Music And World: history

History of Harp

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Harp</h2>
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Introduction</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUuRxCDLLP3EeYmoH_lQ2kXGBg9m4aNratirvpKpkNHoVc46NgHXYlwuHQygEpxsW1RX-lD4DuUN5GYGK7-i_GDrZGXb9b3UXN5gDqnD6krfhW2NqAEljVTWdr38dGGo0N1K_SNZI8nAl/s1600/harp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUuRxCDLLP3EeYmoH_lQ2kXGBg9m4aNratirvpKpkNHoVc46NgHXYlwuHQygEpxsW1RX-lD4DuUN5GYGK7-i_GDrZGXb9b3UXN5gDqnD6krfhW2NqAEljVTWdr38dGGo0N1K_SNZI8nAl/s320/harp.jpg" width="250" /></a>The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. The earliest harps were developed from the hunting bow. The wall paintings of ancient Egyptian tombs dating from as early as 3000 B.C. show an instrument that closely resembles the hunter's bow, without the pillar that we find in modern harps.</div>
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The angled harp came to Egypt from Asia in about 1500 B.C. It was built from a hollow sound-box joined to a straight string-arm at an angle. The strings, possibly made of hair or plant fibre, were attached to the sound-box at one end and tied to the string-arm at the other. The strings were tuned by rotating the knots that held them.</div>
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During the Middle Ages the pillar was added to support the tension of extra strings. Stiffer string materials like copper and brass were used and these changes enabled the instrument to produce greater volume and a longer-sustaining tone. Paintings of these harps appear in many early manuscripts and their shapes hardly differ from those of the Celtic harps that are still played today.</div>
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As the early harps had no mechanical devices for providing the player with different keys, harpists found it necessary to retune those strings they required for each piece. Eventually, in the latter half of the seventeenth century a row of metal hooks was placed along the left side of the harp. When the player manually turned a hook against an individual string, the string's pitch was raised a half step. Modern non-pedal harps are built with greatly advanced sharping levers installed for each string which produce a very good tonal quality when engaged. Levers are generally moved with the left hand and skilled players can achieve changes very quickly.</div>
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The earliest known depiction of a frame harp in the British Isles is on an eighth century stone cross. Music was an important part of life in ancient Ireland and the harp was an aristocratic instrument, played in the courts of kings and before the chiefs of clans. Harpers were required to be able to evoke three different emotions in their audience by their music: Laughter, tears and sleep. With the Anglicisation of the Irish nobility, the traditional harpers became minstrels and street musicians reciting poetry and singing folk songs to the accompaniment of their harps.</div>
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Sometime before 1720 a mechanism was developed in order to meet the growing demands from harpists for an instrument that was capable of a broader range of pitch. Seven pedals built into the base of the harp could raise the pitch by half a step. For instance, if the harp were tuned to C-flat, then depressing the pedal would raise the C strings to C-natural. The single action harp was born.</div>
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The pedals were connected to metal rods, which passed through the forepillar to the top where the chromatic action was housed inside the curved neck. The action pulled the string onto a fret by means of an adjustable crochet, or hook mechanism which, when engaged, shortened the length of the string and raised the pitch one half step. When tuned in the key of E-flat, the instrument could be played in eight major keys and five minor keys.</div>
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Types of Harp</h3>
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The single action harp achieved great popularity throughout the rest of the 18th century as was evidenced in the French Court by Marie Antoinette; perhaps, the most famous player of this instrument. The harps of this period were magnificently decorated with relief carving, lavishly gilded and hand painted. Besides being musical instruments they were undoubtedly prized as object d'art when displayed in the gilded salons of the era.</div>
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As music evolved it was also necessary for the harp, if it was to maintain its popularity, to move with the times. Instead of only being limited to eight major keys and five minor keys, it had become vitally important for the harp to be able to played in all keys. As a result of this need, Sebastian Erard obtained a patent in 1810 for the Double Action pedal harp.</div>
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Erard redesigned the single action mechanism, replacing the crochets with two rotating pronged discs. The strings, now each equipped with two discs, were able to produce a flat, natural and a sharp depending on the position of the corresponding pedal, allowing the harpist to play in every key.</div>
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This ingenious invention revolutionized the harp and is still in use today. The harp has since continued to evolve and has had many significant improvements made to it over the past two centuries. In the late 1800's Lyon and Healy, a Chicago based company which is still building harps today, began building harps in America with greatly strengthened frames and many important improvements to Erard's double action mechanism.</div>
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Due to the continued popularity of the harp into the 20th century, many other harp makers arrived on the scene each bringing their own improvements and inventions without which the instrument would not have been able to maintain its foothold in modern society. In America, besides Lyon and Healy, some other pedal harp makers include Wurlitzer, Venus and Swanson. Some additional makers in Europe include Salvi, Camac, Horngacher, David and Thurau as well as Aoyama in Japan.</div>
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The 21st century holds great promise for continued popularity of the harp as is evidenced by the myriad festivals, conventions, societies, harp builders, music, performances and career opportunities available to harpists.</div>
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From Medieval to Modern, from Classical to Jazz, from Acoustic to Electric. The harp is an instrument steeped in tradition yet open to change and for many it is more than a mere instrument, it is a calling.</div>
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source:<a href="http://www.internationalharpmuseum.org/visit/history.html" target="_blank">internationalharpmuseum.org</a></div>

History of Harp

Harp Introduction The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. The earliest harps were developed from the hunting bo...

The History of Marimba

Eugene 0 history 7:23 PM

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The History of Marimba<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyzG58S0kzd671BH0atNU5f6YaQJ9bJQMx3Wa07AO_cxs4bv8LqVB2y2fKJQqCDNPS5Ubq-lanHjhuruhc-3Vy02XqiItEE1NPVbWZslB5ZnjhJmv8viF_FCY-kodFqtSApMMb88sk8vD/s1600/marimba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyzG58S0kzd671BH0atNU5f6YaQJ9bJQMx3Wa07AO_cxs4bv8LqVB2y2fKJQqCDNPS5Ubq-lanHjhuruhc-3Vy02XqiItEE1NPVbWZslB5ZnjhJmv8viF_FCY-kodFqtSApMMb88sk8vD/s320/marimba.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Introduction</h3>
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The Marimba in its simplest form originated among primitive men long</div>
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ago. It was one of the earliest melodic instruments made by man and references</div>
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suggest it was widespread throughout Asia and Africa. Though many countries</div>
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claim it to have originated in their country there is no evidence to prove the exact</div>
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location of its first arrival.</div>
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The instrument is known by various names and has different physical</div>
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characteristics depending upon the country or region it comes from. To better</div>
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understand its development throughout history, we must look at the people and</div>
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cultures that have made it part of their tradition.</div>
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The origin of the marimba is uncertain; some believe that it had originated in</div>
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Southeast Asia in the 14th Century, and others that it came from Africa. The</div>
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instrument was brought to South America in the early 16th Century by either</div>
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African slaves or by pre-Columbian African contact.</div>
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The marimba is an idiophone that is sounded by striking wooden bars with a</div>
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mallet. Its name is derived from Bantú, a language in which rimba suggests a</div>
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"flattish object sticking out" such as a note or key, and ma is a cumulative prefix;</div>
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thus, marimba is equivalent to many keys.5</div>
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In Guatemala, the word marimba means “the wood that sings” </div>
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This too is a type</div>
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of xylophone with resonators underneath the different-sized wooden keys which</div>
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are struck with mallets.</div>
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According to Nadel </div>
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, the name marimba signifies the gourd xylophone of Africa.</div>
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The gourd is used as a resonator creating longer tones. There are territories</div>
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where unresonated xylophones are also called marimbas and the name</div>
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“marimba” can be applied to instruments of the sana type (mbira). </div>
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The word is also related to a number of words in Bantu languages, all referring</div>
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either to a xylophone or to some other musical instrument, such as one of the</div>
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various types of lamellophone, or mbira. In the Bantu language, the words</div>
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marimba, mbira, or even likembe are all considered variants of a common word</div>
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root. Among the various names for xylophone in Bantu speaking African region</div>
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one finds, besides the marimba, silimba or sirimba, timbila, andamadimba, or</div>
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madimba.</div>
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 It is not possible to say precisely from which African xylophone type or from</div>
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which region of Africa the Mexican/Central American marimba may have</div>
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originated, the linguistic evidence suggests that the name marimba is of African,</div>
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specifically Bantu, origin is conclusive. It should also be noted that names for the</div>
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xylophone that sound like marimba are more common in Central, East, and</div>
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South Africa than in West Africa.</div>
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Since large numbers of Africans were brought as a labor force to Central</div>
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America, parts of Mexico and the Pacific Coast. These slaves formed along with</div>
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the Indians, the basic labor force of the coastal areas of Central America. It is</div>
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possible and most likely that in some coastal area the idea, form, and structure of</div>
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the African marimba was transmitted to the Indians of the region.</div>
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It is clear that</div>
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the instrument spread effectively among the Indians of the entire region of</div>
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Central America to Guatemala and Chiapas, with its greatest development</div>
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probably occurring in Guatemala. However, since it is impossible to know</div>
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precisely from which region of Africa the marimba came to America, or precisely</div>
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to which region of America it was first introduced, it is also impossible to have</div>
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any idea of how the first marimba music of America might have been played and</div>
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whether any African musical influences might have been transferred along with</div>
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the instrument itself. Although there are a number of regions on the coast of</div>
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Central America where the marimba might have been introduced from Africa, one</div>
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possibility might have been Guanacaste, a long coastal area in the northwest</div>
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region of Costa Rica that extends along the southwestern region of neighboring</div>
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Nicaragua, the area around the city of Masaya.</div>
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There is historical evidence of the existence of African slaves as part of the labor</div>
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force in this region and perhaps more important, marimbas with calabash </div>
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resonators and the strip of wood used as a brace or handle are still to be found</div>
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extensively throughout this region. Although the existence of this evidence for</div>
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Masaya and Guanacaste does not rule out the possibility of the introduction of</div>
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the marimba at some point of coastal Central America, the area of Nicaragua and</div>
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Costa Rica does represent a distinct possibility. From such a potential point of</div>
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contact the African marimba might have been passed along from one Indian</div>
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group to another until it finally reached the highlands of Guatemala. What is</div>
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important to note is the fact that the marimbas played in the highlands of</div>
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Guatemala, as well as those found in southwestern Nicaragua and northwestern</div>
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Costa Rica, “still have today the strongest structural similarities to the African</div>
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xylophones”. </div>
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Origin</div>
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 The original wooden instrument had a leg comprised of one, two or three</div>
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rough slabs of wood, disconnected and of different pitch’s.</div>
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The wood was laid</div>
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across the legs of a musician seated on the ground. The strip (leg) of wood often</div>
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comes from a long straight branch of a tree and serves a number of functions. It</div>
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can form a brace for the instrument, with the strip of wood placed on a stump of</div>
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wood and the player sitting on both while hooking his legs inside the strip and</div>
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thereby balancing and stabilizing the instrument as he plays.</div>
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The strip of wood</div>
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can also be used to hold the instrument from the waist when it is played from a</div>
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standing position or serve as a convenient handle when carrying the instrument.</div>
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The early marimbas were made of wooden bars or keys, with resonating gourds</div>
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suspended below. Each gourd was individually tuned to the primary pitch of its</div>
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corresponding key. The gourd was interiorly fitted with a mirliton or natural</div>
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membrane (tripa de puerco) which created the buzzing or reverberating sound</div>
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for which the marimba is known. These traditional marimbas are still made in</div>
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rural villages, mainly in Africa, Guatemala and Mexico.</div>
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 The sound of the early instrument varies depending upon where it was made</div>
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as the materials that make the resonated sound are of different sizes and</div>
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composition. The pitch of the wooden bars is governed by several factors. Firstly,</div>
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the material (type of wood), its length, width and dept all determine the timbre of</div>
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the instrument. For example, if a wooden bar is thinned (sanded down) in the</div>
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center in the shape of an arch, the pitch will become lower. The more wood that</div>
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is filed away from the middle of the bar, the lower the pitch will be. There are no </div>
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tuning systems across cultural borders. Each system is designed by its creator</div>
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and most are determined by the region they come from but over all, the</div>
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instrument design and keys are similar in many countries. </div>
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source:<a href="http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=clmusic_facpub" target="_blank">engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu</a></div>

The History of Marimba

The History of Marimba Introduction The Marimba in its simplest form originated among primitive men long ago. It was one of the ear...

Brief History of Drums

Eugene 0 history 7:19 PM

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A Brief History of Drums</h2>
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Introduction</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUD1m3Kbtop_idW_yzu85AYw9pvN4SVT3siud371f3JJspW2I056Ae8QA0Dt46X-GgI0TNLNbbb6IyIbPibV60X-1glgrR1rUyPIMM7qwMy9dxItbJrRT0NHnqzYP7avaJUHOfV6rzw5NO/s1600/drum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUD1m3Kbtop_idW_yzu85AYw9pvN4SVT3siud371f3JJspW2I056Ae8QA0Dt46X-GgI0TNLNbbb6IyIbPibV60X-1glgrR1rUyPIMM7qwMy9dxItbJrRT0NHnqzYP7avaJUHOfV6rzw5NO/s320/drum.jpg" width="320" /></a>Drums—technically known as membranophones—may be mankind’s oldest instrument, dating back to when humans first learned to keep rhythm.</div>
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Drums consist of a membrane (also known as a skin) stretched over an open-ended cylinder (also known as a shell) and struck with the band or a stick. Some drums have a skin stretched over the bottom of the shell as well.</div>
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Drums first appeared as far back as 6000 BC. Mesopotamian excavations unearthed small cylindrical drums dated 3000 BC. American Indians and the indigenous people of Peru, for example, used gourd and wooden constructed drums for their rituals, religious ceremonies, and various other aspects of their social life.</div>
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Before the modern era, the various drum-related percussion instruments were often played by different people.  For example, the bass drum would be played by one musician with the cymbals and snare played by others.  As music evolved, this became unwieldy and expensive.  Various attempts were made to consolidate all these instruments so that they could all be played by just one person.</div>
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The modern drum set-up evolved out of marching bands as well as the vaudeville and jazz eras. The foot-operated bass drum appearing in 1909 courtesy of Ludwig & Ludwig Co. of Chicago, which freed up the hands to play other things for the first time.  Experiments with various set-ups continued until the 1930s when a dance band drummer named Ben Duncan and a few others settled on a standardized arrangement of one bass drum, a snare, a raised tom-tom and a floor tom-tom.</div>
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The modern rock drum set-up in rock is called a “kit” which can come in many different and highly personalized configurations.</div>
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A typical kit is centered on the snare drum on which the player plays in time with the music.  It has wires running across the skin stretched across the bottom of the drum, giving it a sharp sound that cuts through most other instrumentation.  The snare is used in conjunction with the bass (or kick) drum, which sits on its side and is played with a food pedal.</div>
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The bass drum sits its side on the floor and is played with a foot pedal.</div>
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Kits will usually have one or more tom-toms of different diameters and depths, which are used to provide additional sounds.  Mounted toms sit atop the bass drum or on special stands.  Floor toms have their own legs and stand on the floor.</div>
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Types of Drums</h3>
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Drummers will use a variety of cymbals.  Crash and ride cymbals of various sizes, weights and materials are suspended from stands so they may ring freely.  Hi-hats (which first appeared in about 1926) consist of two cymbals sitting on top of each other and are used along with the snare and the bass drum to provide the foundation of the beat.  Hi-hats sit in a special stand with a foot pedal that allows the drummer to separate and clash them together for rhythmic effect.</div>
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Drums can be made from wood, metal and various synthetic materials such as fibreglass and acrylic in a variety of sizes and weights.  Each material and size comes with its own sonic properties.  The sound of a drum can also be influenced by the thickness and material of the head.  Tightening the head (i.e. increasing the tension) will produce a higher pitch.  Tom-toms with heads on the underside can be tuned to create an even wider variety of sounds and tones.  Other determining factors in the sound of its drum are the thickness, length and diameter of the shell.Drummers will use a variety of cymbals.  Crash and ride cymbals of various sizes, weights and materials are suspended from stands so they may ring freely.  Hi-hats (which first appeared in about 1926) consist of two cymbals sitting on top of each other and are used along with the snare and the bass drum to provide the foundation of the beat.  Hi-hats sit in a special stand with a foot pedal that allows the drummer to separate and clash them together for rhythmic effect.</div>
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Drums can be made from wood, metal and various synthetic materials such as fibreglass and acrylic in a variety of sizes and weights.  Each material and size comes with its own sonic properties.  The sound of a drum can also be influenced by the thickness and material of the head.  Tightening the head (i.e. increasing the tension) will produce a higher pitch.  Tom-toms with heads on the underside can be tuned to create an even wider variety of sounds and tones.  Other determining factors in the sound of its drum are the thickness, length and diameter of the shell.</div>
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source:<a href="http://www.scienceofrock.com/a-brief-history-of-drums" target="_blank">scienceofrock.com</a></div>
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Brief History of Drums

A Brief History of Drums Introduction Drums—technically known as membranophones—may be mankind’s oldest instrument, dating back to ...

HIstory of Chinese Musis

Eugene 0 history 12:15 AM

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Development</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahYi8ZUXMpC4kCIvB-QNCrApbTl_anpJcn04EhAQooI4grqhuo4Mlb4RWgsYhKqhCIBTKImbADUXc_8agASIVcqP506E0ARKDle1JKRUiU3THA76PQ_8EmDvo-SBdxcJcbHYpKSVc6DGB/s1600/Naxi_Musicians_I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgahYi8ZUXMpC4kCIvB-QNCrApbTl_anpJcn04EhAQooI4grqhuo4Mlb4RWgsYhKqhCIBTKImbADUXc_8agASIVcqP506E0ARKDle1JKRUiU3THA76PQ_8EmDvo-SBdxcJcbHYpKSVc6DGB/s320/Naxi_Musicians_I.jpg" width="320" /></a>Traditional Chinese music can be traced back 7,000 - 8,000 years based on the discovery of a bone flute made in the Neolithic Age. In the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, only royal families and dignitary officials enjoyed music, which was made on chimes and bells. During the Tang Dynasty, dancing and singing entered the mainstream, spreading from the royal court to the common people. With the introduction of foreign religions such as Buddhism and Islam, exotic and religious melodies were absorbed into Chinese music and were enjoyed by the Chinese people at fairs organized by religious temples.</div>
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In the Song Dynasty, original opera such as Zaju and Nanxi was performed in tearooms, theatres, and showplaces. Writers and artists liked it so much that Ci, a new type of literature resembling lyrics, thrived. During the Yuan Dynasty, qu, another type of literature based on music became popular. This was also a period when many traditional musical instruments were developed such as the pipa, the flute, and the zither.</div>
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During the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644 - 1911), the art of traditional opera developed rapidly and diversely in different regions. When these distinctive opera styles were performed at the capital (now called Beijing), artists combined the essence of the different styles and created Beijing opera, one of three cornerstones of Chinese culture (the other two being Chinese medicine and traditional Chinese painting) which continue to be appreciated even in modern times.</div>
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Besides these types, Chinese peasants were clever enough to compose folk songs, which also developed independently with local flavor. Folk songs described working and daily life such as fishing, farming, and herding and were very popular among the common people.</div>
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Traditional Musical Instruments</div>
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They can be divided into four categories: stringed instruments, percussion instruments, plucked instruments, and wind instruments. The following are just a few of them:</div>
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Horse-Headed Fiddle</div>
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The Horse-headed fiddle is a bowed stringed-instrument with a scroll carved like a horse's head. It is popular in Mongolian music. With a history of over 1,300 years, it even influenced European string music when Marco Polo brought one back from his travels through Asia. Its wide tonal range and deep, hazy tone color express the joy or pathos of a melody to its fullest.</div>
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Horse-Headed FiddleHorse-Headed Fiddle</h3>
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The Mongolian people bestowed upon their beloved horse-headed fiddle a fantastic legend: during horse-racing at the Nadam Fair -- their featured grand festival--a hero, Su He, and his white horse ran the fastest, which incurred the envy and wrath of the duke. The cruel duke shot the horse dead, and Su He grieved so much that he met his horse in a dream. In the dream, the horse told Su He to make a fiddle from wood and the hair of a horse's tail, and to carve the head of the fiddle in the shape of a horse's head. The lad followed the horse's advice and when he finished, the fiddle produced an extremely vivid sound. From then on, people loved this instrument and composed many songs for it.</div>
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Lute (Pipa)</h3>
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Originally named after the loquat fruit, the earliest pipa known was found to have been made in the Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC). By the the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), the pipa had reached its summit. It was loved by everyone--from the royal court to the common folk--and it occupied the predominant place in the orchestra. Many well known writers and poets created poems and mentioned it in their works. Bai Juyi, the master poet, vividly depicted the performance like this: rapid and soft notes mingled were just like big and small pearls dropping onto the jade plates.</div>
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Afterwards, the pipa underwent improvement in playing techniques and structure. Players then changed from holding the pipa transversely to holding it vertically, and from using a pick to using the fingers to pluck the strngs directly. In modern times, the volume and resonance has also been improved. The traditional work 'Spring Moonlight on the Flowers by the River', which has a history of over one hundred years, has brought harmony and a sense.</div>
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Erhu</h3>
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The Erhu, also called 'Huqin', was introduced from the western region during the Tang Dynasty. During the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), it was refined and improved and new variations appeared. It was also an important instrument for playing the melody of Beijing Opera.</div>
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When playing, the player usually stands the Erhu on his lap, and moves the bow across the vertical strings. The well-known music 'Two Springs Reflect the Moon' was created by the blind folk artist Liu Yanjun, also named A Bing by the people. Though he could not see anything of the world, he played his Erhu using his heart and imagination. This melody conjures up a poetic night scene under the moonlight and expresses the composer's desolation and hope.</div>
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Flute</h3>
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The earliest flute was made from bone over 7,000 years ago. In the times since then, most flutes were made of bamboo, which allowed even common people to play it. By covering the holes and blowing through the side hole while moving the fingers flexibly between the six holes, a sound will be produced that is leisurely and mellifluous like sound from far away. This always reminds people of a pastoral picture of a farmer riding on a bull while playing a flute.</div>
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source:<a href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/arts/chinese-music.htm" target="_blank">travelchinaguide.com</a></div>

HIstory of Chinese Musis

Development Traditional Chinese music can be traced back 7,000 - 8,000 years based on the discovery of a bone flute made in the Neolith...

History of classical music(Raaga)

Eugene 0 history 6:31 AM

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Raga And Its Concept</h3>
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A music, which follows the characteristics of this tradition, is called classical - in opposition to Western classical music, where classical means belonging to a period of time (approximately from 16th to 17th century). All classical music follows this rule even if some completely different styles exist side by side. To develop precisely a raga, the musician needs the presence of a drone, whatever the music.  Singers are always accompanied with the tanpura or the harmonium, which produce the singer's tonic and dominant (SA and PA). Classical music is mainly divided into two branches, North and South.   </div>
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History of classical music Of The Sub-continent</h3>
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North Indian Classical music (some people know as Hindustani) in reference of the Hindi speaking region going to North-West Frontier and to Poorab, the East. Many styles and genres have been developed and encouraged by a family system now called Gharana. These numerous Gharanas all over North India have developed very different styles of classical music, genres and instruments. In the development music, the things went like this (from a verse): First songs, then notes, then  Sharutis and then the Jaties (ragas). Birds have songs, so do the other mammals. When we say that the songs must have developed after humans were civilized, we are forgetting something. Look around you. There are songs everywhere.</div>
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It is certain that as humans got civilized, their songs got complicated. With the development of language, the songs became more meaningful. The primal screams evolved into poems of love, separation, nature, beauty and other things that affected us emotionally. When something said through conversation does not capture the essence of our feelings, a song erupts in us. That is a primal instinct. It is not something that is impossible to do without the knowledge of Sharuties. A villager in India or a Gypsy in Europe cannot stop singing just because they do not know the difference between just intonation and chromatic intonation. These are afterthoughts.</div>
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When the enlightened artists of the ancient world sang the songs, the beauty of changing pitch compelled them to find more about it. What is it that changing the pitch up and down in certain ways sounds musical. The first known theory of music in Indian Vedas (Samveda) contains four notes. Nowadays notes are always mentioned in ascending (such as C D E or Sa Re Ga) order.</div>
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The combination of several notes woven into a composition in a way, which is pleasing to the ear, is called a Raga. The raga is an Indian scale which utilizes varying ascending and descending patterns - certain notes on the way up and certain notes on the way down - but always in the set sequence. The raga never has less than five notes - the minimum required for a tune. Each raga creates an atmosphere, which is associated with feelings and sentiments. Any stray combination of notes cannot be called a Raga. At a more academic level, it is a musical composition that functions within a structure and follows certain rules with relation to the kind of notes used in it.</div>
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Raga is the dictator of melody and the "Taal" is the dictator of Rhythm. In addition, melody is the product of sound and the rhythm is product of time. Therefore, ‘the music is the art of manipulating the ’sound’ through ‘time’. The time affects music in two different ways. First through rhythm is obvious. However, the time is also at work producing the musical sounds that are useful in melody. The universe is full of sound, but every sound is not musical.</div>
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According to the scriptures, sage Narada practiced great austerities for several years and was honoured by Lord Shiva who taught him the great art of music.  It is said that from the sleeping position (Shayanmudra) of his wife, Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva created the Rudravina (an instrument with a form similar to the sitar). From his five mouths, five ragas emerged while a sixth was created by the goddess Parvati.  These ragas were named according to Lord Shiva's movements to east, west, north, south and towards the sky and were called Bhairav, Hindol, Megh, Deepak and Shri.  Raga Kaushik was created by the Goddess Parvati herself.</div>
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Music flourished in India under Muslim rule and was subject to a number of new influences, including those of the mystic Sufi sect. As a consequence new elements, forms and instruments came to be introduced into Indian Music. Among the vocal forms, were the Qual which gave rise to the Qawali and the Tanpura, both of which are heard today.  The sitar and the tabla also belong to this period.  The Persian poet Amir Khusrau is believed to have made a major contribution in the development of the Qawali as well as the Sitar.</div>
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Musical patronage reached its zenith under the Mughal emperors Akbar (1555-1605), Jahangir (1605-1627) and Shahjahan (1628-1658)  The legendary composer Tansen (1492-1589) is believed to have been a member of the court of Akbar.  His enchanting music is believed to have had the power to bring rains and light lamps. Music was also becoming more popular and was no longer the preserve of the upper classes. Most compositions had initially been in Sanskrit but by the sixteenth century they were being composed in various dialects of Hindi - Braj Bhasa and Bhojpuri among them - as well as Persian and Urdu. It was during this phase that two separate systems emerged as a result of the Islamic influence on the existing system in Northern and central India while the south remained free from this domination.  This led to emergence of two forms of Indian Music. Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian).</div>
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The arrival of British rule saw the violin entering the repertoire of South Indian music in the mid-eighteenth century. In the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar the last King of Mughal empire, music development was limited and poetry developed. A significant development was the use of music to promote nationalism during the Indian freedom struggle. The twentieth century also saw the arrival of Indian cinema, which further popularized music among common man. The post independence period saw classical Indian music gaining global recognition.  Ravi Shankar, one of the greatest players of the Sitar, worked with the Beatles while Ali Akbar Khan popularized the Sarod in the west. The twentieth century also saw collaborations between Indian and western musicians. such as Ravi Shankar and Yehudi Menuhin.  This merging of two streams of music is often referred to as fusion Music.</div>
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New generation of artists like Bhimsen Joshi, Amjad Ali Khan and Bismillah Khan brought finest traditions of Indian music. Film music is however, the most popular music in India and Pakistan today and popular Indian films are seldom without songs. Urdu Ghazal also got popularity and populars Ghazal singers like Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Jagjeet and many others emerged with a new style. Bhajans and Qawali also retain their popularity.</div>
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INDIAN  CLASSICAL MUSIC NOTATIONS</h3>
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Indian music is traditionally practice-oriented and until the 20th century did not employ notations as the primary media of instruction, understanding, or transmission. The rules of Indian music and compositions themselves are taught from a guru to a shishya, in person. However, the notation is regarded as a matter of taste and is not standardized. Thus there is no universal system of notation for the rest of the world to study Indian music. The complexity of Indian classical music could not be expressed in writing.</div>
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NOTES IN A SAPTAK</div>
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The Indian musical scale is said to have evolved from 3 notes to a scale of 7 primary notes, on the basis of 22 intervals. A scale is divided into 22 shrutis or intervals, and these are the basis of the musical notes. The 7 notes of the scale are known to musicians as Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da and Ni. The eighth note is a repetition of the first and is therefore an octave higher.  The group of seven notes is called a saptak. In western music these seven notes are identified as C D E F G A B. These 7 notes of the scale do not have equal intervals between them. A Saptak is a group of 7 notes, divided by the shrutis or intervals -- A raga is based on the principle of a combination of notes selected out the 22 note intervals of the octave. Total notes in a single saptak are 12 but when we practice arohi and amrohi then we also choose next saptak Sa. See below given diagram.</div>
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source: <a href="http://www.ragatracks.com/harmonium4.htm" target="_blank">ragatracks.com</a></div>

History of classical music(Raaga)

Raga And Its Concept A music, which follows the characteristics of this tradition, is called classical - in opposition to Western clas...

Beatboxing

Eugene 0 history 7:59 PM

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Beatboxing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the hip-hop scene, “beatboxing” — the term for the art of creating rhythms and sound effects with the human voice — has taken a back seat to rapping, DJing, emceeing, break dancing and graffiti art since it surfaced in the ’80s.</div>
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Until now</h3>
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The popularity of beatboxing is growing, and one indication is the 2007 West Coast Open Human Beatbox Battle, which takes place Friday night at the Ashkenaz music and dance club in Berkeley, where artists will create all kinds of beats, sometimes while playing along with other instruments.</div>
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Thirty-seven-year-old Anthony Rivera (a.k.a. Click) has been beatboxing for 22 years. His work was heard in the 2002 Eminem movie “8 Mile.” Rivera says, “I’ve seen beatboxing change. People are starting to get more creative, getting closer to the actual sound (of percussion instruments) than we did back in the day.”</div>
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Beatboxing has gained an international following and an online audience, with artists uploading their beats to bulletin boards, fans mixing beats and some people even using them for ring tones.</div>
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The first official international beatboxing competition took place at the 2005 Hip Hop World Challenge in Leipzig, Germany.</div>
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Beatbox history</h3>
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The artist frequently cited as the original beatbox pioneer is Barbados-born Doug E. Fresh (Douglas E. Davis), whose 1985 single “The Show/La Di Da Di” caught the attention of many future beatboxers.</div>
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“You had knucklehead kids in sixth grade like me, back in 1985 . . . , huddled in a little corner . . . bopping heads, all down to a beat that really wasn’t that advanced,” recalls Maximillian Reynolds, a 33-year-old Sacramento producer who is part of the Bay Area beatbox crew known as the Vowel Movement, which is sponsoring the competition at Ashkenaz.</div>
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“What’s happened now is kids have taken it. You’ve got hip-hop influences, trip-hop influences, jazz influences, rock influences, drum and base, techno, house. (Beatboxing) has gotten to a whole different element.”</div>
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In the late ’90s, Rahzel from the hip-hop band the Roots was one of the most visible beatboxers, singing and creating beats simultaneously. He perfected an imitation of turntable scratching.</div>
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Rahzel says, “Beatboxing . . . is still relevant to what’s going on today, because a lot of the kids are producing, emceeing. That’s the foundation of beatboxing — the creative sounds and noises. It’s fortunate that a new generation is taking hold.”</div>
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Last year, Humanbeatbox.com created notation for beatboxing, and now the “booms” and “chicks” of performers can actually be written down.</div>
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In the Bay Area</div>
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The Vowel Movement has become the leading organization for beatboxers in the Bay Area. Launched in 2003, it has attracted artists from as far away as Sacramento, who meet about once a month to perform and listen to other innovators.</div>
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Recalling an early Vowel Movement event, 22-year-old Joshua Walters, a full-time beatboxer from Berkeley, says, “It was a small venue, . . . just two guys who originally wanted to do a spoken-word event but decided the Bay Area had too many and so decided, `Why don’t we do a show dedicated to beatbox?’ For me and the group I was with, it was just an opportunity to perform.”</div>
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Vowel Movement organizer Mike Tinoco recalls, “It kind of grew every month, going and going, . . . very freak-show at times.”</div>
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Beatbox 101</h3>
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“There’s no one way” to do beatboxing, says Tinoco, who helped organize Friday’s “battle” at Ashkenaz. “There’s so many different genres of music. People have their different interests, their different tastes.”</div>
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But the first thing a wannabe beatboxer needs to learn, he says, is rhythm. The basic percussion sounds, he adds, imitate the kick-drum (a “p” sound), the high-hat (a “th” sound) and the small snare drum (a “kuh” sound).</div>
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Beatboxer Terry Lewis (a.k.a. Kid Lucky) recommends, “If you want to be a better beatboxer, listen to drum machines, listen to (drum) sounds, don’t listen to other beatboxers.”</div>
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And Rivera, who has beatboxed in movies and on television, lays out these rules for beginners:</div>
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• Master the fundamentals.</div>
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• Do what you feel.</div>
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• Be yourself.</div>
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• Don’t degrade the art.</div>
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• And remember, practice makes perfect.</div>
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Women’s impact</h3>
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Though females don’t make up “a percentage worth counting,” according to Terry Lewis, who now heads the production company Beatboxer Entertainment, it is women who are pushing the art to new levels, rather than the men.</div>
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“I am much more impressed with what women are doing with beatboxing,” Lewis says.</div>
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One standout, he says, is Antoinette Clinton (a.k.a. Butterscotch) of Sacramento, who can simultaneously play piano while beatboxing. A classical-piano major at California State University-Sacramento, the 21-year-old Clinton hopes to teach beatboxing and see it offered as a university major. A winner at the 2005 Hip Hop World Challenge, she now works with Verizon’s new online beatbox mixer (www.beatboxmixer.com).</div>
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“One of my biggest idols growing up was Michael Jordan,” says Clinton, whose love for basketball almost matches her love for music. “I always wanted to be in the NBA, the first girl in the NBA. Then they made the WNBA.” Clinton says that angered her at first because it meant that she would not be allowed in the NBA, but she later felt the WNBA allowed women to be empowered.</div>
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Beatbox of the future</h3>
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Terry Lewis says, “There’s so much going on” as with any other instrument. Beatbox sounds “can be pushed to ring tones, to videos, to loop CDs . . . even video games. . . . The only thing keeping it from moving forward is the imagination,” adds Lewis, who is involved in a project pairing beatboxers with dolphins.</div>
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source:<a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/2007/05/10/beatboxing-an-oral-history/" target="_blank">mercurynews.com</a>

Beatboxing

Beatboxing On the hip-hop scene, “beatboxing” — the term for the art of creating rhythms and sound effects with the human voice — has t...

History of Reverberation in Music

Eugene 0 history 10:07 AM

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History of reverberation in recording </h2>
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Originally, the studio recordings were performed through the microphone quite remote from the sound source. This microphone, like the human ear, received the sound waves reflected from the walls of the studio room, and enrolled it into the recording. In the such way the natural reverb of the studio was preserved in the recording. The effect was even more pronounced, when they began to use several microphones, respectively mixed with each other, this way even better results could be achieved. In the fifties the recording studios started to increasingly equip themselves  with special devices for the producing the artificial reverb, which they began to add to the recordings. These were the so-called. reverberation chambers, and spring reverb units. the new approach to the recording was born- to put the microphone close to the source, eliminating the natural reverb from the studio room and then add some artificial reverb in the process of mixing. This gave the technicians and recording engineers greater control over reverberation of their tracks. Each studio had its own technicians and its own solutions to achieve their often unique reverb. </div>
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For example, the famous label Tamla Motown studio in Detroit, recording such great soul and funk artists as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Jackson Five, The Supremes with Diana Ross, Wilson Pickett and many others have achieved so perfect sound of the the rhythm section - the drums and bass, that the bands used to come there from all over the world just to record their rhythm section using the Tamla Motown studio. When the studio moved  to California in the beginning of the seventies, they cut out the whole room, as the legend says, and took it with them along with the drum set nailed to the floor.  </div>
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EMI Studios at Abbey Road in London recording the Beatles or Pink Floyd not only had its own, perfectly worked out sound but also their own reverberation chamber. Abbey Road Studio's reverb chamber was made of a cast iron pipe with the speaker and microphone on both ends. The microphone picked up the sound of this loudspeaker reverbed by the pipe, which was mixed in to the original, direct sound. </div>
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At the same time at Abbey Road the very close placement of microphones for recording instruments was introduced, which at the beginning raised great technical objections of studio management, it was feared that the placing such expensive type of microphone as the Neumann U-47 very close to the membrane of a kick drum of the Beatles is not only its desecration, but it can cause damage to the capsule by too much sound pressure levels. </div>
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The Beatles were also the only band which was allowed to do that, as mentioned by their sound engineer, Geoff Emerick, and other bands had to record using the traditional method of more distant placement of the microphones. </div>
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Close miking gave much more powerful sound to the Beatles' rhythm section, which was even an object of jealousy for the specialists from Tamla Motown, but virtually deprived the recordings of natural reverb of the room. The need for artificial reverberation has become more prominent. </div>
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In the earlier days they used two basic tricks to ob</div>
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tain the reverb in the recording session. The first was the use of reel-to-reel tape machine with more playback heads added and the looped tape, which gave the opportunity to obtain both an echo and reverb, depending on the speed of the tape, while the second was to apply tricks of additional, special microphones arranged very far from the instruments and collect an enormous amount of room reverb, which later was mixed back into the close, dry microphones signal,  which gave both very powerful and naturally reverbed sound.<br />
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Over time, the first specialized tape reverbs were built, called the echo cameras with many heads offering the possibility of multiple sound and repetition to achieve the effect of reflecting the echoes. Musicians quickly used it as an additional means of expression, and even the whole compositions were sometimes based on the sound of such devices. A good example might be  David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, who used the Binson plate echo effect, or Jimi Hendrix, the greatest electric guitar virtuoso of all times, using very much of artificial reverb and echo in his recordings. </div>
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Practical implementation of the reverb in the mix </h3>
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Generally you can say that the reverb can be used in the mix on the basis of two approaches: either for the purpose of obtaining natural ambience in the mix, simulating a kind of live recordings, or as a special effect, used to obtain special sound textures. Both approaches are widely used and the best way of using reverberation in recording is to take advantage of both of them.</div>
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source:<a href="http://www.studiomastering.net/e/mastering06e.html" target="_blank">studiomastering.net</a></div>

History of Reverberation in Music

History of reverberation in recording Originally, the studio recordings were performed through the microphone quite remote from the so...

Mixing the Music

Eugene 0 history 9:58 AM

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Mixing the Music </div>
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Mixing tracks </h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5x0MDIlc_AWS8ffpBfY8bN-JfKOn3qpaks-1mb8FHzPHrdEZW3Nv2lBhT2Bko4KSxm4NPR86g-gRHt2futZWF4j7VcZFn-8SPnM9DykAINttAhRDt9uOygG7DlWknBO8kalRU4c7v5u8/s1600/mixing-songs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5x0MDIlc_AWS8ffpBfY8bN-JfKOn3qpaks-1mb8FHzPHrdEZW3Nv2lBhT2Bko4KSxm4NPR86g-gRHt2futZWF4j7VcZFn-8SPnM9DykAINttAhRDt9uOygG7DlWknBO8kalRU4c7v5u8/s320/mixing-songs1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Mix is an art that combines individual pieces of music tracks, so they complement each other and they form one single musical unity, which is something more than just the sum of individual tracks. Each piece of music tracks should be shaped using processors, to provide the best of the whole sound. </div>
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The main mistake while mixing is following the desire to obtain such an effect, that each of the tracks sound just as powerful as possible when soloed. When playing back all the tracks together such treatment leads to mutual extinction of the frequency, the whole mix sounds flat and dull and the right output level is hard to obtain. </div>
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It is absolutely not possible to completely remove this error by the even the best mastering alone. The quality of final sound of the music recording  is very highly dependent on both these processes, i.e.  the mix and mastering.  </div>
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Although adequate mastering can very clearly improve badly mixed material, it is unable to obtain such a result as from well, beautifully mixed material. </div>
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So the mixing is all about making all the tracks working together well and making up one musical picture that really shines. Masters performed from such mixes will bring them to the whole new level of excellence.</div>
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In order to shape the perfect sound and definition of the various tracks in the mix the different tools are used, such as dynamic processors, the effects of the type of echo and reverb, equalizers, enhancers and others. Properly performed mixdown should have all the instruments  perfectly audible, but not competing with each other and forming a perfect whole, both in terms of the sound spectrum and stereo panorama. </div>
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In the case of vocal recordings, it is important to give it proper prominence in relation to other instruments that make up the song. Vocals are the most important thing, and everything should revolve around the vocals.</div>
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During the mixdown we  use  various technical hardware or software devices of which the most important are the equalizer, compressor and reverberation processors. If I was to pick one, single most important effect it would be the equalizer. When a material is recorded on digital equipment using the little analogue devices in audio path during the recording, it is imperative to use the appropriate equipment that is able to bring enrichment to the tracks before the final realization of the mixdown. </div>
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Digital audio negative feature is that, despite impeccable measured technical parameters, it does not mix properly with another tracks in the mix, and although each of the tracks soloed may sound very convincingly, however, that same tracks can be very difficult for the proper settings in mix. </div>
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In the age of the analog equipment when the signal passed through the tubes ore early solid state devices into the mixing desk, to finally be recorded to reel to reel tape decks, the mix was much easier, because the tracks somehow integrated themselves automatically, without much processing, they were shaped already by those devices. In an era of raw-sounding digital devices mix is unfortunately much more difficult. the microphones and another recording devices have become so good that the sound they give is harder to handle. Therefore, the proper sound of each track must be somehow forced by processors using the classical, more traditional patterns of sound recordings made in the good years of rock and jazz music on the hardware analog devices. </div>
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What processor types should be used?</h3>
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The sound of classic analog recordings was created on the basis of a slightly overdriven deck's tape, and the signal path through a number of devices, which  added their own positive characteristic and flare to the sound. This way, the whole recording setup along with the microphones and studio room has become an integral part of the recording process, almost a separate instruments. Working in the digital world we should always be aware of this and try to repeat this setup and the whole process by using the appropriate processors, and the settings of our equipment. Whether these will be hardware devices or software is not as crucial as to how we will shape the path.</div>
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What should be avoided in your mixes? ... </h3>
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Avoid normalization, frequency conversion and using different types of lossy compression (such as MP3, Real Audio, AAC, WMA, etc.) These things can damage or destroy the recording, if they are used improperly and can dramatically affect the quality of your mixes. Avoid sum (master) compression or riding the levels too high.   </div>
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The reference recordings and CD ... </h3>
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We accept the reference recordings showing your favorite sound or style as examples of how to shape your music in the process of mastering in our studio. They can be sent by mail in the form of CD\DVD-ROMs, as well as via the Internet in the form of .mp3 files at a frequency of at least 128 kb \ sec. We invite you to include works by other performers, as reference to your sound goals which you would like to obtain.</div>
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source: <a href="http://www.studiomastering.net/e/mastering02e.html" target="_blank">studiomastering.net</a></div>

Mixing the Music

Mixing the Music Mixing tracks Mix is an art that combines individual pieces of music tracks, so they complement each other and the...

Mastering(Music)

Eugene 0 history 9:51 AM

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MASTERING </h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_4tlxnw874vK7_f3ox0KogBVaflG_mDeBd3L3VPInODHneTWkFmQQGVrw1Y29628Q76qu5-fkUwcbbDoYK5KVeLDgxF3D4OAyPoJlVGA5FP347MbDJgkAOj-3ZsozB4f-_bxkPJSYJNA/s1600/bgg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_4tlxnw874vK7_f3ox0KogBVaflG_mDeBd3L3VPInODHneTWkFmQQGVrw1Y29628Q76qu5-fkUwcbbDoYK5KVeLDgxF3D4OAyPoJlVGA5FP347MbDJgkAOj-3ZsozB4f-_bxkPJSYJNA/s320/bgg1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Today mastering is much more important a step in music production that ever before. The best sound can be found on those records, which were professionally mastered by mastering gurus such as Bob Ludwig, Ted Jensen or John Vestman. A truly big difference in sound quality can be obtained during mastering process, which raises the recording up to completely different level. Mastering audio is actually not a skill, it is something more of a gift, a special talent, that gives a mastering engineer an ability to hear, what is needed in a recording to improve it. Then he or she uses his gear and applies all the tricks to the recording, giving it a new sense of dimension, space and artistic articulation.</div>
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Mastering is actually an art.</div>
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Mastering - what is it</h3>
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Mastering is the final, last work aimed at maximum improvement of the sound before the reproduction of recordings in thousands of copies on compact discs or cassettes. The aim here is to obtain the highest possible technical quality of the material contained on the media so that it can compete and win over other recordings already present in the market. Actually, the mastered recording must shine not only in technical way, but also emphasize the concept of an artist in an optimum manner. Only a combination of those two factors, the technical and artistic, makes a mastered recording into a true work of art on a CD or some another media, time-frozen for the future listeners, able to move every nuance of emotion in the artist's vision far into the future.</div>
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While mixing is all about individual tracks settings, setting volume levels and stereo panorama between them, mastering is taking action on the whole mix. Anything we do influences every instrument and voice in the song. Those to areas of music production complement each other. The fundament for a great master is a solid mix. And no mix can sound as good without mastering as after it is professionally mastered.   </div>
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Mastering - its purpose </h3>
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In contrast to the mix mastering is done on the already finished, balanced material called mixdown or mix. The aim is to obtain an optimal sound, the highest average volume without an appreciable decline in the quality and superior tonal balance of recordings before any series production in thousands of copies of the CD's. Properly performed mastering may very considerably improve the quality of your music, especially if you mix using cheaper equipment and your CD have not been done professionally. In addition, professionally performed mastering preparing the CD contains some technical elements, as the PQ lists, ISRC codes, CD text, etc. (the so-called Red Book Standard, according to which every commercial CD is made). Companies are interested in pressing the best possible quality recordings of artists for one most important reason: they want to sell as many as possible excellent sounding records, which translates to their profit. </div>
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Mastering - between art and science </h3>
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It is said that mastering is as much science as art. There is a lot of truth  in that statement, because so much depends here on experience of the person taking decisions throughout this process. The technology involved here is extremely important, but even more important here is experience, intuition and artistic taste and ear of the mastering person. It's like placing an inexperienced fighter pilot at the controls of a modern jet fighter aircraft, the mere possession of the excellent plane at the disposal does not make him a master ace between the pilots, and may become in his hands simply very, very dangerous. </div>
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Mastering has one fundamental objective: to make music play great on any kind of equipment from cd player,  the Am and FM radio, on headphones of mp3 player, the home 5.1 Pro Logic theater to the most esoteric, audiophile systems costing a small fortune and to make it sound as good as possible. This is also of great importance before presenting material in record company, they want to hear something that they like at once. Great mastered sound is also very important for radio broadcasting or, of course, duplication in serial production of  thousands of copies. Pop hits occupying the first places on charts, commercial recordings on the radio or on factory CD sound generally excellent, they are loud, they have a lot of bass and high tones, sound uniformly and at the same time mightily. They simply impress. This is because they have been properly mastered by a professional mastering artist. Your music does not have to deviate from them in volume, detail, the definition or overall artistic impact. After the special treatment in our studio Emotion Converting Plant, it will become absolutely comparable to the best recordings on the radio or commercial CD's and cassettes in music stores and so it will give your music a strong edge over the competition.</div>
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source:<a href="http://www.studiomastering.net/e/mastering_articles.html" target="_blank">studiomastering.net</a></div>

Mastering(Music)

MASTERING Today mastering is much more important a step in music production that ever before. The best sound can be found on those rec...

OM : The sound of universe

Eugene 0 history 6:05 AM

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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">OM : The sound of universe</span></h2>
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</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">OM or AUM is the most important and significant word of Mantra tradition. It is considered as the root mantra of all mantra. In a majority of Mantra, you will find OM.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">OM is the most often chanted sound among all the sacred sounds on earth. This sound is considered as the sound of the existence.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">it is believed that the whole universe, in its fundamental form,  is made up of vibrating, pulsating energy. Om is considered as the humming sound of this cosmic energy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">OM is said to be the original primordial creative sound from which the entire universe have  manifested. It is also known as the ‘Anahat Nada’, the “Unstruck Sound”. This means the sound that is not made by two things striking together.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">If you observe the nature of sound you’ll find that all ordinary audible sound are produced by the striking of two objects : bow and strings, drum and stick, two vocal cords, waves against the shore, winds against the leaves, bat against the ball, tyers against the road etc. In short all sounds within our range of listening are produces by things visible or invisible, striking each other or vibrating together, resulting in pulsating waves of air molecules which  we interprets as sound.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">In contrast to the above, OM is the sound which is not the result of the striking of two objects. It, rather emanates on its own. It is the primal sound of the universe that contains all sounds in itself.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">The meaning of OM</span></h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Well unlike all other mantra, there is no meaning of OM. It is actually not a word, it is a sound. As per Hindu tradition, OM is the purest name of God. It is the sound of the supreme consciousness. So when you reapeat OM, you actualy take the name of God.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Now without going into the further philosophical explanation of OM, let us learn how to meditate using OM. Repetition of OM or AUM dissolves the mind it its divine source. The chanting of OM several time loud, purifies the atmosphere.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Sit in a comfortable undisturbed place. Take some deep breath. Now chant at least 7 times OM in succession. Make each breath last as long as possible. Teak deep breath and chant Oooooooo~~~~~hhhhhhhhhh~~~~~ Mmmmmmm~~~~~. Then again repeat this chanting of OM. Do this for 7 times. After this, stop chanting and sit for a moment of silence. You will be amazed by the inner peace you’ll get in such a small chanting of OM.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Listen the sound of Universe :  Let us listen the sound of OM. You are requested to   listen carefully. This sound of OM produces instant positive vibrations and takes the listener to a state of mental stillness.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Chanting the OM mantra for 15 minutes daily can produce remarkable effect in you. This mantra will help you to calm the mind, settled the thought process and realize the self.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">it is believed that the whole universe, in its fundamental form,  is made up of vibrating, pulsating energy. Om is considered as the humming sound of this cosmic energy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">OM is said to be the original primordial creative sound from which the entire universe have  manifested. It is also known as the ‘Anahat Nada’, the “Unstruck Sound”. This means the sound that is not made by two things striking together.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">If you observe the nature of sound you’ll find that all ordinary audible sound are produced by the striking of two objects : bow and strings, drum and stick, two vocal cords, waves against the shore, winds against the leaves, bat against the ball, tyers against the road etc. In short all sounds within our range of listening are produces by things visible or invisible, striking each other or vibrating together, resulting in pulsating waves of air molecules which  we interprets as sound.it is believed that the whole universe, in its fundamental form,  is made up of vibrating, pulsating energy. Om is considered as the humming sound of this cosmic energy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">OM is said to be the original primordial creative sound from which the entire universe have  manifested. It is also known as the ‘Anahat Nada’, the “Unstruck Sound”. This means the sound that is not made by two things striking together.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">If you observe the nature of sound you’ll find that all ordinary audible sound are produced by the striking of two objects : bow and strings, drum and stick, two vocal cords, waves against the shore, winds against the leaves, bat against the ball, tyers against the road etc. In short all sounds within our range of listening are produces by things visible or invisible, striking each other or vibrating together, resulting in pulsating waves of air molecules which  we interprets as sound.</span></span><div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">source:</span></span> <a href="http://www.meditationiseasy.com/meditation-techniques/om-the-sound-of-universe/" target="_blank">meditationiseasy.com</a></div>
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OM : The sound of universe

OM : The sound of universe OM or AUM is the most important and significant word of Mantra tradition. It is considered as the root m...

Music and mental health

Eugene 0 history 5:51 AM

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Music and mental health</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDB19jyowGAbsPdVYwFNE6OeDm1KHjIY5ABtpLCsx3C-H7uKoaybRkuTns5VxL8UTu1Nu5CPOnbZTk__O4RYdjQUUzSpkmdFoV3xmwvIxaARvdAvFYPH6hp7Z03xxO0ht-8Ti04JZ3qcH6/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDB19jyowGAbsPdVYwFNE6OeDm1KHjIY5ABtpLCsx3C-H7uKoaybRkuTns5VxL8UTu1Nu5CPOnbZTk__O4RYdjQUUzSpkmdFoV3xmwvIxaARvdAvFYPH6hp7Z03xxO0ht-8Ti04JZ3qcH6/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a>We’ve all done it. Turned on a love song when we’re feeling romantic. Turned on something lively when we’re cleaning house. Even cried when certain songs come on with stories that stir our hearts.</div>
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Music plays a role in everyone’s life to a certain extent. Some more than others. Each of us has our own preferences, some of us a little more eclectic than others. But each of us reaches for music for one reason or another.</div>
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Creating the Musical Mood</h3>
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Jazz is often played create a relaxing atmosphere over dinner. Rock ’n Roll or country is usually played in bars. Easy listening music is usually played in family restaurants. Even shopping malls and grocery stores have clued in to the effect music can have on their customers. Those stores aimed at drawing teens in will play the kind of music that teens like (usually much to the chagrin of their parents). Grocery stores typically play light/soft rock, something slow-paced to relax shoppers so that they shop at a slower pace and, by spending more time in the store, are more likely to buy more than what they went in for.</div>
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Musical Effects on the Mind and Body</div>
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Music affects the body in six main ways, according to eMedExpert.com.</h3>
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1) Music can help manage or reduce the effects of chronic (osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis) and post-operative pain. Music distracts, provides the patient with a sense of control, releases endorphins that counteract pain, and relaxes a person by slowing their breathing and heart rate. It reduces blood pressure, the severity, frequency, and duration of migraines and chronic headaches, and increases the production of immune-boosting hormones and decreases cortisol levels, which can interfere with immune response.</div>
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2) Music enhances higher brain function such as reading and literacy skills, spatial-temporal reasoning, mathematics, emotional intelligence, memory. Music improves concentration and attention.</div>
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3) Music improves athletic performance as it helps reduce the feeling of fatigue. It reduces muscle tension, which in turn improves body movements and coordination.</div>
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4) Music can help energize a person who is feeling fatigued and improve productivity.</div>
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5) Music calms, relaxes and can help a person fall asleep (as is commonly seen with infants and young children). Music has also been shown to lower cortisol levels which, in addition to boosting the immune system, also reduces stress.</div>
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6) Music can improve a person’s mood and reduce the effects of depression.</div>
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The Science of Music</h3>
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While most of a person’s brain functions all the time, many people tend to use one side at a time for any particular task – left brain or right brain. “Left brainers” are more logical, rational, analytical, objective, and tend to look at parts that make up the whole. “Right brainers” tend to prefer randomness, are intuitive and subjective, synthesize and look at information and the world around them as a whole. Generally, those who are left brained are more adept at thinking logically, analyzing, and accuracy, while those who are right brained focus more on the way things look and feel, and are creative.Music is one of the few activities that involves the use of the whole brain, particularly for those who play an instrument or sing, as opposed to those who just listen (though listening has benefits, too). Using both sides of the brain maximizes learning and retention of information.</div>
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It is surmised by researchers at Arizona State University that music affects the levels of oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin is a hormone that is known as the “love hormone” and is being investigated for its role in social recognition, bonding, and anxiety. “It evokes feelings of contentment, reductions in anxiety, and feelings of calmness and security…” (www.wikipedia.com).</div>
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Music has also been shown to have an effect on serotonin levels. Higher serotonin levels help control memory power, learning, mood, sleep, body temperature, and arousal.</div>
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So whatever your mood, listening to the type of music your body craves, or finding the right kind of music to set the kind of atmosphere you need to relax, have a good time, or study, can make the world of difference.Music is one of the few activities that involves the use of the whole brain, particularly for those who play an instrument or sing, as opposed to those who just listen (though listening has benefits, too). Using both sides of the brain maximizes learning and retention of information.</div>
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source: <a href="http://www.empowher.com/emotional-health/content/mental-health-benefits-music?page=0,2" target="_blank">empowher.com</a></div>

Music and mental health

Music and mental health We’ve all done it. Turned on a love song when we’re feeling romantic. Turned on something lively when we’re cle...

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