"ROHM has recently announced the development of the BU7150NUV, a low power consumption headphone amplifier that supports low voltage operation from 0.93V, making it compatible with single-cell battery applications such as IC recorders and noise canceling headphones.
The continuing evolution of low-voltage technology has engendered a variety of portable devices that operate on a single dry cell (1.5V). However, most headphone amplifiers still require a minimum operating voltage above 1.5V, necessitating a step-up DC/DC converter. But this method results in conversion loss, typically around 10%.
Although there are headphone amplifiers that operate at voltages around 0.9V, when used in sets that operate from dry cell batteries the power supply startup time increases due to the increase in output resistance based on battery discharge, making it difficult to use in products with limited power supply voltage startup times.
The BU7150NUV alleviates these problems by ensuring stable operation from 0.93V, eliminating the need for a boost converter circuit in single-cell applications. In addition, an internal power ON reset function frees the IC from the effects of the power supply voltage startup time.
Other features include: Compatibility with both stereo headphone and monaural speaker amplifiers,
Highly realistic sound reproduction due to excellent crosstalk properties (85dB),
An integrated automatic ON/OFF sequence circuit that reduces microcontroller load, and
A built-in click and pop noise reduction circuit.
A wide operating voltage range is also offered (3.5V max.), making it ideal for dual-battery sets such as electronic dictionaries and electronic toys (no major modifications required).
Key Features
Wide operating power supply range - 0.93V–3.5V (from 0ºC to 85ºC), 1.03V–3.5V (from −40ºC to 85ºC)
Built-in power ON reset circuit eliminates restrictions based on the power supply voltage through rate
Integrated automatic sequencing corresponding to shutdown mode and mute mode
Variable startup completion time (via external components)
Selectable BTL mode for monaural speakers and single-end stereo headphone mode
Built-in click and pop noise reduction circuit
Equipped with a thermal shutdown protection circuit."
This is just a preview of the original article. Source: www.rohm.com. All credits reserved to the author(s) in the specified source.
"The term aphrodisiac may leave you thinking about some little old woman cooking up a love potion in her kitchen, then bottling it up for the lovelorn. In truth, aphrodisiacs such as pheromones can stimulate the senses but will not induce desire in someone otherwise disinterested. We have provided a list of aphrodisiacs that work below and hope they help you as much as they have helped us.
Pheromones
From the booming popularity of the perfume industry, you would think that they had cornered the market on topical aphrodisiacs. To a degree they have, perfume is often created by mimicking the hormones, called pheromones, responsible for attraction. Pheromones are chemicals found in all animals, insects, and people. From Greek words that mean to excitement carrier, pheromones have been the subject of research for a long time. Human pheromones, which carry a lot of weight in the field of love research, may create sexual interest. Pheromones send out subconscious signals to the opposite sex that naturally trigger romantic feelings. Human Pheromones can improve one's sex life!
In a study done by 20/20 in which twins were placed in a nightclub one sprayed with manufactured pheromones and one with witch hazel, the twin with pheromones was approached three times as often as the other.
Scent
We all know that scent can trigger memories and emotion but can it also be an aphrodisiac? In physical studies done by Alan Hirsch MD, several scents had a direct impact on sexual arousal. This arousal was detected by measuring blood flow to a person’s erogenous zones, the findings were interesting. In men the scent of cheese pizza, buttered popcorn, pumpkin pie and lavender all showed significant increase in blood flow to the penis the latter two a whopping 40% increase.
For women the scents of lavender and pumpkin pie were also effective however, the most increase came from the scent of licorice and cucumber. Try to find that combination at bath and body works.
Chocolate
When chocolate was first used by the Aztecs, it was thought to have aphrodisiac properties, men were more invigorated and women less inhibited. This has led to chocolate being considered the candy of love, it is even rumored that Casanova ate it before his many conquests.
Modern day research has shown that chocolate contains mood-lifting agents found naturally in the human body. The release of these mood enhancers causes a person to feel euphoric and happy, like one does when they fall in love. Therefore, while it is not a direct aphrodisiac, it can boost your mood and increase stamina, which is always great precursor to romantic activity.
Music
Turn the lights low and put on some Barry White and it is going to be a romantic evening for two. Long has been the belief that music can act as an aphrodisiac. Music can set the tone for a romantic evening however it leans more to taste and memory than the music itself.
What is or is not an aphrodisiac will vary from person to person according to any memories they may have of the song and whether or not they like the particular genre. For a person who does not care for the soulful sounds of Barry White the music could be a non-starter.
That being said there is evidence of music affecting overall mood, calm soothing music tends to relax us while the strains of Metallica will get your blood pumping angrily in a moment. The best idea is to talk to your partner about how a particular music makes them feel and choose your soundtrack accordingly.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink that taken in moderation can be a type of aphrodisiac. Wine relaxes the mind and the body, which releases the stress of the day and allows for more pleasant thoughts and ideas. It is hard to be romantic if you are nervous or worried about a promotion at work. A couple of glasses of wine can overcome these obstacles, leaving you free to enjoy each other. Do not overdo it though, or all you will manage is a good night’s sleep and a headache in the morning.
Article source: www.hubpages.com. All rights reserved to the author(s) in the specified source.
"Bathroom decorating should do more than please the eye, it should soothe our senses. Soft, tinkling sounds and relaxing music make ideal musical bathroom decorating additions. So consider introducing a wind chime, fountain music box, or shower CD player radio to your bathroom decor. Then your soothing bath or shower after a long day will become all that more relaxing.
Musical Bathroom Decorating with Wind Chimes
For a whimsical musical bathroom decorating idea hang wind chimes over your shower or bathtub. The sound of the wind chimes will reverberate through your bathroom soothing your soul. Choose wind chimes that will enhance your bathroom decor with their glitter and beauty, such as glass wind chimes which will not rust overtime. And choose watery colors like blues and greens to enhance the beauty of your bathroom decor. Bathroom decorating with wind chimes is as easy as installing a hook in the ceiling. You can even hang the chimes low enough in your shower for the water to splash and move them, or low over your head where you like to rest in the tub, so you can look up and enjoy your new bathroom decorating idea.
Musical Bathroom Decorating with Music Boxes
For a charming musical bathroom decorating idea display a music box on a mantle shelf. Mantle shelves are easy to install and come in unfinished wood, black or white, to suit your bathroom decor. Install a mantle shelf over your toilet or towel rack, then enhance your bathroom decorating by choosing a music box with a soothing theme, like a fairy in a glass globe, or a fountain music box. Simply google the query: Fountain Music Boxes for a wide selection of musical bathroom decor.
Musical Bathroom Decorating with a Shower CD Player Radio
For a truly musical bathroom decorating idea choose a shower CD player radio with a sleek, modern look. There is a wide selection on the internet, so just google the query: Shower CD Player Radio and choose to look at images only. This way you are likely to find the shower CD player radio that fits in with your bathroom decor. And be sure to check out the Jensen shower CD player radio, which comes with a fog resistant mirror."
Article source: www.associatedcontent.com., written by Tal Boldo.All rights reserved to the specified author and website.
"There are a number of different types of keyboards available in the market. If you are some one who wants to make a complete orchestra single handedly, then a portable electronic keyboard can be a good choice. You can not only carry them along anywhere and everywhere, they also have features like multi instrument sounds, built in speakers and different kind of rhythms. Some of the more advanced keyboards also have something called sampling capabilities which gives you a feature to record your music and playback for a sample. However, if you really are more seriously into making your music then there are much advanced and robustly featured electronic keyboards that must be considered.
Apart from electronic keyboards there are also synthesizers that are more technologically advanced than the regular keyboards. A sampler with digital sound recording capabilities is almost a must with them.
Then there are something known as a workstation that are like a complete studio packed in one device. The workstations come with highly advanced features like samplers, rhythms and percussion etc. You really would not need even a single additional instrument if you are on a work station to create any kind of music.
Some electronic keyboards also have MIDI or Musical Instrument Digital Interface capability that lets them get connected and communicate with other computers or any kind of electronic instrument. If you are a piano lover and can not indulge in the real thing, you can always go for a digital piano which is lower at costs and highly portable too. It can be used by professional musicians because of it quite advanced features and technology.
Features to Consider
The standard that you will get from most of the electronic keyboards is 128 of acoustic and electronic instruments and at least 47 prerecorded sounds. These prerecorded sounds are the basic rhythms that you get for different types of music. More advanced keyboards will naturally come with much advanced music features. You can also use the many digital effects featured to really jazz up your music through chorus, delay or increased or decreased pitch.
With so much of basic knowledge on selecting a Computer Keyboards, you are sure to find a right music maker for yourself and start getting constructive and creative with it!"
Article source: www.articlesbase.com, written by Vinnit Alex. All rights reserved to the specified author and website.
"From the introduction of aerobic dance in the early 70's, it has generally been regarded that exercise accompanied with great music can enhance your overall workout experience. Listening to music while you exercise may improve your fitness, commitment, and enjoyment. According to doctors and researchers, you can increase your motivation and concentration and decrease your conscious effort when you exercise by simply adding great music to your work out.
Studies have shown that listening to music during exercise can improve results, both in terms of being a motivator (people exercise longer and more vigorously to music) and as a distraction from negatives like fatigue. Researches revealed that more positive affect of a workout is observed during the music condition in comparison to the ‘no music' condition. Here are some benefits of playing music while working out:
Music diverts a person's attention in repetitive exercises thus the feeling of fatigue, exhaustion and boredom are evaded.
Music can reduce the factors contributing to pain, tension, anxiety and discomfort.
Music can act as a stimulant which can increase your performance. Respiration and cardiac rate is increased from music. This can help you intensify your workout.
The body movement to rhythm of music increases levels of output.
The rhythmical qualities can follow the physical skills and can improve motor skills. Swimming and gymnastics are good examples of this.
Physical strength can also be attributed with type of music. Sedative music decreases muscular potential training ability. Fast stimulating music can increase in muscle tension.
It promotes a positive mood and avoids any kind of negative thoughts.
It can make a workout fun, interesting and something to look forward too.
Points to Remember while playing music:
Shuffle the music on a regular basis. Avoid any predictable or boring music.
Keep the volume level at a respectable setting. Avoid loud noise music as it may lead to hearing damage. If one is jogging on public road, stay safe by being aware of other noises such as traffic or warning signals.
Do not use music as an excuse to push your body beyond its limitations. Be aware of signs of excessive fatigue, pain, or strain to keep your body healthy.
Try to purchase a music strap so that your music player is hooked to it. Don't carry it in your hand.
Don't waste precious workout time on finding the right track. Customize your playlist before starting the workout.
The best music while working out is a subjective issue. Play the one you like! Whether you like rap, rock, or R&B, the right workout songs can make your exercise regimen a stimulating experience rather than a painful chore, and you'll quickly find yourself moving to the beat of a healthier lifestyle."
Article source: www.lifemojo.com. All credits to the author(s) in the specified source.
"In-wall and in-ceiling speakers have become some of the best-selling models, and it's easy to see why. They finally sound good enough to satisfy those who care about audio quality, and are also a great solution for folks who don't want to give up their floor or shelf space to traditional speakers. Below, we'll take a look at the things you should consider when buying in-wall or in-ceiling speakers.
How they work: the basics
An in-wall speaker works like a regular speaker. But instead of being attached to a cabinet, it's mounted in a frame and set into your wall. It uses the wall cavity as a large cabinet, giving you more bass than you might get from a stand-alone speaker of the same size.
An in-ceiling speaker works essentially the same way, except that — you guessed it — it's installed in your ceiling. For the most part, in-wall speakers tend to be rectangular, and in-ceiling speakers tend to be round — but there's no reason you couldn't install a rectangular in-wall speaker in your ceiling, for example, if that's what you preferred. Almost all in-wall and in-ceiling speakers have paintable grilles, so you can camouflage them in your walls or ceiling.
Using in-wall and in-ceiling speakers
Two of the most important things to think about when shopping for in-wall or in-ceiling speakers are how you're going to use them and where you'd like to install them. For example, you'd probably buy a different type and number of speakers for surround sound in your home theater than you would for background music in the kitchen.
Deciding between different speakers
Wherever you're installing your in-wall or in-ceiling speakers, there are a few key factors to consider while you shop:
Frequency response (Hz) — The range of human hearing is about 20-20,000 Hz. Frequency response tells you what portion of that range a speaker can reproduce. For example, a speaker with a frequency response of 50-20,000 Hz handles a larger portion of that range than a speaker with a frequency response of 65-20,000 Hz. You'd generally hear deeper bass and more balanced sound from the 50 Hz speaker.
Power handling (watts) — A speaker's recommended power specification usually tells you the maximum amplifier power the speaker can handle; often, its minimum power handling is included as well. This information tells you how much power your amp or receiver should have to safely drive your speakers. For example, a 100-watt RMS receiver would be a good match for a speaker with recommended power of 20-100 watts.
Sensitivity (dB) — A speaker's sensitivity, or efficiency, rating indicates how effectively it uses the power it receives from your amplifier. Speakers with higher sensitivity ratings can be played louder without straining your amp. In fact, a model with a sensitivity rating that's 3 dB higher than another speaker's only needs half as much power to deliver sound at the same volume.
Here are some other features to consider, depending on where you're installing your speakers, and how you're going to listen to them:
Swiveling tweeters — Some in-wall and in-ceiling speakers come with swiveling tweeters, so you can angle the sound toward a preferred listening spot. For example, in a home theater setup, you might angle the tweeters in your surround speakers to get more realistic sound effects.
Bass and treble tone controls — It's impossible to know exactly how in-wall or in-ceiling speakers will sound in your home until you install them. Bass and treble controls let you tweak the sound for your space, even after your speakers are in.
Moisture-resistance — If you're installing speakers in a potentially humid area, like a bathroom or kitchen, look for moisture-resistant models. They'll stand up to humidity better than other speakers."
This is just a preview of the original article. Source: www.crutchfield.com. All credits go to the author(s) from the specified source.
Underhood Sound Generator Is A Must For Toyots Prius
"The Toyota Prius is about to get a speaker system in Japan designed to alert pedestrians that the car, which can run near silently, is on the move.
The 12,600 yen (£96) device, which is mounted under the bonnet, emits a soft whirring that is "barely audible" in a noisy street, but loud enough in quieter roads to alert pedestrians - particularly the blind, young or incredibly stupid - that they should look left and right before crossing the road. It begins whirring from the moment the car is switched on, though it can be deactivated with a switch inside the cabin.
Toyota says the gadget has been released following Japanese government guidelines designed to address the dangers of silent cars. Japan's narrow, crowded streets have a high number of pedestrian deaths compared to many other nations, and with a million or so Priuses silently roaming the roads, there are fears that lives could be lost.
Currently, Toyota has no plans to release the speaker system outside of Japan, but says it is keeping its options open pending government regulations, or a sudden spate of Prius-related deaths.
This isn't the first time an auto-maker has attempted to make a silent car noisier. Back in June 2009 we shot some video of the Smart Brabus Electric Drive, which came with a noise generator that could either imitate the noise of an internal combustion engine or a space ship. Brabus also has an optional sound module for its modified Tesla Roadster, which imitates the noise of a high-performance sports car."
"There's a lot more to having a perfect PC sound system than simply buying the latest and greatest 5.1 surround sound audio system or most sophisticated sound card.
You also have to maintain that audio system, making sure the speakers are all placed and adjusted correctly, that the volume for each individual satellite speaker is appropriate for where it sits, that the bass and treble are in line and in concert with one another, and that you have appropriate settings for each type of media you're hoping to experience - including music, movies, video games, or anything else you do.
Below you'll find some helpful hints and links to software designed specifically to help you test and calibrate your PC sound system - even if you don't have a surround sound set up.
Objectives of Calibrating Your PC Audio
Appropriate Volume - Make sure your rear speakers aren't too loud, your center speaker isn't too soft, and remain confident that your audio is balanced throughout the entire room.
Balance Bass and Treble - Subwoofer rumbling too much? Speakers hissing when they hit those high notes? Calibrating your audio system will help reduce the overpowering aspects of your system, cut out clipping, soften bass, and generally result in a balanced and complete media experience.
Ensure Correct Speaker Placement - Your system isn't all about volume and setting. If you have a large or otherwise oddly shaped room, you may have to spend a little time finding that perfect speaker placement for your side and rear speakers -- putting them on the back wall doesn't always automatically result in the best surround sound.
Special Software to Test and Adjust Your PC Audio:
Maven Wizard free audio testing software for your PC
PassMark SoundCheck - PassMark helps you test your PC sound card. Available for a free trial and then purchase.
THX Audio Optimizer - THX Audio is a respected industry standard for audio systems, and so their audio testing is respected and widely used for home theater systems and PC audio systems alike. Usually available on a disc sold separately, a thorough description is available on the THX website."
"Maria Tanase is often hailed by Romanians as the Edith Piaf of Romania. Even today her music is still popular and often copied, though she debuted already in 1937 when she represented Romania also at the International Exhibition in Paris, France (together with Constantin Brancusi) and was first aired on radio. Besides her career as singer, Maria was also a film and theatre actress and singer at the opera. But it were her interpretations of Romanian folk songs, which made her unforgotten after her relatively early death.
Maria Tanase was born on 25th September of 1913 as third child to Ana (Munteanu) and Ion Coanda Tanase in a suburb of Bucharest, Romania. She inherited from her parents her love to music in general and in particular to Romanian folk music. Maria never received a formal training, but some lessons in her school where she was also mentioned to be on stage, just as at “Cărămidarii de Jos” in 1921. For a long time, few things have been known about her time during 1939 and 1944, when Romania fell under the dictatorship of Marshall Ion Antonescu and his fascistic, anti-Semitic allies from the “Garda de Fier” (Iron Guard) while Maria and her friends were modern and democratic. Her lover, Armand Calinescu – who made the imprisonment of the fascist leader Corneliu Zelea Codreanu happen in 1938 – was murdered by Iron Guardist just one year after, in late 1939. The fascistic Government prohibited airing the songs of Maria Tanase as they accused her to alter “authentic” Romanian folk music.
They destroyed also most of the existing recordings of Maria Tanase, yet, some survived. Nevertheless, Maria was still popular and was asked by the very Ministry to sing at a festival. She agreed, but only under the condition that her Jewish friends were not to be deported. Furthermore, she used the occasion to stress the merits of her Jewish friend, the music ethnologist Harry Brauner.
After WW II Maria Tanase continued her career under the now communistic regime and continued to represent Romania and its folk music in various countries. Her journeys included the former communist countries, but she toured often to destinations such as New York, too. She took part in some films, such as “Romania” (1947), acted 1945 in Leo Tolstoy’s play “The Living Corpse” and 1956 in “Horia” by Mihai Davidoglu. She received several honours and prizes for her cultural activity, but soon, Maria Tanase shall die from lung cancer, on 22th of June, 1963 at the age of 49."
"Maria Callas - Born December 2, 1923 in the U.S.A., Maria Callas was an opera singer. She was named "La Divina" due to her outstanding vocal talent and versatility. Ms. Callas received her musical education in Athens and trained as a dramatic soprano but could also sing in any vocal register. She made her professional debut in 1942, and returned to America in 1945 where she sang for the Metropolitan Opera and various productions in Venice and in Chicago in the 1950s. She passed away in 1977 at the age of 53.
Aretha Franklin - Born March 25, 1942 in the U.S.A., Aretha Franklin is a singer and songwriter. Ms. Franklin was a child prodigy with a gifted voice and could also play piano. She released her first gospel album at 14 years old. She has a powerful vocal range which she uses in her gospel, pop and R&B recordings. She has won an incredible 20 Grammy Awards since she began her career in 1960. She has been named "The Queen of Soul" with one of her more famous songs being "Respect".
Whitney Houston - born August 9, 1963 in the U.S.A., Whitney Houston has a soprano voice who records in the genres of gospel and R&B. She comes from a musical family with her mother, Cissy Houston, being a gospel singer who toured with Aretha Franklin as a backup singer. Whitney also has a cousin in the music business, Dionne Warwick. Houston is famous for her powerful voice with a range of five octaves. She released her debut album in the 80's which became the largest selling debut album by a female. In the 90's she became a movie star as well, but then dropped out of the spotlight. She is currently working on releasing an album this year.
Celine Dion - born on March 30, 1968 in Quebec, Canada, she started her career as a French teen singer. She is now considered a soprano pop rock singer. She released her first English album in 1990 and since has become one of the most successful singers of all-time; also performing to sold-out crowds for five years in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is known for her technically skilled and strong vocals in the rock, classical, gospel and R&B genres and is truly an icon.
Patsy Cline - born September 8, 1932 as Virginia Patterson Hensley, in Virginia, U.S.A., Ms. Cline was a country music singer with crossover into pop music. She is best known for her expressive singing style and rich tones in her voice, and she has been an inspiration to many vocalists. In her early 20's in 1955 she was signed to Four Star Records. She released several albums but passed away prematurely in a 1963 plane crash at the age of 30. Since her death, she has sold millions of albums and been given many awards posthumously.
Patti LaBelle - born as Patricia Louise Holte on May 24, 1944 in the U.S.A., Patti LaBelle is a passionate singer with a wide vocal range who is also capable of singing in high octaves. She has recorded as an R&B and soul singer. In 1961 she was part of a group named 'The Ordettes' when they were signed to Blue Note Records. The president of Blue Note Records renamed them 'Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles'. The name was shortened to 'LaBelle' in 1970. In 1977, Patti released her debut solo album and continues to release albums and make guest appearances at various functions and on t.v. shows.
Mariah Carey - born on March 27, 1970 in New York, U.S.A., Mariah Carey is a soprano singer in the pop genre with more recent releases having a hip hop tone. Her voice is known for it's range and power. She is able to cover all notes from alto range up to soprano and her most known ability is the whistle register. She made her first album in 1990 and went on to become one of the most successful singers in the U.S.A. throughout the 90's. She continues to release and sell albums to a new generation of fans.
Pat Benatar - born January 10, 1953 as Patricia Mae Andrzejewski in New York, U.S.A., she has a strong mezzo-soprano vocal range. Pat started singing in Grade 4 and later attended The Juliard School. She was part of the band 'Rising Star' in 1975, and as well as recording commercial jingles, she played a part in the rock musical "The Zephyr" in 1976. In 1978 her band was signed to Chrysalis Records. She won four consecutive Grammy Awards for "Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female" from 1980 through 1983, and nominations in following years as well. Benatar has seven platinum albums to her credit and is scheduled to release an acoustic album in the Fall of 2008.
Christina Aguilera - born December 18, 1980 in the U.S.A., Christina Aguilera has a soprano, four-octave vocal range. She sings in the pop and R&B genres with influences in jazz, soul and blues on her more recent releases. She began her career on the New Mickey Mouse Club and then released her first album at the age of 18 years old; showing great talent for such a young singer. Since that release she has sold more than 37 million albums. She is a singer, songwriter and a record producer.
Judy Garland - born June 19, 1922 as Frances Ethel Gumm in the U.S.A., she became an actor and singer in the contralto range. She started out in vaudeville with her two sisters and then acted in movies as a teenager, including the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production "The Wizard of Oz" in which she sings her signature song "Over the Rainbow". Many movies and fifteen years later she made sold-out concert appearances, including Carnegie Hall and also appeared on television. Her two-record album "Judy at Carnegie Hall" won five Grammy Awards and continues to sell to this day. She died of an unintentional drug overdose in 1969 at the age of 47 years. She was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1997." Article source: www.destican.com.
Music is a human activity which involves structured, audible sounds and is used for artistic, entertainment or ceremonial purposes. Music is a major part of our environment. Music is often referred to as "The International Language" - a simple thought with vast implications behind it. Even if you cannot speak the language of a foreign country, you can move, dance, and most of all, enjoy the music of that country. While we may not understand the words to a particular song, we do understand the beauty of the music.
The making of music predates man's use of the written word and is deeply tied to the development and uniqueness of various human cultures. Music has influenced human beings since the dawn of civilization. Music is written and performed for a variety of purposes, including human pleasure, religious or ceremonial functions, or as entertainment products for sale in the marketplace.
Music greatly affects our personal moods. Music can calm and revitalize us in a variety of ways. It can elevate our moods above our personal fears and doubts and even reduce stress and pain levels.
Try listening to a classical music score for a sense of power. Soft, soothing music can help you unwind. And listen to medium-fast to fast music for exercising and house cleaning. Putting additional music in your life can be a powerfully enriching tool.
As with everything created by humans, there is an elemental basis for the composition of music. The basic essence of music lies with its harmony, rhythm, melody and dynamics. Harmony is the relation of notes to notes as they are play simultaneously. Rhythm, by the most simple definition, is musical time. Melody is a musical line of single tones or pitches, heard by the listener as a single unity. Dynamics provide the emotion behind the musical thought. Dynamics tell the performer when to play a piece softly or when to play loudly--music ranges from a mere whisper to the fullest of sound. Just as there are a multitude of definitions for the term "music", likewise there are many divisions and groupings of music, many of which are caught up in the argument over the precise definition of music.
Among the larger theme areas are classical music, popular or commercial music (including rock and roll), country music and folk music. Some genres such as bebop-era jazz, rap, punk rock and electronic music are often discounted as "real music" by member music lovers. As world cultures have grown closer, their particular musical styles and instruments have often merged. For example, U.S.-American bluegrass music contains elements from Anglo-Irish, Scottish, German and some African-American instrumental and vocal traditions. American music is truly product of the multi-ethnic "melting pot" society. Whatever style of music you prefer, take the time regularly to enjoy your special musical composition. Music is good for your soul!" Article source: www.syncrat.com.
”The CD market has been dying a slow, inglorious death for more than a decade now, since consumers having long ago shifted to the quicker, easier digital download format. According to a new study, though, it's not just CD sales that are suffering, but the music industry as a whole -- including those vaunted download sales. A report from market research firm NPD shows that between 2007 and 2009, the number of Americans paying for music in any form dwindled by about 24 million. While 35.2 million paid for digital song downloads in '08, that total dropped to 34.6 million in '09. According to DMW, the annual amount an average listener spent on digital downloads, however, actually rose from $33 to $50.
NPD analyst Russ Crupnick speculates that the drop-off in digital sales might be due to an ADD-like phenomenon that's taken hold of music consumers. With more options to stream and sample music without buying it, people have become more likely to browse, and less likely to buy. As Crupnick says, "more listening just means more listening and tends to lead to less purchasing."
Some of the other data in the report, however, seem a bit curious. While NPD found that Spotify service led to a 13-percent decrease in paid downloads, online radio site Pandora actually led to a 41-percent increase in purchased music. Over the last year, peer-to-peer file sharing also decreased sharply, perhaps due to growing fears of spyware, greater competition from legal services, or newer, more trusted ways of exchanging music among friends.
It doesn't appear, then, that there's any one overarching reason for the decline in sales revenue. As a result, where the industry goes from here is anybody's guess, though Trent Reznor and Radiohead seem to be pioneering with graduated pay schemes. But based on the trends of the past two years, it looks as if the days of recorded music as monetized commodity may soon be a thing of the past.” Article source: www.switched.com.
"With rare exceptions, the brain has a deep affinity for music. As an example, one evening in 1995, a Montreal real estate agent and his wife went out for a romantic dinner. It was their wedding anniversary. They felt fortunate. The husband had suffered a minor stroke a few years earlier and had recovered. In neurological test after test, his reading, speech, memory and motor functions seemed to be normal. He had even returned to work and made some lucrative deals. During dinner, his wife noticed a violinist playing for restaurant patrons. "Let's get him to play our song," she suggested.
When the song ended, the agent's wife noticed a strange expression on her husband's face. The playing, he complained, had been awful. "The tune was so distorted I couldn't even recognize it," he said. "No, it was beautiful," she countered. After an argument, he realised that all music now sounded strange. The stroke had wiped out his capacity to comprehend the patterns of tone and tempo, pitch and rhythm we call music.
His case baffled doctors.
"It's not like this guy had gone deaf or he could no longer perceive sound, because he could hear other sounds just fine, particularly speech tones," says Robert Zatorre, a professor of neuroscience at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Quite simply, he had become amusical.
What is more remarkable, perhaps, is how seldom such a problem occurs. The human brain appears to come equipped with its own stereo receiver. No known human culture has ever lived without music. Ancient bone flutes have been found in France and Slovenia, some are as old as 53,000 years and they still make a beautiful sound. Long before our ancestors scrawled ochre images of buffaloes on cave walls, they sang. Music may even be older than speech. A mother's lullaby is among the first human experiences, and a familiar song is usually one of the last. "The last memories that we keep in our minds are for music," says Christo Pantev, a neuroscientist at the University of Toronto's Rotman Research Institute. "People with Alzheimer's disease may forget names and people and everything else, but they still recognise songs to the end. It's incredible."
A source of enduring mystery to scientists is why humans create and love music. Do our brains have a module - call it a music box - designed to process music? And if so, why did Mother Nature, ordinarily so frugal, equip us with the technology to recognise the Barney (the purple dinosaur) theme song when we hear it? "This is something our nervous system is predisposed to do," says Zatorre. "You don't have to teach a two-year-old to recognise his favourite song when it comes on TV. It will just come naturally."
Neuroscientists have spent decades probing how the brain understands words. Remarkably, only a handful of researchers are working on how we perceive and create music. "What we can say for certain is music and the brain have evolved together," says Dan Letivin, a former music producer who is now a professor of psychology at McGill University in Montreal.
Yet while music has evolved, human brains have not changed since the ancient flutes were first played. Mutations and adaptations take about 500 centuries to become encoded in our DNA, an interval known as evolutionary lag. "However our brains are now, they're that way because of the way life was 50,000 years ago," says Letivin. "So when you talk about how music might have shaped us, it's the music we were listening to 50,000 years ago. Beethoven and the Beatles haven't had enough time to influence the genetics of our brains. They have certainly influenced the development of our brains as we've listened to them over our lifetimes, but they haven't influenced the genome yet."
It seems almost all the researchers who study the brain's response to music play instruments themselves. A few even compose music for their experiments. In the early 1970s, Robert Zatorre was working his way through a music degree at Boston University, playing the organ at weddings and funerals in a local church. "I'd get $25 a shot," he laughs. "That was a lot of money back in 1974." Like many musicians, Zatorre had a fondness for numbers, so he also took some physics courses, later switching to psychology and biology. At graduation, with a psychology degree in one hand and a music degree in the other, he decided to pursue science. "Practically speaking, I thought I would earn a better living as a psychologist," he said. In the end, though, he combined his two loves, and found a laboratory that let him study how the brain recognises music. "People would say, why are you studying music?" he says. "That's not important. You should be studying speech, or memory or reasoning." For a while, he disguised his work in highfalutin jargon, calling it "auditory pattern processing."
But the tide has turned. Neuroscientists now recognise that music is a rich source of information on how the brain works. Music has many cognitive elements: emotion, patterns, motor aspects of performance. Jazz drummers, such as Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, could keep four separate beats - both hands and feet - in time with a complex melody, improvising on the fly. Orchestral musicians must memorise enough notes to melt a tuning fork - Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture alone has 20,000 musical notes. Talk about brain work!
In the late 1970s, Zatorre came to the Montreal Neurological Institute to study subjects who had undergone surgery for epilepsy. The procedure, developed by the institute's founder, Wilder Penfield, involves removing part of the brain's temporal region, the site of the auditory cortex. "One of the first things we noticed was that when the [surgical] damage was on the right [brain hemisphere], the problems with tone perception were much greater than when the damage was on the left," Zatorre says. "And this is actually the reverse pattern that had been found ... with speech sounds. So although there are similarities between speech and music, they seem to depend on partly different brain regions." This shed light on some musical brain twisters. For example, in 1953, at the age of 51, Soviet composer and teacher Vissarion Shebalin suffered a stroke. A gifted and prolific musician, he found himself partly paralysed on one side. To his horror, the stroke damaged his ability to speak, although his vocal cords were not harmed. Yet Shebalin's "voice" didn't die. Before his death 10 years later, he composed more than 20 complex works, including his beautiful Fifth Symphony. Shebalin and the Montreal real estate man inhabited two solitudes of sound; words failed one, music died for the other.
The brain's ability to remember and produce music is often astonishingly resilient, even after the brain has been seriously damaged. "The Mendelssohn violin concerto was very, very important for my father because that's the piece ... that probably saved his life when he was in the camps, at Auschwitz," says Pinchas Zukerman, the brilliant violinist and conductor of Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra. The elder Zukerman, also a violinist, was forced to play for the Nazi camp commandante on Sundays. The performances may have spared him from the gas chambers. "So the Mendelssohn concerto was important to him in the survival sense, besides the fact that he loved it," says Zukerman, who was born in 1948. "I remember him talking about it and playing it with me when I was a kid." But in 1969, the elder Zukerman suffered a stroke that paralysed his right arm - his bow arm - and damaged his power of speech. One day, several years later, Zukerman was having lunch with his father in Israel, and happened to bring his violin.
"I said to him, in Yiddish, of course, 'Listen, do you want to play the Mendel concerto?' " recalls Zukerman. "He looked at me like I was crazy and said, 'I don't have the right hand.' But I said, 'Hey, I'll do the right hand.' " Gingerly, his father picked up the violin with his undamaged left hand. He hadn't held a violin in years, but the stroke had not diminished his musical memory. Pinchas stood behind him, holding his father and the bow. After two or three times, the elder Zukerman offered his son a look that said, Hmmmm, I can still do it. "It was unbelievable. I could not believe it. It shows how close we are, how connected we are to that stupid instrument." The image is vivid. Two generations, one using his right brain hemisphere, the other his left, neurons firing in harmony.
In the early 1990s, when Zatorre began using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan brains, his fellow Montreal neuroscientist - and guitarist - Isabelle Peretz approached him to look at her patients. Like the real estate man, these patients had suffered strokes and could no longer grasp music. Peretz called the disorder amusia. Zatorre, who had never heard of such a problem, was deeply skeptical. "I didn't think this could really be so," he recalls. "She said, 'Here, test them. Tell me what you think'." Sure enough, the patients were amusical. But instead of damage to just the left or right brain, MRI scans showed the amusical patients had damage to the auditory cortex on both sides of the brain. Was there a music box after all?
The findings got Zatorre and Peretz wondering. What about people with no stroke damage? Could you be born tone deaf? One of the most famous examples might be Florence Foster Jenkins, the unforgettable American singer of the early 20th century. The wealthy diva belted out Brahms and Vivaldi with great vigour and utter tunelessness, once renting out Carnegie Hall for a performance. Late in life, she remarked, "Some may say that I couldn't sing, but no one can say that I didn't sing."
The scientists placed an ad in a Montreal newspaper seeking people who considered themselves tone deaf. Of the 37 off-key respondents, the most clear-cut case was "Monica," a middle-aged nurse with an IQ of 111 and a solid tin ear. Poor Monica. She had tried her best. "In Quebec, it's rather common to be enrolled in church choirs, so she did participate in those choirs, and she was told, of course, not to sing," Peretz later remarked. The choir directors told Monica to open her mouth, but keep silent. Attempts to play in a band met with the same disheartening end. The experience was so dismal, she confessed, that music now just gave her a headache. In acoustic tests, Peretz found Monica could not recognise melodies or changes in rhythm or pitch. Most people - even babies - can do better. Yet despite careful MRI scans, Peretz and Zatorre could find nothing unusual about Monica's brain. Where was the missing music box? "We couldn't find anything," says Zatorre. "But that doesn't mean there's nothing there."
The MRI scanner can miss many subtle details, he explains, including how neurons are connected to one another. He is firmly convinced scientists will find out why Monica is tone deaf. "There must be something there," he says. "There has to be."
Ironically, people who cannot hear a thing may be better at perceiving music than Monica. The deaf have a remarkable affinity for music, and even losing one's hearing is no barrier to tapping into the neural signals in the brain where music is generated. In a 2001 study, researchers from the University of Washington showed deaf people have brain activity in the auditory cortex, suggesting their brains rewire themselves to process sound vibrations. Deaf people enjoy music and can sense melody and rhythm, often holding a balloon in their fingers to amplify the vibrations. "It's not clear what they can perceive, but it's clear that they enjoy it," said Dean Shibata, a University of Washington researcher.
Music is sound, but research has shown it might be light as well.
Herv Platel and Jean-Claude Baron of the University of Caen in France scanned the brains of volunteers with positron emission tomography (PET) to see how they responded to changes in musical pitch. To Baron's surprise, areas of the visual cortex known as the "mind's eye" lit up the computer screens. McGill University researchers found the same phenomenon in the mind's eye of pianists. Does the brain store music as images? Recently, Zatorre and his colleague, Anne Blood, showed that when people experience the "chills-up-the-spine" sensation that some music elicits, it fires up the same brain circuits as those associated with the intense pleasure of sex, chocolate or even opium. Yet the reasons why humans love music are unknown.
Some see it as critical to the survival of our species. "It's clear that humans wouldn't have made it if they didn't form tribes," says neuroscientist - and guitarist - Mark Jude Tramo of Harvard Medical School. "So how do you form a tribe? Where creativity and music come into play is to be human. To empathise with humans and share in the emotions of humans, to prepare to fight, to protect your territory, for procreation, you'll always find music. It's who we are."" Article source: www.flatrock.org.nz.
"About this touchy feely gesture based touch screen malarky. Having put on my thinking cap, I'm now watching the recent videos with mixed emotions. Obviously It's massively impressive with a heap of wow factor and an incredible scope for flexibility. But I wonder if anyone can see where this could logically end up yet? Keep reading.
Computer DJing has been around for ages. But the one thing that did come out of the first wave was that DJs liked to have physical controls, rather than moving virtual knobs with a mouse - hence the birth of the MIDI controller market. Hardware manufacturers have since been spewing out box after box, and very much tube riding the recession wave - and largely coming out in one piece.
Possible and very scary scenario
This whole idea could lead to a scary conclusion - the death of the traditional DJ hardware market. Technology always gets cheaper. Large touch screens may well be space age and expensive now, but in a couple of years, they will be mainstream and affordable by everyone. Buying a DJ setup will be more about going down to your nearest Comet or Best Buy and picking out a touch screen (small or large) and downloading layouts for Traktor Touch Pro or Serato Swipe Live from touch DJ communities. Scary thought isn't it? And before you kneejerk with "it'll never happen", people said CDJs, DVS and MIDI controllers would never catch on either.
Hardware manufacturers need to start planning for the future, because this quite possibly is the future. Clubs will love this sort of thing. Instead of pumping craploads of cash into whatever Pioneer's latest species is, they simply install touch screen systems and let the DJ upload whatever layouts they like. Messy DJ changeovers will be a thing of the past, with the added benefit of being highly visual for the punter as well. Samsung and LG will become DJ brand names. The irony is Pioneer got out of the flat screen market last year.
I see a new age coming - one that could have massive implications for the scene, considerably beyond what I first though. That is, if it's right for DJs of course - and watching this video shows me that the next generation of DJs brought up in a touch screen world of iPhones and iPads will be more than happy to transfer those small screen skills to a bigger one.
Most likely sane outcome
I temper this scary but highly possible vision of future DJing with an alternative and more probable scenario. I've already mentioned the rise of the controller and the need for DJs to have physical controls. This alone could mean that conventional hardware is safe and will continue to evolve into new styles that could simply incorporate touch technology. Indeed, the turntable is still likely to see off most DJ technologies. Beyond touch screen are Minority Report style holographic ones, but DJs with still want to spin vinyl as well. Neuro DJing anyone? I'll still want to bust 3 click chirp flares on vinyl even then.
It's easy to view each successive wave of technology as the great usurper. Remember how samplers and synths were going to take over and destroy the music industry? I look at top 40 and see a chart full of bands rocking guitars and drums. MIDI controllers haven't wiped turntables of the face of the DJ map either. Let's not talk about "instead of" and think "as well as". There's no reason why all these technologies can't be used together and compliment each other to provide a richer DJ experience.
But there's no denying that for that wow factor when you walk into a club, seeing touch screens in action and having it projected to every corner of the dance floor and bar is not to be sniffed at. Ideally, instead of internet commentards telling you that technology X is for toys and technology Y is for fossils, the DJ booth will simply become a big technology melting pot where nothing is excluded, and 50" touch screens will become standard fixtures alongside turntables. All styles of DJs are catered for, and importantly nothing is excluded.
Brace yourselves - the next 5-10 years are going to be interesting. And I'll still be reporting the future shock for you dear reader. Although it might be uploaded directly via the neuronet instead of through a computer screen." Article source: www.skratchworx.com.
The continuing evolution of low-voltage technology has engendered a variety of portable devices that operate on a single dry cell (1.5V). However, most headphone amplifiers still require a minimum operating voltage above 1.5V, necessitating a step-up DC/DC converter. But this method results in conversion loss, typically around 10%. 
