[NEWSFLASH] NEW DYNAMO MAGICIAN FILM

Check this new film masterpiece starring everybody's favorite hip hop musician, DYNAMO! Fresh from his recent exploits on the streets of London, adidas have sent their man to Miami, and the result is a 4 minute web film that captures Dynamo mystifying the local wildlife and tourists with his unique and original brand of street magic. PEEP IT HERE...

ADIDAS PRESS RELEASE

Dynamo, known in the UK as the Hip Hop magician, has captivated audiences with his unique brand of street magic. The web film enables the viewer to traverse Miami for a week with Dynamo and his Superstars as he dazzles Miami locals with his unique brand of magic and exposes the city’s rich, local flavor through the eyes of an Englishman on holiday. To truly capture all of Miami’s essence, Dynamo visits Little Havana, the Arts district, South Beach, locals-only hang-outs, and other areas off the beaten path, mesmerizing a wide cross-section of interesting people with his street magic. Winter Music Conference provided a rich backdrop of entertainers who were in town for the event including Rich Medina, legendary club DJ from Philly, and Black Spade, who were blown away by Dynamo’s reality defying tricks.

Conceptualized and executed by TAOW, A Modern Marketing Agency and directed by Rob Bruce (Laguna Beach, The Hills, etc.), the Superstar Magic film features a musical score by Om Records / Om: Hip Hop, and also highlights the ‘Watch My Feet Superstar’ remix courtesy of the Tapemasterz, Inc. The film launches digitally on Friday, the 13th of June, 2008, at www.adidas.com/superstar, and is supported by a comprehensive online media rollout at retail and print as part of the Celebrate Originality campaign. The Superstar micro site will host the film and feature behind the scenes footage, downloads including new ring tones,  and the newest collection of Superstars.  Visitors can even perform some Superstar magic of their own on the site. The campaign launched online in February 2008, with the release of the Adi Dassler film.  An inspirational piece, the first film captured the authenticity of the brand and the spirit of its founder, Adi Dassler.  Additional web films have followed to highlight key product stories and concepts throughout the year, including the upcoming Superstar Magic film on Friday, the 13th.

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The bass guitar often works with the drums to dictate the groove for most music genres. Bass guitarists help build groove and keep time. So you want to join "them" groove makers? You want bass guitar lessons, huh? Here we go...

Before you start taking bass guitar lessons, you need to get a bass guitar. You can start with a box guitar but what you'll be playing won't be the real thing. So, if you're serious, get your own bass guitar. You don't have to get a high end bass guitar. An average bass guitar will do just fine.

The best bass guitar lesson for you will depend on the way you learn best. There are folks who like it when a real person teaches them. If you fall into that category, then get a good bass guitar teacher.

Now, when looking for a bass guitar teacher, don't settle for a rhythm guitarist who claims he also plays the bass. If he ain't a bass player, he ain't a bass player. Get someone who does it for real.

If you have a more down-to-earth budget, hiring a bass player for you lessons might be a little too much for you to handle. For those who fall into this class, just go and get good bass lessons on Video CD's and DVD's.

These are great because everything has been systematically thought out and planned. These types of CD's and DVD's also come in grades and levels. So, if you're a beginner, you'll get all the basics you need with a beginner series. The only downside to this is that you will not get feedback on your progress unless you have someone who can assess you.

If you are more comfortable with the computer, you can get bass guitar lessons as software. The best ones will give you the opportunity of tracking your progress. For me, I prefer these software tutors more than all the other options.

So, there you are. You really have no excuse for not starting your journey into stardom now. All the bass guitar lessons you need are just a click or call away.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Guitar Warehouse the best place to Buy Guitar and learn Guitar Playing Techniques. Visit our site for over 60 Free Guitar Lessons and Information about playing Guitar.

My Morning Jacket - Sooner

Reigniting our popular bootleg feature with a great MMJ set... My Morning Jacket 10-23-2005 Murat Theater Indianapolis, IN Disc 1 01 - Intro 02 - Wordless Chorus 03 - It Beats 4 U 04 - Gideon 05 -… (in post Bootleg Justice - My Morning Jacket Live @ Murat Theater in Indianapolis, IN (10.23.2005) from Musical Justice. Download this at eMusic Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

The role of the DJ is mostly overlooked in a wedding. Many take him as the guy who plays the music and makes the announcements. But a DJ is far more than that. He creates the mood so the slightest mistake he makes can ruin the ceremony and get everybody leaving. It is therefore important that you choose the right DJ with the right experience? How do you do that?

Before you begin to look into anything else, arrange a meeting with the DJ. Get to know his personality. A warm DJ is what you need for the occasion. He must be friendly but not over-fraternize to ruin your wedding. Now lets see the kind of questions you may have to ask him at the meeting.

Has he got the experience required to manage music at the type of wedding you intend to hold? He may have been a DJ at a local restaurant but it requires a lot of experience to entertain a sophisticated and elderly guests such as we have at weddings.

Next talk about is equipment. Are they up to date? What about his speakers? Are they large enough to be heard across the entire hall? If you are holding the reception outside, he will need more powerful loudspeakers.

Ask about his CD collection. He must be able to play all kinds of sounds, as you will have mixed guests. He must have pop music, classical, jazz, and even waltz if someone so requests it.

Next comes the pricing. Negotiate for a day's charge instead of hourly basis. Daily charges are usually lower and will guarantee the continued presence of the DJ if there are any delays.

Now get the contract signed. That commits him to the event and ensures that he will turn up on that day.

The DJ will set the mood for the occasion. He must be chosen with great care so the visitors could dance all the way and leave the reception hall with good memories of your wedding.

Find more advice on wedding planning and maid of honor speeches. In addition you can get more information on father of the bride speeches.

Brandon Butler - Sparks

I wrote this after seeing the Federal Reserve, a collective of established, and like-minded alternative/folk musicians, perform on June 2nd at Iota in Arlington, VA. They played acoustic sets, and used basic folk instruments (including the chair (in post The Federal Reserve from Indie Muse. Download this at eMusic Amie Street Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic Amie Street)

So, how does one go about arranging piano music? That's a good question. And one that can get confusing for most students. They sometimes confuse composing with arranging and with good reason - they're closely connected. Let's look at how to arrange a piece of music for piano. Specifically, we'll look at the lesson piece "Fall Sunrise."

Fall Sunrise is a contemporary/new age piano piece I wrote to illustrate how ABA form works. The first section is comprised of 4-bars which is repeated twice. The next section (B) is an 8-bar phrase repeated twice and then we come back to our (A) section, which again is repeated twice. So, if we were to "arrange" this so we can see what it would look like we'd end up with something like this:

2A2B2A

This is a shorthand way of seeing the arrangement. It simply tells us how many times to repeat a section. Now, this arrangement by itself is sufficient for about 3-4 minutes of music, however, if we wanted to, we could add another section and lengthen it even more. The reason why we need another section (if we wanted more music) is that if we keep repeating this, it gets monotonous and boring.

We introduce a new section for contrast purposes. The ear hears this new music and is refreshed. But before we introduce a new section, we need something to lead us into it. We need what is called a transitionary phrase. Two bars is usually enough to accomplish this. The transition prepares the listener to receive something new. It's a connective device that bridges the sections. After the transition is introduced, we can bring in a new section of music and call it C.

Now, if we were to write out what this might look like we can come up with something like this:

2A2B2ATCA

Where T= transition and C= a new section of music. By adding in a new section, we can now repeat the other sections more because we've introduced contrast into the mix.

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. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

My Morning Jacket - Sooner

Reigniting our popular bootleg feature with a great MMJ set... My Morning Jacket 10-23-2005 Murat Theater Indianapolis, IN Disc 1 01 - Intro 02 - Wordless Chorus 03 - It Beats 4 U 04 - Gideon 05 -… (in post Bootleg Justice - My Morning Jacket Live @ Murat Theater in Indianapolis, IN (10.23.2005) from Musical Justice. Download this at eMusic Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

Whether you have taken lessons as a young child, or you have only recently begun taking lessons as a young adult, you already know about how very versatile and beautiful the piano sounds. Music written for piano has withstood the test of time, and even an untrained ear can detect the beautiful strains of structure and resonance in a good piano piece. While you might know a lot about the music theory that goes into what makes good piano music, were you also aware that you could compose it as well? Composing piano music is something that many people never get around to, which is a shame as it is fairly straightforward. If you are looking for a great way to put your music down on a paper and to possibly hear other people play it, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Get to know your piano

Don't think that just because you want to compose that you can give the instrument a pass. If you are interested in composing, you should take the time to get a real understanding of the instrument. There is a reason why all the great composers were players themselves; they had a very special understanding of the piano, and if you want to even think about getting competent on this instrument, that is what you have to have too.

2. Enlist your teacher

If you are taking lessons, make sure that your teachers understand that you are in a mode to compose, rather than just play. Before you even find the person you want to teach you, ask the candidates in question whether or not they themselves have ever written music before. You'll find that a surprising amount of teachers are willing to help you figure out exactly what it is you want to do, and you'll find that a good teacher can be more helpful than you have ever dreamed.

3. Work with manual notation

When you are getting started when it comes to putting your music down on paper, you'll find that there are a lot of online programs that can help you out. Before you start getting addicted to them, however, consider using a physical, lined notebook made expressly for this purpose. You'll find that once you have to erase and correct by hand, you'll have a more intrinsic understanding of the way the music will go together.

4. Improve on Your Sightreading

Composing music and sightreading go together. Sightreading helps you become a better composer. Likewise, when you're composing music, your sightreading ability increases. Improved sightreading means you're able to play the notes much more quickly when you're composing.

For more valuable information about piano lessons check out online piano lessons

Kelly Willis What I Deserve Country Music CD Review

Super talented Country artist Kelly Willis has released her most recent CD on the Rykodisc recording label, entitled What I Deserve.

Kelly Willis has been a super star in the Country genre for quite some time now and What I Deserve is an excellent illustration as to why.

Kelly Willis is one of those musicians that has the ability to just win you over with her talent. The kind of artist its really a treat to be able to listen to.

Listen to this CD and I believe youll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Kelly Willis is clearly in top form. So much so that if you're even mildly into Country music you'll enjoy this album.

While this entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 2 - What I Deserve, track 9 - Time Hs Told Me, and track 13 - Not Long For This World.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 - Take Me Down. Great track!

What I Deserve Release Notes:

Kelly Willis originally released What I Deserve on February 23, 1999 on the Rykodisc label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Take Me Down

2. What I Deserve

3. Heaven Bound

4. Talk Like That

5. Not Forgotten You

6. Wrapped

7. Cradle Of Love

8. Got A Feelin' For Ya

9. Time Has Told Me

10. Fading Fast

11. Happy With That

12. They're Blind

13. Not Long For This World

What I Deserve Album Notes Personnel: Kelly Willis (vocals); Chuck Prophet (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); Mark Spencer (acoustic & electric guitars); John Dee Graham (electric & electric lap steel guitars); Max Butler (electric guitar); Lloyd Maines (pedal steel guitar); Amy Noelle Farris (mandolin, violin, background vocals); Michael Ramos (piano, Hammond B-3 & Farfisa organs); John Ludwick (bass, background vocals); Michael Been (bass); Larry Aberman, Rafael Gayol (drums); Dave McNair (percussion); Bruce Robison, Charlie Robison (background vocals).

Producers: Dave McNair, Norman Kerner, Daniel Presley.

Engineers: Dave McNair, Norman Kerner, Daniel Presley.

Recorded at The Hit Shack, Cedar Creek Studios and Congress House Studio, Austin, Texas; Brilliant Studios, San Francisco, California.

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Sneaker Freaker

Sneaker Freaker Magazine - Global sneaker news, info & exclusive updates - everything sneakers.

Many people have PSP today and many of us cannot imagine their life without one, but with all those music, videos and games it can be quite expensive. You see, a PSP game costs nearly $50, songs and movies are less, but still you have to pay. But what if you could get PSP music video downloads, download movies and games for free?

It is possible, because I have actually found a way to do it, I can get PSP music video downloads, games and all the stuff I want for free? Want to know how? Simple, I have become a member of a PSP download service. If you don't know what a PSP download service is, then let me break it down for you.

A legitimate PSP download services provides the opportunity for you to download movies, games, songs, wallpapers, themes and other stuff for free. Notice, that I've mentioned legitimate, it's because lot's of PSP download services are really fake and do not deliver what they claim.

However, there are a few sites that you just ought to be a member if you're a PSP fan. Imagine how much money you could save and how happy would your kids be if they could download everything they wanted? I have tried over six different download services, but only one one could deliver high quality PSP music video downloads, high quality song downloads and high definition movies.

I have been using such PSP download services for like seven weeks and I can't really count how muhc money I've already saved and will save in the near future. I admit, I am a PSP addict, and I need to have new games, songs every other day, that's why a PSP download service is like oxygen for me.

But enough about me, the reason I am writing this article is because I want to share my personal experience and excitement with you, and recommend you the best PSP download service on the Internet. I've created a blog where you can read more about it and, hopefully, the information will be helpful to you!

Walter Seth is a PSP fan who runs a site dedicated to free PSP downloads. If you want to learn more about free PSP Music Video Downloads visit PSP Giant.

[NEWSFLASH] 12X12

www.niceproduce.com

href="http://www.watim.com/12x12">www.watim.com/12x12

For the self-promoting independent artist, the idea of taking
on a radio promotion campaign can, in itself, become
overwhelming. But, this idea is usually based on such artists
attempting to obtain worldwide airplay on a local budget.

And, in doing so, self-promoting independent artists quickly
discover another factor not usually considered previously...
that engaging in a worldwide radio promotion campaign
translates to hundreds and, possibly, thousands of CD units
for media contacts alone.

As you can see, this can also quickly become a nightmare for
indie artists, particularly, if the promotion budget only allows
for the purchase of 1,000-CD packages at a time.

Starting in the 1980's, college radio became a dominant force
in not only discovering independent recording artists, but also
in introducing new artists to the general public. Hundreds of
these particular artists have gone on to become established
'household' names.

Likewise, the college radio level has a continued history of
presenting, practically, all forms of music, much of which
would never see the proverbial light of day at the commercial
radio level and, in many cases, neither at the non commercial
level.

Therefore, if an artist has limited funds for radio promotion, it
is highly advisable that the he begin exclusively with college
radio for the following reasons:

* Far easier and faster access to airwaves

* Far more plentiful specialty and mix shows and programs

* Greater chances for both in-studio and telephone interviews
to promote music releases

* More possibilities for station ID checks for further publicity

* Corresponding college campus newspapers that will more
readily accept and support music aired on their campus
stations for creating a campus-wide buzz

* A ready and built-in market in the campus community for
repeated live performances to further support and supplement
campus airplay and campus press coverage

* An opportunity for grassroots distribution through supplying
both campus bookstores and campus music stores with
music releases

Is the college market a viable market for your music sales?

Though the question is rhetorical in nature, please review the
below U. S. college population statistics:

* There are 631 public 4-year colleges and universities that
have a combined student population of 6,236,455.

* There are also 1,835 private 4-year colleges and
universities with a combined student population of 3,440,953.

* Additionally, there exists 1,081 public 2-year colleges with a
combined student population of 5,996,701.

* Even further, 621 private 2-year colleges host another
253,878 students.

This brings the average U. S. student population total to a
whopping 15,927,987 minimum every year. And, more
people are attending some form of higher education than
ever before.

Now, even the least popular music genres are certain to find
a financial comfort zone with a market of almost 16 million
unique principals.

So, what results could really popular commercial music
genres experience, simply by working the various entities of
the college market, i.e., campus radio, campus press, campus
bookstores, campus music stores, campus live performances?
Quite pleasant ones, I would suspect.

But, remember! The above statistics only reference the
United States college/university potential listenership. College
radio also has a respectable portion of listeners who are *not*
students.

Add to that, listeners of college radio who strictly listen to the
streaming portion of college radio online, and who may, or
may not, be in the college's geographical area, i.e., military
service members.

Plus, there is lot more of the college market abroad, of which
U. S.-based artists would do well to approach English-
speaking nations first, i.e., United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland,
subsequently, moving into additional nations.

While it may (or may not) be true that it is possible for
commercial radio stations to be the primary driving force
behind most retail sales, that theory may not be so valid
today, given the fact that:

* With the Internet, artists are no longer required to sell
millions of CDs to make a great living financially

* Artists have greater and easier access to far more radio
stations (broadcast, satellite, internet, college)

* With the college community, and all of its combined
promotion and sales aspects (radio, bookstores, music stores,
live performances), if conducted correctly, the college market
campaign can equalize and, in some cases, even supersede
commercial radio results.
______________________________________________

[---Additional Statistics---]

Top 10 College Enrollment:

Miami-Dade College (51,717)

University of Texas at Austin (50,616)

Ohio State University (48,477)

University of MinnesotaTwin Cities (46,597)

University of Florida (46,516)

Arizona State University (45,693)

Texas A&M University (44,618)

Michigan State University (44,227)

University of Wisconsin Madison (40,912)

Pennsylvania State University at University Park (40,828)

(The above figures were reported in Almanac 2004-2005,
published by the Chronicle of Higher Education,
August 27, 2004.)
______________________________________

What College Students Spend on Music:

According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, college
students spend $200 billion...that's right...BILLION dollars
per year, with 76% of the students having spent $2,746,000
on music alone.

Note: As an added advantage, the self-promoting independent
artist should also create an Internet radio promotion campaign
simultaneously, since most 'net stations are accepting of MP3
files for airplay, thus, reducing packaging and shipping costs
of CDs to stations.

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About the Author:

Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a radio promotion, media publicity and music business/career firm for musicians. He is also the author of "Explosive CD $ales Tips," as well as publisher of The B# Newsletter, a highly informative music business resource. Visit his website at http://www.MuBiz.com

[ARTICLES] ADISKATE - MATT IRVING INTERVIEW

You might not know Matt Irving's name but we can guarantee you've seen or indeed own some of his handiwork. With a knack for geometric flow and a natural flair for clean lines, his style is instantly appealing and offers snippets of humour in unexpected places. From his own work under the banner of Delphi, which included some great designs for Element, and more recently one of our shoes of the year in the Milk Blazer SB, he has had his finger in more than a few pies. Right now though, he's taken on a pretty big job handling all the visuals for the embryonic adidas Skate team. From the ads to bongo vans and videos of the Gonz in full flight, Irving is all over it. The trefoil is in good hands...

How and when did you start working on adidas Skateboarding and in what capacity do you work for them?
It all started about a year ago. My friend Brett Critchlow and I were approached separately by adidas to create concepts for their ads. We were both too busy with other projects so we decided to team up and the next thing you know we got the gig and started working on it full time. We handle everything visual for adidas Skateboarding except for the actual product design. So it’s things like ad campaigns, commercials and video projects, catalogs, website design etc. Two weeks ago we were asked to redesign the paint job for a 1970s split window VW bus for adidas Brasil. Our projects can be really random at times.

What’s your overall goal with adidas Skate? Where do you want to take it?
Personally, I just want it to be sincerely focused on skateboarding and not try to be too much of a fashion thing. Just shoes for skateboarders, and if other people seem to like them, then that’s cool too. I like that the team is solid and respected by skateboarders and adidas is being very slow and steady about what shops carry the program. Being a little bit picky isn’t necessarily being exclusive and snobby, it’s about committing to the skate shops that have been around for a long time and supporting the scene.

 

How do you, in general terms as well as specifically in regards to adidas Skate, feel about non-skate companies entering
the skateboarding world?
It’s all fair game in this day and age. There aren’t any rules about who can and can’t have a skate program. I think that skating has changed a lot since I started doing it. When I was a teenager I probably would have hated it if the bigger companies were getting involved because skating was something to break away from the mainstream. These days skating isn’t what the outcast kids are doing, it’s something that is considered cool. That doesn’t mean that there is a right and a wrong, skating continually eats itself and neglects its roots.

What do you think adidas Skate can offer to skateboarding?
I think they can offer up some really good quality shoes and support some of the best skateboarders to push what is possible on a skateboard. They have a level of quality in materials and production that is much higher than most of what is out there. If they can last longer than an average pair of skate shoes, then that’s good for everyone. I think it’s also really cool that the majority of skate shoes out there have always looked to many of adidas’ classic shoe designs for how they design their shoes. Like the Shelltoe, Stan Smith, Rod Laver, Campus, Gazelle or even just the iconic stripes on a side-panel.

 
What projects are you working on right now?
I just got back from five days of filming in Berlin with the adidas Europe team. It was a really fun time and super productive. That team is so driven to get out and skate. Right now we’re out in New Zealand to shoot Mark Gonzales with a small film crew and studio. It’ll be a three minute film about Gonz out in New Zealand because he has been living out here with his lady-friend while she gives birth to their child. That happened a few weeks ago and it’s a boy.

What new product can we expect from adidas Skate in the future?
Well there’s a new hi-top style of a shoe called the Roster Mid that will be coming out in January, as well as a vulcanized version of the Campus. The Gazelle was just redesigned with subtle improvements so it’s totally skatable. I really like how that shoe turned out and it’s not going to smash the crap out of your heels because of a lack of padding. Then in the middle of 2008 there will be a redesigned Shelltoe coming back that is modeled after an original late seventies model of the shoe. It’s completely dialed in, looks amazing and is true to the style of Shelltoe everyone used to wear in the early nineties.

 

How do you juggle working for adidas and your other projects?
Lately there hasn’t been a lot of juggling actually; Brett and I have just been focused on it as much as we can so the foundation is set for this first year. I still manage to do a few outside co-op projects in the evenings but I’m making a conscious effort to dedicate more time to that sort of stuff. It’s been nice to take a break from Delphi projects and personal artwork. I think I overdid it and kind of got burnt out on work. Now it feels fun again and the ideas flow naturally, I can have a fresh approach and know that it’s art or design projects for that very sake. I can live off the adidas work and keep the personal projects focused on new ideas and personal growth.

What other projects are you working on at the moment? What about Delphi?
I did a bunch of stuff for Nike ACG before I started working for adidas. It’s a Delphi/ACG design co-op collection that drops this spring. I just wrapped up a board, sweater and tee for a German skate brand called Hessenmob. Some shirts and a jacket design for a clothing line in Paris called Sixpack and some board graphics for Element. I might actually get to have some of my photography on wine bottles for Francis Ford Coppola’s winery, but we’ll see how that turns out.

What is floating your boat at the moment? Music? Art? Drinking?
Traveling has been consistent this year and that’s always great. Going to new cities, meeting new people and seeing different art and architecture. I think it’s important to rip yourself out of the your everyday life, it’s easy to get complacent. I also get really hyped on seeing friends starting to gain acknowledgement for their artwork. It’s inspiring to see people become successful at their random ideas and eventually to a level where they can live off of it. I have a friend who shapes surfboards under the name Mandala and his impeccable craftsmanship is blowing up. I don’t really even surf, but I certainly appreciate how cool-looking his boards are and the level of quality that he demands out of himself. I like that, it’s rare!

What keeps you motivated to work in this industry? Inspires you?
I grew up skating and it kept me out of trouble. I’ve always loved it and for some reason the love hasn’t gone away. I really only enjoy working for things that I believe in, and skating happens to be one of those things. Any design work I do out of skating is usually in the streetwear realm, I only do that because I like that world too. It’s young and energetic; I just don’t like the ‘trophy-hunter’ aspect of it.

 

 

What’s your take on the current state of skateboarding and how do you feel about the constant reference of skateboarding in streetwear, despite the fact the majority of streetwear brands have little, if any, history in skateboarding?
That’s a weird one. I actually think that streetwear is loosely tied to skating because a lot of the people that run the companies tend to be skaters or ex-skaters. There’s an entrepreneurial spirit that is sort of consistent from watching skate companies come up and get successful. In many ways, streetwear of today reminds me of the skate companies in the early 90s and I think that’s why I like it.

By Steven Vogel

For more info on Adiskate, hit up their website here

 

Is the traditional bridal bouquet toss not for you? Many modern gals are ditching
this traditional altogether, and looking for new variations and interpretations. Many
women see the bouquet toss as pressure, and hate the implication that single
women are chomping at the bit to be married.
Here are six alternatives to the traditional bridal bouquet toss that will make
everyone happy:

• Wish Come True Bouquet Toss -- Invite all the women onto the dance
  floor, married and single. Ask them all to make a wish right as the bouquet is
  tossed and whoever catches it will get their wish.


• Fortune Bouquet Toss -- Invite everyone onto the dance floor and
  have a bouquet that consists of several small bunches of flowers are simply held
  together in your hand. On each bunch, have a handwritten fortune attached to it
  that you made up. When you throw the flower bunches in the air, they break apart
  so several people will get a fortune bouquet. Before throwing a break apart
  bouquet make sure they are easily separated and not entwined together so they
  really do break apart in the air.


• Longest Married Bouquet Toss -- Invite all married couples onto the
  dance floor and have the DJ announce that everyone married less than 5 years to
  leave, then less than 10 years to leave and so on until the couple married the
  longest is left dancing and they are awarded with the bouquet. Keep in mind that
  this may not be the right bouquet toss for you, especially if you have a recently
  deceased grandparent that would have been married the longest if they were still
  living. This also focuses on married people and leaves out the single folks.


• Special Honors Bouquet Toss -- Split up the bouquet into halves and
  give one half to your mother and one to your mother-in-law. The bridal bouquet
  could also be presented to grandparents, split apart for all the women in the bridal
  party, presented to your maid of honor, your sisters, a friend who is engaged, etc.
  Think of someone youd like to honor and give it to them as a good luck
  bouquet.


• Favors Toss -- Instead of tossing flowers, toss the wedding favors!
  Much like candy being tossed in a parade you can toss small or soft favors to the
  guests. Children can help in the fun, and everybody has a chance to get something.
  Candy, small stuffed animals, silly toys and gift cards are good choices.


• Gift Cards & Money Bouquet Toss -- Rather than have fortunes
  attached to a break away bouquet, why not attach gift cards (from coffee shops,
  record stores, etc) to your bridal bouquet! Rolled up $1-$20 bills is also fun for
  everyone. You can invite everyone onto the dance floor, men and women alike.
  So rather than skip the bridal bouquet toss entirely, why not start your own
  tradition? Unusual tosses can be explained by your DJ, an appointed person or
  written in your program. Choose a bridal bouquet toss that is meaningful to you
  and dont be afraid to simply present it to someone you care about.

  Amber Dusick is the editor of The Do It Yourself Weddings Guide at http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/ where you can get instructions for wedding crafts, do it yourself favors, centerpieces, make your own invites and programs and more! Learn to do most everything to do with weddings...yourself!

[NEW RELEASE] NIKE 1WORLD AF-1 - BUSY P

The newly launched Nike 1World project has been created in conjunction with select cool kids in the “sports, music, art and design fields”, presumably hand-picked for their innate panache on a global scale. The scope of 1World has been defined as 18 original shoes, which will be launched month by month via Nike's awesome AF-1 website.

Today the first three have now been revealed – from the rainbow excess of Busy P to the refelective digital camo of Gore-Texer (Nitro Microphone Underground) and finally Rasheed’s hightop with ‘Max Air’, you couldn’t find three more different AF-1s if you tried. Definitely a bright start to this project...
Just go to http://www.nikeairforce1.com and hit the 1World button - all will be revealed in due course!

 

Stress. It affects us all. The noise. The emotional upsets. The rapidly approaching holiday season that we're all supposed to smile our way through.

Thankfully, one of the ways we can relieve stress is by putting on some relaxing music. Some love to listen to nature sounds. Some quiet piano music. Whatever you are attracted to, take a minute to sit down, close your eyes, and listen.

Your heart rate and breathing will start to slow down along with your thoughts. As you tune in to the sound of the music, you let go of the cares and concerns of the outer world. Now, an inner journey begins to take place.

After listening for a few minutes, you find yourself feeling refreshed and renewed, as if a blanket of sound has washed you clean. And all you had to do was put a CD in your player. Listening to music is a great way to reduce stress levels. Playing music can actually reduce stress even further.

As we approach our chosen instrument, we settle into a happy routine that always brings us comfort and joy. As a piano player, I love preparing to play. The act of sliding the bench out, of touching the keys and placing my hands on a chord all contribute to a calming ritual that allows me to relax and unwind. And then as I play, cares and concerns of this world slowly drop off my shoulders and I am transported into a place where peace is present.

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. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

Albert Hammond Jr. - You Won't Be Fooled By This

So, I am (as I should be) really happy right now. This is one of the strangest feelings I've ever experienced: total freedom, and a lack of purpose. I must admit, I've been diffident and hard work over… (in post One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr. from The Cold Cut. More by this artist at eMusic Amazont iTunes)

A blog was recently written on how to find Ipod Downloads. Reading through the blog, one gets an idea that it does not have to be as hard as everyone thinks it is. The author of the blog takes us through his agonizing journey, until he hits his pot of gold (so to speak). It's a very interesting, and whimsical article. I found myself empathizing with the author. In the end, I too visited the links in his blog to check them out for myself. It is great reading for anyone who has ever found themselves in the same place searching for Ipod Downloads.

This poor guy searched through so many sites, while trying to find the perfect one for downloads to put on his Ipod. One gets the feeling that he spent many lonely, exhausting hours looking, only to get shafted by many sites. He even tells how he tried to contact several sites just to make sure that they were legitimate companies, and that they were looking out for his best interests.

Customer service, and the quality of the downloads turned out to be the main factors in his decision. In the end he decided to go with one site in particular that seemed to have it all. He even went as far as to reject all of the free download sites that give away inferior files. I truly have to commend him on his effort, and I for one am happy that he finally found his match for downloading content.

If anyone is interested in checking out the blog for themselves just Click Here!

To view the site talked about, please click here!

Brian Cook

The Gourds - Wildwood Flower

Today's free and legal mp3 downloads:Gourds : 2004-11-12, Thomasville [mp3,ogg,flac]"Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain (Willie Nelson cover)" [mp3]Gourds : 2004-11-10, Baton Rouge [mp3,ogg,flac]"Steeple Full of Swallows" [mp3]Gourds : 2004-10-27, KUT [mp (in post Daily Downloads (My Morning Jacket at Bonnaroo and more) from Largehearted Boy. More by this artist at eMusic Amazont iTunes)

Reading piano notes is far easier than many beginning pianists think it is. Ultimately, piano note reading is simply a matter of memorization and repetition. In other words, once you learn the basics, all you have to do is put them into practice, and to do so as many times as it takes to completely internalize your note reading skills.

No doubt, you've seen what's known as the staff -- the system of five lines and four spaces upon which musical notes are organized. In music notation, at the far left of a staff you will always see a clef, which is basically a symbol that indicates how the notes on the staff should be read.

There are many different types of clefs, but fortunately for beginning pianists, the vast majority of piano music deals only with two clefs, the treble clef and the bass clef. The treble clef is usually used to notate the first few octaves to the right of Middle C, while the bass clef is usually used to notate the few octaves to the left of Middle C.

In all staffs, no matter what the clef is, successive lines and spaces represent ascending notes of the scale. For example, in the treble clef, the lowest line represents E. Thus, the space just above the lowest line represents F, the line just above that represents G, the space above that is A, and so on.

In the treble clef, which looks sort of like a backwards "S" with a few extra curly-cues thrown in, and centered on the second line up, the notes are as follows: The five lines, from bottom to top, stand for E G B D and F, while the four spaces stand for F A C and E. All beginning pianists must memorize these very early in the learning process. FACE is an easy acronym to remember, while EGBDF lends itself to a variety of mnemonic phrases, which you can make up yourself. For example, when I took my lessons, I was forced to memorize, "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge."

Often, when reading music, you will see additional "lines" added above or below the staff. These are merely extensions of the staff, and follow the same succession as notes within the staff. For example, the invisible line one space below the treble clef staff -- a note that you will see very, very often -- stands for middle C as it is one space and one line below the E represented by the first line.

The bass clef, which looks like a backwards "C" with two dots around the second line from the top, has this configuration: The five lines stand for G B D F and A, while the four spaces stand for A C E and G. Again, there are many mnemonic devices to remember these, but it's always best to make up your own.

With many piano songs, especially those for beginners, the left hand plays the notes in the bass clef, while the right hand plays the notes in the treble clef. The two areas meet up at middle C, which is two notes below the lowest line in the treble clef staff, and two notes above the highest line in the bass clef staff.

Beyond this basic memorization of notes represented by lines and spaces, piano note reading also involves some knowledge of what is meant by various symbols. Most commonly you will see the symbols for sharp and flat. The symbol for sharp, which closely resembles the number symbol (#), indicates that the note which it accompanies should be raised one half step. Meanwhile, the flat symbol looks like a lower case "b," and indicates that the accompanying note should be played one half step lower. Also, once you start to learn more keys and scales, you will need to know the natural symbol, which cancels a sharp or flat is dictated by the key. Also, it's important to remember that when you see a sharp, flat, or natural symbol, that symbol remains in effect throughout the measure.

From this point on, things become more complicated. But don't sweat it. Learning how to read piano notes is a baby-step process. Try not to learn everything at once. Instead, focus on one thing at a time, and practice until it comes as easily as breathing. As always, this is the key to learning piano.

Duane Shinn is the author of the popular DVD home study course on playing piano titled "Crash Course In Exciting Piano Playing!"