Category Archives: Music

Finding The Right Computer Subwoofer For You

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In this day and age, we use computer in practically everything that we do. It is rare that you and I will ever meet a person who has never used a computer, with the exception of babies and some of the elderly. The computer to the modern person is just like breathing. There are many uses for it like, in your finances, watching movies, playing games, and listening to music. There are many upgrades and accessories, which will increase your computers level of efficiency. Probably the most popular accessory computer subwoofer.

The most important thing subwoofers do is provide that very important low end frequency, that almost all mediums of entertainment need, that is the biggest reason why people buy subwoofers. Subwoofers also add depth and quality to your audio track. Buying a subwoofer can be quit tricky, because there are many people who will try to cheat you and take your money. Remember, to install it well, many people get excited when receiving the subwoofer that they do not get to install it well. Installing the subwoofer well ensures you that you get the full potential from your subwoofers.

The position of the subwoofer is also very important because you cannot aim the subwoofer to a specific direction. You should not put the subwoofer in a corner, you may think that it will make the subwoofer louder, but it will not, it will only make the bass level of the subwoofer lower. When trying to find the right spot for your subwoofer, you should try adjusting the furniture in the room to be in the area where the subwoofer is at its very loudest.  If you have something like a 15″ subwoofer, this isn’t as important. However, if the subwoofer you have is small, put your main seats at least four feet in front of the speaker, not on its sides or behind it, but in front of it.

In conclusion, subwoofers are a very important part in making the audio system of your computer sound good. There are many simple and easy ways to maximise the potential of your subwoofer, many people just do not know it. The placement of the subwoofer is also very important; the placement of the subwoofer will also dictate how loud the subwoofer is. When buying a subwoofer, do not make false judgements on a certain product, because there are many people who sell subwoofers that will try to scam you for your money.

Supertramp MFSL CD

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If you’ve ever heard of Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs before, you must be aware of the fact that their releases are considered to be amongst the best of the best in the world. Their advanced remastering techniques allow for much better sound and richer experience overall. No wonder that old releases, such as Beatles, Pink Floyd and Supertramp MFSL CDs can only be had for around $200 in mint condition.

While other albums from the era, such as Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” reached MFSL gold ‘status’ in 1988, it wasn’t until 1990 that Supertramp albums started to be put on to the market on the legendary Ultradisc storage media. These discs are a league on their own, so if you really want to give progressive rock the respect it deserves, you don’t listen to “Breakfast in America” from anything else than an MFSL release.

What makes the difference that draws a radiating outline around the little details on the album? When you listen to MFSL, you simply cannot miss the intricate little sounds that you’ve never heard before on other CDs and LPS, mainly because they were not there on other disks. Mobile Fidelity, or MoFi, used half speed sampling and very careful mastering work to achieve this effect. They also use the first copy of the master tape or LP to make sure you always get on a disc what was intended by the musicians.

Breakfast in America is not just a random album from the discography but a legendary piece from Supertramp. It’s not a very well known fact, but the band was called Daddy from 1969 to 1970, after which they’ve adopted their current name. The formation almost disgrouped after just two years, because their early albums barely hit any chords for critics. Columnists of music magazines of the time managed to avoid saying nice things about the band, if they bothered to review the works at all.

Everything changed with this album in 1979. Although the band had some disagreement about the track of the same name on the release and the title itself, it became an international hit quickly climbing pop charts all around the world. Even if you’re not a prog-rock fan you’ve heard the Logical song from the album as a cheap shot re-crunch by the German pop group Scooter in the early years of the new century.

MFSL CDs simply tower above anything else on the market right now in terms of sound quality. This particular album from Supertramp was featured in the 1001 albums to listen to before you die list. You might as well take their advice and grab a proper sound system, which is up to the quality of the release.

Benefits of a Hard Case for your Guitar or other stringed instrument

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Our guitars, banjos, mandolins, dobros, violins, cellos, ukuleles, et. al are all precious to musicians. Protection against the elements as well as the hazards of transport are vital to insure that these prized instruments will be able to produce splendid music for years. While entry level instruments may be considered disposable, vintage instruments, prized for their rare tone woods and exceptional tone can be appraised at tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and require the kind of secure protection that can only be afforded by hard cases. Continue reading →

Music Keyboards And MIDI

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If you’ve heard of musical keyboards then you’ve probably also heard of MIDI (short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface). This feature comes standard with pretty much all digital music keyboards these days. Here are a few things this features does for musicians who use a digital keyboard instrument.

In musical performance MIDI allows several music keyboards and MIDI synthesizer modules, which don’t have a built-in control interface, to be connected and communicate with each other. This is particularly useful when a keyboard player wants to be able to use the unique characteristics of several synth modules and/or specialty modules in concert or in the studio. There are also effects processors with MIDI connectivity that can add reverb, chorus, digital delay, or other effects to MIDI sounds.

Perhaps the most popular use of the MIDI functionality of music keyboards is to interact with computers. Many music production tools and activities such as sequencers, audio recording, and software-based synthesizers can all be done on a computer and controlled by a music keyboard. Although many of these functions are built-in to music keyboards, a lot of people prefer the large computer screen, software control interface, and some instrument samples are only available in software. The music keyboard does, however, makes things like note entry into sequencers much easier than with a keyboard and mouse, and many music keyboards such as workstations have additional controls that make audio recording operations like panning and volume levels more intuitive.

A unique application involving MIDI equipped keyboards and computers is setting up a virtual pipe organ rig. One can connect two (or more) keyboard manuals and a MIDI pedal board to a computer and play realistic pipe organ samples through a good pair of speakers. This is a way to get the experience of playing a pipe organ at home.

With the advent of MIDI music keyboards became expandable and, in essence, instantly upgradeable. Through one keyboard musicians can now access virtually all the sound samples ever created and expand their sound palate with many synthesizer modules. With one music keyboard, musicians have virtually all the music production capabilities available through the MIDI interface, with endless expandability for years to come.

Grado Labs SR80 i Headphones

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Grado Labs SR80 headphones are a step up from the SR60, the basic model in the Grado Prestige Series. Even though it is just one step up, however, the SR80 is a vast improvement over the already well-performing SR60. The differences were like night and day, and the slightly increased price tag is well worth the improvement.

The Grado Labs SR80 headphones have the same basic features of the SR60 model. It has an open design, copper voice coil, 20-20 frequency response, and 32 ohm impedance. Additionally, they both house the exact same drivers. Why, then, the huge increase in performance? It all has to do with the connecting cable and the ear cushions. The SR80 adds a 4-conductor cable with gold-plated contacts. The circular ear cushions are slightly larger than those of the SR60, but the increase in size translates to improved sound imaging. The downside is that the larger ear cushions do nothing to improve comfort. The cushions are slightly abrasive and the headband continues to wear on the nerves with long use.

The trade of comfort for quality of sound more than makes up the difference for most listeners. The high-range is impressive, but it is the mid-range and bass that has created Grado’s loyal following. Grado headphones are known for their superior mid-range sound reproduction. This range is used primarily in the guitar-based music of rock and country, so it is important to many modern music fans. The bass on the SR80 is also greatly improved over the SR60. No matter if the music is soft and soothing or loud and head-banging, the Grado SR80 headphones deliver it all as it was meant to be heard. Part of this sound quality is due to the open design. The fault of the open design, however, is that it does not contain the sound. Mid-volume to high-volume music will be heard by everyone around you.

The Grado SR80 headphones are a perfect choice for a home stereo system or home theater. The sound quality is perfect for both full-tone music and movies. They perform slightly less spectacularly on a portable music player. For a portable device, the SR60 still holds a slight edge. Many users reported buying the SR80 simply for its retro style and affordable price tag. What they got in return was much more than they were expecting. All-in-all, it is hard to go wrong with this set of cans.

The Reality Behind “Hurt”

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Most music videos these days are about illusions, whether it be wealth, glamour, sex, or fame. The video made for Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” has nothing to do with illusion. In fact, it is one of the few videos created in the past decade or so that takes a harsh look at reality. Director Mark Romanek produced a short film with such visual impact and emotional heft, combining footage from right in Cash’s home in Tennessee with a few personal home movies taken throughout Cash’s lifetime. Continue reading →

What Cajon Drum Will You Choose?

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There are a lot of different kinds of Cajon Drums, so many now to choose from, that they’re somewhat difficult to keep up with. Nevertheless, even with all the choices that are available, there are three major Cajon drums for you to choose from. These different types are the Box Cajon, the Conga Cajon, and the Laptop Cajon. Although each drum has very distinct characteristics, each one has its own distinctive shape, reverberation, and playing style. Continue reading →

Wiz Khalifa Mixtapes Took 22 yrs to Complete

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In 2006 at 18 years of age, he received early praise from the Rolling Stones for his diversity of style and smoothly adept rhymes for his unique product, Wiz Khalifa Mixtapes. Wiz has just been featured on the front page of XXL magazine as one of the top 10 new artists of the year. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he lives now, is proud to call him son; he is putting Pittsburgh on hip-hop map. Best of all, this talented artist is just starting.

This intelligent, articulate artist says his music is bigger than hip-hop. He is doing more than just expanding musical boundaries. Wiz is also rewriting how the music business is done by going directly to the people through the Internet to do Wiz Khalifa Mixtapes. His debut album “Say Yeah” hit three top charts in 2005. In 2007, he signed with Warner Bros. Within two years, he left to make his mark in another way in the music industry. He is reaching people directly by using Ustream, You Tube, Twitter and his website.

Wiz freely helps others by offering this advice to new rappers: work hard, put yourself into what you are doing, put the material out and let people hear you. He follows his own advice all the way so there is no compromise in what he shares. Wiz’s website has a list of upcoming concerts, interviews and songs not available anywhere else. Wes is directly involved in every phase of his business.

Wes started rapping when he was eight years old because he wanted to be cooler than everyone else. He has succeeded beyond his wildest imagination. Wiz gets his inspiration from a wide variety of musicians and music. With his unique blend of old school R&B, soul and classical rock, he will continue to improve hip-hop on for a long time.

Ableton Tutorials: Triggering Clips in Ableton Live

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Ableton Live is a revolutionary piece of music software that allows the budding or experienced music producer to realize his or her musical vision quickly.  The interface is clean, using nicely defined lines to break up the different parts of the program from one another, leading the eye efficiently through all the necessary tasks involved in creating a complete track. Continue reading →

Yamaha Electronic Drums

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Yamaha has been making drums for over 40 years. Drummers all around the world are using Yamaha drum products. The whole electronic drum idea is still fairly new, but this does not mean that they are not great products. When electronic drums were first introduced, they were large and awkward. Now their size has been cut down drastically, and they sound so much better. Electronic drums are basically a much smaller and more organized version of a regular drum set. There are so many features that Yamaha electronic drums offer. The first is a really cool feature that allows you to make your electronic drum set sound like many other drums sets by simply pressing a button.

Another cool feature is that most electronic drums are much more compact than a regular drum set. There are even some electronic drum kits that come with headphones, so only you can hear what you are playing. This is a big plus because a lot of parents will not allow their children to purchase a regular drum set because they are so loud. Electronic drums are so much quieter and also have a volume control knob. Now for those of you who still don’t have room for a whole drum set, whether it’s electronic or regular, there are still options.

Yamaha also has an electronic drum pad that is much more portable. The electronic drum pad is smaller than the drum set, but still can produce the same sounds and be just as much fun. Think of the electronic drum pad as a smaller version of the electronic drum set. The sound quality of all the Yamaha electronic drums are simply amazing. Yamaha hired professional drummers and sound engineers to help make the sounds that you hear on their products. All in all, The Yamaha electronic drums are a great line of products that are a great source of entertainment. This line of products allows you to jam away and feel like a true rock star, without bugging everyone else around you. Yamaha is a very professional company who I, being a drummer, have full faith in them.