Mega Music Talent

CD Description
From Please Please Me to the White Album, all the original Beatles mixes are represented here in full, glorious mono! The Past Masters CD has been recreated as Mono Masters to properly reflect this period. This set duplicates the Past Masters track listing with the exception of those tracks that only ever appeared in stereo. However, as an added bonus, five tracks, never previously released in mono, are included in the package. These are “Only A Northern Song”, “All T (more…)

Personally I think of Mega Music Talent as musicians who have a major natural talent for music, though there are some musicians who have a lesser talent but a greater showmanship than others. Some artists become superstars because of that higher level of showmanship whereas the more talented musicians might struggle more for recognition.

I’ve been thinking about some of the superstars from the last 50 years and trying to determine whether or not they achieved superstar status through raw talent, showmanship or both. Then I decided to choose my favourite superstars from each decade and explain why.

(1950s) Elvis – The King Of Rock And Roll

The third best selling recording artist of all time, American idol Elvis Presley was the first major pop or rock superstar. That guy had a lot going for him: smouldering good looks, sex appeal, showmanship, rhythm – he wasn’t called Elvis the Pelvis for nothing – and a good but not great singing voice. Those qualities combined to help Elvis achieve worldwide superstardom throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s. Even after his death in 1977 his songs have continuing popularity and reissues and remixes are still released over 30 years on.

Elvis made 31 musical films during the 60s. His acting wasn’t all that and the films themselves were a bit naff but they were still popular and a financial success. Probably because the ladies loved to drool over the sex symbol. My favourite 3 Elvis tracks are ‘Hard Headed Woman’, ‘In The Ghetto’ and ‘The Wonder of You’.

(1960s) The Beatles – Britain’s First Super Group

The Beatles phenomena emerged from Liverpool in the early 60s and they released their first hit single ‘Love Me Do’ in June 1962. It wasn’t long before they achieved worldwide success and although they stopped recording together in 1970, over 40 years on they are still the most successful top selling group ever. Many artists claim the Beatles as their influence and the band were so huge that even in remote areas of the world people knew who the Beatles were and even today lots of youngsters know their songs.

The group consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. What they had going for them apart from their musicality was fresh good looks, cheekiness, likability and well marketed showmanship. Although John and Paul were the vocalists and main songwriters George and Ringo both contributed in the singing songwriting department. To me the 4 band members were the perfect fit and I wonder if the Beatles would have become such a legend without any one of them. Many of their early tracks were simple love songs but during the 60s their music evolved with the psychedelic age. My favourite 3 Beatles tracks are ‘I Am The Walrus’, ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’.

(1970s} Queen – And Not Her Majesty!

I was torn between several 70s super stars including Led Zeppelin, Abba, David Bowie and The Eagles, but my favourite 70s mega talent are English rock band Queen. Although Queen are listed as only 25th of the all time best music sellers in my opinion Queen were the ultimate in musical talent and showmanship. If I could go back in time and choose the artists that I would most like to see perform live it would be Queen with Freddie Mercury centre stage.

The band were formed in London in 1970 and consisted of Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon and Roger Taylor until Freddie Mercurys death in 1991. Now in 2008 Brian May and Roger Taylor still perform as Queen with the collaberation of Paul Rodgers. Although good Queen could never be the same without the mega vocalist – prancing, dancing drama queen Freddie Mercury. That guy was awesome to watch and listen to. The amazing video for their massive hit Bohemian Rhapsody is generally regarded to be the forerunner in music videos. My favourite 3 Queen tracks are: ‘Seven Seas Of Rhye’, ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and of course ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.

(1980s) U2 – The Band!

Way down at number 97 of the all time music best sellers are the rock band U2 – but they have received 22 Grammy awards which is more than any other band. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr are the band members who all come from Dublin in Ireland. U2 may seem a strange choice when there were other superstars around in that decade who achieved more but out of all of the big stars I find U2s often beautiful, haunting and anthemlike tracks the most memorable and they are the band still around today that I would most like to see live.

What I like about U2 apart from their music is that fame doesn’t seem to have taken away their humility. Individually and as a band they have consistently supported human rights and social justice causes – a band with good hearts. My favourite 3 U2 tracks all come from the Joshua Tree album and are: ‘With Or Without You’, ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’, and ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’.

(1990s) Celine Dion – Her Majesty!

Canadian vocalist and songwriter Celine Dion is the all time 12th best music seller and is still releasing hits today. Although Canadian, Celine won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with the song ‘Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi‘. Many Eurovision Song Contest winners sink without trace – probably due to the cheesiness of the contest and the songs. Like Abba who won the contest in 1984 Celine went on to achieve well deserved worldwide fame and emerged in 1990 as one of the most talented divas ever.

Celine has a powerful voice with a great vocal range, probably shown off best in her massive hit ‘The Power Of Love’ a track which has become for many the ultimate love song. Although Celine displays some showmanship I believe that her singing talent is enough to make her a major superstar. A few years ago I interviewed a millionaire ex record company director who claimed to have discovered Celine in a Canadian bar. I came to the conclusion that he was having me on but who could blame somebody for wanting to discover such a talent! My 3 favourite Celine Dion tracks are: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (a duet with Peabo Bryson), ‘I Drove All Night’ and ‘The Power of Love’.

(2000s) Linkin Park – Really!

Number 167 in the all time best music seller list American band Linkin Park get my vote as mega music talent of the 2000s. I almost chose Britney Spears as many others would, but I prefer listening to Linkin Park. The band consists of 6 members Brad Delson, Rob Bourdon, Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington, Joe Hahn and Phoenix.

What I like about Linkin Park is their versatile rock, rap music with a conscience style – or indeed varying styles! They have been compared to U2 but the only thing I can see that they have in common with U2 is winning Grammy awards 2 as opposed to U2s 22, but there is time for them to win more yet. My favourite 3 Linkin Park tracks are: ‘What I’ve done’, ‘Given Up’ and ‘Breaking The Habit’,

There you have it, my favourite mega music talent by the decade. I could have included some more obvious names like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Elton John, Pink Floyd, REM, Diana Ross and the Bee Gees, but the decision had to be based on who I believe to be the biggest mega stars of each decade. My prediction for the 2010s mega music superstar is the UKs Leona Lewis – what do you think?

Please comment below, let us know who you think the biggest superstars are and why. Do you agree or disagree with this post? Who do you think are going to be the mega music talent of the future?

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Who would have thought a few months back that this 18 year old fresh faced singer from South Shields would win the 2009 X Factor final? Not me anyway. After the auditions I sort of favoured Jamie Afro, that was based on his great performance of Sex on Fire. Problem was that Jamie never set the stage on fire again so my attention turned to Miss Frank. This girlband was 3 contestants who were encouraged to form a group after they failed to get through to bootcamp. They were great, original and interesting and I’m sure will have a good future if they stay together.

I always liked runner up Ollie Murs, he is a great performer though I didn’t think that his singing voice was the best. Up until the last 3 weeks I would have chosen Olly over Joe because his performances entertained me more. Then I saw that Joe had constantly improved and that his confidence was growing. Suddenly young Joe McElderry was beginning to look like a contender. His voice is probably the best of all of the contestants with perhaps the exception of Danyl Johnson who came fourth.

In third place was Stacy Solomon, the Dagenham girl with the big voice. She never really did it for me until the last show where she sang the Freddie Mercury classic ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and performed a duet with Michael Buble. That duet was something else and to me was better than the Ollie Murs/Robbie Williams duet and the Joe McElderry/George Michael duet – to be honest I was disappointed in George Michael and thought that Joe outsang him. 

The final was one of the most entertaining shows that I have ever seen and included a performance by Sir Paul McCartney, the most successful singer songwriter ever. When the X Factor finalists joined him on the stage it must have been massive for them – or epic as Olly says.

Congratulations to Joe, a very worthy winner. Congratulations to Cheryl Cole who mentored her second winner in a row. Congratulations to all of the other finalists who never failed to entertain during the best X Factor year yet.

I love Joe Mc Elderry t shirt

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The Obligatory Fiver have recently announced they will be releasing their debut single “Cloudbursting” in aid of the Leukemia Foundation.

The obligatory were formed by the remnants of a covers band in June 2009. The emphasis on this gathering was to merge creative skill, writing and producing our own material to see what comes out.

The band members are Andy Shaw (Vocals, Lead Guitar and Piano), Keith Hill (Rhythm Guitar, UKulete and Vocals) and Steve Gannaway (Drums, Bongos and Vocals). In January 2010 the trio were joined by Chris Watson (Bass, Vocals).

“Cloudbursting” is the first release by the band, released on 8th March 2010 with all proceeds going towards Leukemia Research Foundation. It will be available by download on 148 websites worldwide including iTunes, Amazon, Tescos, etc.

It has the full backing from The Leukemia Research Foundation.

Both Andy and Keith have lost a loved one due to Leukaemia.

The song is actually about overcoming depression that Andy had suffered for over a decade.

Having already been played on Pirate FM and Monochrome Museum.co.uk, also received 3 out of 5 stars on God is in the TVzine.co.uk (A new release Music Review Website for Unsigned Bands) the single could take off pretty quickly.

It was recorded by Gareth Young at the Cube Studios at the end of November 2009 over a weekend. Gareth has produced the likes of the Appleton Sisters, Sugarbabes and Dannii Minogue, having a number 2 in 2002 writing “fantasy” for The Appleton Twins.

Since then the obligatory has been gathering pace with gigs being arranged for the busy summer period that will be a mixture of covers and own material.

For more information go to www.myspace.com/theobligatoryfiver

Or find us by searching for The Obligatory Fiver on Facebook.

…. Lets raise some money for a very worthy cause.

This article is © Gary Vine Associates. All rights reserved worldwide. Gary Vine is an internet Marketer who regularly writes music articles & promotes unsigned Music. Visit our news site at www.megamusicnews.com. We also promote unsigned artists through our free mailing list at www.megamusicdiscovers.com where we present you with quality music you never knew existed.

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“Sugarland” is perhaps the most utilitarian band name of all-time. It’s such a non-descriptive appellation that it gives no hint to the band’s musical genre. Most band names at least point to some general type of music.

For example, when you hear a name like “Metallica” you immediately know it’s a heavy metal band. When you hear a name like “Green Day” you’re certain it belongs to a punk band. And when you hear the name “The Black Eyed Peas” you instantly realize the band sucks.

However, “Sugarland” could be used to name a band from just about any genre of music.

The name would work extremely well for an all-girl pop group.

“Sugarland” could be used for a posse of rappers, especially if you remove the letter “r.”

The name would fit a rock band, particularly one from the south.

A heavy metal band looking for an ironic name could always adopt “Sugarland.”

It’s suitable for less popular genres of music like bluegrass, Dixieland, polka, folk, and techno.

If you close your eyes you can picture a group of singers from the 1970’s, all wearing silver jumpsuits and performing disco music under the name, “Sugarland.”

The name even works for Celtic, Reggae, Latin, and World Music bands… “Los Sugarland.”

Certainly “Sugarland” was the second choice for the duo of Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell (those are the dudes from Air Supply).

While the name “Sugarland” could apply to just about any band in just about any genre of music, it is the name of country music’s brightest young duo, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush.

A little history about both the name and the band, “Sugarland” was coined by Kristen Hall, the former third member of group.

Hall left the band in 2005 to “pursue a solo career,” but some believe she was forced out because she was fat and openly gay, neither of which fit the image of a mainstream country music act.

The incredibly successful Sugarland has released three studio albums, all of which have reached multi-platinum status. A fourth is scheduled to drop this summer.

To support their new opus, the Atlanta-based Sugarland will sell tickets to their “Incredible Machine Tour” set to begin April 23 in Primm, Nevada. The tour is scheduled to take Sugarland to 56 cities in the United States and Canada.

As for the Great White North, expect the pair to visit London, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario.

“This new tour is a thrill for me,” said Nettles. “It will reflect our latest writing and surprises to come for the new record, the hits that our fans love, along with the production value that people have come to trust and expect from our live shows. Don’t come if you expect to sit on your ass the whole show. You won’t be able to. It’s a whole, new, rhythmic, emotional, visual, fun, incredible, experience machine.”

Highlights of the tour include a Sugarland concert in Dallas, a Sugarland concert in Indianapolis, and a Sugarland concert in Phoenix.

Fans can also catch Sugarland performing in Tampa, Florida.

In other Sugarland news, the duo was featured prominently in a couple of international events.

Nettles and Bush recently participated in the (awful) re-make of “We Are the World.” The 1985 smash hit was re-recorded to raise money for the victims of the Haitian earthquake. The song debuted at the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

Speaking of the Olympics, Sugarland contributed a song, “Wide Open,” to the Team USA Soundtrack, a collection of new tracks inspired by, and dedicated to, the athletes of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Author Bio: Ryan Hogan writes for ClickitTicket.com, an event tickets web site that sells concert tickets to Sugarland and most other concerts. Ryan contributes regularly to the ClickitTicket blog, an original sports, theater and live music blog that is constantly updated.

Article Source: http://bb-articles.com

So you want to be a good singer and have heard people talking about good breathing techniques and terms like breathing with your diaphragm. But what is the proper breathing technique or how can the diaphragm breathe? These questions will be answered in this short article.

You see, if you want to develop a wide singing vocal range or to improve your stamina to hold your notes, it is then imperative for you to develop good breathing techniques.

A good breathing technique is essential for breath control, vocal stamina and to even increase your vocal range. If your breath is restricted only to your chest area, you will never be able to get the effortless floating voice, excellent tonal quality or hit the really high notes.

Unknown to most people, most of us are prone to faulty breathing habits which we developed unconciously since we were children and these bad breathing habits follow us into our singing.

For example, if you find your chest and shoulders heaving when you inhale you, then you are not breathing correctly. Many people do not practice deep abdominal breathing for fear of looking fat. However, you cannot sing powerfully or hit the high notes unless you use deep abdominal breathing.

Another wrong assumption amongst novice singers is that noisy breathing equates to deep breathing. How can that be? Because if you breathe noisily, it is an indication of a constricted throat and pray, how can you sing well if your throat is tightened by your breath?

The correct way of breathing is to breathe in deeply but yet silently. So try breathing in sips rather than in gulps which will put more pressure on your throat and lungs. Your belly should move out effortlessly with each inhalation.

The following are just a few breathing exercises to develop your singing breath.

Begin by lying flat on your back. Take a deep breath and feel the wave of movement start at your chest and diaphragm area which is about around your stomach area. Feel your chest and diaphragm expanding but make sure you do not move your shoulders. Relax your belly muscles and let the wave of breath reach your belly and feel your tummy expands as you fill your lungs full of air.

Exhale and feel your belly deflating and then practice another deep breath and once again feel your chest and stomach expand with no movement of the shoulders. The expansion of your tummy should be outwards and not upwards. Close your eyes and feel your chest, diaphragm and tummy expand outwards. Then feel the muscles at the sides of rib cage expand at the same time. This is the correct way of breathing technique of a good singer.

In this next exercise you will need a lighted candle placed about 7 to 8 inches away from your face. Then breathe in deeply as you have learned in the previous exercise, expanding your chest and abdomen with no movement of the shoulders. Then exhale by letting out the air in the direction of the flame, bending it in the process but not flickering it or extinguishing it.

You will need to breathe out in a steady stream in a controlled way and not in gasps. Your objective is to bend the flame and not to flicker or extinguish it. By doing this, you are practising how to hold a note steadily when you sing.

So if you want to be a good singer, one of the most essential thing you must to is to master your breathing technique.

Author Bio: More free singing and musical articles by Chris Chew at How To Sing Better Singing Lessons and Learn How To Dance Lessons

Are you planning to set up a music studio at home? Well, it is not as difficult to pull off as you might think. True, the number of equipments found scattered around the studio floor of a professional can look rather intimidating to a beginner. However, you will not need that much equipment to start recording your own music tracks.

So, what is needed to set up a beginner’s music studio?

First things first, make a checklist from the items given below. These are the equipments that you must have in your studio if you plan to do digital audio recording of any kind. It may be a tad expensive, but it will be very difficult to pull off a good work without these basic components. Here are the equipments that you simply cannot work without:

1. Microphones: Well, of course these are amongst the most important equipments in your starter setup. After all, how are you supposed to sing the vocals without a microphone? When you purchase one, make sure that it is compatible with digital audio equipment like amplifiers, and sound mixers. Besides, make sure what type of microphone you will need. If you are going to use acoustic guitars and similar high frequency music equipment, invest in a condenser microphone. Otherwise, a dynamic microphone will be cheaper and get you by.

2. Pre-amplifiers: These will help in amplifying the sound of the vocalist’s voice, automatically suppressing some of the background noises in the process. These are your second most important equipments after the microphones. High quality pre-amps can be real wallet-burners though, so keep your budget in mind when shopping for one.

3. Sound cards: You must have one of these if you wish to record music digitally. Go for a low priced one if you are a genius at using audio mixing software. However, if you are not that sure about using audio manipulating software, then it is best to go for the expensive varieties.

4. Computer: Well, of course, you will need a computer with sound cards and audio editing software installed, in order to digitally master the audio tracks you create. Besides, a computer makes the task of remixing a song a snap. However, if you do not wish to edit your own tracks in any way, then simply investing in a hard disk recorder will get the job done, for the time being. Remember though, you will have to live with the noises and disturbances in the background of your audio tracks.

5. Monitor speakers: No, these are not related to monitors that allow you to see what is happening in a computer. Monitor speakers allow you to listen to audio streams and spot discrepancies easily. Some experienced sound mixing professionals claim that they can get the job done with headphones, but it is more difficult to pull off without really good experience in the field.

6. Room acoustics: This is perhaps the most neglected part of an audio recording setup, even by some professionals. However, spending time and money over designing the inside structure of a proper studio is a worthwhile investment. Try not to skimp on this if you wish to do some serious audio recording in future.

These are the bare bone components of a music studio. A good home studio is a genuine asset for any budding musician. Build yours today, and start creating magic using your talent and skills.

Author Bio:  Read more about lydproduksjon and musikkproduksjon at Noroff.no

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If you want to know how to rap better, then continue reading. You will learn to rap and will learn the secrets that will see you win many rap battles.

Step #1: Use The 1-2-3-4 Formula

If you want to learn how to rap, then understand and follow the 1-2-3-4 phase formula. Every hip hop song can be turned into a 4 step beat formula. Every time an emphasis is made in the rap, that is one of the 4 numbers.

To help you, move your hand from left to right every beat. Doing so makes it easier to make your flow rhyme. You need to create a pattern, for example, the 1st and 4th beat rhyming.

Step #2: Rap With Other Friends

Another secret on how to rap better is to freestyle rap with your friends. It is much more fun to freestyle rap with friends than to do it yourself. You will build confidence and can tell each other what was good and what was not so good. This will make your freestyle rapping skills improve much faster.

If you can’t find anyone to rap with, go to an online voice Internet chatroom and look for a chatroom that has many hip hop fans. You will easily find people who are willing to freestyle rap with you or battle. You may well find that some online friendships soon become offline ones too.

Step #3: Create Your Identity

Another tip to learn to rap is create your own rapper identity. A lot of hip hop emcees copy other people. They want to be like the next big hit so wear clothes and style their hair in a way that isn’t true to themselves. But when you do that, you lose a lot of your own originality.

You need to be yourself, and make a statement or originality. Look into past experiences and be proud of what makes you unique. By doing so you’ll find that people will more easily remember you, which is just what you want them to do.

Once you create your own rapper identity, you will feel more comfortable and ease when you’re rapping, and that will come across in your rapping, which will sound more natural and relaxed.

Step #4: Use A Rhyming Dictionary

To improve your rhyming skills, get yourself a rhyming dictionary. As you can probably guess from the name, this is a dictionary that lists words that rhyme with each other. This will save you a ton of time, and means you can focus on the rhythm and style of your raps.

Step #5: Focus On Your Particular Talents

Too many wannabe rappers spend too much time checking up on what other rappers are doing. That is not good because you can end up being discouraged if you see others doing better than you currently are.

So, don’t focus on other peoples lives or their rapping skills. Instead, focus on your own skills. The more you focus on your own freestyle rapping skills, the faster you will improve as a hip hop artist.

Author Bio: If you want to find out how to rap better, then sign up for my free newsletter at http://www.FreestyleMethod.com.

The Oscar Awards is the most estimable present-winning body that tells apart achievement in moving-picture show . But while the Oscars is more noted for the respects it gives to precious films, there is one honour here that musicians counter and aspire for: The Best Original vocal honour. This laurels is given to songs that are part of the soundtrack of a film, and it agnizes accomplishment for melodious excellence (from the dulcet system, output, and the Lyric Poems, among others). The vocals that have came through in this Category work in variant levels. For some, the Lyric Poems of these vocals add depth to the picture, while the others rely on the Lyrics and the music of these songs to move the narrative forward. Of course, the vocals and their one Lyric Poems as an annex of the cinema are not necessarily the criteria for winning this Family. What topics most here is the capital of the euphony, the beauty of the Lyrics, and the excellency of the vocal.

A number of vocals that have come through the Best Capital were from singing films or from films where music, Words, and songs play a huge part. This commonly lets in animated lineaments such as The Prince of Egypt, Tarzan, and Monsters Inc. The Lyrics of these vocals do not always jive with the song of the movie. For instance, the Lyrics of “HYPERLINK \”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27ll_Be_in_My_Heart\” \\o \”You\’ll Be in My Heart\” You\’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan only pertain to a small portion of the story of the pic. But the Lyric Poems of “If I Didn’t Have You” from Monsters Inc. fit the movie like a glove. Sample Lyrics: “If I were a rich man / With a million or two / I’d live in a penthouse / In a room with a view / And if I were handsome / Well it could happen / Those dreams do come true / I wouldn’t have nothin’ if I didn’t have you.”

There have been representatives when the stars intended in the celluloid would execute vocals for its soundtrack-and would later on win in the Best vocal Family in the Oscars. An deterrent example of this is Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for the cinema 8 Mile. Since the Words of this vocal were written during the yield of the movie (substance it was wrote specifically for the moving-picture show), it sums up or fishing tackles much of the plot and themes of the cinema. For example, “The soul\’s scarpering, up this hole that it\’s gaping / This world is mine for the taking / Make me mogul, as we move toward a, new world order / A normal life is drilling, but superstardom\’s close to autopsy .” Eminem’s win may have thunderstruck many, since the Oscars is known to pick the most obvious choice. Yet Eminem’s smart and witty Lyric Poems have dealt to win the hearts of the Oscar electors.

Some of the lyricists and composers who have won the most number of awards in this Family include Tim Rice and Alan Bergman. These two persist to be common until today, thanks to their timely and circulating Words. Rice’s and Bergman’s Words are subtle self-examination of life (as in the Lyric Poems of Bergman’s “The Way We Were” for the movie of the same title) while keeping its gall and being forward while working on sanctioned tools and banners (as in Rice’s “You Must Love Me” from Evita).

Author Bio: Get the Oscar award winner Lyrics available at http://www.smartlyrics.com

Singers are usually intimidated upon hearing their voices amplified by the microphone. However, this is the tool is very important to make you hear your voice and for many people to her you too. This will also make you enjoy while singing if you use it very well.

You have to have techniques on how to handle and take care of your microphone. Here’s how you can take control of the microphone instead of it intimidating you:

1. Don’t put your fingers or hands on the part of the microphone where it catches most of the sound. This will forfeit the purpose of using the microphone. You may not be heard and understood very clearly by the audience.

2. The mesh head of the microphone can be taken out and washed once it is removed. This part of the microphone becomes stinky from too much saliva that accumulates. You can wash the foam inlay after removing it gently. You have to be sure that it’s completely dry before replacing it to the microphone. If not taken care of properly, the sound quality that your microphone produces might not be on the optimum level.

3. Checking the sounds from the microphone is totally different when doing it in an empty hall. The people’s bodies and clothes absorb a lot of sound. To set the correct volume of your microphone, you have to rehearse and do your sound checks in a hall full of people. This will make you know the optimum volume of your microphone when you perform.

4. When using the microphone, the sounds produced inside a hall or outside are different. Weather can also be a factor that makes the outputs different. The air molecules are dry and sound is carried faster on a dry day. On the other hand, on a wet day, the molecule is heavier when it is damp. It means that the sound cannot travel that fast, making it duller when heard. One example is you can clearly hear large vehicles passing outside by on a dry day than on a damp day.

5. Change the equalizer on you track to increase the bass when singing in lover notes. By this, you don’t have to sing low notes louder than necessary. This will also make the sound of your lower register stronger.

6. When starting to hit higher note, pull the microphone away from you. This will not overpower you audience.

A singer needs enough projection for the whole listening public to hear. However, things have changed with the advent of the microphone. It has become the best friend of the best performers in the whole world. It might be a very small device; yet, it can make somebody more powerful than himself onstage. When you want to perform, the microphone is the right gadget to be trusted, your best friend that will let you hear yourself and enjoy you own voice. See what technology can do!

Author Bio: Jessica Norman always wanted to learn to sing. From her own experience, You can find vaulable insight into the learn to sing software and voice lessons on the internet on her site learn to sing 123. Visit her site if you want to learn to sing. You might want to try out her vocal training guide.

Ahhh, the sweet sound of a vinyl record playing your favorite music. Some say that there is no better way to listen to their music. Yes, vinyl records have made a triumphant return to the music arena, with sales over the last few years on a steady increase.

However, opponents of the format may point to the delicate nature of vinyl, records do require due diligence and upkeep in order to keep them sounding their best. But if you maintain a vigilant ritual, vinyl records can last many decades, so the records that you own right now can conceivably be passed down through generations of music lovers. And the bonus for properly maintaining your records is enjoying a crisp, clear playback each time you spin your turntable.

Let’s explore some relatively easy ways to properly care and maintain vinyl records so they can be listened to and enjoyed and also to help preserve their resale value for years to come:

Never touch the grooves

When handling records, treat them with loving care, hold them with two hands around the outer edges of the record; never allowing your fingers to touch the grooves. A simple method to alleviate this potential problem area would be to invest in some disposable plastic gloves, like the ones used in food preparation. Then, one can easily manipulate the record playing process and take the fear out of handling records.

Know the enemies of vinyl

The environment in which your records are stored is very important to a long shelf life. If you want a long shelf life for your prized recordings, keep the records away from dirt, dust, smoke, fingerprints, and oils from human skin as well as faulty phonograph needles. Never stack your records on top of each other, albums should be stored vertically. Avoid storing them too tight as it can lead to ring wear on the cover or sleeve and cause unnecessary stress to the record’s materials, surface and label, often resulting in warps and contact damage. Additionally, the records should be stored in a low humidity setting with a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees if possible. Obviously, it is imperative to keep your treasured vinyl away form heat sources such as sunlight, heater vents and even lighting. Avoid dusty environments and if possible store the records in a relatively airtight container such as a cabinet with doors or sealable boxes or bins.

Protecting your records and LP jackets

There are different opinions on this, but it is recommended by most to remove the original wrapping from the manufacturer, the dreaded shrink wrap, as this may shrink over time; eventually warping the jacket or possibly the record. A note of caution, however, some of the stickers or promotional information on this shrink wrap may actually make the album more valuable if left on; so use discretion when removing the shrink wrap. It is recommended to replace this wrapping with a high density polyethylene outer protective sleeve.

There are several vendors where one can buy these protective outer sleeves, but one that offers many different options for record collectors is a well-respected vendor www.bagsunlimited.com. Bags Unlimited has been in the collection protection business since 1975 and are the #1 choice of collectors for storage, display and shipping products for their collectibles. BagsUnlimited.com stocks record bags made out of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester (Mylar). All three of these materials have passed the Photo Activity Test (P.A.T.) certifying that they are safe for long-term storage and protect them from dust, dirt, finger oils, and other airborne pollutants.

“We carry multiple types of poly sleeves, varying in thickness and record jacket sleeves that come with a re-sealable flap, depending on the collector’s choice,” explained David Street of BagsUmlimited.com. “We also stock 2 mil and 4 mil sleeves that are manufactured of archival polyester (Mylar), an inert material of the highest clarity. Mylar is extremely clear, inert, 100% acid-free and considered to be the most archival of all protective sleeves. Polyester will not discolor, damage or adhere to items placed inside it. This material has passed the Photo Activity Test and Polyester is used worldwide in museums, libraries and archives. Our polyester material has been approved by the Library of Congress for archival storage.”

It is also very important to have clean, acid free inner sleeves to protect your records with paper sleeves being the most practical. Some recordings were issued with inner sleeves that have acidity issues, which over time, could damage the vinyl records that they hold. Additionally, some sleeves may be viewed as collectible, so it’s best to save them as part of the album package.

“We are the manufacturers of our paper sleeves and therefore have control over the sizes and materials used. Being the manufacturers also insures that the sizes are true, the holes are centered, and the seams are well-glued,” stressed Street. “Investing in quality sleeves for your records is one of the most important care tips for long lasting vinyl.”

Storing your records in boxes can also add to the preservation process in many ways according to Street:

“Bags Unlimited boxes are the Standard of the Industry. Storing your records in our boxes keeps them in an environment that will protect the corners, edges, and flat surfaces. It also keeps them away from ultraviolet light, dust and other airborne pollutants that can destroy or damage them,” Street stated. “Our boxes are super strong, properly sized and stackable. They come with 3″ deep sturdy covers and die-cut handles that can be in the open position for carrying or closed position for storing.

Cleaning and maintaining vinyl records

The most important aspect of owning and playing vinyl records is to keep the records clean. Due to the chemical nature of vinyl, they attract dust and dirt. This is caused by vinyl’s tendency to build up static electrical charges which attract small particles of dust which land in the grooves. These particles will cause “pops” and “clicks” as the record plays.

The cleaning of records should be performed before and after playing. This will ensure the best possible playback, and also prepares the record for “dust free” storage. It’s highly recommended that a record collector have on hand some sort of carbon fiber brush (there are many varieties of brushes available). Carbon fibers are used to help disrupt static buildup while brushing relies on the vibration of the almost microscopic carbon fibers to clean the grooves and remove dust and dirt. It’s recommended that the turntable be running while brushing rather than holding the record in your hands because this will result in a smoother, more consistent cleaning motion.

Some people get so intensely careful about cleaning their vinyl records, they often forget about keeping the needle clean. Since the needle is constantly tracking in the groove of the records, it attracts large amounts of dirt and dust particles and must be cleaned. When not properly maintained, the needle may not vibrate fully and may not rest in the bottom of the record groove; resulting in decreased sound quality and other audio problems. Needle maintenance supplies are easily obtained, for instance, the aforementioned BagsUnlimited.com sells an inexpensive “Stylus Care System” which includes a special cleaning fluid and a dense nylon brush to maintain a clean needle.

Obviously the turntable surface should be kept clean of dust and static. Most newer turntables come equipped with a rubber or antistatic felt surface. A great way to clean both the needle and the turntable area and also keep the carbon fiber brush clean is with condensed air in a can, which is available at any electronics retailer; just spray the area before and after playing your records for a continued dust free environment for your audio treasures. Taking this one step further, BagsUnlimited has in stock a unique antistatic solution, as Dave Street explains:

“We carry a portable antistatic, ionizing air gun to use with the condensed air dust remover and it will significantly boost the ability of canned air to remove dust from static-prone areas. This ionizing gun effectively neutralizes static charges in vinyl, plastics, glass, films, Mylar and other items that hold static charges by creating a flow of ions that neutralizes static charges and releases clinging dust. The gun easily snaps onto any type of nonflammable canned air,” explained Street.

There are many cleaning solutions that can be used to ‘wet’ wash a record and it really is a matter of personal preference as to which one to employ. In the old days, when record were made of shellac, they could be cleaned with a mild solution of regular soap and water (always use distilled water as tap water often contains too many contaminants) and this was the preferred way to maintain the old 78 rpm records. Never use the new cleaning solutions on 78’s because they are alcohol-based and can dissolve shellac recordings and will ruin these types of records.

Speaking with Dave Street again, they sell several kits of various sizes to help keep record clean.

“We recommend the ‘Groovy Record Cleaning Kit’ and each kit comes with micro bristled cleaning brush; cotton cleaning cloth, various sized bottles of GROOVY Cleaning Fluid which is Bags Unlimited’s own Record Cleaning Fluid, and is specially formulated for its deep cleaning, antistatic, residue-free properties.”

It’s also recommend not storing the vinyl inside the record cover but instead slip the vinyl (protected by the inner sleeve) behind the cover with both protected by the outer sleeve, because storing the vinyl inside the cover may eventually create seam and/or spine splits. Over time the weight of the record could possibly cut through the binding.

The reward

This article was not written to exemplify how hard it is to maintain vinyl records; on the contrary, these are very simple tasks and often become mundane and second nature after time. But the reward is so great-the preservation of your prized collection and the coupdeville- the best possible sound reproduction that is humanly possible. With proper care and diligence, these historic audio treasures will last a lifetime or two, giving vinyl record owners many hours of listening bliss.

Author Bio: Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his FREE ebook called “The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting.” Have your vinyl records appraised at http://www.vinylrecordappraisals.com.