The Shamans of Peru - Ceremonial Chants, Icaros, and Music

This unique set of recordings documents a collection of ceremonial chants and Ayahuasca icaros on CD.

Tracks 1-3 San Pedro ceremony held in Puruchucu, at the head of the Rimac valley. The ruins of this sacred site or huaca date back to pre-Inca times and have been accurately reconstructed. Setting the scene for the ceremony, three musicians play replicas of pre-Hispanic instruments. Alonso del Rio says: �while keeping to their original tuning, we have explored the instruments musical possibilities to give an idea of what the music could have been like in pre-Colombian times. The melodies came to us through the ancestral memory evoked through medicinal plants like San Pedro and Ayahuasca�. Instruments: the ceramic notch flutes of the Chincha civilization, Nazca panpipes or �antaras� with their special tuning similar to Oriental scales, and Nazca drums.

The Mesa Nortena is a particular ceremonial tradition best conserved in the region of �Las Huaringas�, high and remote sacred lakes in the northern Department of Piura.
There are probably only a few good maestros who continue this ancient tradition in Peru today. The rest simply work with the externalities of the mesa, while giving their clients minimal doses of the visionary San Pedro cactus. Originally more importance was given to the medicine, which must be in the organism of the participants as well as the maestro for the power to flow. The mesa then served to intensify the power of the plant.

An altered state is needed to enter the symbolic world of the objects on the mesa (the word refers to the altar as well as the ceremony itself). The abundance of macerated plants, perfumes and smells employed in the mesa function to move the feelings associated with one�s memories. At a deep level, sensations are translated into vibrations which the medicine brings to consciousness so that associated hurt and pain can be �re-membered� again and a new attitude can emerge.

The singado, or absorption of macerated tobacco juice through the nostrils involves another power medicine which is used to intensify the San Pedro at regular intervals. The instruction from the maestro to pour up the left or right nostril reflects the notion of duality found in shamanic disciplines all over the world: masculine and feminine, hot and cold, upper world and earth, expansion and contraction, flowing and stagnant. Illness arises from one of these polarities loosing equilibrium. The word singado comes from the Quechua word singa meaning nose and is perhaps an Andean notion of Pranayama!

Also audible in the following two mesas 4- 5 are the clicking of chontas, or black bamboo sticks used for cleansing people�s auras and the spraying from the maestro and assistants� mouths, of perfumes and plant macerations over the participants.

The tendency to commercialise a tradition is inherent in urbanization and seeing things for their utility and business. For example mesas are sometimes held so that lawyers win legal battles. Piles of documents are laid on the mesa so that the power works on them and they win their case. In this way a shamanic ceremony is degraded to folklore. We can try to reconstruct the original tradition to how it was in pre-Colombian times and remove the images of Sarita Colonia and the other saints, crucifixes, photos etc., which have accumulated throughout the centuries and evolved the mesa into the mestizo tradition which survives today. Left behind are the ancient stones, magic plant brews and the enchanted waters of the lakes of Las Huaringas, being the original elements, which have survived underneath.

Track 4 Mesa with Alejandro Sanchez. Maestro Sanchez lives in Comas, a distant suburb of Lima which began in the 1960s as a shanty town. It is surrounded by impressive parched stony desert hills. The maestro�s house is at the end of a road near the cemetery and overlooks this immense settlement from where he draws his clients. Sanchez was born in Sondorillo near the legendary sacred lakes of Las Huaringas. At age 11, while still at school, he seemed to have perceptions and to be able foresee things accurately. His astonished teachers thought he was having hallucinations and called for maestro Florentin Garcia. Later Alejandro became his apprentice and learned from him the secrets of plants.

The strangeness of these ceremonies can be seen as part of the �trappings� of rituals in general. Strangeness serves to trick the rational mind so that it will not interfere with the subtle processes taking place in the subconscious. When we are fully awake, things can indeed seem strange� �people are strange, when you�re a stranger�� as the song by The Doors goes. A part of healing is recovering the lost gift of perception, the feeling of being alive again.

Track 5 Mesa with Leopoldo Vilela who was also born near the celebrated Las Huaringas in Radiopampa, an extremely cold place at 3,500 meters altitude. He was 90 years old and in very good health at the time of this mesa which was also held in the ruins of Puruchucu. At three years old he was sent outside to look for herbs for his mother who was suffering from a stomach ache; there he knew he would become a curandero. He used to watch his father who was clairvoyant and assisted people in his community to find their animals when they were lost. He used tarot cards and looked into bottles of aguardiente (firewater) with grains of corn of different colours at the bottom

Don Leopoldo improvises sessions for groups and individuals, which may continue for hours. These are full of idiosyncrasy, and characterized by warmth, dedication and playfulness, which is quite touching at times. The seemingly endless sequence of bottles of tastes and smells and other procedures are often extremely weird while his inadvertent remarks and caresses on his guitar (of his own manufacture) often provoke smiles and laughter in all present.

Human beings have an instinctive awareness of other people�s conscious states of mind. When another person, a shaman, is authentic and spontaneously creative in the moment, this has the power to focus the mind, stopping it from verbalizing and rationalizing. A sense of pure wonder is evoked.

Track 6 Closing calls. The conch shells or pututus, still used in Andean communities today, are handed down from the Incas who obtained them from the Caribbean. They are used for convening meetings and ceremonies.

Tracks 7-9 Shipibo icaros of Mateus Castro, a shaman living outside Pucullpa in Yarinacocha. The arts of the Shipibo, especially textile designs, are closely related to ayahuasca icaros. The words of the chants are symbolic stories telling of the ability of nature to heal itself. For example the crystalline waters from a stream wash the unwell person, while coloured flowers attract the hummingbirds whose delicate wings fan healing energies etc. You might see such things in your visions but the essence which cures you is perhaps more likely to be the understanding of what is happening in your life, allowing inner feelings to unblock so that bitterness and anger con change to ecstasy and love. To awaken from the �illusion of being alive� is to experience life itself.

Tracks 10-16 Dona Cotrina Valles was born in Agua Blanca, Department of San Martin. She apprenticed herself to a maestro in 1979 and later came to live in Iquitos with her husband. Today she lives alone with her children. It is very unusual for a woman to be a shaman in urban situations although they do exist amongst indigenous peoples. Amongst other limiting beliefs, it is thought that women break taboos as they are unable to take dieting seriously because of demands from their husbands and that when they go shopping in the market they will have contact with menstruating women or people who are mal dormida, (ie. a person who has been making love all night).

The diet is a vexed question in the city as the temptations of rich spicy food as well as sex are greater than in the rainforest. As all shamans will tell you, Dona too, says that sex is bad. The �mother plant� loves you and if you make love to another person, you are being unfaithful to her. For this reason it is often said that Ayahuasca is jealous, and if you do not respect her, she makes you ill instead of healing you. You will also not be able to see any visions. The ill effects from not respecting the diet are called cutipa and range from a sense of trauma and stress to skin problems.

Dona�s chants are sung in Spanish and Quechua, as also are the chants of Javier Arevalo which follow. Both Dona and Javier are mestizo shamans, that is to say their ancestors moved to the Amazon from the Andes, rather than being indigenous to the Amazon as the Shipibo are. The melodies of mestizo icaros have an Andean structure and are sung partly in Quechua, a language of the Andes.

Track 17Despacho to Pachamama in the ruins of Pisaq. A despacho is an offering to the Earth Goddess, Pachamama, which nurtures all life on earth. The ceremony symbolizes the reciprocity of nature and speaks back to her saying �we understand the message and we have the same attitude�. The word despacho was mistakenly translated into Spanish after the Conquest as pago, meaning payment, to imply a satanic pact with dark forces.

As each participant made their contribution to the despacho convened by the Shamaness Doris Rivera Lenz �La Gringa�, Kike Pinto, played pre-Colombian instruments. The first piece is a Harawi from the Department of Cusco played on a quena, or notch flute, made from the wing bone of a condor. This little melody has been handed down from Inca times, thanks to its incorporation into Catholic mass in Colonial times. The second piece is a Haylli from San Pedro de Castas, Department of Lima, played on a ch�iriqway, or antara (panpipes), made from condor feathers. The melody also has pre-Hispanic roots and has survived in a form played on the chirisuya, kind of oboe, of probable Moorish origin. This track is ended with some calls on the putu, or conch shell.

Kike Pinto is a lifetime musician and researcher of traditional Andean music. He has recorded several CDs and is curator of his own Museum of Andean Music in Hatunrumiyoq, Cusco.

Tracks 18-26 Javier Arevalo comes from Nuevo Progreso, a community of 50 families on the Rio Napo. Many generations of his family before him were shamans and already at 17 years old he knew this was his future. However when he was 20 his father died from a virote (poisoned dart in the spiritual world), sent by a jealous and malicious brujo (sorcerer) in his community. Soon after he began his two-year retreat in the rainforest with his maestro grandfather, dieting many plants, later to become his �doctors�. During his time in the wilderness he realised that it was better to leave God to punish the brujo who killed his father, and he decided to be a healer not a sorcerer.

There are several different kinds of icaros, at the beginning of the session. Their purpose is to provoke the mareacion or effects, and, in the words of Javier, �to render the mind susceptible for visions to penetrate, then the curtains can open for the start of the theatre�. Other Icaros call the spirit of Ayahuasca to open visions �as though exposing the optic nerve to light�. Alternatively, if the visions are too strong, the same spirit can be made to fly away in order to bring the person back to normality.

There are icaros for calling the �doctors�, or plant spirits, for healing, while other icaros call animal spirits, which protect and rid patients of spells. Healing icaros may be for specific conditions like manchare which a child may suffer when it gets a fright. The spirit of a child is not so fixed in its body as that of an adult, therefore a small fall can easily cause it to fly. Manchare is a common reason for taking children to ayahuasca sessions.

Tracks 18 Llamada de mareacion in which the spirits of various healing plants are called, here the huacapurana, a tall tree with hard wood, whose bark is used for arthritis. Huacapurana is also used as an arcana, or spirit to protect the body. Also the remocaspi whose bark is used to reduce fever and cure malaria.

The iPod Shuffle offers music lovers the chance to carry their music, audiobooks and podcasts with them wherever they go. This product carries some unique features that make managing songs and other data a cinch.

iPod Shuffle Uses

One reason music fans love the iPod Shuffle is because it has many uses. Podcasts are web news feeds or feeds with updates from particular websites. From the iPod Shuffle, a user can subscribe to a feed from any website that offers one and receive the podcast (or broadcast) through their iPod Shuffle device when connected to the Internet. The podcasts might be updates of the latest music or movies or anything else. Whatever the user's likes, they can subscribe to receive the updates directly to their device.

The iPod Shuffle can be used to download songs from a CD or the Internet to listen to on the go, whether in the car, on a bike, or taking a walk. Radio-style shows can be delivered to the device as well as audiobooks for the bookworm who doesn't have time to read. These items can be downloaded from sites such as iTunes Store or Audible.com.

Unique Features and Controls

Some of the features available on an iPod Shuffle include a headphones port, top status light, previous or rewind button, next or fast forward button, a shuffle switch, a bottom status light, volume controller, and a play/pause button.

Users can also organize their music by title and playlists. This makes it easy to find and select any song on demand. Some devices hold up to 1,000 to 2,000 songs or more so organization is a must!

Another great feature is the capability to convert songs with a higher bit-rate format such as AIFF to smaller sized files so they can be loaded onto the iPod Shuffle. This can be accomplished without affecting the quality of sound in the song. The iPod Shuffle is also great for file storage as an external disk.

Whether you want updates by podcast, great music or audiobooks on the go, or just a new gadget to show off to your friends, the iPod Shuffle is a great choice!

Billie Holiday, also known as 'Lady Day,' was born Eleanor Fagan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania around 1915. Her parents were both teenagers when she was conceived. Her father was said to be Clarence Holiday, a World War I veteran that became a banjo guitarist with Fletcher Henderson during the 1920's. The fact that her parents never had a solid relationship haunted her and led to much confusion in her life. A victim of molestation at age 10, Holiday's perspectives of adult life became somewhat distorted.

After being dubbed 'Billie' by her mother around age 12 (nicknamed after silent movie star Billie Dove and her father's last name), she was labeled a street-minded deviant and shipped off to a girl's home. After Billie completed her schooling, she moved to the New York area and picked up odd jobs; some of which the average young woman wouldn't do. Though she landed in jail on multiple occasions, Billie was later hired to sing in clubs, and her popularity spread. A&R legend John Hammond heard her, and mentioned her in a column he wrote in 1933. As more favorable reviews about her performances received positive print, music executives flocked to sign her to a record deal that very same year.

John Hammond had many gifts and talents. Besides being a music critic, Hammond managed to be a talent scout, record producer and musician from the 1930s into the 80s. He also happened to be the great-grandson of railroad magnate William Vanderbilt. Besides Billie Holiday, Hammond had plenty of influence with other high-caliber artists like Duke Ellington (Billie was an actress in his film "Symphony In Black"), and Count Basie, whom she spent some 'quality time' with in the recording studio. By the time it was all said and done, he'd been involved in some way with acts like:

George Benson


Charlie Christian


Leonard Cohen*


Bob Dylan*


Aretha Franklin*


Benny Goodman*


Lionel Hampton


Pete Seeger*


Bruce Springsteen*


Big Joe Turner


Stevie Ray Vaughan*

* Columbia or Epic Records artist that went through the pipeline I worked with.

More club gigs continued to open up for Billie at about the same time the U.S. government repealed prohibition and began taxing alcohol to generate income. As her recording dates increased, so did the racism around her. She was also competing for status in the music industry with legendary contemporaries such as Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Lena Horne, and Ella Fitzgerald. As Billie's fame increased from America to Europe, so did her record sales.

Billie became a serious contender in the music game, and was now getting top billing on tours; and recording frequently. Still, life's ups and downs caused her to be tough on the outside, sensitive on the inside - and rebellious whenever she felt people were trying to take advantage of her. The loss of her father in 1937 caused a performance hiatus and launched feelings of guilt between her and her mother. Eventually, Billie was doing shows again - this time with none other than the legendary Count Basie and his big band.

Billie Holiday's style was comparable to the style of early Negro singers that took popular Christian hymns and altered the words. Holiday became well known for modifying pop standards when she recorded. Much of it was to the dismay of the publishers that controlled the copyrights to those songs. As a result, publishers tended to ignore her, and held back on giving Holiday the best available tunes to record. Too often, the White bands that she played with did not stand up for her when it came down to pay and racial issues. After a seemingly unending series of band changes and recordings, Holiday's career took an upward turn after recording a song called "Strange Fruit." She was catapulted to an icon, complete with newfound fame and fortune.

Even music publishers approached her with fresh material to record. Although she made decent money, she lost much of it from an alleged heroin addiction, and bad relationships with men. Another side of the story is that she did much for struggling artists by providing them with housing, food and money during The Great Depression. By the late 1940's, drugs caused her to get banned from future New York performances, but she managed to maintain an extensive work schedule by making appearances on television shows and at top concert halls in the U.S. and Europe.

Holiday never lost much popularity amongst her fans, but her health declined noticeably due to drug use and depression. There's even a story about when she was recuperating in a hospital bed: certain privileges were denied by round-the-clock police standing guard outside her room. She purportedly had some 'unfinished business' with the law, and they didn't let her forget it. Holiday passed away at the age of 44, with a $750 advance taped to her leg...and less than a dollar in the bank. Her posthumous record sales exceeded $100,000 that year. As documented in an award-winning portrayal by Diana Ross in "Lady Sings the Blues", Billie Holiday will always be remembered as a gifted performer – one that was truly way ahead of her time. You are encouraged to further explore the music and life of a lady who not only sung the Blues, but lived them too.

You have a little studio set up. You might have a Yamaha Motif ES 6 and maybe a Roland XV 5080 and possibly an arranger keyboard such as the Yamaha Tyros or Korg PA1. All this maybe hooked to a computer sequencer such as Cakewalk Sonar 6 or Steinberg Cubase or maybe you prefer a hard sequencer such as the Yamaha AW1600. Anyway, you have all the above or similar and you are ready to create the best keyboard single or album that has ever been created. So how is it done?

Well the first and probably the most important thing you need is luck and lots of it. That means making sure your musical masterpiece is heard by the right person. So you need to do some research and find out who you should be sending your demos to. If you can, send your demos to everybody on the planet and keep sending them. Create your own luck, talk to musicians, buy music mags, and create contacts. Make a policy of creating one contact per day.

Whether you are a working musician or studio geek, you MUST, come up with a new sound, style, or something that is different enough to make people sit up and listen. It doesn't have to appeal to the masses; it just needs to appeal to enough people, so you get a slice of the market. A good example of this is Vangelis. He has a unique sound, he is different and he appeals to a small slice of the music market. How about Jeff Wayne, he has created his own slice of the market with just one album, "War of the Worlds". Not forgetting Mike Oldfield and "Tubular Bells". These are just a few examples, but they all have something in common, uniqueness.

It's easy to write about and considerably harder to put in to practice. I have tried to come up with that different idea and I have demos on cassette tapes up in the attic gathering dust. Unfortunately I was not going to become the next famous keyboard player or composer. It did however, create other opportunities and as a consequence I have been a working musician for over thirty years and loved every minute of it.

So if you have any different, wacky, weird, violent, or silly ideas floating about inside you head. Try and put it to music, you never know, you might be the next great keyboard player or composer, and lets face it we need one. I'm sick of all the remixes. Let's have something new.

Oh and one last thing. Never give up.

Let's take an in-depth look at some different music producer information. A music producer is also known as a record producer. They have various job functions to perform, such as focusing on the recording sessions helping the musicians organizing and scheduling the promotions, productions, and the budget.

They also supervise the initial recording of songs, along with any mixing and mastering the process. The music producer also helps create, and make the music the best it can be and make sure it flows into the albums vision or designs. They are also responsible for the paid technicians, musicians, and can even choose music for an entire album.

The pay of the music producer changed rapidly after the first independent producer came along in the mid 1950s. Then the studios, which allowed people to come in and pay for an hour or two of time, caused even more change. Many of these were former record company employees.

Since the role of the music producer changed, so did their influence on the music industry, singers and songwriters as well. There are many famous music producers known today such as Don Kirshner, Mickie Most, Rick Rubin, RZA, Dr. Dre and Timbaland. Those are only a few of them and there are even hundreds more out there.

The salary of a music producer can vary depending on where they work, what clients they represent, and their location. The amount of time they have spent in the business also plays an important role on the salary as well. Once you have considered these parts in then you have to look at their education level as well and what schools they attended.

Some music producers only get around 20 thousand a year while others can make up to and more than 1 million a year. This can almost be compared to one single hit versus to a hundred chart topping singles and albums.

Deciding to or focusing on the music industry is a life altering experience and can be the difference between living well off for the rest of your life to barely making it or worse yet not making it at all. I hope this music producer information has been helpful.

Joss Stone, the richly talented Pop artist has released her latest album titled Soul Sessions and Wow! It's really a good one.

Soul Sessions opens with a great track, The Chokin' Kind, that I anticipate will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track.

One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Joss Stone's most impressive releases ever.

If you're even mildly into Pop music you'll enjoy this album. Overall Soul Sessions is an a great release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with one single track.

While this entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are Super Duper Love [track 2], Fell In Love With A Boy [track 3], and All The Kings Horses [track 9].

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6, Some Kind Of Wonderful. This is a great track!

Soul Sessions Release Notes:

Joss Stone originally released Soul Sessions on Sep 16, 2003 on the S-Curve label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. The Chokin' Kind


2. Super Duper Love


3. Fell In Love With A Boy


4. Victim Of A Foolish Heart


5. Dirty Man


6. Some Kind Of Wonderful


7. I've Fallen In Love With You


8. I Had A Dream


9. All The Kings Horses


10. For The Love Of You (Parts 1 & 2)

Personnel: Joss Stone (vocals); Jimmy Farkas (acoustic guitar); Wille "Little Beaver" Hale, Angelo Morris, Kirk Douglas, Mark Ciprit (guitar); Sam Furnace (saxophone); Benny Latimore (piano); James Poyser, Danny Pierre (keyboards); Jack Daley, Steve Greenwill, Adam Blackstone (bass); Cindy Blackman, Ahmir Thompson (drums); Mike Mangini (tambourine); Ignacio Nunez (percussion); Betty Wright, Angie Stone, Jeanette Wright, Taneka Duggan, Namphuyo A. McCray (background vocals). Producers: Betty Wright, Steve Greenberg, Ahmir "?questlove" Thompson, Michael Mangini. Recorded at The Hit Factory and Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida; The Studio, Philadephia, Pennsylvania; Mojo Studios, New York, New York.

Learning an instrument – and guitar specifically – can be a wonderful experience that fills you with the joy of achievement. Whether you want to master the guitar or just learn a few songs well, the process of learning guitar requires practice, along with the mastering of several techniques. Included in these techniques is the requirement to learn guitar chords. Such chords are your bridge to music.

In order to learn guitar chords you must first know the sound that each vibration on each guitar string makes. At this point you must also understand how finger placement will change the vibration on each guitar string. To learn guitar chords in this manner, practice and repetition are key to success. You will soon understand how different guitar chords come together to form a song. If you know the chords, you'll know the song – it's that simple.

When we reference guitar chords there are several different definitions depending on the type of music you wish to play. One such chord is the bar chord referring to those chords that are struck when the finger of one hand holds down all the strings on the fret of the guitar – the part at the end of the neck – while the other fingers cause vibration in one or two of the strings.

There are many ways in which to learn guitar chords. Aside from a guitar instructor who can show you proper technique and motivate you to practice, there are a variety of books, CDs, and DVDs that will allow you to teach yourself in the privacy of your own home.

Guitar tabs are especially helpful to learn guitar chords. Tabs – or tablature – refer to modified sheet music made for those who do not read notes. They are especially important, however, for beginners as they break down each song by showing visually the position your fingers must be in for each chord of the song. From this point, practice will help you learn the song without the use of guitar tabs.

If you do read notes, then the use of sheet music can be instrumental in your quest to learn guitar chords. Take advantage of all that is offered through modern technology in order to learn the best that you can. Before long, guitar chords will turn into full songs that you and those you love can enjoy for a lifetime.

As an up and coming hip hop artist you need to be very careful. You are more open to attack than most simply because of the music industry being in the shape it is. The last thing you want is to have all your hard work disintegrated because you used hip hop beats, sound effects or samples that were not as royalty-free as you expected. The horror stories are many and knowing how to protect yourself is of utmost importance.

Hip hop artists and producers need a constant flow of new hip hop beats, sound effects, samples and scratches to keep their music fresh and on the cutting edge. The problem is that finding a cost-effective and legal means of acquiring these hip hop beats is proving to be difficult. Hopefully the following list of things to look for and what to avoid will aid you in your search for a top notch hip hop beats resource for all your production needs.

1) Look for a hip hop beats resource where you can have unlimited access for a one-time fee. Avoid sites that charge per beat or that require a monthly membership to be paid to access the hip hop beats, sound effects etc. This is of course the best case scenario you could find. These resources are rare and are not advertised heavily (for obvious reasons) but they are available and are a much better option for any artist or producer starting out, who is looking for a good selection of raw hip hop beats.

2) Look for a resource that houses a huge hip hop beats database or library. Avoid unprofessional looking sites that offer hip hop beats packages or CD's for sale and that only offer up one or two audio samples to listen to. The worst thing that can happen is to purchase a beat membership, whether a one-time fee or a monthly access fee, to a site that has so few hip hop beats everyone and their grandmother will have access to them. This is the problem with purchasing CD's from a supposed production company. You have no clue how many of them they sold and I guarantee you that there is not much on there and they are highly unoriginal.

3) Look for a site that caters to all genres of hip hop. Avoid sites or companies that do not separate their hip hop beats by genre or style. I don't know about you but I do not really want someone else to define for me what hip hop is. This just goes along with making sure you are providing for yourself a wide range of choices for your productions. If you have access to every hip hop beats style imaginable your productions will come across as more professional and original. A real professional production company is capable of doing this and is also capable of churning them out on a daily or weekly basis for your personal use.

4) Look for a site that offers all their hip hop beats and sound effects in a downloadable format. Avoid sites that only stream their hip hop beats. By being able to download each individual hip hop beat, scratch, or effect to your own computer, you can more easily incorporate it into your own production setup and tweak it to your liking. If you paid for it and it is yours, why would you only be able to stream the track? That just makes extra work for you and is unprofessional.

5) Look for a site that offers non-exclusive and royalty-free hip hop beats. Avoid ANY site that does not implicitly state this somewhere on the main page. This is probably the most important aspect of all and forgetting this one thing could cost you dearly. You do not want to have to worry about licensing restrictions or copyright infringement. Protect your hard work and do not let anyone take it from you. Royalty-free means you do not have to pay anyone to use the hip hop beats or sounds. You can mix and match, tweak and produce to your liking without restriction.

Although these are not the only considerations to take into account they are certainly the most important. Things like the quality of the hip hop beats and the price for membership are left up for you to decide. You know what is best for your music. Good luck and we'll see you on the flipside!

Get yourself a reasonable guitar


Do not make the mistake of buying a cheap guitar to learn on. There is nothing more off putting than
trying something out, then finding it is really difficult. Imagine how you would feel if an experienced
guitar picked it up and told you that they too found it hard to play on because of the build quality
and strings. A good guitar is easier to play than a bad one. Simple as that.

Do not spend a fortune on a guitar tuner


You can obtain free tuners on the internet simply by using the search engines. It is expensive to play
and learn guitar, with the cost of amplifiers, strings and all the effects pedals. Anything you can get
for free to start off with, then you should do it. It is also very inexpensive to buy a set of pitch
pipes that are very easy to use to tune the guitar.

Always have a spare set of strings


This sounds obvious, but nothing is more frustrating than being in the middle of guitar practice when a
string breaks.

Play slowly


It is the walk before you run analogy. If you start by playing something too quickly and making
mistakes, all you are doing is learning the mistake. Play slowly, then increase the speed as your
fingers adapt to what you are playing. It is an odd fact, but your brain will remember the pattern
without you having to actually think about it.

Repetition is the key


Play chords over and over again. Practice removing your fingers from the guitar, then return to
position. Now move to a different chord and back again. If you make a mistake, repeat the exercise
repeatedly until you have mastered it. It may seem daunting to begin with, but after many attempts,
there will come a point when you are able to just play what you are practicing with less and less
effort.

Use an appropriate pick


When you strum the guitar, you may wish to practice using your fingers. Most guitarists however, will use a plectrum(pick). Make sure you use a suitable one for the exercise you are performing. For chords, use a reasonably thin style, with a indented top, to allow for a smooth strumming action, and to also allow a good grip. For playing lead, individual notes, use a thicker pick. This will allow the string to sound better and will also stop the plectrum from bending too much and limiting speed of playing.

Finger exercises


Away from the guitar, you can strengthen your fingers by doing some simple exercises. Using a bottle, push it gently between each finger gently stretching the muscle at its base. Do not over do this. The key is to do this over a period of time to increase the capacity to stretch to the more difficult chords. Tensing your hand tightly, drum your fingers on a flat surface, backwards and forwards. This will pay dividends when you progress to fast note combinations. It will also educate your finger muscles to be able to play smoothly.

Up and down picking


Now this one may sound obvious, but many guitarists starting off will not consider it. It is quicker to play a note twice by picking downwards then upwards. Even when switching to a different string. A great exercise to learn lead guitar, is to pick the same string as fast as you can do it accurately, up then down continuously. The objective is to perform this correctly, then to increase speed. Moving on, you will then switch strings and position on the fretboard, so developing a melody.

Bar chords


Ask anybody who has learnt the guitar and they will tell you that once they master playing bar chords, a whole new dimension to their playing was opened. A good exercise is to hold your index finger vertically and push it into the wrist of your other arm. Push as hard as you can and hold for 10 seconds then release. Repeat a few times every day. This will make the muscle in the finger better able to push down all six strings on the guitar, thus making the bar for this type of chord.

Music theory


You do not need to know music theory to play guitar. It helps when you get better, but to start with it is not a necessity. It is better to simply know the various chord names to allow you to play songs. There are methods to learn where the individual notes are on a guitar, but to be honest they take almost as long to master as simply learning by playing.

Happy learning..

In this article, I will discuss what keyboard features that are not essential but can ease the learning process and operation of your keyboard.

The first feature you might find useful is the use of memory buttons. These normally range from four memory buttons to eight buttons, in your price range. The memory button remembers the complete set up of the keyboard, which might include the sound you are using plus the rhythm and speed and volumes of each part. This is especially useful if you have spent hours setting up your keyboard and you want to save your settings. There's nothing worse than trying to find that perfect setting again, when you could have saved it. Also some keyboards will have a floppy drive which can save the entire settings of the keyboard including memory buttons just in case there is a power cut or your memory buttons get wiped, again not essential, but useful.

The next feature is reverb. This setting on a keyboard can dramatically transform the sound of any instrument sound on your keyboard. An example of natural reverb can be found in a church or a large hall or an underground cavern. If you have visited any of these places then you know the sound created is echo like. Of course, it is very difficult to describe the sound difference when adding reverb but again this is another advantage to visiting a music shop where you can actually listen to the keyboard sounds. The difference between reverb and no reverb is quite dramatic. If you haven't heard the difference it is unlikely you will miss it but be warned once you have heard the difference between reverb and no reverb you will want reverb on your keyboard.

The next feature to look for is a recording facility. Recorders are built in to keyboard, they don't use tape, they use memory chips to record actions made on a keyboard such as playing a piece of music. These recorders are referred to as music sequencers and can create very complex almost orchestral pieces of music although the features on a sequencer at your price range will be limited. As a beginner you will not get a lot of use from this feature however, it can be used as a teaching aid, for example a teacher can play a section of music in to the sequencer and the pupil can then listen and practice the sequence of music as many times as is needed. If this feature is pushing your budget, then I would say you don't need it. The choice is yours.

Finally, most keyboards made today have two or three "MIDI" connections; these can normally be found on the back of the keyboard and look like five pin din sockets and are marked up as MIDI In, MIDI Out and MIDI Through. MIDI stands for "musical instrument digital interface" As a beginner you will not use these connections. These connections enable your keyboard to play and be played by other keyboards. They can also connect to a computer and music can be played and created using MIDI and computer programs. MIDI is a complex subject and if you wish to learn more about this subject, you can search the internet where you will find lots of information about MIDI. So if your keyboard does not have MIDI connections, its does not matter, if your keyboard does have MIDI connections it still doesn't matter.

In part four I will discuss optional extras, which for some people could be necessary extras. Also information about keyboard lessons.

You can read the first and second article at Mikes Music Room.

Calling is the latest Rock CD put out by the very talented artist Mary Chapin Carpenter who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Mary Chapin Carpenter fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one.

Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Calling is a pleasantly varied, mix of 13 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly talented artist. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are her own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They're all here.

If you're a Mary Chapin Carpenter fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don't even have to be a fan of Carpenter, or even Rock to know is good. This is just good music. Period.

While the entire CD is really very good the truly standout tracks are The Calling [track 1], It Must Have Happened [track 4], and Leaving Song [track 8].

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 13, Bright Morning Star. What a nice track!

Calling Release Notes:

Mary Chapin Carpenter originally released Calling on Mar 06, 2007 on the Zoe label.

CD Track List Follows:



1. The Calling


2. We're All Right


3. Twilight


4. It Must Have Happened


5. On And On It Goes


6. Your Life Story


7. Houston


8. Leaving Song


9. On With The Song


10. Closer And Closer Apart


11. Here I Am


12. Why Shouldn't We


13. Bright Morning Star





Personnel: Dean Parks, John Jennings, Tom Bukovac (electric guitar); Glenn Worf (bass instrument); Russell Kunkel (drums); Eric Darken (percussion).

Are you serious about learning to play guitar? Many guitar players that have played for a while have yet to really get a handle on their playing ability. They appear to get caught up in a rut, which can seem virtually impossible to climb out of. Many of us simply don't have the time to invest or are unwilling to get the proper guitar training. By human nature, many players tend to take the easy way out by playing what they already know during there practice sessions.

Although I am not suggesting that playing what you already know is a bad thing; we all do need to polish what we already know from time to time. Besides, the whole purpose of playing guitar is to have fun, and what fun is it to study theory or practice some scales that do not even sound musical. What I am saying is that we as guitar players need to strike a balance, and make the most of our practice time if we ever expect to get any better at our craft. Stepping outside of our comfort zone and learning something new can be exhilarating as well as beneficial.

I for example was one of these players who for a long time stayed in a guitar playing rut. For years I would endlessly practice the few riffs and tunes that I already knew how to play, never really leaving my comfort zone. Granted, I did get quite good at what I already knew, but I felt genuinely unfulfilled and dissatisfied in my guitar playing ability. It was not until I took my guitar training serious that I seen any progress at all. In fact, allocating some time in each practice session for learning something new actually made it more interesting and enjoyable. At times my guitar playing skill seemed as though it would take a quantum leap.

If you are serious about expanding your playing capability then you will need to take command of your guitar training. Make an honest effort to learn something new each and every practice session. Learning to play tunes of other guitarist, although is great at getting technique down, will not help you to truly master the guitar. You will need to do some serious guitar training, exercises and study of theory. Dedicating at least half of your sessions to learning some music theory, scales, or physical runs on the fretboard will help you in the long haul.

Remember that going that extra mile with some guitar training beyond your comfort zone will dramatically improve your playing. Have a good time because, "all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy", but always add in your homework assignments into your practice routine if you are serious about taking it to the next level.

I can describe the latest release from Smooth Jazz sensation Nestor Torres for you with just one word… Outstanding!

This Side Of Paradise launches with an outstanding track, Cafe Cubano, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It really is a very nice track.

Nestor Torres possesses the characteristic of being able to bowl you over with his talent alone. The kind of artist I really enjoy listening to.

Overall This Side Of Paradise is outstanding from beginning to end. One of those CDs that after a few listens the songs are just etched into your memory. A must have for the Smooth Jazz fan. Really sensational from beginning to end.

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 7, No Te Enamores. What a nice track!

This Side Of Paradise Release Notes:

Nestor Torres originally released This Side Of Paradise on Mar 13, 2001 on the Shanachie Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Cafe Cubano


2. Java


3. Doesn't Really Matter


4. This Side Of Paradise


5. Summer's End


6. Blue Sky (Cielo Azul)


7. No Te Enamores


8. Danzon De Amor


9. Carribean Romance


10. Tambora


11. Paz Pa Vieques - (instrumental version)


12. Paz Pa Vieques - (Spanish vocal version, bonus track)

Personnel includes: Nestor Torres (vocals, flute); Jeison Tomi (vocals); Milton Salcedo (various instruments, piano); Andrew Sherman, Michael Colina, Camilo Valencia (various instruments); Andy Snitzer (alto & tenor saxophones); Ed Calle (baritone saxophone); Dana Teboe, John Kricker (trombone); David C. Forestier (piano, guiro); Alfredo Cevallos (keyboards, programming); Chuck Loeb (nylon guitar, electric guitar); Jorge Laboy (guitar); Pedro Guzman (cuatro); Tony Ascencio (acoustic & electric basses); Chris Parks, Rafael California Valencia (bass); Lee Levin (drums); William Edwards (timbales, percussion); Richard Bravo (guiro, percussion); Marc Quinones, Edwin Bonilla, Daniel Sadownick, Manolito Rodriguez (percussion). Producers include: Andrew Sherman, Michael Colena, Milton Salcedo, Camilo Valencia, William Edwards. THIS SIDE OF PARADISE won the 2001 Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album.

The exceptionally talented Smooth Jazz group Special Efx released their CD entitled Party. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Special Efx fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Party the group's excellence is on full display as they have once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be their best work to date.

It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn't a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all.

Overall Party is excellent from beginning to end. One of those CDs that after a few listens the songs are just etched into your memory. A must have for the Smooth Jazz fan. Really sensational from beginning to end.

While this entire CD is outstanding the truly standout tracks are Get On Up [track 1], Ready For Anything [track 2], and No Money, No Honey [track 8].

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 7, Dusk Till Dawn. This is a great track!

Party Release Notes:

Special Efx originally released Party on Sep 23, 2003 on the Shanachie Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Get On Up

2. Ready For Anything

3. Party

4. Dream Come True

5. Ladies Man

6. Mi Amore

7. Dusk Till Dawn

8. No Money, No Honey

9. Fantasies

10. Happy, Happy - (bonus track)

Special EFX: Chieli Minucci (keyboards, guitar, programming); Jerry Brooks (bass); Emedin Rivera (percussion). Additional personnel: David Mann (saxophone, flute). Principally recorded at Baci Studios, New York, New York.

This past weekend, the fog rolled in and the rain washed away the snow, but it was Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock who blew fans away on Friday and Saturday night. Performing for the first time at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Canada, audience members were treated to what has been called one of, if not the best, Air Supply shows they have ever seen. It's a bit difficult to describe what made these two nights of shows some of their best ever, but it was a sentiment heard over and over as fans stood in line for the Meet & Greet or while waiting for the next night's show.

Russell, Graham, Jed Moss, Jonni Lightfoot and Mike Zerbe were nothing short of spectacular. The lighting was phenomenal, the sound was perfection, the audience was truly captivated and the venue was the most professional I have seen. This combination made for two incredible performances and audience members who hadn't seen Air Supply before were over the moon and anxious for more.

Once again, Graham opened the show with three songs from his newly-released debut CD The Future. Graham sang The Future, Make You Mine and Lace & Leather, and the audience loved them all! Thankfully, Graham received a tremendous applause and was not fired as the 'opening act.' We can expect to see more of Graham performing songs from The Future throughout the year.

The song list for Friday and Saturday night was the same, starting with Even the Nights Are Better. After that came Just As I am, A Little Bit Of Everything, and Here I Am, which threw the crowd into a love fest. As Chances began, there were a few audience members who simply went crazy! I'm guessing it was a favorite song of one fan in particular because I felt as if I had turned on an old Beatles concert with fans screaming at the top of their lungs!

As Graham started his introduction to Faith In Love, he told the audience that Jed is a classical pianist and that it would be incredible to hear him play some Chopin. Graham having been unsuccessful convincing Jed at a prior show was this time met with a willing Mr. Moss who gave the audience 10 seconds of Chopin, on both nights! Not only were the eyes and ears of the audience transfixed on Jed, the band, too, was mesmerized! They showed an incredible amount of respect for Jed, watching and listening to him play for all of us. What a gift!

After Faith In Love came The River/Sweet Dreams. The audience then got to experience the band's rendition of Live and Let Die, and what a treat to hear Jonni hold his final note about 5 times longer than usual! Whew! I wasn't sure he was going to come up for air! Good thing the 'air supply' is plentiful!

Power Of Love started off the second half of the show and it still gives me chills to hear Russell begin with, "The whispers of the morning…" Next came Two Less Lonely People In The World, and on Saturday night, Graham once again felt it necessary to clear up a bit of confusion as it relates to the perception that Graham and Russell have been an 'item'. There was a lot of laughter and Russell told Graham that 'he wasn't his type…he was a guy!', and Graham responded in kind. This bit went on for a few minutes and there were plenty of laughs.

Graham and Russell took their lives into their own hands when they ventured out into the audience to sing The One That You Love. Oh boy! At one point, people were practically running after both of them! I will tell you this; there were some true Air Supply fans in the audience both nights! Graham and Russell were very brave indeed!

Lost In Love, Making Love Out Of Nothing At All and All Out Of Love were the final songs of the night. With these classics, Air Supply reminded fans just who they fell in love with in the 80s, and the rocked out versions of Making Love Out Of Nothing At All and All Out Of Love showed everyone why people keep coming back for more each year! Air Supply's success is re-defined daily.

Thank you to Graham, Russell, Jonni, Jed and Mike for giving so much to the fans at each and every show. Sparky, Moe, Mark, Brett and Nate are each responsible for making sure we see what we are supposed to see and hear what we are supposed to hear. They are true professionals and are never forgotten. We may not see them at the show, but we know they are there!

Niagara Falls may be the natural wonder of the region, but it was Air Supply that was the true sight to behold and embrace; it wasn't just The Falls that were a kaleidoscopic feast for the eyes and ears!

Poe House is the latest Smooth Jazz CD put out by the extremely talented group Bona Fide and they have once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I'm confident Bona Fide fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one.

This one grabs your attention right from the outset with Club Charles and won't let go until the very last note of the very last song Goose, which by the way is another great track.

One of the nicer things about a CD like this is when the talent is this rich even if Smooth Jazz isn't your favorite style you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the artist.

I'm of the opinion that Poe House is certainly Bona Fide's best work to date. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up because it's a collection that even the casual Smooth Jazz fan can appreciate and enjoy.

While this entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are Club Charles [track 1], Willie Don [track 2], and The Horse You Came In On [track 9].

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 6, Low Rider. What a nice track!

Poe House Release Notes:

Bona Fide originally released Poe House on Nov 20, 2001 on the N-Coded Music label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Club Charles

2. Willie Don

3. The Poe House

4. El Dorado

5. It's Love

6. Low Rider

7. Blaze

8. The Horse You Came In On

9. The Block

10. Never More

11. Schmoke

12. Tito Pepe

13. Goose

Personnel includes: Alta Greene, Julie Mays-Sudduth (vocals); Kevin Levi (soprano & alto saxophones).

There are plenty methods to produce your music and get it hard copied to cd. Many people find the commercial route way too expensive and ridiculously limited. Others, however, find that home recordings provide all the time in the world and virtually limitless but lack desired quality. Quality is of course important - with poor quality recordings from home, you will have a lesser opportunity to succeed in scheduling shows etc. With many commercial recording studios, you can end up paying the world for just that one opportunity. So what's the solution? Where do you find good quality and good prices in one? Worne Records is where - Visit us at www.worne-records.com for more info. We can offer you awesome quality recordings at give-away prices.

We can provide variety of recordings such as Live Demos, Studio Demos, Radio Cuts and Album Recordings. There will also be small audible examples available on site soon for you to hear the exceptional quality yourselves. We can also offer you software development services as well as graphic design needs and web page design.

The major importance of demo recordings is to convince event organizers to schedule your act. These companies listen to the demos they have and discuss things like appearance, genre, performance, crowd response and talent. It is also an excellent marketing tool as they're quick and easy to reproduce for you to sell or give them away. For the inexperienced, recording a demo is somewhat a level breaker. The methods and techniques involved in the studio will most definitely send you on a new journey to better yourselves in every way. However, it is not an intimidating experience, as it is straight forward and the method is easy to grasp. Record your demo CDs with us at extremely affordable prices. All recordings are mixed and mastered inclusive in the project cost. Charging rates on mixing and mastering just gets too complicating and we couldn't really be bothered as long as we recorded it. Full day studio recording rates include fully functional facilities. No added costs involved.

You could also scrap the crystal clean effect of a studio environment and use the roaring crowds at one of your shows to fill the silence. Think about it, you can show off the response of your explosive fans and your impeccable timing in the moments that really count - on stage. This is also an excellent method to monitor your improvements if done regularly. We'll slot you in with our live recording events AND we'll supply everything. The major difference between live demos and studio demos, which are still powerful and educational, is the fact that studios are sometimes seen as talent falsifying and error cover-up laboratories - Sad, but true. Another element of a live demo is that crowds are always audible at live shows enhancing the atmosphere of your show. Their response to your music will be clearly heard!

Record radio demos are exceptional in quality and cut to the point. Market yourselves with it and gain radio play. When the judges are smiling and the radio waves are radiating with your rhymes, cut yourselves an album and stick it into those stores. The intense quality and precision involved in producing these products will certainly show you new tricks of the trade and expand your fan base and talent. Why record a short play demo at close quality to that of a fully fledged, long play album? Well, how do you know whether or not that album will be popular to the majority? Let's face it - Albums are expensive to record. So, release but a taste of your best, gain radio play for it and watch the results. This is what we base our marketing decisions on and whether or not to invest in an album.

After all that recording, a plain audio cd is ok, but is it enough? Would you consider the option of converting your short play cd's, extended play cd's, live demos, radio demos and/or albums into impressive master showcase publications displaying it all? It is the basics profession to neatly present any product. Presentation is the key to any form of marketing and the software designed to display your content is an exceptional tool. Both user friendly and highly detailed, it really makes your product stand out. To the users, the PC based interactive audio CD is very easy to use. For the artists, it tells your entire story : Photos, Biographies, Member Details and any text, image, audio and MPEG movie files you would like to include. Don't expect to pay tens of thousands either.

Contact us today for these quality products, affordable prices and excellent service.

Regards
Warren Heyneke - CEO Worne Records

The exceptionally talented Smooth Jazz artist Chris Standring has released his CD entitled Groovalicious. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Chris Standring fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Groovalicious Chris Standring's artistic excellence is on full display as he has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be his best work to date.

Chris Standring has been a super star in the Smooth Jazz genre for quite a while now and Groovalicious is an excellent illustration as to why.

If you're a Chris Standring fan, or just a fan of Smooth Jazz music this is a CD your collection simply should not be without.

While the entire album is really very good some of my favorites are track 2, Miss Downtown Sugar Girl, track 6, Gentle Persuasion, and track 12, Shadow Dance.

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 4, Say What?!. This is a great track!

Groovalicious Release Notes:

Chris Standring originally released Groovalicious on Jul 15, 2003 on the ARK 21 label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. I Ain't Mad Atcha


2. Miss Downtown Sugar Girl


3. All In Good Time


4. Say What?!


5. Hypnotize


6. Gentle Persuasion


7. Come Back Home


8. Fat Tuesday


9. Snowfall


10. Groovalicious


11. Ray Of Sunlight


12. Shadow Dance


13. Do What You Do

Personnel: Chris Standring (guitar); Dino Soldo (vocals, soprano saxophone, alto & tenor saxophones, keyboards); Ashely Ta'mar, Jeff Robinson (vocals); Chris Botti, John Fumo (trumpet); Steve Baxter (trombone); Katisse Buckingham (flute); Steve Harvey, Rodney Lee (keyboards, programming); Stan Sargent (acoustic bass); Andre Barry, Rico Belled (bass); Oscar Seaton, David Karasony (drums); Ricky Rodriguez (percussion). Producers: Chris Standring, Rodney Lee, Steve Harvey. Recorded at Innocent Bystander, North Hollywood, California; Music Yard Studio, Malibu, California and 3rd Eye Studio, Studio City, California.

This is more of a tip than an article, whereby, I want to show you how you can begin experiencing tremendous digital download sales in your own local area in only a week or less.

And, implementing this tip will greatly influence your own local radio stations, whether college, non commercial or commercial, to begin requesting your CD and giving you radio airplay.

And, wouldn't it be great to finally get some local support while eliminating the old "can't buy no love in my home town" scenario?

I'm glad you agree, so here goes...

1. The first thing that *MUST* occur is that you must ALREADY have your music on iTunes, the digital download music site at (iTunes) and similar download music sites. None of the rest of this tip will work if you do not already have your music on iTunes.

If you try this process without your music already at iTunes, you are going to lose big with digital music sales as well as upset potential music buyers who attempt to buy your music at the site only to discover that it is not there and will not likely return.

And, it currently takes approximately sixty (60) days for music to become active on iTunes after submitting it. But, you need your music on iTunes (and similar sites) in order to begin getting paid *immediately* after the following process begins.

2. So, assuming your music is already on iTunes (you are blessed if it is), make a list of local dance nightclubs where there are live deejays that play your style of music in their nightly playlists. While this information is not applicable to Jazz, Classical or similar genres because of their "live performance" natures, this tip will work extremely well for the genres of; Country, Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, Electronic, Dance, and similar genres of music where deejays appear nightly.

3. Next, contact local nightclubs to get the contact info for their deejays. If nightclubs are unwilling to give you their deejays' contact information, the next alternative is for you to personally visit the nightclubs during their hours of business and speak directly with the deejays.

Note: To save both a trip to nightclubs and a CD that can be used for sale, when contacting deejays by phone, inquire if you may email them an MP3 file that they can burn to CD themselves. Some are likely to accept the MP3, however, most will probably want to receive the CD. However, it doesn't hurt to try to save on product, time and money by offering the MP3 file.

4. Either way, you want to get your music in the hands of the deejays for them to play the single that you are promoting. That is your main goal and, opposed to radio deejays who may play politics with you in getting airplay, nightclub deejays will welcome the chance to get a new CD and give it a try to see how his or her audience will react to it.

Note: Keep in mind that your song must be very dance floor oriented/dance-able or it must be a very strong ballad. Don't simply suggest a mediocre song from your recording. If necessary, have several friends listen to your CD to get their opinion on which song you should select to present to the nightclub deejays. An uptempo tune is usually your better bet.

5. After making your selection and presenting it to the deejays, this is the general and wonderful scenario that is likely to occur for you.

A. If your song is a literal 'mover and shaker' on the dance floor the night the deejay introduces it to his crowd, people are not likely willing to wait until record stores open the next day in order to get your music. And, most are certainly not patient enough to wait until they receive it three days later in the mail. This is because, in both cases, they are likely aware of http://www.iTunes.com since it has approximately 70% of the music market share for digital download sales.

B. What people are going to do, is get your name from the deejay, then go to iTunes online once they return home in order to buy your digital download. In fact, the first night that the deejays play your music, you will likely experience download sales.

6. As local radio station music directors, program directors and radio deejays also tend to stay in touch with local nightclub deejays to learn what people are responding to on the dance floor, nightclub deejays will probably introduce you and your song to their radio deejay counterparts, thus, starting a buzz about you and your music at the local radio level, which will then cause local radio personnel to begin seeking you out for your music for airplay consideration on their stations.

7. Also, some of the nightclub disk jockeys in your area are also likely to have specialty/mix shows on your local radio stations. They will then bring your music on their show and introduce it to their listening audiences who may have not gone to any of the local clubs where your music is playing. This now gives you a dual local audience for your music.

8. Now, at both the nightclubs and radio stations, your listeners are likely to start making multiple requests for your music, which is an absolute wonderful thing to happen, particularly, locally. Also, the radio deejays are likely to introduce your music to their music directors and program directors.

The great thing is, this local promotion costs you very little to implement and maintain while having the potential to create some incredible digital download sales and profits on your local level, which should also increase your gigs in your local area as well.

Wow! It looks like this "tip" became an article after all