"Lady Gaga’s hit single “Poker Face” was nominated for five Grammys this year and took home two titles. “Poker Face” was a smashing success by all accounts, putting Lady Gaga on the proverbial map. The Grammys aired on Sunday night on CBS. The Grammys began with Lady Gaga singing a duet with the legendary Elton John. Both were decked out in rather unsettling costumes, with Lady Gaga’s face having more makeup than a college fraternity party. “Poker Face” fell in the Record of the Year category, as Kings of Leon’s smash hit “Use Somebody” came away with the award. Others nominated for the prestigious Grammy included “Halo” by Beyoncé, “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, and “You Belong with Me” by country superstar Taylor Swift. Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” features engineering and mixing by Robert Orton, RedOne, and Dave Russell. For Album of the Year, “The Fame,” which includes “Poker Face,” once again came up empty. This time, “Fearless” by Taylor Swift stole the award. The youngster, whom rapper Kanye West interrupted during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards after she won for Best Female Video, snagged five Grammys in 2010. Also nominated for Album of the Year were “I Am… Sasha Fierce” by Beyoncé, “The E.N.D.” by the Black Eyed Peas, and the Dave Matthews Band’s “Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King.”
The final category that “Poker Face” bricked out in was Song of the Year. The tune was drawing dead by the time “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé took down the title. Other tracks nominated for the Song of the Year Grammy included “Pretty Wings” by Maxwell, “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, and “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift. Song of the Year was one of six Grammys taken home by Beyoncé, a former member of the all-female group Destiny’s Child. The group also included Kelly Rowland, who performed during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas last month. What did “Poker Face” draw out on, you ask? The song took home the title of Best Dance Recording, defeating an eclectic set of challengers that included “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas, “When Love Takes Over” by Kelly Rowland and David Guetta, “Celebration” by Madonna, and “Womanizer” by Britney Spears. The category marked the only Grammy nomination for Spears, who saw her world turned upside down ever since “Baby One More Time” was released in 1998. Rumors abound that the former Mousketeer and mother of two will release a brand new album later this year.Lady Gaga’s “The Fame,” which features the hit song trumpeting our industry, also won for Best Electronic/Dance Album. It defeated “Divided By Night” by the Crystal Method, David Guetta’s “One Love,” LMFAO’s “Party Rock,” and the Pet Shop Boys’ “Yes.” Also from “The Fame” is Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance,” which was a chart-topping hit around the world. Meanwhile, “Poker Face” paced the Billboard Hot 100 in April. The album itself was released back in September 2008 and instantly reinforced the popularity of poker in mainstream America." Article source: www. pokernewsdaily.com.
"Mihai P. aka Zagazound was born in Cernavoda (Constanta) on the 30th of July 1982. He was very young when he discovered his passion for music. Music has always been a part of his life, having formed a strong understanding and appreciation for it even as a young child. When Zagazound was 17, his dreams was to spin the rec and to travel the world as a famous Dj. Later, he start learning how to do this,and he has receiveing support from Playdelay, Steven Handsome and dKay. They helped him with many stuff and Zagazound will never forget them and says again many thanks. Let's mention a few clubs where he played: Club Serif, Club Flamingo, Pub XXI, Non Stop, Roxy ..and more." Article source: Zagazound on MySpace.
""Waiting for Tonight" is a song originally recorded by American female pop trio 3rd Party for their 1997 album Alive. American singer Jennifer Lopez recorded a version for her debut album, On the 6 (1999), and the song became the third single from the album and also the most famous version of the song so far, being considered one of Lopez's signature tunes. Released in 1999, the single peaked at number eight in the U.S., becoming Lopez's second top ten single; it also peaked at number five in the United Kingdom. The song also known for its remix made by Hex Hector. There is also a Spanish version of the song, called "Una Noche Más" ("One More Night"), also included in the album On the 6. In 2006, Italian house trio Lil' Love released their version of the song. There is also a version of the song in the popular dance video game Dance Dance Revolution. In 2000, the song earned Lopez a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
The song was written by Maria Christiansen, Michael Garvin, and Phil Temple. The original version was produced by dance producers LCD. Lopez's version was produced by Ric Wake."Waiting for Tonight" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000 for Best Dance Recording. In the same year, its music video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video and was also nominated for Best Choreography.Lopez would perform the Hex Hector remix years later during a guest stint on the sitcom Will & Grace, at Karen's wedding ceremony.The song's success could be tied to its theme and the much anticipated millennium new year on December 31, 1999. In the U.S., "Waiting for Tonight" rose from number fifty-six to number thirty-seven the week of October 23, 1999, as "If You Had My Love" was falling from the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100. The single became known for its upbeat music video which was centered around a millennium party for 2000. (The music video also humorously portrayed the Y2K bug worries when the tropical skyline blackouts during the millennium party, but immediately lights back up seconds later, as if the event was a prank.) As 1999 drew to a close and hype for the millennium became more prevalent, "Waiting for Tonight" soared up the charts, reaching number eight by the week of December 4, and returning to that position two weeks later. Lopez sang the song at the ABC 2010 celebration ." Article source: www.en.wikipedia.org
"Bobby McFerrin is one of the natural wonders of the music world. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, he is one of the world's best-known vocal innovators and improvisers, a world-renowned classical conductor, the creator of "Don't Worry Be Happy", one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, and a passionate spokesman for music education. His recordings have sold over 20 million copies, and his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Herbie Hancock have established him as an ambassador of both the classical and jazz worlds.With a four-octave range and a vast array of vocal techniques, McFerrin is no mere singer; he is music's last true Renaissance man, a vocal explorer who has combined jazz, folk and a multitude of world music influences - choral, a cappella, and classical music - with his own ingredients. As a conductor, Bobby is able to convey his innate musicality in an entirely different context. In addition to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, he has worked frequently with such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he held the post of Creative Chair.
Unconventional is a good way to describe the career of Bobby McFerrin. Those familiar with McFerrin's shows, whether as a conductor or a vocalist, know that each one is a unique event that resonates with the unexpected. He is that rare artist who has the ability to reach beyond musical genres and stereotypes for a sound that is entirely his own. As one of the foremost guardians of music's rich heritage, he remains at the vanguard with his natural, beautiful and timeless music that transcends all borders and embraces all cultures.
Comprised of twelve uniquely gifted singers with broad stylistic experience ranging from jazz to R&B to Indian classical opera, Voicestra serves as a rich compositional palate for Bobby McFerrin's expeditions into the musical universe. Bobby founded Voicestra in 1986 to explore interactive group singing in his performances, and it has since evolved into a medium for deeply spiritual and powerful improvisations. Voicestra is not just a choir, but a flexible and richly textured instrument through which Bobby can experiment with and express his unique vocal style and musical stream of consciousness. The music is entirely improvised and captures everything in the performance: the day, the time, the theater, the audience. Melodies, rhythms and textures traverse from singer to singer, perpetually morphing in reaction to the moment and Bobby's instincts. For many audiences, a Voicestra performance is akin to a religious experience, providing them the rare opportunity to witness as well as participate in a musical celebration of spontaneity." Article source: www.bobbymcferrin.com.
"Ian Van Dahl was created by Christophe Chantzis and Erik Vanspauwen in the beginning of 2000. Christophe Chantzis is no stranger in the Belgian dance scene... he was already involved in projects like Absolom and Astroline in the past. Their first single Castles In The Sky was an instant hit, no only in Belgium. In Germany it reached #2 in the dancecharts, it was # 3 in UK, and in the Canadian dancechart it got up to # 1 ! Last but not least they entered the American billboard charts (highest place #78) for a few months and they got into the Top15. Some remixes were made by German DJs like Tomasso Dedonatis (Watergate, DJ Quicksilver) and Wippenberg aka Olaf Dieckmann. The lyrics of Castles In The Sky were written and sung by Marsha (her real name is Martine Theeuwen) a 24 year old Belgian woman born October 7th, 1976 in Neerpelt. But suddenly the record company and Christophe Chantzis decided they had to replace Marsha for the public appearances, despite the fact that Marsha was really motivated to do the performances. They first found Cindy but she was soon replaced because during live acts it was too evident she was only lipsyncing. Then came Annemie (real name Annemie Anne Francine Coenen) together with the dancers Jeanine and Diana. A new version of Castles In The Sky with the voice of Annemie has been made but until now all the versions that you can buy are still with the voice of Marsha.Besides, Marsha performed solo her version of Castles In The Sky during a 3 months tour in America in order to prove she was the one and only singer. During her stay she didn't only perform but she also got the opportunity to work with a very talented team consisting of Justin Time, Russ Reign and Marino Bragino. This resulted in a new song called Distant Places, released under the name of LD 30 featuring Marsha X. However the Ian Van Dahl project kept on. The follow-up single to be released was Will I, in 2002. The European release was planned for August and included a Pulsedriver remix. The 4th single was entitled Try, it was released on the 24th of September in UK.
2003 : Ian Van Dahl will release in Germany a double A-side single with the tracks Secret Love and Try at the end of March. Then they started working very hard on a new album. In April six brand new tracks were almost finished. A new single was planned for release before the summer and the new upcoming album was expected for November.
2004 : I Can't Let You Go, the new single, reached #19 in German DJ Playlist in January. The follow-up was entitled Where Are You Now and it was released in Europe and the USA, excpted in the UK. There, Ian Van Dahl will release the track Believe on the 31st of May. The new album Lost & Find will be released a little sooner, on the 24th of May. Where Are You Now peaked in the danish dance-chart as #35. The follow-up Believe was released in September. Then came Inspiration, which went #1 in Belgian Dance Charts in December.
2005 : In January, Annemie and Evi from Lasgo did a tour together in Japan (they played in Tokyo and in Nagoya). The February, they toured all around the UK. This special tour was a success as they were still very popular in the UK. In March, Annemie started working on new songs together with Peter & David. The new Ian Van Dahl single, planned for release before the summer, will be a brand new single not available on their current Lost & Found album. In November, the vinyl of the new single entitled Movin' On was released and the video was shot. The maxi followed in December. It went up to #3 in the Belgian Ultratop 30 dance.
2006 : Ian Van Dahl and Lasgo came to Brazil between 4th and 9th April. The show was announced as an exclusive battle between Evi & Annemie. Another part of this tour took place in the US in May and June. The follow-up single was entitled Just A Girl. The videoclip was shot in Paris.
2007 : the Ian Van Dahl World tour 2007 started. In early July 2007, it was announced that Ian Van Dahl's third album was completed, but instead will be released as Annemie Coenen's solo debut album produced by Peter Luts.
2008 : Jens O. did a cover of Reason. Ian van Dahl does not exist anymore, Annemie is now known as Annagrace and her first single is entitled You Make Me Feel.
2009 : Annagrace's new single is entitled Let The Feelings Go, while her first single You Make Me Feel will be licensed in the UK under Hard2Beat." Article source: www.eurokdj.com.
"In 1985 Cem Berter aka Jamie Lewis made his first appearance as DJ on the swiss clubs circuits playing classic disco and Funk, but it wasn't too long before he soon become heavily involved in the developing House music scene in the late eighties thanks to his love and passion for music. From 1987 to 2004 he owned one of the first and most famous record-shop of Switzerland (Dee Jay Service in Winterthur). He produced his first records in 1992 for the Italian label UMM & in 1994 for the Canadian label Definive rec.(John Acquaviva). In 1997 Jamie Lewis created his own record label Purple Music, recognized today as one of the most impressive house music label worldwide with artists, producers and remixers like Bob Sinclar, KOT, Sandy Rivera, Dimitri from Paris, Brian Tappert, DJ Pippi, Cerrone, Michelle Weeks, Lisa Millett, Michael Watford, Andrea Love, Jocelyn Brown, Alfred Azzetto, Luca Cassani, Panevino, Kemal a.m.m.. Jamie collaboration’s are not only the most appreciated house music artists but also pop and disco stars like Etienne de Crecy, The Weather Girls, Cerrone and Billie Ray Martin. His most successfull productions «The light» and «Be thankful» with Michelle Weeks were accalaimed as the records of the WMC in Miami (2002 & 2005) granted him nominations at the UK «House Music Awards». His productions orremixes for «Hooked on you», «You are the one», «Not too Shabby», «Tatoo Woman» by Cerrone, «For you», «It’s over» and «It's not over» with Michael Watford and «Give you» with Djaimin have been together some of the most plaid titles worldwide. Jamie’s main collaborations are with Defected, Mn2s, Yellow, Universal, Malligator, Salted, and Soulfuric. He mixed over 25 CD compilations incl. the serie Mykonos, Streetparade house, Waxwars, DJ Pippi & Jamie Lewis in the Mix, Defected International and his own serie «My girlfriend is out of Town» and he created his own t-shirt collection «My Girlfriend is out of town» and «My Boyfriend is out of Town»to expand his business not only into the music branche.
Jamie Lewis has come a long way from when he first started in the music industry, but he become one of the most wanted house music DJs playing worldwide in top clubs like Cielo (New York), Tank (Sidney), Opium Garden & Nikki Beach (Miami), Mighty & The End Up (San Francisco), Deep (Los Angeles), Pacha (Ibiza, London, Mallorca, Madrid), El Divino, Privilege, Penelope, Love (Ibiza), Hacienda (Croatia), Venue (Athens), Cavo Paradiso (Mykonos), Discoteque & Catwalk (Barcellona), Echoes (Riccione), Quartiere Latino & Riobo (Gallipoli), Jubilee (Bari), Ambasada Gavioli (Slovenija), L’America (Cardiff), Tiefenrausch, Acanto (Germany), Seculo xix (Porto), Queen (Paris), Turnmills (London), Utopia (Warsaw), Trilogy (Dubai) to name fews. His Swiss residencies with the legendary «Purple Music Nights» take place every last Saturday of the month since 1997 at Kaufleuten (Zurich), and bi-monthly at Atlantis (Basel). Of course he plays in all clubs of the country and performed at all main Swiss events like Evolution, Motion openair, Nautilus, Streetparade, Schaffhausen Music Festival, Nokia-, Redbull-, Philipp Morris- & Parisienne-parties. Jamie Lewis history counts the VIP afterconcert party for Madonna at Discoteque in Barcelona Madonna (Drowned World Tour 2001) and Kaufleuten in Zurich (Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008), Schiffsbau in Zurich for Jestofunk and at Kaufleuten for St. Germain. His record for playing non stop 30 hours set (April 2003 in Zurich), his many parties worldwide for brands like Philip Morris, Barcley, Redbull, Campari, Playstation, Bitburger beer (he created the summer 2004 soundtrack) and fashion icones like Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Ed Hardy." Article source: www.jamielewis.ch.
"The term "Lambada" is an obscure Portuguese word used in Brazil and refers to the wavelike motion induced in a whip. This flowing wave motion is copied by the dancers bodies. The dark ambiguity of this figure is one of the things that distinguishes Lambada from other dances. As for the origins of Lambada as a dance, Lambada is derived from Carimbó which got its name from a large African drum with a sonorous sound. Only by influences of Salsa, Merengue and Reggae, the formerly single danced Lambada evolved into an couple dance, early adopted by people in Porto Seguro, Bahia. Being a summer season phenomenon, the Lambada would have disappeared like a lot of other dances, if it hadn't been for the French group "Kaoma" which made "Lambada" the number one hit worldwide - 5 million singles were bought, triggering an international dancing boom. Many dancing schools followed the trend and in a hurry offered dancing lessons - however, the commercialization of Lambada hype was exaggerated. Today the focal point is concentrated on the artistic potential of Lambada and it always is present in the dancing halls of Europe, Argentina and Australia." Article source: www. rainhadomardancers.com
Lambada History
"In 1988 a French entrepreneur, Olivier Lamotte d'Incamps, visited Porto Seguro and discovered locals dancing the tightly syncopated lambada to a melody that turned out to be Bolivian. With a lot of publicity, d'Incamps originated a lambada dance craze, largely by promoting a European tour of Kaoma, a band formed from a Porto Seguro dance group Touré Kunda. He bought the musical rights of about 300 lambada songs. He went back to France, and created the Kaoma Band. They turned Lambada into a worldwide known style, reaching all the way to Japan, where the dance is still popular. Lambada entered the global mainstream when the French pop group Kaoma recorded a number one worldwide summer hit "Lambada" which sold 5 million singles in 1989. In Portuguese the Lambada song is called Chorando se foi which means Crying he/she went away. In the music video, there were two young children, named Chico and Roberta, performing the lambada dance. They shortly thereafter started their own musical career." Article source: www.mobileddl.com.
"Singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor Jason Derulo belongs to a new breed of multi-hyphenate artists who know no creative boundaries. And as the flagship artist for the new joint venture between Warner Bros. Records and super-producer J.R. Rotem's label Beluga Heights, Derulo has set his sights high. “I don't want to stay in a box,” he says. “I want all the love!”. He’s already feeling that love. Derulo's smash debut single "Whatcha Say" — an irresistible slice of finger-snapping, futuristic pop-R&B — quickly climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard’s Hot 100, Rhythmic, and Pop charts and remained atop the Pop chart for four consecutive weeks, making Derulo one of two new artists who debuted in 2009 to go to No. 1 at all three formats with a debut single. “Whatcha Say,” which climbed to No. 2 on the iTunes singles chart, has sold four million copies worldwide, including three million in the U.S., and has been certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Derulo’s new single, “In My Head,” is moving even faster at radio with more than 160 Pop and Rhythm stations on board and a Top 15 berth on the Pop chart.
Those two singles are just part of what awaits on Derulo’s self-titled debut album — an uncategorizable blend of pop, rock, electronic, and R&B elements that showcases this exciting newcomer’s many talents. “It’s definitely a music lover’s album,” the 20-year-old says. “It reflects all my different influences, but it’s deeply rooted in pop. My vision for the album was to make music that would impact the world. And by that I mean that music is a healing thing. When you play your favorite song, you can forget all your troubles for three minutes. I want to provide those getaway moments for people.” To that end, Derulo recorded more than 300 songs that he narrowed down to the nine that appear on the album. “I wanted to make sure I had something special that would endure and sound timeless,” Derulo says. Derulo wrote or co-wrote each track on the album, which was produced by Rotem, who has also worked with Rihanna, Leona Lewis, Rick Ross, and many others. “J.R. is a musician like myself, and has the ability to work within all different types of genres,” Derulo says. “We can literally do whatever we want in the studio and experiment, which is really important to me because I want to break down barriers and do things that have never done before.” The album features songwriting contributions from in-demand hit-makers Claude Kelly (Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You,” Britney Spears’ “Circus,” Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA”), Evan Bogart (Beyonce’s “Halo,” Rihanna’s “S.O.S.”), and Alex James (Adam Lambert’s “Sure Fire Winners,” Tata Young “My Bloody Valentine”). That Derulo would aim high musically is not a surprise given his background. Born and bred in Miami, FL, Derulo composed his first song, a little ditty called "Crush On You," on the piano at age 8. "I was a huge Michael Jackson fan growing up,” he recalls. “I studied his videos and copied all his moves. I'd also practice singing Usher and Justin Timberlake songs while doing their moves."
As a teen, Derulo moved to New York to attend the vaunted American Musical and Dramatic Academy and competed at the legendary Apollo Theater, winning the Apollo's 2006 season Grand Championship. Derulo kept at his writing, and at age 17, he composed and sang the chorus to "Bossy” — a track on Southern rapper Baby's album Five*Stunna. From there, the floodgates opened and Derulo became a sought-after tunesmith, showing his range and versatility by crafting songs for hip-hop star Lil Wayne, R&B singer Cassie, and girl group Danity Kane to name a few. Around this time, J.R. Rotem’s brother Tommy was searching for artists to sign to Rotem’s new label, Beluga Heights, which had scored big with Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls.” Tommy contacted Derulo through his MySpace page and invited him out to Los Angeles to pen songs for Kingston’s second album. "I was most impressed initially with Jason's writing," J.R. says of Derulo, who also co-wrote Iyaz’s five-week No. 1 “Replay.” "Although we knew he was interested in being a solo artist, we were feeling him out as a writer. But from the first night in the studio there was a magical chemistry. He was vibing off my beats and I was loving his energy and melodies. We recorded a bunch of songs and it was on." Derulo found his musical match in Rotem. "For eight months, we literally locked ourselves in the studio to write and record,” Derulo says. "Our aim was to not be influenced by trends, but to make sure that our art was coming from a true place." He points to the song "Ridin’ Solo" as a good representation of their artistic collaboration. "The song is about the empowering, yet bittersweet realization that it's okay to be single." "Jason is one of those guys who can write songs for other people but has a career of his own," Rotem says. "He can write pop songs for women to sing, R&B for men to sing, he can write ballads; he's very eclectic. He has really inspired us." Derulo shows no signs of slowing down in 2010. In late January, he wrapped up a six-week stint on the road with Lady Gaga on her red-hot, sold-out “Monster Ball” tour of North America, which included four shows at New York City’s famed Radio City Music Hall. In February, he made his feature film debut in MTV Films’ Turn the Beat Around. Next up is the release of his debut album. "I don't feel like I'm competing with other artists," he says. "I'm just going to try and be the best I can be. And when I get to that level, well, I'll figure out a way to get better."" Article source: Jason Derulo on MySpace.
"Much has happened since the now 19-year-old emerged in July 2007. “Beautiful Girls” made history as one of the fastest ascents up the charts ever. Following that, the singer/rapper scored three more top ten hits including “Me Love,” “Take You There” and “There’s Nothin’.” He has sold more than six million digital singles, more than 4.5 million ringtones and has toured with artists like Gwen Stefani and Chris Brown. His self-titled debut Sean Kingston went to #1 in 21 countries and sold over 1 million worldwide. “Take You There” and “Love Like This” climbed the radio and iTunes charts together giving him back-to-back hits in January. With a musical bloodline that includes Jamaican legendary producer Jack Ruby as his grandfather, it’s no wonder Sean, who is finishing up his sophomore album, Tomorrow, for Epic Records, was able to introduce a new genre where rap, reggae, pop, doo-wop and remarkable songwriting all combine into something totally refreshing.
Sean’s sophomore album, Tomorrow, due out on Epic Records in August is a reflection of his growth as a young man and evolution as an artist. The life experiences gained over the past two years have been invaluable to Sean and have greatly influenced him. As he evolves, he remains positive and hopeful of what the future has to bring. The title track on the album reflects this sentiment. There are also messages of personal acceptance as heard in the song “Face Drop” and echoed throughout with songs including “Magical”. The theme of Tomorrow is further evidenced by the expansion of artists and producers Sean collaborated with on the album. While he continues to work with J.R. Rotem, Sean also teams up with pop-punk veterans Good Charlotte co-writing “Shoulda Let You Go”, world-wide superstar Wyclef Jean who produced and lends vocals to “Ice Cream Girl” and chart-topping producer Red One on the first single off the album “Fire Burning.”" Article source: www.seankingston.com.
"Linkin Park is a band from Agoura Hills, California. The band consists of Joe “Mr. Hahn” Hahn, Mike Shinoda, Dave Farrell (a.k.a. Phoenix), Chester Bennington, Brad Delson and Rob Bourdon. Released under the band name “Hybrid Theory”, the band’s first album, Hybrid Theory EP was released in 1995. Only 1000 copies of this very rare original EP were made. The band’s first full studio album, Hybrid Theory, released in 2001, had a huge success, selling 42 million copies worldwide as of October 2009. Among its singles were One Step Closer, Crawling, and the band’s highest-selling single, In the End. In 2001, the band released “Frat party at the pancake festival”. A dvd with live stuff, extra footage of the band and the music video’s from Hybrid Theory. A remix album, Reanimation was released in 2002, and was based around Hybrid Theory songs.
The band’s second studio album, Meteora (released 2003), was not so successful as “Hybrid Theory”. Still, it sold 10 million copies worldwide, spawned the worldwide hit Breaking the Habit, and was the first Linkin Park album that was not fully rap driven.A limited edition live album and DVD came next: Live in Texas. It was an opportunity for fans who have not been to the band’s gigs to see their performance live." Article source: www.last.fm.
"When Katy Perry was a fourth grader, her teacher asked the class to make a “vision board” – a collage of images cut out from magazines that represents the dreams and aspirations you hope to manifest in life. The year was 1993 and Selena had just won a Grammy Award, so nine-year old Katy chose a photo of the young Latin pop singer holding her golden statuette. Fifteen years later, Perry has been nominated for her first Grammy Award in the “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” category for her ubiquitous No. 1 single, “I Kissed a Girl,” from her platinum Top 10 album One of the Boys, and has been chosen as this year’s My GRAMMY® Moment artist. Current sales check in at over 2 million albums and more than 13 million tracks, singles and mobile product globally. “I found my vision board when I moved apartments recently,” says Perry, now 24. “I knew where I wanted to be even as a young kid. I just didn’t know that if I put one foot in front of the other, I would actually get there someday.” Perry’s willful determination, not to mention her songwriting and vocal talent and larger-than-life charisma, have led to an astonishing year for the saucer-eyed, raven-haired pop starlet, who, with her cheeky sense of humor and sexy pin-up girl style, was “the breakthrough star of 2008” as Blender magazine put it in the issue that featured Perry on the cover.
You could say it all started in April 2008 when Madonna told Ryan Seacrest that Perry’s “Ur So Gay” (off her November 2007 EP of the same name) — a withering kiss-off to a metrosexual ex — was her favorite song. “It may have been a small comment on her behalf, but it was a large comment in my world,” Perry recalls. “It was like a big boat leaving the dock and getting a champagne send-off.” Shortly after being anointed by the Queen of Pop, Perry released her debut single “I Kissed A Girl” — a provocative ode to the beauty of women that ruled radio over the summer of 2008, becoming an all-format hit and shooting to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 where it stayed put for seven straight weeks and tied The Beatles’ Capitol Records record for weeks at No. 1. The video was nominated for five MTV Video Music Awards, including a nod for Perry for “Best New Artist” and became the No. 1 most viewed music video of 2008 on MySpace. A No. 1 airplay smash in 22 countries and the 2009 People’s Choice award winner for “Favorite Pop Song,” “I Kissed A Girl” has sold more than six million tracks worldwide. Its popularity also made Perry a ripe target for Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly, who convened a panel of handwringing analysts to discuss the effect of the song on America’s impressionable youth. Perry was also voted “Best New Artist” by readers of Rolling Stone and PerezHilton.com.
On June 17, 2008, EMI Music released One of the Boys, a witty romp through Perry’s brightly colored world that showcases her sharp, candid lyrics, big voice, and feisty, girl-power swagger, as well as her appealing vulnerability on songs like her latest single, “Thinking Of You.” “I think people can appreciate a songwriter who shows different sides,” she says. “The whole angst thing is cool, but if that’s all you’ve got, it’s just boring. Everything I write, whether it’s happy or sad, has a sense of humor to it.” Case in point: the album’s spunky, high-voltage second single “Hot N Cold,” which became Perry’s second No. 1 single and international hit, selling nearly three million digital tracks since its release. The eye-popping video, with its hilarious wedding theme, became the No. 2 most-viewed premiere of all time on MySpace, proving to armchair critics and naysayers that the success of this irrepressible young woman in the satin onesie and fishnets was no fluke. When Saturday Night Live spoofed her, it was official: Katy Perry was a bonafide cultural phenomenon.So why does Perry think that she’s connected with a mass audience when the road to stardom is littered with the failed dreams of aspiring wannabes? “Because I’m just myself,” she says, “and that’s all people want. People want to hear artists who are themselves, but who do interesting things and sing about them in an interesting way that maybe they have tried to conceive but couldn’t. I get a lot of girls who come up to me and say, ‘When I heard ‘Thinking of You,’ I felt that way to a T, but I never knew anyone who could put my feelings into words.’ I think that’s why people find me relatable. Plus, anybody can meet me. I’m not distant. I’m very much the same person I was before the hit singles. I just have a schedule for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” Fans do seem to respond to Perry’s approachable girl-next-door quality (if the girl next door were a self-described “glamour ninja”), perhaps because it’s not an act. The middle child of two pastors, Perry grew up singing in church. “My dad would give me ten dollars, which is a lot of money when you’re nine, to sing at church, on tables at restaurants, at family functions, just about anywhere,” she says. Perry was raised on a strict diet of church music; “secular music,” as her mother called it, was “not allowed.” But one night during a slumber party, Perry happened upon a Queen record “and the heavens opened and saved me,” she says. “From then on, they have been my biggest influence. Their musicality and lyrics were so flamboyant and real. I’d never heard anything like it.”
By the time she was 15, Perry was determined to pursue a path in music. She spent some time in Nashville working with professional songwriters — “these seasoned country music vets who had been writing songs for forever” — and honing her own songwriting skills. “Every single one of my songs is drawn 100 percent directly from my life.” At 17, Perry met legendary producer and songwriter Glen Ballard, who spent years guiding and developing her talent and songwriting. The strength of the songs and Perry’s full-throated voice captured the attention of Capitol Music Group, which signed her in Spring 2007. “I’ve been through a lot of highs and a lot of lows in this business,” Perry says. “Before I got signed, it was tough. I’d write a check for my rent and next to it, I’d write, ‘Please, God, please.’ But I didn’t jump off the Hollywood sign. Everything always works out for the best.” It’s a long way from being broke to stealing the show at the MTV Latin America “Los Premios Awards” (where Perry face-planted into a large pink cake) and hosting and performing at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool, England, which she did in November 2008, picking up the award for “Best New Act” in the process. Now Perry is gearing up for her first-ever international headlining tour, something she’s ready to tackle after spending a grueling summer on the Vans Warped Tour – a multi-band circus that one critic likened “the running of the bulls in Pamplona…minus the bulls, or the quaint Basque scenery.” “Warped was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Perry admits. “It was like being in the army, like GI Jane getting my ass kicked every single day, but now I know how to deal with any situation.”" Article source: www.katyperry.com.
"If you consider yourself even mildly musical, a good piece of audio production software is a worthy addition to your arsenal. One such tool is Magix's Music Maker, a digital mixing tool with a slick interface and plenty of features for serious musicians. First time users will need to spend considerable time learning the ins and outs of the program, but don't let that stop you; Magix provides plenty of interactive tutorials and online forums for guidance. This version of Music Maker adds plenty of new tools to an already robust feature set. You can still access preloaded instrument loops as well as pull up BeatBox, the built-in drum machine. The Infobox feature teaches you about music as you're producing it, and Sound Vision reorganizes your sounds into a visual scheme. And there's the option to publish directly to MySpace or YouTube. The program also offers extended sound effects, authentic guitar and amp sounds, and a Microscope Mode for even more detailed editing on the sound wave of objects. If you've used other music production software that employs looping and sound effects, chances are you'll be able to catch on to Music Maker pretty easily, but there are definitely differences that will take some figuring out. The online tutorials are useful for everyone, not just novice users. You'll definitely want to check those out if you really want to dive into the program for all its worth. Also, if you're itching for more virtual instruments, consider upgrading to the premium version.
Magix Music Maker offers an easy start, and lets you experience what it's like to dive into the depths of music production. A giant sound archive and an especially intuitive approach to creating original music as well as many useful functions result in an unbeatable complete package for making your own songs. The new Easy Mode makes creating radio play-ready hits possible even for beginners--no time needed for breaking in, no previous knowledge necessary. Thanks to the new info box, all important functions can be understood during their application. With BeatBox 2, the new groove tool, you can create unbelievable beats with incredible ease. More than 1,500 new, current sounds in contemporary styles round off the functional range. Thus, Magix Music Maker offers you everything from one source: from creating your own songs and whole CD albums, to remixing MP3s to publication of self-created hits and music videos on the web." Article source: www.download.cnet.com.
"“On a afternoon somewhere in the beginning of 2007 two friends decided to join forces, one Dj and one producer, both sharing great passion for house music... Bassjackers was born...!”
Bassjackers aka Marlon Flohr and Ralph van Hilst had not foreseen what was coming when they started out with their collaboration. Marlon was already Dj-ing for a while and Ralph experimented a lot with making different kinds of dance music. Marlon was mainly playing house music at the time and then the idea came to push Ralphs productions in that direction so that Marlon could play the tracks in his sets. The first track they were both satisfied with was “Beat Cut”. They decided to send the track to some major house Djs to get some feedback and support. They immediately got support from Dutch Topjocks like Don Diablo and Erick E and Fedde le Grand charted “Beat Cut” in his top 10 and things started to roll. As “Beat Cut” got signed at Sneakerz Muzik, one can speak of a dream debut! After “Beat Cut” their follow up “Juicy Lucy” became a real club banger aswell! It got support on big radio stations like 3FM. After that their tracks “Enowapi” “Klambu” and “Sujo” gained massive support again and got compilated at various cds like; Defected, One Love Compilation (AU), Nope is Dope, Sneakerz and the list goes on. And recently their latest weapon “16”, a collab with Dj Jorn, is creating a big buzz on the internet, making it one of the most wanted records at the moment. And after hearing it Sidney Samson immediately signed it to his label Samsobeats!
Next to their own tracks, Bassjackers are known for their infamous remixes. They have remixed artists like Ron Carrol, Ian Carey and Sidney Samson and remixed for labels like 4Kenzo, Spinnin and Kingdom Kome Cuts to name a few. Their remixes for Gregor Salto, Giorgio Giordano and Real el Canario all ended up the 1 spot on dancetunes; the leading dance portal in Holland.They also were the ones responsible for the Quintino remix of “Rap das armas”, which they co-produced together with Quintino. The track reached the 1 spot of the official Dutch Top 40, and got over 8 millions of views on YouTube!As you can see, Bassjackers penetrated the house scene with their productions in a short period of time! From Roger Sanchez to Chuckie, from Laidback Luke to Mark Knight, everybody has some Bassjackers secret weapons in their repertoire, ready to blow up the dance floor.On the Dj side of Bassjackers things also evolved fast. Because of their successes with their releases and remixes various party organizations started to notice them. This resulted in a residency at the biggest house concept in Holland; Nope is Dope. Now they got to play their tracks in front of thousands of enthusiastic party people. They played all the biggest clubs in Holland for various organizations like Sneakerz, Latin Village etc, but one of their highlights was playing in the MECC hallen in front of 10000 party people, the your music festival with N*E*R*D and the Summer tours across the coasts of Turkey and Spain. Bassjackers got the opportunity to compile and mix the 3rd Nope is Dope CD! This was a great chance to show themselves to the bigger audience. The CD stormed the Dutch album charts and this put them on the map even more!! For the future they have a lot in stock for us, working on new trax and remixes, solo and collaborations with artists like Ralvero, Oliver Twizt, Bizzey and Apster, they are about to take over!" Article source: Bassjackers on MySpace.
"Sensation commenced in Amsterdam in 2000, and since then over half a million people across the world have experienced one of the most spectacular dance and music phenomenons in the world.
The first ever Sensation took place at the Amsterdam ArenA – home of Ajax football club, and was experienced by 20,000 clubbers. The following year, Sensation as we know it was born. As a tribute to his brother Miles, who helped found ID&T before sadly dying in a car accident, Duncan Stutterheim, Sensation CEO, asked visitors to dress in white as people did at Miles’ funeral. Numbers had doubled from the first year, and eighty percent of the 40,000 attendees did so, creating an image so staggering that the dress code has remained the same ever since. World-renowned DJs take to the Sensation decks during each eight-hour spectacle of extraordinary stage shows, acrobats, actors, state-of-the-art lightshows, lasers and fireworks. Performers dance across the venue and abseil from the roof, flames shoot from the stage and carnival floats part the crowds. Some of the worlds best DJs have played Sensation over the years, each helping to take the visitors through the night as the perfect musical accompaniment to the unfolding show, making Sensation what it is today. Tiësto, Sven Vath, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, David Guetta, Richie Hawtin, Axwell, Fedde le Grand, Steve Angelo, Sebastian Ingrosso and Erick Morillo have all graced the Sensation stage at some point in their careers, many referring to it the highlight of their careers.
As Sensation’s reputation has grown, the music has evolved and taken on it’s own style – it’s not just about booking the biggest name DJs anymore, it’s about choosing the people who can make Sensation the best event possible, and play the most cutting edge music of today and tomorrow. Sensation also continually champions the local heroes, the stars of the moment, and the stars of the future, with local DJs always being hand-picked to open or close Sensation in their own countries in front of their home crowds.Besides the DJs and performers, the renowned Megamix is, for many, an exciting climax of any Sensation show, setting it apart from all other dance events. This moment during every show is when not the DJs, but the music itself, and the public, are the stars. Compiled by one of the musical masterminds of ID&T Sensation, this musical trip through history features a range of old and new classics, accompanied by a spectacular show and fireworks display.With a different theme every year - from Space, to the Garden of Eden, and Ocean of White - every single show is completely different. The new theme is launched at the Amsterdam edition each year, before traveling the globe.Sensation has expanded beyond Amsterdam, with shows in countries across Europe including Germany, Belgium, Russia and Poland. Keep checking the tour schedule for 2009 – Sensation is planned to take place in 22 countries to date, including Australia, Spain, UK, South America, and more… Sensation will be coming to a city near you!" Article source: www.sensation.com.
"FL Studio 9 is a complete software music production environment, representing the culmination of more than 10 years of sustained & focused development. FL9 is the fastest way from your brain to your speakers.
What is FL9?
FL Studio is a full-featured, open architecture, music production environment capable of audio recording, composing, sequencing and mixing, for the creation of professional quality music. The FL Studio philosophy is creative freedom:
o Free your audio - Instruments can be routed to any mixer track. Each mixer track can receive audio from any number of instruments, any number of other mixer tracks and a soundcard input. Further, mixer track outputs allow sending audio to any other mixer track and a soundcard output.
o Free your mind – Choose your preferred workflow, compose using the stepsequencer or piano roll. Create in pattern or track mode, then arrange your ideas in the free ‘palette’ Playlist. The Playlist presents timeline as a virtual ‘canvas’ where each Playlist track can simultaneously hold any number of score, audio and automation events. Now that’s freedom.
Instruments
o Make virtually any sound - FL9 includes over 30 software synthesizers covering acoustic/synthetic bass, electric guitar, multi-sampler tools including piano & strings, general sample playback and beat-slicing (With Rex 1 & 2 support).
o Synthesis techniques - span subtractive, modelling, FM, RM, granular and additive. With the addition of FL SynthMaker you can further create & share your own FL instruments, effects & MIDI control dashboards without the need to write basic code.
Audio Recording & Editing
o Multi-channel audio inputs - With the ability to simultaneously capture all the inputs on your audio-interface, FL Studio has the flexibility to record a single vocalist, guitar or a full symphony orchestra.
o Arranging audio - Audio can then be arranged, with complete freedom in the Playlist. Features include the ability to host an unlimited number of audio recordings, time-stretching, pitch-shifting, beat-slicing, cropping, editing and the re-arranging of audio with complete creative freedom.
o Edison - FL9’s audio capabilities are further enhanced with Edison, the recording wave editor. Edison is an integrated audio editing and recording tool with spectral analysis, convolution reverb, noise reduction, looprecording, loop-construction tools and more.
"What's plastic, a metre long, brightly coloured and sounds like an elephant? It's the vuvuzela, the noise-making trumpet of South African football fans, and it's come to symbolise the sport in the country.It's an instrument, but not always a musical one. Describing the atmosphere in a stadium packed with thousands of fans blowing their vuvuzelas is difficult. Up close it's an elephant, sure, but en masse the sound is more like a massive swarm of very angry bees. And when there's action near the goal mouth, those bees go really crazy.To get that sound out requires lip flexibility and lung strength - in short, a fair amount of technique. So be sure to get in some practice before attending a South African football match, or you the sound you produce may cause some amusement in the seats around you!Vuvuzela supplier Boogieblast offers this advice: "Put your lips inside the mouthpiece and almost make a 'farting' sound. Relax your cheeks and let your lips vibrate inside the mouthpiece. As soon as you get that trumpeting sound, blow harder until you reach a ridiculously loud 'boogying blast'. The ancestor of the vuvuzela is said to be the kudu horn - ixilongo in isiXhosa, mhalamhala in Tshivenda - blown to summon African villagers to meetings. Later versions were made of tin. The trumpet became so popular at football matches in the late 1990s that a company, Masincedane Sport, was formed in 2001 to mass-produce it. Made of plastic, they come in a variety of colours - black or white for fans of Orlando Pirates, yellow for Kaizer Chiefs, and so on - with little drawings on the side warning against blowing in the ear! There's uncertainty on the origin of the word "vuvuzela". Some say it comes from the isiZulu for - wait for it - "making noise". Others say it's from township slang related to the word "shower", because it "showers people with music" - or, more prosaically, looks a little like a shower head. The announcement, on 15 May 2004, that South Africa would host the 2010 Fifa World Cup gave the vuvuzela a huge boost, to say the least - some 20 000 were sold on the day by enterprising street vendors.It's a noisy thing, so there's no surprise some don't like it. Journalist Jon Qwelane once quipped that he had taken to watching football matches at home - with the volume turned low - because of what he described as "an instrument of hell".
Viva the vuvuzela orchestra!
Cape Town-based music educator Pedro Espi-Sanchis has a different view, however: to him the vuvuzela is a rousing instrument that can, when tuned correctly, play in an orchestra as easily as a flute, violin or cello.Espi-Sanchis says the vuvuzela is a "proudly South African instrument" with roots deep in local traditional music. He was introduced to it over 30 years ago by renowned South African ethnomusicologist Andrew Tracey.
A fan of football himself, Espi-Sanchis came up with the idea of a vuvuzela orchestra after realising that crowds at a match could coordinate their trumpeting to make music. "I heard the vuvuzelas at soccer games and the sound was not musical at all," he says. "Vuvuzelas need to play rhythms together to really show their power." In 2006 Espi-Sanchis and Thandi Swartbooi, head of the South African traditional music group Woman Unite, launched a vuvuzela orchestra as part of the Cape Town-based uMoya Music organisation.
Made up of a core group of seven people, with Espi-Sanchis as conductor and soloist on the lekgodilo flute and six musicians each playing a vuvuzela, the orchestra made its first public appearance at the Johannesburg Carnival in December 2006. Their first performance at a soccer match was at the Nelson Mandela Challenge match at Ellis Park stadium in November 2007, when Bafana Bafana took on the USA. Espi-Sanchis found an excellent local football fan base to accompany the vuvuzela orchestra. Supporters of Bloemfontein Celtic football club, based in the Free State, "form one of the best fan bases in South African soccer," he says. "In November [2007], we taught 60 of these fans to play seven songs in just five days. "Each of our six musicians was responsible for 10 fans, and they taught them to play their parts. Celtic fans also taught us some of their wonderful songs, and together we supported Bafana Bafana at the Mandela Challenge by singing and dancing with the vuvuzela orchestra." "Now we want to bring up a fan base to support our national team," says Espi-Sanchis. "The vuvuzela music can be learnt very quickly ... we want to use the Celtic supporters as models for a national fan base." Whether or not Espi-Sanchis' ambitions are realised, vuvezalas are bound to play an integral part in South Africa's 2010 celebrations, and World Cup visitors are sure to go home with a vuvuzela or two tucked in their luggage - and a little ringing in their ears ..." Article source: www.southafrica.info.
"Outdoor Cocktail Party
While the hot summers have almost arrived, hosting a cocktail party is one of the coolest summer party ideas! And who says, cocktail parties were the trends in late 1960s and 1970s. Their popularity gained momentum in the recent years. Throw a cocktail party and you can have a beautiful start of the summer season. In the cocktail parties, there is generally a wide variety of food on the menu and so you can be rest assured that your guests will have a variety of options to choose from! So whether you are hosting a cocktail part for the first time or have some good experience in hosting these parties, you need to be aware of some tips. First and foremost, summer cocktails remains the center of attraction of a summer cocktail party and so include various brands of it. Cosmopolitan, whiskey, Dirty martini (a must for those who had a tough week!), beer, chocolate martini and champagne are just a few of the various popular drinks. You can supplement these liquors with mixers of organ juice and cranberry juices. You can organize the party in your garden or lawn and for the party food you can keep buffet style so that guests can help themselves. Ensure that the stocks of drinks and mixtures is enough so that they can be managed till your party lasts! And lastly, pile up stocks of ice cubes as they are the most wanted requirements on a summer party! Make sure that the background music is there and you are ready to create a splendid evening under the vast sky!
Summer Garden Party
If expensive hotels, pool sides and beaches are not manageable by you, here is one of the most inexpensive summer party ideas for you! Your backyard or lawn area can be turned into a place of entertainment for this summer! All you need to do is to be creative and set the stage for the coolest summer party. To organize a summer garden party, choose the evening time (best is under the spell of a moonlight)! You can twinkle your garden with affordable lights and candles kept at appropriate places (ensure safety).Candle lanterns, candle votives and various other soft lightning items are available in the market so that you can include them for giving an elegant look to your garden. Place your music system in such a corner of the garden that distributes sound equally to all the places. And although it is a hot summer party, you can keep the music soft and soothing. Keep in mind it is the summer season and so be ready with thirst quenching drinks for guests. Fruit juices, beers and soda, be ready with all and serve your guests from a wide range of drinks. Keep ready lemons, limes and other beverages to add taste to the drinks. For food, go for something seasonal that can be easily digested by everyone. Having a campfire can be a bright idea. Remember it's summer, so something very spicy may not be a great idea! Read more on garden party ideas.
Fun Beach Party
One of the best outdoor summer party ideas is to organize a beach party. So get rid of sweat and enjoy the summer! While hosting a beach party, you have to do some preparation as you must not forget food items and other important eatables to take to the beach. You have to decorate your selected spot with beach tables and beach towels.Decorate it nicely so that your invitees can identify your spot and easily locate them. Since the beach is a public place, you have to restrict your decorations to your spot and beach table. You can select various beach party games and make the event special. For beach party food ideas and beverages, you have to be choosy. You can include fruit juices, desserts, veggies and definitely, hot dogs and hamburgers! If you are searching for some fun summer party ideas, then you can select beach party ideas as they bring with them loads of excitement and fun!"Article source: www.buzzle.com.
"Treitl Hammond is a Romanian DJ,producer and remixer born in 29 of september 1981. His interest in music started as a kid with playing piano.Being a teenager he has wanted more. So, he released a project named Evolution, producing vocal trance tracks.He also was the producer of another Romanian dancefloor project,Atac,hiting the Romanian charts. With two dance projects behind and a lot of experience, Treitl Hammond has made up his mind to enlarge his horizons, being a DJ,and he's been behind the decks since 2003.
Beside his productions he started remixing artists and Dj from Romania and lately from all over the world. His reputation across Romania is on the rise as he play in many clubs. He also hosts his own weekly radio shows.And his production skills are earning him international success, his releases has already entered top sellers charts on several platforms. Without a doubt Treitl Hammond is a rising star in the progressive scene." Article source: Treitl Hammond on MySpace.
If you've ever wondered about making music on your computer, look no further. Whether you want to learn more about the basics, find out about virtual instruments or create the perfect intro, here's a guide to help you.
1. Good reasons to start making music on your computerSome of you might be doing this already – probably the reason you're reading this list, in fact – but if you haven't yet discovered the joys of computer-based music-making (or just need some fresh inspiration) then here are 10 compelling reasons to do so. 2. Tips for computer music beginnersMaking music on a computer is now easier than ever, but if you're just starting out, it can still seem like a daunting prospect. Don't panic, though – MusicRadar has put together some general tips to help ease you in gently… 3. The beginner's guide to DAWsIf you're making music on a computer then you're almost certainly going to use something called a Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW. DAWs, put simply, are programs you can use to create, record, edit and arrange music. 4. The beginner's guide to virtual instrumentsWhile you can certainly make all kinds of bleepy, synthetic-sounding electronic music on your Mac or PC, the arrival of virtual instruments has made it possible to create realistic-sounding drums, strings, pianos, guitars, woodwind, brass and more, all from within your computer. MusicRadar has the full skinny on everything a beginner needs to know about virtual instruments, as well as download links to a few free ones for you to play with. 5. The beginner's guide to MIDI controllersThe QWERTY keyboard and mouse combo is great for most computing applications, and you'll certainly use them when piloting most music applications. However, your creative experience will become all the richer if you splash out and buy a MIDI controller keyboard – and possibly another sort of controller – to work alongside them.
6. Get to grips with audio interfaces
Given that most modern computers have onboard audio capabilities, you'd be forgiven for thinking that you don't need an audio interface – but if you make music, you do.
7. Create a great song arrangement
When you're making music, the arranging process is just as important as the compositional one. Get it right and you could have a hit song on your hands – get it wrong and you'll be left with a jumbled mess of ideas.
8. How to promote your music online
If you want your music to reach the wider listening world, the internet can be your best friend. However, if you're going to have a presence online, you need to make sure that you do things right.
9. Ways to start a track
Every songwriting journey begins with a first step, but taking that first step isn't always easy. In fact, many people find that starting a track is the most difficult part of the creative process." Article source: www.techradar.com.
" The wait is almost over. At 4pm (CAT) tomorrow, a FIFA World Cup™ like none of the 18 that have gone before will begin and not only South Africa but an entire continent will rejoice. Over the next 31 days a footballing and cultural fiesta will unravel in Nelson Mandela's homeland and the colour, noise and excitement promise to stun the senses. From 15 May 2004, when South Africa was invited to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, to this moment – with the big kick-off between the host nation and Mexico but hours away – the resonance of the first world finals to be held on the continent of Africa has proved an inspiration for millions. In footballing terms South Africa have some way to go to join the elite. They are down at 83rd in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and have just a solitary FIFA World Cup victory to their name, 1-0 over Slovenia in 2002. But as it becomes the 16th nation to stage football's greatest event, South Africa will dominate the world's sporting consciousness like never before. As a country they believe it will bring significant changes, uniting black and white around the green and gold of the Bafana Bafana jersey and lengthening the distance between today and a troubled past. With their noisy vuvuzelas and inherent exuberance they promise to make this a spectacle that our eyes and ears will not forget for a long, long time. That goes for players as well, the superstar names – Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney – and the rest who have travelled from all four corners of the globe to showcase their skills in ten magnificent stadiums. The footballing calendar is so congested it can sometimes be difficult to generate real excitement around an event with another, equally big and exciting competition following swiftly on. South Africa 2010 promises to be different as it unleashes the potential of a continent whose teams have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a FIFA World Cup before.
In the seven months since all 32 contestants became known, conjecture has swirled from north to south, east to west, as to who will be the likely winners. Can Brazil make it to a sixth title? Will Spain, crowned European champions for the first time two years ago, take the vital last step to global dominance? Can Diego Maradona inspire Argentina from the bench in the same mercurial fashion as he managed on the pitch in 1986? Will England under their Italian coach at last bolt some tangible achievement on to their undoubted potential? Can Italy repeat their success of the 1930s in winning back-to-back competitions? Similarly, will it be the host nation, Cameroon (making their sixth appearance at the global showpiece), or the talented Côte d'Ivoire who lead the African charge? All will become clear over the next five weeks until only two teams are left standing and, at Soccer City Stadium, they will dispute the right to be called world champions for the next four years before it all starts up again at Brazil 2014.
The same awe-inspiring Johannesburg venue, which witnessed Mandela's first mass rally following his 1990 release, will stage tomorrow's Opening Match, the first of 64 games. In one sense, it is familiar territory for the South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, as he prepares to lead a team at his sixth FIFA World Cup, which is a new record. In another respect, it will be like nothing he has experienced before, with the recurring hopes of a FIFA World Cup host nation lent an extra dimension by the passion and fervour with which the Rainbow Nation's people will back their team. There are exciting games to anticipate in all ten venues. There is the traditional 'group of death' – commonly perceived to be Group G, where Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal and Korea DPR lock horns – and match-ups that renew long-standing rivalries. Only one newcomer has joined the party - Slovakia - while two coaches will attempt to emulate Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo in becoming FIFA World Cup winners as player and coach. They call Johannesburg the City of Gold and there could be no more appropriate setting for the winners of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to clasp the gleaming Trophy above their heads. Before that moment, late in the evening of 11 July, a huge number of unforgettable stories are waiting to be written." Article source: www.fifa.com.
