Category Archives: Music

Ukulele: Best Musical Instrument

Posted on by
Reply

Have you seen all of the YouTube.com videos lately with ukulele players? The videos originate from uke players all around the world who are contributing to the popularity surge that’s happening in the ukulele world. Young people, old people, men, girls and children are all making their videos in unique fashions which have been interesting and impressive to see that we’ve still got it. Musical imagination isn’t a thing of the past. As soon as folks have picked up their ukulele for sale they’re practicing and playing their hearts out to a national audience.

An excellent ukulele player is young Julia Nunes who records herself playing each of the parts of a song then, by editing, makes a final version of the song that features herself playing all the parts of a song on the ukulele. She plays tempo, lead, sings the lyrics as well as harmony all inside a sings video. Now this is originality!

However for those that are just getting started how can you tell how to begin. You have to buy a ukulele but have a problem sorting out these types of ukulele for sale. You can get them in a thousand music stores on-line but how do you know what one to purchase. Simple! Listen closely to what people today are saying. Individuals are doing ukulele reviews online all of the time. You can see good musicians going over their ukuleles in agonizing fine detail saying the things they like about it and also the things they do not like. If someone has already went through the headache of getting a bad uke then why would you do the same.

These awesome devices are taking the musical industry by storm. Jack Johnson, James Franco along with tons of additional famous actors and musicians and standing out with their cool Hawaiian sounds that remind all of us of the islands. As you can envision these expert musicians have already been playing for a while and likely don’t have the same instruments now that they began with. To buy a ukulele if you are a beginner differs from trying to find a ukulele to purchase if you have been playing for years. For beginners be searching for something that is good quality (usually $60-$100) that is not likely to break your budget if you choose to not continue. For somebody that has been playing for a while I’d be looking in the $150 to $500 range. These ukuleles are normally of a much higher quality than the ukulele for newcomers and are usually made from solid wood. This makes the sound much more vibrant.

Permanent link to this post (439 words, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

Cage Breaks Free

Posted on by
Reply

Up and Coming Kentucky rockers Cage the Elephant just released their second studio album under Relentless Records. The boys from Bowling Green have been hard at work touring the United States and Europe to climb the ranks of music, opening for bands as successful as The Stone Temple Pilots. The band’s new album, Thank You Happy Birthday, is proof their hard work is paying off. After the release of their first self-titled album, Cage was received with open arms into the UK’s rock n roll scene. Lesser known in the states, singles like “Aint no rest for the Wicked” and “Back Against the Wall” did bring the band some commercial success. It seems their stock will keep rising with fans when Thank You Happy Birthday hits their headphones.

The opening track, “Always Something”, combines electronic beats with front man Matt Shultz’s chilling vocals and kicks the album off perfectly. Thank you Happy Birthday then begins to surprise the listener track after track as the band brings something new to the table with every song. For those who want to get loud (and let’s face it, who doesn’t) “Sabertooth Tiger” and “Indy Kidz” will more than satisfy even the most diehard head bangers out there. However, the band also shows their range by slowing it down in tracks like “Rubber Ball” and the album’s final track “Flow.” Thank You Happy Birthday’s first single, and possibly the album’s best track, “Shake Me Down”, could be the song Cage the Elephant needs to take it over the top. The album as a whole is a positive step forward for the boys from Bowling Green and despite what their name may say about them, this band’s success cannot be caged in for much longer.

Permanent link to this post (291 words, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

Laura Marling – “The First Lady of Folk”

Posted on by
Reply

If this is the first time you are hearing the phrase “Laura Marling”, you are seriously missing out. This phrase is the name of the upcoming British songbird. Actually, she’s a bit darker than a “songbird”. How about “sparrow”? That sounds about right. The voice of a songbird and the dark symbolism of a sparrow.
Alright. I’m done talking about birds. Let’s talk about Laura.

Coined “The First Lady of Folk” by British Magazine, The Fly, Laura Marling actually first started on the scene as a backup singer/muse/part of original lineup for the British indie-pop band Noah and the Whale. If you’ve heard the song “Five Years Time”, she’s the female voice singing “Sun, Sun, Sun” and so on. She also toured with other bands in the UK while making a name for her own solo music. Since the beginning of her career she teamed up with the likes of Johnny Flynn and Mumford and Sons on her solo international tours.

So far Laura has released two albums (“Alas I cannot Swim” and “I Speak Because I can”). Both albums show a wide range of lyrical poetry, guitar techniques, and overall styles. Laura uses many different guitar tunings and capo-placements to create a very unique sound. She is also a talented guitarist, which isn’t always the case with new singer-songwriters these days. Her distinctive voice can be sweet and melodic or deep and haunting. For example, on the song “Ghosts” (a great story-song), she uses a singular melody and great pick-through pattern on the six-string. On the other hand, in the song “Devil’s Spoke” she uses a bit of Indian influence with multiple chord changes and rhythmic patterns, along with a lyric-driven, racing feel.

One great thing about Laura Marling is her distinct ability to appeal to many types of listeners. She isn’t the typical “singer-songwriter” that sickens most listeners of heavier rock, but she also has the soul-exposing lyrical style and folk-style guitar playing that appeals to many listeners of the indie/acoustic genre. You will never be bored when listening to Laura Marling. Also, she cannot be accused of “each song sounds the same!” because every song has a unique story, melody, and sound.

This is a preview of Laura Marling – “The First Lady of Folk”. Read the full post (461 words, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

How to Become a Confident Karaoke Singer

Posted on by
Reply

Singing in front of a crowd can sometimes give us a withdrawn feeling of anxiety. It’s an avoidable situation, especially to karaoke virgins. Stage fright is experienced by everybody, and we have to overcome it once in our lifetime. It takes courage to face your fear but it really helps a lot in shaping your personality. And when it comes to karaoke singing, you should have the guts to sing your heart out and enjoy! Don’t let your knees go weak. Find out how you can actually croon the confidence within yourself with these practical guidelines.

Choose songs that are within your range and style. Picking your favorite song is an intelligent choice, and most probably the safest point to start with. If your voice is low, do not force to sing high-pitched songs or you might just strain your voice. Stay on your comfort zone and practice it consistently. Once you carry the tunes out perfectly, you can gradually adjust your voice to try other types of song.

Practice constantly. Make practicing at home a habit. If you want to build confidence in your singing, you have to spend time practicing your songs enthusiastically. The more you practice, the more chance you will get better and better. There is a lot of room for improvement and learning is a never-ending process. If you really want to succeed, then you should strive for it. Have the winning spirit!

Have a valuable investment. The key towards a successful confidence build-up is having a portable companion which will support your regular practice. Owning a portable videoke device or home entertainment system will surely put your singing endowment in a dynamic passion. You can have all the time to practice singing. This is definitely a wise investment if you are readily determined to earn your karaoke buddies’ approval.

Record your performance. Having a record of your own singing performance is a great help to assess your present condition. As you hear your voice, you will find out what is missing and what to improve. You can also honestly judge the result of your perseverance. That way, you can freely explore your singing avenue. Many portable karaoke devices already have this feature built-in.

This is a preview of How to Become a Confident Karaoke Singer. Read the full post (459 words, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

Sade Is Not A Brand, Sade Is A Band

Posted on by
Reply

Sade is boring.

No, I don’t mean their music is boring. I mean they are boring.

Sade is just one of those solid bands who chug along, year after year, making great music while keeping their names out of the tabloids. They’re quite refreshing, especially in an era where many musical artists achieve more notoriety for their antics than for their albums.

Of course, Sade’s music is anything but banal. The English quartet blends jazz, soul, R&B, soft rock, and funk into a sophisticated and complex sound. Their music is both challenging and comforting; their songs are unmistakable yet multifarious.

If there is anything remotely controversial about Sade it’s their name. Sade is both the moniker of the band and the sobriquet of its lead singer, Sade Adu (her real name is Helen Folasade Adu). Sometimes the media refers to “Sade” as a band (them) and other times they refer to “Sade” as a person (her).

You may ask why name a band after its frontwoman and cause so much confusion? Well, you can’t go wrong naming a band after a drop-dead gorgeous singer with a sultry voice. Of course, Adu is more than just the face of the group; she’s also the driving force behind their music.

Regardless of whether you refer to Sade as “them” or “her,” the Grammy Award-winning entity has sold nearly 60 million albums, seen every one of their releases (8) peak inside the top 10 of the Billboard 200, and vended thousands of Sade concert tickets all over the world.

Sade can trace its beginnings to 1982. At that time, Sade’s Adu (singer), Stuart Matthewman (guitar and saxophone), and Paul Spencer Denman (bass) were part of a Latin-soul band called Pride. On the side, the threesome formed another band which they dubbed Sade. This new band began to write their own material and eventually became Pride’s regular opening act. However, it didn’t take long before Sade eclipsed Pride in both popularity and notoriety. Once that happened, the two bands split ties and went their separate ways. In 1983, Andrew Hale joined the fray as the Sade’s keyboardist and has remained with the band ever since.

This is a preview of Sade Is Not A Brand, Sade Is A Band. Read the full post (526 words, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)