Johnny Hiland Band

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” – This track is one of four tracks on the album that MJ got songwriting credits for. Michael Jackson wasn’t only a great singer & dancer, he was also a excellent songwriter.

“Baby Be Mine” – To get an idea of how great the Thriller album is consider this: “Baby Be Mine” is one of only two songs that wasn’t a hit single. This is a pretty great tune to be one of just two songs not released as a single.

“The Girl Is Mine” – The lyrics are cheesy as hell but I think that’s part of the song’s charm. This is a tune I’ve started to enjoy more and more over time. The back & forth between Michael & Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney damn adorable. This is another one of the Jackson penned songs.

“Thriller” – Too many people think just about the groundbreaking music video and forget about the song itself. It’s a brilliant song and MJ’s incredible vocals really put it over the top. Who else could have made this song work?

“Beat It” – Eddie Van Halen features on this “rock” song. Jackson doesn’t get enough credit for stuff like this. Jackson wrote “Beat It.”

“Billie Jean” – The quintesential Michael Jackson track. If you are ever questioning MJ’s talent remember that he wrote and performed this song.

“Human Nature” – This is one of the Thriller songs I enjoy most lately because it hasn’t been overplayed like many of the other songs on the album. It’s a beautiful song.

“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” – I don’t think any song makes me want to “get down” more than “PYT.” Much like the beautiful “Human Nature,” this tune is among my favorite songs on Thriller because it hasn’t been included in so many greatest hits albums.

“The Lady In My Life” – The least good track on the album? Probably. Still pretty damn good? For sure.

Does reading about this brilliant album makes you want to learn how to sing yourself? Well, I won’t guarantee that you will be able to sing just like MJ (who can?) but you can definitely improve your vocals with Singorama online singing lessons which are 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

When I arrived on the Island of Rhodes I had no idea what to expect. Armed with a few hundred Euro’s, an unread translation book and a thirst for the discovery of new culture I headed to Rhodes town to try and find out what makes these beautiful islands so special.

The first thing I noticed, walking along the small cobbled streets of the old town was the most wonderful greek music playing from apartments, shops, bars – in fact nearly every building I passed! It was the most amazing feeling, to get a taste of real Greek life so soon into my journey. It conjured up images of the joyous family parties, with great food and traditional Greek Dancing, with the sun setting on another beautiful meditteranean day all set against wonderful, romantic ancient greek music

My time in Rhodes was defined by the music I heard. Of course there was the usual amount of Euro Pop, from some of the more downmarket, trashy bars and clubs, but as soon as I delved a little deeper into the heart of this beautiful island, I was overwhelmed, time and time again by the beauty of their rhythmic, traditional music. I also came across some fantastic new greek music which really surprised me. I think most people heading out to the European Continent expect to hear English or American Rock or Pop but in Greece, that’s not the only thing you’ll hear. Greece has some fantastic Rock bands, as well as Pop stars who are a match for anything the Americans can offer, if only they had the exposure they deserved, some of them could be international stars!

My time in Greece was one of the most amazing times of my life. I fell in love with the place, the people, and above all, the music. I would recommend anyone to visit Greece, if you immerse yourself into their true culture, you’ll have the time of your life.

To be able to tune your guitar is one of the most basic abilities any guitar player needs. Tuning a guitar can be by ear or with the help of an external aide, such as a tuner. Being in tune is so important you must learn how to properly use a number of different approaches.

Guitarists generally tune the bottom string first. Then fret the fifth fret on the bottom string and this is what you tune the next string to. Do the same on the fifth string and the fourth and second strings. The third string you fret at the fourth fret, unlike the other strings. Tuning your guitar to another instrument allows the two of you to play together. If you are faced with several instruments to tune together, do them one at a time so as to avoid confusion.

If you have an electronic guitar tuner you will be in tune with every instrument that also uses a tuner. The A440 frequency is the agreed upon standard in western music and is called concert pitch. The electronic guitar tuner makes this whole process quicker and more convenient. Using a tuner is so much easier than tuning by ear. If you have an electric guitar you can tune between songs in complete silence.

Your tuner may have Led lights and a needle display to help you tune the guitar. The acoustic guitar can also be tuned with the built in microphone on most guitar tuners.Most guitarists will tune by using a tuner and then adjust by ear. Tuning a guitar has been made very simple with the advent of the guitar tuner.

Harmonics is another tool that guitarists use to tune their guitar. If you are unfamiliar with harmonics, touch a vibrating string at the twelfth fret and you will hear a harmonic. Using a tuning fork may sometimes be your only option, especially in classical circles, so be aware of this means also. If you are new to the guitar do not be afraid of learning to tune. It goes without saying that your teacher is the best person to show you these approaches.

If singing behind the headliner is not enough for you, do not attempt to sing backup. You must sing behind the idol, not overpower them. You must be able to play a supporting position to the star and not feel left out if you want to sing backup.

To sing backup is much harder than it looks. Similar to an instrumental accompanist, this type of singing requires that you listen very intently and be responsive . You must learn to breathe and begin and end your melody as the main singer does. As a shadow is always there, so is the effective backup singer.

The best place on stage for a backup singer is wherever you can see the singers mouth at all times, this is the key. To sing backup effectively, this is very, very important to your job. You must watch the main singer always. If you are watching the singer you can see when they make a mistake or intentionally take another repeat etc. Watch the singer intently and always. The singer may use a hand gesture to indicate a repeat from the top or even a modulation so be aware.

Learn to blend your phrasing to the will of the singer. You can start your phrase just behind the singers phrase if you want to blend properly. If you are not sure of how loud they are going to be, start your phrase quietly and raise your level as the line develops. Be very aware of consonants at the beginning of a phrase and try to not emphasize them. Two consonants sung slightly after each other will sound unpleasant and is largely avoidable.

The same technique is to be applied to the ending of all melodies as well. You can avoid embarrassment to yourself if you only will ease off your line as the singer comes to the end of theirs. So learn to blend melodies, listen and watch the main singer and you can be a backup singer every band wants to hire.

The Beatles created 12 official UK LPs from 1963 to 1970 and just about all of them were fantastic so picking just three of their albums as the best three is hard.

Why 12? You’ve probably heard the number 13. That 13th “album” was actually Magical Mystery Tour which was originally released just as an EP in the UK. An “album” version of it was cobbled together in America by adding some earlier singles to it.

Many Beatles purists don’t think of it as one of their albums, although it has been added to official UK discography since the ’70s (when it was released in the UK because so many fans were importing the US Magical Mystery Tour LP.)

#1 The White Album

This double album includes many of The Beatles greatest moments. It also includes some of the songs that a lot of people think of as their worst. But I actually think those experimental songs (such as “Wild Honey Pie” and “Revolution #9″) add to the magic of the album. This is an “anything goes” album and it’s great because of it

#2 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

A lot of people claim that Sgt. Pepper is overrated and I can understand that opinion from the standpoint that The Beatles other albums get overlooked in comparison. For example a lot of less informed people say that Sgt. Pepper was The Beatles first attempt at “art music” but obviously Rubber Soul & Revolver beat it to the punch. But, I still think Sgt. Pepper is an amazing album that works as the band’s most “cohesive statement” and I think while it may be underrated by those who are slightly ignorant of The Beatles entire catalog, I think it’s actually now underrated by those known as “hipsters.”

#3 Revolver

Revolver lacks the cohesiveness of Abbey Road or Sgt. Pepper. It has less “hits” than Rubber Soul. But it does have 14 great songs. It’s arguably the most consistently great LP The Beatles recorded.

I don’t know about you but I’m not too crazy about those cheesy free beat machine downloads they have sprinkled all over the internet. You do know that they aren’t free. Yes these are free because they are demo’s. Yes that’s right you can demo them for free but if you want to own them then you have to pay for a license.

They generally call this software freeware or shareware. If you are new to this type of software it is usually offered for a trial period as a demo version. You won’t get full version rights with this type of download. Most of these freeware or shareware downloads do not allow you save your music.

Beat machines software is expensive too. Well with some of these online beat machines you need a college degree just to get it to work. I like things that are priced reasonably and are easy enough to use right out of the box so to speak.

I found this great little beat machine that has mp3 export capability and features tutorials that not only teach you how to use the beat machine but also how to use it with different instruments. They have a great site and yes they too have a free trial and their very own beat machine downloads. The use of this software is not limited to only a PC. Their online staff can answer any questions. Very cool. So easy to use even a 7 year old can do it. The software sure is priced right far less than the others.

Beat machines are pretty popular right now whether it be for rap or R&B everyone wants one. If you are looking for the right software make sure you do your homework. I strongly suggest that you look around and try a few before you buy. But if you can’t wait and don’t want to go to all the different sites then try this link for a some really good beat machine downloads 

Note: Any link or url in this article may be an affiliate link or web address that earns me an income if you take an action or purchase a product as a result of that link or url.

9/9/9 is Christmas Day for Beatles fans. That is the day that The Beatles 2 stereo and mono box sets and Beatles Rock Band are finally released. Beatles fans like me have already ordered all this awesome “Beatles gear” online and are simply waiting for 9/9/9 to come around so it can be shipped to our homes!

#1 The Beatles Remastered Stereo CD Box Set

This stereo box set includes every single recording The Beatles released from 1962 through ‘70 in remastered stereo sound quality.

The new remastering will allow listeners to hear The Beatles timeless music with new clarity and detail. The CDs will also be somewhat louder than the 1987 CD versions which have been out for the last 22 years.

#2 The Beatles Remastered Mono Box Set

The first ten Beatles albums are included in their original mono mix. These original mono mixes haven’t been put on CD until now. Many Beatles purists consider the original mono mixes to be the “true” Beatles mixes because these were the mixes that The Beatles originally intended their fans to hear.

Most amazingly, the original mono mix of The White Album has actually never been released in the United States before. Not even on LP or tape! Why? Because by the time The White Album came out in 1968, mono had already been completely “phased out” of the US marketplace so the original mono mix was only released in the UK at that time.

#3 The Beatles Rock Band Game

Rock Band is the greatest music related video game and The Beatles Rock Band will be the ultimate version of this game. The game includes 45 Beatles songs to be sung and played. Complete Beatles albums will be available to be downloaded and played on Beatles Rock Band. The first album to be made available for download will be Abbey Road.

The Beatles Rock Band will be the first version of the game that includes harmony singing. Three different players can sing at one time which lets your friends and you really sing the harmonies of the greatest band of all time.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life, so said Berthold Auerbach, a German poet and author. This sentiment is echoed worldwide by millions of people who realise that music has the power to uplift and refresh people and to alleviate the anxieties and woes of today’s chaotic lifestyles. Playing a musical instrument has not only been proven to be therapeutic but also keeps the mind young and active. Piano music has a flowing quality which is reminiscent of elegant dancing or a sinuous river. The smooth tone of the music of a piano far surpasses any modern instrument or music and is a joy to both perform and to appreciate from an audience’s perspective.

Being able to play your favourite compositions and songs is a great pleasure of being a pianist which is possible due to the large selection of piano sheet music available today. Whether your taste is sheet music by Liszt or Rachmaninoff piano music, Piano Street offers a breathtaking spectrum of sheet music for novice through to experienced pianists. Both Liszt and Rachmaninoff were legendary pianists whose contributions to the world of music are still appreciated and enjoyed today by many.

Piano Street online sheet music offers over 30,000 pages of classical piano sheet music. Its high quality format and autographed manuscripts option means even reading your music will be more enjoyable. The search option facilitates finding the music that you need rapidly and precisely without leaving your chair. The days of rummaging around disorganised and cluttered music shops are over with the help of Piano Street’s service. Piano Street also offers piano music mp3 tracks for beginner and intermediate level users and many other features for the enthusiastic pianist. So if you are a pianist and enjoy playing your favourite compositions, why look anywhere else when Piano Street offers this world class service on your doorstep?

Classical music is becoming ever more popular, despite the premise that classical music was a style of music enjoyed primarily by the wealthy or upper class, this notion really isn’t true, especially since the turn of the century, now more than ever this fabulous style of music is generating so much interest that it is necessary to provide online shops to cope with the demand. One such online retailer for classical music is www.classicalm.com, this has recently grown to be one of the favourites for classical music fans, due to their excellent customer service and wide range of choice.

One such choice is classical ballet music, classical has a page devoted purely just to this style of classical music, but they also have wide variety of other styles with pages devoted to them. ClassicalM is not just any old music store though; they specifically provide the unique option of being able to download MP3 versions of your favourite classical songs. Another style of classical music offered is Classical Cantata music, this is a very popular choice with classical fans and the amount of music from the likes of Mozart, Bach and Johann Sebastian to name just a few of the excellent choice that is available!

So if your hankering after more classical music than you can shake a stick at, with prices that won’t hurt your pocket, don’t spend too much time reading this and head over to ClassicalM.com where all your classical music needs will be satisfied and you certainly will not be disappointed.