How to purchase an iPod

Few advanced technological digital accessories made by a single company have sold as fast as iPod. Today, there is wide range of options available for iPod lovers to choose among many with many different qualities. Here I include following tips which can help you in purchasing iPod that can fit your standard of living.

1. When apple initially started selling iPods, there were two necessary options that basically varied in the quantity of songs they could stock up and their bodily size. Nowadays, seven storage space options await music lovers. You ought to select your iPod based on what you can afford to spend and the quantity of storage space you desire.

2. iPod shuffle is affordable among other expensive ones and lighter in weight too. iPod shuffle size is equal to a pack of gum. It comes in 2 versions; version1 can store 120 songs and version2 can store up to 240 songs. You can play the song in the order you have downloaded or can choose the option to play it randomly.

3. iPod Minis has high storage capacity and is quite expensive too. It can hold 1000 – 1500 songs. This iPod has a screen which will display the title of the song and artist associated with it. There are different color varieties of iPod mini.

4. The simply called iPod is the most powerful one with a storage capacity up to 5000 songs. This iPod can store computer files and also audio files too for ex: language recordings, lecture notes etc. it can even permit you to record your voice.

5. iPod photo is the most expensive one with storage capacity of up to 7,500 songs in version1 and 15,000 in version2. As the name suggests it also stores up to 25,000 photos.

6. There is diversification in iPod accessories. You can avail ports that transfer your downloaded music to residence or car stereos. File organizing accessories and different carrying cases are available. Apple sells just few iPod accessories, but many are manufactured and sold by different companies.

Remember this in advance:
The chief grievance against iPods in the past has been that the batteries get exhausted soon and it requires often recharging and regular replacing. Previous to your purchase ask the dealer about the length of time, the battery works. Also examine the overall length of battery life and the price of iPod battery replacement.

By: rosy.sheeba
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How To Write A Song

Have you ever had the dream of writing a song that one day you or a big star will sing? Or it may be that you want to write a piece of music for an orchestra to play. Have you already written a few songs but have not gotten any response or good feedback yet? Well, instead of giving up, just keep trying and with a push in the right direction, you may gain the confidence to and know how to actually succeed.

Knowing Which Technique Suits You

You may ask yourself “is writing music easy or hard?” Well basically, the answer is that it can be as easy or as hard as the person makes it for himself or herself.

If you are stuck and are wondering what will come first - the music or the words - then experiment. There is no correct answer on whether you should work on the music or the words first. It is basically all down to the individual and what he or she prefers. A good tip is that you should try them both out, just to see what works best for you. It could be that the music will inspire you enough to write song lyrics to go with it, so what ever works, then do that. It may even change from song to song. Some lyrics might come before the music and some music might come before the lyrics.

Prepare and Improvise!

If you are writing a piece of music, you will need to definitely prepare each part carefully to get the right flow and technique down to a tee. Break it down starting with the verse first and then afterwards the chorus. If you are stuck for ideas, try listening to other songs for inspiration. You could then think of ways to improve on these songs that will inspire you to write better music yourself. It is best to try to learn from the mistakes of others to perfect your own techniques.

The key to writing good music is the ability to improvise. If you try to learn all of the different techniques and chord changes, it will help you to develop and give you more confidence to produce good quality music. Just sit down and start playing a few chords. If they go together, write them down and then try and find the next chord that goes perfectly with the ones you just played. Eventually you will find that you have created the perfect music for your song.

Know Your Taste and Stick With it!

One obvious tip that many people forget to follow when writing music is to stick to music that you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in rock music and you hate ballads, there is absolutely no point sitting down and trying to write a ballad! It will not flow, you will end up becoming extremely frustrated and you will not want to carry on writing it.

So, if you are interested in rock music, collect some of your favorite rock songs together and listen to them while jotting down bits in the songs that you like. Do you want your lyrics to rhyme? A lot of songs do tend to have rhyming lyrics because they tend to stick in people’s heads better. However, there really are no rules with that, so do not worry too much about it.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Anyone in the music business will tell you that practice makes perfect and this is the case for you. You shouldn’t give up when the going gets tough. Just keep practicing and you will get there in the end. You will notice your skills will improve over time, giving you the confidence to succeed.

So why not try to write music today and show the world your song writing skills. The main thing to remember is that writing music takes time. You cannot expect to write a really good song overnight. It literally takes good songwriters months, if not years to prepare an album and write all of their own material. The key thing is to be patient!

By: Kevin Sinclair
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How To Tune Your Guitar By Ear

1. The very first thing you need to know is that learning to tune your guitar takes time.

Some things on guitar can be learned in minutes, some in days, and others in weeks, but tuning will sometimes take even longer, because you have to train your ears. If results come slowly or don't seem to be making any progress, don't be discouraged, just keep working at it.

2. It will help you to know that the ear is a very skilled instrument for taking in sound. Your ear hears four things in each sound: Pitch, Duration, Volume and Tone Quality.

Pitch is how high or low the sound is. Duration is how long it lasts. Volume is how loud it is. Tone quality is the "character" of the sound. If we were to play the same pitch, at the same volume, for the same length of time on piano, clarinet, flute, violin, guitar, doorbell, or car horn, your ear could tell one instrument (or car horn) from another because of the tone quality. That's because each instrument has a different "character" or "personality" of sound. You can prove you have this ability to tell one sound from another by listening to sounds without looking where they come from.

The point I want to emphasize is that you already hear very well. Learning to tune your guitar is learning a new way of using your hearing.

3.The next thing to know is that when you are tuning your guitar you want to listen only to the pitch of the strings. The quality of the pitch will differ between two strings, and this may at first confuse your ear. You'll mistake the difference in quality as a difference in pitch. For example when playing the first string open and the second string at the fifth fret, you may notice that the first string may sound 'crisper', while the second string will sound a little "darker" in quality. The darker quality of the string at first can be misunderstood to sound lower in pitch. (You may use different words to explain how the strings sound to you, but the idea is that the tone quality of each string will sound different). If you understand that the ear hears a combination of pitch, volume, duration and quality all at the same time, it will help you to filter out the quality from the pitch and overcome the basic problem of tuning.

4. The steps involved in tuning your guitar: The first step is to tune one string to a note from another source. You could use another guitar (one that has already been tuned), a piano, or somebody that know how to tune could guide you along.

A better source is a tuning fork. (It's better because you don't need anybody else around or any other instrument. If, for example you learn to tune to a piano, you're going to have a problem if ever you need to tune and there's no piano handy).

A tuning fork is a U shaped piece of metal with a stem on it. The fork is designed to vibrate at a particular pitch. You can get one that gives you the pitch of the first string on the guitar. (Look for one that has the letter E and the number 329.6 stamped on the stem).

To use the tuning fork you hold it by the stem, tap the U shaped fork against something solid, and place the stem (not the tip of the fork) on either the body, or the bridge of your guitar. (For electric guitars can place it on the pickup). You should hear the note which the vibrating fork produced. The note is the correct "source".

You now adjust the first string to match the pitch of the tuning fork. You do this by finding the correct tuning gear for this string and then turning the gear slowly in one direction or the other. After about half a turn you should hear the string change pitch either up or down. This will tell you which way you have to turn the gear to tighten the string (to raise the pitch) and which way to loosen the string (to lower the pitch).

Now compare the sound of the string with the sound of the tuning fork. If the string is lower than the tuning fork, tighten the string to raise the pitch. If the string is higher than the tuning fork, loosen the string to lower the pitch.

Go slowly. Do not turn the gear rapidly. Turn about a quarter of a turn and then compare the string to the tuning fork again. (You'll have to strike them both again). You'll probably have to repeat this process several times. When the string sounds close to the fork make smaller turns.

When you think the first string is in tune, use the following steps (one to five) to tune the rest of the strings. (Remember, you can only tune as well as your ears hear now. With practice, you can become a better tuner). The following steps repeat the process of matching one pitch with another. The difference is that instead of using a tuning fork you will listen to the string you have just tuned, and try to match the next string to this one.

1. Place the finger behind the fifth fret of the 6th string. This will give you the tone of the 5th sting. (A)

2. Place the finger behind the 5th fret of the 5th string to get the pitch of the 4th string. (D)

3. Place the finger behind the 5th fret of the 4th string to get the pitch of the 3rd string. (G)

4. Place the finger behind the FOURTH FRET of the 3rd string to get the pitch of the 2nd string. (B)

5. Place the finger behind the 5th fret of the 2nd string to get the pitch of the 1st string. (E)

By: Mike Hayes
Credit:www.superfeature.com

How To Play Blues Guitar Authentically

For just about anyone, you can learn how to play blues guitar in the same fashion as learning how to play any other type of guitar. The primary difference is in the feel while strumming, and the note choice of the scales. When you have those things together, it all boils down to of practice and patience.

Normally in pop and rock songs, eighth notes break each beat into two equal pieces. This division create the familiar “one & two & three & four &” feel that we’re used to in rock songs. Blues guitar on the other hand uses a swing feel, where each beat is broken into three pieces. Instead of “one & two &,” we get “one & a two & a three & a four & a.” Dividing the beats into three pieces creates what are called eighth note triplets. Since there are usually four beats per measure in the blues, you are usually playing four groups of three.

When starting out with learning blues guitar, you should practice strumming an easy chord like G7, which stands for G dominant 7, with a swing feel. always practice strumming down on the strong beats, those that fall on the one, two, three, or four, skip the ‘&,’ and strum up again on the ‘a.’ With that rhythm you get the do DAH do DAH do DAH do DAH sound made popular by artists such as Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Albert King.

One of the essential elements of learning how to play blues guitar is learning how to play a dominant seventh type of chord. All chords have 2 pieces, and blues guitar chords are no exception. If you have an A7 chord, you know two pieces of information from that name, you know that the chord starts on an A note, and you know it has a dominant seventh chord quality, or sound. Dominant seventh chords use the root, third, fifth, and flatted seventh of the major scale. It is that blending together of the major third and minor seventh scale degrees that give dominant seventh chords their unique appeal. In most forms of music, only the chord built from the fifth tone is permitted to be a dominant seventh chord. In blues, all of the chords are dominant seventh.

Finally, the blues scale is also unique. The minor blues scale is built from the root, flatted third, fourth, flatted fifth (or raised fourth), fifth, and flatted seventh degree of the major scale. The major blues scale is created from the root, second, flatted third, third, fifth, and sixth degrees of the major scale. What is interesting to note, is that the chords are all dominant seventh, which means that they have a major third, but the scale contains a flatted third. This use of the flatted third in the melody against the major third in the chord is one of the most obvious characteristics of blues music. The flatted third, along with the flatted fifth, help to give the blues, and blues based music, it’s ‘blueness.’

When learning how to play blues guitar, never forget the words of the great BB King, “The blues is the easiest music to learn, and the hardest to master.” Blues guitar is made up of simple ideas, which when used together create something great than the sum of their parts.

By: Griff Hamlin
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How To Find A Good Used Guitar

You can get fabulous deals buying a used guitar, if you know what to look for. This article is focused on how to find a good used acoustic or classical guitar.

A few years ago I was celebrating a friend's birthday in a home with a wall of guitars. I spotted a nice Yamaha classical guitar and asked permission to play it. The owner proudly told me that she had purchased it for $5 at a garage sale.

I know guitars and this instrument originally sold for around $400. It was in excellent condition and around 20 to 30 years old.

On the other hand, I heard through the grapevine that a gentleman purchased a used Ramirez guitar and didn't realize that the neck was warped. This instrument will never play in tune. He wasted his money. A good Ramirez costs around $5000, but if it's always out of tune I certainly wouldn't buy it at any price.

Here are seven items to check before buying a used guitar:

1. When looking at the guitar notice the overall condition. Dings are OK, but I would be wary of large cracks.

2. Check the neck for warping. You can look down the side of the neck, like a billiard stick. Another way to check for warping is to press down the 6th string at the 1st and 19th frets. A tiny gap is normal, but if you see 1/4" space or more between the neck and strings, don't buy it.

3. Check the bridge. The bride is the piece of wood that the strings attach to and is located next to the sound hole. Take a business card and try to slide it under the bridge. If you can slide you card under it, then it may pop off. That will cost you $80 to $150 to fix.

4. Check the guitar bracing. Tap the top of the instrument and if the bracing is loose you will hear a sound like a snare drum. It's expensive to repair.

5. Check the frets. Play each note of the guitar on every string to see if there are any buzzes.

6. Check the heel. The heel is located on the back of the guitar and usually connects the body and neck of the guitar. Is the neck still connected to the body? It can cost anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars to fix.

Most manufacturers assemble the guitar bodies separately from the necks. Then they are glued together later. Spanish guitars have what is called a Spanish foot. The whole guitar is assembled and glued at the same time. The neck actually protrudes inside the body and you can see the foot through the sound hole. The neck will not separate from the body.

7. Do you enjoy playing the instrument? Every guitar sounds different and you should buy one that is easy for you to play and has a sound quality that you like.

If you don't have a lot of experience playing the guitar it's a good idea to take a knowledgeable friend. Visiting guitar shops is helpful. It will expose you to many guitars. They often have specials and some even sell used instruments too.

Happy shopping!

By: Jean Welles
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How To Care For and Maintain Your Guitar

It's not surprising that proper care of your guitar will give you a more consistent quality sound and a much longer guitar life. If you are serious about playing guitar you will want to get some accessories that are essential for the care of the guitar. A guitar player is only as good as the sound and the quality of the guitar he is playing.

The first item would be a hard shell case for transporting the guitar to and from the different locations that you will be playing the guitar. Many people use what they call soft or cloth "gig bag" which zip up and protect the exterior surface of the guitar. A major problem with this type of case is that the tuning nuts on the end of the neck of the guitar get out of tune almost every time you transport it as there is nothing to protect them from being bumped which causes them to turn and get out of tune. Also, if there is any kind of impact while loading and unloading the guitar, this could cause cracks or actual punctures in the body of the guitar.

A hard shell case prevents these things from happening as there is space between the neck and body of the guitar and the actual case. The case is designed to take impact while holding the guitar securely on the inside protecting the actual body and neck of the guitar and keeping it in tune. It is a bit more of an investment than a gig bag but in the long run it will help to make your guitar last much longer.

Another item that should be considered for care of the guitar is a guitar stand. You need this to put the guitar on while you are not playing it. Many people lean the guitar against a wall or couch or some other stationary object when they are not playing it. There are a couple of reasons why this is not a good practice. The first would be that if you do not lean the guitar in the correct manner you can very easily warp the neck of the guitar which makes it much more difficult to play.

Warping of the neck increases the distance between the strings and the neck which causes you to have to apply more force on the strings while playing. This can make for some very sore and blistered fingers! Also, leaving the guitar laying around makes it much more available for accidents to happen. Having a stand keeps the guitar in the same location when you are done with it and also supports the neck close to the body of the guitar which totally prevents warping of the neck - a small investment solving some big problems.

The last item that should be considered is an actual tuning device for the guitar. You will find that the longer you play the guitar the better you will become at tuning it by just using your ear. But for starting out, you will want to use something that gives you the exact sound and gives the guitar an accurate tune up. There are many devices that you can get that are very easy to use which will give you the exact tuning you need. When your guitar is not tuned correctly this can be very embarrassing - especially if you are singing along with the guitar!

By: Kevin Sinclair
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How To Be Successful At Practicing The Guitar

Practice: to work on something repeatedly for the purpose of improvement.

That says a lot. It tells you what to do (work), how (repeatedly), and why (to improve).

Once you understand what "practice" is, you can proceed to learn how to use this new tool to your best advantage.

1. TUNE UP: It's important to play music at correct concert pitch.

2. WARM UP: Play through an easy piece, slowly. The idea here is to loosen up your muscles. Don't play anything that is hard or fast.

3. DIRECTION: Before you go any further, settle your mind upon what it is you wish to achieve today. At this point it's important to remember two things.

a. You are practicing to improve. this means getting results.

b. You learn the guitar, or grow into music, in the same way you grow into an adult - over a period of time. You may experience fast progress, or experience a slow gradual growth. There may even be times when you don't seem to progress at all.

However, if your practice program is directed towards results (whether they come fast or slow), you'll see them soon enough - providing you keep on working systematically at your study program. Don't be overly concerned about mistakes - if you keep looking for mistakes, you'll succeed in finding mistakes - and very little else.

4. TODAY'S PROBLEMS - YOUR CURRENT LESON: Here you confront new material that must be learnt. As you progress, this part of your practice schedule will change. That is to say, as you complete one assignment you will move on to the next. (Keep working with the thought in mind that you are practicing to improve).

5. REPEAT: In learnng the guitar there are three things you're doing.

a. Acquiring and storing information in your memory.

b. Developing muscles.

c. Developing muscular and mental co-ordination.

Usually you will be working on all three at the same time, although from time to time you will encounter information that uses only the first process.

You will make the best progress by repeating any new idea's over and over until it is properly internalized.

6. MAKE NOTES: Get out a piece of paper and write down your questions, problems, discoveries, things that seem to keep going wrong, things that seem to need extra work etc. If you make notes about the problem areas, you'll find answers to your questions, solve your problems, remember your discoveries, and save a lot of time.

8. WORK SLOW TO FAST: When learning is new, go slowly. As you improve. you will naturally play the assignment faster. Don't think about playing anything fast until you have properly worked it out.

9. RELAX: Stay as relaxed as you can. Steps five, seven and eight are especially helpful in doing this. You should also understand that when the material is new, you will naturally be more intense - you may even find your muscles tightening up. As you come to know the material you should be able to relax more, but you must think about it. Feel the muscles - try to make them relax. Remember too, that you can tense up just from an excess of concentration - so that's a good reason for taking regular breaks.

10. WORK ON THE PARTS: If you're having a problem with something, take it apart. With every few exceptions, you play the guitar with two hands. They both work together to produce one result. This means that the combination of the two moving together could be causing the problem. Work on developing right and left hand synchronization.

11. Review: At the end of your practice session, go over your lesson and give some extra attention where it's needed. This could also include past assignments that still need additional attention. Use a review as a way to wrap up you day's practice.

By: Mike Hayes
Credit:www.superfeature.com