Brief History and Background of Synthesizers

Synthesizers are electronic instruments that are capable of producing a wide range of sounds, notes and effects. The sounds can either mimic very closely a real acoustic instrument or create an entirely new timbre. Because of this, synthesizers and electric keyboards are invaluable to bands who like to produce unique and interesting sounds. They are ideal for musicians who have a creative streak and like to experiment with different frequencies notes. They are also great for musicians who want a full band sound but want to play solo. In this way they can create and record all the instruments for their song to play along to on their own. Here is a brief history and background of modern synthesizers.
The very first synthesizer was built back in 1876 by Elisha Gray. However, the early prototypes were very different to what you get today and took many years to make it to the mainstream. It wasn't until 1964 that the first commercial synthesizer was introduced by Robert Moog. The development of synthesizers continued in the 1970s where the public saw the production of small, compact synthesizers that were portable and could synchronize with other electric instruments. During this time, forward-thinking bands were already experimenting with synthesizers to great success. Bands like the Monkees, Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Beatles and more had already started to play around with them and feature them on their albums starting in the 1960s.
While early synthesizers were analog, today they generate sounds through digital techniques. There are many different types of synthesis available as well, which can be a bit confusing if you are not familiar with the instrument. For example, the simplest form of synthesis is the sample-based synthesis. This involves taking a digital recording of an acoustic instrument and manipulating it as you play it back. Then there are more sophisticated forms of synthesis such as physical modelling which involves using a set of algorithms and equations to simulate real instruments.
Another integral part of any synthesizer is the ADSR envelope. This stands for Attack Decay Sustain Release. The ASDR takes into account the change in sound over time that musical instruments produce. For example, the attack and decay will have a significant effect on sonic character of the instrument. The ASDR envelope can be implemented into the synthesizer in a variety of ways such as by a discrete circuit or module or else implemented into the software. Synthesizers also use a variety of different control interfaces. While the most common and popular control is by fingerboards (keyboards), there are other controllers as well such as wind controllers, guitar-style interface, drum pads and music sequencer.

Pro Tools Ticks Timebase - The Essentials

Pro Tools software enables you to use two time-bases for your tracks: Ticks or Samples. This article will explain the basic idea behind Tick-based tracks and how it affects your sessions.
When you record audio into Pro Tools, the digital audio resolution is measured in samples. In a similar way, by default when you record (or edit) MIDI data, the resolution is measured in Ticks.
Just as audio regions on sample based tracks are tied to sample locations, MIDI data or regions are tied to specific Tick locations on tick-based tracks.
For example, when subdividing a bar of music using musical subdivisions, you might divide the single bar into four quarter notes, then divide it again into 8th notes, and then again into 16th notes. Using the various note values you have in music, you could sub-divide that bar of music a number of ways.
Pro Tools, on the other hand, sub-divides each bar using ticks. 960 ticks per quarter note to be exact. That's Pro Tools tick resolution.
So if you were to record a single MIDI event somewhere in the first quarter note of bar of music - it would fall on one of 960 available tick positions.
Relative vs. Absolute Positions
Each of the 960 tick positions on a Tick based track is located in a relative position to the other ticks. (Unlike the samples positions on a sample-based track which are fixed to absolute locations on the timeline.)
For example, a MIDI note located precisely on the first 8th note of bar X would be at tick position 480 (one half of 960) after the start of bar X. Now (and this is the key thing) if you changed the tempo of the session, that event will still be on the 480th tick position of bar X and will retain that 480 tick distance from the start of the bar.
KEY POINT: MIDI events on Tick based tracks retain their relative position to other MIDI events, regardless of changes to the tempo.
If the tempo speeds up, the MIDI events and moved closer together and therefore, play faster and earlier in the session. If the tempo slows down, the MIDI tick positions move further apart from each other and therefore play slower and later in the session.
At this point you may be thinking - big deal. MIDI plays back slower if you slow down the tempo and speeds up if you increase the tempo. Don't MIDI tracks always behave that way? And therein is the point of discussing ticks timebase: Yes - MIDI tracks follow tempo. But only when they are set to ticks timebase. Not when they are set to samples timebase.
In Pro Tools you can set the timebase of MIDI tracks to be either ticks (the default setting) or samples. This opens up a whole new way to work. Particularly when you also consider that audio tracks can be set to either Ticks or Samples timebase, too.
You can start experimenting with ticks timebase in Pro Tools on your own, using the following tips.
Tips for learning more about Ticks Timebase
A. Setting it up.

1. First, create a new session in Pro Tools.
2. Create an Instrument or MIDI track and record some MIDI data on it. Preferably some note that you can hear playing back.
3. Also, create an audio track with a few regions of audio on it.
4. Make sure you know what the starting tempo of the session is.

Once you've got those steps completed, try the following.
B. Using Default Timebase Settings

1. With the audio track set to the default Samples timebase, and the MIDI track set to the default Ticks timebase, adjust the session tempo.
2. Notice that the MIDI events on the MIDI track change as you adjust the tempo. But the audio regions on the audio track do not. They stay in position.

Important: Before proceeding, reset the session tempo to the starting tempo.
C. Using Non-Default Timebase Settings

1. Next, change the timebase of the audio track to Ticks
2. Set the MIDI track to Samples timebase
3. Play the session again and adjust the tempo.
4. Notice this time that the MIDI notes do not move but the audio regions do.

Final words
For now I hope that will give you a basic understanding of the ticks timebase and how setting your MIDI tracks to ticks or samples timebase will change everything. Key point: tick based events are relative to each other and tick positions move with the session tempo.
Now that you know essentially how the ticks timebase affects regions and MIDI events, you'll need to explore how putting it use can help you to create better music, more efficiently. Keep at it!

My Favorite Dead Female Rock Star - Janis Joplin

Women in rock, an ever fascinating topic and when we come to dead rock stars we very often enter a world of glamour outside and rottenness inside, drug abuse, ecstasy followed by deep depression, orgies and all consuming hard work.
One of the most tragic life stories is that of Janis Joplin. Born 1947 in Port Arthur, TX she was found dead only 27 years later in a motel room near the recording studio in LA where she was recording her last album.
"Onstage, I make love to 25 000 people, then I go home alone" -- Janis Joplin
Her posthumously released cover of Kris Kristoffersen's -- Me And Bobby McGee hit #1 in US charts, and the album Pearl, containing Bobby McGee, Mercedes Benz -- an acapella first take recording -- and Buried Alive In The Blues -- the track that remained instrumental because of Janis´death -- was Janis Joplin´s greatest success.
Her previous release "Cheap Thrills", recorded with "Big Brother And The Holding Company" gave us some a deep insight into Joplin´s mind, deep desperation and unhappiness. "Piece Of My Heart", "Ball and Chain" and "Summertime" can make your flesh go all goose bumps, especially if you are already in a depressed mood. When Joplin moved to L.A. and joined the Holding Company she soon started to drink and drug, and within a year she was more or less ready for treatment in hospital and sanatorium. Instead of which she went out and staged one of the best live performances in rock history at the Monterey festival.
Joplin admitted more than once that her life had been deeply unhappy, but that eventually she had found an outlet in singing. Shortly before her death, Janis was back in Port Arthur for a high school reunion, and when asked in an interview, if she was popular in high school, she answered that her schoolmates "laughed me out of class, out of town and out of the state"
Janis Joplin has been an idol and figurehead for the gay movement ever since her death, although she was not homosexual. But her deep desperation about "being different", about not fitting in has communicated itself into her music, thus making it an expression of most gay persons´ experiences in early life.
About a month before she died, Joplin became engaged to Seth Morgan, a 21 year old Berkley student, drug dealer and poet. On the fourth of October 1971 she didn´t show up at the recording studio and was found to have died from an overdose of heroine.

Why the Piano Is Special As an Instrument

The piano is considered a polyphonic instrument. "Polyphonic" means "producing multiple sounds at the same time". It also belongs to several musical groups of instruments. It is, of course, a keyboard instrument. However, it is also considered a percussion instrument because when one presses the keys, hammers strike the strings to produce sound. Thus, it is also considered a string instrument. Every one of these classifications is correct. The piano is truly an extraordinary instrument with several aspects that make it rather special.
One uniqueness of the piano is that it is actually used to teach harmony to students, an area known as "keyboard harmony". This is the knowledge of chords and their progression. Harmony is a core part of music theory. It is comparable to knowing grammar to becoming proficient in English; it is the basic structure of music. To understand it, one is taught harmony in music theory, but since music is also an applied subject, it must be taught practically as well. Since the piano possess 88 keys, it makes it suitable for this purpose.
Just about every school of music actually has mandatory piano proficiency courses for all instrumentalists and singers. These are usually a two year minimum curriculum. Pianists, interestingly, however, are not required to learn other instruments. Even on an amateur level, most people, especially children, who wish to learn a certain musical instrument often start with piano, believe it or not, as a foundational step. Good music instructors will usually recommend this, by the way.
Though it is mostly a solo instrument, the piano is considered the most ideal instrument for accompaniment. Almost every classical and jazz singer and instrumentalist is usually accompanied by a pianist. In fact, the piano, by itself, can substitute for an entire orchestra for a musician rehearsing a concerto.
Playing piano requires a great deal of coordination. Thus, in learning it, one's sense of coordination is greatly improved. For one thing, each hand actually works independently, accomplishing a different task from the other. All ten fingers are constantly being used. Notes feature a set of two staffs, one for each hand, called a "grand staff". The player has to read both at the same time and coordinate what is written to the keyboard, meanwhile hearing it and ensuring it is being done properly. Technically speaking, a pianist has to coordinate his/her eyes, hands, fingers, ears and feet (for pedaling) simultaneously.
Learning piano is, of course, possible for just about every person, no matter what age. However, in order to become an accomplished concert pianist, it is recommended to start cultivating this skill from an early age, preferably childhood. To become even accepted into a higher education school of music, one must be a relatively accomplished performer. For this reason, parents of talented children, in any of the arts, must be alert to this and encourage and cultivate their child's penchant as much as possible, consulting the child's willingness at all times, of course. Usually, talents in aesthetics surface during early and formative years, so should be fostered accordingly.
There is more to it as well. Pediatric research has even determined that learning piano at an early age helps develop motor skills, betters memory, improves academics and even self esteem. In adults, tests have shown that pianists are far less likely to suffer Alzheimer's disease, carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis.
Because of the range of technical factors associated with piano, self-teaching is not recommended. One misses out on the real benefits. Just as one doesn't learn by themselves to become a medical doctor, one shouldn't self-teach on learning such a complex and powerful instrument.
The piano, as you can see, is a rather special instrument. It possesses a velvety sound, is elegant and can be thunderously powerful or delicately subtle. It is a joy to learn and to play and is one of the best investments one can make for their own personal growth and enrichment.

Top 20 Dionne Warwick Hits

Born in East orange, New Jersey, in 1940, Marie Dionne Warwick cut her singing teeth in her church choir at the age of six. It was inevitable that Dionne would make music her career, since she is the sister of Dee Dee Warwick, her aunt is Cissy Houston (Whitney's mom) and her father was the manager of the famed family gospel group, The Drinkard Singers.
Dionne attended Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut in 1958, after receiving a scholarship. That same year, she formed the group, The Gospelaires, with Dee Dee. Cissy Houston and Doris Troy, of "Just One Look" fame, joined The Gospelaires later. They did a lot of studio backup work in New York City, during the late fifties, and can be heard on recordings by The Drifters, Jerry Butler, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.
Dionne's voice came to the attention of composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David. In 1962, she signed with Bacharach and David's production company, which became Scepter Records.
Dionne's first single was "Don't Make Me Over", a phrase that Bacharach and David heard the young singer use when she was angry at the duo. It turned out to be her first Top 40 single. From then on, she became Bacharach and David's "main voice."
On the charts, Dionne has had 31 Top 40 singles, with three of them going to number one. Here are Dionne Warwick's twenty biggest hits, according to Billboard's Weekly Top 40 Charts.
1. That's What Friends Are For - 1986 - Dionne's biggest hit came 23 years after her first top 40 hit and features her friends, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder and topped the charts for four weeks.
2. Then Came You - 1974 - Dionne's only Top 10 hit for the Atlantic label, it holds the unfortunate record for dropping the most positions, to #15, the week after it reached number one.
3. (Theme From) Valley of the Dolls - 1968 - From the film of the same title, the song was to be recorded by Judy Garland, but was given to Dionne when Judy was fired from the film. It is also the "B" side to Dionne's hit "I Say A Little Prayer."
4. I Say A Little Prayer - 1967 - Also a Top 10 hit for Aretha Franklin a year later, Dionne's version holds the unique record for being in the year end Top 100 of 1967 and the flip side, "(Theme From) Valley of the Dolls" (see above) making it to the year end Top 100 of 1968.
5. I'll Never Love This Way Again - 1979 - Produced by Barry Manilow, this was Dionne's first hit for the Arista Label.
6. Walk On By - 1964 - This Bacharach-David composition has also been covered by Gloria Gaynor, Isaac Hayes, Cyndi Lauper and Seal. Dionne also recorded a German version.
7. I'll Never Fall In Love Again - 1970 - From the musical, "Promises, Promises", Bobbie Gentry's version went to number one in England a year before Dionne's release.
8. This Girl's In Love With You - 1969 - A number one hit for Herb Alpert in 1968 under the title "This Guy's In Love With You", Dionne went Top 10 a year later with a female spin to the title.
9. Anyone Who Had A Heart - 1964 - Dionne's first Top 10 hit was reportedly done in one take.
10. Message To Michael - 1966 - Recorded by Jerry Butler in 1962 as "Message To Martha", it was also recorded by actress Marlene Dietrich in 1964.
11. Heartbreaker - 1982 - written by The Bee Gees, Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, they can also be heard providing backup vocals.
12. Do You Know The Way To San Jose - 1968 - Although Dionne thinks the song is dumb; the song has meaning for lyricist Hal David, who spent time in San Jose while in the Navy.
13. Love Power - 1987 - Written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, Dionne's last Top 20 single is a duet with vocalist Jeffrey Osborne.
14. Déjà Vu - 1980 - Co-written by Isaac Hayes and produced by Barry Manilow, Dionne won two Grammy Awards in 1980; one in the R&B category for this song and one for "I'll Never Love This Way Again" in the pop category, making her the first artist to win Grammys in the R&B and Pop categories in the same evening.
15. Alfie - 1967 - Although Cher's version was used in the soundtrack of the film of the same title, Dionne's version did better on the charts.
16. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - 1969 - A number one hit for the Righteous Brothers in 1965, Dionne went Top 20 with it and Hall and Oates would also go top 20 in 1980.
17. Promises, Promises - 1968 - From the Broadway musical of the same title.
18. Reach Out For Me - 1964 - Originally recorded by Lou Johnson.
19. Don't Make Me Over - 1963 - Dionne's first hit single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
20. Trains And Boats And Planes - 1966 - From her seventh album, "Here Where There Is Love."
Dionne left Scepter Records in 1970 and signed with Atlantic Records, but she only had one major hit with them in 1972 with The Spinners. She was virtually hitless for the entire decade, until she moved to Arista Records in 1979, when her career took off again.
Dionne hosted TV's Solid Gold from 1980-1981 and again from 1985-1986.
During the 1990's, Dionne hosted infomercials for the Psychic Friends Network.
In 2002, Dionne was nominated as a Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization by the United Nations.
Married to actor and drummer William Elliot in 1966, they divorced and remarried in 1967, until they finally divorced in 1975. They have a son, singer, songwriter David Elliot.
Among her many awards and honors, Dionne has received five Grammy Awards and a People's Choice Award. She continues to record and her latest album, "Only Trust your Heart" was scheduled for release in March 2011.
Dionne Warwick now resides in Brazil, spending time in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Best Tinie Tempah Lyrics

Since his stunning breakthrough single 'Pass Out' UK Rap star Tinie Tempah has been dominating the headlines and airwaves. Over the past few weeks I have been listening to his debut album 'Disc-Overy' in an attempt to find out more about the man behind the music, what he stands for, the messages he conveys and what are the best Tinie Tempah lyrics.
So let's start with 'Pass Out' obvious to say the track isn't really about much, "20 light bulbs around my table and my dresser ClC Kompressor, just in case that don't impress her" it's fairly light hearted and meaningless, but the track is a straight up dancefloor 'banger' and more about the vibe, delivery and production. The same can be said for his follow up single 'Frisky' which largely followed the same formula with a drum 'n' bass section at the end.
Tinie's 3rd single "Written In The Stars" (feat Erc Turner) revealed a different side to the rapper, he speaks from the heart about his personal struggles and strife whilst chasing a dream. "I needed a break for a sec I even gave up believing and praying I even done illegal stuff and was leaded astray they say money is the root to the evilest ways but have you ever been so hungry that it keeps you awake" His usual tight and rhythmic flow shines through but the fact that this track actually has some meaning and is delivered with real conviction made it stand out for me
Another track with a great concept is 'Snap' - it begins with "the ones we love, the ones we've lost, there's some we frame and there's some we crop" Tinie talks about memories of his father reminisces about his experiences at school. The concept is great and the track could have been one of the strongest on the album, but it feels as though he held back from really drawing the listener in and telling people about his past. You get the feeling that if the Eminem's or Ghostface Killah's of this world would have made this track, the content and thought behind it would have been a lot stronger.
All in all, although there are many great tracks on 'Disc-Overy' I do not feel that the album really reveals anything about Tinie Tempah that we don't already know. The album is more of a collection of singles and less about the content, which makes sense as it is his debut album and the aim was obviously to have a handful of radio ready tracks to assault the charts with, which he did of course succeeded in doing. The guy is technically a great rapper with a very unique delivery, I just hope with his follow up album there is more depth and personality in there and lyrics that people relate to. Balancing between appealing to the mainstream and incorporating real substance into tracks is a tall order for any artist, and few manage to achieve it fully.

Beat Making Made Easy - How To Make Professional Beats With Beat Making Software

If you aspire to be a music producer, then you will first need to have a top notch beat making software. There are so many out there, and you will end up wasting crap loads of time if you had no idea what features to look for. Seriously, as all of them claim to be the best in the industry you got to know some of the important features that a good beat maker should have.
We are going to look at some of the "must have" features that a good beat maker should have. In comparison to studio equipment, beat making software is far affordable to everyone. You just need to have a computer to make your own beats. In terms of sound quality, don't be surprised that a good beat maker can produce beats that sound like those produced by studio equipment.
Now here are 3 important features to look for when you are choosing a beat maker.
1) User Friendly and Intuitive - I don't know about you, but I hate reading a hundred pages user manual just to learn how to use the software. So, it's very important that the beat maker itself must be user friendly and intuitive that even a total beginner could start without many hassles. Nevertheless, the simplicity of the software does not mean that it has limited options or editing functions to make unique beats. So, the software has to be good for both beginner and veteran alike.
2) Comprehensive Preset Library - Not all software offers this. However, it would be good, especially for beginners. You can modify these preset beats to whatever you like. You can also reverse engineer the beats to see how professional beats are put together. The preset library should cover a variety of music genres.
3) Video Tutorials - This is definitely a must. A picture is worth a thousand words. So, with video it's even better. Video tutorials will definitely help you to understand faster and better and cut down the learning curve. And most importantly, it's easier to follow than to read a user manual as you are inputting the data through sight and ear instead of just your sight.
Above list is by no means exhaustive and final. There are many more things that you should consider but these three are the most important. Some criteria may not even be on the software itself but rather after sales service that you get with the beat maker like the member's forum that you can ask questions and share knowledge with like minded people from all over the world.