percent

of what we hear, but more than 50 percent of what we see and hear.  Further we

remember about 70 percent of what we see, hear, and actually do.  Messages that are

reinforced visually and otherwise are often more believable than those that are simply

verbalized. As the saying goes, “Seeing is  believing.” (O’Hair, 2007)  The majority

of students surveyed at Daytona Beach College indicated a preference for

audio/visual supplements to oral presentations.

     YouTube videos can speed comprehension and add interest. Effectively

integrateing a YouTube video can assist in audience understanding and

comprehension of topics under discussion.  YouTube videos can also improve

audience memory. Communication research findings indicate that visual images

improve listener recall.  YouTube videos can decrease your presentation time.  An

effective use of a YouTube video can help audience members to understanding

complex issues and ideas.  Utilizing YouTube can also add to a speaker’s credibility.

Professional looking visuals can enhance any verbal presentation.

Curriculum Enhancement

     “YouTube” allows users to post videos on the site for anyone to view. Most

of the material on the side is entertaining or just odd, but some important videos have

found their way onto this site. YouTube is a great source for finding video material 

for use in speech or as background material. . . Just as with Wikipedia and other

sources where the content is not screened for accuracy, the videos you find on

YouTube are only as valid as the original source (Bryden, 2008)

     All too frequently beginning speakers fail to consider the details of using video in

a speech.  Simply because they have access to a means of showing video, beginning

speakers should consider the following issues:

*Cueing video segment before beginning the presentation

*Checking room lighting, visual distance, and acoustics

*Evaluating the time it takes to introduce, show, and integrate the video segment with the

  remaining content of the presentation

     The value of YouTube technology for public speaking courses falls into three

categories:  lecture presentations,  integrated use in student speeches, and sample

speech evaluation.

     YouTube has value for enhancing lecture discussions of various public speaking

topics and issues. 74% of the students surveyed indicated that they prefer to watch a

video during a presentation.  Public speaking instructors struggle to find timely

examples and illustrations.  I recently utilized a speech found on YouTube that was

delivered to Columbia University students by Lee Bollinger, the president of the

university.  President Bollinger gave speech introducing the President of Iran, Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad on September 24, 2007. I utilized this YouTube speech as a case study to

analyze speech ethics. President Bollinger was involved in a number of ethical issues in

the selection of a controversial speaker for the university and his use of vitriolic language

in his presentation introducing the Iran’s president.  My classes enjoyed a lively

discussion about speech ethics following his presentation.

     YouTube has value for integration in student speeches. Daytona Beach College

students were asked: “What is the greatest value of using an internet video during a

speech?  Summary responses included the following:

*It gives the audience a better visual and can help them relate to the topic.

*It makes the audience more interested.

*Some audiences need visuals to understand the topic.

*It helps you to connect to the audience.

*puts some “umph” into the speech..

*its good for proving arguments.

*can say something better than you can.

Students are required in basic public speaking classes to utilize visuals to enhance the

quality of information shared and to capture the attention of their audience.  A brief

YouTube segment can enhance the quality of a presentation. For example, I recently

listened to a speech on global warming.  The student speaker located a brief segment

on YouTube from Al Gore’s well known video “An Inconvenient Truth.”  The video

segment helped to audience to visual the impact of global warming on our environment.

YouTube has video segments on a wide array topics from Affirmative Action to Zoology.

     YouTube also has value for sample student speech evaluation.  It is challenging

for public speaking instructors to located timely sample student speeches.  Some

publishers provide instructors with DVD/CD speech samples. But these samples become

outdated quickly.  YouTube has recent speeches delivered by students for online college

public speaking courses.  Also, YouTube features speeches delivered by many

business professionals and educators.  For example, last semester my public speaking

classes viewed a speech by the Toastmasters International World Champion, Darrin

LeCroix.  The speech is more than entertaining.  The speech provided my students with

insight into effective oral delivery.

     Bill Gates observed: “The really interesting highway applications will grow out of the

participation of tens or hundreds, or millions of people, who will not just consume

entertainment and other information, but will create it, too. (Gates, 1995).  YouTube is

providing educators an opportunity to apply this technology to improve classroom

instruction.

Conclusion

     The recent Pew Foundation Internet and American Life Project observed: “Online

video has been a central feature in a growing discussion about the impact of

user-driven “Web 2.0” technologies.  YouTube and other video sharing sites are often

held up as powerful examples of both the social and monetary value of applications built

around user contributions. And as users have realized the unlocked potential of online

video, a new channel of interactive mass communication has started to emerge in daily

life.” (Madden, 2007).

     YouTube technology can assist both students and educators in developing effective

presentations. This technology can also provide college instructors with timely

 information and examples. Gardner Campbell, a professor of english at the University of

Mary Washington concluded: “We’re witnessing not just the now routine Internet

phenomenon of major new resources but also massively and unpredictable scaled

repositories of public domain materials that are vital information resources for ourselves

and our students. As the information abundance spreads, and if we are brave and curious

enough to embrace  it, we will find our own serendipity fields dramatically expanded.

(Campbell, 2007)

Bibliography

Aristotle, Works of Aristotle.  (translated by W.R Roberts) London: Oxford University Press, 1971, pp. 663-664.

Campbell, Gardner, “Have You Tried YouTube?” Education World, www.educationworld.com. May 1, 2007.

Drucker, Peter, Managing the Future. Plume: New York. 1993. p. 351

Dyck, Brenda, “Have You Tried YouTube?” Education World. . www.educationworld.com May 1, 2007.

Gates, Bill, The Road Ahead. Viking: New York City. 1995., p. 1

Hamilton, Cheryl. Essentials of  Public Speaking, 3rd edition. Thomson: Belmont, CA) 2006, p. 185.

Hinderliter, Robert, The History of YouTube. Kansas State University: Manhattan, Kansas. www.youtube.com. Spring 2007.

Madden, Online Video, Pew/Internet and American Life Project: Washington, D.C., July 25, 1007. p. 1.

Markham, Reed, “YouTube in the Classroom Survey.” Daytona Beach College. November 2007.

Ober, Scot, Contemporary Business Communication, 6th edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. p. 505.

O’Hair, Dan, A Speaker’s Guidebook, third edition. Bedford/St. Martins: Boston. 2007. p. 282.

Reuters, “YouTube Serves Up 100 Million Videos A Day Online. USA Today, June 16, 2006.

Simons, Tad, “Study Shows Just How Much Visuals Increase Persuasiveness,” Presentations Magazine, March 1998, p. 20.



By: anonymous

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Music nowadays seems to be one of the most popular hobbies that the youngsters are indulging in. For some, it may be just a pure form of entertainment or a way of living, whereas for the others, it can be a serious escape from their stressful lives. They use music as a medium of conveying their suppressed emotions. Not too surprisingly, it makes them really into music.

Because of the different influences that the youth are exposed into, they are easily acquiring the curiosity of engaging into learning music. It may not exactly be reading musical notes and the other formal stuff regarding such, but at least, something highly relevant to it like playing musical instruments or simply singing.

Before, people, specially the youth, viewed Music, a subject in their primary and secondary schooling, as a conservative and boring one. With lots of different bits and pieces that should be memorized and understood without knowing their use and purpose, music then had been a vague and dull form of school activity to do.

Perhaps, the reason is that they relate music with “church” where they usually hear the hymns and praises when they were kids. They thought music should be solemnly expressed all the time.

As these young people aged up, they began to realize how interesting music could be far from what they used to perceive. From all the different genres and styles, they found a match. I am truly glad to say that finally, they are now fascinated with music learning as well as music teaching.

Many are aware that music centers began to spring suddenly nowadays. People look for formal lessons and their aim is, of course, to learn music. They also want to develop the talents they believe they are blessed with.

Music teaching is definitely an issue when talking about learning music. Aside from being considered as something pretty difficult and tedious, many believe that it requires lots of effort, patience, and passion in doing so.

However, with the kinds of trends, technology and methods that we have right now, music teaching has become less complicated. Indeed, different resources and tools are made readily available to be an aid to anyone who has interests in music teaching. It may be through various means like seeking the help and guidance of music enthusiasts and experts, enrolling in various learning centers, reading music-related books, availing advanced music gadgets, or browsing the web.

Music teaching has been both the career and passion of many musically inclined individuals around the globe. Thus, schools of music spring forth worldwide, paving the way for music enthusiasts for greater opportunities globally. That is how powerful music and music teaching can be.



By: Music Teacher

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The audience is loud and abuzz with excitement. Lights swirl around the stage and audience. Low volume downtempo music is pumped through the speakers as a prelude to the music about to be heard.

The band is heard behind tall curtains tuning up in preparation for the opening. The audience screams with anticipation of the curtains rising. Then, the band starts. They are playing a popular song and the lead singer and background vocals are right in sync with the band. The audience is stirred and applauding in anticipation to the curtain rising. The curtain rises, and there is the band. The audience screams!

Vocals are in complete sync with the music. Throughout the audience sparse impressions of the vocal arrangement can be heard. Everyone is grooving and happy.

There is no lead singer visible, and there are no background singers visible. However, the stage is covered with dancers gyrating to the beat, band members playing their respective instruments and visibly suspicious is a keyboard player, playing notes that seem to be in concert with the lead and background vocals.

- – -

The above scenario sounds like science fiction – a band and no singers, though singers are heard. We may not be too far off in seeing this scenario unfold. Software manufacturers are busily creating software that sings (not speaks) the words that are typed and played via MIDI.

I for one can’t wait for this day to arrive, especially as one who can’t sing. I fully support jazz, r&b, downtempo, electronic and urban musicians, especially those with talent but can’t sing. I know how difficult it is to find a gifted singer who doesn’t have an ego. If this sounds like I’m bitter because I can’t sing, you’re right! I don’t know if you’ve noticed the past decade how musicians seem to be an extinct species, especially on stage. You usually have singers, dancers but no musicians. Granted, this depends upon genre, but even some genres that you never think this could happen to, it’s happening. Often times there is a single person with a keyboard playing full jazz ensembles or full symphonies.

Audio and MIDI loops have just about extinguished talented musicians. Anyone with GarageBand or Sonar can create a pretty nice sounding groove. And worse of all, no one cares how the song is made. If it has a nice groove, the making of it is irrelevant.

This is why the creation of the virtual singer is on my wish list. Because if musicians have to be relegated to the background, and symphonies to pits, so should singers.

This would also be a good way to weed out poor singers, because they would be in competition with software. Poor singers who use software to manipulate their voice to be in tune with the music wouldn’t be needed. The software would sing and there would be no need for tuning thus reducing the production work load.

And most importantly, the egos of singers can be placed in check. Most musicians say, if only I can sing. Well soon they will be saying, if only I could afford singing software.



By: Ty Showers

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Audio / Visual

If you are planning a business conference, networking event or training you want to make sure that the people that are coming will enjoy themselves, have a good time and learn something from your event. Setting up a big event of that nature takes experience and proper planning. You have to have the right people and the right equipment. If you don’t know what you are doing then it will convey to those in attendance. There are five reasons that you will want to use an audio visual hire for a big event just in case you were thinking you could do it yourself.

Lighting

Do you have the right lighting? This may seem easy but can be difficult if done incorrectly. If you have a podium speaker and the spotlight isn’t on them or you have a special presentation and you want an arrangement of various colors you need an expert.

Sound

The same holds true for your sound effects. You might lease some equipment, but can you be certain that it will do the job that you want? You don’t want to irritate those in attendance with scratchy or ear piercing sounds. It will seem as if some didn’t know what they were doing. Or if people are constantly shouting “speak louder” you will realize that you should have hired an expert.

Visual stimulation

A presentation isn’t complete without the marvels of modern technology. You might want to have a special video or training lesson. You will need the use of plasma TV’s, video equipment, and possibly computers. An audio visual person care set up these items with ease. You simply have to indicate what you want and the placement and they will set it up for you.

Professional Look

Any event that is done will have a professional look and appearance. You want to make sure that your event is a success. You want people talking about what they learned you don’t want them discussing the badly lit stage and how poorly everything was set up. That will detract away from your program and they will be talking about it, but not in a good way. Professionals will provide detail and service that will complement your event.

Set up and Removal

After the show is over do you want to remove everything and take it back? You will be tired from the event. After everything is over you will need to be able to get all the equipment and materials out as the time that you’ve reserved the space will be over. This is a part of their basic service.

Don’t try and do this on your own. You have a core set of skills that you are good at. You would be best to leave the lighting, sound, visual stimulation, setup and removal to professional audio visual personnel that have experience and knowledge. You will be happier and your attendees will be as well.

By: Gen Wright

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