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Saturday, October 10, 2009

The History Of Digital Synthesizers

By Charlie Michaels

Music is one of the most interesting forms of expression that exists in the world today. A musical synthesizer plays a major role in music recording to recreate instrument sounds and it is a far more superior musical instrument that is meant for the professional musician.

A synthesizer is a machine that gives a musician far more control over the sound of the music. A synthesizer will have frequency generators that can generate specific frequencies.

Musicians who want to add a car horn sound effect to their music no longer have do to it by playing an audio tape; they can produce it with their synthesizers at the push of a button. Also unlike audio tapes, synthesizers can effortlessly produce sounds simultaneously such as a horn honk and a bird call.

The first synthesizers ever made were the analog synthesizers, breaking ground as early as 1876 by telephone prototype inventor Elisha Gray. Gray invented the first controllable single note oscillator when he discovered by mishap a self-vibrating electromagnetic circuit during his telephone experiments. Though the invention never broke into mainstream popularity, his "musical telegraph" could transport sounds via steel reeds through a telephone line, and set a milestone for others to follow.

Robert Moog is credited as the inventor who made improvements to the synthesizer. A genius of a scientist, he got his Ph.D. in engineering physics in the middle of the 1900s. During his entire career he worked with and developed electronic sound systems, instruments and other items. Many people think of Moog as the father of todays synthesizer.

Earlier versions of the synthesizers used buttons, dials, and levers, but Moog's invention was the first to be controlled with a piano keyboard. This technology would be developed further to create not only the electric pianos and keyboards found in stores today, but also guitar synthesizers.

With the invention of technology, early synthesizers were replaced by modern synthesizer. In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s the voltage-controlled analogue synthesizer was standard. They were huge and occupied enough space. Now the digital synthesizer is being used which is a highly sophisticated instrument that can be transported easily and thus not occupy enough space.

The keyboard synthesizer continues to be widely used by musicians, particularly ones who tour regularly. Both touring and studio musicians frequently use software synthesizers called softsynth to create digital sounds to enhance their music. A less common device that a musician might use is a saxophone-style synthesizer. - 18780

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Download Songs to iPhone 3G - Level Up Your Multimedia Experience

By Davion Wong

The iPhone 3G from Apple is considered as an exceptional gadget. Its remarkable features made it standout in the midst of all the other modern gadgets around. It can capture videos and images that you can save to its huge memory. The fact that you can make or receive a call and you can see the one you're talking with is another exciting feature that it has.

A lot of gadget enthusiasts went gaga over the iPhone 3G because entertainment has never been the same since it was introduced to the public. If you want to go cyberspacing, there's no need to open a laptop or go to internet cafes. You can quickly do that through the device. You can also download songs to iPhone directly from the net and store them there.

Apple's iTunes is one of the best sources if you want to download music to iPhone. You can get the software for free from Apple's site itself. You'll have to pay 99 cents for each download you make. You can rest assured that you will get the quality that you like.

If you are looking for free sites to download songs to iPhone, surely, you will find several on the net. There is no assurance though that what you will be doing is safe for your computer. Most of these free sites are unreliable and they may be sources of viruses as well. Not to mention the quality of what you will download might be poor.

If you do not want to experience such hassles, you can join sites that offer premium memberships where you can subscribe for a minimal fee. In return, you can download all the songs that you like. The sky is the limit.

You have several subscription options if you want to go for paid sites. You can choose the monthly, periodical, annual and so on. Some sites are generous enough to offer lifetime subscription where you will only pay once and for all.

If you have CDs, you can rip them on your computer with the use of Windows Media Player. You can later convert the songs to formats which will be compatible to the iPhone 3G that you are using.

The iPhone 3G can definitely take your multimedia experience to a higher level. It is in fact very much exceptional compared to its counterparts. There are sites that cater to videos and music downloads for iPhone 3G and other types of gadgets. Most of these sites also feature articles and comprehensive reviews that you can access as a member without limits. There are also video tutorials that you would surely love watching. - 18780

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Learn About Blues Guitar Chords & Progression

By Zack Roberts

Learning how to play and improvise great blues riffs and licks s is not as easy as it might seem to a novice but the one good thing is that focused learning and practicing with a great blues backing track will help a lot in understanding blues chords and progression.

Using blues backing tracks is an important aspect of playing blues lead guitar. Blues is considered to be one of the origins of jazz music and you will find some influence of blues even in contemporary jazz. Most of the blues music and the ones used in common blues backing tracks are pentatonic scales and the mixolydian scales. These scales can be used in rock too and hence the ones used for blues are enhanced with the blues notes. If you understand the basic of the blue notes then you will be able to improvise over blues backing tracks with ease. Basically, blue notes use a drop in the pitch of the 3rd, 5th and 7th of the major scale. If you hear a professional talk about a blues scale then what they really mean is the pentatonic minor scale with a blue note like b5.

There are many people who jam to blues backing tracks in the C key and the chords used could be C, C7, G7, and F7. If th tracks are meant for a solo then the Am pentatonic scale will be rather useful and perfect to a certain degree. Some of the other options of blues guitar backing tracks include C-minor pentatonic comprising of the c-blues scale and c-major and Bb major scales in Dorian mode.

Blues Chords and Progression

Here are some characteristics of the blues chords and progression, which will definitely help you to play blues backing tracks effectively:

Most of the blues chord progressions are in a 12 bar form. Apart from this, you will also find 14, 16, 24 or even higher number of bar forms for blues. The tonic chord in blues progression is basically the dominant 7th chord. The blues music has been predominantly defined not only as music that focuses on chord changes as well as scales but also on feeling. There are 3 basic chords in blues and they are all dominant 7th chords.

A few of the blues backing tracks improvisation techniques include:

Using hammer-on or even a slide right from b3 to natural 3 Mixing the Mixolydian scale with the dominant blues scale

Mixing scales is probably the best way of enhancing blues backing tracks techniques and some of them are:

Blues Tabs

In the first part, you need to use the C Mixolydian scale with a natural 3. In the second half of the 2nd bar, you need to use the C-minor pentatonic scale using a flat 3. If you really want to pursue blues backing tracks techniques then the best place to learn is by listening to recording of blues guitarists or legends like BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. You can also listen to some of the compositions of famous jazz guitarists like Kenny Burrell and George Benson. - 18780

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A Selection Of Brief Movie Plot Lines To Look At

By Jeanine Garrison

For a long time we have used the video store as one of our main ways to access movies. Now, with internet usage exploding, movie downloads are becoming very popular. Here are some examples of movies you can acquire through a movie download site.

Only You: Likable confection in reference to a youthful female who invests her entire life looking for her perfect mate whose name was summoned up on a Ouija board. Cast includes Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey, Jr., Bonnie Seek, Joaquim De Almeida, Fisher Stevens, and Phyllis Newman. (108 minutes, 1994)

The Barretts of Wimpole Street: Handsome, well-performed, and most amusing MGM production of classic romance between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning in 19th century England. Director Franklin redid this 2 years later. Cast includes Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton, and Ian Wolfe. (110 minutes, 1934)

Disturbia: Kale has had his life turned upside down. His father's death, which he feel responsible for has traumatized him badly. Snapping on an insensitive teacher, he punches the guy out. Instead of jail time he must serve a period of house confinement. Going stir crazy stuck at home, Kale, and his girlfriend Ashley, start spying on the neighbors. This voyeurism gets serious when they start to suspect that one of the neighbors is a serial killer.

The Incredible Gentleman: A well known and beloved Television megastar dies and Ferrer disposes his commemoratory show, only to find the megastar was a disgraceful fake. Al Morgan adjusted Morgan's thinly veiled novel in regards to Arthur Godfrey. Cast includes Jose Ferrer, Dean Jagger, Keenan Wynn, Julie London, Jim Backus, and Ed Wynn. (92 minutes, 1956)

Summer: A tender however whiny actress is forgotten about by her buddies on the eve of a group holiday, so goes it alone with disastrous outcomes at first. Seemingly more improvised than the older version. Cast includes Marie Riviere, Lisa Heredia, Vincent Gauthier, Beatrice Romand, and Carita. (96 minutes, 1986)

Basic: While things go awry throughout an armed forces work out, base captain Daly brings in Travolta, the best interrogator he ever had, to query the surviving members of the squad, whose tales don't add up. Actually a whodunit, this film keeps us guessing, as a good intrigue should. Cast includes John Travolta, Connie Nielsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Giovanni Ribisi, Tim Daly, Roselyn Sanchez, and Harry Connick. (2003 minutes, 1995)

Dracula: Gloomy retelling of the Bram Stoker classic, with Langella's esteemed Broadway characterization lost among hip terror gimmicks and ill-imagined changes in the original tale. The movie was filmed in England. Cast includes Blunt Langella, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, Kate Nelligan, Trevor Eve, Diane Duvitski, and Tony Haygarth. (109 minutes, 1958)

The Horse Whisperer: After her daughter is seriously injured in a horse riding accident, her wealthy mother takes the horse to a legendary horse whisperer in Montana. A romance between the two follows.

Black Rain: New York detectives Nick Conklin and Nick Vincent capture a killer who is part of the Japanese Mafia. Upon escorting him back to Japan, he escapes. With the assistance of the Tokyo police they try and track this killer down. They find themselves being pulled deep into the world of the Japanese Mafia.

To find downloads for music or games, try phrases like "Music Download Services". A change in the phrase will sometimes get a better result. To get new search results type in "Movie Music Downloads". - 18780

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A Few Various Hollywood Movie Summaries To Look At

By Armando Molina

With a shop near every neighborhood, video stores have been the most convenient way to get movies for years. The next generation it seems will be getting their movies from movie downloads, avoiding any trips to the store. Let's look at what you might find to watch using a movie download site.

Casper: Casper is a friendly ghost that lives in a haunted house, Whipstaff Manor. The owner of Whipstaff Manor has sent Dr. Harvey, who is accompanied by his daughter Kat, to remove all the ghosts from the house so she can recover the treasure that is supposedly in the old manor. What will be poor Casper's fate?

The Priests Wife: Hardly amusing blend of drama and humor with Loren as a disenchanted singer who imagines she could persuade pastor Mastroianni to acquire discharge from his promise of celibacy and wed her. Weightier addressing of this topic might be heard on talk shows. Cast includes Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Venantino Venantini, Jacques Stany, Pippo Starnazza, and Augusto Mastrantoni. (106 minutes, 1971)

All at Sea: Strong comedy that keeps its own all the way through. Guinness is adorable as sailor who couldn't bear the sight of water although purchases rundown home on a wharf, turning it into an entertainment palace. Original title was Barnacle Bill. Cast includes Alec Guinness, Irene Browne, Percy Herbert, and Harold Goodwin. (87 minutes, 1957)

Chisum: This film, based on actual events, is about the attempts of good ranchers like Wayne and Knowles to stop the takeover of Lincoln County, New Mexico, by the corrupt Tucker. One of few Wayne Westerns based on historical occurrences. Cast includes John Wayne, Geoffrey Deuel, Forrest Tucker, Christopher George, Ben Johnson, Patric Knowles, Lynda Night, and Richard Jaeckel. (111 minutes, 1970)

A Cry in The Dark: The amazing true tale of Lindy Chamberlain, an Australian female implicated of killing her infant, in spite of her claims that the youngster was taken by a dingo (a wild Australian dog). Author-director Schepisi informs his tale with nearly documentary like actuality, eloquently assaulting the format of trial by story that made Chamberlain and her spouse the most maligned couple in Australia. Streep and Neill are heartbreakingly excellent. Cast includes Meryl Streep, Sam Neill, Bruce Myles, Charles Tingwell, Notch Tate, and Lewis Fitzgerald. (121 minutes, 1988)

A Good Woman: Another rendition of Oscar Wilde's Woman Windermere's Fan which was filmed a few times over the years. This time it is set in Italy instead of England and updated from the 1890s to the 1930s. A number of Wilde's British characters now are Americans; one of them is Mrs. Erlynne a sorely miscast Seek, a bankrupt adventuress who shows up in Amalfi and decides to seduce very wealthy, recently wedded Robert Windermere Umbers. Cast includes Helen Seek, Scarlett Johansson, Milena Vukotic, Stephen Campbell Moore, Mark Umbers, Tom Wilkinson, and Diana Hardcastle. (93 minutes, 2005)

Trader Horn: Early talkie classic filmed largely in Michigan forests still retains lots of enthusiasm in story of hero local trader Carey confronting tribal violence. Cast includes Harry Carey, Edwina Booth, Duncan Renaldo, Olive Brilliant Carey, Mutia Omoolu, and C. Aubrey Smith. (120 minutes, 1931)

Infinity: Sugary however choppy film based on the life of Richard Feynman, whose relation with Arline Arquette in pre-WW2. N.Y.C. takes a fateful turn when he is enlisted to work on the Manhattan Project. The scientist won the Nobel Prize in 1965. Cast includes Matthew Broderick, Patricia Arquette, Peter Riegert, Dori Brenner, and James LeGros. (117 minutes, 1996)

Old School: Three friend now in their thirties long for the good old days. They want to go back to their college days. They decide to start an off campus frat house, and live out their college days again.

Okay, if you're looking for downloads, try phrases like "Online Kids Movies". Not all searches get the right result. If the first one fails to work out try another one. Try "Online Movie Downloading" next. - 18780

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