Midi Keyboard-experimenting With Sounds

A midi keyboard primarily refers to musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) keyboard which is just like a piano only but offers more features than a piano. A midi keyboard is used in recording studios. A piano has 88 keys whereas the midi keyboards have bigger and heavier keys making them more appropriate for studio and high end technical recordings.

Though there are a variety of midi keyboards available in the market but it is important to have some basic understanding about the keyboard and the features offered by the same. Add to this most electronic keyboard offering midi capabilities which means more number of choices and the more the number of choices the more the confusion. Midi keyboards are known to offer perfect quality sound in terms of harmonies, scales and effects. These keyboards are known to bridge the gap between computer generated audios and perfectly refined tunes.

It was in the late 1990s that the concept of midi keyboards captured the market by a storm with many amateurs trying their hands on the system and trying on offering varied and differential tunes to cater to the music market.

Considering the choices available in the market one is completely spoilt as there are some basic to extra features which would not only make a huge difference to the sound quality but also render a satisfaction feel to the composer. However, ones budget is one of the key factors which should be taken into account while buying a midi keyboard. If one has a restricted budget then it is important to opt for a keyboard which offers the best feel and then later can be upgraded to offer more enhanced sound quality.

Handling skills in the form of number of keyboards that one is comfortable using is another point which must be kept in mind while choosing the keyboard, as one can choose from a 25 to 88 length key board system. If you a more classical musician kind of person then you should opt for an 88 keyboard system, else you can also opt for a 76 keys board which is more popular. Though lesser keys board are always recommended for amateurs as they need to get a feel of how the keys need to be used and how can they improvise on offering better quality sounds. Thus knowing about the sound and the functionality of the keys and the board at large would offer better sounds and would also help the individual in growing with every innovation.

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Music Helps Raise IQ

Growing up, music has helped me cope with the many dramas I encountered. The first love, the first broken heart, the loss of my father, and the happy times with friends and family. Even at work, I relax myself from all the stress by listening to the music of Enya. I played the guitar but never really formally took lessons. I just learned how to play so I can socialize with each circle of friends I got to meet. 
Recently I discovered that music is actually helpful in the development of our IQ and mental development. Researches on how music affects the brain and mental development are available in musicology and music advocacy sites. It has been observed through the use of advanced technology such as the PET scans and MRI imaging that new neural pathways are created when an individual is engaged in a musical activity. Activities referred includes but not limited to composing musical pieces and playing musical instruments. It has been observed that ALL sides of our brain literally lights up in the monitors as opposed to only a part of the brain lights up when engaged in any other activity. I’ve heard of parents making their babies listen to classical music even when they’re still in the womb so that they will grow smart but it was only recently was I informed of the science behind it and the studies that back the claim. Indeed passively listening to music helps. But measurable mental development is mostly attributed to composing and playing musical instruments. 
There are, however, many other benefits that can be derived from music. Socially, music is an ageless hobby creating interaction with great people. It can be observed that creativity and striving for excellence is developed and embraced among musical groups. Discipline and organization are also honed. These are traits that prove valuable for us in later life. Think about having children develop these traits early in life, wouldn’t it be neat? Sharon Burch, a music teacher and creator of Freddie the Frog® book series thought it would be a great idea to get our children interested in music to reap these benefits and help them raise their IQ. She wrote fanciful books with the mission of breaking down big abstract concepts into developmentally appropriate pieces for kids. And she made these books interesting by introducing fascinating characters and places so children can easily retain the lessons in memory.
I wish we had the same resources before when I was younger but then these helpful books are meant for the next generation and my future children. Help raise your kids’ IQ by engaging them in activities related to music as early as preschool so we can have a future filled with creative, vibrant, and smarter citizens.

Article Tags: Music Helps, Mental Development

Rihanna – The Sizzling R&b Star

R&B star Rihanna is a multi platinum R&B recording artist famous for her smash hit R&B songs and stunning music videos. Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados on February 20, 1988, she released her debut album “Music Of The Sun” in 2005. It featured collaborations with J-Status, Kardinal Offishall and has hit Rihanna songs & Rihanna music videos “Pon Da Replay” and “If Its Lovin That You Want”, helping her album to debut at number 10 on the Billboard Album charts selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release.

Rihanna released her sophomore album “A Girl Like Me” in 2006. It featured collaborations with R&B singer Ne-Yo, Sean Paul. The album debuted at number 5 on the Billboard Album charts selling 115,000 copies in its first week of release. It features her songs “SOS”, “Unfaithful”, “We Ride” & the fourth official single release “Break It Off” which featured another excellent Rihanna music video helping her album to sell over 1.5 million copies in the US alone.

Rihanna released her third studio album “Good Girl Gone Bad” in 2007. It featured collaborations with Hip hop star Jay Z, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Timbaland & Tricky Stewart. It debuted at number 2 selling 162,000 copies in its first week of release and had popular songs & videos “Umbrella” featuring Jay Z, “Shut Up And Drive”, “Hate That I Love You”, “Don`t Stop The Music”, “Take A Bow”, “Disturbia” & “Rehab”. It became her biggest selling album to date selling over 2.6 million copies in the US alone.

Rihanna released her fourth studio album “Rated R” on November 20, 2009. It featured collaborations Hip hop star Young Jeezy, Will.i.am & Rock Star Slash and included hit songs & videos “Russian Roulette”, “Hard”, “Rude Boy” amongst others. This album with best RnB songs debuted at number 4 on the Billboard Album charts selling 181,000 copies in its first week of release. The album has sold over one million copies in the US alone, giving Rihanna another Platinum selling album, also peaking at number 9 on the Official UK Album charts.

Rihanna released her fifth studio album “Loud” on November 12, 2010. This album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard Album charts selling 207,000 copies in its first week of release. It also featured high profile collaborations with Hip hop superstar Eminem on the sequel to their hit “Love The Way You Lie”, Drake & rap sensation Nicki Minaj. The album has sold over 1.5 million copies and has hit songs & music videos “Only Girl (In The World)”, “What`s My Name” featuring Drake, “S&M”, “California King Bed”, the dancehall flavored “Man Down” and her final single release “Cheers (Drink To That)”.

Rihanna released her sixth studio album “Talk That Talk” on November 21, 2011. It featured collaborations with Hip hop legend Jay Z, Alex Da Kid, Stargate and Calvin Harris and boasts of the hit song & music video “We Found Love” which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts. Rihanna released her second single "You Da One" on November 14, 2011. This hugely infectious Rihanna song also featured a stunning music video. Rihanna is also expected to release more singles & more music videos in the months to come.

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Quick Tip For Learning How To Play Guitar

When picking up the guitar almost any guitar will do. It is interesting for no one to invest into something that will end up in the closet a few weeks later. The first thing you should be cautious and double check is that your guitar is fine tuned. Electric tuners are easy to use even for beginners and can be found for under $20 at your local guitar store. What most people fear when picking up the guitar is to turn up the peg to tune each string. Do not be afraid at all: the strings will not spap. Neither should you expect them to whip you in the face. It is very easy to tune a guitar. Another great idea: buy an extra pair of cheap strings.

Before even thinking about being some kind of rock star pop, or even blue guru, take your time and learn to pick and strum a guitar. Nothing could be more wrong than trying to go as fast as our fingers are trying to...even if our instincts are leading us this way. Take your time to understand and memorize the sounds. Let them sing to you. Finger placement would be my first suggestion. To get the real quality of your guitar, the moment you do play a cord (or even a single note), press firmly with your finger(s). Playing as close to the fret as possible would be my second suggestion. You will, this way, avoid the rattle sound being faced by most beginners.

There are tons of videos and articles online. So you can easily find the sound you really want to play. If you want to keep interest in guitar, simply learn some simple cords. Make your own sound by taking some cords you do like and by combining them together. To produce a different sound, here is another easy way: first, take a cord. Then strum it up twice then down once (or just up and down). It is worth to practice to pick a cord even if it is not easy. By combining, mixing and matching, slowing down or speeding up and with some practice, you will be able to quickly produce you own song.

You, like me, do have at least a great song that is easy to play and you like. I recommend you to select a song you really like. A simple song and learn how to play it. Some people may find learning guitar to be a bit frustrating. A few simple and quick wins are all you need. There is no need to be some master player in order to learn how to play a great melody.

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Music... The Perfect Remedy To A Long & Tiring Day

There is background and "mood" music in sitcoms and TV showsthat you watch everyday. We have all heard those catchycommercial jingles that stick with us throughout the day.These are just some examples of music.

Types of Music

There are so many types of music out there. You can buy CDs,listen to the radio and even listen to music or learn aboutmusic on TV. MTV, VH1 and various other television channelsare geared towards music. You can turn on your radio andpick up the waves of many local and some even distantstations that play different types of music. Music is reallyeverywhere and there is so much to choose from.

Some of the more common types of music are country, R&B, hiphop, rock, classical and pop or dance. Many other categorieshave came from these basic genres. There are also manydifferent categories according to decade. For example, youcan get hits of the 70s, 80s, 90s and today. These will playyou all the hits and chart toppers from that era.

Digital Music

Just like many other things in life today, music has wentdigital and there are many more opportunities now for you toenjoy it. You can download music online and store it on yourcomputer. You can also listen to music online. There aremany websites that let you listen to music and there areliterally thousands of stations so you can listen to anytype of music you like. Many of these let you customize themso you only listen to what you like and nothing that youdon't.

Another breakthrough in the digital music scene was the MP3file. MP3s are just a way to compress a music file sincemusic files are fairly large. The MP3 can be downloaded toyour computer, stored in folders and also transferred to MP3players. There are portable MP3 players that are basicallymodern day Walkmans but instead of radio, or CDs, you havedigital files.

The amount of files you will be able to store will vary butyou can store many more than you could on a CD because theyare compressed. They are stored inside your machine indigital format so you don't have to worry about skipping orlosing your station.

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