How the Electric Guitar Changed Music

In days gone by the guitar was a quiet, well behaved little instrument. In the nineteen thirties in America, you could barely here it in swing bands trying not to be drowned out by drums and horns. Sadly, it was fighting a losing battle. The guitar in acoustic form simply lacked the design dynamics to make it an instrument that was loud enough to be prominent in a full band situation.

All this was to change in Los Angeles, where it is said that George Beauchamp invented the first crude electric guitar. Hawaiian music, which he performed, is credited as the inspiration for the electric guitar. This is due to the fact that in Hawaiian music, the guitar is primarily responsible for melody. The sound of this humble instrument needed to be amplified.

The first electric guitar, as with most groundbreaking innovations, was met with some criticism. It quickly became apparent however that a new domain was created that allowed for guitarists to express their own unique abilities and style. The selling point of those early, crude guitars was simple... volume. Guitarist were now empowered to choose creative melodic lines as opposed to only strumming rhythm. Suddenly music was heard that showcased a new featured voice. The guitar was no longer satisfied with its obscure place in the band.

The design of the guitar was forced to evolve over time. The hollow sound chamber was prone to feedback. With the invention of guitar pickups, the next natural step in the electric guitars evolutionary process was the creation of the solid body electric. The progression was swift. The first mass produced solid body electric (the Telecaster) was birthed in 1950, courtesy of Leo Fender. It was called the broadcaster at first, but the company was forced to change the name because it was already in use by another. The popular Les Paul appeared in 1952 due to a collaboration between the Gibson company and guitarist, Les Paul. In 1954, Fender introduced the legendary Stratocaster, and the rest as they say...was history. These instruments started finding their way into the hands skillful artists who would amaze the world with their technical proficiency. The age of the guitar hero and the mind-blowing guitar solo had dawned.

The emergence of players like Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Van Halen would revolutionise the world of music forever. These and other iconic guitarists would inspire generations of young musicians who would change the face of popular music as they themselves had done. With electric guitars being affordable and easily accessible, most every boy (or girl) could mimic the techniques of their idols and propel this musical revolution into the future. The electric guitar had burst onto the scene, and it was clear that it would not be leaving any time soon.

Tracey Roper is a freelance writer and webmaster. Find out more about DVD duplication and custom band merchandise.

The Early History of Broadway Musicals

Broadway as a symbol

Broadway is the street in New York that has come to symbolize live theater entertainment and musicals throughout the world. Today the area, known to tourists and theater-goers, stretches from W.41st Street, where the Netherlander Theater is located, up to W. 53rd Street's Broadway Theater. Only four theaters are located physically on Broadway, the Marquis at 46th Street, the Palace at 47th Street, the Winter Garden at 50th Street and the Broadway at 53rd. All the other legitimate houses are located east or west of this twelve block stretch.

Broadway Stars.

By the 1830's America was exporting stars to Europe. The first notable American actor to make a successful tour was Edwin Forrest, who at nineteen, had played Iago to Edmond Kean's Othello. Forrest's second tour of Great Britain, in the following decade didn't fare as well. He was hissed off stage. Though the disruption of his tour was a personal feud with a British actor, its results were well publicized in the American Press and his return to the American stage was received with populist fervor. This "personal feud" became an international incident and demonstration of class struggle in 1849, when the British actor in question was scheduled to perform at the Astor Place Opera House in New York. A riot ensued on the night of May 10th which was put down with troops and cannon.

Broadways first marquis.

In 1891, the first electric marquis was lit on Broadway. The theater was on Madison Square at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue at W. 23rd Street. The Flatiron Building now occupies the site. By midway through the following decade, the street blazed with electric signs as each theater announced its shows and stars in white lights. By the turn of the 20th Century the street had an entirely different look, with as many as sixteen theaters on Broadway itself and many others located on the side streets or other avenues. Broadway was much more than a mere twelve blocks. It started at 13th Street and wound its way a mile and a half up the Avenue to 45th Street, ending in the heart of Long acre Square. This first decade of the century also saw the construction of many theaters, most notably the New Amsterdam on 42nd Street in 1903, along with four others in that same year, that are still standing today.

Our Broadway.

The first decade of the 20th Century was both boring and transformational in the history of our Broadway Musicals. The seeds of that transformation go back to 1882, and the construction of The Madison Square Theater at 24th Street. The Mallory's, who had built the theater, had employed a young actor-manager from San Francisco along with two brothers from the lower Eastside to help manage the theater. David Belasco, who had the distinction of appearing on stage with another unknown child, Maude Adams, in San Francisco in 1877, was soon to become a playwright, theater owner and builder. The two brothers from the lower Eastside were, of course, Charles and Daniel Frohman. The first sign of the transformation occurred when producer Rudolf Aronson decided to build a theatre of his own. At the time, theatres were concentrated between Union Square and 24th Street.

Much more information about Broadway Musicals on this website. See for yourself.

New Music, New Rap Style: Meet PonyPak

With ten years of street battles and night club gigs behind him, Chicago rapper and hip-hop artist PonyPak is now a veteran in his field. His new CD release, Words Are Power: Volume 1, is trailblazing a unique style of Rap music

PonyPak started DJ-ing and mixing house music tapes when he was in the eighth grade. That early start helped him develop a style that is pure PonyPak: thought-provoking, non-violent and perceptive lyrics set to the hottest beats coming out of Chi-Town. Fans won't find any profanity in PonyPak's words. It is not his style. Urban Intelligence is the message he wants to convey to his large following, both young and old. A recent Channel 19 Access performance in Chicago attracted a record number of viewers ranging from college students to 30-somethnig professionals.

The 12 original tracks that make up Words Are Power: Volume 1 are filled with raw honesty sheathed in hope. The opening track, This is Chicago, pays homage to PonyPak's hometown and its deep-rooted people. By calling out street names and neighborhoods and using slang like "land of the ballers and champagne callers," he gives a nod to the local scene. The use of 'mafia sound' and Spanish guitar is also a tribute to Chi's rich history and diversity.

Slang-A-Ball is a fact- based, slamming urban narrative about growing up in the shadow of hustling - the lure of selling dope tempered by knowing the consequences. Meanwhile, Mack Please fuses classic jazz with today's sound. The cut features different tracks; each blended with a verbal back scratch. The jazz version offers a mellow vibe against a smooth rap while the second half starts with a verbal back scratch that leads to the iconic "diamond in the back, sun roof top, digging the scene with a gangster lean" vibe.

On Don't Hurt 'Em, PonyPak puts the bass in your face, replicating a heavy car thumping beat with 'electronika' toys in the background. They are paired with cocksure lyrics like as "My verbal neurotoxins destroy your body language, and rip apart paragraphs with lyrical anguish." At the other end of the spectrum, Splash proves a showcase for deep house music from the underground sounds of Chicago, featuring urban rhyming with syncopated sounds of old school.

The Real Mc Coy has a deep soul R&B sound merged with deep blues and a rap style that is smooth and engaging. On Splash II Remix, a thumping dance track merges with hot urban rhyming lyrics and metaphorical language and takes house music to another level with a cool motif synthesizer and an organic keyboard dance sound.

Headz Up spotlights PonyPak as MC producer with a rock-influenced lead guitar and heavy drum dynamics with an A Capella ending that adds to the song's uniqueness. Self-Control takes the listener deep into PonyPak's philosophical lyrics heard over a west coast R&B sound. Meanwhile, Mack 2 swings the mood to a Latin reggae dance vibe while Eternity maintains that reggae vibe using a cool flow and a fine use of rhyme and alliteration with a killer baseline.

No More offers thought provoking words about the war in Iraq and the anguish of the American people, particularly the wives, husbands, parents and children of dead soldiers. PonyPak parallels the war with the violence, death, injustice and inequality in America ("Killings,killings,killings troops and civilians" and "One billion dollars to rebuild another place"). It is perhaps the most powerful track of the album. The final cut, fittingly emphasizes the CD's title and message: "Words Are Power."

PonyPak is both humbled by and grateful for the opportunity to have his music heard and his message spread. His goal is to be part of the world's music community that comes together to make music about love, hope, compassion and respect for human life. "There is a lot of pain and suffering in the world," he comments. "Music can take people to another level of conscious existence." He is adamant about his duty as an artist as reflected in his four-point manifesto:

1. PonyPak is about love, peace, and happiness.
2. The measure of a man is how God sees him.
3. Words are power. Be careful of what you say.
4. There's life and death in the power of the tongue

For more information, contact:

PonyPak @aol.com

Discover New Music at Summer Festivals

The summer season is synonymous with festivals for many music lovers, who could find themselves spoiled for choice with the quality and quantity of sonic events taking place in fields and arenas across Europe over the next few months.

While some of the most well-known events such as Glastonbury can always be expected to sell out far in advance, there are plenty of other options that are every bit as exhilarating for fans of all genres. From loud rock festivals to event mixing music with other mediums, the festival calendar of 2010 has something to satisfy even the most discerning music connoisseur.

You don't always have to travel far to hear eclectic sounds from other cultures, with events such as Tempo Latino bringing the best of South American salsa to France in July. With world class performers and classes for enthusiasts of all ages, this is one of many events that aims to raise awareness of traditional musical styles that are still going strong today - even if you wouldn't know it from looking at the charts.

On the subject of traditional music, classical music lovers can look beyond the BBC's Last Night of the Proms to find excellent orchestral performances in some of Europe's most majestic locations, including the St Magnus Festival on the Scottish island of Orkney, which is also a chance for new talent to shine. Folk lovers will be similarly blessed with opportunities to hear the music they enjoy, from the Cambridge Folk Festival to the lesser-known World Fleadh, celebrating the best of traditional Irish music in August.

Keeping the controversial spirit of rock alive, one festival that has been generating more headlines for its supposed blasphemy than its bands is France's annual Hellfest. Being dropped by its sponsors last year after protests from religious groups, and being publicly condemned by French president nominee Philippe de Villiers prior to elections earlier this year, in truth the festival is just another great opportunity for rock and metal fans to see some of the world's loudest bands if they still weren't satiated after Download and other European metal festivals.

Music festivals are a great way to experience music, and to discover new songs that could be playing on your MP3 player for the foreseeable future. Heading out to see the latest music in person and downloading it from a subscription service will help the industry to flourish.

Learn more about discovering new songs and music online. Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Passion of Indie Music - The New Way of Independent Musicians

With the advent of internet technology, there are many changes in several industries. There are many indie musicians are on the knife edge of changes in the music industry, the first to benefit and the first to get cut. Over the last, musicians have struggled to get paid fairly and seen great venues close down. And of course the recording industry continues to decline, with annual revenues dropping 4.5 billions from 1999 to 2008. On the other hand, bands now have the means to develop an audience or release a record without corporate control. A storm of promotion, distribution and communication tools are available to them, many of which were unimaginable 15-year age. Last, musicians and fans alike enjoy at your fingertip access to practically every recording that exists on the planet.

Putting musicians aside for a moment, clearly certain corporations have benefited in the last decade. Most of the music companies make money serious money off music players like the iPod. The changes in media consolidation rules allowed every channel to strengthen its hold on commercial radio to dominate the live music business. Even some of the major record companies are recovering somewhat, by pushing and slowing adoption online strategies that have already proven as successful for Indie musicians.

However, as a result, it is not clear whether musicians themselves will be able to improve on their previous, already precarious, position. Many talented, hard working indie artists are finding it harder than ever to make a living. All the time and financial costs of band development, booking, promotion, fan outreach and recording are taken on by the Indie Musicians.

If you are making significant money from recording is difficult and revenue from touring is down, where does that leave working musicians? Finally, there are some well established and experienced websites in internet are providing indie music from the best professional musicians to their clients. For more information and details, please do not hesitate to visit their valuable website.

Erald Walker is the publisher and editor of musicjuice website, this site provides all information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development.If you want to know the best music services like Indie, Best indie rock songs, passion of indie music, Musicians, Bands, looking for professional musicians, Bands, Professional local music bands and Indie rock bands. Please visit our website.

The New Nokia Touch Screen Phone - Nokia 5530 XpressMusic

The technological improvements in the sector of mobile phone industry have brought a major change in the functions and types of phones used nowadays. Earlier the phones were used only as a medium for communication but now there are music phones, business phones, multimedia phone and many others which cater to the needs of specific sectors and groups of society.

Among various mobile companies Nokia has created a special place for itself with its wide variety and high quality of mobile phones. Nokia has introduced various mobiles phones with some special features from time to time. The latest addition by the company is the 5530 XpressMusic phone which is a mass market music phone with exciting no physical keys feature.

Display and physical dimensions:
The Nokia 5530 is a smart and sleek phone with physical dimension of 104 X 49 X 13 mm with weight of only 107g. You can comfortably carry this 5530 in your purse and pocket. This stainless steel finish phone has no physical keys which makes it look even more stylish and stunning. It has 2.9 inches of TFT resistive touch screen with resolution of 360 X 640 pixels. Its onboard accelerometer automatically orients the display as per your holding position. The phone is available in 5 different colors which gives a wide choice to the users.

Great music experience:
Nokia 5530 is introduced on the success of the famous Nokia 5800 express music. For music lovers this phone is a real treat as it has 27 hours of music playback time and memory of 4GB where you can store all your favorite tracks. The excellent music player of the phone supports multiple audio formats including MP3, WMA, WAV, M4A and others. It also has pop up media bar for photos, videos and music. Online sharing applications like Flickers, Ovi share and VOX can be easily accessed through this phone so that you can share your stuff with your loved ones. The 3.5 mm of audio port in the phone is interestingly positioned at the bottom.

Other multimedia features:
Besides wonderful music player the phone has wide array of other multimedia features as well. It has camera of 3.15MP with resolution of 2048 X 1536 pixels. Other features that enhance the quality of image include auto focus and LED Flash. Besides capturing your precious moments in still images the camera of the phone is also capable of video recording at the speed of 15fps.For enhancing your entertainment level there are preloaded games in the phone and if you want you can even download the ones of your choice.

Besides great music and multimedia features, the list of the functional features in the phone is almost endless. It has an innovative feature of people carousal where thumbnail images your 20 friends can be accessed along with their communication history like phone calls, emails, pictures and others. The connectivity and network feature are also good and has facility for Bluetooth and USB as well.
In short, if you want a phone with special music functions along with other functional features then Nokia 5530 is an ideal choice.

The Nokia 5530 and joins the recently launched Nokia E55 from the manufacturers product portfolio for 2009, for further details please refer to our website - Phones Limited.

Writing A Music Business Plan For Your Business Growth

For those interested in the music business, few things are as exciting or as challenging as opening their own music business. There are many facets to the music business, from acting as agent to the hot new music group to running a successful outlet selling new and used musical instruments.

==The Music Industry==

The music industry offers some unique challenges and some great opportunities, and the savvy businessperson can take advantage of those challenges and opportunities to create a thriving business even in the most difficult of climates.

Before opening the doors of your great music store, or taking the new band to the top, however, it will be necessary to create a solid business plan in order to attract financing, partners and investors.

No businessperson will invest in a new music business without a thorough understanding of that business's prospects for success. A business plan is a way to communicate the goals of the business and to quantify its financial needs and prospects.

== What Should You Include In Your Business plan ==

Many new business owners are unsure how to write a business plan, or what that business plan should include. Every business plan will be different, and the business plan for a new music business may look quite different from that of a new accounting business.

That having been said, however, there are certain elements that all business plans have in common, and certain things that they all must include.

Some of the required elements of every business plan include:

What the business does. Any potential investors will of course want to have a thorough understanding of the purpose of the business, and, most importantly, how it plans to make a profit.

The mission statement of the business, a mission statement is most commonly a simple one page document which details the purpose of the business and the business philosophy of its owners and management.

Information on the experience and qualifications of the management team, this is one of the most important parts of any business plan, and it is particularly important for those opening a business in the music industry.

The management team is a key to the success of any business, and it is important that the team be able to guide the business to profitability.

== The Challenges Facing The Music Industry In General==

A discussion of the challenges facing the music industry in general and the business in particular; it is important that the business plan include a discussion of the ever changing nature of the music industry, both the challenges created and the opportunities provided.

It is important to detail how the nature of the music industry will affect the prospects of the company as well.

Starting a music business is not easy, and it will require perseverance, hard work and of course long hours and substantial capital investment. The rewards of a successful music business are great, however, and well worth the risk and the time invested.

Shaunta Pleasant is a professional web writer and editor on business plan topics. Visit my site to learn more about writing a business plan a http://www.business-plan-made-easy.com

Is Nokia X3 As the New Xpressmusic Generation the Best Music Phone?

With the presence of Nokia X3, the manufacturer has turned over their music phone (XpressMusic) that was well known and successful until recently. Designed with the slider sport, X3 is featured with 3.2 megapixel camera and 2.2 inch screen. It allows you to still takes snaps and impressive video clips, upload and share them to your social network like Facebook and Flickr.

With 2.2 inch display and 240x320 pixel, the Nokia X3 provides not too sharp images that look warn out and thin especially under the direct sunlight. However, you can still easily read on the monochromic screen.

If you take a look at this phone closely, you immediately notice that it is an XpressMusic successor with the change and additional features. You will find built in radio with RDS, stereo speakers, bluetooth or standard 3.5 mm headphone jack a long with dedicated music button, micro USB port and the one for Nokia's previous generation chargers.

When the phone is slide out, you will experience the soft keypad that is enjoyable to use and clearly felt when pressed. You may think that it was made of metal but actually it was made of plastic. You will know soon after touching the keys.

Finally, with this price, Nokia X3 is designed for the middle end users especially for the music lovers who want to spend their money especially for music mobile phone. Therefore, the enhanced features like on the smartphone of course, are not available. Yes, it is of course equal with the price you spend.

Zammax is an electronic product reviewer, especially for New Mobile Phones. You can find more insights and groundbreaking review of any types of mobile phones and basic guide before you buy them including Nokia X3.

Nokia X2 - The Musical Experience

Nokia X2 is the new music phone released by the Nokia, a leading mobile manufacturing company. This is a budget music phone and is the cheaper version of Nokia X6.

The X2 is aimed at music lovers and comes in a candy-bar shape. The phone features dedicated hardware buttons for music playback down the slim phone's edge. Powered with Bluetooth 2.1 to support wireless music enjoyment, the phone offers a 3.5mm headphone jack for die-hard music fans. Equipped with full speed USB 2.0 to make music transfer quick and easy, Nokia X2 provides a real musical experience to the users. Users can also manage their music via the Ovi Player PC client or Windows Media Player 11.

The Nokia X2 handset has no 3G connection and is empowered with a 5 megapixel camera, a video recorder and a 2.2-inch QVGA screen. Other key features of Nokia X2 include dual speakers, dedicated music keys, FM stereo and support for up to 16GB of storage via microSD card. It uses a lithium ion battery which provides upto 13.5 hours of talk time and 26 hours standby time.

The 13mm thin handset, weighing just 81g, Nokia X2 is ideal for the socially active people since it provides direct access to social networking sites such as Facebook from the homescreen. The Nokia X2 phones come preloaded with Nokia Messaging for email and Instant Messaging features.

Nokia X2 phone uses Series 40 software that helps run various applications such as Flickr, two converters, a world clock, and share on Ovi.

The Nokia X2 is a highly desirable phone for all music freaks who do not want to spend much on their mobile handsets. To make these phones more affordable, a wide range of phone deals are being offered by mobile phone retailers. These offers are available on all major networks such as O2, Vodafone, Orange, T mobile, Virgin and Three. The phone can be purchased along with pay monthly contract deals or cheap Nokia X2 pay as you go offers. Mostly these deals come along with various free gifts and incentives.

You can find all the latest and best mobile phone deals on Nokia X2 at online phone shops. You can compare all the details of the offers available. With online phone shops, it has become easier to compare features and specifications of different mobile phones. You just have to log on to these portals to find your dream handset in quickest way.

Visit site to get latest mobile phone deals including Nokia X6 deals

The New iPod Nano With Video Camera, Voice Recorder and Pedometer

The new fifth generation iPod nano is an electronics marvel! It packs so many powerful things is such an incredibly small and slick body that it is unbelievable.

All these years I shied away from acquiring an iPod for the simple reason that it may take up so much of my time that my writing and other interests may suffer for want of time. But when I read that the new iPod nano could record and play video clips besides recording voice and music, I sort of began looking at it more inquisitively. I began to read its specifications and its features. When I found that it had world clock which could show me the time in 4 cities around the Globe at the same time, stopwatch, alarms, calendar, memo notes, contacts and games it perked up my ears. But the final feature which broke my resistance was that it worked as a pedometer as well! That did it! I fell for it and bought it promptly.

But it was my first iPod and first Apple device at that. I had no clue how to work it. I read the skimpy instruction booklet which was made for persons well acquainted with Apple devices and not for a first timer like me. When I switched on the device, I could not run up and down the menu as I tried in vain to press the arrow keys which I was used to on TV remote. I was frustrated beyond words. After an hour or so I discovered the secret of scrolling up and down the menu just by an accident. You have to brush your finger in a circular motion around the wheel! Clockwise to go down and anticlockwise to go up the menu! Eureka! I felt elated. The button at the top of the iPod which I presumed was the ON-OFF button did no such thing. It was a sliding switch to reset the iPod in the unlikely event when it did hang and stopped working. Soon I became an expert. Press menu to go back one screen at a time, and draw ring with the thumb on the wheel to select the menu and press the central button to move to the next screen.

I downloaded and installed iTunes on my computer. The program pulled out the music on my hard disc and converted it for the iPod. I connected the iPod and it soon finished syncing with the iTunes. Although iTunes did pick up 2 .mov movie clips from my desk and put them on the iTunes screen they did not sync with the iPod and a message showed up that it was not a format which could be played on the iPod nano. Similarly I found that movies which I had shot using my Panasonic camera could not be synced onto the iPod. You need to convert movies to MP4 format to load on to the iPod. Later I searched the net and downloaded the software to convert movies for iPod. You can find it at www.e-zsoft.com. However the movies which I shot with the iPod could be downloaded on my computer and they did play well. The iPod camera is pretty good at taking movie clips, though the position of the lens is something one has to get used to.

I was not expecting the iPod to play the music without plugging in the earphones, and was pleasantly surprised when it did. The sound is good quality but the volume is barely audible through my shirt pocket. But you could hold the back of the iPod to your ear and enjoy the music properly without the earphones. The feature is welcome when listening to voice notes. With the earphones, the quality of the sound is excellent.

I was pleased to see that the audio out socket is a full sized one (3.5 mm) and not a mini. I could plug in my music system in and play the iPod music. It sounded great! However I did not get any success playing the video clip through the AV cable which I bought separately. It did not show up on my Panasonic home theater projector. I took it back to the shop who tried it and said that although its black carton says iPod nano, it doesn't seem to work on the newest version. He would give it me as and when he received the new AV cable compatible with the new Nano. But this is undoubtedly a blotch on Apple, Inc. Why do they not make the accessories common to all? It just adds to inventory, makes the older accessories obsolete and adds to the costs.

I switched on the iPod pedometer put it in my right-side trouser pocket and walked in my garden and began counting the steps. I stopped after a couple of rounds when I had counted 485 steps and looked at the iPod. It had recorded 487 steps! The pedometer actually works. I then held it in my hand trying to keep it as steady as possible as I walked watching the screen. The iPod faithfully recorded my every step. I wonder how Apple did this gimmick as I do not know of any pedometer which can do that.

I plugged in the iPod in my inMotion im5 Altech speaker dock and it played some wonderful music. But the radio did not work on the dock. I put in the earphones and the radio worked. It probably uses the earphone wires as some kind of an aerial. I then tried it out plugging the iPod in the speaker through the aux. input with a cord which could serve as an aerial, but the radio still did not work.

I then plugged in my iTrip FM transmitter onto the iPod and set the frequency at 100 MH. This worked well when my radio was switched on to the same frequency. I switched on the FM radio in my car and played from the iPod Louis Armstrong's 'When the Saints go Marching By' as a salute to Apple Inc. for the iPod marvel.

On the whole I am happy that I bought the iPod Nano. It will be my companion in my pocket wherever I go. I have shed my fear and the little aversion I had for the Apple product. Kudos to Apple Inc. for coming up with a fantastic practical and useful product for beyond the music-lover consumers!

Dilip Dahanukar is an IIT Powai alumnus. He is an experienced author having written 2 science fiction books 'eMaya' and 'Alien Man' which are available on Amazon and Borders. He has written articles on the net, which are widely read. Married to an artist, he is an avid gardener and enjoys nature. Visit the webpage of the author: Dilip Dahanukar.