Power Tools In Horror Films

October 31st, 2013 by Luke

With Halloween right around the corner, fall is officially here and in full swing. Likely you are enjoying all the seasonal activities that come around this time each year such as drinking apple cider, baking pumpkin pie and playing in the leaves. One of the more odd pastimes that fall brings is watching horror films to get you in a haunted mood for Halloween. Even if you don’t like being scared out of your mind, you have to admit, there is some kind of psychological genius behind these movies.

This infographic highlights some of your favorite horror films that involve power tools, because we want to take the time to appreciate the creative genius of these villains. In addition to our short list, you will find multiple facts on the science and psychology of these movies and why people are so drawn to them. There is something for everyone here on our list, but if we forgot a movie or fact that you think deserves to make the list, let us know!

For more information on power tools, visit eReplacementParts.com.

Soundcloud Promotions: How To Get Noticed On Soundcloud

June 1st, 2013 by Luke

Soundcloud Promotions is a new way for those interested in increasing their presence on online to get ahead of the game. If you’re struggling to gain momentum in your online presence through social media, Soundcloud Promotions might be of interest to you.

What is SoundCloud?

If you’re not already familiar with what SoundCloud is, get over there right now and set yourself up an account. It’s an essential part of any current artists promotional kit. SoundCloud is the world’s leading social sound platform where anyone can create sounds and share them everywhere. Recording and uploading sounds to SoundCloud lets people easily share them privately with their friends or publicly to blogs, sites and social networks. Everybody is using it, and for good reason!

Why increase followers on SoundCloud?

On SoundCloud followers can see any song uploaded by the people they follow and listen to it immediately. They receive real time updates about their favourite artists activity and what they are doing on the site, plus receive lots of extra information about the artist and their music. This is important to help a bands music gain momentum on the site, the more activity people see, the more it will help gather traction among the fanbase and create a discussion about the music.

There is also many advantages to having a large fanbase, such as looking impressive to new potential fans. The bigger a bands fanbase the more likely someone might give them the time of day to hear what they’re about. It’s true, we’ve all fallen victim to that one, whether we like to admit it or not, or even noticed it for that matter.

Building an online musical presence by hand can take a lot of time and effort (I know I’ve done it) The complicated process required for successful online promotion can take up excessive amounts of valuable time, in my case more time per week than a full time job, for little payoff. It’s time that could be invested better. Musicians should be focusing creative energy on making more awesome music, not days, weeks and months endlessly spamming friends, family and random strangers added on Facebook, or other Social media platforms in a futile attempt to get them interested in what we’re already so passionate about. Inevitably this method will lose more friends than it will gain, and the fans that are gained, will likely be there begrudgingly, as soon as they think they can disappear without being noticed, they will.

What Is SoundCloud Promotions?

SoundCloud Promotions as the name suggests is a service to help promote music on SoundCloud. It gives artists a helping hand getting their feet off the ground on the social music platform and help them get noticed. They have a simple sign up process, simply choose the package you want and then they will email you with further details after the transaction has been processed. The site is user friendly and pretty to look at. The prices are very reasonable too. Visit soundcloudpromotions.com for more details.

Buying Fans?

I’ve heard many artists frown upon the idea of purchasing new listeners for their music, and feel it’s some sort of cheating. But all businesses advertise, if any artist wishes to make a career out of music, understanding that music is a business like any other is key to success. It’s the nature of the beast. If an artist doesn’t advertise in this day and age, their music is going to fail to reach out to the public eye. Whether the artist does it, or a record company does it on their behalf, advertising is almost always essential one way or another. Sometimes artists get lucky with a viral YouTube video, or a song that captures public imagination enough to be spread by word of mouth. But these events are rare in the grand scheme of things, and smart artists back up these events with regular forms of advertising to help perpetuate the spread anyway. All you have to remember is that spamming friends and random strangers with unsolicited messages is a much more frowned upon form of advertising than anything paid for and it’s far less effective.

About The Author

Jon Hutchinson is a music journalist from the UK, As a 10 year veteran of the music industry he is currently building several up and coming music media sites, and loves to help others find their way in the music industry.

5 Songs With Lyrics That Shook The World

May 6th, 2013 by Luke

 

Every now and then, we get to hear one song that has lyrics unacceptable to some group or some segment of the society. With half the world cribbing over not having enough freedom of expression, and the other half only being silent, musicians took to themselves to create songs with lyrics that could bring about change. Most of the times, the angst and the free flow of thoughts of the musicians ended up making controversial lyrics. Here are top 5 songs that really shook the world with their lyrics:

God Save The Queen

No, we are not talking of the British national anthem. Even though this song by The Sex Pistols shares its name with the anthem, it is nothing like the latter. It only talks about the Queen being fascist, and how the country doesn’t really have a future. Of course, it hurt the sentiments of a lot of people, considering how much they love their queen. Even though the BBC banned it, it did manage to become a Rock classic.

Money for Nothing

This song by the British band Dire Straits comes from their 1985 album called Brothers in Arms. Mark Knopfler and Sting share the songwriting credits. Even though Knopfler’s idea was to use as realistic lyrics as possible, some people took them to be sexist and homophobic, also a little racist. The lyrics actually originated in an appliance store where a worker was commenting on some music videos playing on the TV, and Knopfler decided to borrow a pen and paper, and started noting them down.

Suicide Solution

When Bon Scott, former AC/DC member passed away because of alcohol abuse, Ozzy Osbourne decided to write a song as a tribute to him, in which he referred to alcohol as ‘suicide solution’. Even though Ozzy is anyway famous for his strong lyrics, things got a little out of the hand with ‘Suicide Solution’, as a teenager shot himself dead while listening to the song. The court however, did not find Osbourne guilty when the parents charged him.

Used To Love Her

This song by Guns ‘n Roses wasn’t really taken well by feminist organizations around the world, because the lyrics clearly stated that a man used to love his wife once, but now he wanted to kill her. Even though the band members said that the song was written as a joke, and there were rumors that the ‘wife’ in the song actually referred to Axl’s dog, which had to be killed later and buried in the backyard, women around the world were pretty offended.

‘Kim’ by Eminem

This is again a song written for a wife, except that this time, it was actually meant for Eminem’s wife Kim, with really mean lyrics, stating how he murdered her, her husband and her stepson. During Eminem’s performance in Detroit, Kim saw the audience’s reaction and tried to commit suicide because of that. Later, she filed a case against the musician for defamation, and for mentioning her violent death in the lyrics of the song.

 

About The Author:

This article is authored by Jim Thomas. He is a music lover and trained guitarist who shares his knowledge and love for music through his articles. He also gives guitar lessons to people who are interested in learning the art of music.

Starting A Rock Band: 4 Tips To Help You Start A Band

April 19th, 2013 by Luke

How Do You Start A Rock Band?

You have talent for music, you love playing, and now you want to take that extra step and create a band but don’t know where to start. Many musicians starting out don’t know where to begin on their journey towards musical success. Some musicians want to be a part of a band whereas some want to play solo; however both involve a different style of music.

Putting together a band can be difficult; especially if you don’t know many people that want to be a part of one, however doing so isn’t impossible. Whether you are looking to just start a garage band or even take it a step further and start to perform at venues, consider some of the tips below.

Friends and Family

There may be a family member or friend that enjoys playing a specific instrument and wants to find band mates to play with. If you haven’t already asked the people you know whether they are willing to put together a band and play together, then do so! Consider asking your friends if they know of anyone that is willing to join in.

Social Media

Social media doesn’t just give you the ability to connect with people you know, but also people you don’t know. Websites such as Twitter give you the ability to include hashtags in your tweets so others who search that keyword can see your tweet. Soundcloud is another great way to connect with other musicians.

Make sure you post on your personal social media accounts stating you are on the lookout and want to start a band. Be sure to stay consistent on these sites.

Networking

Find events you can go to where you are able to connect and network with others that are interested in music. Don’t be shy to approach someone. In fact, taking a friend or two with you can be extremely beneficial as to who you can potentially meet.

Of course, it isn’t usual to find a band mate overnight, so give it some time to get to know the people you meet. Check out their interests and get to know their take on music and this will help you decide if they qualify as a potential band member.

Practice, Practice and Practice

Once you have found your band mates, make sure you practice, practice, and practice. Even if you set up a band just for pleasurable garage play, the better you all play together the more enjoyable your sessions will be.

 Remember that everything takes time, and putting together a band for a pleasure to the ears session or even potentially playing at venues is not easy.

About The Author:

Robert is a professional musician and songwriter. He has written his own guitar tutorial that is easy for children to learn. In his spare he enjoys hiking, enjoying the outdoors and going to jazz clubs.

Fuel Your Passion For Music With A Career In Music

April 18th, 2013 by Luke

Be one of the lucky few who enjoy what they do and who get paid for it too

People who get to do what they love and still get paid for it are truly lucky. They no longer call it ‘work’ as they get to enjoy what they do every day. Case in point: musicians who were discovered, were signed to record labels and who tour around the world playing their music in front of their fans. They have the best jobs.

If you’re a music enthusiast and want to be one of the fortunate people who have a career in music, you’re in luck. There are many jobs you can get that are related to music. Even if you don’t get signed to a label and sell 1 million copies of your album, you can still go to the office enjoying a job that’s related to music.

To be highly successful in these jobs you’ll need to have at least one of these: mad skills in playing an instrument, ability to identify good music aesthetics, knowledge in music history, and of course great love for music.

Recording Artist/ Live Performer

Almost all music lovers dream of recording their own songs, playing them live in front of an audience, and gaining recognition and awards. Of course, not every musician can be a multiplatinum award winner. Still nowadays, it has been easier to produce your own music and be a DIY Musician. You can record your own tracks digitally and then sell them online. You can even record your own music video then post it on the Internet. If you’re really good, people will pick up on it and you’ll get the recognition you deserve.

If you don’t want to record your own songs and just want to play music, you can also be a studio or session musician. Lots of artists need other musicians to play with them in their recordings and play with them during gigs.

Composer/Arranger

You can work behind the scenes and be the person responsible for writing good songs for an established artist or an up-and-coming star. Lady Gaga, before recording her own album and being insanely famous, wrote songs for Britney Spears, Fergie and the Pussycat Dolls. You can also be a composer or an arranger.

Producer/ Record Engineer

Own a recording studio and be a music producer. You can help new artists make a name. If owning a studio is still beyond your means, you can also work in a recording studio as a record engineer and help artists in their recording.

Film, TV or Video Game Composer

Film, TV or video game scoring is a lucrative career you can get yourself into. There are a number of productions in need of musicians to score their work. An example of an artist who made it big in this type of music career is Trent Reznor, founding member of the industrial metal rock band Nine Inch Nails (NIN). His scoring in the movie “The Social Network” in 2011 had won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Original Score. In 2013, he also won a Grammy Award for his scoring on the movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

Shop Owner

Open your own music store and sell in-demand and high quality music instruments like acoustic guitars, electric guitars, amps and electronic drums. If you don’t have enough resources to open up an actual shop, you can own an online music store instead and just set up a virtual store over the Internet. Another alternative is to be a music store sales assistant.

Teacher/Coach

You can teach music to budding young musicians and interested adults and be a music coach. You’ll need to have the musical skills and knowledge to impart to your students and the patience to teach music. There are a lot of talented musicians that have taken the time to teach music like Australia bass legend Victor Rounds and Andrew Gillespie, founding member of Aussie progressive rock band “Floating Me.” Rounds and Gillespie are currently a bass coach and vocal couch at BigMusic in Australia.

If you have the resources you can even open your own musical school in Sydney and hire exceptional musicians to be the music coach.

Music Writer/Photographer

What better way to be in the music scene than to be a music journalist or photographer. You attend different music events, get a backstage pass, and even interview artists. You’ll need to have a knack in writing, have a good understanding of the music industry, and appreciate good music.

These are just few of the many careers you can get into to fuel your passion in music. The key is to not give up on your dream. If you really want to be a multiplatinum award-winning artist, it’s not too late to pick up a guitar and enrol in a music class. If you’re happy just being around music, you can choose any of these jobs and enjoy going to work every day and be paid doing what you love.

About The author:

Debra Wright blogs about a plethora of topics including electronic drums and other fields.  Debra considers Big Music as one of the leaders in Music Stores.

What Things Are You Certain To See At A Music Festival?

April 15th, 2013 by Luke

For music lovers, there is nothing better during the summer months than heading to a daylong or weekend festival to see some of the biggest acts in the world.  While each festival is different, there are a number of similarities that they all share, things that you are guaranteed to see at each one that will give you memories for years to come, be they good or bad.

What are they?

Mud

Mud is perhaps more synonymous with festivals than even the music itself. Even if it is baking hot and the sun shines for two or three days, there is still the chance that you will end up covered in mud.

This element of festivals puts many people off going to them. It is also why those who attend such events get labelled as ‘hippies’ and other terms that are seen as derogatory, especially when you add in the urban legends about not washing for days at a time and wearing the same clothes from start to finish.

Fireworks Displays

If you attend a music festival this summer and don’t see a fireworks display, then you should be making sure you ask for your money back.

After all, you have stood on your feet for probably more than 12 hours, haven’t had a drink, and perhaps been thrown from pillar to post in the middle of the crowd, so even if you have seen a band you have been waiting to see for years, a fireworks display should be the least you expect.

Thankfully, most festival organisers want to end their events ‘with a bang,’ and you will often find that a spectacular fireworks demonstration follows the conclusion of a headline set.

Things Being Thrown

We hope that we do not have to expand on what the ‘things’ are, as if you have ever been to a festival you will probably already know what we’re alluding to.

The trouble with this is that you don’t see it coming most of the time, or that the people doing it cannot be ejected as there aren’t security guards standing at every interval in a crowd of tens of thousands.

Unfortunately, if it does happen, you just need to grin and bear it.

Horrible Facilities

Along with the mud, dirty toilet facilities are enough to put most people off, even if their favourite bands are playing at a particular festival.

Whether it is the shared facilities element or the fact that they just aren’t welcoming or well maintained at all, many people simply want to avoid them.

Music to Remember

It’d be unfair to talk about a festival and mention the mud, fireworks, and other elements without actually talking about the music.

Whether it is the band you always wanted to see live or a group you never heard of, you are certain to listen to and see performances that you will remember for a long time to come.

Deciding to Go

If the facilities are putting you off, just book a hotel near to the site, and you’ll have access to everything you need. Don’t let a little mud stop you from discovering the festival experience, as it is one almost unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

About The Author:

Stuart is an online content writer with a huge passion for music and festivals, so much so that after returning from various events he often seeks out fireworks for sale from an online retailer and tries to recreate his favourite festivals in his own garden.

Guitar Lessons In Miami Resource: The Best Places To Hear Live Guitar!

April 15th, 2013 by Luke

The following is a guest post by Colin Lenox of Encore Music Lessons:

There are reasons why so many people are pursuing guitar lessons in Miami today. Guitar can be used in virtually all styles of music from classical to rock to folk, and has played an essential role in the development of modern music. Something about the guitar speaks not only to American culture but also Spanish and Latino cultures as well, and can be commonly heard in almost all Latin music. With a great guitar teacher, you’ll be able to explore a number of different musical varieties in guitar lessons and find out which ones you like best.

Flamenco

Miami, like all big cities, is a great city to hear rock and pop guitar music, but you also have the unique opportunity to hear lots of flamenco guitar and Latin music. For those not familiar with flamenco playing, it’s a very percussive form of fingerstyle guitar played on nylon strings.  Although nylon strings are associated with classical guitar lessons and can sound soft and sweet, flamenco is usually very lively and up tempo. Ask your guitar teacher what nylon strings are if you don’t know.

Flamenco players use all of the fingers on their picking hand, except the pinky, with techniques like flicking their nails on the strings to produce a hard attack, and hitting their palms on the body of the guitar to make thumping bass sounds. Despite never using a pick, flamenco players can shred the guitar when soloing by alternating their first and second finger on their right hand.

For those taking flamenco guitar lessons in Miami, you can go to the Casa Panza Restaurant to see world renowned performer and flamenco guitar teacher Paco Fonta. Paco appears yearly at the Florida Folk Festival, collaborates with dance and theater companies all over the Miami area, and has recently recorded with Latino superstar Gloria Estefan.

Meson Ria De Vigo on Coral Way is a spanish tapa restaurant and is another great spot to see some excellent flamenco guitar music. You can also attend the Flamenco Festival Miami at the Ziff Ballet Opera House which brings in world class flamenco dancers and musicians each year.

These are just a few notable places to see flamenco guitar in action but keep your ears open because in a lively city like Miami great music is always just around the corner.

Rock, Pop, Metal

For those taking rock or pop guitar lessons in Miami don’t worry, there’s plenty of chances to rock out and see some great shows.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino brings in huge name rock and pop stars like Eric Clapton, Joan Jett, and Sheryl Crow. Then there is the Fillmore Miami Beach – this is the place to go for high level touring bands like Coheed and Cambria and Wilco, or Miami’s very own Iron & Wine and Cat Power.

Are you a singer songwriter taking guitar lessons in Miami? Looking to perform your own music and hang out with other like-minded musicians? Check out an open mic at AV Studio or Speakeasy Lounge and start getting your music out there.

For metal and grunge players, get your fix at local favorite Churchill’s Pub or at the The Culture Room in nearby Ft. Lauderdale.

About The Author:

Colin Lenox is a blog writer and student coordinator for Encore Music Lessons.  Colin is also a musician and music teacher with a degree in Jazz Studies on guitar from The University Of Vermont.

Is Music Really Dying?

April 11th, 2013 by Luke

The following post is written by Special Guest Author: Mark of Soundista.com

The Death Of Music?

According to CNN Money, music sales between 1999 and 2009 were cut in half. The actual numbers were $14.6 billion in 1999, versus $6.3 billion in 2009. That steep decline is symptomatic of what some see as the end of the music industry as we know it. There is a question as to whether this is really a bad thing for artists, however.

Money and Music

The type of statistics referenced above are not hard to find. Digital sales, for instance, have cut into a huge chunk of CD sales and the entertainment industry blames piracy for losses of revenue on music sales, to some extent. Music is widely available for free on the Internet—sometimes legally, through streaming music stations and so forth—which means that people may be less motivated to buy a $20 CD to get the one track they like if they can hear it most any time they want.

Whether you view the way the music industry has changed as liberation of the art from the hands of the corporations that used to be so much more profitable at distributing it or an unbearable hardship on musicians, the fact remains the same: music isn’t worth what it used to be worth, at least to large companies. Sometimes, decline in one industry gives a rather skewed view of what’s actually going on.

More Music

Forbes reported in an article in 2012 that, in 2008, there were 106,000 new albums released compared to 38,000 in 2003. Quite simply, there’s been more music out there than there has in the past. Not all of it is coming from large record companies, however, as the tools required for recording and production have become less and less expensive and has more musicians have started releasing their albums on their own.

Live Still Rocks

The same Forbes article reports that, between 1999 and 2009, the sales of concert tickets in the US market was on a healthy upward trajectory. In fact, it was something beyond healthy. The sales went from $1.5 billion to $4.6 billion. Concerts have always been huge parts of how musicians make their livings and, going by these figures, things were three times as good in 2009 as they were in 1999, at least in terms of concert attendance.

Different is Not Dead

The music industry is much different than it used to be, that is for certain. In the past, musicians sent demos to every record company they thought would sign them. If one of the record companies showed an interest, the musician could rely on their support for marketing, promotion and so forth, but, without a label, it was very hard for independent artists to develop a presence on the market. Today, it’s as easy as opening up a Facebook page, uploading some MP3s to a distribution site and having a web page. These are all things that the average band could take care of in the space of a couple of days, rather than spending years playing in taverns, clubs and other venues, hoping that they got noticed.

The Forbes article also reported that the revenues for digital music players, advertising and in other categories has jumped up over the years.

The record companies may be faltering, but that does not mean a decline in music as an art form or, in fact, as a commercially viable art form. The industry itself has changed, however, and today that seems to mean that CDs may not be selling well, but more music is out there and bands still have ways to make money.

About The Author

Mark of Soundista.com offers tips and information on music production, download loops, download sound and more.

Five Ways To Make The Most Of Recording Studio Time

April 10th, 2013 by Luke

The following blog is by a special Guest Author and presented in collaboration with www.selectrecordingstudios.co.uk

Make The Most Of Recording Studio Time

Whether you’re about to record an album or making a demo that you can shop around to record companies, studio time is a significant investment – so it pays to do everything you can to get the most bang for your buck. It’s essential to carefully plan and organise your time so you don’t waste a minute and end up with nothing to show for a day’s recording. Follow these simple steps to get everything you can out of time in the recording studio and end up with results you love.

1. Get Studio Versions of Songs Prepared

There’s a huge difference between live performance and performing in a studio so make sure you’ve checked your arrangements and worked out how best to record your song. Creating succinct, tight versions of your song will afford you the best results and save time in the studio too. If you’re trying to promote your band, then a sloppy demo is not the best way to go about it. The more slick and professional your demo is the more likely you are to be picked up.

2. Set Studio Time Goals

You’ll have a set amount of hours in the studio but whether it’s a day or a fortnight, treat it like a job and carefully map out your time. This is especially important if you need to accommodate other musicians flexibly. Once you’re in the studio time will fly so it’s much more effective to have a concrete timetable than a loose plan.

Choose one or two tracks to work on in a day and don’t be tempted to squeeze more in if you don’t have any longer. It’s much better to complete two songs perfectly than end up with a bunch of half finished recordings. A three minute song could take three hours to record so it’s unlikely that you’ll finish a whole album in a day. However, there’s always the chance that you’ll get things done more quickly than you expected so make contingencies for any time you have left by preparing a couple of extra tracks just in case.

If you’re working with a band then make sure they’re aware of your plans and understand what your expectations of them are. That way there’s far less likely to be confusion over which songs to learn or which instruments to bring.

3. Opt for Professional Mastering

Mixing is usually done by engineers within a recording studio but mastering is an entirely different process. If you eliminate mastering from the studio time you have it can allow you to fit in more. You can get your recordings mastered at a later date but make sure you enlist someone with the skills and experience you need. Although professional mastering is a separate investment, you’ll end up with better results than you will if you try to do everything at once.

4. Eat and Drink

It may sound silly but when you’re caught up in the moment everything else goes out of the window, but forgetting to eat and drink certainly won’t help your performance. If you want to maintain your energy levels then choose healthy foods that release energy slowly like wholemeal bread, porridge and brown rice. Avoid high fat, high sugar foods as they will give you a burst of energy followed by a slump. Keep hydrated with plenty of water and if you want to stay on your toes avoid drinking alcohol.

5. Pick the Right Studio

Embarking on your first recording studio session can be daunting so look for a studio that caters for your needs. Most studios accommodate amateurs and professionals but will incorporate differing levels of service. A good studio will have friendly, helpful, well-qualified staff who will be able to talk you through the recording process and put you at ease. They’ll also be able to help you find ways to improve your performance and offer advice on recording techniques.

You’ll find useful information on the majority of recording studio websites about the kind of work they do and some will even allow you to listen in to recent recordings so you can get a feel for the type of result you can expect.

Bonus Tip

If you’re feeling a little intimidated by the idea of a recording studio session then pay a visit to the studio before it takes place. Staff there should be happy to give you a tour and let you familiarise yourself with the surroundings and what will happen on the day, which will help you to feel more at ease when you finally come to record.

So if you’re set to become the next big thing make sure you start off on the right foot and follow these tips to ensure that your recording studio session is a rousing success.

About the Author:

I’m a fifty something technical director with a passion for the food industry and blogging.

I’m happily married with two grown up daughters.