The Management Consulting Group

To some of you, the thought of using a metronome may conjure up old memories of past piano lessons. If the experience was an unpleasant one you may have developed some negetive ideas as a result. Perhaps I can help to dispel any misconceptions you might have by explaining how a metronome can be used to benefit your guitar playing.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, a metronome is an instrument that is used for clicking off exact intervals of time within a given piece of music. The tempo can be adjusted to suit any relative speed that is suggested for a particular composition or exercise. They come in a variety of types and sizes too. Everything from a large wind-up, pendulum swinging metronome to a small, pocket-size digital one with lights that blink on each beat, are available.

As a guitar player, one of your highest priorities should be learning how to count time correctly. A metronome can work wonders in helping you to develop a more consistent rhythmic feel. It can be used to practice simple exercises (such as scales or licks) or help you to master a more complicated piece of guitar music, whether it be classical, jazz, rock or whatever.

When using a metronome, set the click on the quarter beat (or down beat) of the music. This will make it much easier for you to count the time. In other words, when using a 4/4 rhythm(regardless if you’re playing quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.) set the click to sound four beats per measure.

It’s usually easier to begin learning a new song by setting the tempo at a slower speed than may be indicated on the piece of music you’re playing. This is especially important if you have never used a metronome before because it will seem a little weird at first! Setting a slower tempo will give you time to map out the fingering on the guitar and get used to recognizing the down beat. Be patient with yourself. With a little persistance and practice you will begin to notice a definite improvement in your overall performance. It’s just a matter of
time

If you need further help with understanding notes and rhythm, please see my free guitar lesson titled:

The Importance of Rhythm

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site as long as you include the following information:

Kathy Unruh is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. For free guitar lessons, plus tips and resources on songwriting, recording and creating a music career, please visit: http://www.abclearnguitar.com

First priority, MAKE SURE ALL SOUND CHECKS ARE DONE at least hour before anyone arrives. Start off with opening speech i.e. Good Evening, Welcome to (Insert Name) 30th Birthday Party here at (Venue name), (Introduce yourself and your staff if you have any), tonight we’ll be playing music from the past 5 decades, and your requests as well.

Normally some music from the mid to late 90’s or recent (but not too loud that people can’t speak) Remember the first 1 - 2 hours of any gig - PEOPLE LIKE TO TALK. Music such has Sugababes, All Saints, Texas, Blue etc for the first hour or so (however it is possible to get bookings where they want good dancefloor filling music straight from the start). Announce buffet in usual way, e.g. “Well its that time of night you’ve all been waiting for, the buffet is now officially open and situated (State where in room, so you can now go and help yourselves. Play some quieter music, such as the love album, Artists like Feargal Sharkey, Foreigner, Annie Lenox, Chicago, George Michael, Celine Dion, you get the gist.

Buffet usually I give them 25-45 minutes to eat.

At the end of the buffet, let the birthday person do there speeches, don’t limit there time on the mic, let them thank everyone they want to, cut the cake etc.

Then after speeches, thank the speaker, get everyone to sing happy birthday (and play the theme music for people to sing to), after Happy Birthday, then do three cheers etc. Announce your plans for the next 2 hours - the types of music you going to play etc, and invite the guests back onto the dancefloor as the disco begins.

Start off with classic 80’s dance hits Tiffany, Culture Club etc - remember there 30, they were in their teens in the 80’s, and went clubbing in the 80’s, They love it especially when there drunk. Move into some of the latest chart, dance & RnB, do not do Commercial dance / trance or beat mix it all the way through, you will probably clear the room, remember also, dont play any more than 3-4 dance tracks at a time. Its best to keep swapping the decades around, you should see when you change the music the danxe floor clear, then the older or younger generation get up, I call this stock rotation. Near the end of the night, the last hour or so.

At family functions, I play a lot of party stuff like, Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Steps, John Travolta, Shania Twain, Ricki Martin and loads of classic 70’s disco hits - Jacksons, The Groove Generation, Mud etc. Okay, now its about 11:20, and we finish at 11.30 so time to slow things down and play a Love song that everyone knows. At this gig, I would play Mariah carey - Without You. She did it in the 90’s, Nilson did it in the 70’s. So most people will know it.

Don’t forget to periodically invite requests from the guests over the microphone, and if you have printed request slips, then these should have been distributed to each table earlier in the evening.

The Last song.

Well its this persons birthday - they are the reason that you, and everybody are there!. So get everybody into a circle with the birthday person in the middle (with their partner if they have one), if you can put a white spot light on the couple. Then play Tina Turner - Simply the Best. Make sure you use the mic to get everybody up and announce where you want the couple etc, don’t leave it up to them to guess what you’re planning. Once you have the circle and Tina Turner playing then leave it to them - they know what to do now. At the end of the song about 10 secs left, announce that was the last song of the night, one last time can we have 3 cheers, after 3 cheers, say, as everyone had a good night? If you’ve do the night really well, you should get a big cheer back from them. Then say, Thanks very much, you’ve been a great crowd, glad you’ve enjoyed it, have a safe journey home, Goodnight.

Switch off and un-plug some leads from your mixing desk, make sure people see you pull the leads out. They then know your serious and you don’t get all the hassle of “Play one more” etc.

Remember though, at most private functions, a lot of the guests may be there just out of politeness or in response to the invitation!, and not everybody may like dancing or discos. However, just because people may not be spending as long as you would on the dancefloor, or are slow to leave their table, doesn’t mean that they are not enjoying your music and appreciating your efforts. So don’t become too disillusioned if the dance floor has only a few people on it!.

For more information and advice on being a DJ or running a mobile disco, then please visit our DJ Community at http://www.dj-forum.co.uk

Playing in front of a congregation each Sunday is no easy feat.
Make sure you are well prepared before giving your best for God
and before others.

1) Practice the piano and more preferably the songs you will be
playing early in the week and often.

2) Sing while you play so you can have a feel for how well your
playing will mesh with the singing.

3) If you use sheet music make sure it is organized and ready to
go. Write up your introductions and endings or make sure the
ones you have used before are the ones you will want to use this
time.

4) If you are accompanying a soloist make sure you set aside
good time to practice.

5) If you are still working on your craft then make sure you are
studying your piano lessons and practicing those in ADDITION TO
practicing your Sunday songs. Don’t stagnate. Add to your
skills. Learn new songs or new ways of playing old favorites.

6) If you are the worship planner also a nice resource to have
is an index that lists songs by scripture,by topic, and by key.

7) Don’t give up because you don’t have a piano. A keyboard will
keep you going until the Lord sees fit to bless you with a
piano. Truly. This happened to me.
Do you want to play in a particular style? You could just
purchase music that is arranged in the style you want to play.
But an easier option is to learn what specific notes or chords
are making that special sound.

Use these ideas for how you can keep yourself together so come
Sunday morning you can concentrate on making a joyful noise for
the Lord!

See more ideas for a beginning church pianist in my book The
Struggling Church Pianist

Music is the essence of communication. It connects us with worlds and emotions that are sometimes buried so deep within that we almost forget that they exist. Thanks to all the advancement of technology we can now explore all the interesting music genres right in our own homes. This convenience comes with great responsibility and most people lack the maturity to understanding that. To appreciate music you have to be willing to make a small investment for those that open up the portals of self-expression and communication.

The world of mp3 music is now an extended orchard, ripe and ready for the picking. The industry of downloading music illegally is now noticing that in order to get better quality with less guilt then legal download is the best way to go. The reasons are endless as to why you should opt for downloading mp3 music legally.

It is clear that society is not highly interested in paying much for anything, but often the asking price for legal music download is so little one can actually ridicule it. There are many sites that offer the download of mp3 music legally. These help provide an efficient service for people. The basic concept is that people can get their favorite music instantly by paying a very low fee. This type of fee can be per download or subscription. Besides being able to download the music legally you get the opportunity to read some of the reviews written about your favorite artists which can be quite interesting. Most start from as little as $1 per hit downloads. Sites like mp3.com, emusic.com, musicmatch.com and so forth help make this process as easy as taping a few keys.

With such convenience its no wonder more and more people are entering this music world. The best part is that one can carry their music with them whenever they go, with the little assistance from mobile phones and also mp3 players and such technological gadgets. So the world is all about exploration and the path is paved with legally downloaded mp3 music. Why bother with the hassle of illegal music when you can have your conscious free from the claws of the law.

The appeal with legal mp3 music download is that you know that you will be receiving the same quality as a store bought CD. But something that most music fans seem to understand and appreciate from the services provided by the legal mp3 music downloading sites is that it is a community. This means you are become part of a growing network of music fans. Legally downloading mp3 music is also mainly about appreciating the legal rights of artists. With people lacking so much in the respect for other people’s property it is good that most music downloading websites are doing their part in preserving a sense of honesty.

Rubén Asensi is the webmaster of Mp3 Software where visitors can find resources and information about mp3, multimedia and legal music downloads.

The role of the military drummer is a fascinating chapter from the hidden history of drums.

Hidden, because most people are unaware of the vital role played by the military drummer in communicating strategy and keeping the machinery of battle oiled.

Battle Stations

In the 17th century, in preparation for battle, before the head on clash between rival armies, considerable time was spent manoeuvering men into position.

The drums were used to convey orders - each ‘beat’ having a specific meaning instantly recognisable to the soldiers.

When the drummer’s ‘Call’ was heard, the men dropped what they were doing and immediately regrouped by their lieutenant or platoon commander to await further signals.

The Captain’s order to beat the ‘Troop’ was a signal to shoulder muskets, advance pikes and close rank and file.

The ‘March’ was a signal to advance, faster or slower according to the beat of the drum, to the point of rendezvous.

The ‘Preparative’ signaled the men to advance in rank and file to within skirmishing distance and be ready to engage battle.

At this point the company drummers would run to where the Colonel stood (or sat on horseback) beside his own side-drummer and the standard bearer.

Engaging The Enemy

On the Colonel’s order the drummers would beat the ‘Battaile’ or ‘Charge’.

This was described by Colonel William Barriffe to mean ‘pressing forward in order of battle without lagging behind, rather boldly stepping forward in place of him that falls dead or wounded before thee…’

In the thick of battle, with the sound of cannon and musket, the neighing of horses, the screams of the dying and wounded, the Colonel’s voice would not be heard and the beat of the drum continued to play a vital role in communicating orders to the troops.

From his vantage point the Colonel would command his drum-major to instigate various manoeuvers. If it was required to withdraw in an orderly fashion - for relief, or to gain a vantage point, or to lure the enemy into an ambush - the ‘Retreat’ would sound. The soldier, fighting for his life, was well prepared - the meaning of the different beats had been literally ‘drummed’ into him time and time again in training.

At the onset of battle, the roar of the assembled drummers would surely instil courage in the hearts of the men (and fear in the hearts of the enemy). Possibly, in the heat of battle, the beat of the drum, detached and ethereal, took on a spiritual quality, helping the combatants to distance themselves from the horror and suffering all around.

The drummer clearly carried a huge responsibility in the orderly conduct of war. In recognition of this it was considered highly dishonourable to knowingly strike or wound a drummer in battle.

Source:

Hugh Barty-King ‘The Drum - A Royal Tournament Tribute to the Military Drum’ 1988 ISBN 0 9513588 0 4

If music is the passion that drives you visit Music.Bass-Clef.com for articles on the history of drums, and information on great music resources.

Let me preface this by saying that I have the utmost respect and admiration for songwriters who can write song after song. Those very talented individuals who, while they are sitting on the plane, in the bathroom, or at a dining table, grab a napkin, the roll of toilet paper, the safety guide on the airplane, or whatever may be handy and start frantically writing. While I have had this inspiration once in a while, it’s not a fluent talent. So my hats are off to you!

The statistics were very interesting and I hope not conclusive of what is going on in the music industry right now, although I suspect they are indicative of it. I have never looked at charts or believed in numbers. When I was growing up, I was always told about the statistics and had them thrown in my face with statements like the following: “Don’t bother, only 2% get the jobs and out of those 2% only a very limited few make a paycheck. Get a real job.” Well of course I would get a real job to support me, but who came up with that stupid figure anyway!

QUESTION #1: What is your gender, male or female?

So lets get down to what the survey said. The results of the first question showed that 70% of the writers who took the survey were males. This was an eye opener for me. I have many female friends who are writers. Why was the ratio so off balance? I thought maybe it was just this particular survey. But then I looked at my first demo album and then my “real” freshman album, and found that the majority of the writers were male. In fact, more then 70%! I couldn’t believe it! I hadn’t planned it that way or picked the songs based on who wrote them. I picked the songs purely on my likes and dislikes. I had always heard that the entertainment industry was male dominated in every field, but it’s 2001! It just couldn’t be.

I went back to take a look at the demo tapes, which I still had, to see how many of the writers were male and how many were female. Some very well known publishers had submitted the songs to me, so there should have been a variety. To my surprise, 92% were males and only 8% were female. Why was that? Are we still in a society that does not encourage women to excel at anything and everything they want? Or are men simply more prolific in writing music then women? That might be an interesting study in and of itself.

QUESTION # 5: What are the categories that best describe the music that you write?

One of the other statistics that I found interesting was the category that best describes your music. At first I didn’t think much about it, with Pop, Rock, and Country being the highest rated. But then I started thinking about the Hip Hop/Rap genres. Don’t Hip Hop and Rap writers/artists make the most money? Don’t they really smash up the charts and aren’t they everywhere? Even Jennifer Lopez changed her name to J. Lo, seemingly to me to fit more into the Hip Hop/Rap world. Yet only 2% of those surveyed were writers of Hip Hop music. Does only 2% of the writing population for this survey write most of the popular Hip Hop music, and are they cornering the market of profit for their genre of music?

It would be interesting to find out what percentage of the writing population is making money writing which types of music. This might give the writers and the artists an exact pulse on the “pop” music of today. Pop music of course was #1 on this question, with the highest percentage of people writing for it. But then I thought about that statement. Pop music is whatever is popular at that time. So maybe the Hip Hop writers really voted under the Pop category. Another interesting question might be how many women write for each category of music, and how many of them make money at it.

QUESTION #6: How would you describe your current status as a songwriter?

The saddest statistic of all to me, and one I can relate too, was #6, describe your current status as a songwriter. The results were not unexpected: 58% of the writers did not make any money at all from their work. The purists will say that they don’t write to make money and they don’t care if they do or don’t make any money off their work. But the practical side, which may never be known to the public, is “Why can’t I make money when my stuff is so good and that song I just heard on the radio is so…. well…bleck?!” What is the answer to this problem? How can a writer or any of us in the entertainment industry make money?

I believe the key is education (now there’s a new one, and how many times have you heard that before?!) and diversity. I am not only talking about a college education, although I believe that is so very important and should never be given up at any cost!

I grew up very poor; no one talked to me about college. I didn’t have the money and my grades weren’t good enough to begin with. But once I found out about grants and scholarships, I went to someone in my school (I won’t name names, lets just say that my normal high school counselor was not around.) I was told that college was not for someone like me and that I didn’t have a chance for a grant or a scholarship. They also told me that my hopes should not stray beyond a regular job and maybe someday I would be able to marry someone who could support me. No joke! What’s really bad is that I believed them for two years! Finally, I got off my duff and went to Junior College and surprise, surprise!!!! I was on the Dean’s list and Honor Roll! I haven’t been able to finish, but I have plans too. The lesson I learned from that experience and that I have pretty much held onto, sometimes much to my detriment, is that the word ‘no’ means, “Oh YEAH!!!! Just watch me!” (People usually think of me as very tenacious.) Okay, enough about me for now and back to the subject of education.

Education is very important as I have stated many times, and I am not just talking to the 15 year olds! I am speaking to those people who think they are too old to go to College, 24 - 129! I just read about a homecoming queen/head cheerleader who graduated with honors. She was 41 when all these things took place. She had two children and a husband! You’re never too old! If you can’t go to college right now and get your degree or finish it, educating yourself in the business aspect of your chosen profession by reading, watching, and asking questions is really important and obtainable.

Get your finger on the pulse of what’s happening through education and knowledge, just like you do when you are writing a song. A staggering 40% of the people taking the survey are relying on record labels and publishers to sell their music instead of themselves. I hope everyone will rethink his or her position on this. Instead, rely on your ability and talent to get you to the place where you don’t need the labels and the publishers. The key is to not need those people in high places. Once you don’t need them, they will come running.

The people who make the real money are the people in charge. The head of Sony Records is the one who makes the money. The managers and booking agents make the real money. The publishers make money. The heads of studios and the producers of TV shows, records, films, etc., they are the ones that will make the money. They are in charge. You need to be in charge, too.

Network with people and diversify. Some of you may be thinking, what do you mean diversify? I can only write Country/Pop or Rock or Jazz. I can’t write them all! That’s not what I am speaking of. What I am talking about is finding other parts of the industry that interest you and go for them! That will not only get you into the right places, but it will also help you to meet the right people. Maybe Whitney Houston or Faith Hill will be at one of the places you are and you will be able to strike up a conversation. You find out they are looking for new material, they find out you’re a writer and boom! You’ve got your music in their hands! Or maybe representatives of a famous publisher that you have always wanted to submit your material to is also at the same place as you. You strike up a conversation with them and they ask if they can listen to some of your music. Viola – “Right place at the right time.” A lot of those ‘right places at the right time’ came from careful and strategic planning, so start planning your moment, too!

Back to the original point. Find something else to do IN the industry; not a waitperson, an executive assistant in some unrelated field, or the head of a company that you hate getting up in the morning for. (But, don’t give up your current job until you find another one in the industry that you love and will support you.) Start your own publishing company that not only handles your songs, but also the songs of other writers.

I always believe it is best to help others when you are helping yourself. How can you do this? Ask the advice of those already in the game. Give them a call and ask them how they started and where you should go to network with them. The people at the top, when they have the time, are usually more then willing to talk to you and point you in the right direction.

Start managing a group or an artist, then you will really have an “in” for someone to record your music. Look at Shania Twain and her husband! You may want to use a publishing house or publisher to get you in the door initially, get connections, and the chance to prove yourself. But in the end, you may want to become the publisher so you can garner more of the profits in your pocket.

If those jobs don’t suit your taste, get a job as an assistant at Warner Brothers Records or a job in the film industry as someone who listens to the music for film scoring. Become an editor for music in films and TV. Become a writer of a daily column! You are already a writer after all! There are literally thousands of jobs for the taking in the industry you love. All you have to do is start applying. Those jobs will eventually get you to whom you need to see to get your music noticed!

I am a singer…do I make all of my money singing? NO! Sure, I tour around the world, I have a web site, and my CDs are in selected stores. But most of my money, believe it or not, comes from my book sales or sales of my articles. I went from waiting for someone to give me a break throughout my teens, to taking charge of my own career to make it happen! I am not in the same league as acts like Dream or N’ Sync yet (and I stress that YET part), but I am holding my own. I am not saying that I haven’t had help and that I don’t accept help. Of course I have and will! But in the same respect, I have not waited for that help to find me. The odds of that are like throwing up a tiny single piece of sand on a beach in Honolulu and expecting to find that very same piece again. RIGHT! You have to make your own waves if you want to hit the crest of that wave! So diversify and educate yourself.

Where do you go for the job leads? You can find that information in my article, “A Helping Hand” on www.MusicDish.com, and in my book, Indie’s Guide To Music Success and Contact Info, which is available for sale through www.MusicDish.com. Here are some examples that will get you started:

Show Biz Jobs: www.showbizjobs.com/jobserch.cfm

Electronic Library: wwws.elibrary.com/id/238/222/search.cgi?query=country+music+news&src-mags=1&src-news=1&src-tvrad=1&src-pics=1&src-books=1

Film Biz: www.filmbiz.com/

The Globe: globelists.theglobe.com/arts/acting/acting_uk-L/list.taf
Gebbie Press: www.gebbieinc.com/radintro.htm.

QUESTION #8: Do you feel that you have been adequately compensated for the use of your work?

My next and my last point on the survey is this. On survey question #8, only 15% of the people responding to the survey believed that they were being adequately compensated for their work. I am not sure where the writers believe they aren’t being fairly compensated for their work.

QUESTION #12: Has Napster had an impact on your songwriting career?

However, on question #12, only 5% said that Napster has had a negative impact on their career. I think Napster has its pros and cons, and I am not necessarily against Napster or those who use its services. But here are the pros and cons for me, in simple form: Pro being that people who can’t afford and can’t find the music they want on CD are able to get it. Freedom of Information act and all that. The Cons are that writers and performers aren’t getting their cut and as a performer, I can tell you from an artist’s standpoint, that that cut is very slim to begin with.

So, the statistical conflict between #8 and #12 confuses me. Don’t get me wrong. I pay all of my writers up front, in cash, as soon as I press my CDs, even if they don’t ask me too. I want the writers to get their money! But let’s look at numbers.

A writer gets 7.55 cents in royalties per song under 5 minutes and an additional 1.45 cents for every minute or fraction of a minute thereafter. The typical Indie artist presses 1000 CDs. The standard procedure is submission of the packing slip from the pressing plant to the Harry Fox Agency or a similar agency that collects mechanical royalties. The artist is then charged by Harry Fox Agency for writer royalties according to how many CDs were pressed (this is of course after you have applied for a mechanical license). So for 1000 CDs, the writer will be paid $75.50 in mechanical royalties by the Harry Fox Agency or its equivalent. In addition to that, the writers will also get royalties from radio airplay and karaoke sales, which are performance royalties. These royalties are collected by the Performing Rights Organizations, such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.

In most cases, the writer did not pay for the production, marketing, distribution, and advertising costs of the CD their songs are on, so eventually this will be money in the bank, after the writer recoups the costs of the initial demo he or she created to pitch to the artist or label. That’s the writer’s side. Now lets look at the artist’s side.

Artists, except in the United Kingdom, do not get paid for the performance of a song on the radio as the writers do. We artists must pay to get your songs and ourselves promoted. A typical CD recorded in a master recording studio, with pressing, royalties and promotion costs, will be around $14,000.00. How does an artist recoup that amount? By touring and CD sales, right? Sure they do.

If an artists gets booked into a venue and makes $500 in CD sales and $500 for the venue, that gives the artist a $1000 right? I won’t do the math for you here, there is a lot more detail in my book, Indie’s Guide To Music Success and Contact Info, but out of the $1000, the booking agent gets 10%, the manager gets 10%, the IRS gets 33 1/3 %, the venue gets a percentage, and the artist still must pay for the promotion and marketing costs as well as staff. All of those people take it off the top, meaning out of the $1000. Their percentages are based on the gross amount from the CD sales and the performance.

After the artist pays everyone their share, the artist is then left with the negative amount of $53.33. At this point, the artist hasn’t even paid for the band members, the travel expenses or food costs, let alone paid a salary to himself or herself, and the artist is already in the hole for the amount of $53.33. Meanwhile, the songwriter has $75.50 in the bank for each song on my CD!

So what am I trying to say? That the writers should be happy they aren’t the artists, LOL (unless of course they are artists also)! No really, what I am trying to show the writers is that artists don’t make as much money as the writers do, even at the low rate the writers get per song. And that of course, the grass is always greener on the other side.

I wish that I had the talent to write prolifically as everyone in the writing community does. Then I would get some of the royalties off of my album sales and I would be less in the hole financially. But this again proves my point that you must diversify. Sure I get to do what I love most and that is awesome, but it’s not what supports me. I have chosen other paths in the music industry to support me and I have worked hard at them.

The majority of beginning artists aren’t in charge of their own lives musically, and they owe a lot of money to their label. Sure I would love a major recording deal, because there are so many advantages to it. But, I would want it with good terms, meaning a lot of points and a great distribution & marketing deal.

Now you can see both sides of the coin, for those who hadn’t seen or known it yet. So when 85% of the writers think they are not being fairly compensated, I would hope they are not talking about the royalties they receive off of a record pressing from an artist, although 48% of you said that’s where the majority of your royalties/income came from.

CONCLUSION

The lesson to be learned is that you will do much better in this business or any business if you are in charge of your own career, and you have the knowledge to make wise choices and keep track of the bottom line.

A little side note to writers: please make sure that you get the mechanical license to the artists. Don’t just assume the artist will take care of the business side or you may end up without a royalty payment. And artists: make sure you obtain mechanical licenses BEFORE you record a song. If you do not do this, there are some very stiff fines and penalties and the publisher has the right to have your product pulled off the market. So make sure you do the business side first before the music side. Again, the point made is to educate yourself about the business side, too.

In the end, it really is all about music and our love of music, which is the universal language of Humans and animals. I believe if we work together, educate ourselves, and diversify what we can do, we will be much better off and a much stronger unit, whether you’re a songwriter or an artist, a publisher or a record label. The key to all of our success is education, business savvy, being in the right place at the right time on purpose, and diversity. These should be all of our goals.

A point a very famous publisher made to writers as a quote in my book, “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 was (in paraphrase): “Write and re-write and then write again every song. And when you think you’ve got it perfect and it’s a hit, write it over again.”

Jaci Rae is the #1 Best Selling author of “Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time” ISBN 0974622907 and “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 as well as the host of the Jaci Rae show. Dubbed by the media as “Racy Jaci” because of her quick wit and “The Rae of Hope,” for her powerful insight, please make sure to check her out at: http://www.jacirae.com To hear Jaci’s popular show, with some of the top behind the scenes as well as famous bands go to: http://www.jacirae.com click on the weekly show link.

Let’s face it. Learning isn’t usually fun. It’s a big drag.

Especially when it comes to learning a musical instrument. Scales, repetition, and monotonous exercises abound. Most people love the piano but won’t go near it for fear of not being able to to play it. And most times, their fear is justified!

A typical beginning piano student scenario may go like this: You walk into the teacher’s studio. He or she asks you what you want to learn. You respond with any number of choices; classical, jazz, new age. Then out pop the books. You know the one’s I’m talking about. Hanon scales, Czerny. Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll get introduced to a chord-based method. Maybe. But probably not.

You see, most piano teachers have this idea that you must learn how to read music before you can play music. That’s nonsense!

In fact, it really works the other way around. You should be able to make music with chords and improvise first. Why? Because music is what the end result is. Music is not notes on a sheet of paper. It’s hammers striking strings produced when a pianist fingers a chord. Children speak their native language first before they learn how to spell and write it. They have no difficulties doing this BECAUSE IT COMES NATURALLY! Music should be the same way! We learn the language of music by understanding how to use chords first. We then use these chords to create our music with.

There is nothing wrong with being able to read music, but if that’s all you can do, you’re limiting yourself creatively. Stop playing piano the hard way and learn how to use chords and improvise first. Because by learning how to improvise, you are actually speaking the language of music first!

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

One of the most common questions I get asked is this:

Tania,

“I’m really impressed with your explanations about the effects of music on all aspects of life. One term confuses me, though. What is ‘high frequency music?’

If you have time to answer, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Dennis Keefe

Dennis, have you ever entered a room that has a weird or uncomfortable feeling about it? You might just be getting uncomfortable because of low frequency sound waves.

The lowest of those are called infrasound. They’re produced by machines like vehicles, household equipment and heating and cooling systems. It’s been known for some time that these low frequency waves can cause symptoms such as nausea, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, vibration of internal organs and a feeling of oppression.

On the other hand, certain high frequency sounds literally energize your mind. Scientists have found that sounds from 5,000 to 8,000 hertz recharge your brain’s batteries.

So which music qualifies in that range?

If your CD collection includes music by Mozart, Baroque Music or even Tibetan Chants, keep listening because in numerous studies, these sounds have been found to charge the cortex of the brain and stimulate health and wellness.

Then there is the really low audible 120-125 hertz range. This is where you begin to hear the kick drums and bass guitars common to rock music. These lower frequencies produce the opposite effect - they drain us.

Why is this?

Because they have wave-lengths longer than we are tall, which is why lower frequencies are FELT as well as heard. You can feel this low frequency full-body sensation at dance clubs and rock concerts. Or from listening to many FM radio stations.

Listening to motivational CDs and inspiring music has the same effect. The great thing about music is that it can be on in the background, while you’re at the computer or in the kitchen or driving or washing your car – and you’ll still be affected.

That’s what innumerable studies are showing about playing classical music in the background for all sorts of tasks. So far, it’s been a clear mind performance enhancing tool. What more can you ask for. Especially since CDs can be played over and over again. It’s not edible, like vitamins, so you won’t have to keep replenishing your supply.

This is a no-brainer if there ever was one.

Since the media mostly exposes you to low frequency sounds, I strongly suggest that you balance your brain and body by listening to high frequency classical music at least once a day. It’s easy and effortless – and great for you.

Think of it as nourishing brain food - it’s that powerful!

Copyright 2006 Tania French

Composer Tania Gabrielle French has enjoyed performances and radio broadcasts of her music worldwide by Grammy Award winning artists. Her popular newsletter tells all about the secret effect of music on your mind and body. Subscribe now at http://www.artabundance.com
© 2006 Tania Gabrielle French. All Rights Reserved.

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Playing the Modes

When I used to use this pack with students, I provided them with a CD which contained a backing track for each of the modes. This enabled them to practive getting the sounds and shapes under their fingers. In this version you will be provided with the harmonised scale for each mode, and from this you can construct your own grooves and backing tracks to do the same thing. I am assuming that you know, or can easily work out the names of the notes on the neck so the scale maps you will be presented are not anchored in any one place on the neck. Once you know where the root note is for each scale you can then move that note to suit whatever scale you want to play. Please note that some of the modes are for different scales, but this is only so that you don’t learn everything in C, but do try to get used to using other root notes.

The Ionian Mode
As we have already discussed, the Ionian mode is the major scale, so anything that you know about the major scale, you know about the Ionian mode. We have looked at the structure of the scale, which hopefully was familiar, and the next thing we’ll consider is what chords you can build on the major scale. I am going to assume that this is something you know and that it won’t come as a surprise that if we take the C Ionian scale, and build 7th chords on each scale degree, we will get the following chords

C Major 7

D Minor 7

E Minor 7

F Major 7

G Dominant 7

A Minor 7

B Minor 7 flat 5

These chords are constructed from the notes contained within the C Ionian scale, so the C Ionian will fit over any of these chords. Now, this is technically true, but as you will know from your playing, some notes work better than others, and for some people’s ears. You can also play the arpeggios of these chords.

The Dorian Mode
As you will know from the previous discussion of theory, C Dorian differs from C Ionian by having the third and seventh of the scale flattened, thus, C Dorian consists of:

C D Eb F G A Bb

The seventh chords built upon these notes are as follows;

C Minor 7

D Mionr 7

Eb Major 7

F Dominant 7

G Minor 7

A Minor 7 flat 5

Bb Minor 7

To play something a little more familiar you can also use the C Minor pentatonic as this is using notes which are in the C Dorian scale, namely,

C, Eb, F, G, A, and Bb.

The Phrygian Mode
You can use the previous theoretical discussion to work out how the G Phrygian differs from G Ionian. Just to recap, G Ionian consists of the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, and F#. The Phrygian mode differs from the Ionian by the second, third, sixth, and seventh degrees of the Ionian scale being flattened. So, G Phrygian consists of:

G Ab Bb C D Eb F

The seventh chords built upon these notes are as follows:

G Minor 7

Ab Major 7

Bb Dominant 7

C Minor 7

D Minor 7 flat 5

Eb Major 7

F Minor 7

Along with these you can interweave the arpeggios and the G Minor pentatonic is made up of notes from the G Phrygian scale, so you can use that too.

The Lydian Mode
You should be able to work out how G Lydian will differ from G Ionian. Remember that the Lydian has a 4th degree which is sharpened, and the 4th degree of G Ionian is C, thus, G Lydian consists of the following notes.

G A B C# D E F#

The seventh chords built upon this scale are:

G Major 7

A Dominant 7

B Minor 7

C# Minor 7 flat 5

D Major 7

E Minor 7

F# Minor 7

You can also use the various arpeggios and the G Major pentatonic in this situation.

The Mixolydian Mode
You should be able to work out how G Mixolydian will differ from G Ionian. Remember that the Mixolydian has a 7th degree which is flattened, and the 7th degree of G Ionian is F#, thus, G Mixolydian consists of the following notes.

G A B C D E F

The seventh chords built upon this scale are:

G Dominant 7

A Minor 7

B Minor 7 flat 5

C Major 7

D Minor 7

E Minor 7

F Major 7

You can also use the various arpeggios and the G Major pentatonic in this situation.

The Aeolian Mode
You should be able to work out how B Aeolian will differ from B Ionian. Remember that the Aeolian has third, sixth and 7th degrees which are flattened, and the third, sixth and 7th degrees of B Ionian are D#, G#, and A# thus, B Aeolian consists of the following notes.

B C# D E F# G A

The seventh chords built upon this scale are:

B Minor 7

C# Minor 7 flat 5

D Major 7

E Minor 7

F# Minor 7

G Major 7

A Dominant 7

You can also use the various arpeggios and the B Minor pentatonic in this situation.

The Locrian Mode
You should be able to work out how B Locrian will differ from B Ionian. Remember that the Locrian has third, sixth and 7th degrees which are flattened, and the second, third, fifth, sixth and 7th degrees of B Ionian are C#, D#, F#, G#, and A# thus, B Locrian consists of the following notes.

B C D E F G A

The Locrian is interesting because it is actually a half-diminished scale.

The seventh chords built upon this scale are:

B Minor 7 flat 5

C Major 7

D Minor 7

E Minor 7

F Major 7

G Dominant 7

A Minor 7

You can also use the various arpeggios and the G Major pentatonic in this situation.

Epilogue
The study of the guitar is a lifetime’s work, and even then you won’t know everything, won’t be able to play everything, and still have skills that you could develop further. There’s nothing wrong with that as you don’t need to have a perfect understanding of anything to be able to be creative and skilled. Part of the enjoyment is the journey, the process of learning. Hopefully this handbook has provided you with the tools to start your exploration of the modes, and with the knowledge contained herein you can go off and build further tools which let you express yourself as you want to. Good luck.

Simon duff