Unless your name is Taylor Swift or Michael Jackson, it’s been yet another tough year for pop stars. New discs from the likes of U2, Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw, Bon Jovi, 50 Cent and Norah Jones have sharply underperformed. Overall U.S. album sales in 2009 are on track to slide for the eighth time in nine years.

Shakira is the latest addition to the casualty list. The Colombian sex symbol’s electronica-fueled new album looks to be her weakest performer in almost 10 years. “She Wolf,” Shakira’s third English-language recording, currently stands at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, two weeks after debuting at No. 15 with puny sales of 89,000 units. Sales to date stand at 158,000 equivalent to what current Billboard 200 champ Susan Boyle’s debut album sold in its first 1.5 days, last month.

Shakira’s label is not too worried. “After a four year hiatus, Shakira came back with a great album and we are very happy with its progress, this project was never about the first month for us,” said a spokeswoman for Epic Records.

Shakira’s previous English-language disc, “Oral Fixation Vol. 2,” debuted at No. 5 with 128,000 copies in December 2005, six months after the Spanish-language “Fijacion Oral Vol. 1? entered at No. 4 with 157,000. Her debut English-language outing, “Laundry Service,” opened at No. 3 with 202,000 copies in November 2001. Before that, her best performer was the 2000 “MTV Unplugged set,” which reached No. 124. Shakira’s career sales stand at about 50 million units worldwide.

“She Wolf,” considered her most overt nod yet to the American market, had a bumpy ride to stores. The title track stalled at No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart, despite a werewolf-themed video that coincidentally tapped into the “Twilight” zeitgeist. The follow-up, “Give It Up To Me,” featuring Lil Wayne, reached No. 29. Epic hopes it will rebound because of an increase in radio airplay.

The album’s scheduled Oct. 13 release in the United States was delayed by six weeks, but the international rollout went ahead. The album dubbed “Loba” in Hispanic markets reached No. 1 in 18 countries, according to Epic. Her manager Ceci Kurzman has said that two-thirds of Shakira’s overall sales come from outside of the United States. Critics wanted to like the album who doesn’t want to like Shakira? But they seemed vexed. Adjectives included “bizarre” (New York Times) and “kooky” (Rolling Stone).

N-Dubz are not concerned with getting number one albums, because high chart entries don’t necessarily mean lots of sales.

The trio are releasing their second album ‘Against All Odds’ on November 16, as the follow-up to their platinum-selling debut ‘Uncle B’.

Frontman Dappy says: “We’re more worried about shifting units than any chart position. Album sales are so important.”

While N-Dubz band mate Tulisa also added to the Daily Star: “I learnt that last year with our debut album Uncle B, which went in at No 5 and then dropped.”

“I cried because I thought records only sold in the first few weeks, but then I realised it’s all about overall sales.”

There’s something punchy yet warmly unthreatening about an N-Dubz tune; singer/MC combo Tulisa, Dappy and Fazer broach hard-hitting subjects with real cheeky charm.
Faser, Dappy and Tulisa of N-Dubz Faser, Dappy and Tulisa of N-Dubz

Second album Against All Odds builds on the rough/smooth blend N-Dubz established with their 2008 debut Uncle B - it also suggests if the pop world had developed differently, these bright young things would have been bouncing all over Smash Hits and Top Of The Pops.

The girl/boy viewpoints make teen pregnancy track Shoulda Put Something On an immediate stand-out, but N-Dubz also deal in universal concerns such as how to get off with someone (current single I Need You resorts to online stalking) and how to dump them (Say It’s Over).

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If someone in your house enjoyes guitar, perhaps
you could consider taking private voice or guitar lessons. A
well-educated music school in Chicago probably has qualified
instructors that will teach you learn to jam in many types of music,
instruments and genres. You don’t have to ride the L very far to
select a Chicago music school with friendly and professional guitar or
piano experts.

We’llstart with the obvious: guitar lessons. There’s little
question, the human voice is a significantly hot musical device (I
also highly endorse the xylophone). They’re flexible enough to
contribute to almost any song. A thoughtful vocal teacher might teach
you an entirely new diddy every time! Dissimilar from traditional
guitar classes, brand-new Chicago piano teachers are the thoughtful
up-and-coming way to learn the skill by playing your favorite
songs.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or you’ve longed to do this
more than 10 years–quality guitar lessons should aid a student to
learn all the terrific hitsfaster than individual study. There’s group
kids guitar lessons, Adult
and Son piano instruction, easy piano lessons for children and also
accoustic guitar classes. As you know, legions may insist that you
perfect your guitar tabs, piano scales, and percussion beats as a
prerequesite to beloved guitar songs you enjoy. However, they’ll want
to join you when you show off your skills,

These young teachers are acquiring a completely dissimilar feel.
really you could find scores of various overtures! However, the most
important thing to recall is that singing lessons, and music school of
all types has to be fun. You can’t fail making music, due to the fact
that a off-key sound you strike, can be made to belong by the
following measure. Music teachers make such a difference in your
learning speed.

Rock and roll music originated in the American South in the early 1950s and then quickly spread throughout the rest of the country and ultimately the world. By the late ’50s and early ’60s, rock and roll had become what many thought was the most popular genre of music in the western world. It has largely maintained a very high level of popularity since then, despite evolving over time into various sub-genres that are now lumped together under the generic term “rock”.

In the more than 60 years since rock and roll burst onto the national and international music scene, there have been literally thousands upon thousands of rock songs recorded (performed in English but also in many other languages) that we have loved, liked, were indifferent to, found pretty irritating, outright hated, or had a wide range of other responses to. The vast majority of these songs made absolutely no lasting impression on our musical psyches. But a small percentage did stand out in the crowd in a positive way, some so much that they were head and shoulders better than all the rest. And an even smaller percentage of those were so great that they have stood the test of time and entered the pantheon of greatest rock songs ever, depending on whom you ask, of course.

But of all the great songs, which one truly rises above all the rest to claim the title of “greatest rock song of all time”? The answer is part of what appears to be a never-ending debate and there’s certainly no shortage of people willing to offer up their candidate. No doubt you have your own personal choice but for now let’s consider what some other folks think.
If you like poll results, you’ll be interested to learn that The Rock and Roll Report said that in a 2004 poll conducted by Planet Rock, a digital radio station in Britain, Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven was voted by over 70% of respondents as the greatest rock song ever recorded. Not so fast, chimed in “Eric” when he saw the list with Stairway to Heaven sitting at the very top, saying that he has “for many years declared to all who would listen to me that the best rock ‘n’ roll song of all time is Louie Louie by the Kingsmen.” But the editors of DJ Zone Magazine agreed with the Planet Rock poll results and think Stairway to Heaven is the all-time best.

Not to be outdone, Rolling Stone Magazine compiled its own list in 2004, getting a lot of input from a lot of people, and Stairway to Heaven didn’t even make it into its Top 5 (in fact, it didn’t even make it into its Top 10). The number one spot went to Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone. However, “Drifter” posted a comment in which he heartily disagreed with their choice of Dylan’s song, asking pointedly: “In what sense is Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylanworking in the folk-song modeeven a rock and roll song?” Good question.

John Lennon’s Imagine was number 1 in Virgin Radio’s list of All Time Top 500 Songs published in 2004. Imagine that? And in 2000 MTV’s music video sister cable TV station VH1 ranked (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones at the very top of its list of 100 Greatest Rock Songs. While two of “Todd M.’s” friends (”Chuck C.” and “Hank S.”) agreed with VH1’s choice of number 1, many of his other friends didn’t, with a range of choices for the top spot, including songs such as The Beatles’ Let It Be, Cinnamon Girl by Neil Diamond, Voodoo Chili by Jimi Hendrix, Purple Haze (also by Hendrix), Hound Dog by Elvis, and various other selections in what turned out to be a pretty eclectic list of choices for best rock song of all time.

Now what does all this prove? Well, not very much except that everybody has an opinion of what they think is the all-time greatest rock song, and these opinions are pretty darn subjective. Even different polls will come up with different songs at the top, proving that it’s very difficult to gain a consensus on this subject or practically anything else, for that matter. Nonetheless, these lists are fun to make and fun to read and ponder. If nothing else, they bring back fond or not so fond memories of the many songs that we have encountered along the way and which have become an indelible part of our life experience.

So what’s your own personal choice for the Greatest Rock Song of All Time?

Copyright © Terry Mansfield. All rights reserved. Anyone may publish this free reprint, free content article online or in print as long as the entire contents of the article and accompanying resource box are left unaltered, including any hyperlinks (which must be active and clickable), and the author’s byline is included.

About the Author: Terry Mansfield, Owner/President of First World Enterprises, www.firstworld.biz, has been a big rock fan his whole life (his own personal choice for Greatest Rock Song of All Time is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen). Terry recommends that, if you want to find TONS OF FREE MUSIC (plus movies, video, software, games, etcover 1 BILLION CHOICES), to check out this really cool web site:
snipurl.com/Free_Downloads

Buying a good paddle is as important as buying a good kayak. There are many different paddles to choose from.

When you are shopping for kayak equipment and accessories, a paddle should be among the first things that you buy. Carlisle kayak paddles are one of the best brands you can get. They are built for several types of kayak adventures. It is easy to find one that works for you.

Recreational Paddles

Carlisle builds recreational paddles in three styles. All three are specifically designed and perfect for recreational use.

The Tripper model is an entry level paddle with a special grip for beginners.

The RS Magic is a standard paddle for recreation. It works for any age and any kayaking skill level and is available in glass or lightweight anodized aluminum.

The RS Magic 2 is made especially for women and children. It is shorter and designed for the average body size. The slightly-spooned design produces smooth and powerful paddling.

White Water Paddles

Magic White Water is Carlisle Designs only whitewater paddle. This paddle is suited for beginners but still strong enough for experts to take into that exciting white water!

All of these various paddle types are perfect for any kayaker. It is easy to find the paddle that is best for your needs right here! Don’t forget that the paddles are in some ways more important than the kayak. Without a good paddle, your boat becomes less useful. Good paddles cut the water better so that the kayak is more able to glide smoothly through the water. Get the most from your kayak and make sure that you buy top-notch paddles that your kayak deserves.

Carlisle has built a sleek line of paddles for all levels of boaters and every kind of use. When you buy your kayak, keep in mind how you are planning to use it. You should do the same thing when you are deciding which paddles to buy. This will help you ensure that you get the best paddles for your kayaking style.

Canoeing and Kayaking Information will help you with great deals, tips and news, information and reviews about all aspects of kayaking.
Copyright www.canoesandkayaks.info
This article can be reproduced in full as long as the resource box and live links remain intact.

“The real communicating artists seek unique expression. They are not interested anymore in sounding like their heroes, they are searching constantly, developing and refining their own unique voice.”

There are musicians who are more than comfortable remaining anonymous. You know, happy to hide behind their guitars or keyboards and be sidemen to the stars of today or tomorrow. Then there are those that have grandiose aspirations of stardom, adoration and limelight. And then there are those who have a driving desire and need to say something original artistically, to express themselves and to communicate that expression to an audience, be it a small niche market or wider demographic.

Those falling into the first category can make a living, albeit fairly modest as a general rule. Those falling into the second category often live in a little bit of a dream world and, depending on their tenacity and ’smart’ skills, usually end up disappointed because the focus is set on the destination rather than the journey. The third category usually reap the rewards of the second category gaining all the success and limelight, but as a result of focusing on their art rather than the shallow and flighty end of the musician’s world. These are usually the most fascinating people too, because they generally have a little mystery about them and because they actually possess what most entertainers really want; sincere and dedicated talent!

But there are also those that are in the early stages of artistic development who are still learning their craft, and open to influences. Possibly they will become great artists in the future, possibly not. It will be a question of choices and consequences, and doors opened and opportunities taken advantage of - or not. Life certainly will take you places.

But for those that do have aspirations of artistry and expression, then I firmly believe you must have qualities that others do not have. As an artist I believe one must stand out from the heard in order to be heard. It is so easy to make a record these days. One no longer needs to have the luxury of a recording contract in order to stand on a pedestal and say “I am an artist - buy my record!” With home studios costing one 16th of the price they did ten years ago and with software programs that do it all, you can churn out albums by the dozen if you put your mind to it. And many do.

However, just because you can, why would you? - is my question. Just for fun? OK, valid I suppose. But Isn’t it better to spend that time and energy searching relentlessly for something unique and different? God knows record companies are releasing enough crap by the hour, even signed artists are now under the impression they have got something to offer. Maybe they have, but for the most part I don’t think so (as public reaction and their soundscans will attest!)

Perhaps I am being extremely unfair, but I think too many artists do not realize that they have a responsibility to say something profoundly unique, certainly if they expect any kind of career longevity. We live in a world where musicians spend their lives emulating their heroes; singers spend their lives emulating Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and so on. Rock guitarists spend their lives emulating Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Paige, Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen. Jazz guitarists are proud emulators of Pat Metheny, John Scofield and Wes Montgomery. Saxophone players worship Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Michael Brecker. And so on…

Before I go on I have to say that emulating heroes is absolutely imperative in your formative years as musicians. You simply MUST listen to the greats, past and present. One has to have a strong grounding and musical knowledge and one simply cannot get there without listening. However, way too many ‘artists’ cannot get passed this stage. They need to have peer approval, have to know that other respected musicians around them recognize them and applaud their abilities. Often all this takes place subconsciously.

This ‘peer approval’ is a stage of development that is also important. Every musician goes through it at some point. It is absolutely natural, but I firmly believe that to become a great artist, you have to move beyond that stage and look inward. I always liken it those wedding band singers, who despite having an honorable and justifiable (and in some cases envious) career, they are all too often the ‘performing monkeys’. They are often fine vocalists but at the end of the day they are seeking approval and applause and not communicating or expressing anything artistic. They certainly know how to entertain but do they know how to intrigue? It’s a huge gap. Nothing remotely subtle about it as far as I am concerned.

The real communicating artists seek unique expression. They are not interested anymore in sounding like their heroes. They have moved past that, now searching constantly, developing and refining their own unique voice. Look at any of the true giants of yesterday and today. Yes you can hear their references, but they also have their own strong identity. At some point during their development something bigger than them took over. The chances are they knew it at the time and took advantage of it and made an extra effort to really hone that uniqueness.

Finding that unique inner voice might not be as easy for some. I think it starts by recognizing your technical weaknesses. It is often those weaknesses that ultimately end up becoming your artistic strengths. Let’s face it, if you were able to play the guitar technically perfect, at all speeds, meticulously so every note that came out was totally clean and audible, would this be ultimately interesting to an audience? Yes it might be very clever and impressive, but for how long could you listen to an album where every phrase felt like you were having your teeth drilled!!?

Wes Montgomery played with his thumb because he kept dropping his pick, ultimately enabling him to become the greatest and most influential jazz guitarist of all time. BB King has about three licks in his entire blues repertoire. Does anyone NOT know BB King when they hear him? Thelonius Monk refused to conform to traditional piano techniques and musical ideas. He simply HAD to play music the way he heard it in his head. He made such a bold musical statement during his time that he is emulated the world over and revered by the greatest musicians living today.

Technical shortcomings can be the very essence of your unique artistry. Now, should those shortcomings get in the way of what you need to say musically then those weaknesses might need to be turned around so they don’t restrict what you hear in your head.

Remember, the true artist simply communicates from within. All other extraneous thoughts, influences and distractions need to fall by the wayside. The minute a lick or a phrase that your hero played or sung (and made famous) ends up on your record - watch out! You might be in trouble. Absolutely steal from your heroes, but just remember that real artistry is about what YOU have to say, not what your heroes have already said before, and have possibly said better.

Push yourself to the max and search for that truly unique quality within. After all, that next great talent we are all so desperately waiting for might just be you!

Chris Standring is a contemporary jazz recording artist who performs throughout the USA and Europe regularly. He has enjoyed much radio airplay with several albums, opening up a busy touring schedule. His music appears on many compilation CDs also. For more info on Chris’ popular home study jazz guitar course go to http://www.PlayJazzGuitar.com

Visit him on the web at http://www.chrisstandring.com

For me, the piano is the symbol of what is stiff, proper and elegant. It doesn’t have faults, it is perfect. Pianists are the most perfectionist people in the world. They should not and can not make mistakes especially when performing. That is how I viewed the piano and the pianists. But then, I just found out I was wrong. A few researches and I have once again proven that appearances can be deceiving.

The pianists we see play appear to be the most formal and respectable stars on the stage. They hold the power and the breath of the audiences. They could look intimidating in their formal suits not to mention the authority and the air of arrogance they exude while on stage. They can be captivating.

But before we forget, these pianists are also human. And humans do make mistakes. Most of these mistakes can be frustrating and depressing. But then, there are also mistakes that are amusing and could also be totally hilarious. It shows how fun could be inserted even in the most seemingly stuffy and proper event.

Here are some examples:

When asked for their definition of a piano, some famous musicians and musical enthusiasts have some famous replies:

For David W. Barber (The Musician’s Dictionary), a piano is a cumbersome piece of furniture found in many homes, where playing it ensures the early departure of unwanted guests.

Piano (n.) is a parlor utensil for subduing the impertinent visitor. It is operated by depressing the keys of the machine and the spirits of the audience, according to Ambrose Bierce, an American journalist (The Devil’s Dictionary).

A piano tuner is a person employed to come into the home, rearrange the furniture, and annoy the cat. The tuner’s chief purpose is to ascertain the breaking point of the piano’s strings.

Though these definitions may sound humorous, you can never miss the ironies in it. Coming from people who live and breathe the piano, these definitions seem odd.

Here’s more - when asked about their secrets in playing, you would certainly be surprised at how simple their secrets can be, and definitely applicable.

Australian pianist Artur Schnabel said, “I always make sure that the lid over the keyboard is open before I start to play”.

“Nothing soothes me more after a long and maddening course of pianoforte recitals than to sit and have my teeth drilled”, said George Bernard Shaw, a writer and a music critic.

I definitely agree with Artur Schnabel’s top secret! I wonder why George found it relaxing to have his teeth drilled after hearing the pianoforte recitals. Check out more of the piano’s funny side:

Bob Hope, an American comedian commented on fellow comedian Phyllis Diller on her playing the piano: “When she started to play, Steinway himself came down personally and rubbed his name off the piano.”

A band teacher recalled the title of the song “Claire de Lune” played by a student as “Claire de Loonie”.

The audiences at a piano recital were appalled when a telephone rang just off stage. Without missing a note, the soloist glanced toward the wings and called, “If that’s my agent, tell him I’m working!”

Now, let’s check out some famous questions and answers in the funny world of piano:

What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft? A flat minor

What do you get when you drop a piano on an army base? A flat major

Why is an 11-foot concert grand better than a studio upright? Because is makes a much bigger kaboom when dropped over a cliff.

Why was the piano invented? So that the musician would have a place to put his beer.

Why did they say that the pianist had fingers like lightning? They never struck the same place twice.

What did they find when they dug up Beethoven’s grave? He was decomposing.

Why did Mozart kill his chicken? Because they always ran around going, “Bach! Bach! Bach!”

Imagine a singer, a piano player, a bass player and a drummer sitting around the table. Now if you drop a hundred-dollar bill right in the middle and tell them they’re free to take it, who’s getting it? The piano player. Because the bass player is too slow, for the winger it’s too little money and the drummer didn’t get the assignment.

Now that we’ve seen the humor under they keyboards, the piano and the pianists are not as elusive as they seem to be. It is just like discovering a new type of music. The piano and the pianist can take not just the breath out of the audiences but also the laughter as they present not only fine music but terrific humor as well. Having fun is what life is all about.

The author, Ismael D. Tabije, owns the website www.pianos.e-mart4all.com where one can select and buy digital pianos & electronic keyboards–casio, korg, kurzweil, roland, yamaha– at the lowest prices from the most reliable online piano stores. The site also contains a lot of valuable piano-related articles.

In a nutshell chords are three or more notes played at the same time. Specific patterns create chords.

In order to learn these patterns that make chords we will start with learning about Major Scales.

Where W= Whole Step and H=Half Step, the pattern to making a Major Scale on the piano is….

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

In the key of C (in case you don’t know where C is on the piano it is the white key located immediately to the left of the 2 black key grouping) that pattern results in

C-D-E-F-G-A-B and again to C

Okay so now you know how to make scales. (of course you should take this pattern and try it with other keys on the piano).

Let’s move on to chords.

What we call a Major Chord is also is built from a pattern that pattern is…

R-2W-3H

Where R=Root or where you are starting from, 2W=2 Whole Steps and 3H = 3 Half Steps.

There are other ways to figure our how to make Major Chords but for the sake of simplicity this is what we are going to use. Now you can go to the piano and starting on any key use the above formula and find all Major Chords from C to Eb and beyond.

The nice thing about chords and their patterns is that your hands start to memorize, rather quickly I might add, the position it takes to form these chords and it becomes as natural as speaking…sort of.

Here are few to get you started:

C Major = C-E-G

Eb Major = Eb-G-Bb

D Major = D-F#-A

I’ve picked these 3 because their particular hand positioning are the three most common and the rest (that you will be figuring out on your own or using the chord chart at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us) will come much easier.

Happy Playing!

K Quinn has been playing the piano for 10+ years. She picked up the guitar 5 years ago and both for her church. Visit her website at http://www.strugglingchurchmusician.us for more church musician tools and tips.