The Song is You

The words to this old standard suddenly invaded my dreams the other night and I awoke with a new revelation.

Although it was written as a romantic love song, the last 2 lines seemed to speak to me of something else...something genuine, authentic, and true...kinda like the way I want you to sing. The words to the last lines are,

"The music is sweet, the words are true, the song is you"

When I talk to you about being real when you sing, I am talking about choosing songs that are comfortable to you in style and mood, as well as lyrics and melody. When you choose comfortable songs that say what you want to say, AND are based on your beliefs your traditions, your customs, your upbringing and environment, then you ARE the song, and the song is YOU!

Finding Your Song

I grew up in New York City and was influenced by Jazz and Broadway musical styles. Jazz songs feel very natural for me...the way jazz notes are bent and improvised feels familiar and comfortable, and when I sing Broadway songs, they flow from me with an effortlessness that feels as if I could go on singing for hours and hours.

Oh sure! I'll sing a Country tune when asked, or power-ballad, or a rock tune, or even an Art Song if requested, but although I can appreciate and perform all musical genres, if I were to choose an audition song to fully express my essence, it would have to be a Jazz tune or something from Broadway. And the reason for this is that as early as I can recall, the sounds of the melodies, harmonies and rhythms contained within these 2 styles drifted through our house non-stop.

You must examine your roots to find music that fully expresses you!

I have students who love the Jazz Style, yet find it difficult to negotiate through jazz syncopated nuances that are just not part of their comfort zones. These students sound much better, freer, looser, more confident when they sing in styles that they can FEEL and that are natural to them. It's where they can best express their own essence.

The Singer's Comfort Zone

Now I can hear you saying,

"WAIT, Chrys! Are you saying that we should never venture out of our comfort zone?

How can we ever grow if we don't?"

That's a good question! And "No", I'm not saying don't widen the border lines of your comfort zone. On the contrary, we should always be willing to stretch ourselves through our performances.

• If we're used to clutching the microphone, we should try sometimes to sing with the mic in the stand and our hands free.
• 
  And we should try to stretch our range
• and to listen to music that is popular and "happening", but may not be what we would normally purchase at Tower Records.

But everyone has a center where the music of the heart lives and breathes. In this place is where the Song and the Singer are ONE.

If you filled out the SingYourLife.com questionnaire a few months ago, you remember when I asked you what music you listen to. I asked that to get an idea of what songs best express your essence, cause that's where those songs are, in your CD and MP3 collections...and where we begin to discover the voice inside you...and the songs that are YOU!

The Current "American Idol" Season

Did you follow this last season of "American Idol"? Then you've already heard some of the judges' comments when they reject a pleasant enough sounding voice that just didn't touch them.

Let me echo what they said about a nice voice not being enough, especially when the song is not reflective of who the singer truly is in his/her soul. In this competition, SONG CHOICE seems to be the number one factor in whether or not one moves on or goes home.

When Simon says, "That was forgettable", he is saying that the song and the singer weren't ONE.
He is saying that the there was something disingenuous about the performance, maybe the song was chosen to impress rather then to express.

Even a singer with a dynamite voice can ruin his/her chances at an audition by choosing material that simply is not in harmony with his/her essence.

This is one of the reasons that I always discourage copying another singer's style. Whenever I hear, "Make me sound like Christina", I have to respond by telling the student that it's just not my thing to make carbon copies of other performers.

My mission is to help singers find their OWN voice and then to develop it to be the very best it can be, and to realize that it will be much more than good enough!

So I guess, I am saying 2 things here:

First- Be Yourself and let your song choices reflect that, and

Second - Stretch Yourself musically, technically, harmonically, and rhythmically to get more flexibility and vocal strength, and then use your improved vocal ability to express your inner soul.

When you do that, the Song is You, AND You are The Song!

That's when the Magic happens, singers!

Chrys Page is a singer, vocal coach, and eBook author of "The Art of Singing" Series, a set of "how-to's" for serious and committed singers.

Chrys provides singers worldwide with a variety of products and services geared to motivate, inspire, and help them on their vocal path wherever it may lead.

http://www.singyourlife.com has been serving singers for 8 years with online lessons, backing tracks, sheet music, and a monthly newsletter filled with timely tips and advice for singers.

We invite you to Join Our Mailing list! It's FREE!

Her latest website, http://www.Karaoke-And-Beyond.com is exclusively for singers who wish to take their singing to another level, which is singing to "live" music. At this site, the singer finds Keyboard and Guitar Lessons, and a variety of self-help music books designed to help singers learn how to accompany themselves when they sing. The "Art of Singing" series is also offered, along with great deals on musical instruments through an affiliate link.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chrys_Page

Dance Lessons - Tips For Your Wedding Dance

The wedding couple leading the first dance can be one of the most romantic highlights of the big day. More and more couples are choosing to have professional dance lessons so that they look their very best when the time comes. This article provides tips on getting it right.

Choosing the music for your 'First Dance' may turn out to be one of the most difficult things you have to decide. Not only do you have to agree on the music that you both like, there are many other things that you have to take into consideration as well. You would be better served to choose five or six different songs to start with and take them along to your dance teacher on CD so that you can discuss the merits of each song individually.

A few things to think about when deciding:

Remember the Wedding Day is a long day for you, your family and the guests, and everyone will want it to go smoothly.
The less you have to think about on the day the better it will be, so plan well in advance. Don't leave it to the last thing on your list!

Generally the First Dance is no more than 3 minutes long. You will be the centre of attention but nobody will want to watch and dance that goes on for 5 or 6 minutes, especially the children! Your guests by this time are ready to get the party going! So keep it short and sweet.

Be prepared that your absolute favorite song may turn out to be a non-starter because it is too fast or slow, long or short. Put a shortlist together on a CD and take it to your chosen dance teacher. A good teacher will help you choose objectively and ask questions about what you are wearing (dress and shoes), how big your dance floor is, the position of tables, are you having a band play your music or using CD etc).

Listen carefully to the song lyrics. Once you take this into consideration you may find that your original song list will shrink straight away! However, even though you may discount most of the songs on he original list do not discard them until you have confirmed what you are going to use.

Think about the type of dance you want to do. If you are into "rock and roll" or "Ballroom and Latin" and your outfit allows it then go for it! Just remember leave yourselves plenty of time to practice. Before you know it the family will be in town waiting to see you off and ready for a party!

Live Music or CD? - Most bands will be able to learn your song for you, but bear in mind that using pre-recorded music allows you to edit the song to match your routine. You will also have been practicing to the pre-recorded music and will need to ensure that the band play the song in the same tempo. You also run the risk of the band being unfamiliar with the song, and they may have limited time to rehearse.

The best solution is to get your first dance song on CD and have either the DJ or band play the song through their equipment. This is a very popular choice as it's the least hassle and allows the band to create an impact when they kick off immediately after you have finished.

So there it is. Have fun with it, after all it is your day, but make sure you plan well in advance - there is more to it than you think! Don't leave it till the last minute it will just be disastrous!

http://www.in2ballroom.com Visit our web site for more information on Ballroom and Latin American Dancing, including FAQs, Useful articles, Guides to dance steps, Music links and details on our private and class lessons.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Grocott

Cook Wins American Idol

America's favorite show American Idol has finished and the outcome has been decided - and we knew David would triumph - we just weren't sure which one. In the end it was by a sizable margin, some 12 million votes, or 56 percent of the vote, and David Cook was crowned winner of American Idol season 2008. The season finale was watched by 32 million viewers.

It is now part of Idol folklore that Cook wasn't even going to try out for the show. It was his brother and an American Idol producer that talked him into going through with the audition. He grew up outside Kansas City, MO, and works as a barman, playing gigs around Tulsa, Okla. He has the experience of a small-show rock performer, and over the course of the series showed his versatility and style with a number of excellent renditions of well known rock/pop songs from artists as diverse as Michael Jackson ("Billie jean"), Collective Soul ("The World I Know") and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing".

It doesn't take long for new "home-grown" stars to start to sell product. His first release-proper "The Night of My Life" debuted on the Billboard Top 100 at number 3 and number 1 on the digital download list. Other songs he has sung throughout the show also show up in the Hot Digital Tracks chart, including his version of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Dream Big". It is an amazing digital world we live in where songs that have not even been officially recorded or released can show up on the national charts.

Digital sales actually went crazy after the completion of the finale. Undercover.com reports that 1.5 million digital sales were generated following the finale of American Idol. And that wasn't just for the American Idol stable of performers. David Cook sold 942,000 downloads, with second place getter David Archuletta selling 323,000 downloads. Guests on the final show also benefited from the exposure, with George Michael selling 83,000 tracks last week. Carrie Underwood sold 64,000 units, while ZZ Top's 'Sharp Dressed Man' was downloaded 14,000 times. Collective Soul's 'The World I Know' had a 1000% increase, selling 23,000 sales. OneRepublic's 'Apologize' sold 40,000 units. It did 6000 the previous week.

And what about the other David? Coming runner up in American idol is hardly a sentence to anonymity and a quick resumption of one's former life. Seventeen year-old piano balladeer David Archuleta had a number of excellent performances in the final few shows of the series. Many tipped him as the eventual winner. The judges certainly thought he had the goods. But the voting public preferred the more confident Cook. Archuleta will join his top 12 colleagues for the 54 date tour across the nation through the summer. A seasoned performer will emerge, and it is a sure thing that we haven't heard the end of David Archuleta.

The American Idol Live concert tour kicks off on July 1 in Glendale, AZ. Tickets are available from www.concert-ticketdeals.com

By M Paul

Don't miss the excitement of the 2008 American Idol series as it comes to a city near you. Tickets are still available to most shows. M. Paul is a music fan and runs the ticket selling service http://www.concert-ticketdeals.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Paul

The Profiles of Some Famous Guitarists

Most of us are quite enchanted by the magic of guitar. The mesmerizing tune and sweet tingling of the guitar strings have enamored many a man who has later moved on to become musical legends in their individual niche. There is a roster of famous and successful guitarists who have mastered this enigmatic art of music.

Amongst the many legendary stalwarts, Jimi Hendrix undoubtedly tops the list of profiles of famous guitarists. A genius in its truest sense, the legendary Hendrix was born in 1942. An American by birth, the maestro was a singer and lyricist, and is considered around the globe as one of the most influential and enigmatic personas in the ambit of rock music. One of the milestones in his career was his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival which raised him to instant fame in the United States and was followed by many accolades.

Besides earning a huge name and fame for himself through his forte as a great singer and musician, the legendary maestro also improvised the art of rock music in his own signature way, and he incorporated a number of innovations and techniques into the older forms of rock and jazz music. Quite recently, Hendrix was inducted into the USA's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

The very meaning of rock music becomes insignificant without the mention of B. B. King, the master craftsman in the art of music. An ingenious guitarist and singer-cum-song writer in the American Blues, B.B. King was considered the Third Greatest Guitarist of All Time in the 2003 listing of Rolling Stone magazine.

The legendary musician started his journey in the world of music in 1946, and worked in the local R&B radio channel as a vocalist. However, soon after this he began recording under big names and became a prominent figure among the best musicians in the R&B music scene. Some of his greatest all time hits during this period include, "Whole Lotta Love," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "You Know I Love You," and "Please Accept My Love." Amidst his many achievements as a successful singer and composer, is included his most recent felicitation at the Three Deuces Building in Greenwood, Mississippi, for his maiden in radio broadcasting. Also, a grand memorial in the name of B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center is all set to be inaugurated on September 13, 2008, in Indianola, Mississippi.

Robert Johnson is another of the famous names in the world of guitar and its magic. Born on May 8, 1911, as Robert Leroy Johnson, the veteran guitarist was one of the brightest stars in the entire Delta Blues group. The period between 1936 and 1937 saw him in great guns when he claimed and proved his forte as a brilliant guitarist and lyricist, as well as an awesome singer. Often regarded as the "Grandfather of Rock-and-Roll," Robert Johnson is believed to have been a great influence in the world of rock music, inspiring many legends of the same genre, including Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Black Keys, and many others. Eric Clapton, another legend of the same kind, has called Johnson "the most important blues musician who ever lived."

by: Patrick Carpen

About The Author

Patrick Carpen is the designer, writer and owner of the website http://guitaring.infobay.ws/

Infobay.ws is a content based, consumer oriented website that provides professionally researched, and up to the minute content on selected subjects.

For Romance Without Any Stress, "Sleepless in Seattle" Is the Cure

If you were celebrating Valentines Day with a candlelight dinner for two at home and settled in to watch a movie, "Sleepless in Seattle" would be a great choice because it provides a pleasant experience and is already becoming a romantic comedy classic.

Your parents or grandparents experienced a similar story line in the now classic "An Affair to Remember" that was released in 1957 and paired Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. Their characters fall in love and agree to meet in 6 months at the Empire State Building in New York.

Sleepless in Seattle, released 36 years later in 1993, pairs Tom Hanks as Sam Baldwin and Meg Ryan as Annie Reed. Sam is the recently-widowed father of 8-year-old Jonah Baldwin (Ross Malinger), who calls a nationally-broadcast radio talk show in an attempt to find his lonely father a partner.

A somewhat reluctant Sam talks to host Marcia Fieldstone and thousands of single women across America are suddenly drawn in to Sam's sense of love for his former wife, each wishing she could be as cherished as Sam's next special person. To wit:

Doctor Marcia Fieldstone: Tell me what was so special about your wife?

Sam Baldwin: Well, how long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together . . .and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home . . . only to no home I'd ever known . . .I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like . . . magic.

If that dialog does not melt every woman's heart she would need to go straight to "The Wizard of Oz" and receive a new transplant. Soon Sam is getting thousands of letters from wannabe partners, all of which are read by his son Jonah, who decides that "Annie" is the best choice.

Annie is engaged to marry Walter (Bill Pullman). Should she do so she would be making the first great mistake of her life. Walter is a decent enough chap, but Annie is missing any sparks in their relationship because Walter has the personality of an ashtray.

Annie goes to great lengths to meet Sam, flying from New York to Seattle only to discover Sam with another woman, whom she mistakes for a love interest. She never mails a letter she has written to Sam, but her friend does. In it she proposes to meet Sam on top of the Empire State Building.

Sam is not interested in going, but his son Jonah is, so, with the help of his new friend whose parents own a travel agency, he is able to book a flight to the Big Apple and ends up on the observation deck of the Empire State Building looking for Annie. Sam, in a panic, to find his son, follows him to New York. The rest you will have to see.

Hanks is very convincing as a forlorn widower and Ryan was at her peak of being cute and innocent. The chemistry between the two, who only share approximately 2 minutes of screen time together, is great.

The role of Annie was originally offered to Julia Roberts but she turned it town. Kim Basinger, who was also offered the part, turned it down because she thought the premise was ridiculous. Just recently in the news, a youngster in Jonah's peer group did exactly what Jonah did, managed to book flight on a major airline and fly undetected. Life is indeed stranger than fiction.

The screenplay for Sleepless in Seattle was written in part by Nora Ephron, who also wrote "When Harry Met Sally" (another great romantic comedy with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal). Ephron directed the film.

Ephron, David S. Ward and Jeff Arch (who did write the story) were nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay, and the film received another nomination for Best Original Song ("A Wink and a Smile"). Sleepless in Seattle also got Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Tom Hanks) and Best Actress (Meg Ryan).

Sleepless in Seattle cost $21 million to film and grossed $227 million worldwide at the box office, adding another $65+ million in rentals.

Tom Hanks is the gold standard in acting. He has been nominated for 5 Best Actor Oscars (Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away) and won twice for "Philadelphia" and "Forrest Gump". Hanks also has won 4 Best Actor Golden Globes for Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump and Cast Away.

His films have grossed more than $3.3 billion. He remains only 1 of 3 actors to have 7 consecutive $100 million domestic blockbusters; the other two are Tom Cruise and Will Smith.

Sleepless in Seattle is viewed by many guys as a "chick flick" but not by me. I consider it an outstanding relationship film with a great story line that proves to be a pleasant viewing experience every time I see it again. If a guy has ever been in love and felt the magic, he will appreciate this film a lot more.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley

by: Ed Bagley

About The Author

Ed Bagley
Read my articles on "Want a Six-Figure Income Without Getting a College Degree of Any Kind? Here Is How", "The Biggest Mistake Potential Hires Make While Interviewing for a Job" and "Before You Interview, Learn and Practice Ed's "Zip a Lip" Theory".
Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/JobsandCareers.html

Rock Pop Music

Rock pop music is a style of popular music with an outstanding vocal melody accompanied by guitar, drums, and bass. Many forms of rock music also use keyboard instruments such as organ, piano, mellotron, and synthesizers. Other instruments sometimes employed in rock include harmonica, violin, flute, banjo, melodica, and timpani. Besides, rare stringed instruments such as mandolin and sitar are used. Rock pop music normally has a strong back beat, and often revolves around the guitar, either solid electric, hollow electric, or acoustic.

Rock pop music has its origin in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll and rockabilly, which developed from blues, country music and other influences. The All Music Guide opines that rock and roll in its purest form has three chords, a strong, insistent back beat, and a catchy melody. Initially,rock & roll took from a variety of sources, mainly blues, R&B, and country, but also gospel, traditional pop, jazz, and folk. All of these impact combined in a simple, blues-based song structure that was not only fast and catchy but also foot tapping.

In the late 1960s, rock pop music was combined with folk music ,blues and jazz to create folk rock, blues-rock and jazz-rock fusion respectively.It created psychedelic rock music irrespective of the time. In the 1970s, rock incorporated influences from soul, funk, and latin music. During the 1970s, a number of subgenres of rock, such as soft rock, heavy metal, hard rock, progressive rock, and punk rock was created. Synth-rock, hardcore punk and alternative rock were the sub genres of rock pop music that was developed in the 1980s whereas, rock subgenres in the 1990s included grunge, Britpop, indie rock, and nu metal.

A rock band or rock group is a group of musicians specializing in rock pop music . Most of the rock groups consist of a guitarist, lead singer, bass guitarist, and drummer, forming a quartet. Few groups may skip one or more of these roles and make use of a lead singer who can play an instrument while singing, forming a trio or duo; others include additional musicians such as one or two rhythm guitarists and/or a keyboardist. Seldom, groups also employ stringed instruments such as violins or cellos, or horns like trumpets or trombones.

by Mary Rose

About The Author

Mary Rose has authored several books including books related to music and harmony.For more information logon http://www.casanads.com/bm/me.htm

John Mellencamp and the Power of Music

John Mellencamp was recently enshrined rightfully in the Rock & Roll Hall-of-Fame, so quietly that you may have missed it. Makes sense. Most of Mellencamp's career has been that way.

John Mellencamp is my favorite musician. Has been since a young boy first discovered music. My enjoyment of music began at the same time Mellencamp first gained national attention, with hits like Jack and Diane, and Hurts So Good.

Why would a 13 year-old kid from Brooklyn like, and begin to follow the career of a rocker from Indiana? Even Mellencamp admits, "It has never been cool to be a John Mellencamp fan." That, for me, has always been part of the attraction. Mellencamp has enjoyed popularity, but never wild popularity. Even back in the 80's, there was always a Bruce Springsteen or Madonna grabbing headlines, and for Mellencamp, and for me, that was cool.

You can argue that John Mellencamp produced the best rock music of the 1980's. While Bruce Springsteen was trying to conquer the world with one massive album, Born in the USA, Mellencamp was grinding out one great rock album after another.

A garage-band sound with world-class arrangements and lyrics, Mellencamp quietly went about his business from the Heartland of America, storytelling of the highest order. The stories and melody were where it was at for me. I grew up in the early 1980's. The world of music was filled with techno beats, residue of disco, and songs about wanting to have sex, having sex, and thinking about having sex.

From the Heartland, Mellencamp's music and stories were always on a higher-plane. Yes, he wrote about getting busy early on, but Mellencamp got busy writing about issues, not just Midwestern, but universal. As a poor kid living in Brooklyn, I was always standing in the shadows of Manhattan. Me a Have-Not in the land of Haves, Brooklyn being a bridge apart yet a world away from the "good life" of the big city.

John Mellencamp wrote of that, sang of that. How everybody falls down, and the job is to stand back up, even when it hurts. How it was OK to not have, and that the measure of a person is not what they have outside, but what they have inside. His music has soul. It has vision. It is poetry wrapped in grooving rock, with a dash of folk and country for taste.

I have always been proud that Mellencamp is my favorite artist. He has always made me think. Always made me sing. Always made me feel good. That is the mark of Mellencamp for me.

By Freddy C

http://www.fastbreakblog.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Freddy_C