Mega Music Talent

Posts Tagged ‘song’

Are lyrics important in a song? While you won’t see a lot of people discussing this issue, this is probably a question that comes up every once in a while. The question is not as stupid as it sounds—many actually claim that lyrics do not serve any important function to a song. After all, a song is music; and while the sound would be different without the lyrics, the experience shouldn’t be any different. There are people who listen to music for the sake of the sound, considering the lyrics as an exterior, an addition, instead as an integral part of the creation. But is this entirely true? Are lyrics really important?

Many would say yes for several reasons. For one, many listeners of music find the appeal of songs in the lyrics and not in the music. This is because they find the song lyrics “relatable.” By this, it means the listeners can connect with the song, perhaps because they have experienced the sentiments and narrative delivered by the lyrics. Lyrics as something relatable are usually applicable when the song lyrics are in the form of a narrative; or when the song lyrics tell a story, regardless if it is complete or incomplete. An example of this is Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue.” If the title itself doesn’t imply that the song is a narrative, the lyrics itself should make it very clear. For instance: “My daddy left home when I was three / And he didn’t leave much to ma and me / Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze./ Now, I don’t blame him cause he run and hid / But the meanest thing that he ever did / Was before he left, he went and named me ‘Sue.’” Of course, the lyrics of the song can be relatable even if it isn’t an all-out narrative. As all as the lyrics provide sentiments, anyone can relate to it.

One factor why people say lyrics aren’t essential in songs is dance music. Dance music has lyrics, of course, but their function isn’t as important as the sound of the song itself. For instance, there have been a number of dance songs that have lyrics in the foreign language. The lyrics of dance songs aren’t exactly nonsensical, but it is not given primary importance.

Lyrics also aim to inspire. This is essential true in gospel music and country music. Here, the sound doesn’t take a backseat—although the lyrics are given more importance. Gospel music, for instance, is a genre defined by the lyrics of the song since it is described as a genre that expresses Christian beliefs. Of course, lyrics also provide additional entertainment, especially when songs are performed in karaoke.

In short, lyrics make it easier for a song to express emotions and sentiments, feelings and intent. Music can provide and express emotions, but adding lyrics to a song definitely adds depth and texture to what would otherwise be plain and repetitive.

Author Bio: This article on Lyrics & your Emotions is presented by http://www.lyricsbay.com/

For some people purchasing tickets for a concert seems like a very easy thing to do. However, it’s not always that straight forward. There are a number of bad ways to go about purchasing concert tickets.

One year I was desperately keen to see Led Zeppelin playing live. I’d read about a one-off gig that they were playing in my local area and I really had to go. Led Zeppelin had been my favorite band for years and years but I’d never had the chance to see them live since I first saw them on their original tour years before. I checked the venues which would be selling tickets and made a note of the time they were going on sale.

The next day I hurried down to the nearby ticket office ? just 10 minutes away from where I lived. Knowing that it was so close by I wasn’t too worried about getting up really early that morning. So I stepped out of my front door with a little more than two hours to spare, getting really excited about the prospect of seeing my all-time favorite band performing live. I was absolutely buzzing with excitement. In the end I ran up to the ticket office, not because I was worrying about queues, but because I was just that full of adrenalin I simply had to let off some steam!

All was well. I got to the ticket office with plenty of time to spare ? two hours in fact. As I stepped inside I could almost feel the ticket in my hand. Wandering up the narrow staircase I could feel my heart racing until I turned the corner and saw the inside of the building had been turned into one giant queue. My heart sank; I thought I’d never be able to get a ticket with so many people in front of me. It took me 2 hours to find out that I was correct ? waiting in line to find out that there weren’t enough tickets left me feeling really down. If you’ve ever got so excited about something that ends up not happening, you’ll know what it feels like.

Then it occurred to me. Although the tickets had sold out, I’d almost certainly be able to pick up a few from the ticket touts. I decided to keep an ear out for any tickets being sold on, but as the concert date neared I still hadn’t heard of any tickets being sold. Finally the day of the concert came. I thought my best bet would be to turn up at the stadium where the gig was being held and look for touts hanging around outside. After waiting around in the chilly air for almost an hour I finally found someone willing to sell me a ticket. It came at a price though; it was six times as much as the original selling price! When I finally got to the door, the bouncer told me my ticket was a fake and I was turned away empty handed and out of pocket!

Author Bio: The article written by Weera Kunti, please visit the website for more information as it provides information about concert tickets or cheap tickets

Thousands of songs, penned by thousands of songwriters, and I’m sure they all have their own individual ways of converting that initial germ of an idea into what they hope will become a hit song.

I am always being asked:-

a. Does the melody come first, followed by the lyrics?
b. Do the lyrics come first followed by the melody?

Speaking for myself, neither of the above are true!

99% of the time the title comes first, and I cannot stress enough the importance of a strong song title. My inspiration and starting point for a song normally comes from something someone has said , or from a catchy phrase or magazine/newspaper headline I have spotted. Once I’ve found the title, it immediately suggests a mood to me, and once that mood has been established it’s time to get on with the song.

So, without further ado, get those newspapers/magazines out and start searching for that all important starting point. Find a phrase/headline that grabs your attention and build your song around that.

The title you choose will no doubt suggest a mood for the song. If your title happens to be ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Gutbucket’, it implies immediately that it’s going to be a pretty heavy piece of work, rather than a tender love ballad. It is essential that the title strongly suggests to the listener what is to follow.

Here’s how MY latest song was conceived:-

I was idly leafing through a magazine when a headline literally leapt off the page at me:

‘I’M TURNING INTO GARBO’

What a great title for a song! ‘TURNING INTO GARBO.’
The legendary Hollywood actress Greta Garbo, and her famous ‘I want to be alone’ quote. Surely I thought, I must be able to do something with this!

Immediately I reached for the notepad and pen which never leave my side. It’s always important to have them there for just such a moment! Great ideas die just as quickly as they are born!

The title I had chosen suggested to me an air of quiet reflection. I could picture a man who had lived a big life, experienced all the good and bad things that life can throw at you, and was looking back on his past. Some of the dreams have perished, some still remain. The kids he raised have flown the nest, his wife is long gone, and now he has decided to find some peace and tranquility, and to treasure whatever time he may have left.

The lyrics came remarkably quickly, and the verses are simply constructed around the chords D & A

Verse 1.
I’m turning into Garbo, I want to be alone,
Turning into Garbo, need to spend time on my own,
Leave the crowds behind me, try to find tranquility,
Find a little home beside the sea

Verse 2.
I’m turning into Garbo, want some peace and solitude,
Turning into Garbo, hope it wont be misconstrued,
Now I’m growing older, want to leave the crowds behind
Try to find myself some peace of mind.

Verses 1&2 explain the desire to get away from the rat race to a new and peaceful environment. Having stated this, he feels, halfway through verse 2, that his friends might feel he’s turning his back on them, but hopes that they will understand.

Never having been a maestro when it comes to the use of chords, I was more than pleased with the chord sequence for the chorus/bridge. (Call it what you like). The chord progression goes from F# – Bm – G – F# – Bm – G – A – F# each chord lasting for one line of the chorus. Then on the last word of the chorus a final A leading into the D at the start of Verse 3

Chorus
I’ve had my share of ups and downs, I’ve laughed a lot and cried,
Struggled through the bad times, And heaven knows I’ve tried,
To keep a smile upon my face, When things were going wrong,
I’m turning into Garbo, It says so in this song

Verse 3 starts with a ‘Less is More’ quote from Robert Browning. I hate to admit this, but I don’t know which of his works it comes from. However it was just what I was looking for to set the mood for this last verse.

Verse 3.
Browning said that ‘Less is more’, I’m certain that it’s true,
It’s good to be alone at times , that’s one thing that he knew
But once a year in summertime my friends all visit me,
In my old secluded home beside the sea

I feel the last verse ends on a happy, positive note with our subject achieving his aim of a peaceful life, but getting the best of both worlds as his friends come to visit him in the summertime.

The chorus and Verse 3 are repeated, and a final line added which simply states ‘and I’m turning into Garbo??..that’s me’. Wraps it up nicely I think!

The song almost seemed to write itself, and it took me no longer than 2-3 hours from beginning to end. When a song happens in that sort of time I feel it’s a very good sign. The harder I have to work at a song, the farther down in my estimation it goes!

The demo I did of the song was done in my home studio, and initially had lots of harmonies on it. I lived with it in that form for a while, but decided it was far too regimented, and had lost its simplicity and charm. I stripped it down to the bare bones, and tried to sing it the way I felt somebody like Willie Nelson would have done, and for me it worked. All I need now is for Willie to record it!!!

* * * *

Well, hopefully that’s given you an insight into how building a song around a title works for me, and thank you for reading my little article.

So, don’t forget. The next time you see a phrase or headline that catches your eye, reach for that notepad and pen and start writing that song! It may not work out, but hey, what is there to lose?

!!! IF YOU DON’T BUY A TICKET, YOU WON’T WIN THE RAFFLE !!!

Author Bio: Keith Hancock and John Proctor St Cecilia We have a youtube channel with the various video’s and records that we have written and performed our channel is www.youtube.com/japroctor Link to Keith’s song and video Turning Into Garbo. Link to our video channel St Cecilia.

If you’re relatively new to singing, you’re likely to be thinking mostly about your vocal skills and how you can use singing techniques to develop and enhance your sound. However, when you reach the stage where your singing technique is stable, secure and providing an adequate level of support, it is important to consider how you are communicating the sentiments in the song you are singing.

An expressive vocal performance as well as a physical connection with the song on stage will produce an extremely powerful performance. However, the process of engaging with the sentiments of the repertoire and creating new levels of expression can be particularly challenging if you don’t have any experience in acting or drama.

Expressing repertoire effectively and communicating the story behind the lyrics not only helps an audience to fully engage with your performance but the process will also help you develop the tone and colour of your voice.

There are many different ways to develop these skills. Most importantly, you need to connect with the lyrics and completely understand the context and meaning of what you are singing. This may take a little time and even some research depending on what you’re singing. But once you’ve done this, you will naturally begin to express the material more effectively. This is why choosing to sing songs which already mean something to you and that you can relate to will help you to create a more expressive performance from the outset.

Following this, there are two main ways you can develop more expression in your performance:

#1 Personal Performance:

A ‘personal performance’ means you are singing the song as yourself. To do this, you need to identify the sentiments and emotions in each section of the song and then think carefully about how you would normally express these emotions in your day-to-day life. So, if you experience joy-how do you react, how does your facial expression change and do you do anything different physically? Once you’ve thought about your normal reaction to the range of emotions in the song, you simply apply your natural expressions to your performance. This can often be an excellent way to create a genuine performance and become more expressive without deep exploration of a character.

#2: Character Performance:

If you choose to perform the repertoire as the character who sings the song, the process will be lengthier. This obviously applies more to repertoire in opera, musical theatre and classical genres. It may be the repertoire you choose to sing is not sung by a particular character. In this case, you will need to sing the song as yourself.

Singing as a character involves exploring the character and developing a good understanding of the context in which you’re singing. Research into the character and the context of the song will provide an excellent basis for experimenting with the physicality and demeanour of the character. Think about how the character would walk, talk and react in particular situations and surroundings. This process of exploration and experimentation will help you when it comes to communicating the sentiments of the repertoire effectively as the character singing the song.

Ultimately, however, whatever method you use, providing you are effective in expressing the sentiments of the repertoire and communicating these to the audience, your performance will be greatly improved.

Achieve performing arts success with mystagedoor.co.uk – the global community of aspiring performers. Join the performing arts platform at mystagedoor.co.uk and get free access to training tips, career advice, showbiz news and the opportunity to meet thousands of other like-minded performers.

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

Whether you want to train to sing in a stage show to hundreds of people a night or whether you strive to be a vocalist in a band, developing and maintaining strong and secure singing technique is crucial.

First, in the process of working on your technique you must ensure you do not push your voice – straining your voice can cause long term damage and should be avoided at all costs.

To develop good singing technique, you must begin to think about singing from a different part of your body. Instead of thinking about breathing from the chest and singing from the voice box in the neck, we must develop the concepts of:
1.    Using the diaphragm (which is just below the lungs) for effective breathing and
2.    Supporting the voice with the contraction of the ‘core muscles’ located in the lower abdomen (the muscles just below the tummy button)

The following exercises will help you to apply these fundamental singing techniques:
#1: Breathing:
Put your hands around your waist with your thumbs at the back and fingers at the front – this will help you to become aware of the exact movements of the diaphragm.
- In front of a mirror, breathe in for 8 counts, hold your breath for 8 counts and hiss the air out slowly and consistently.
- Watch yourself carefully to make sure your shoulders stay still. You should feel your tummy go out as you breathe in and go in as you breathe out. You should also feel a similar movement around your side and back.
- You may want to imagine having a rubber ring fitted tightly around your waist and as you breathe in you push out onto the ring.
- As you repeat this breathing exercise, you should remember three things:
1. You should try to take as much air into the lungs as your breath in – using more of your total lung capacity
2. As you hiss out, you should try to maintain as much control of the air flow as possible – keep a consistent flow to the hiss
3. You should try to encourage as much air out of the body  – towards the end of the breath use the tummy muscles to direct the remaining air out of the lungs

- Once you have completed this slow breathing exercise, you need to try speeding up the breathing process.
- Breathing like a steam train, produce short, sharp bursts of air. Remember to ensure you are breathing ‘diaphragmatically’ – tummy going out when you breath in and in when you breath out.
- Gradually speed the breaths up – stop if you feel dizzy at any stage.
- Use the contraction of the ‘core muscles’ (the band of muscles below the tummy button) to pressurise the air and maintain as much control of your breathing as possible.

#2: Support
- Progressing from the breathing exercises, instead of producing short sharp breaths, produce three short sharp bursts of sounds on a note which is easy for you to sing (try singing to ‘HA’)
- Gradually increase the number of sounds you are producing on each note until you are singing scales to ‘ha’
- With each note, you should feel the diaphragm flatten and the tummy expand as you breath in and the core muscles contract to support the voice as you sing the sound
- Repetition of this simple exercise will establish an initial awareness of what ‘support’ is and how the contraction of the core muscles can be used to help create security, stability, power and projection to your singing.

Achieve performing arts success with mystagedoor.co.uk – the global community of aspiring performers. Join the performing arts platform at mystagedoor.co.uk and get free access to training tips, career advice, showbiz news and the opportunity to meet thousands of other like-minded performers.

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

At first music downloads through the internet were limited and expensive. Few sites provided the service and those that did were costly. Then illegal services rose in popularity. The original Napster provided music for free but ended up being closed down. At last there are legitimate unlimited music download services available. These services range quite a bit in their payment schemes with some being pay-per-download and others being subscription fee services. However, all of these sites have a massive range of tracks available covering virtually anything you could ever want to buy.

Numerous sites now provide services like these but given the sheer variety and scope the choice of where to get your music from is a difficult one. It’s worth finding out which sites offer the best value for money when you’re looking into downloading music from the internet. With so much information to consider why not read on to find out more about what downloading from these music sites entails.

There are a number of music providers on the internet, some of which are also famous high street names such as HMV. Sites like this, and Amazon, provide a vast amount of music for your listening pleasure at relatively low prices. Covering soundtracks, artist albums, music videos and more the range of products on offer to the consumer on these sites is nothing short of breathtaking. The downside of sites like these is that, for the serious music fan, there is just too much expense. Music on these sites is cheap compared to the high street, but if you want thousands of songs you’ll be spending a lot of cash. Thankfully there are now solutions to this.

The newest range of music download websites now grant customers access to limitless downloads at much lower costs. This means you can download ten tracks a day, or ten tracks per second (if you’re internet is fast enough) and you won’t have to pay any extra. This may sound too good to be true, but it really does exist and it’s completely legal. Download sites like these sometimes charge one off membership fees or otherwise charge subscription fees but regardless of how many songs you want to download you’ll always pay the same amount. The cost of membership or subscription isn’t very much either. In fact, it’s cheap enough that even kids can afford to pay for the service with their own pocket money.

However, with so many sites providing this sort of service it can be daunting figuring out which to choose. So firstly check the selection of music on offer. If it has the kind of genres that you’re after then that’s a start. Whilst all of the sites carry the main genres such as pop, rock, and r’n'b, some may not carry niche genres. Also check that the music file format is compatible with your computer and look into whether the service requires you to download a client application. Then compare prices and enjoy the service of your choice.

Author Bio: The article written by Zarqoo Zaimoo. Please visit Unlimited Music Download for more information and other download site visit http://www.ezydownload.net

Seeing your favorite artist or band live can be a one-of-a-kind experience that you might have dreamt of. As soon as you hear that the band or artist is visiting your town you are finally in with a chance of making that dream into reality. However, even the biggest fans can find it hard to get a ticket, especially when this involves queuing for hours at the ticket office.

These days standing in line at the ticket office is no longer the only option we have. The internet has become more and more useful for buying tickets online, and avoids all of that unnecessary queuing to be the first in line. All you need to do is connect to a website via a computer.

There are many ticketing websites online designed with the sole purpose of selling you tickets to the most important events. This means that all fans can regularly connect and search events in their area, or login to get a ticket for their favorite band.

Online tickets websites are a great resource not just for concerts but for any kind of event that sells tickets. This may include sports, theatre or more. They will also provide you with information on the different venues, how to get there, how to use your tickets, when bands are going on tour and so on. You will never be unsure of what there is to do in your area. You could even sign up to their newsletter to have details of their calendar sent to you regularly.

If you do choose to subscribe to their email newsletter you can let them know what kinds of events you are most interested in. This could be music, theatre, sports or special events ? all of the information will be sent straight to your inbox. The great thing about choosing to do this is that you will be notified before the tickets go on sale, giving you the chance to get in there early and make sure you get a ticket before they have a chance of selling out. It will also let you know of events in your area that you may not have known about beforehand.

Another reason why buying tickets online is the most convenient option ? you can buy as many kinds of tickets as you want in one single transaction. This can make it a lot easier to find the tickets, and simpler to pay. Most websites will accept major credit cards so you should have no problem booking online.

As well as subscribing to newsletters there may also be the possibility of signing up as a member. There could be regular contests in which you could win tickets, or there may simply be special offers allowing you to purchase tickets before the general public gets a chance. Read the website for their specific terms, but you could be in with the chance of winning tickets to big events or even VIP areas. As you can see, buying tickets online is not only easier ? it can be much more cost effective!

Author Bio: The article written by Weera Kunti, please visit the website for more information as it provides information about Concert Tickets or buy tickets

Seeing your favorite performer or musician on TV or on CD can be great, but nothing beats the experience of watching them live. You might love the atmosphere of your favorite sporting events, or perhaps just want to see what your idol looks like in the flesh. Everyone has something that they love, and the great thing is that there are many concerts and events giving everyone the chance to experience these events in person.

If you have never bought tickets for a live event or sports game in the past then you may be unsure about where to go for your tickets. The good news is that it is now easier than ever to find out what is happening and to purchase tickets online. There are also box offices set up to sell these tickets, but buying online is often the easiest and most convenient option even if you have never done this before. It also means that you don’t need to worry whether the box office is far from your home, or where to pick up the tickets if they are not ready yet. Simply order online and they will be delivered or be available to pick up on the day of the event.

Finding tickets online is easy. All you need is a computer that is connected to the internet, and start a search for the events you are interested in. You can even find entertainment guides that let you know exactly what is happening in your local area, if you are not sure what you want to do yet. Once you find some suppliers you can start comparing prices to find which ticket you want to buy.

There are a few things to bear in mind when looking for your tickets online. Firstly you have to make sure that the vendor’s website is secure, which means that their order page is protected. Their prices should also be competitive, and you can easily compare these by looking at other websites. They should also have a large selection of tickets and a website that is easy to navigate. Above this they should be reliable, and you will often be able to find reviews of a particular service by searching for these online.

It is important you bear these points in mind to avoid any online scams, though most of the large and established ticket vendors will be safe. Of course there are some sites that will not send you the tickets that you pay for, but buying from sites such as TicketsNow, PurchaseTix or RazorGator will really ensure that you get what you pay for. Your tickets will usually be delivered close to the date of the event, so don’t worry if you do not receive them right away.

There are many benefits to buying your tickets online, and you will soon start to enjoy all of your favorite stars and events. You will save money you would have spent at the box office, and start to realize that buying online is the most convenient option!

Author Bio: The article written by Weera Kunti, please visit the website for more information as it provides information about concert tickets or tickets