Music has become an integral part of our lives. Whatever the occasion, music can add a different dimension to it. Whether you are driving alone on a long stretch, or partying or even simply relaxing, music can be your perfect partner. Music videos go one step ahead of the conventional CDs in that they also play to our optical senses. This gives us a much more complete experience since you now have a person who is performing in front of you rather than just a voice playing back.
There are plenty of options available in music videos. You can choose from your titles available as VCDs and DVDs. However, thanks to the Internet, you can now access music videos online as well. To top it off, if you love music but don't like spending a lot of money on CD's or fee-based music download sites, you also have an option of accessing a music download service that offers you free music videos! These free music videos could be a trailer to a new release or a complete song.
Nowadays, even the record companies are uploading the videos of their artists to promote the CD sales. These include the sites from the Big Five i.e. Sony, EMI, BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. Then there are regular sites like yahoo (http://music.yahoo.com), msn(http://music.msn.com) or http://music.aol.cm etc. that offer free music videos on demand.
Most of these sites are very well organized and make your quest for a particular song easy. You can search by the name of the artist, the name of the album, the genre of the music or even top 100 music videos! The sites also have a 'help' section so if you are experiencing any problems with your search or any other technical difficulty, you have all the answers at the click of your mouse.
The sites also let you download of the latest playback software for free. There are also plenty of other sites like http://www.findvideos.com or http://www.artistdirect.com that compile music from various providers and make it accessible on their websites. These sites have titles from almost all the artists, covering all the genres.
So whether you are looking at checking out songs or albums before you actually go ahead and purchase it, or you need to play back some good music while you are surfing, there are plenty of free music video sites for help. So, play on!
Source: Free Articles
Kamis, 17 Juni 2010
Senin, 01 Desember 2008
Are Free File Download Services Really Safe
by: Drew Straub
On Monday June 27, 2005 the Supreme Court ruled that Grokster and
Streamsoft, two free file download services, were operating
illegally because they were allegedly encouraging illegal
downloads of copyrighted material.
Encouraging it...that was what the Supreme Court said. These
were free services that were encouraging illegal activity.
Would this have happened if they had had paying customers? In
other words, would a paid file download service be better than a
free download service?
I think so, and here's my reasoning why...
If you consider that every dollar paid is like a vote, then it
becomes clear the paid file downloading services are much more
accountable than free file downloading services.
If you follow my metaphor so far, then you may see how a paid
file download service is like an elected official, and a free
file download service is like a dictator.
Here's how they differ:
1. If an elected official doesn't get enough votes, the elected
official doesn't get re-elected and is "out of there".
2. A dictator doesn't care about votes. A dictator does
whatever they want. And, if you get hurt by what they do....
well, it's YOUR problem.
Basically, it's all about accountability.
A legitimate business has to make money to survive. If a
business hurts people, customers will stop buying from that
business and go elsewhere. And, if people stop buying from that
business, then that business is "out of there" (just like the
elected official which loses votes).
But a free file sharing service can "do what it wants", just like
a dictator, and if they even go to the level of encouraging you
to do things that are illegal, even lying to you by telling you
that it's perfectly legal... well it's no skin off their nose.
It's your problem!
Or so they thought...up to now.
For the first time, the Supreme Court has made these shady liars
legally responsible for their bad behavior.
They got away with it in the past by "advising" people to do
things that were potentially illegal. They rationalized it by
saying "Hey, we aren't the ones actually doing it, so we
shouldn't be held responsible."
But the Supreme Court has finally cleared this up. They are
responsible, and can now be sued for their actions. Even if they
did it for "FREE".
"FREE"... that was the draw that got so many innocent kids
downloading songs, videos, movies, games, etc. illegally without
knowing it. The "FREE" file downloading services were just
exploiting these kids' ignorance.
Paid download services can't afford this kind of behavior. They
look at this as a business. If they start getting their
customers in trouble, word gets around pretty fast on the
internet, and their business will become toast!
Think of this like NetFlix, who doesn't sell download services,
but sends out CDs and DVDs through the mail. What would happen
to them if they "encouraged" purchasing illegally copied movies
or music from them? Yeah you got it... toast!
But the "FREE" file sharing services that are encouraging kids to
do this thought they could get away with this indefinitely
because "they weren't making any money off of it, and after all,
they weren't the actual people doing the downloading."
Nice legal trickery... good thing it won't work anymore!
So... the question still begging to be asked is:
"Are paid file download services better than free file download
services?"
I'll let you take it from here... ;^)
About the author:
=================================================================
Drew Straub invites you check out his new site which he built to
help people find the best reviews on MP3 players and the best
paid membership services to use to find the music, videos,
movies, and games you want legally at: http://mp3.wowshoppe.com
=================================================================
On Monday June 27, 2005 the Supreme Court ruled that Grokster and
Streamsoft, two free file download services, were operating
illegally because they were allegedly encouraging illegal
downloads of copyrighted material.
Encouraging it...that was what the Supreme Court said. These
were free services that were encouraging illegal activity.
Would this have happened if they had had paying customers? In
other words, would a paid file download service be better than a
free download service?
I think so, and here's my reasoning why...
If you consider that every dollar paid is like a vote, then it
becomes clear the paid file downloading services are much more
accountable than free file downloading services.
If you follow my metaphor so far, then you may see how a paid
file download service is like an elected official, and a free
file download service is like a dictator.
Here's how they differ:
1. If an elected official doesn't get enough votes, the elected
official doesn't get re-elected and is "out of there".
2. A dictator doesn't care about votes. A dictator does
whatever they want. And, if you get hurt by what they do....
well, it's YOUR problem.
Basically, it's all about accountability.
A legitimate business has to make money to survive. If a
business hurts people, customers will stop buying from that
business and go elsewhere. And, if people stop buying from that
business, then that business is "out of there" (just like the
elected official which loses votes).
But a free file sharing service can "do what it wants", just like
a dictator, and if they even go to the level of encouraging you
to do things that are illegal, even lying to you by telling you
that it's perfectly legal... well it's no skin off their nose.
It's your problem!
Or so they thought...up to now.
For the first time, the Supreme Court has made these shady liars
legally responsible for their bad behavior.
They got away with it in the past by "advising" people to do
things that were potentially illegal. They rationalized it by
saying "Hey, we aren't the ones actually doing it, so we
shouldn't be held responsible."
But the Supreme Court has finally cleared this up. They are
responsible, and can now be sued for their actions. Even if they
did it for "FREE".
"FREE"... that was the draw that got so many innocent kids
downloading songs, videos, movies, games, etc. illegally without
knowing it. The "FREE" file downloading services were just
exploiting these kids' ignorance.
Paid download services can't afford this kind of behavior. They
look at this as a business. If they start getting their
customers in trouble, word gets around pretty fast on the
internet, and their business will become toast!
Think of this like NetFlix, who doesn't sell download services,
but sends out CDs and DVDs through the mail. What would happen
to them if they "encouraged" purchasing illegally copied movies
or music from them? Yeah you got it... toast!
But the "FREE" file sharing services that are encouraging kids to
do this thought they could get away with this indefinitely
because "they weren't making any money off of it, and after all,
they weren't the actual people doing the downloading."
Nice legal trickery... good thing it won't work anymore!
So... the question still begging to be asked is:
"Are paid file download services better than free file download
services?"
I'll let you take it from here... ;^)
About the author:
=================================================================
Drew Straub invites you check out his new site which he built to
help people find the best reviews on MP3 players and the best
paid membership services to use to find the music, videos,
movies, and games you want legally at: http://mp3.wowshoppe.com
=================================================================
Booking Gigs
by: Bruce Prokopets
Divide and Conquer: The secret to booking gigs
Most everything you are told about booking gigs is wrong. An average band hears so much advice from so-called experts they can write a book about it. Most misconceptions are harmless.
The ones that cause the most damage are the ones that are the most popular. Popular opinion should almost ALWAYS be avoided when dealing with the music business. This report is meant to deprogram you and tell you what no one will share about really booking better gigs.
It is important to attack the root of misconception fast. Therefore I will take a stab at it now. If you are a good band playing horrible gigs it is most likely because you have a skewed perspective of "time line". This article will be littered with the term "maintaining time line". This is not some trendy "industry term". This is simply the best way to describe your main priority in the quest to tour on your own 4 wheels.
What is "time line"?
Time line is a concept. It doesn't really exist. You have to think of it as rule that governs your music business habits. If your time line is too short, your success at gigs will be sporadic. If your time line is too long you will remain stagnant. You have to handle your gigging schedule with precision and thought. You must tweak your time line in order to correct what ails your band.
LESS IS MORE
This may be a cliché you hear tossed around a lot in the music business, but it is seldom followed. Playing too often in any market will kill your draw. That is the bottom line. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. I will spare you all the metrics and sterile accounting speak that proves this point. You must break free of the shackles of saturation if you are going to maintain time line and reach booking zen.
THE WAR
You want to think of booking your band like a war. There are territories you must win. From here on out we will refer to these as markets.
You have to find a way into each market and begin your campaign. For the remainder of the report these will be referred to as gigs.
You must find allies that align with your intentions and best interests. In other words, bands.
You must find a marketplace that has something to gain from your war. This report will refer to them as promoters.
WHO WILL HELP YOU THE MOST
The one thing that will probably surprise you the most is where to start getting better gigs. Many of you started out "cold calling" clubs out of the phone book or local rag and ask for a gig. Although this smash and grab attempt can create some lucky opportunities here and there, it will destroy your time line. The truth is, bands that are already successful in that venue will be your greatest ally. If already have some "cherry popping" gigs under your belt, or a demo, this will be crucial in forging a relationship with bands.
Many good drawing bands will have very strong connections with local promoters. Promoters are drawn to them because these bands are a vital commodity in their industry. Club owners and promoters plan to have these bands a certain many times in the year and account for so much business. Usually, in this type of relationship the band can book virtually at will and many times can create bills, or cards. Your best bet is to align with such a band. If you can do this it will launch your time line correctly.
WHEN TO DO IT YOURSELF
Assuming your first gig at a venue was under the circumstance outlined above you should make sure you meet the promoter and/or club owner that night. You want to make an impact. When a promoter feels like giving you a bone he doesn't want to throw it. Your initial gig at a venue via another band is the best time to see if the promoter was even paying attention. If they were they might need you for another bill, but you have to come to them.
LEVERAGE
Your draw in your home market will determine your leverage against other markets. In other words, a following in your market will create opportunities in others. This does NOT mean "create buzz here and then everyone will beg for us elsewhere". This means you can now find other bands in other markets that are successful and trade shows, or "swap gigs". Other bands that want to break into your market will want to align themselves with you. Repeating this across multiple markets, and applying a solid time line, will create success. You will also always have a good show supporting locals who draw at least as much as you do on other markets. Creating this leverage, by raising your draw, will be the key to routing better gigs across markets. How does one do this? Simple. Maintaining time line.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GIG IN ONE MARKET
When you are fist starting out, it is important to play whatever gigs you can to get the hang of how it works. Think of those early gigs as practice. Think of the gigs you do supporting better drawing bands as where you really iron out your craft. Eventually you are going to want to test the waters and see what you are really worth. A band will, at some point, have to go out on its own and try to "headline", or put their own bill together as the "biggest" band. The first couple of times you do this it should be no more than once every 6 weeks. When your time line is ready to be set at optimum performance you should not headline any one market more than 4 or 5 times a year, or once per season. That's right, your time line gets longer, not shorter. When everything is working properly you will play less gigs, but with significantly more draw at each.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT VENUE
You want to fight battle you know you can win (we will talk more about battles in a moment). You want to play where you are confident you can draw. If you know a certain venue is famous for having death metal bands, and your name is DECAYING FLESH, you should probably put that club high in the running to become your home venue.The venue you draw the most at should be the one you concentrate on in the market.
WAR IS MADE UP OF BATTLES
As General, it is important to have a keen sense of delegation. You must be aware that the entire campaign is on your shoulders, but you have resources and a team of people to help you. Your band may not seem like an awesome war machine now, but you have to think logically. You have to delegate.
The easiest way to start creating a draw is to first hit your friends via your band mates. Delegate a realistic amount of responsibility to the other players in your band with a real value. You should start with "heads", or people they bring. Every member of your band should feel they are responsible to bring 20 heads that pay to get in. Instead of looking at your promotional campaign as a daunting war you will gain more ground with your band fighting smaller battles at once.
Some of the members of your band will have 20 cousins who will love to come. Some of your band members will have to resort to begging ex-girlfriends they dumped. Most of you will go the traditional route and hand out fliers at shows. No matter how, you each must meet your goal of 20 heads.
The PR and marketing front is a whole other battle. The Internet has made it possible to have your music heard, gigs found, and pictures seen across the world in hyper-speed. Properly presenting your image will be very important on this front. If you feel you need help in presenting your image you should refer to my previous article "The Truth Behind Press Kits, Bios, and Controlling Your Image". Remember, there are bands in other markets looking for bands to swap with, so make sure you are easy to find on the Internet.
OPTIMIMIZING YOUR TIME LINE
At first, you might be surprised that you do not meet our goal of 20 heads per member. Do not be discouraged. But when you finally create that watermark you are ready to begin stretching your time line and playing less gigs. You should reserve your headlining events for once a season and only break that rule for an opening slot for a national act or a great promotional opportunity like a benefit.
GROWTH
At this point you should be concentrating only on creating new fans. Think of the first wave of friends as your new soldiers. Delegate some task to them with a real value. A good starting point is having all your friends get at least 2 people to the next show or to at least sign up for the mailing list on your website. You have a website with a mailing list don't you?
You should not neglect historical methods of creating interest. Giving away free tickets to people who sign up to your list always gets some response. Promoting the fact you are giving away something for free at the next gig works too.
The actual venue that you play is often overlooked as a great place to promote. Not just by handing out fliers to patrons, but perhaps posters and banners. Most clubs will not have a problem with you putting up promotional materials around the venue. Always get a professional artist or art student to create your posters and fliers. This is the first thing many people will see promoting your band, make sure it counts.
MERCH
If you can afford merchandise, or "merch", like apparel and stickers, it can be a great revenue stream for your band. But again, you have to apply time line to your stocking habits. You want to be able to create and sell a new item at every couple of shows. Even if all you can afford are some new stickers or a new style button, do it. So if you really want to get those expensive glow-in-the-dark sweaters that say your band's name when you press a button make sure you have enough to get some more new merch soon.
New merch is a great way to train your fanbase. You have to train your fanbase to bring money to your gigs. When your fans are expecting new merch they are more likely to come prepared, or "armed with dough". Go to Scenejumper.com for more info
DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Use your newfound leverage to repeat success across multiple markets. Trade shows wisely and always do your research. Always make sure a gig swap is really worth it. Choose your markets carefully. It should be practical and affordable to gig other markets. You want to move out from your home base logically. Eventually you will be able to easily route yourself across your surrounding markets. Applying the proper time line and work ethic you can do mini-tours every season.
About the author:
Bruce Prokopets is co-founder and editor of music news blog http://www.scenejumper.comBruce had his first live gig at 15 and has had various jobs in the industry since. He spent years as a guitar tech, tour manager, endorsement liaison, bassist in a national act, and promoter in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.
Divide and Conquer: The secret to booking gigs
Most everything you are told about booking gigs is wrong. An average band hears so much advice from so-called experts they can write a book about it. Most misconceptions are harmless.
The ones that cause the most damage are the ones that are the most popular. Popular opinion should almost ALWAYS be avoided when dealing with the music business. This report is meant to deprogram you and tell you what no one will share about really booking better gigs.
It is important to attack the root of misconception fast. Therefore I will take a stab at it now. If you are a good band playing horrible gigs it is most likely because you have a skewed perspective of "time line". This article will be littered with the term "maintaining time line". This is not some trendy "industry term". This is simply the best way to describe your main priority in the quest to tour on your own 4 wheels.
What is "time line"?
Time line is a concept. It doesn't really exist. You have to think of it as rule that governs your music business habits. If your time line is too short, your success at gigs will be sporadic. If your time line is too long you will remain stagnant. You have to handle your gigging schedule with precision and thought. You must tweak your time line in order to correct what ails your band.
LESS IS MORE
This may be a cliché you hear tossed around a lot in the music business, but it is seldom followed. Playing too often in any market will kill your draw. That is the bottom line. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. I will spare you all the metrics and sterile accounting speak that proves this point. You must break free of the shackles of saturation if you are going to maintain time line and reach booking zen.
THE WAR
You want to think of booking your band like a war. There are territories you must win. From here on out we will refer to these as markets.
You have to find a way into each market and begin your campaign. For the remainder of the report these will be referred to as gigs.
You must find allies that align with your intentions and best interests. In other words, bands.
You must find a marketplace that has something to gain from your war. This report will refer to them as promoters.
WHO WILL HELP YOU THE MOST
The one thing that will probably surprise you the most is where to start getting better gigs. Many of you started out "cold calling" clubs out of the phone book or local rag and ask for a gig. Although this smash and grab attempt can create some lucky opportunities here and there, it will destroy your time line. The truth is, bands that are already successful in that venue will be your greatest ally. If already have some "cherry popping" gigs under your belt, or a demo, this will be crucial in forging a relationship with bands.
Many good drawing bands will have very strong connections with local promoters. Promoters are drawn to them because these bands are a vital commodity in their industry. Club owners and promoters plan to have these bands a certain many times in the year and account for so much business. Usually, in this type of relationship the band can book virtually at will and many times can create bills, or cards. Your best bet is to align with such a band. If you can do this it will launch your time line correctly.
WHEN TO DO IT YOURSELF
Assuming your first gig at a venue was under the circumstance outlined above you should make sure you meet the promoter and/or club owner that night. You want to make an impact. When a promoter feels like giving you a bone he doesn't want to throw it. Your initial gig at a venue via another band is the best time to see if the promoter was even paying attention. If they were they might need you for another bill, but you have to come to them.
LEVERAGE
Your draw in your home market will determine your leverage against other markets. In other words, a following in your market will create opportunities in others. This does NOT mean "create buzz here and then everyone will beg for us elsewhere". This means you can now find other bands in other markets that are successful and trade shows, or "swap gigs". Other bands that want to break into your market will want to align themselves with you. Repeating this across multiple markets, and applying a solid time line, will create success. You will also always have a good show supporting locals who draw at least as much as you do on other markets. Creating this leverage, by raising your draw, will be the key to routing better gigs across markets. How does one do this? Simple. Maintaining time line.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GIG IN ONE MARKET
When you are fist starting out, it is important to play whatever gigs you can to get the hang of how it works. Think of those early gigs as practice. Think of the gigs you do supporting better drawing bands as where you really iron out your craft. Eventually you are going to want to test the waters and see what you are really worth. A band will, at some point, have to go out on its own and try to "headline", or put their own bill together as the "biggest" band. The first couple of times you do this it should be no more than once every 6 weeks. When your time line is ready to be set at optimum performance you should not headline any one market more than 4 or 5 times a year, or once per season. That's right, your time line gets longer, not shorter. When everything is working properly you will play less gigs, but with significantly more draw at each.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT VENUE
You want to fight battle you know you can win (we will talk more about battles in a moment). You want to play where you are confident you can draw. If you know a certain venue is famous for having death metal bands, and your name is DECAYING FLESH, you should probably put that club high in the running to become your home venue.The venue you draw the most at should be the one you concentrate on in the market.
WAR IS MADE UP OF BATTLES
As General, it is important to have a keen sense of delegation. You must be aware that the entire campaign is on your shoulders, but you have resources and a team of people to help you. Your band may not seem like an awesome war machine now, but you have to think logically. You have to delegate.
The easiest way to start creating a draw is to first hit your friends via your band mates. Delegate a realistic amount of responsibility to the other players in your band with a real value. You should start with "heads", or people they bring. Every member of your band should feel they are responsible to bring 20 heads that pay to get in. Instead of looking at your promotional campaign as a daunting war you will gain more ground with your band fighting smaller battles at once.
Some of the members of your band will have 20 cousins who will love to come. Some of your band members will have to resort to begging ex-girlfriends they dumped. Most of you will go the traditional route and hand out fliers at shows. No matter how, you each must meet your goal of 20 heads.
The PR and marketing front is a whole other battle. The Internet has made it possible to have your music heard, gigs found, and pictures seen across the world in hyper-speed. Properly presenting your image will be very important on this front. If you feel you need help in presenting your image you should refer to my previous article "The Truth Behind Press Kits, Bios, and Controlling Your Image". Remember, there are bands in other markets looking for bands to swap with, so make sure you are easy to find on the Internet.
OPTIMIMIZING YOUR TIME LINE
At first, you might be surprised that you do not meet our goal of 20 heads per member. Do not be discouraged. But when you finally create that watermark you are ready to begin stretching your time line and playing less gigs. You should reserve your headlining events for once a season and only break that rule for an opening slot for a national act or a great promotional opportunity like a benefit.
GROWTH
At this point you should be concentrating only on creating new fans. Think of the first wave of friends as your new soldiers. Delegate some task to them with a real value. A good starting point is having all your friends get at least 2 people to the next show or to at least sign up for the mailing list on your website. You have a website with a mailing list don't you?
You should not neglect historical methods of creating interest. Giving away free tickets to people who sign up to your list always gets some response. Promoting the fact you are giving away something for free at the next gig works too.
The actual venue that you play is often overlooked as a great place to promote. Not just by handing out fliers to patrons, but perhaps posters and banners. Most clubs will not have a problem with you putting up promotional materials around the venue. Always get a professional artist or art student to create your posters and fliers. This is the first thing many people will see promoting your band, make sure it counts.
MERCH
If you can afford merchandise, or "merch", like apparel and stickers, it can be a great revenue stream for your band. But again, you have to apply time line to your stocking habits. You want to be able to create and sell a new item at every couple of shows. Even if all you can afford are some new stickers or a new style button, do it. So if you really want to get those expensive glow-in-the-dark sweaters that say your band's name when you press a button make sure you have enough to get some more new merch soon.
New merch is a great way to train your fanbase. You have to train your fanbase to bring money to your gigs. When your fans are expecting new merch they are more likely to come prepared, or "armed with dough". Go to Scenejumper.com for more info
DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Use your newfound leverage to repeat success across multiple markets. Trade shows wisely and always do your research. Always make sure a gig swap is really worth it. Choose your markets carefully. It should be practical and affordable to gig other markets. You want to move out from your home base logically. Eventually you will be able to easily route yourself across your surrounding markets. Applying the proper time line and work ethic you can do mini-tours every season.
About the author:
Bruce Prokopets is co-founder and editor of music news blog http://www.scenejumper.comBruce had his first live gig at 15 and has had various jobs in the industry since. He spent years as a guitar tech, tour manager, endorsement liaison, bassist in a national act, and promoter in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.
Burton Gaar Releases Track “Hurricane Trouble” To Organize Relief Effort
by: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
New Orleans, LA--October 20, 2005—Burton Gaar has been singing and playing the blues for many years now. Recent events have shaken our country and brought us together to help our fellow man. Now, never have the blues been more true to life than in Louisiana.
Gaar is feeling the effects of the devastation of hurricane Katrina just like his brothers and sisters that call the delta their home. He decided to make a step in the right direction by recording and releasing “Hurricane Trouble,” a rockin’ blues number to get all of that feeling across to the world in his music. Gaar encapsulates whom he is by saying- “I play the crap out of the blues.” Indeed, he does, as the track is literal hurricane of blues guitar licks.
The objective of Gaar is to raise awareness of the need for aid in Louisiana. He wants to organize a benefit concert to assist musicians and their families that have lost everything due to the storm. The hope is that “Hurricane Trouble” will circulate quickly and jump-start the entire process of getting people together for the cause.
Gaar invites everyone to send an e-mail to him @ burtongaar@webtv.net and request a MP3 of the song, he will send it to you with hopes that you will pass it on to spread the word carried in the song. Louisiana and the victims of the hurricane need you and music is the best way to reach out and touch the masses. Acknowledge his efforts by sending him an e-mail and requesting the song today. In the spirit of brotherhood and good will listen to the song and then send it to as many people as you can.
Contact Person:
George Hollinshead
Sound Ventures Records
P.O. Box 290
Evergreen, LA 71333
Tel: 318-613-5194
Email:georgea@kricket.net
CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gaar/from/tromo1
Website: http://www.burtongaar.com
Email: burtongaar@webtv.net
PR Created and Distributed By MuzikReviews.com
About the author:
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites.
Links to sites with great music content are provided on my Homepage and Links Page.
New Orleans, LA--October 20, 2005—Burton Gaar has been singing and playing the blues for many years now. Recent events have shaken our country and brought us together to help our fellow man. Now, never have the blues been more true to life than in Louisiana.
Gaar is feeling the effects of the devastation of hurricane Katrina just like his brothers and sisters that call the delta their home. He decided to make a step in the right direction by recording and releasing “Hurricane Trouble,” a rockin’ blues number to get all of that feeling across to the world in his music. Gaar encapsulates whom he is by saying- “I play the crap out of the blues.” Indeed, he does, as the track is literal hurricane of blues guitar licks.
The objective of Gaar is to raise awareness of the need for aid in Louisiana. He wants to organize a benefit concert to assist musicians and their families that have lost everything due to the storm. The hope is that “Hurricane Trouble” will circulate quickly and jump-start the entire process of getting people together for the cause.
Gaar invites everyone to send an e-mail to him @ burtongaar@webtv.net and request a MP3 of the song, he will send it to you with hopes that you will pass it on to spread the word carried in the song. Louisiana and the victims of the hurricane need you and music is the best way to reach out and touch the masses. Acknowledge his efforts by sending him an e-mail and requesting the song today. In the spirit of brotherhood and good will listen to the song and then send it to as many people as you can.
Contact Person:
George Hollinshead
Sound Ventures Records
P.O. Box 290
Evergreen, LA 71333
Tel: 318-613-5194
Email:georgea@kricket.net
CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gaar/from/tromo1
Website: http://www.burtongaar.com
Email: burtongaar@webtv.net
PR Created and Distributed By MuzikReviews.com
About the author:
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed on a vast network of websites.
Links to sites with great music content are provided on my Homepage and Links Page.
Downloading MP3's made easy
by: Keith Kingston
The MP3 movement started out with a huge audience of music enthusiasts on the internet. The MP3 digital music format has had, and will continue to have, a huge impart on how people, gather, listen to and share music.
The MP3 format is a compression system for digital music that helps reduce the size of a digitized song without disturbing the sound quality. Digital music is converted to MP3 format and made available for use, usually via the web. MP3 files can be downloaded onto your computer from the internet and special software, either commercial or freeware. Using your computer and software you can convert digital music from a CD into MP3 format.
MP3 files can be played in three different ways:
1. They can be played directly onto your computer.
2. They can be decompressed and recorded onto a CD.
3. These files can be played on a portable MP3 player.
The advantage of MP3 players is that they are small, lightweight and rugged. They are a great way to carry your MP3 files with you!
With a portable MP3 player, a personal computer, and the appropriate software, you can do the following:
1. Obtain free or low-cost music from the web.
2. Create your own mix of music by downloading MP3 files from the web and converting the tracks from CDs.
3. Listen to near-CD quality music wherever you go.
4. Listen to more music (up to 10 hours' worth).
If you want to convert your songs from your CDs into MP3 files, you can use ripper and encoder software. A ripper copies a song's file from the CD onto your hard disk. The encoder compresses the song into the MP3 format. By encoding songs, you can play them on your computer or take them with you on your MP3 player. The ripper and encoder software may come with your MP3 player.
The specific instructions will vary with the individual software programs, but the following steps will definitely take place:
1. Place the CD from which you want to convert songs into your drive.
2. Select the track(s) that you want to convert to MP3 format.
3. Convert the selected track(s).
4. Copy the new MP3 files on to your computer's hard disk.
Now you are ready to download these MP3 files into your portable MP3 player.
Once you have MP3 files on your computer, you can use the software that came with your MP3 player to download the files into your MP3 player. Again, the specific instructions will vary depending upon your software program and player, but you will:
1. Create a playlist from your MP3 files.
2. Plug the player into your computer's parallel of USB port.
3. Transfer the MP3 files according to the instructions.
Once you have downloaded the MP3 files into your portable MP3 player, you are ready to take your music anywhere. Most MP3 players are small, lightweight, and solid-state. Because most players are solid-state, there are no moving parts to break down or skip, so the sound quality is uninterrupted regardless of your physical activity. MP3 players are equipped with various types of headphones or earpieces.
Portable MP3 players can play music longer than a portable CD player. The length of play for a CD player is about 74 minutes, the length of one CD. However, the length of play for an MP3 player depends upon its memory capacity, which can be upgraded on some models. A standard MP3 player can play for about half an hour (32 MB) to a few weeks (40 GB)! Some models can be upgraded with additional memory devices.
About the author:
Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on mp3 downloads and mp3 players. You can visit his website at http://www.4-mp3-downloads.com/
The MP3 movement started out with a huge audience of music enthusiasts on the internet. The MP3 digital music format has had, and will continue to have, a huge impart on how people, gather, listen to and share music.
The MP3 format is a compression system for digital music that helps reduce the size of a digitized song without disturbing the sound quality. Digital music is converted to MP3 format and made available for use, usually via the web. MP3 files can be downloaded onto your computer from the internet and special software, either commercial or freeware. Using your computer and software you can convert digital music from a CD into MP3 format.
MP3 files can be played in three different ways:
1. They can be played directly onto your computer.
2. They can be decompressed and recorded onto a CD.
3. These files can be played on a portable MP3 player.
The advantage of MP3 players is that they are small, lightweight and rugged. They are a great way to carry your MP3 files with you!
With a portable MP3 player, a personal computer, and the appropriate software, you can do the following:
1. Obtain free or low-cost music from the web.
2. Create your own mix of music by downloading MP3 files from the web and converting the tracks from CDs.
3. Listen to near-CD quality music wherever you go.
4. Listen to more music (up to 10 hours' worth).
If you want to convert your songs from your CDs into MP3 files, you can use ripper and encoder software. A ripper copies a song's file from the CD onto your hard disk. The encoder compresses the song into the MP3 format. By encoding songs, you can play them on your computer or take them with you on your MP3 player. The ripper and encoder software may come with your MP3 player.
The specific instructions will vary with the individual software programs, but the following steps will definitely take place:
1. Place the CD from which you want to convert songs into your drive.
2. Select the track(s) that you want to convert to MP3 format.
3. Convert the selected track(s).
4. Copy the new MP3 files on to your computer's hard disk.
Now you are ready to download these MP3 files into your portable MP3 player.
Once you have MP3 files on your computer, you can use the software that came with your MP3 player to download the files into your MP3 player. Again, the specific instructions will vary depending upon your software program and player, but you will:
1. Create a playlist from your MP3 files.
2. Plug the player into your computer's parallel of USB port.
3. Transfer the MP3 files according to the instructions.
Once you have downloaded the MP3 files into your portable MP3 player, you are ready to take your music anywhere. Most MP3 players are small, lightweight, and solid-state. Because most players are solid-state, there are no moving parts to break down or skip, so the sound quality is uninterrupted regardless of your physical activity. MP3 players are equipped with various types of headphones or earpieces.
Portable MP3 players can play music longer than a portable CD player. The length of play for a CD player is about 74 minutes, the length of one CD. However, the length of play for an MP3 player depends upon its memory capacity, which can be upgraded on some models. A standard MP3 player can play for about half an hour (32 MB) to a few weeks (40 GB)! Some models can be upgraded with additional memory devices.
About the author:
Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on mp3 downloads and mp3 players. You can visit his website at http://www.4-mp3-downloads.com/
Downloading Music!
by: Mike Yeager
MP3 technology was the catalyst to one of the biggest revolutions in the
media business in nearly 30 years.
When cassette tapes became popular in the late 1970's and early 1980's,
the music industry did the now-familiar Chicken Little dance about its
way of life being destroyed.
The industry quickly co-opted that threat,
turning albums on cassettes into a very lucrative business. In the
mid-80's, CDs promised superior quality at lower prices, but we wound up
only getting the better quality. Consumers never got the promised price
break—album prices continued to climb. Those chickens would come home to
roost soon enough.
It's taken the music industry the better part of ten years to finally
devise some legal alternatives to the P2P file-sharing networks, and now
there are well over a dozen online music services legally offering a
wide range of genres to satisfy most musical palettes. Aside from one
service's downloads being three cents cheaper than the next, what sets
them apart? Which one gives you most flexibility about how you enjoy your music? And which one really gives you the most of what you want for
your money?
About the author:
http://www.a1-music-download-4u.info/
MP3 technology was the catalyst to one of the biggest revolutions in the
media business in nearly 30 years.
When cassette tapes became popular in the late 1970's and early 1980's,
the music industry did the now-familiar Chicken Little dance about its
way of life being destroyed.
The industry quickly co-opted that threat,
turning albums on cassettes into a very lucrative business. In the
mid-80's, CDs promised superior quality at lower prices, but we wound up
only getting the better quality. Consumers never got the promised price
break—album prices continued to climb. Those chickens would come home to
roost soon enough.
It's taken the music industry the better part of ten years to finally
devise some legal alternatives to the P2P file-sharing networks, and now
there are well over a dozen online music services legally offering a
wide range of genres to satisfy most musical palettes. Aside from one
service's downloads being three cents cheaper than the next, what sets
them apart? Which one gives you most flexibility about how you enjoy your music? And which one really gives you the most of what you want for
your money?
About the author:
http://www.a1-music-download-4u.info/
Download Mp3 Music Safely
by: Anne Spencer
DON'T Download JUNK! Make sure your download mp3 music is a quality mp3 and that your music download doesn't have hidden downloads that will not only ruin your search for great music but will annoy you and invade your privacy.
Here are the four hidden downloads most free music sites install on your computer when you download mp3‘s.
1.Spyware is almost always contained in mp3 freeware and shareware downloads. The spyware gathers information and monitors the activities you perform, unbeknown to you.
2.Adware is also contained in these mp3 download networks. Your computer can and probably will be stuffed with a huge amount of intrusive advertising.
3.Pornography is very prevalent on the Internet. Be very aware that porn peddlers disguise their software as the latest free mp3 download or game demo to redirect your modem to porn sites.
4.Spoofing is when download mp3 networks are filled with fake files. For example, if you download what you think is a popular mp3 song, you will get the same ten seconds of the song over and over again.
So in your hunt to download mp3 ‘s and create your own library of music, be selective of which music download site you use. There are many to choose from but few that offer privacy protection, online service, tech help, spyware-free and adware-free downloads, as well as a large library of quality mp3’s.
Things have come a long way with regards of how we listen to our favorite music. It's as easy as a push of a button with digital music.
Knowing where to start, how you want to listen to your music and what you want to do with it, is the first step. When you download mp3 files from online music services, you need to know what they allow you to do. Some songs are just for listening to, some can be downloaded, and some can be burned to a CD or a portable music player.
A few owners of certain artists publishing rights will not grant the license rights, which means some mp3's are not available for downloading.
The majority of the time, you'll find what you're looking for because the larger download MP3 subscription music web sites have access to the catalog of the Five Big Labels – Sony, Warner, Universal, EMI, and BMG, which account for about 80% of recorded music.
So now that you have the facts on how to download mp3 ‘s, do some research for quality music download sites, take advantage of any Free Trials, download lot’s of music, turn up the volume and don’t forget to Sing Along!
DON'T Download JUNK! Make sure your download mp3 music is a quality mp3 and that your music download doesn't have hidden downloads that will not only ruin your search for great music but will annoy you and invade your privacy.
Here are the four hidden downloads most free music sites install on your computer when you download mp3‘s.
1.Spyware is almost always contained in mp3 freeware and shareware downloads. The spyware gathers information and monitors the activities you perform, unbeknown to you.
2.Adware is also contained in these mp3 download networks. Your computer can and probably will be stuffed with a huge amount of intrusive advertising.
3.Pornography is very prevalent on the Internet. Be very aware that porn peddlers disguise their software as the latest free mp3 download or game demo to redirect your modem to porn sites.
4.Spoofing is when download mp3 networks are filled with fake files. For example, if you download what you think is a popular mp3 song, you will get the same ten seconds of the song over and over again.
So in your hunt to download mp3 ‘s and create your own library of music, be selective of which music download site you use. There are many to choose from but few that offer privacy protection, online service, tech help, spyware-free and adware-free downloads, as well as a large library of quality mp3’s.
Things have come a long way with regards of how we listen to our favorite music. It's as easy as a push of a button with digital music.
Knowing where to start, how you want to listen to your music and what you want to do with it, is the first step. When you download mp3 files from online music services, you need to know what they allow you to do. Some songs are just for listening to, some can be downloaded, and some can be burned to a CD or a portable music player.
A few owners of certain artists publishing rights will not grant the license rights, which means some mp3's are not available for downloading.
The majority of the time, you'll find what you're looking for because the larger download MP3 subscription music web sites have access to the catalog of the Five Big Labels – Sony, Warner, Universal, EMI, and BMG, which account for about 80% of recorded music.
So now that you have the facts on how to download mp3 ‘s, do some research for quality music download sites, take advantage of any Free Trials, download lot’s of music, turn up the volume and don’t forget to Sing Along!
Do you know what a didgeridoo is? Do you want to do or learn something different? Find out about it and do it on the Web.
by: Jesse S. Somer
Do you know what a didgeridoo is? There are so many things in this life that are unknown to us. I bet you could find out about something outside your normal sphere of vision and experience everyday for the rest of your life and still not get close to knowing about everything out there.
Not to mention the number of things we don’t know about our own internal selves-physical, emotional, spiritual and mental realities that are still unaware to us. That’s another story however, let’s stick to the external in this article.
I play the didgeridoo. It’s a sacred Australian Aborigine instrument, arguably one of the oldest instruments in humankind’s long history. If you type didgeridoo into your search engine you will see hundreds of sites about this thing that you’ve never even heard of. You don’t know how many people I’ve mentioned it to around the world that never have even heard the word.
One site I found to be quite thorough and useful was: http://www.echotree.com.au/index.htm
This retail site explains in detail how a didgeridoo is made (it is a termite-hollowed branch or tree trunk), how to choose the right one for you, and of course instruction on how to play. It explains how to recognize a quality piece and they say that they can even custom make one to your desires. Each didj has a key or root note, and they can be made of several types of wood, some better than others. Placed on the mouthpiece is bee’s wax which makes for an airtight seal against the face as well as protecting one’s mouth from getting cut by sharp edges.
To give you an idea of the incredible feat it was for the first Aborigines to make this music 40-60,000 years ago I’ll give you a perspective on how it is played. You place your mouth in the whole at the top of the hollowed wood upon the bees wax coating. Then you vibrate your lips against the edge of the wood, filling your cheeks with air at the same time to keep the sound constant. The sound never stops and this is because you circular breathe-in through the nose and out through your mouth at the same time. Sounds difficult, and it is for some like myself, it took me 9 months to get my mind around it. A friend of mine however did it in a couple of days, and babies breathe this way naturally! Pretty cool.
On this site as others you can look at a gallery of instruments, clicking on the ones that interest you. They are all individual (like snowflakes and humans) and characteristics such as key, wood type, length and artist are given. Echo Tree specifically mentions that all their artwork is individually hand-painted by Aborigine artists and no two are alike. So unlike many Western musical instruments that are ubiquitously constructed, you can have one that is different to all others.
The didgeridoo is just another example of how the Internet or World Wide Web can be the medium of discovery in our lives. It is a collective source for all the ideas, creations and beliefs in our world. Anyone that connects can add to the rich melting pot of consciousness. This ‘virtual’ space that we all feed and digest from is truly the next step in the evolution of humanity. Do you want to do or learn something different? You know where to go.
About the author:
Jesse S. Somer
M6.Net
http://www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer is a sacred didgeridoo player learning more about life everyday. Send him a message at www.thepowerofeverythingthatis.com
Do you know what a didgeridoo is? There are so many things in this life that are unknown to us. I bet you could find out about something outside your normal sphere of vision and experience everyday for the rest of your life and still not get close to knowing about everything out there.
Not to mention the number of things we don’t know about our own internal selves-physical, emotional, spiritual and mental realities that are still unaware to us. That’s another story however, let’s stick to the external in this article.
I play the didgeridoo. It’s a sacred Australian Aborigine instrument, arguably one of the oldest instruments in humankind’s long history. If you type didgeridoo into your search engine you will see hundreds of sites about this thing that you’ve never even heard of. You don’t know how many people I’ve mentioned it to around the world that never have even heard the word.
One site I found to be quite thorough and useful was: http://www.echotree.com.au/index.htm
This retail site explains in detail how a didgeridoo is made (it is a termite-hollowed branch or tree trunk), how to choose the right one for you, and of course instruction on how to play. It explains how to recognize a quality piece and they say that they can even custom make one to your desires. Each didj has a key or root note, and they can be made of several types of wood, some better than others. Placed on the mouthpiece is bee’s wax which makes for an airtight seal against the face as well as protecting one’s mouth from getting cut by sharp edges.
To give you an idea of the incredible feat it was for the first Aborigines to make this music 40-60,000 years ago I’ll give you a perspective on how it is played. You place your mouth in the whole at the top of the hollowed wood upon the bees wax coating. Then you vibrate your lips against the edge of the wood, filling your cheeks with air at the same time to keep the sound constant. The sound never stops and this is because you circular breathe-in through the nose and out through your mouth at the same time. Sounds difficult, and it is for some like myself, it took me 9 months to get my mind around it. A friend of mine however did it in a couple of days, and babies breathe this way naturally! Pretty cool.
On this site as others you can look at a gallery of instruments, clicking on the ones that interest you. They are all individual (like snowflakes and humans) and characteristics such as key, wood type, length and artist are given. Echo Tree specifically mentions that all their artwork is individually hand-painted by Aborigine artists and no two are alike. So unlike many Western musical instruments that are ubiquitously constructed, you can have one that is different to all others.
The didgeridoo is just another example of how the Internet or World Wide Web can be the medium of discovery in our lives. It is a collective source for all the ideas, creations and beliefs in our world. Anyone that connects can add to the rich melting pot of consciousness. This ‘virtual’ space that we all feed and digest from is truly the next step in the evolution of humanity. Do you want to do or learn something different? You know where to go.
About the author:
Jesse S. Somer
M6.Net
http://www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer is a sacred didgeridoo player learning more about life everyday. Send him a message at www.thepowerofeverythingthatis.com
Free, Legal Music Online
by: Daniel Punch
Almost everyone has heard about the massive crack down on Internet music piracy that has been occurring over the past few years. Napster was taken down (although it has now returned as a pay service), other file sharing programs now require users to pay for a license and the
RIAA and other similar organizations are doing their best to hunt down copyright offenders and put an end to their crime sprees. The consumers on the other hand argue that their actions hurt nobody, that there is no damage done to anyone by their not buying an album. Furthermore, they claim, MP3s allow them to sample a CD before purchasing it, thus actually helping sales.
I'm not here to argue the pros and cons. Basically it's not worth it, as neither side of the argument will ever see the opposition's point of view. What I'd like to do is take a look at the completely free and legal alternative to 'stealing' music. Those wonderfully talented musicians who are willing to put their creations online to download for free, solely for the joy of spreading their creations to the masses.
Free music is surprisingly easy to come by, even music by famous bands. Sometimes it needs to be 'streamed' from the Internet, meaning that you can only listen to a song while you're online, but with the ever-growing popularity of broadband Internet this is really no longer a problem. Sites such as MP3.com and purevolume.com provide free music by almost any band you can think of, although there is a large amount of it that has to be streamed and not downloaded. A search for 'free legal MP3 downloads' will reveal a huge number of pages to visit.
For something specific, try visiting the artist's website, or the site of their record label. These will often offer a few sample tracks to download for free. It's not quite as convenient as having access to every song that you want, but it's not a bad alternative.
But how about we forget about the mainstream for just a while and move towards the alternative? Towards the hopefuls, the talented bands that have yet been 'noticed'. There are a huge number of these smaller bands out there that are sticking their stuff online for any and all to listen to, just so that they can be heard. These can be easier to find, because most MP3 sites will be filled with these smaller acts. A great place to start is http://www.garageband.com/ or the aforementioned http://purevolume.com
The great thing about smaller bands is that you can often find bands that come from your local area and then go and see them play live. Being able to see a favourite band live more than once a year (or lifetime) without expending huge amounts of money and time is pretty cool. Many music search engines will let you search for bands of a particular genre in a particular area, which makes it all quite easy.
A fairly major contributor to the online music scene is the remixer. These people take other tunes and redo them, usually in a techno style because one person can do this competently. Chief among the tunes selected to be remixed are those old ditties that used to play through the simplest of sound chips on aging consoles: the video game theme songs. People now go and grab the main tune line from an old favourite and fill it out, making real the work our imaginations used to do for us to turn the single tone melodies into orchestral masterpieces. A few good places to start are http://remix.kwed.org and http://remix.overclocked.org as well as a personal favourite band http://machinaesupremacy.com
I hope this has given you something to think about. It's not hard to come across illegal MP3 rips, in fact it's often hard to avoid them, but if you give the free music scene a look you may find something completely different and new that will really do it for you. With web hosts already being penalized hugely for illegal content being stored on their servers (having an entire server taken down because of one inconsiderate user is damaging and irritating beyond belief) and moves being made to charge ISPs for the content being accessed by their users, it makes more sense than ever to get out there and grab yourself an awesomely original and completely legal music collection.
About the author:
Daniel Punch
M6.Net Web Hosting
http://www.m6.net
Almost everyone has heard about the massive crack down on Internet music piracy that has been occurring over the past few years. Napster was taken down (although it has now returned as a pay service), other file sharing programs now require users to pay for a license and the
RIAA and other similar organizations are doing their best to hunt down copyright offenders and put an end to their crime sprees. The consumers on the other hand argue that their actions hurt nobody, that there is no damage done to anyone by their not buying an album. Furthermore, they claim, MP3s allow them to sample a CD before purchasing it, thus actually helping sales.
I'm not here to argue the pros and cons. Basically it's not worth it, as neither side of the argument will ever see the opposition's point of view. What I'd like to do is take a look at the completely free and legal alternative to 'stealing' music. Those wonderfully talented musicians who are willing to put their creations online to download for free, solely for the joy of spreading their creations to the masses.
Free music is surprisingly easy to come by, even music by famous bands. Sometimes it needs to be 'streamed' from the Internet, meaning that you can only listen to a song while you're online, but with the ever-growing popularity of broadband Internet this is really no longer a problem. Sites such as MP3.com and purevolume.com provide free music by almost any band you can think of, although there is a large amount of it that has to be streamed and not downloaded. A search for 'free legal MP3 downloads' will reveal a huge number of pages to visit.
For something specific, try visiting the artist's website, or the site of their record label. These will often offer a few sample tracks to download for free. It's not quite as convenient as having access to every song that you want, but it's not a bad alternative.
But how about we forget about the mainstream for just a while and move towards the alternative? Towards the hopefuls, the talented bands that have yet been 'noticed'. There are a huge number of these smaller bands out there that are sticking their stuff online for any and all to listen to, just so that they can be heard. These can be easier to find, because most MP3 sites will be filled with these smaller acts. A great place to start is http://www.garageband.com/ or the aforementioned http://purevolume.com
The great thing about smaller bands is that you can often find bands that come from your local area and then go and see them play live. Being able to see a favourite band live more than once a year (or lifetime) without expending huge amounts of money and time is pretty cool. Many music search engines will let you search for bands of a particular genre in a particular area, which makes it all quite easy.
A fairly major contributor to the online music scene is the remixer. These people take other tunes and redo them, usually in a techno style because one person can do this competently. Chief among the tunes selected to be remixed are those old ditties that used to play through the simplest of sound chips on aging consoles: the video game theme songs. People now go and grab the main tune line from an old favourite and fill it out, making real the work our imaginations used to do for us to turn the single tone melodies into orchestral masterpieces. A few good places to start are http://remix.kwed.org and http://remix.overclocked.org as well as a personal favourite band http://machinaesupremacy.com
I hope this has given you something to think about. It's not hard to come across illegal MP3 rips, in fact it's often hard to avoid them, but if you give the free music scene a look you may find something completely different and new that will really do it for you. With web hosts already being penalized hugely for illegal content being stored on their servers (having an entire server taken down because of one inconsiderate user is damaging and irritating beyond belief) and moves being made to charge ISPs for the content being accessed by their users, it makes more sense than ever to get out there and grab yourself an awesomely original and completely legal music collection.
About the author:
Daniel Punch
M6.Net Web Hosting
http://www.m6.net
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