Sometimes I wonder if Phoenix is considered the back end of concert dates. So many acts tend to take their Arizona Fans for granted or just bypass us when they have to cancel or reschedule another date. Others seem to forget that we tend to turn out in big numbers for almost any event. Ozzy obviously forgot or just didnt bleeping care.

Despite a monstrous crowd and dollars flying across the concession tables faster than bats out of hell, Ozzy managed to snub his Arizona Fans by failing to appear at the Phoenix Ozzfest event this past summer. And thats ironic since Phoenix hosted one of the two very first Ozzfest events in 1996. The other was held in Los Angeles. Maybe we just werent worthy of the Master of Metal this year? Not everyone was willing to pay one to three hundred dollars for a ticket and sacrifice their firstborn to Ozzy.

If youre going to skip out on fans, at least have the decency to record a video welcome message or greeting. There were lots of big screens around, so everyone would have seen it. If Ozzy had lost his voice or didnt feel well enough to speak, he could have offered a middle finger salute or bitten the head off one of the Backstreet Boys. If even that was too much to ask, the Prince of Darkness could have had his dogs come and crap all over the stage or asked Sharon to open the event by throwing some frozen poultry at the first few fans to arrive. If all else failed, his kids could have come and set fire to piles of N Sync and Snoop Dog CDs to get everyone in the mood for the days events.

Fortunately, there are some major acts out there that really care about the fans in this town and know how to show it. Mick Jaeger had some throat problems, so The Stones recently cancelled a few dates in the USA. Phoenix was not one of them. AFI, the CHILI PEPPERS, TAKING BACK SUNDAY and GWAR really rocked the Valley of the Sun over the summer. But my favorite was Evanescence.

Ill be the first to admit that I hadnt been up to date on all things Evanescence until my wife brought the Band to my attention several months ago. After I started listening to their music, I was glad she did. Its been some time since I heard anything that was melodic and unique. While fans might argue otherwise, most artists that manage to get signed these days seem like clones of struggling late eighties alternative music bands or the now infamous and always whiney sounds of the nineties.

I like music thats different and hate to admit it, but the last concert that I thought was refreshingly distinctive was a Buster Poindexter and the Banshees of Blue show in the early nineties. It was a smaller venue and the music was hot! Being from New York City, I guess Im a bit jaded. I had the opportunity to be exposed to a constant flow of live music in the form of big acts, street bands and everything in between before relocating to Arizona. On the flipside, it also means that I hold performers to a higher standard and know great music when I hear it. Thats how I felt when attended the Evanescence Concert at the Celebrity Theater last week.

After reading up on Amy Lee and the various Evanescence personnel changes for a couple of weeks before the big night, I was ready for the concert. We bought our tickets as soon as they went on sale. To be honest, they were a bargain for a concert held at the Celebrity Theater. That venue is as intimate as you can get without renting the local high school gym and using only half the space. One would expect to shell out the usual hundred bucks or more for being almost within arms reach of a class act like Evanescence, but we paid somewhere in the thirty to forty dollar range.

Listening to Revelation Theory open the show and hearing Amy Lee belt out her first couple of songs with Evanescence, I really felt guilty for paying so little to see so much talent in such an intimate setting. To make up for it, I tried to buy my wife and kids some band tees. By the time we got up to the front of a very long line, the good sizes were gone. I bought some anyway because Ive been trying to lose a few pounds lately. If I had any doubts about the band, it had nothing to do with their music or performance. I just wondered if they were getting their fair share?

Reading some of the comments attributed to her by various websites and blogs, I understood that there probably would not be any Amy Lee perfume, designer clothes, signature make up lines or Evanescence action figures available anywhere in the near future. However, whether she is or isnt a material girl, Amy has to know that she must have been personally responsible for the sudden increase in sales of things like dark eyeliner, black and white knee length socks and long black dresses. Oops, I forgot, and about a billion dollars worth of black hair dye.

Its not unusual to find artists who are unaware of their actual popularity or real earning potential. After all, they are Artists, not financiers. I got the distinct impression that the members of Evanescence were legitimately surprised by the numbers of fans that showed up for the sold-out event and the many more who wanted tickets and couldnt get in.

Amy offered an apology for the smaller venue, but all of us really enjoyed the intimate atmosphere. However, heres a bit of advice from the older and wiser to the lovely and immensely talented Miss Lee and her musical partners: Next time charge extra for the intimacy, find more stuff to sell and return those calls from the big management agencies. Even the evil princess of the undead can always use a few extra zeros behind a nice large number in her bank account. Amy and the band certainly earn it!

Oh, yea, I almost forgot. Ozzy, burn in Hell!

*Amy Lee has a Website called Out of the Shadows that is helping to educate people about Epilepsy and make a difference in the lives of Epileptics. Please visit www.outoftheshadows.com

- Bill Knell http://www.ArizonaRocksLive.com

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An electronic keyboard is a keyboard instrument that uses electricity to amplify the sound. Electronics keyboards are mostly used in musical instruments such as synthesizers, pianos and electric organs.

Electric organs are one the earliest instruments which used an electronic keyboard. They used oscillators and frequency dividers along with a network of filters to produce desirable sound in waveforms.

Keyboards reached a major milestone with the development of the synthesizer in the 1960s. Now, various advanced types of synthesizers using electronic keyboards are available in market.

Many instruments which have electronic keyboards are equipped with Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI). This helps in the diversified use of the electronics keyboard. Some keyboards are not attached to any instrument, but are only MIDI controllers.

Electronic keyboards make it easy to create music. Most of these keyboards can also be connected to a computer for performing multimedia activities. However, you may require certain software to ensure that your electronic keyboard is compatible with your computer.

Electronics keyboards are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors and price ranges. There are several web sites which sell them online. The electronic keyboard industry has been growing at a rapid pace over the last couple of decades. New technological innovations ensure that the old models get obsolete quite quickly in this market.

There are several companies which sell only secondhand electronic keyboards, but with a warranty. If you try hard, there is every possibility that you can get a good deal. However, if you can afford a new one, that is the best option. And do not forget that with advent of Chinese electronic equipment in the market, an electronic keyboard has become an affordable item for most people.

Keyboards provides detailed information on Keyboards, Computer Keyboards, Electronic Keyboard, Musical Keyboard and more. Keyboards is affiliated with Change Passwords.

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You love to play maybe live to play! You think about the sound of the guitar, the music and the songs, your tone, your big amplifier if its an electric and the beautiful complex notes that project from your guitar if its an acoustic. All are important like that one great drive off the tee in golf!

But, how do you get those notes? Its in the strings. Have you given much thought to your strings? Often overlooked always underrated, the strings are WHAT MAKE THE SOUND! Theyre the most important part of the sound chain.

The type of metal, the construction, the finish, the tension, the length, the coating — its a process. Once youve determined by asking around, listening, trying lots of brands and types what strings are right for you, then you change them EVERY FOUR WEEKS FOR THE REST OF YOUR GUITAR-PLAYING LIFE! No exceptions. Except one. If the strings you like have a protective coating in which case you change them when they stop sounding bright and musical maybe as long as three months.

Changing your strings is easy no tricks, no special knowledge and with practice you can do it in 20- minutes or less! To do this right youll need an electronic tuner. (We can also do it using a guitar thats already in tune, a nearby piano, a harmonica or a pitchfork. But, thats another article.)

Heres how:

1. First thing; all of the strings on your guitar wind into or toward the center of the headstock no mater which side they are on or what position they are in. Its a constant. This principle will allow you to tune your guitar on autopilot once you get used to it. And, it will become very important when stringing your guitar.

2. Now, de-tune or lower the pitch of existing strings A (#5), D (#4), G (#3), B (#2) and high E (#1) by turning the tuners (or machine heads) on the guitars headstock. Once there is some play in the string unwind it from the peg on the headstock. Leave the low E or 6th string in place and unhook the other 5 strings. Well use the low E string later on for reference. Make sure you dont stick yourself with the sharp ends of the strings.

3. Once the strings are unattached from the headstock – If you have an acoustic guitar, gently lift-out the bridge pins which anchor the strings to the guitars bridge. They pop right out then completely remove the strings from the guitar. If you have an electric guitar, pull the string through-the-body or through the tailpiece. Either way, you have now removed 5 of the 6 strings.

4. Grab your new strings take em out of the box and set them up high E (1st string) to low E (6th string) on your work surface. (A bed is great for changing strings!) This is also when people who love their guitar grab a rag and a little guitar polish and give their baby a good cleaning.

5. Because the low E string is still in place, well start with the A string (#5). Youll notice that the low E is wound to the first tuner on the headstock, closest to the fret board and the nut. Now, unwrap your B string. Always anchor your string first into the bridge. Its just the opposite of removing the strings from the bridge. Make certain the string is properly and firmly seated into the bridge. Set the string in the appropriate bridge slot if there is one run it along the fret board to the neck and position it above the appropriate nut slot.

6. Pull the string tight above the nut. Put 2 fingers under the string then extend it 2 inches beyond the appropriate post or tuner peg. Cut the string at that point with a pair of wire cutters or sharp scissors. In order to keep the string in place during tuning (winding) put a 90 degree bend at the end of the string with a pair of pliers. This is what you insert into the small string hole that every post or tuner peg is made with. INSERT ONLY THE 90 DEGREE BEND until the other end comes through the other side of the hole. Youll have quite a bit of slack still left in the string at this point.

7. Begin winding the string so that it turns into or toward the center of the headstock. Use a string-winder for this. Pluck the string as you turn the tuner to be certain it is elevating in pitch. Bring it up a few turns so that its taught. Also be certain that the string is in the appropriate slot at the bridge and in the nut at the headstock.

8. Proceed by anchoring, measuring carefully, cutting and bending, and inserting the remaining 4 strings into their respective posts or tuner pegs. Then wind them several turns as in the step above.

9. Pull each string gently, but firmly at the center of the string above the pick-up or the sound hole so that it is stretched a little. This aids in the string holding tune.

10. Now just as a reference depress the low E (6th) string at the 5th fret. Bring the A (5th) string up to that pitch. Its time to replace the low E just as you did the other 5 strings. (Your A string should be near pitch if the E was in tune.)

Now using your electronic tuner, raise all the strings to their proper pitch. Thats it! Over the next few days you will need to retune your guitar until the strings stretch to their proper playing length.

Now, go practice — and enjoy!

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Apples ipod has been long dominating the digital media player market. And why not; ipod has been far superior in performance and features when compared to its rivals. But Microsoft is set to change this by coming out with their own media player named zune, which will debut to the world on November 14, 2006. The product will be available for exactly the same price $249 as the 30GB ipod.

Here Ill list a few key differences between zune and ipod. Below are the list of features supported by zune and not Ipod.

1. Preloaded Audio and video
2. Built in FM tuner
3. Zune to Zune sharing by Wi-Fi wireless (social networking)
4. Custom background
5. Landscape video

With all the exciting and promising features, Microsoft will definitely take a big chunk of media player market form apple, but how much only time will tell.

But the real question is which device is right for YOU? Lets look at the specs of the system, the features and services we know about. Were going to be comparing the 30GB iPod to the 30GB Zune, since they are closest in price, storage, and battery life.

OS Support – Winner: iPod Zune only supports Windows. iPod, on the other hand, supports both Windows and Mac.

WiFi Connectivity – Winner: Zune The current iPod features no Wi-fi connectivity whatsoever, Zune, however, is 802.11g Wifi enabled, and features a slew of sharing and broadcasting features.

Content – Winner: N/A Right now the iPod, through iTunes, has thousands of songs, hundreds of TV shows, dozens of movies, and a handful of games to download for the device. As of this writing we still dont know what all the Zune Marketplace will hold for Zune owners. But as we know, iPod has some preloaded music and videos.

Storage – Winner: iPod iPod has 30GB, 60GB, 80GB, while at present Zune has only 30GB product.

Screen – Winner: Zune iPod features a 2.5 inch diagonal screen, while the Zune has a slightly larger 3.0 inch diagonal screen.

FM Radio Capability – Winner: Zune Zune comes with a built-in FM tuner. If you want to listen to radio on your iPod, you have to buy an accessory.

Music purchasing – Winner: Zune With iTunes, if you want to buy music, it will cost you .99 cents per song, or you can purchase by the album. But with Zune Marketplace, You could subscribe to the marketplace for $14.99 a month with unlimited downloads for that month. You can also go for individual downloads. Purchase up to 50 songs (4000 Microsoft Points) with $50. Once you purchase Points, you can browse and purchase songs or albums through the Zune Marketplace for 79 Microsoft Points per track (roughly 99 cents). Microsoft Points, the coin for the Zune Marketplace realm, is a universal system that works across borders, including Xbox Live Marketplace and other Microsoft properties.

Does that mean the Zune is your best buy this holiday season?

That depends. If the Zune wireless music sharing is appealing to you, and youre a Windows user, then Zune is probably your best choice. If youre not interested in the Wifi and FM tuner, you will definetly want to look at the iPod.

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When the day of the gig arrives, youll need to pack some essentials. You will want to take a bottle of water with you, and some money, (although I mostly avoid, the array of merchandise) and you will also need some music, for the way there and back. An mp3 player is good, or some CDs if youre going by car. If its a rave, dont forget your glow-sticks. Finally, when you have your tickets in hand, youre ready to go. Set off early, as its a lot better than being late.

On the way there, my friends and I always play the music of the band we are going to see. It gets us pumped up for the gig, and also if its the kind of band, where you can learn some of the lyrics, then its always good to sing-along with the band at the gig.

When we get there, we find the venue first, and if weve got time, we go for something to eat or drink. Inside the venue, I like to get as close to the front as possible and most people also want the same, but I usually manage to get within the first eight rows of people.

Its important to throw yourself into the performance of the main band as much as possible, and you can only have a break from the one footed, swaying, moshing experience, if you literally going to be sick, or faint, within the next five seconds. Until that point, you must carry on, regardless.

Remember what clothes your friends are wearing, and then between songs, you can find your friends again, if you have been separated (and if you want to find them again). Failing that, take a flag with you and wave that about.

When the gig is over, wait around incase there is an encore, and if so, go even crazier than the last song you just heard. If not, be happy with your ringing ears, and aching limbs, and feel sorry for whoever has to drive home like that. Drink your water, if you took some, or find a twenty-four hour supermarket, and stack up on bottles of water and sugary snacks. Another great idea, is to phone all your friends and tell what an awesome gig they missed. They might be asleep, but it doesnt matter, they need to hear about it now.

On the journey back, I do not listen to the band Ive just seen as the music on CD always seems a bit flat, after hearing it live. I avoid that CD for a few days, but instead listen to similar music, or if I have another gig coming up, I listen to that CD on the way home.

To read the full version of this gig guide, you will need to sign up at www.musicismymiddle.com

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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.

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Music is the essence of life and I think that no one is untouched with this beautiful gift given to mankind. Even children also love to play music and enjoy it when they get a chance to do so. For this, you require various expensive musical instruments but what if you make your own music instruments at your home with little efforts? It is a fun and inexpensive idea to make Gongs, xylophones, hummers and triangles for children to play.

1. To make a Gong you need an old pie tin or a lid of a large metal popcorn tin, a metal table knife or spoon for a mallet, a hammer and nail, a string. You have to pound two nail holes on the edge of the pie tin or on the side of the popcorn lid two or three inches apart. Thread the string through the holes and tie a knot. The string should be about 1 to 2 feet long enough so that you can easily hold it without touching the pan or tin. Hit the pan with the spoon or knife and you have a loud sound. To soften the sound, you need to wrap the knife or spoon with a piece of cloth and then use a child socks to cover the knife or spoon.

2. To make a Xylophone you require glass pop bottles of same size and then shape work best for a homemade xylophone and for this purpose, water glasses shall also work. Fill the glasses with different amount of water whereby one bottle should be almost filled to the top and the other one with very little water. The other bottles should vary somewhere in between the two. You can use as many or less bottles as you like. A knife or spoon would wok well as a mallet. Hit the side of the bottle or glass gently as each one shall make a different sound. You can even experiment with different levels of water to decide which note pitch you would like most. If you have a piano or other musical instrument that shall make various pitches then you can tune your bottles or glasses to the instrument.

3. Making a hummer is also very easy where you need to have an empty cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tube, a rubber band and a wax paper. Cut a round piece of wax paper that is larger than the ends of the tube. Cover one end with the wax paper and hold in place with the rubber band and make sounds into the opposite end of the tube.

4. You can also make a triangle with the help of a horseshoe or 4 to 8 inches of metal pipe, string and a knife or spoon. Loop the string at the curve of the horse shoe or thread it through the pipe. Tie a knot at the top and hit the horse shoe or pipe with the knife as soon as it dangles from the sting. Make sure that the string is strong enough to hold the pipe.

Olivia Andrews, writing for Music Future is a freelance journalist and has written many reviews on subjects such as finance, education, health, entertainment, music, gifts, crafts, travel, apparels and mobile phones.

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The classical guitar is a difficult instrument to learn how to play. It takes perseverance and a lot of practice but with some practical tips you can make the transition from beginner to intermediate very quickly.

Have Discipline – The most important thing you have to do in order to advance in your skill with the classical guitar is to practice regularly. This of course you already understand but in order to do this you might want to make yourself a schedule and stick to it. Decide in advance what days of the week you can practice, pick a time and stick to it. Block out at least one hour for each session. If you can do this at least five days a week your ability with the guitar will advance very rapidly.

Listen to the music The biggest problem for a beginner is the physical challenge of learning how to use your hands and fingers; so almost all of your focus is on this. The intermediate guitarist learns the finger position then focuses on how to play the music with feeling. You should make this a priority early in your playing. One of the best ways to do this is to run a tape recorder while you are playing then listen to it afterwards. This way you can concentrate on how the music sounds without having to focus on your hands.

Establish a repertoire You should establish a set of pieces that you will memorize. This can be as few as five pieces or as many as ten. But you should decide that you will memorize these pieces and then you should practice them, with memorization in mind, at every sitting.

Use Different Learning Techniques Everybody learns differently and we all have strong ways and weak ways of learning. You should try different learning techniques and see which ones work best for you. You also get the benefit of bringing a well-rounded approach to your learning.

Here are some different techniques you should try: Reading sheet music This is a great, but slow, way to learn the language of music and will over time dramatically enhance your ability to play. Work with an instructor Some people establish a rapport with an instructor and do very well when they have someone they can ask questions. Practice with friends camaraderie is a great motivator. It will keep you playing. Purchase a book with a cd or dvd Having the sheet music along with a video or cd that plays the music will engage more of your mental faculties at the same time. Download instructional videos You may be a very visually oriented person and how a classical guitarist places his fingers may be an excellent way for you to learn Try learning pieces directly from music you hear on CDs this is an excellent but difficult technique. If you put some time into this your ear for the guitar will improve dramatically.

There are many ways you can quickly develop your skill as a classical guitarist. The two most important things to remember are that you should have the discipline to practice regularly and that you should try different techniques because some techniques will work better for you than others.

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Reading sheet music can be very intimidating for a beginning guitarist. It is, after all, a brand new language composed of a lot of symbols that are new and alien. But Reading sheet music is a must for anyone who wants to be a serious guitarist and it will take your guitar playing well beyond anything that TAB will show you. Tablature is a crutch. It will only teach you how to play songs and compositions by rote. It is true that with Tab you will learn how to play a piece of music but in the process you are missing some of the real things that music, and being a musician are all about.

What is the goal of a guitarist?

Playing pieces of music is not the only goal of a guitarist. Growth in both technical ability and creativity are just as important. When you learn a piece of music by TAB you experience a certain amount of growth but as you master the piece your growth quickly levels off. You have learned the piece and you practice it only to keep it sharp. When you learn a piece of music with traditional sheet music you are not just learning the notes you are also learning another language. This exercising of your mind makes you more flexible, more capable, and more creative. With time and practice you recognize keys, chords, progressions and whole host of things you would never see with TAB.

Advantages of Reading Sheet music

Hearing the music -As your skill develops and your ears sharpen you will be able to pick up a piece of written sheet music and actually hear the notes without playing the guitar. It is a language that you have learned. For some this ability comes quickly and for others it takes years of practice.

Creativity Learning a language exercises a new part of your brain. Everyday, as you apply yourself to learning this new language you will grow. And this growth promotes your creativity. You are given many more tools to work with and apply to your music composition and you gain a broader, and more colorful, understanding of music.

Sight Reading – As you develop your skill in reading sheet music you will gain the ability to pick up a piece of music that you have never seen before and play it from sight. This ability makes you a competent musician and accelerates your ability to add pieces to your repertoire.

Breadth of Repertoire - Does your taste in guitar music deviate from the mainstream? It can be very difficult to find tablature for pieces that are not mainstream. But you can always find the sheet music. It is the language of music.

Cross-pollination with other instruments – If you have heard a piece of music written for another instrument; like the piano, bass guitar, cello, or anything else where would you find guitar tab for it? If you are able to read sheet music you can get a copy of the music, understand it, and transcribe it for your guitar. This holds true for sub-genres of guitar. There is an enormous amount of music available to guitarists that are not written in tab. Music like classical guitar, flamenco, Spanish and progressive/experimental. Reading sheet music gives you instant access to all these flavors of guitar.

The Ultimate Reward

As a guitar player, or aspiring guitar player, you know that it is not something that you study for a few weeks and are done. Playing guitar is a life long pursuit and learning tablature is just a short cut that enables you to play some songs. But learning to read sheet music is a skill that will have a more profound impact on your experience with the guitar and with the music. It will make you a better, more creative, and more capable player. It will enrich your experience with the guitar and with the music in ways that tab never can.

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Gangster rap, or hardcore rap, is generally considered a sub genre of the larger category of rap music, which itself is a subcategory of hip-hop. Gangster rap is differentiable from other rap music in that it makes use of images of urban life associated with crime (Haugen, 2). According to the Encyclopedia Britannica definition of gangster rap, the top four images associated with the genre are violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity.

Gangster Rappers as Defining the Hip-Hop Social Group
As the hip-hop movement has gained recognition throughout the United States, it has established itself as one of the fastest growing social groups anywhere. In the late 1990s immediately following the murders of both Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, two nationally known gangster rappers, a propaganda campaign escalated against rap music and the hip-hop culture (Slaughter). Although gangster rap only represented a small percentage of the hip-hop culture at the time, all hip-hop and rap music was instantly stereotyped negatively as being gangter-like. Why? Well, this gangster version of hip-hop was the highest selling and most recognized form of hip-hop music among the majority class. And many critics have determined that this is because America is in love with sex, drugs and violence (Whaley).

Hip-Hops Rejection of Inferior Social Group Status
Henri Tajfel, a social psychologist who developed a theory of inter-group relations and social change, argues that members of a social group deemed inferior by a majority class can either accept or reject their inferior position in society. If a group refuses to accept its inferior position in society as just, it will attempt as a group to change things (Coates, 8-9). A large number of hip-hop artists have used their musical lyrics to reject the inferior social status placed upon them by the majority class.

The Reconstruction of the Gangster Identity
I have found that hip-hop artists use lyrics, both musical and poetic, to redefine the negatives characteristics given to their culture by the majority class, and in the process, reconstruct the gangster identity. By examining these hip-hop and gangster rap lyrics as text, I will show ways in which the lyrics attempt to reconstruct the stereotyped gangster rap identity by examining different views of violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity. In the end, one tends to wonder: Who exactly are the real gangsters?

Violence
That the hip-hop culture represents gangster-like violence is perhaps the biggest disputed claim amongst hip-hop artists. In order to disprove this claim, many hip-hop artists have pointed to the violence that exists within the majority social group, and how it leads to violence all over the world. In Violence, 2 Pac demonstrates his belief that violence was prevalent long before gangster rap existed:

I told em fight back, attack on society
If this is violence, then violent’s what I gotta be
If you investigate you’ll find out where it’s comin from
Look through our history, America’s the violent one

Here, the poet points to American society as the violent one and that he has to be violent in order to fight back.

In Who Knew, Eminem showed a similar viewpoint by expressing his belief that violence is a common occurrence in American society, yet not challenged in genres outside of the urban environment:

So who’s bringin the guns in this country?
I couldn’t sneak a plastic pellet gun through customs over in London
And last week, I seen a Schwarzaneggar movie
Where he’s shootin all sorts of these bad guys with an Uzi

Here, the poet questions the existence of violence in a country that allows firearms and violent movies.

In Casualties of War, Rakim blames the United States government, specifically its Head of State, as the group causing the violence in society with their war-like ways:

I’ma get back to New York in one piece
But I’m bent in the sand that is hot as the city streets
Sky lights up like fireworks blind me
Bullets, whistlin over my head remind me…
President Bush said attack
Flashback to Nam, I might not make it back

In this text, the poet refers to our countrys decision to go to war as an example of the violence that exists amongst the majority social class.

In The Watcher, Dr. Dre redefines the negative characteristic of violence by pointing to the police force as the source of violence, and therefore, referring to them as gangster-like:

Things just ain’t the same for gangstas
Cops is anxious to put people in handcuffs
They wanna hang us, see us dead or enslave us
Keep us trapped in the same place we raised in
Then they wonder why we act so outrageous
Run around stressed out and pull out gauges
Cause everytime you let the animal out cages
It’s dangerous, to people who look like strangers

Here, the poet accuses the majority class of keeping them trapped in the same place we raised in and that the perceived violence is only due to the introduction of people who look like strangers.

These are examples of how hip-hop artists redefine the image of violence by showing how it exists or was created within the majority social group.

Drugs
Another common disputed stereotype of hip-hop artists is their use and distribution of illegal drugs. In attempts to redefine this negative characteristic, many hip-hop artists have pointed at the majority social group as the facilitator of drug abuse.

In Justify My Thug, Jay-Z speaks directly to members of government, raising questions about who has made the availability and use of these drugs possible:

Mr. President, there’s drugs in our residence
Tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us
Mr. Governor, I swear there’s a cover up
Every other corner there’s a liquor store – what is up?

In this example, the poet inquires as to why there is a liquor store in every other corner of his community.

In I Want to Talk to You, Nas uses the same approach to challenge the notion of drug distribution by asking his representatives what they would do in his situation:

Why y’all made it so hard, damn
People gotta go create their own job
Mr. Mayo,r imagine if this was your backyard
Mr. Governo,r imagine if it was your kids that starved
Imagine your kids gotta sling crack to survive

Here, the poet claims that the distribution of drugs is not only an effect of the poverty that exists in his environment, but also a means of survival.

In Manifesto, Talib Kweli actually accuses the government of being the body which allows drugs into the country:

Like the C.I.A. be bringin in crack cocaine bailin out of planes
With the George Bush connections, I push Reflection
Like I’m sellin izm, like a dealer buildin the system
Supply and the demand it’s all capitalism
People don’t sell crack cause they like to see blacks smoke
People sell crack cause they broke

In this example, the poet accuses the C.I.A. of flying drugs into the country, and again reiterates the point that it is a means of survival due to the supply and demand of a capitalist society.

In Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangster, the Geto Boys fully redefine the negative characteristic of drug distribution by accusing the President of being a drug dealer, and therefore, a gangster:

And now, a word from the President!
Damn it feels good to be a gangsta
Getting voted into the White House
Everything lookin good to the people of the world
But the Mafia family is my boss
So every now and then I owe a favor gettin’ down
Like lettin’ a big drug shipment through
And send ‘em to the poor community
So we can bust you know who

These examples show how hip-hop artists redefine the image of being drug dealers and users by again pointing to the majority class as the creator of the drug problem in this country.

Materialism
Hip-hop music is also seen by the majority class as a genre dominated by materialism. Again, artists point back to the majority class in an attempt to redefine this negative characteristic.

In Respiration, Black Star points to all the wealth surrounding urban areas, and how it absorbs the lower class in materialism, making them want parts of that wealth:

Where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips
For profits, thirsty criminals take pockets
Hard knuckles on the second hands of workin class watches
Skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living
Is preposterous, stay alive, you play or die, no options

Here, the poet talks about various materialistic aspects of the majority class, and how the lower class must play or die to stay alive.

In All Falls Down, Kanye West actually blames this materialism on American society:

It seems we living the American dream
But the people highest up got the lowest self esteem
The prettiest people do the ugliest things
For the road to riches and diamond rings

In this example, the poet blames the American dream for materialism, saying it causes people to do the ugliest things for riches and diamond rings.

In Los Angeles Times, Xzibit also blames this materialism on the majority class, claiming that is what the youth are taught coming up in urban environments:

Welcome to L.A.
Where you can see the whole city burning
Cause the cops got Uzis and the dealers keep serving
And your kids ain’t learning it, except this
Sex power and wealth, forget everything else

Here, the poet expresses his belief that certain aspects of materialism, including power and wealth are taught to children through occurrences in society.

These are examples how hip-hop artists redefine the negative characteristic of being materialistic by showing examples of how this materialism is prevalent in the majority class, and often created within that class.

Sex
And the final debated stereotype of the hip-hop social class is that they are sexually promiscuous, often leading to disrespectful treatment towards women. The poets also attempt to redefine this stereotype by blaming the core of the problem on society.

In Pussy Galore, the Roots claim that the countrys obsession with sex is pushed by sexually-driven marketing campaigns:

Lookin’ out the limo window up at the billboards
200 miles, she was the only thing I saw
Promotin’ everything, from the liquor to the nicotine
Cell phones, anti-histamines, chicken wings
You gotta show a little skin to get them listening
For real yo, the world is a sex machine

In this example, the poet retells a personal experience in which he saw sex advertisements as promotin everything. And in order to get them listening, he claims, you gotta show a little skin.

In Get By, Talib Kweli blames this sexual obsession on what we view on television:

The TV got us reachin for stars
Not the ones between Venus and Mars,
The ones that be readin for parts
Some people get breast enhancements and penis enlargers

Here, the poet expresses his belief that television creates a misconception of what people should be sexually, and that contributes to the promiscuity that is being blamed on the hip-hop movement.

Hip-hop artists have used their lyrics and poetry to influence the rejection and reconstruction of the gangster identity that plagues their social class. This is accomplished through the redefining of negative characteristics assigned by the majority class. In most cases, these redefinitions include pointing to the majority class as the real holders of these negative characteristics. The redefining of these gangster-like images through hip-hop lyrics helps to reconstruct the gangster identity by questioning gangster-like behaviors and which social class actually has these behaviors. So the question presented is: Who exactly are the gangsters?

Works Cited / Discography
2 Pac. 2Pacalypse Now. Jive Records, 1991.
Black Star. Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star. Rawkus Records, 1998.
Coates, Jennifer. Women, Men and Language. Longman Publishing, New York: 1993.
Dr. Dre. The Chronic 2001. Interscope Records, 1999.
Eminem. The Marshall Mathers LP. Interscope Records, 2000.
Geto Boys. Uncut Dope LP. Interscope Records, 1999.
Haugen, Jason. Unladylike Divas: Language, Gender and Female Gangster Rappers. Popular Music and Society: December, 2003.
Jay Z. The Black Album. Def Jam, 2003.
Kanye West. College Dropout. Roc-A-Fella Records, 2004.
Nas. I Am. Sony Records, 1999.
Rakim. Dont Sweat the Technique. MCA Records, 1992.
Rawkus Records. Lyricist Lounge Volume 1. Priority Records, 1999.
Slaughter, Peter. Attack on Rap Music. Barutiwa Weekly News. June 14, 1997.
Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek. Train of Thought. Rawkus Records, 2000.
Talib Kweli. Quality. Rawkus Records, 2003.
The Roots. Phrenology. MCA Records, 2002.
Whaley, Angela. Hip Hop is Not for Sale. Colorado State Universitys Talking Back: Volume 3, Issue 1.
Xzibit. 40 Days and 40 Nights. Loud Records, 1998.

Nathaniel Long is the creator and editor of Hip Hop Linguistics, a website dedicated to studying, interpreting and understanding hip-hop music, language, philosophy and culture. You can read more articles and reviews at http://www.hiphoplinguistics.com.

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