Shine Music asked:




Why is Music Important for Kids?

This question has been debated for as long as time has existed. Even the great Greek and Roman philosophers approached the question: is music something that should be taught and does it help the development of children? Plato answered “I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all arts are the keys to learning.” And again “what then is the education to be? Perhaps we could hardly find a better than that which the experience of the past has already discovered, which consists, I believe, in gymnastic, for the body, and music for the mind.”

In all cultures of the world music plays an important role. While these roles may change depending on the culture it is impossible to separate music from the life of an individual. While some may argue the role of music in our lives it is impossible to escape it. Even in the popular culture of Australia it is impossible to go shopping without hearing music. Music provides a means of communication and expression of culture and individual identity.
Children are immersed in music from birth and will be for their entire life. If this is the case why teach it? Is not the constant immersion in music enough? To this I say; is the fact that we witness the results of scientific principals on a day to day basis result in the understanding of those scientific principles? No it does not and likewise for music it does not either. The day to day encounters we have with music can move us but the understanding of this music can help us grow as individuals.

In many cultures the family plays the main role in music education. Families are most commonly the ones that teach children the music of their culture. As young children, we are commonly sung nursery rhymes. These provide entertainment for the child and often information in small repeated fashion. Children learn through the repetition and structure that the information was delivered in. many nursery rhymes teach fundamental life lesson and therefore sets music up as a means of educating. Children learn from music from a young age and will continue to for the rest of their lives. In a world where globalization and consumerism are dominating cultural identities are drifting into the background and children are more likely to be sung pop songs as lullaby’s than nursery rhymes. The benefit of nursery rhymes and progressive learning has become an issue. Children are missing out on fundamental learning opportunities.

The Mozart effect which gained a large following in the 1990’s claimed that listening to Mozart as a baby will make a child smarter. While this movement was short lived and there is little proof that it works there has been no denying that children who learn music will achieve higher in other aspects of their academic life. In earning music children learn to express their identities, gain confidence and develop sense of time and space. A research team at the university of Munster in Germany discovered that students who study music have more developed abstract reasoning skills which are closely linked to learning in the areas of science and maths.

I do not believe that there is any argument to this question…music is a vital part of a child’s education and should be taken seriously. Listening to music is not enough! A child must learn to think musically and that is what will help assist the development of the child and their academic development.

written by Gemma Lee from www.shinemusic.com.au teachers of piano, saxophone, violin, singing, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, flute and clarinet



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Kristien Wilkinson asked:




Breakdancing is considered as one of the significant elements that make up hip hop culture. Also known as breaking, b-boying, or b-girling, this street dance was developed in the 1970s among the African-American and Hispanic youths of South Bronx, New York. It is widely believed that breakdancing began as a means of rival street gangs to resolve differences or to set the location for rumbles. Others say it was an offshoot of or was heavily influenced by capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art/dance.

Breakdancing was brought into the mainstream through the proliferation of various dance groups, most notably Rock Steady Crew. Soul and funk legend James Brown also popularized the dance style with his high-energy performances. In the 1980s, breakdancing faded from pop culture and went back to being an underground phenomenon. It made a comeback in the 1990s and since then has become a fixture of pop culture.

There are no set routines or structures in breakdancing. Rather, dancers employ basic moves while embellishing them with more complex styles and power moves. Dancers could start off with the toprock, a relatively simple dance made up of any variation of steps performed while standing up. This serves as a warm-up in preparation for further acrobatic moves. The downrock, in contrast, is performed with the hands and feet on the floor. A common downrock move is the 6-step, which looks like walking in a circle while one hand touches the ground.

The basic moves lay the groundwork for power moves, which involve more difficult routines and require physical stamina. One of the more common power moves is the windmill. This requires dancers to spin from the upper back to the chest while twirling the legs around the body in a V-shape. The windmill is a tough move to perform and usually takes two to six months to learn.

Another power move is the flare, which involves swinging the legs around the stationary torso in continuous circles while the arms carry the weight of the whole body. In gymnastics where it originated, the flare is usually performed on a Pommel Horse but in breakdancing, it is done on the floor. The headspin and the jackhammer are also among the popular power moves. The latter is performed with the dancers hopping around in a circular motion while one hand supports the body.

A routine usually ends with a freeze, a full stop in an interesting and often difficult position. This usually means suspending one’s body with feet off the ground and supported by the hands or the torso. A ******* is another way to end a routine. This involves a painful-looking drop to the buttocks, back, or stomach. The desired effect is for the dancers to look like they injured themselves.

Today, breakdancing has gained international recognition and has become popular in Europe and Asia. Annual competitions are held in Germany, Britain, Japan, and the United States. It has also inspired fashion trends and has been featured in a number of movies, music videos, TV shows, and commercials.



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Sam Bateman asked:




A descendant of the classical guitar, the acoustic guitar has many modern advantages for those who want to learn to play it. The steel strings give the instrument a loud, bright, and developed sound. The acoustic guitar, before the advent of the amplifier, was most generally referred to as simply a “guitar”. Most often, an acoustic guitar is played with a plectrum, or a guitar pick, which is a small and often a heart-shaped material that allows the specific strumming of specific strings. Many players strum using individual fingers as well, which eliminates the need of a pick, while others use picks that attach to each finger, called finger picks, much like what you would see a banjo player using.

Finding a decent acoustic guitar might take some time and money. Unless you’ve got a friend with an extra practice guitar, then you might consider buying a budget acoustic guitar until you not only see how you like it, but so you’ll know what to look for should you buy a more expensive model down the road.

When you are teaching yourself to play an acoustic guitar, the road will be filled with ups and downs, along with leaps and bounds. Try to make it a precedent that you’ll practice at least four to six times per week, at least for 30 minutes each session. And, understand that frustration is a natural part of teaching yourself any instrument. What is important is that you give yourself rewards and keep learning interesting. This can be done by allowing yourself to play along with music you enjoy, even if you don’t know all the chords, looking at guitars in shops, and buying a few products will help you learn with a better and more well-rounded approach.

One cannot simply sit down and learn to play an acoustic guitar without having some basic knowledge about a guitar. Many websites offer information at no cost, which means that you’ll be able to learn a lot without having to pay anything. Learning what makes up the guitar, why and how the sound is emitted, and how tension relates to creating a well-tuned instrument are all a part of the learning process and the fun involved. Having an electronic tuner is also a worthwhile investment. The small, usually LED lights will help you easily figure out if your guitar is properly tuned. Even if the guitar sounds in tune to you, always use a tuner to make sure.

As you begin to teach yourself more, pay attention to the different ways a chord can be played. For example, there are several different ways to play the C and G chords. Being versatile in your playing will allow you to change chords more smoothly later on, without having to worry about difficult finger placements. Also, when learning chords on your acoustic guitar, it is imperative that you build up your hands’ muscle memory. This means that once you have gotten a chord down, practice it without looking down at the frets or strings. Feel for the strings and teach yourself in this manner with each and every chord. Similar to teaching yourself how to type properly, this is one major key to success. Finally, be sure that you allow your fingertips to become properly calloused. Getting your fingers and hands used to the guitar will take some time. But, after only a few weeks, your hands and fingers will not hurt and you will be able to accurately hold a chord without feeling any pain or hand tenderness. Overall, learning to play the guitar, especially a steel-stringed acoustic one, will take an initial investment, namely that of time and dedication. Practice does make perfect, so give yourself plenty of time, varied activities, and always look at different options of when and where you can improve your skill.



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Eric de Fontenay asked:




During my recent trip to China for the Music Matters conference in Hong Kong, I met up with Christine Wang in Beijing. Ms. Wang started in the music business as a MusicDish intern in 2007 and went on to rise up the music ranks to Supervisor of International Marketing Department at Sony Music Entertainment China. Her insights and experiences gained working Sony’s international roster in China should be of interest to anyone considering breaking into its music market. (see also Music Matters – A Window Into The Asian Music Market)

[EDF] So let’s start with the basics. What are your department’s [International Marketing Department] primary responsibilities?

[CW] Our department is responsible for everything related to international repertoire, including publishing, production, press releases, marketing, promotions, events, and strategic marketing. It is all focused on promoting international artists on Sony Music’s roster in Chinese territory.

[EDF] And what are your specific functions as department supervisor?

[CW] My functions include everything above, with a focus on production, preparing all press releases, artist/album information and artist promotions across all media platforms. In addition, while we have a digital department, I am also responsible for online marketing as well as over ten artist global websites plus Sony Music official site updates. In short, we are a small version of a label, except for the A&R function.

[EDF] Right, your roster is given to you. But what a roster I must say! What are some of the artists/projects that you have worked on this year so far?

[CW] The releases I’ve worked on this year include Dido – Safe Trip Home, Pink – Funhouse, Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul, Beyonce – I Am.. Sasha Fierce (2CD), Celine Dion – My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection (2CD), Westlife – Karaoke DVD, John Legend – Evolver, Britney Spears – Circus, Christina Aguilera – Keeps Gettin’ Better – A Decade Of Hits, Il Divo – The Promise, Sarah McLachlan – Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan, The Fray – The Fray, David Archuleta – David Archuleta, David Cook – David Cook, Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted, and Michael Jackson 4 album re-releases (The Essential Michael Jackson, Thriller, Off The Wall, Invincible)

[EDF] The biggest star in that list is Michael Jackson, who passed away very recently. How did the Chinese media react to his death? And what was it like for you as the media’s main intermediary for the story?

[CW] Yes, Michael Jackson’s death had a huge impact on us. Do you know how I found out about his death? The news was announced around 3 AM Beijing time. I still clearly remember that morning. I was waken up by a phone call from a media outlet requesting his album information.

The Chinese media was so shocked by Michael Jackson’s death. Early morning radio shows did features on him, print and internet all wrote positive reviews on his life and career. By noon, there were already programs dedicated to him on TV. So it was really widely covered and lasted for a couple of weeks. There are still TV programs rotating Michael Jackson’s stories every day. Our department provided as much as information we could to the public, including sending out press release and audio/video content to support the media’s coverage.

[EDF] The artists you work on are some of the biggest names in the music industry. So what works in reaching your chinese audience: radio, TV, print, web?

[CW] For international artists, the web naturally offers the most information, followed by radio and print. In the case of radio, despite the dominance of domestic repertoire, stations love to play the newest western music and they’ll rotate a single quite often in the first two weeks, generally. Some radio stations even follow the US or UK charts.

But with respect to the artists that attracted the most media attention: Beyonce, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. They all enjoyed good levels of print coverage, which also serves an important role in reaching our audience.

In regards to TV, there’s very limited coverage for international content.

[EDF] People are surprised when I say, “Chinese people don’t like Western music.” Of course, it’s not that they don’t like Western music, but we in the West tend to assume they do. So I use the phrase to drive a point: international repertoire represents a sliver of the overall chinese market.

[CW] Yes, the international repertoire represents a very small portion of the overall Chinese market. The domestic repertoire is very dominant. However, Chinese consumers do like big names and established pop/ R&B artists, such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Dido, Beyonce, Avril Lavigne, and Michael Jackson, of course. In more recent years, rock bands and hip-hop artists have been gaining popularity. In terms of sales, though, major Chinese pop stars seem to attract a broader audience.

[EDF] How difficult is it to create awareness around a new project?

[CW] It is relatively easy to create awareness on a new project for a globally established artists. However, the difficulty is in broadening the audience beyond their existing fanbase, or, even more challenging, breaking in new artists. Ten years ago, the domestic repertoire market was not very well developed. There weren’t nearly as many pop stars as today. Most of the artists you’d hear of would be from Taiwan, Hong Kong or the West.

But over the past ten years, the Chinese domestic market has grown dramatically. More people are paying attention to the domestic repertoire now. This is particularly true for those with language barriers — in other words, most Chinese — who are being offered an ever-growing number of opportunities to enjoy Chinese music instead of being “forced,” out of a lack of choices, to listen to western music.

Many assume that because the market is more open than before and young people have more foreign experience through higher education, there would be a larger amount of people enjoying western music. And while It’s true that more people appreciate western music today, at the same time there are many new ways to access information and music. These people are innovative and creatively discovering unknown music. The chinese youth is more active than ever before and are finding their own cultural identity through music.

The Chinese media market is generalized and complicated; unlike the U.S. market which is fragmented along genres and lifestyles, such as, Disney Radio for pop music and The Source for hip hop. The lack of niche media markets in China makes it difficult to know which consumers you are reaching through a media outlet. This makes it particularly challenging to break new artists. For the people who like western music but cannot find a great music platform to know what is new, they tend to stick to the established names, which makes this small group of people very loyal to the artists, such as Celine Dion and Dido.

To add to the point about media, people working in the industry tend to have a preference for Chinese music. Therefore, DJs tend to play Chinese music more often and journalists are more likely to cover Chinese artists they know, rather than spending the time learning about what’s new in western music market. In order to create greater awareness among media and the consumers, education still has a long way to go.

[EDF] The key point I retained is that China is a very challenging market, in large part because it is still on a path of development, from a copyright regime to supporting creativity. There is no question that the Chinese music industry and consumers will become increasingly sophisticated over the next decade. The question is how to position oneself to be able to play a role in that development.



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Gerd C. Pacher asked:




Spanish music has become increasingly popular due to the hit-makers of pop superstars Shakira and J-Lo. Did you know that there are many different types of Spanish music? Every Spanish-speaking country has its own version of what Spanish music is, and it differs greatly from culture to culture.

Salsa is a type of Spanish music that is featured prominently in Cuban and Puerto Rican communities. Salsa is a fast moving style of dance that is popular in all of the clubs these days. It is popular because the dance moves do not require a lot of space, so more people can be squeezed in to enjoy this music on a dance floor. Salsa music is a combination of African rhythms with Spanish beats.

Tango music and dance is known for its dramatic flair. You probably already have a picture in your head of a woman dancing with a rose held in her teeth! The music is fairly classical featuring violins, double bass and a piano, but it can also have the accompaniment of flutes and clarinets.

Spanish pop music is a meld of many regions that is produced to appeal to the masses. Pop music is usually more about the singers than the songs themselves.

Latin jazz does not have a backbeat which makes it sound completely different from American jazz music. The rhythm is straight and not like the swing sound found in American jazz. Latin jazz combines African rhythms with conga drums giving it a Caribbean flavor

Bossa nova music originated in the country of Brazil. Unlike other types of Spanish music, bossa nova does not use percussion instruments. Instead, bossa nova is infused with guitar and piano instruments to give it a gentle rhythm.

Tejano music is often characterized as a Spanish polka, if you can imagine that sort of comparison. Tejano music roots are from Mexico and traditionally feature an accordion, but synthesizers have been used more recently to update this classic style of Spanish music.



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Olivia Andrews asked:




MP3 audio is the latest preference of music lovers because of the fact that large volume of data could be compressed in the form of mp3 files. In this process, however, the quality of music and sound is least affected. Now onwards, you can easily download free mp3 music song from the internet to your computer or an iPod, mp3 player and listen it anywhere at your home, journey or elsewhere. This is because most of the songs are now available in mp3 formats.

Mp3 has become the most popular form of music download because it always costs less to get a collection of mp3 songs combined in a single CD rather than purchasing the original CD that has just one or two songs liked by the mass. Many sites offer free services or ask for minimal charges to download mp3 format audio songs. You need to check whether these sites and programs are legal or not because some sites offend the copyright laws of the sound album company, artist or label.

With this new Mp3 culture, a rise in the use of mp3 players also took place. These players are portable and could be easily handled while one is at home or is traveling and of the most supports mp3 song files to be played. There are many types of mp3 players in addition to the common iPod. These iPod’s have become the fashion trend as these are small and still hold large number of songs. There are many features using which you can easily customize your mp3 player or iPod’s settings as per your convenience.

As each thing has its own advantages and disadvantages, same is the case with mp3 download songs. It is true that Mp3 has revolutionized the entire music business but at the same time there has grown the threats of illegal music piracy whereby mp3 file formats are easily distributed over the internet thereby causing cost reduction in the revenue of the original music album. Free MP3 download songs are now easily into copyright infringement laws.

For more information visit our website freedownloadmp3song.info



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Chris Campbell asked:




So many children’s toys these days have virtually no value after a very short time. Musical instrument toys however have the potential to last for a lifetime. Not just from a durability perspective, but they are one of the few toys you can buy your children that can have a positive effect on them for the rest of their lives. Apart from the educational value, musical instrument toys can expose your children to the value of art and artistry through music. There are musical instrument toys for kids of all age. From infants to teenagers. Of course, at some point they stop being toys, and become real musical instruments. Apart from the biggest difference being price, the older your kids are when playing with musical instruments, the more likely the positive long term effects will be.

It Starts With A Little Rhythm

The younger the better. All babies love banging pots and pans, which is a pretty reasonably priced solution for a musical instrument, but at some point you may want to move them up to something thatdoesn’t have spaghetti stains on it. Possibly even something a little quieter. Some basic little xylophones, or tiny baby sized piano keyboards would be a good choice. I’ve seen some music books with a piano keyboard attached. The keys were all numbered, and the music book had the numbers superimposed on top of the written notes. Simple enough for any child to pick up, as well as providing a great introduction to reading sheet music. Albiet at a very simplistic level, but still a start.

Some Professional Help

When introducing them to enough different types of musical instrument toys, you will have an opportunity to observe, which musical instruments seem to spark an interest in them. Or if your really lucky, you may notice that they have a naturalaptitude for certain instruments. While true musical prodigies are far and few between, there are varying degrees of talent for those of us below the prodigy level. As they get older, it may be time to seek out the guidance of a qualified musical instructor. While children will likely enjoy their early lessons immensely, there will come a point where it will become boring and tedious for them. It’s important to strike a good parental balance at this point. While it’s important not to let them quit just because their bored, it’s also important not to force them to do something till they despise it.

Musical instrument toys can be a great choice for children of all ages. And with any luck, and a little persistence, it can have a positive effect on a child that will last a lifetime.



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Ez Tracks asked:




International or world music has never been one of the most popular genres for U.S. audiences, perhaps due to the adherence of American youth culture to trendsetting musical styles. In recent years, however, international music has become something of a cult phenomenon, even among smaller segments of the nation’s youth.

Modern international music is typified by the convergence of traditional folk from various corners of the globe and modern rhythmic accompaniment. Often, multiple styles are meshed to form an intricate weave of patterns and melodies that result in a worldly flavor reminiscent of the early indigenous music heard in Sub Saharan Africa but with 21st century appeal. Many styles are represented by international music artists, some of which lean more toward the primal and folk genres while others are a mixture of African, Cuban, Middle Eastern, Australian, South American and Asian traditional music.

Several prominent recording artist of the last few decades have delved into international themes, which has had a positive, though small, effect on the genre as a whole. Paul Simon’s multi-platinum “Graceland” album was one of the first examples of a popular artist adding world music sensibilities to traditional songwriting structures. Peter Gabriel has played no small part in the propagation of international music, and has included some tracks that could be classified as such on almost all of his releases as a solo artist. Gabriel is also the creator of WOMAD, the World of Music, Arts and Dance movement.

International music popularity in the U.S. has grown steadily over the last few years, which is especially interesting considering the decline of many other far more traditionally popular styles of music. Many international music artist that have enjoyed popularity in other countries are finding an audience stateside, and a few are even able to tour under their record label sponsors.

Still, the question remains. Why, after so many years of relative obscurity, has international music increased in popularity in the U.S.?

In all probability, the musicians that have produced highly popular music in the US over the last several years are in great part, responsible. Many hip hop and R&B artists as well as those from pop and rock have released popular tracks that feature relatively unknown world music luminaries in a backup role. This has allowed many international music artists to get their name and their sound into the public consciousness. As more and more mainstream artist delve deeper into the pool of international acts and musicians to separate their sound, this trend is likely to continue.



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