When you?re having oboe reed troubles, looking at your own reeds for answers is like trying to make out your reflection while looking into a cloudy pond. It is really hard to see, and what you can make out, you can barely make sense of anymore.

That?s the thing with oboe reedmaking.

The pendulum can swing from really good to really bad very quickly. And when you are at ?really bad,? it is hard to find your way back without some help. You need someone to clear the muddy water for you, and that is one of the best reasons to have good oboe playing friends!

I?ve done this many a time, and it always works great for whoever gets involved. Mostly, it has just been 2 of us, each kind of us struggling with our oboe reeds in some way. Maybe I can?t get mine to close very well, but my friend just can?t get hers up to pitch.

We have a reedmaking session and trade oboe reeds for a while. She works on mine, and I work on hers. It is the most amazing (and cheap!) lesson you can get.

Looking at someone else?s reeds is eye-opening, and you immediately see what you could do better, and what you are already doing pretty well. And presenting your problem to someone as they look and work on your reeds works wonders too.

So, I can play my friend?s oboe reeds and get my general impression, and then I can give her my perspective on the cause of her problem. And she does the same for me. It?s a given that there are no guarantees, and you agree to let the other person experiment with your oboe reeds.

But more times than not, you get handed back better oboe reeds than you started with, and the bonus is that your teacher is right there, sitting with you! No matter how much you know about reedmaking, you will ALWAYS learn something by looking at someone else?s reeds.

And you will ALWAYS gain insight about your own reeds when you have someone else give you feedback. It?s just the way the oboe reed world (and the music world) works ? a solitary art that needs other people?s help and ideas to really flourish.

——————————————

Oboist and online entrepreneur Maryn Leister helps beginner and professional oboists to be more productive and have more fun on the oboe. She publishes the weekly Oboe:Space newsletter, the Oboe Insider, and gives away more FREE oboe reed tips than she can remember with her Reed Guru service.

Sign-up for the Oboe:Space newsletter and start getting your FREE oboe reed tips now at http://www.oboespace.com.

Purchasing a classical guitar can be a difficult task particularly if you are not yet an accomplished player. Here are some tips and hints on finding a good quality classical guitar whether it is in the hundred dollar range or the thousand dollar range.

If you are have ever gone into a well stocked guitar shop you have no doubt been confused by the selection of guitars. There are literally hundreds of shapes, sizes brands and types of guitars. And the price can range from a hundred dollars to several thousand. .If you are a beginner, judging the sound quality can be difficult to do because your ear is not yet highly trained. Here are some tips to help you make a good choice.

When in a guitar shop and looking at the guitars you should always ask a sales person to help you. This way you can take guitars down and play them. If you cannot play very well you should ask the sales clerk to play for you so you can get a feel for the sound of the different guitars. If the sales clerk doesnt play you should ask if there is someone working in the shop that does play. As a last resort you should even ask other customers in the store. Not listening to the different guitars is like shopping for a car but never test driving any of them. Guitars have very different feels and tones and you should listen to a lot of them to get a sense of what you like. Dont be bashful in this respect. Guitarists are usually a very gregarious bunch and a guitarist will almost always jump at the chance to play for someone else. If you dont yet play well and you cant find somebody to play for you I recommend you not purchase a guitar. You should come back another time when someone is available to play or you can bring a friend who knows how to play.

Check the size and shape of the guitar

Classical Guitars, of course, come in different sizes and shapes and you should sit with a wide variety of them to get a feeling for what is comfortable to you. Your body shape has an effect on this. If you are over six feet tall the smaller guitars might not be comfortable for you and the fret board may be uncomfortable for your hands. So even if you cant play music you should always hold and sit with the guitars to get a sense of how the different ones feel.

Check the mechanics and playability of the guitar

Here are several things you should do when considering the purchase of a classical guitar.

1. Play every note on every string all the way up and down. Listen for frets that dont play properly. They will give a rattling sound and if this occurs on any fret at all you should put the guitar aside and try another one. This is a sign of inferior quality. Every string should play cleanly on every single fret.

2. Check the action of the strings against the frets in terms of how much pressure is needed to play notes and chords. You should play bar chords all the way down the frets to insure good pressure. If it is too hard to press the strings in order to make a clear chord this could be a sign of an inferior guitar.

3. Play harmonics on the strings. This is an excellent test of the quality of the guitar. Playing harmonics is the technique of plucking the note with your right hand and only lightly touching the string with your left hand. Test the harmonics of all the strings on the 5th, 7th, 12th and 19th frets. If you do not know how to play harmonic notes ask the sales clerk to help you.

4. Examine and test the tuning pegs. Do they look clean and sharp? Wind and unwind them while watching and feeling for smooth turning motion.

5. Visually examine the whole guitar. Look it over very carefully from front to back and top to bottom. Are there any small cracks? Are the frets firmly installed into the fret board? Are there any cracks or glue exposed around the bridge?

6. Tap on the front of the guitar (The sound board) in a variety of different spots. Does it have a rich echoing sound or are there spots where it sounds dead and limp? The internal structure of the classical guitar is very important for the sound and important for the longevity of it. Dull thud sounds could be an indicator of an inferior instrument.

7. Examine the details. Look at the purfling around the edge. This is the decorated pattern that goes around the full body where the soundboard or face meets the sides of the guitar. Is it accurately laid in? If this has variations and inconsistencies it is a good sign that the guitar is of inferior quality.

8. Dont hesitate to take a good look inside the guitar sound hole. You will see wooden braces in there. Do they look straight, accurate and well placed? If you see sloppy globs of dried glue around these braces it could be an indicator of inferior craftsmanship.

9. Remember that there are three distinct areas you must consider when purchasing a classical guitar: The Look, The Feel, and the Sound. If you keep all three of these things in mind and carefully examine the guitar in relation to these you will be able to choose an instrument that will bring you a lifetime of trouble free playing enjoyment.

A Classical Guitar is a purchase that can give you a lifetime of enjoyment and you should consider the purchase carefully. Even if you dont plan on playing every day you should buy an instrument that is of good quality so it will maintain its sound quality for a lifetime. And to do this you dont need to spend thousands of dollars you just need to know how to identify a well made guitar.

More articles at articles database

In this article we’re going to try to explain just what it is that makes a musical a musical and go over the more technical aspects of the form.

By technical definition, musical theater is a form of theater that combines music, songs, dancing and spoken dialogue. It is actually closely related to opera, while purposely avoiding many of the conventions of opera in order to have a more general appeal.

The musical components of a musical is called the score. The sung lines are called lyrics as opposed to plain spoken dialogue which is simply called dialogue. Usually the person writing the lyrics to the musical is not the same person who has written the actual story. An example of this would be Wicked where the songs were written by Stephen Schwartz, the script by Winnie Holzman and the book that it came from by Gregory Maguire. This is not uncommon in musical theater.

A musical can be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours long. The average running time for a modern musical is about two and a half hours with an intermission about half way through the play. Some musicals however do run straight through if they aren’t too long. The intermissions, when they are present, are about ten to fifteen minutes long. An average musical will have about twenty to thirty songs. Some will be very short pieces and others can be quite long. Most musicals usually start with an overture which highlights several of the songs that will be heard throughout the play and set the mood for what is about to come. Some musicals, like Tommy can be sung through from beginning to end, which can really blur the fine line between a musical and an opera. As a matter of fact, Tommy is actually considered a rock opera more than it is considered a musical.

Usually the highlights and most dramatic moments of a musical are done in song. The reason is because these are the moments that the creators want you to remember the most and it is much easier to remember a well done three or four minute song than it is to remember three or four minutes of spoken dialogue. If the emotion that needs to be conveyed is too strong even for song then in those cases dance is added to or even put in place of singing. A perfect example of this is the fight scene in West Side Story which was done entirely in dance.

Finding a balance between spoken dialogue and song is not easy. On top of that the writers must be careful to write songs for each character that actually fits the character. For example, a character who is an evil villain is not going to sing songs about being happy and in love.

Also, it is difficult to establish the drama in a musical because a five minute song has fewer words in it than five minutes of spoken dialogue. When an hour and a half of your musical is actual music, this makes it very important that the writers make very good use of the lyrics for each song as this will be the vehicle for telling most of the story.

Musical theater is a truly unique and wonderful form of entertainment. If you haven’t had the pleasure of going to see a modern day musical or even a revival of an old musical, you owe it to yourself to do so. It is an experience you will not soon forget.

——————————————————-
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Music
——————————————————-

Hip Hop music is popular with today’s youth. The Hip Hop audience ranges in age from the very young to the seasoned at heart. The messages in the music are clear and often depict life in the real world. Most artist use their own life experiences to tell stories that reflect what their world is like. Hip Hop music is a venue that gives the artist an opportunity to tell it like it is. Many of today’s youth find that through the sounds and messages of Hip Hop they are able to see reflections of themselves and the world around them.

Although some of the messages conveyed by Hip Hop are viewed as negative, it must be understood that the lyrics in these songs are someone’s reality. Hip Hop artist sing about what they have seen and many of their personal experiences. Unfortunately, many of their experiences are not so pretty. Other Hip Hop songs carry a positive message and force the listener to think and dream beyond their current situation. Hip Hop music has taken America by a storm and it will continue to influence our youth. We must all these free expression and the growth of Hip Hop music because what we hear is relative to what’s going on in the world today.

GMP Records, Inc. http://www.godmadeitpossible4me.com also check out http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deepcover

More articles at www.articles-host.com

With the massive advance of ‘computer’ based music, recording enthusiasts have taken the internet world by storm. With the popular itunes now dishing out thousands of tracks per minute coupled with the colossal amount of indie sites springing up day by day, musicians have more opportunites to be heard than ever before, and hardly a need to move from their own seats.

Living life as a ‘virtual’ online star can have its pro’s and con’s, however any band or artist will tell you that performing live to a crowd of enthusiastic fans is about as good as it gets.

But, if you want the world to appreciate the ‘real’ you, how do you get the party started?

Well firstly, you may want to approach venues which already take unsigned acts and allow them to perform. They will require an entertainment licence (check in your geographical area what licences are required), and make sure that they are in tune with this legal requirement.

Find venues in your area which already seem to have a decent following of customers. There is nothing worse than booking a gig with a venue and finding out the place is nearly empty on your Saturday night appearance. Find out if any major event or function is happening on same the night you want to perform. Don’t arrange your gig on the same night that another major event is going on in your town/city.

Ask the local general public where they go, what’s the most popular venue in your area? If you don’t mind travelling go further afield and do the same. Check out suitable venues in the paper and theatres.

Visit the venue that you like the look of at various times during the week and check out the type of people that go there. How could you live with yourself if you turned up to play a few Van Halen numbers to a bunch of retired war veterans. Become familiar with the atmosphere and see if they already pull in enough people before you gig. Are the staff friendly? Service good? All this is quite important as when you play in that venue for a few hours you become a part of it.

Print out flyers, and stick them anymore you can think of where people might actually read and pay attention, i.e. public toilets. In a busy shopping mall people may be just that… too busy. If you can get a small mention announcing the gig on radio, newspaper; brilliant.

Watch out for half empty haunts, which book a band in the hope that the band itself will provide some custom. This is absolute rubbish, it is not your duty to fill up their venue. However, it is admirable if you can do this on your own merit. If you’re sure two hundred people are going to turn up at your gig, then charge the manager a respectable sum for your effort, after all thanks to you, they will be pocketing an unmentionable amount on drinks or food from his establishment on your behalf.

Once you book the gig get it in writing, confirming everything from the amount you are to be paid that night (regardless if the gig turns out well or not). An unsigned band were once given an advance of $30 with a follow up fee immediately after the gig, but they never saw a dime more after the gig was over. The management mumbled that the gig did not go ‘as well as expected’ even though the band did pull in more people than the place ordinarily would have had. Still the manager refused to pay up. With nothing in writing the group could not contest him. Time and effort wasted!

Speak to musicians who are already performing there. They will advise you on how to ‘approach’ the manager and find out all things related such as, do they pay well? The amount of time a gig should lasts; what they pay out; do they allow or prefer loud instruments/music or do they prefer soft ambient music? If the place is very well known for its heavy rock performances, you’re Diana Ross numbers may not go down a storm!

Will there be space for all your gear at the venue? Will you leave it there after the gig or take it with you? If they allow you to leave your equipment in the venue that evening make sure it’s placed in a secure locked up area, and that someone will be there the next day for you to retrieve it. You can guarantee they won’t be replacing your stuff if it gets stolen.

Check out the area you will be performing in. Does it feel right and can everyone see you well enough from outside your performance circle? Check that there are enough electrical extensions for you to plug in your gear, if these are on the other side of the room will your cables reach them? Take a long extension socket just in case. If you’re singing on the night take two microphones and leave one as ‘reserve’. The same goes for microphone cables. If your cable breaks or your microphone hits the floor and you’ve no replacement. End of Story!

Many establishments don’t have much of an idea how much effort goes into the planning structure of gigging, they can think its just a matter of getting in and doing it, but as touring acts can tell you, there are whole load of factors to consider in preparation for one night. Tell the Manager you need to practice your set on a quiet day for a few hours. This will allow you to check out the ambience of the place and work out where you will place your gear and position yourselves on the night. If they don’t allow this, re-consider!

If you’ve got any CD’s of your own to sell, take a box with you and sell them ‘during’ the gig, dont wait till the end when everyone ups and leaves. Take anything you got, t-shirts with your band name on, business cards…. advertise!! Get someone to offer them around whilst your performing, also print any URL’s to your online music on the CD or flyers you give out. If you have a second gig invite them all again at the end of the night, tell everyone from the newsagent owner to the postman. You can only rely on word of mouth.

Take into consideration that if the venue fills up on the night you may have to adjust your equipment levels, as people actually absorb some of the frequencies in the room; which is why you often think you’re being drowned out by the crowd when everything sounded perfect on rehearsal. Take an engineer, or at least someone with a good ear to stand at different points in the room and listen. You may find you’re clearly audible by the bar, but on the other side of the room you’re just a mumble. Be careful where you position your speakers and if you’re singing have a monitor facing you with just your vocals coming out. It’s quite tricky to hear yourself if all the other musicians around you are blasting their instruments to high heaven.

If everything goes perfectly well and the manager is dying to re-book you charge him slightly more. Don’t go excessive on this as he may be offended. But if you pulled it off really well and he knows the crowd will come back again, take the opportunity now, or try to get an ‘extended’ contract for say six months. Therefore you won’t need to be looking around again in a couple of weeks for a new haunt.

So if your keen on jumping on the performing bandwagon, hopefully these tips will help you with finding the right place, feel comfortable on the actual night, and also ensure that you don’t easily get ripped off.

Carla Acheson is a musician, and freelance writer for a variety of subjects, mainly the independent music industry. She is the Director of Independent Record Label http://www.melodrift.com, and the Assistant Editor for news site http://www.indienewslive.com.

Hip Hop music is popular with today’s youth. The Hip Hop audience ranges in age from the very young to the seasoned at heart. The messages in the music are clear and often depict life in the real world. Most artist use their own life experiences to tell stories that reflect what their world is like. Hip Hop music is a venue that gives the artist an opportunity to tell it like it is. Many of today’s youth find that through the sounds and messages of Hip Hop they are able to see reflections of themselves and the world around them.

Although some of the messages conveyed by Hip Hop are viewed as negative, it must be understood that the lyrics in these songs are someone’s reality. Hip Hop artist sing about what they have seen and many of their personal experiences. Unfortunately, many of their experiences are not so pretty. Other Hip Hop songs carry a positive message and force the listener to think and dream beyond their current situation. Hip Hop music has taken America by a storm and it will continue to influence our youth. We must all these free expression and the growth of Hip Hop music because what we hear is relative to what’s going on in the world today.

GMP Records, Inc. http://www.godmadeitpossible4me.com also check out http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/deepcover

More articles at database for articles

Sheet music for Christian songs is becoming easier to obtain as the popularity of Christian music continues to rise. Many people use sheet music for Christian songs for various purposes. With the internet, you are no longer limited to buying sheet music at a local music store, nor are you limited to songs that already slipped from popularity. Sheet music for Christian songs is available in several different forms, and therefore used by different people. For example, many individuals use sheet music for their instrument or voice for their own personal worship, or to share as a soloist at their church. In another respect, a choir director or worship leader may use sheet music for Christian songs that covers various instruments and vocal ranges.

Whatever song or type of music you are looking for, you will probably find sheet music for Christian songs online, if not at your local music store. While your local music store may carry a great selection, often the internet had the best selection, especially of the newest Christian music. Internet search engines will also help you to find even those difficult to locate songs, whether older or hot off the contemporary Christian charts. Furthermore, you can find sheet music for Christian songs in many different styles of music. For example, there is sheet music for Christmas, gospel, contemporary and every style in between. There is sheet music for jazzy instrumentals to fill your service prelude or postlude needs. Sheet music for Christian songs is even available for your individual or worship teams or choir needs.

Websites sites may offer different options for ordering sheet music for Christian songs. Some websites are set up to let you hear the song before you order the sheet music. Many sites allow you to order individual songs, while some websites may also offer books of songs by a particular artist or company. Much of the sheet music for Christian songs is downloadable, provided you can use a credit card to pay for your selections. Most individual songs will be under three dollars. Keep in mind that sheet music for Christian songs needs to be used in accordance with the copyright laws that protect it. Most sheet music is available only for individual or church use. If your church is in agreement with Christian Copyright Licensing International, the license for reproducing lyrics and music, you must report your use of the sheet music.

You are no longer limited by going to your local music store for sheet music for Christian songs. Nor do you have to wait for an order if a particular song or book that you want is not in stock. Instead, you can search the internet which has many resources for ordering sheet music for Christian songs. Often, the Christian music you are looking for is only a click away.

For more information about sheet music for Christian songs, visit:
http://www.christianet.com/christianbusinesses/christianmusic/
http://www.christianet.com/

Purchasing a classical guitar can be a difficult task particularly if you are not yet an accomplished player. Here are some tips and hints on finding a good quality classical guitar whether it is in the hundred dollar range or the thousand dollar range.

If you are have ever gone into a well stocked guitar shop you have no doubt been confused by the selection of guitars. There are literally hundreds of shapes, sizes brands and types of guitars. And the price can range from a hundred dollars to several thousand. .If you are a beginner, judging the sound quality can be difficult to do because your ear is not yet highly trained. Here are some tips to help you make a good choice.

When in a guitar shop and looking at the guitars you should always ask a sales person to help you. This way you can take guitars down and play them. If you cannot play very well you should ask the sales clerk to play for you so you can get a feel for the sound of the different guitars. If the sales clerk doesnt play you should ask if there is someone working in the shop that does play. As a last resort you should even ask other customers in the store. Not listening to the different guitars is like shopping for a car but never test driving any of them. Guitars have very different feels and tones and you should listen to a lot of them to get a sense of what you like. Dont be bashful in this respect. Guitarists are usually a very gregarious bunch and a guitarist will almost always jump at the chance to play for someone else. If you dont yet play well and you cant find somebody to play for you I recommend you not purchase a guitar. You should come back another time when someone is available to play or you can bring a friend who knows how to play.

Check the size and shape of the guitar

Classical Guitars, of course, come in different sizes and shapes and you should sit with a wide variety of them to get a feeling for what is comfortable to you. Your body shape has an effect on this. If you are over six feet tall the smaller guitars might not be comfortable for you and the fret board may be uncomfortable for your hands. So even if you cant play music you should always hold and sit with the guitars to get a sense of how the different ones feel.

Check the mechanics and playability of the guitar

Here are several things you should do when considering the purchase of a classical guitar.

1. Play every note on every string all the way up and down. Listen for frets that dont play properly. They will give a rattling sound and if this occurs on any fret at all you should put the guitar aside and try another one. This is a sign of inferior quality. Every string should play cleanly on every single fret.

2. Check the action of the strings against the frets in terms of how much pressure is needed to play notes and chords. You should play bar chords all the way down the frets to insure good pressure. If it is too hard to press the strings in order to make a clear chord this could be a sign of an inferior guitar.

3. Play harmonics on the strings. This is an excellent test of the quality of the guitar. Playing harmonics is the technique of plucking the note with your right hand and only lightly touching the string with your left hand. Test the harmonics of all the strings on the 5th, 7th, 12th and 19th frets. If you do not know how to play harmonic notes ask the sales clerk to help you.

4. Examine and test the tuning pegs. Do they look clean and sharp? Wind and unwind them while watching and feeling for smooth turning motion.

5. Visually examine the whole guitar. Look it over very carefully from front to back and top to bottom. Are there any small cracks? Are the frets firmly installed into the fret board? Are there any cracks or glue exposed around the bridge?

6. Tap on the front of the guitar (The sound board) in a variety of different spots. Does it have a rich echoing sound or are there spots where it sounds dead and limp? The internal structure of the classical guitar is very important for the sound and important for the longevity of it. Dull thud sounds could be an indicator of an inferior instrument.

7. Examine the details. Look at the purfling around the edge. This is the decorated pattern that goes around the full body where the soundboard or face meets the sides of the guitar. Is it accurately laid in? If this has variations and inconsistencies it is a good sign that the guitar is of inferior quality.

8. Dont hesitate to take a good look inside the guitar sound hole. You will see wooden braces in there. Do they look straight, accurate and well placed? If you see sloppy globs of dried glue around these braces it could be an indicator of inferior craftsmanship.

9. Remember that there are three distinct areas you must consider when purchasing a classical guitar: The Look, The Feel, and the Sound. If you keep all three of these things in mind and carefully examine the guitar in relation to these you will be able to choose an instrument that will bring you a lifetime of trouble free playing enjoyment.

A Classical Guitar is a purchase that can give you a lifetime of enjoyment and you should consider the purchase carefully. Even if you dont plan on playing every day you should buy an instrument that is of good quality so it will maintain its sound quality for a lifetime. And to do this you dont need to spend thousands of dollars you just need to know how to identify a well made guitar.

More articles at articles database

The major pentatonic is similar to the minor pentatonic: The intervals for a major pentatonic are 1 2 3 5 6 1. The C major scale includes C D E G A C. The difference between the major and minor scale is the minor scale has a flatten 3rd interval. The following is the most common generic box shape for the pentatonic major scale:

e—-O—–o—-
B—-o—–o—-
G-o—–o——-
D-o——–O—-
A-o——–o—-
E—-O—–o—-

The major pentatonic sounds happier and are not used as extensively in rock and blues as the minor version of the scale. They sound good over major chords, and power chords. Sometimes the minor and major scales are used in the same song, with the major scale used for the chorus, and the minor for the verse.

There are no hard and fast rules when in comes to scales and soloing. It?s a matter of style and personal choice, as long as it sounds good, go for it. But you will find that if you use these simple scale forms in conjunction with an appropriate chord progression this will sound good more often.

A chord progression based on the A minor chord will sound good with A minor pentatonic and a C major chord will sound good with C major scale. For information on chord progressions please go to the section at our web site on chord progressions.

Bill McRea is the publisher of The Guitar Warehouse and Guitar Playing Techniques. Both sites offer free lesson and product sales.

The origin of hip-hop can be traced back as far as the ancient tribes in Africa. Rap has been compared with the chants, drumbeats and foot-stomping African tribes performed before wars, the births of babies, and the deaths of kings and elders. Historians have reached further back than the accepted origins of hip-hop. It was born as we know it today in the Bronx, cradled and nurtured by the youth in the low-income areas of New York City.

Fast-forward from the tribes of Africa to the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica in the late sixties. The impoverished of Kingston gathered together in groups to form DJ conglomerates. They spun roots and culture records and communicated with the audience over the music. At the time, the DJs comments werent as important as the quality of the sound system and its ability to get the crowd moving. Kool Herc grew up in this community before he moved to the Bronx.

During the late sixties, reggae wasnt popular with New Yorkers. As a DJ, Kool Herc spun rhythm and blues records to please his party crowd. But, he had to add his personal touch. During the breaks, Herc began to speak to his audience as he had learned to do in Jamaica. He called out, the audience responded, and then he pumped the volume back up on the record. This call and response technique was nothing new to this community whod been reared in Baptist and Methodist churches where call and response was a technique used by the speakers to get the congregation involved. Historians compare it to the call and response performed by Jazz musicians and was very much a part of the culture of Jazz music during the renaissance in Harlem.

Hercs DJ style caught on. His partys grew in popularity. He began to buy multiple copies of the same albums. When he performed his duties as a DJ, he extended the breaks by using multiple copies of the same records. He chatted, as it is called in dance hall, with his audience for longer and longer periods.

Others copied Hercs style. Soon a friendly battle ensued between New York DJs. They all learned the technique of using break beats. Herc stepped up the game by giving shout-outs to people who were in attendance at the parties and coming up with his signature call and response. Other DJs responded by rhyming with their words when they spoke to the audience. More and more DJs used two and four line rhymes and anecdotes to get their audiences involved and hyped at these parties.

One day, Herc passed the microphone over to two of his friends. He took care of the turn table and allowed his buddies to keep the crowd hyped with chants, rhymes and anecdotes while he extended the breaks of different songs indefinitely. This was the birth of rap as we know it.

Hip-hop has evolved from the days of the basement showdowns to big business in the music industry. In the seventies and eighties, the pioneers and innovators of the rap record was the DJ. He was the guy who used his turntable to create fresh sounds with old records. Then, he became the guy who mixed these familiar breaks with synthesizers to produce completely new beats. Not much has changed in that aspect of hip-hop. The guy who creates the beat is still the heart of the track. Now, we call him the producer. Even though some DJs work as producers as well as DJs (quite a few start out as DJs before they become producers), todays title DJ doesnt carry the same connotative meaning it did in the eighties. Todays hip-hop producer performs the same tasks as the eightys DJ.

More articles at article database