I was in my favorite music store just picking around when I heard someone playing a song I had tried weeks to figure out.
Quickly, I got up to investigate.
Turns out the guy playing the song was a friend of mine so I had no problem asking him some questions about how he figured the tune out.
First of all, he told me the song was written in an odd-ball tuning and if it hadn’t been for an online resource and an online guitar tuner to boot, he would have never been able to figure the song out.
I spent the next few minutes taking notes.
For those of us guitar players who learned to play by ear and never opened a sheet of music, there’s good news.
It’s called tablature. And it’s been helping guitarists for years learn difficult guitar pieces without having to read music.
The idea is pretty simple. Instead of standard music notation, there are lines representing the six strings. And on each line are numbers representing the fingers used and on which fret.
In short, it’s a visual picture of your hands on the neck of the guitar.
The internet has made it fairly simple to find easy guitar tabs in which to learn your favorite songs.
Music is intimately related to the subconscious mind because it stirs our emotions.
Perhaps you can recall listening to a jingle and finding the tune and the advertising slogan replaying in your mind over and over, even if you disliked the jingle. It just stuck in your mind.
Sometimes we may be consciously aware of the suggestions which are becoming impressed upon our subconscious minds. Many others times we may simply act unconsciously upon those suggestions - without any conscious awareness of why we feel propelled to act in a certain way. Big corporations spend billions of dollars on advertisements in order to create exactly that effect - to get you to purchase specific product or to act in a certain way.
Knowingly or unknowingly, all of us get affected by music we listen to. Here is one example from an email I have received:
“I want to tell you a story that you may find interesting. About two weeks ago whenever I walked on the streets, people would stare at me. I am not used to it, so at first I thought that there was maybe something odd about my outer appearance on that day. I looked in the mirror and there was nothing strange about either my clothes or my hair - I was totally normal. This lasted about a week - day after day. I must say that I was quite amused by all this, particularly because sometimes I would notice that these strange gazes were in fact gazes of admiration.
Later, however, I have discovered the possible cause of all this - a song. An ordinary pop song called “Superstar” by Jamelia. Basically, during that week I used to listen to this recording with my headphones while being engaged in other activities (such as working) sometimes without even noticing. One of the main phrases of the song which are repeated over and over again in the song are “You’ve gotta be a superstar, ’cause you’ve got eyes on you no matter where you are.” My subconscious mind understood the lyrics literally and wherever I would go I “had eyes on me”.
I later decided to stop listening to the song and noticed that gradually people stopped staring at me. Isn’t it amusing?”
I suppose you can imagine what happens to people who listen over and over to music with words such as “I am a loser” and similar. Perhaps you want to pay closer attention to the lyrics of the songs you are listening to. It’s also good to remember that when we watch TV, we are in a state of hypnotic trance and what we watch and listen to in that relaxed and entranced state does get into our subconscious minds to a lesser or greater extent - so you may want to choose your listening and watching menu wisely.
Another aspect of music, is the music itself. Some music helps you to feel more relaxed, some music makes your body move, maybe even dance, some music puts you into a sensual and lovemaking state of mind, while other types of music makes you feel unsettled or perhaps inspire you to engage in some form of combat or on a more positive note, jump up and plunge yourself into a vigorous physical exercise.
When you are practicing self-hypnosis without hypnosis recordings, you may want to pick some music that by itself elicits within you the emotional state that is most appropriate for the goal you are working on. The music does not have to be slow and relaxing - it may be quite energizing. If you feel like moving and dancing, rather than lying down, it is OK to use your body and dance your self-hypnosis outcome. There may also be times when you would prefer to relax into your self-hypnosis outcome, and there may be times when you feel more like getting into physical action. Rhythmic, repetitive movement is trance inducing.
One of the main reasons for using music for self-hypnosis is to help you maintain mental and emotional focus on your outcome. The music that helps to elicit within you emotions which are appropriate for your self-hypnosis outcome, will take care of the focus. Your intention can then ride of the wave of music, making focusing an effortless process.
If you are working on increasing sex appeal, the appropriate music would be the one that makes you feel sexy. If you are working on increasing financial abundance, the appropriate music would be the one that brings feelings and images of opulence and wealth. If you are working on healing, the appropriate music would be one that helps you to feel relaxed and peaceful, allowing your body to rest, regenerate and heal.
Dr. Laura De Giorgio is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and NLP Master Practitioner. She has created hundreds of hypnosis, subliminal, supraliminal and supraliminal plus recordings in several languages. She also publishes a free inspiring, informative and motivational hypnosis newsletter designed to help you learn how to use your mind power successfully and offers many free hypnosis downloads at http://www.deeptrancenow.com.
Seven Basic Songwriting Errors
The advice in this article comes from The Essential Secrets
of Songwriting, a popular website and e-book.
________________________________
So are there only seven possible errors? In my experience as a
teacher, the seven errors listed below represent the most common
errors committed by students of songwriting. Addressing these
shortcomings is essential to making your songs work.
ERROR #1: THE FORM OF THE SONG IS CONFUSING. SOLUTION:
Strengthen the form of your songs by carefully controlling the
energy. Usually, an intro should have the same or more energy
than a verse, not less. A chorus should have more energy than a
verse. A bridge should have more energy than the chorus that
came before it. This chart shows the general energy pattern that
works for most songs:
ERROR #2: THE MELODY LACKS SHAPE. SOLUTION: In a verse, the
range of the melody should generally be higher immediately after
the middle point, to help it gain momentum as it gets ready to
connect to the chorus. The old standard, “Under the Boardwalk,”
by Resnick and Young, is a perfect example.
ERROR #3: CHORDS SEEM TO WANDER AIMLESSLY SOLUTION: The chord
that represents the key your song is in (i.e., the “tonic”
chord) should be featured more in the chorus than in the verse.
(And the actual tonic note should also be used more in a chorus
than in a verse.)
ERROR #4: STRONG AND FRAGILE CHORD PROGRESSIONS ARE USED
HAPHAZARLY. SOLUTION: Chord progressions that feature chords
four notes away from each other (i.e., in the key of C major
we’re talking about G7 to C, C to F, Dm to G, as examples) form
a strong progression, and should be featured in a chorus. Other
chord progressions (let’s say Dm to Em, F to Dm, G to Am, for
example) form what are called “fragile” progressions, and can be
featured more in a verse.
ERROR #5: LYRICS ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE FORM OF THE SONG. The
kind of lyric determines the kind of chord progression you use.
Strong, conclusive lyrics need many strong progressions;
introspective lyrics work well with fragile progressions. And
remember, writing a good lyric does not necessarily mean writing
a good poem. Rather, it’s better to write a working title for
your song, then start brainstorming words and short phrases that
relate to that title.
For example, if you’ve written, “All I’ve Ever Wanted” as your
working title, you might come up with these words as relating
text: love, hand-in-hand, touch, satisfaction, emotion, my
heart, for you, warm… etc. You will find that even though many
of these words won’t necessarily make it to your song, they get
you thinking in the right direction, and start you formulating a
working lyric.
ERROR #6: YOU’RE RELYING ON A HOOK TO SAVE A BAD SONG. Adding a
hook to a bad song gives you a bad song with a hook! Composing a
song and then trying to find a hook that makes it really come
alive is a really difficult thing to do. Try writing the hook
first. Improvise on a couple of chords, or a few notes, or a
rhythm - something short and attractive. Once you’ve got
something that really catches your attention, try using it as an
intro to your song, and something that keeps recurring between
verses and choruses. A hook needs to draw an audience in, and
keep them coming back to your song.
ERROR #7: WAITING FOR INSPIRATION. I can say it no better than
the musician/author Ernest Newman: “The great composer… does
not set to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired
because he is working.” Waiting for inspiration is, quite
frankly, a waste of time! You need to be writing daily in order
to make your songs better. If something isn’t working…. don’t
throw it out. Just put it away, and start something new. Keep
everything you try to write in a scrap book. You’d be surprised
what will eventually make its way into a song.
These are just a few examples of the kinds of things that will
make your songs work better. If you want even more advice, you
need to visit The
Essential Secrets of Songwriting. And start making your
songs into winners!
Like starting with any instrument, beginning clarinet is a process of learning that involves both great achievement and the occasional setback. However, if the beginning clarinetist follows a few tips relating to clarinet care and clarinet playing, the success is sure to outweigh the setbacks.
The first thing that a new clarinet player should learn is to put together their instrument properly, and how to hold it. One of the important things when putting a clarinet together is not to force any part into another, and that the side lever is up when the lower and upper parts are put together, otherwise bent keys could be the result.
This type of care should be extended to all parts of the clarinet - while it is inevitable that reeds will eventually split, they will last longer with careful care. The clarinet itself will last longer and have less need for repair if it is looked after properly, which includes cleaning after each time it is played and being put in its case properly.
One of the most difficult things for the beginning clarinetist is getting the embouchure correct. The embouchure is how the lips are shaped to hold the mouthpiece and create the correct vibration of the reed. Make sure that the bottom teeth are covered by the bottom lip and that the top teeth are touching the mouthpiece, but not clamping down too tight. It is normal for beginner clarinet players to have a lot of squeaking! As you continue to learn and practice, this annoying part of beginner clarinet playing should disappear.
Find hundreds of articles about the clarinet at 1st-clarinet-music
Worldcopyright Marc Hofkens and Cosblad Publications NV. You can use and publish this article on the condition that you don’t change anything and you add this resource box at any time.
1st-clarinet-music.com
Every band should have its own web site! There are very
inexpensive ways to build them. In fact, some are totally free!!
In my opinion, the best solution is the $0 hosting plan from Doteasy.com! They charge
$25/year to renew your domain name and $0/year for basic
hosting. This means that for the total cost of $25/year, you can
have a stand-alone web site with your own URL. You get 100 MB of
storage space, 1 GB of bandwidth each month, and 10 Email
addresses using your chosen URL. This package will NOT handle
PHP, MSQL, and other more sophisticated functions, but for a
basic web site, you can’t beat the price! Doteasy.com is the company that
we use for all of our websites.
Don’t want to spend $25? How about a free web site? You won’t
get your own URL, and there will be ads on your page from the
hosting company, but PureVolume.com offers a
basic mini site at no cost! You get a home page, a music page
where you can host 3 MP3s, a photo page for up to 8 pictures,
and a bio and contact page. Check it out! Even if you build a
“real” web site on Doteasy.com , you can do one on
Pure Volume, too! You can’t have too much exposure!
MySpace.com offers a
packge similar to PureVolume.com
This article is available for free use in any publication, as
long as the byline is included, the article is reprinted in its
entirety, all links in this article and biography remain live at
all times, and the publication is NOT any form of SPAM. This
article first appeared at:
http://www.GalvestonMusicScene.com/Archives/11-10-2005-Band-Web-S
ites.html
Most beginning guitar players start with a rather inexpensive instrument. They usually have a mass production clone of a Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul. The most popular clones are made overseas by Gibson and Fender themselves through the Epiphone and Squier lines. These are built to the same specs as the American made models. They are decent instruments in their own right but they can be improved greatly with just a pickup replacement. As long as the neck is straight and the tuning pegs are fairly tight, this is often all you need to upgrade to a pro sound.
Iv’e modified several Mexican made Stratocasters and I’ll take you through the process. The first thing you want to decide on is what kind of sound you’re looking for. Replacement pickups are available with a lot of variety in sound output. I like to use Seymour Duncan pickups because they have proven to be of high quality and reliability. They also have a good selection and have a CD of sound samples you can listen to. Most dealers have the CD’s and you can also listen to the samples online. Choose your replacement pickups and you’re ready to upgrade.
You’ll need several things for the job. A good stable workbench or table, with plenty of room to lay your tools out, makes things much easier. Here’s a list of what you need: 1.screwdriver set, both flat head and philips 2.soldering iron 3.solder 4.new set of strings 5.wire cutters/strippers
The first thing you need to do is remove your guitar strings. I usually leave the low E-string on to keep a little tension on the neck. Next remove the pickguard cover. Make sure you save all the screws in a cup as they are small and get lost easily. After you remove the screws you should be able to lift up on it and slide it off under the E-string. You should now see your three pickups and the wiring thats attached to them.
The new pickups come with a wiring diagram that is color coded but take a good look at each pickup before you replace it in case something isn’t quite right with the color code. It’s important that you replace one pickup at a time so as not to mix up the bridge, middle and neck pickups.
Heat up your soldering iron. Remove the first pickup. I usually start with the neck pickup. Cut and strip the wires according to the instructions and solder the wires to the new ones. Repeat the process for the other two. Not too bad, huh?
When you replace the cover/pickguard, be careful not to overtighten the screws or they might get stripped. Now would be a good time to clean the guitar before you put the new strings on.
Replace and tune the strings and plug in. You’ll be pleased with the results. I have several of these upgraded strats for the price of one expensive one and more versatilty with different pickup sounds. You can do the same thing with an Epiphone Les Paul to produce a sound that rivals the Gibson for about a third of the price. Now you can spend more money on all the cool effects gadgets. Have fun and keep practicing.
Guitar Emporium
John is one of the webmasters at: The Guitar Emporium
Submitted with Article Distributor.
On July 28, 2004, French Internet access providers and music copyright owners signed a joint national charter aimed at cracking down on illegal downloads and expanding the amount of legal music tracks available online (AFP). This is the latest in a series of moves taken across the world to combat music piracy as production labels see more and more of their profits being lost to illegal downloads of music files.
The music industry has been saying the same thing for several years now: peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks are exponentially distributing pirated music across the world through the Internet, and this constitutes a copyright infringement. In English, this means that the fact that I downloaded a Tori Amos track through Kazaa yesterday and am listening to it right now makes me a criminal. So far, so good. Quite true as well.
But the real problem is not that people do not want to pay for music. Often I sample new music off the Internet before buying the CDs. Chances are that if I like most of the album, I’m going to buy it. On the surface this is what radio stations do when they play music. The difference, however, is that it has become insanely easy for me to acquire almost-as-good-as-original quality mp3s of any track that I want to listen to, and even if I don’t pay a dime, no one is there to catch me.
The principle of accountability has vanished. When one sees that there are two ways to acquire the same product, but by sacrificing a ‘little’ bit of quality you can get it for free without being penalized for it, what would most rational people do? P2P networks have made finding music off the Internet ridiculously easy, and most of us tend to ‘forget’ our social responsibility when it comes to such ‘trivial’ matters. To contribute to this, copy-protection techniques used on CDs by major production houses are always a step behind the latest cracking algorithms, and steps taken to prevent ‘ripping’ of CDs and DVDs have proven fruitless so far.
Enter music downloads of the legal kind. Disregarding the small number of ‘free’ legal music available for promotional purposes, more and more artists and labels have begun to provide a pay-per-download music service. In essence, you can purchase individual tracks or complete albums through a secure online transaction and then download your ‘purchase’ and, with variable limits to personal use, pretty much do whatever you want to do with it (Several providers digitally encode the files to prevent them from being played on other computers, or to be burned onto CD-Rs)
This is both a move to encourage free-riders such as me to start acquiring ‘legal’ music and an economic adjustment to the digital music revolution. Developing technologies are changing the way people perceive and use music. The advent of iPod and other mp3 players has meant that more and more people are becoming accustomed to carrying around their complete music collections with the latest players offering space for around 10,000 songs. This holds frightening possibilities for record companies. There is a very real concern within the industry that the CD format is fast going out of style, and as technology evolves, consumer demands for the best ‘medium’ will change as well. Till a few years ago audio CDs offered unparalleled music quality, a factor record companies used to encourage people to ‘buy instead of steal (download)’. However, today’s high-quality digital formats mean that audio quality is comparable, and in some cases equal to, CDs. Some experts are even starting to predict that within a decade CDs will become history as digital music will evolve to a point where we will be have access to our entire music collection (hopefully paid for) wherever we want it: in our car, at work, anywhere in the house, even on the beach. Matched with promises (and the reality) of audio quality, this is a serious threat to traditional business.
Thus, providing legal music online is a means of the industry trying to position itself to take advantage of the rising trend of portable music collections. A quick glance across major online music stores tells us exactly so. While offering free-riders affordable music (allowing them to purchase only the tracks they like instead of forcing them to buy the complete album) to ensure that they do not turn to music piracy, sites like eMusic and Apple’s iTunes are backing the new trend. iTunes, Apple’s online music store, has the added distinction of being supported by perhaps the best mp3 player in the business, the iPod. In this combination, Apple has found a very secure marketing brand and ensured that it takes full advantage of this cross between technology and music.
Legal music downloads appear to be the perfect answer to stopping music piracy, at least the downloading kind. Therefore there is no surprise when one sees major record labels pushing to expand such services. However, recent developments tend to make us question what the overall agenda really is. After a period of consolidation of the digital music market in the last two years, albums available for download online are being priced higher than they would normally be in retail stores. It used to be that you could download a song for $0.99 and a complete album for $9.99, but now stores are setting higher prices, with tracks going for $1.50 or even $2.49 and $11.50 albums being sold for $12.50 and $13.00 online. What is going on?
In positioning themselves to take advantage of changing market forces, the music industry has also hit upon another major factor in determining sales: consumer behavior. Legal music downloads offer people like me the comfort of never having to waste time in retail stores looking for my favorite track from high-school days or wondering when the latest album of Nickelback would hit the shelves. Instead, all the hassles are removed with everything easily searchable, previewable and downloadable from the comfort of my computer chair (and this baby is very, very, comfortable). Consumers may not be usually rational, but they are always looking to save the effort when it comes to making any sort of purchases. Online stores (or is it the major recording labels? Who knows…) are now cashing into this very aspect of human psychology and are beginning to charge extra for a service they are portraying now as a privilege. Having already consolidated their core target market, the time has now come to increase revenues.
Would this drive people back towards music piracy? Highly unlikely. People are not evil, or criminal, by nature. Appeals to their better nature usually work, and that is the strategy adopted by agencies like the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) who are actively involved in putting a stop to illegal music sharing. Media campaigns encouraging music lovers to pay a dollar or two for tracks instead of ‘committing a crime’ by downloading them for free are actually working as slowly but surely, more and more people flock to online music stores. And with existing customers sticking to this more ‘comfortable’ way of buying music, the industry is finally starting to win back ground it lost due to music piracy.
For more information about this topic please visit www.Every.ca
admin@every.ca
Mike Ber is the owner of the Canadian Domain Name Portal called http://www.Every.ca. He is also a contributing author to Canadian Computer Magazine and http://www.Developer.ca website.
Legend Vega is scheduled to release her newest CD this summer, Personal Space. Fans characterize Legend’s style as a cross between Mariah Carey and a female version of Ricky Martin. She was born under the lights of Broadway in New York City but raised to the beat of Salsa and Merengue on the hot sands of Puerto Rico. Legend Vega is an experienced singer, songwriter, and model. She has just finished recording her newest CD with all of her own material. Her mainstream pop style and her Latin background make her an excellent crossover artist for the U.S. market. Her album features a broad mix of pop music recorded in English but with many Latin influences.
Legend has sung in a variety of venues from Caribbean resorts to outdoor festivals, and even on Broadway. She has performed with famous artists such as Elton John as an opening act at the Conquistador. On Broadway she performed as the lead vocalist in “Tony and Tina’s Wedding” where she sang 32 songs nightly under director Larry Pellegrini. She has also exhibited her vocal skills as a duet partner and backup singer on various CDs for other artists.
In addition to her talents on stage, she also enjoys writing songs. She identifies themes, composes the lyrics, and develops the melody for all of her works. She has also been very involved in the arrangements of each of the songs on her new album. She has completed a multitude of songs in a wide variety of styles (Pop, Rock, Romantic Ballads, Salsa, etc.)
“What I really love about singing is being able to reach into someone’s soul and touch their life in a special way. By writing my own music, I feel that I can do this even better – it’s as if I am having a very personal and intimate conversation with each of my listeners.” — Legend
Legend has an energetic and alluring on-stage presence as a dancer. She has performed concerts in styles ranging from classical ballet to Brazilian samba. She has performed solo dance shows and sang with artists such as world renowned flute player Nestor Torrez.
“My real passion is singing. For me, dancing is just the way my voice radiates its influence through my body. Dancing is a natural extension of the sound of my music.” — Legend
In addition to her musical and dance talents, she also has the physical look necessary for mainstream pop marketability. She is an experienced and successful model. She has appeared in print ads (perfume, hair, clothing, etc.), television commercials (beer, hair, etc.) and live fashion shows (Victoria Secrets, etc.). Although modeling is not her main focus, her style and appearance is a plus to her on-stage audience appeal.
Legend has a bachelor’s degree in TV and film production, and has also studied classical opera and composition at the Conservatory of Puerto Rico. She has hosted a television series about music topics (House of Rock) and produced a pilot for her own music show (Latino Connection). She has also had small cameo appearances in a variety of other television programs.
Her new album features a variety of pop songs. The music was recorded in San Juan under the leadership of Grammy award winner, Ramon Martinez. Legend co-arranged and co-produced most of the songs with Joaquin Fernandez. The instrumentals feature such well known musicians as Januse Bakun (bass player for Ricky Martin and Mark Anthony), Reynaldo Torres (drummer for Luis Fonsi), Rey Reyes (singer for Menudo), Joseph Fonseca, Aldo Mata, and many others.
Visit Legend Vega’s Official Website
http://www.legendvega.com
When I first set out to write this article about voice problems in singers, I was looking for two experts from contrasting fields of medicine – “medical” and “holistic”. What I found, instead, in the first practitioner that I interviewed, was a delightful mixture of the two.
The following biography of Dr. Brian Hands was taken from the website VOX Cura, his Toronto clinic. There is a link to the website at the bottom of this article.
“Dr. Brian Hands, M.D., FRCS (C), is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in his field of laryngology, sits on the Board of the Canadian Voice Foundation, is a member of the Voice Foundation in the U.S. and is on the editorial board of The Medical Post.
Brian Hands’ life-long passion for the arts, combined with his medical practice as an ear, nose and throat specialist, has led to a growing practice among performing artists of all disciplines. He is voice consultant for the Canadian Opera Company, Stratford Festival, the major theatrical companies, Mirvish Productions and the former Livent as well as major record labels.”
I hope you’ll enjoy reading about Dr. Hands and his work treating singers with voice problems.
Linda Dessau: Why did you decide to focus on the voice problems of singers?
Brian Hands: As an ear, nose and throat resident, options for training in taking care of voices is limited. After a few years of practice, a board member of the hospital where I was working offered me the position of voice doctor to the Canadian Opera Company. I quickly became fascinated and passionately excited by performers who use their voice – the purest sound a human can produce. I loved doing it. At that time, in Toronto, CATS and the Phantom of the Opera were beginning their production. Touring singers from all over the world would call the Canadian Opera Company for referrals if they had voice problems while they were in Toronto; eventually rock singers, movie people and theatre people from Stratford all started being referred. This is the work I get the greatest enjoyment from, and I try now to limit my practice to only voice problems. I identify with the strong emotional aspects involved in performing; I love the creative arts.
I believe in taking a mind/body/soul approach and use elements of energy work, chakra therapy, color therapy and yoga. I find the performers find these approaches easy to relate to.
I start with a Western medical method of taking a patient’s history and doing a physical assessment. And once that’s done, I deal with the emotional and spiritual aspects of the person.
I appreciate that my clients see me as non-threatening, like a friend – not a conventional doctor who just wants to label them and get them on their way. I see them as a whole entity and not just as a medical problem.
Most voices DON’T have pathology, or a physical ailment. The singers are so relieved to hear that their vocal cords are fine!
After a few short minutes in my office we’re usually able to get to the deeper problems, emotional “baggage” that may have been with them since childhood.
This brings more relief, the fact that someone is listening to them and understands them. I’ve heard many times, “How do you know so much about me, when we’ve just met?”
Another joy for me is facilitating, for these singers, the cathartic release of their pain through singing.
LD: What are the most common vocal disorders?
BH: Muscular tension dysphonia or supraglottic hyperfunction - excessive muscle tension in muscles above the larynx. Common symptoms are pain after singing, inability to hit high notes, difficulty in passaggio (transitioning between the different registers of the voice), constant clearing of the throat, pain in neck and head and tightness in the jaw.
LD: What’s a myth about singing that you’d like to correct?
BH: The myth that some people should just mouth the words because they “can’t” sing – with training anyone can sing!
LD: What happens when a singer comes to your office for treatment?
BH: We take an extensive physical history, find out about any allergies, examine the neck and throat, and look inside the mouth by using either a flexible or rigid endoscope. Frequently we use a sophisticated video exam called a videostroboscopic evaluation of the larynx. After all of these procedures we decide on a form of treatment. The most common course of action is reassurance that there’s no structural damage to the vocal cords, coupled with talking about the underlying emotional issues that are bringing on the physical symptoms. Sometimes treatment involves speech therapy, and occasionally speech therapy and medication. It’s rare that a patient needs surgery.
LD: Is a vocal disorder a lifelong issue? Why or why not?
BH: No, because once someone has mastered the proper breathing technique, they’ll eliminate the physical symptoms that lead them to the clinic in the first place. Breathing needs to establish a deep connection between the 3rd chakra (solar plexus) and the 2nd chakra (creative energy) by planting their feet firmly on the ground through the 1st chakra. With those connections in place, the patient can deliver a breath from the 3rd chakra with inspiration from their heart (4th chakra) and then to their 5th chakra (larynx, throat chakra). Often, the trouble is that the spiritual connection (7th chakra) has been broken and their intuitive center (6th chakra) recognizes this. And thus there is a backlog of energy at the 5th chakra; an incoordinate activity with too much tension in the area around the larynx (leading to the muscle tension described earlier).
LD: What are the three most important things a singer can do to prevent vocal disorders?
BH: 1. Breathe correctly 2. Drink lots of water 3. Warm up every day
For more information about Dr. Hands and the VOX Cura clinic, visit their informative website at http://www.artindex.com/voxcura/intro_index.html
This article was originally published on the Muses Muse Songwriter’s Resource website (March 2005) http://www.musesmuse.com
(c) Linda Dessau, 2005. All rights reserved.
Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. Feel like your creativity is blocked? Sign-up for the free e-course, “Roadblocks to Creativity” by visiting http://www.genuinecoaching.com
It is believed that the custom of dining in began in the monasteries, was adopted by the early universities, and later spread to military units when the officer’s mess was established. British officers of the 19th century were drawn from the aristocracy, and while they considered themselves gentlemen, they were not necessarily men of means; third and fourth sons had little chance of inheriting title and lands under primogeniture. While the pooling of resources may have been out of economic necessity, the regimental officer’s mess maintained the social stratification of English society and ensured that the traditions of gentlemanly conduct were maintained and inculcated to junior officers. The primary elements are a rigidly formal setting, espirit de corps and the camaraderie of peers, a fine dinner, traditional toasts to the head of state and military services, martial music and the attendance of honored guests or speakers. Today, although the purpose of a dinner may be to observe an appointment, promotion, retirement, or some auspicious occasion, a central theme of such events is a ceremonial focus upon the history of the host organization.
While the tradition of having a piper at high table may have it’s origins in the clan system in Scotland & Ireland, the formal dinners and dining in ceremonies as we know them today are directly attributable to the traditions of the officers mess in the British Army and Royal Navy. Originally fife & drums or trumpeters were employed to sound the calls; as Highland regiments were organized, pipers were employed not only for this purpose, but to celebrate great battles and victories in the history of the regiment and to memorialize their dead, quite in keeping with the Celtic bardic tradition. It should be borne in mind that originally Army pipers were outfitted and paid not by the Exchequer but exclusively by the officer’s mess; without their patronage, modern Highland regiments wouldn’t have ever had pipers, and without the Army to maintain and build upon this tradition the great Highland bagpipe would be about as familiar to most people today as the zampogna.
When a piper is requested to pipe the calls and the music at a formal dinner, you might be engaged to perform throughout dinner; to provide a limited performance such as pipe in the head table, pipe the lament and/or pipe in the port; or to simply pipe in the head table and depart. While there are many different traditions associated with formal dining, the following are some of the customs associated with piping a formal dinner. You may be requested to perform some, all, or some variant of any of them on occasion.
Dress
Such affairs are invariably formal, requiring black tie, occasionally white tie, or full parade regalia. Miniature decorations and medals are worn. If flying a pipe banner, ensure that the drone cords and/or ribbons are to the left of the banner; i.e., not over the regimental crest. If there is more than one piper, the banner is traditionally flown by the ranking piper present, who will lead the detachment, formed up in order of rank or seniority.
Seating
The seating arrangement at the head table is always based on rank, seniority and status. The host sits in the middle, the next senior person (or guest of honor) to his/her right, the next senior person to his/her left and so on, until all are seated. The senior-ranking member of the mess is the head (or “President”) of the mess dinner and sits in the center. The President of the Mess may appoint a second (“Mr. Vice”), usually the junior officer of the mess, who will be in charge of planning, and who usually occupies the seat farthest from the host, sometimes on the far right, sometimes at another table. Officers take precedence over civilians. If a guest speaker has no rank or status, he/she is positioned as close to the center (right of the host) as possible without offending rank precedence. Chaplains are usually included at the head table, usually at the far left of the President.
Warning Calls
15 minute and 5 minute warning calls are usually sounded to alert the guests that dinner is about to be served, and may be provided by a piper. When piping warning calls a short up-tempo tune is required but no specific title may be prescribed. In some regiments it would be the Officers Call (e.g., “All the Blue Bonnets Are O’er The Border”). A naval tradition is to ring “six bells” (19:00) on a ship’s bell for the 15-minute warning (if dining at 7:15 PM, of course). Dinner may be signaled by a brief pipe tune (“Brose and Butter” is a traditional one), followed by the host or master of ceremonies announcing, “Dinner is served!”
March-in
The guests (except the head table) will proceed into the dining room and remain standing behind their chairs; the closer to top table, the higher the rank or seniority. You may be requested to pipe in the guests. The head table forms up in order of seating, led by the host and the principal guest. When cued, lead the people of the head table into the dining room playing an appropriate tune; “Roast Beef of Old England”, “A Man’s A Man for all That”, “Prince of Denmark’s March”, or the regimental march. If space permits, parade counter clockwise around the room. This is particularly important when flying a drone banner. The regimental crest on the obverse of the banner is always displayed first. When everyone is in place, continue to march, and finish playing at the halt near the dining-room entrance. At a signal from the host, stop playing and remain at attention until grace has been said. If you are not to provide the music during dinner, march from the room after grace is said.
Posting the Colors
An honor guard may post and retire the colors; as a piper you may be requested to pipe them in and out. As the American and Canadian national anthems cannot be properly played on the pipes, other appropriate patriotic tunes must be selected. If you march in with the color guard, make sure that you’re well rehearsed in their drill first; they march in close order with wheeling movements to change direction. Of course, if not playing stand at attention with pipes down for the National Anthem(s). If you’re flying a drone banner, watch the color guard and drop your bass drone from horizontal when they dip the colors.
The Lament
In some military and veterans organizations it is customary to remember comrades killed in action, sometimes with an empty place setting, sometimes with a small table before the head table. You may be requested to play a lament in their memory. “Flowers of the Forest” is traditional, but other laments may work equally as well if the host has expressed no preference.
Piping in the Beef
In some traditions, the main course (traditionally beef) is ceremoniously piped in to the head table (or “Mr. Vice”), which will sample it and formally announce it fit for consumption. “Roast Beef of Old England” or “A Man’s a Man For All That” may be used if not played previously to pipe in the head table. You may pipe the beef out as well.
Piping in the Haggis
If haggis is served (such as a Burn’s Dinner), pipe the haggis to the head table to “A Man’s a Man For All That”. Stand at attention for the recital of Burn’s “Address to a Haggis”, and participate in the toast to his “immortal memory”. Pipe the haggis out to “Neil Gow’s Farewell to Whisky”.
Main Course Music
Wait until all at the head table has been served before beginning to play suitable selections intermittently throughout the main course. A piobaireachd is often considered customary. If parading around the room, it is customary to start “widdershins”; counterclockwise. If flying a pipe banner, it may be appropriate to countermarch as well, in order to display the unit crest on the obverse side. Prior to the port wine being served, the host/delegate will signal you to stop playing.
Piping in the Port
An old custom is the piping in of the port wine for the Loyal Toast. After dessert and coffee are served, tables are cleared except for the table decorations and wine glasses. No special music is required, but it should be short and appropriate. On cue, lead the wine stewards into the dining room, positioning yourself at a predetermined spot, and continue to play until the wine is about to be sampled and declared potable by the host. Sometimes the piper will play as the port is passed down the tables as the guests charge their glasses. Remain at attention until the Loyal Toast is drunk and then march from the room, unless required to stay for the Toast to the Corps.
Loyal Toast
If a Commonwealth dinner (or if UK guests are present), you may be requested to play “God Save the Queen” before the Loyal Toast. The person proposing the toast will ask everyone to stand and join him in a toast to the Queen. The member will then raise his/her wineglass shoulder high and say: “The Queen”. The assembly will respond: “The Queen”.
If an American dinner, the host may propose a toast to the Commander-in-Chief. Mr. Vice seconds this by rising and addressing the company, saying, “Gentlemen, the Commander-in-Chief of the United States”. Each member and guest then stands, repeats in unison the toast (e.g., “The Commander-in-Chief of the United States”), sips the drink, and remains standing. The band then plays the National Anthem. If piping, play “America the Beautiful” or “God Bless America”. At the conclusion of the music, members and guests are again seated.
Toast to the Corps
You may be requested to play the regimental march prior to a Toast to the Corps. Unfortunately, the only American regimental marches that “fit” well on the pipes are the “Marine Corps Hymn” and “Semper Paratus”.
Paying the Piper
At the conclusion of your performance, the host may offer you (or the lead piper) a quaich containing a dram (about 3.5 ml) of whisky. Stand to the left of the host. Taking the quaich in both hands, hold it shoulder high and face the head table. It is traditional for the piper to toast the head table (Sláinte! “to your health” in Gaelic; phonetically Slanjer or Slanja), turn to the company and offer a formal toast. Following the toast, you’re expected to drink the whisky in one draught, toast the company (Sláinte!), and flip the cup over and kiss the bottom. Following the ceremony, take your leave of the head table and march from the room. Unless you’re Gaelic is very good, you’re probably best off offering your formal toast in English.
The traditional Pipe Major’s toast of the Liverpool Scottish might be adapted to a range of events;
Gaelic
Slainte mhor, Slainte BanrighinnSlainte agus buaidh gu brath
le Gillean Forbasach.
Phonetic
Slanjervaw, slanjer banreenSlanjer aggus booey goo bra
la gillian forbusach
English
Good health, health to the QueenHealth and success for ever
to the Forbes lads
Conclusion
At the conclusion of the dinner, you may be requested to play the National Anthem. As neither “The Star Spangled Banner” nor “Oh Canada” can be played successfully on the limited tonal range of the pipes, play “America the Beautiful” or “Maple Leaf Forever” instead. Of course, if not playing stand at attention with pipes down for the National Anthem(s). If you’re flying a drone banner, watch the color guard and drop your bass drone from horizontal when they dip the colors.
Duty Tunes of the 48th Highlanders of Canada
Officers Mess Call (15 minutes)
“Bannock & Barley Meal”
Meal Call (5 minutes)
“Caller Herrin’”
Pipe in Guests
“Lt. Col. Robertson”
Pipe in Head Table
“Highland Laddie”
Lament
“Flowers of the Forest”
First Set (Main Course)
Ends with “Highland Laddie”
Second Set (Dessert)
Ends with “Lt. Col. Robertson”
Pipe Major’s Toast:
Host:
A Mhàidseir na pìoba, òlamaid deoch-slàinte!
(Pipe Major, let us drink a toast)
Pipe Major’s reply:
A h-uile latha a chì ’s nach fhaic, an dà fhicheadamh ’s a h-ochd gu bràth! Slàinte don Bhànrigh! Slàinte Mhòr! Slàinte!
(Every day that I see you, or that I don’t see you, the 48th forever! Health to the Queen! Great good health! Health!)
Piper for Hire; Tampa Bay, FL
Bagpiper available for weddings, receptions, formal dinners, ceremonies, corporate functions, funerals, memorials, and special events of all kinds throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.
