The Pix Pixy

I’ll never forget the time I took my first piano class. It was at the Community College of Philadelphia 1984. It was a group class with 20 or so electronic keyboards arranged around the room. We each received a class text book titled “Class Piano.” No shocker there.

I opened up the book and saw that I would be learning how to read music and play triads. I also saw that I would be playing very simple classical pieces. Now, while I enjoyed this and learned how to play these easy pieces, it just didn’t do it for me. It was because as I soon as I put the book down, I was dumbfounded! I didn’t know what to do on the piano without the book!

I soon realized that I didn’t want to become a professional note reader. No. I wanted to be able to sit down at the piano, place my fingers on a chord that called to me, and just play. I wanted to express myself at the piano in the same way visual artists are able to take pen and paper and artfully color their inner worlds. Why was this so difficult to do?

It was at this time that I started to look for new ways to play. I came upon a book that taught a modern chord position which could be used right away to make music with. Amazing! No note reading. Just chords. And once I learned a few chords, I was able to create my own music. This open position chord structure allowed me to improvise music quite easily.

Another book influenced me as well. This one showed how to play chord progressions using 4, 8 and 16 bar phrases. With this chord charting technique, I could see that I could create my own pieces. It taught me the principles of repetition and contrast - the cornerstones to musical composition.

A few chords arranged for 8-bars is repeated 2 or more times giving you what is called an “A” section of music. Another few bars of different chord changes and the “B” section is produced. And all of this was taught within a very slim volume. Maybe 46 pages or so.

After a few years of working with this material, I synthesized both methods so beginning piano players can take a modern sounding chord and work with it within a set framework. The result is a method where students are able to improvise their own music right away!

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

I Want To Grow Old With You (C)

Chorus: I want to grow old with you…
I want to still be there
Someday, to share
These things that we go through…
We’ll sit and rock
And get to talk
Of crazy things we did
“When I was young and you were just a kid”…

Sometimes, I know
It seems as though
We can’t go on together…
But, we still try;
And time slips by
Faster now, than ever…
When things get rough,
And I get gruff
And do those things I do,
I know, sometimes, you’ve had enough;
But thank God we get through…

Chorus: I want to grow old with you…
I want to still be there
Someday, to share
These things that we go through…
We’ll sit and rock
And get to talk
Of crazy things we did
“When I was young and you were just a kid”…

We’ve had ‘Hard knocks’
And ‘Late hour talks’;
We’ve shed our share of tears…
And it’s for sure
That we’ll endure
Rough roads in future years…
Still, my one hope
Is that we’ll cope;
That, somehow, we’ll get through…
So when I pray,
It’s that you’ll stay
’cause I want to grow old with you…

Chorus: I want to grow old with you…
I want to still be there
Someday, to share
These things that we go through…
We’ll sit and rock
And get to talk
Of crazy things we did
“When I was young and you were just a kid”…

Early Morning Lovers(C)

Well, I wake up and it’s raining,
But, you won’t catch me complaining;
When I listen, I can hear hot coffee perk…
Then, I reach out to touch her hair,
Appreciate the fact she’s there;
I realize, I might be late to work…

Chorus: ’cause we’re ‘Early Morning Lovers’,
We embrace
The morning light;
Face to face
Beneath the covers,
So, we start our day off right…
Although ‘Early Morning Lovers’,
In this day
Of push and shove,
Take abuse
From many others
Still, they can’t shake loose
Our love…

When I get to work, the boss is mad:
‘If you’re late again, your ass is had,’
But, I know that I do my job, alright…
I’ll work a little overtime
So, by tomorrow, he’ll be fine;
Oh, well… if not, he can fly a kite…
It’s times like this, when it gets rough,
I swear, sometimes, I’ve had enough
But she’s there, waiting tender, at the door;
She reaches out and takes my hand,
She welcomes home her working man,
Then, I remember what I’m working for…
Chorus: For we’re often evening lovers,
When we turn
The lights down low;
Lose concern,
Forget the others,
As we watch our warm fire glow…
And we’re ‘Early Morning Lovers’,
We embrace
The morning light;
Face to face
Beneath the covers,
So, we start our day off right…
Although ‘Early Morning Lovers’,
In this day
Of push and shove,
Take abuse
From many others
Still, they can’t shake loose
Our love…

Once In A While (C)

If late at night, I cross the floor,
I don’t trip over shoes, no more;
My razor’s right where it was left
The last time that I shaved…
No stockings hanging on the shower,
Now, I don’t have to ‘Wait an hour’
Or solve the mystery of the theft
Of something that I saved…
Chorus
Yes, I can say it’s great to live alone…
When I want too, I stay out late
’cause there’s no one at home…
No dinner, cold, waitin’ for me,
No woman mad as she can be;
So lucky me,
At last I’m free
To live life ‘Single style’…
What I want for dinner’s what I get,
The waitress never gets upset;
I’ve got it made but, somehow yet,
I still miss it ‘Once in a while’…
Verse two
The closet’s big, and it’s all mine,
Now, I don’t have to dig to find
A pair of socks
’cause they’ve got their own drawer…
Then once I get in bed at night,
If I forget to, it’s all right,
I don’t get up and check the locks
The way I did before…
Final chorus
Yeah, I can say it’s great
To live alone…
When I want too, I stay out late
’cause there’s no one at home…
No dinner, cold waitin’ for me,
No woman mad as she can be;
Oh, lucky me
At last I’m free
To live life ‘Single style’…
What I want for dinner’s what I get,
The waitress never gets upset;
If I’ve got it made, why is it yet,
I still miss it ‘Once in a while?’

If you ~ or someone that you know ~ is seeking some more songs or lyrics, please contact me direct. Russ :))

Russ Miles is author of the novel, For Sale By Owners:FSBO. A “Seasoned Real Estate NAR® Broker,” disabled by Multiple Sclerosis, Russ writes romantic songs,books & articles on varied subjects. Google russ miles. FOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO ISBN 0-595-28703-4,in trade paperback, is available by phone or Internet:1-800-Authors to order direct! Adobe e-book & hard cover editions also available FSBO at Amazon.com, at Barnes and Noble, and other fine booksellers. Comments: MilesRuss@Gmail.com.

I love surfing the internet for information and to check my bank account. Yes, I do internet banking. At the click of the mouse, I can see my banking statement online and the transactions done for the month. I can check whether the check has been cleared or not. It was one of these days while surfing around that I stumbled upon www.audiobiblio.com. This web site allows you to upload streaming media and store the file of up to 20GB in size to its site. This nifty web site also unites people from all over the world together in a common mission - to share and to listen to music online.

Now you can discover songs of all kinds by searching for them based on categories like artists, members, music and groups. You can register for free and start to upload your favorite songs online using www.audiobiblio.com. This music network site aims to unite people of all races from around the world together. You can make friends with others across the ocean. This audio community is a friendly bunch who just loves music. You can discover and listen to other people’s favorite music through the streaming media. And you save money from buying more music CDs or compact discs that cost a lot of money.

Just turn on your computer, browse to www.audiobiblio.com and start listening to streaming audio online. What’s more? You can also contact the different members of more than 600 in their database and make new friends. You can look at their profiles, their gender and location. As mentioned earlier, this is a good site to make friends who have common interests - sharing music. And you can now listen to music online for free. You don’t have to pay exorbitant fees to join unlike other music networks like Yahoo Music and so on. And you can be assured of a good variety of songs uploaded in this web site.

The winter months have hit us and unless you live in Southern
California, most people aren’t swimming in open-air pools any
longer.

Until recent times, Indie Artists and the labels they set up for
themselves had a hard time getting their music heard by anyone
outside their own backyard pool of fans. With guerilla marketing
finally becoming common practice and online music stores
becoming a main stay for the music aficionado, record pools are
now open for business to the general indie population.

What is a record pool? Basically, a record pool is a membership
of DJ’s that act as an intermediary between DJ’s and the music
makers. The power behind a record pool is that it can reach a
mass, global market in lightening speed.

As of 2005, there are over 7000 DJ’s and industry professionals
who are part of this digital revolution. In order for a DJ to
belong to a record pool, they must pay a monthly association fee
to obtain the latest and most current music.

Frequently this music is available to them before it becomes
available to mainstream radio, and because of that, record pools
quite often have more of an initial impact than the popular
mainstream outlets.

The power radio programmers have over radio, clubs and street
music is now handed over to the DJ’s who participate in the
record pools, allowing them to have control over what they
“break.”

So how can you get an invitation to swim in their pool? No
invitations necessary, but you must have a good professional
product that is available in digital format (although I did find
one that accepted vinyl).

Some of the record pools now require that you have your own
label, meaning that you don’t submit as your band name. That is
easily done by setting up your own label (too much information
to go into here, but you can find the information inside my book
The Indie Guide to Music, Marketing and Money).

Once you have the business side taken care of, start searching
the internet using the keywords, “record pool,” and then contact
them to be certain that your style of music is part of their
repertoire.

Don’t randomly send out your online or hard copy press kit to
every record pool you find, just as you wouldn’t send your music
to every station you discover. E.g., a country record pool isn’t
interested in acid rock and a classical record pool won’t be
interested in spinning a blue grass tune. Then begin to submit
your CDs using the contact information you acquired. Do you
homework and beware of companies that don’t post charts or may
be music collectors.

Here are a few record pools I found on the web:

http://www.americanrecordpool.com (they represent an assortment
of music, including R&B, Hip-Hop and Dance.)
http://www.keystonespinners.com (they represent Hip Hop, Latin,
World and Jazz) http://www.recordpools.com (they represent
Dance, Hip Hop, and Latin)

The time for indie artists is upon us, but you better take
advantage of record pools now, before someone puts a “no
swimming without a lifeguard” sign out. Copyright 2006

The main goal in creating a press kit is to generate interest in an artist and the music they play. A press kit includes background information, photos, samples of music, a listing of past and future gigs you have scheduled, and any other pertinent information. A press kit is used as a way of introducing and artist to newspapers, the media, promoters, and music industry leaders. You can create a press kit that is mailed to the appropriate recipients and it is a good idea to have an electronic form of your press kit that can be emailed and posted on web sites.

Things to include in your press kit:

Offer a limited a mount of information about yourself, your band, and your style of music. Don’t give the reader more information than they want. If your introduction is too lengthy, you will lose the interest of your intended audience.

Talk about your music, the way in which you perform your songs, your sound, and who your influences are. You will want to give a good idea of what you may sound like in these descriptions. Do not be afraid to interject a little humor into your descriptions. You will get someone’s attention during the very first minute they open your press kit. If you do not captivate them immediately, they will lose interest.

Describe the things that make you special in comparison to everyone else. What are your skills and experience level? Why would a record promoter or executive gain by giving you a chance to record and market your music? Record companies spend a great deal of money in promoting new artists. You will want to make it clear why you would be a good investment.

Include press clippings and quotes as they become available. A remark made about you by a reputable person will go a long way in making your press kit credible. This will let the reader know that you have been recognized as a talent to be reckoned with and could possibly create extra momentum for you while you are trying to launch your career. Whether you are in need of a singer, musician, or actor press kit, recognition from others is a great tool in promoting yourself.

You really only need one page of your press kit to be devoted to a biography and one page that includes quotes and press clippings. This rule stands even in an online portfolio. By keeping each topic on a simple page, you are much more likely to hold the interest of the person who receives your press kit. Make sure the tone of your band press kit is in line with who you are as a person and the type of music you perform.

A sample of your music in the form of a high quality CD or clips that can be heard in an electronic press kit are critical. Make certain you label the CD with your name and contact information. If someone loves your music but has misplaced the rest of your press kit, you will want this information to readily available to them.

Be careful not to overdo the self-promotion. You should be positive and state your ambitions, but shameless self-promotion will make you look unprofessional and less than credible. Also avoid including too much personal information. No one cares (yet) about your first pet, your grades in elementary school, or your personal phobias. Keep the focus on your music and your accomplishments. You want to be sure you do not look desperate for work, even if you really are.

Include a personal cover letter to whomever you send your press kit to, and try to avoid sending your musician press kit unsolicited. It is always better to have a referral from a friend or associate of the person you wish to see your material.

Tiffani Smith is the online editor for eFameOnline.com - the hottest place on the web for entertainment & fashion career advice. Get insider information from industry experts on how to kick-start your career & avoid scams and pitfalls @ www.efameonline.com

Henry Mancini was a master musician. His music will always be
remembered and anytime you watch a film that he scored you’ll
learn to identify his sound and hear what a great musician he
was. You can actually hear his trademark sound and get to
recognize his style.

Pink Panther’s Penthouse Party came out to coincide with the
release of the DVD box set of the Pink Panther Movies. The CD
includes the original version of the Pink Panther Theme as well
as remixes of it by Fischerspooner, which basically adds the
signature Fischerspooner sound from (the #1 album) and mixes a
modern dance beat to the original. Also, there’s the Malibu
Remix, which adds a big beat sound to the original version of
the track. And then there’s also the Pink Panther Theme
Revisited by St. Germain, which slows down the track and adds a
funky, jazzy and groovy beat to the original. You can also find
a remake of the Shot In The Dark Theme mixed with The Peter Gunn
Theme called (The Gunn Mix) by Chris Mancini and Lennart. This
is a fun and groovy remake, which basically mixes the two Henry
Mancini classics tunes together as one piece. A great idea and
excellent execution!

The album also contains some original tracks by artists that
sound or are inspired by the Henry Mancini sound. Some of the
great original tracks included on here are Tres Tres Chic by
Mocean Worker, which fits perfectly in this collection. This
track has a French vocal sampling to the very fun and upbeat
loungy dance beat. Then there’s Intraspettro by Les Hommes which
sounds like an update Bossa Nova lounge track. Bossa Per Due is
also another fun track on here dating back to 2000 but still
sounding retro fresh! I remember this track was used in a Nissan
car commercial back in 2000. I immediately had to find out who
it was. A great find for sure! The track works perfectly in the
Pink Panther’s Penthouse Party mix. Other stand out cuts
included on here are Voulez Vous by Arling and Cameron, Sacre
Francais by Dimitri From Paris (who’s most definitely inspired
by the excellent sound of Henry Mancini), Bachelor Pad by
Fantastic Plastic Machine, The Girl From Ipanema by Pizzicato
Five and Smokebomb by Ursula 1000. The only track I had a
problem with in this collection was San Antonio by Kinky. I like
the track but I didn’t think it fits here in this collection.

Overall, Pink Panther’s Penthouse Party is a fun mix of loungy
music which includes original and remixed versions of Henry
Mancini’s classic tracks as well as music that is inspired by
the master musician. I just wish there was a remake or remix of
It Had Better Be Tonight.