Are you blind but wanting to learn how to play violin? There is hope!
Blind children can learn to play a musical instrument just as well and often even better than, sighted children provided the desire and interest is there. Blind children often have a strong sense of rhythm and musical sensation since their hearing is more in tuned with the world.
Of course the assumption should not be made that just because they are blind they should play a musical instrument. However if a child or an adult who is visually impaired decides that playing a musical instrument is something they would find beneficial, then by all means, there should be every consideration made just as you would for a sighted individual.
There are instruments which are better suited for the visually impaired than others. Most string instruments are a good musical instrument for the visually impaired because the strings can be easily felt in order, especially for the violin, viola, and cello.
The piano and woodwind musical instruments can also make very good choices for the visually impaired when learning to play a musical instrument. They are considered the easiest of the musical instruments to memorize tactilely and are fairly versatile in the musical arrangements they can be applied to playing. However, there is of course no restriction to the possibilities.
It is usually not necessary to find the visually impaired musical student a specially trained music teacher. A teacher that is creative and patient (which we would hope all music teachers are) should be able to help the visually impaired student feel the musical instrument of their choice in order to learn to play it competently. Musical instruments often are able to be handled by the visually impaired simply because their design and structure is quite unique from a tactile standpoint.
Children and adults from all walks of life should learn to play at least one musical instrument. Learning to play a musical instrument teaches so many skills at once that it can be difficult to find a downfall to learning to play a musical instrument regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what type of disability you may bring to the table. It should never be assumed that simply because an individual doesn’t see the world that they can’t fully participate in it. Learning to play a musical instrument is just one way of reaching out through the world and bringing the world as we know it to life.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Musical Instruments (Buying Them)
Before you consider learning how to play violin, consider this article.
If you are a professional musician looking to purchase your next instrument then it is safe to say that you know the difference between the cheapest instruments and the most expensive. However, a beginner may have a little more difficulty without guidance and advice. Just as with any sport, game, or skill it is best for beginners to start off at the lower end of the market and then advance when their skills improve. Visiting the local merchants and online shops will allow the buyer to become acquainted with what the shop has to offer in terms of reputation, pricing, servicing, and expertise. Judging the range of prices online is a great start to deciding what it is that you would like to spend on a musical instrument. Beginners and students should think very carefully before they deicide to spend large amounts of money on a musical instrument until they have advanced to at least the level of a serious amateur where moderate amounts of money spent would be sensible and musically beneficial.
The beginner buyer should listen to the sound of the instrument before buying any musical instrument. New, used, rented, borrowed, or whatever if the musical instrument does not provide a good sound then it doesn’t matter how much money is spent on the instrument, it will be worthless. Buying a good beginner musical instrument requires that the buyer do some homework. Reading reviews, talking with friends or family that already purchased instruments, and remembering to stay within the realm of your skill level will ensure that a good buying decision is made. Quality in an instrument is essential for either the professional or the beginner because a poor instrument is very difficult to play. A poor quality instrument can make evaluating skill difficult and lead to frustration and low self confidence level of the player. Quality instruments will assist with your playing ability and make you sound better. As a general rule: “Always get the very best that you can afford.”
The beginner musical instrument buyer can obtain all kinds of information from many of the local musical stores, teachers, and friends about the experience of buying a musical instrument. There are so many ways to obtain information and advice on musical instrument purchasing that the beginner buyer should feel extremely confident if they have researched the market. The experience of learning to play a musical instrument provides that “joy factor” that keeps a person playing, learning and growing. With a quality, good sounding instrument the beginner instrument buyer will get the most reward and years of musical pleasure.
If you are a professional musician looking to purchase your next instrument then it is safe to say that you know the difference between the cheapest instruments and the most expensive. However, a beginner may have a little more difficulty without guidance and advice. Just as with any sport, game, or skill it is best for beginners to start off at the lower end of the market and then advance when their skills improve. Visiting the local merchants and online shops will allow the buyer to become acquainted with what the shop has to offer in terms of reputation, pricing, servicing, and expertise. Judging the range of prices online is a great start to deciding what it is that you would like to spend on a musical instrument. Beginners and students should think very carefully before they deicide to spend large amounts of money on a musical instrument until they have advanced to at least the level of a serious amateur where moderate amounts of money spent would be sensible and musically beneficial.
The beginner buyer should listen to the sound of the instrument before buying any musical instrument. New, used, rented, borrowed, or whatever if the musical instrument does not provide a good sound then it doesn’t matter how much money is spent on the instrument, it will be worthless. Buying a good beginner musical instrument requires that the buyer do some homework. Reading reviews, talking with friends or family that already purchased instruments, and remembering to stay within the realm of your skill level will ensure that a good buying decision is made. Quality in an instrument is essential for either the professional or the beginner because a poor instrument is very difficult to play. A poor quality instrument can make evaluating skill difficult and lead to frustration and low self confidence level of the player. Quality instruments will assist with your playing ability and make you sound better. As a general rule: “Always get the very best that you can afford.”
The beginner musical instrument buyer can obtain all kinds of information from many of the local musical stores, teachers, and friends about the experience of buying a musical instrument. There are so many ways to obtain information and advice on musical instrument purchasing that the beginner buyer should feel extremely confident if they have researched the market. The experience of learning to play a musical instrument provides that “joy factor” that keeps a person playing, learning and growing. With a quality, good sounding instrument the beginner instrument buyer will get the most reward and years of musical pleasure.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Music And Your Childs Development
As the mother of a two year old, I am always looking for activities that encourage learning and development. I find that most of the activities we do together that result in learning are purely by coincidence and luck – not by any skill or training I have.
As of late, my son has shown a real passion for music. He has even begun to differentiate between styles of music he likes and dislikes – his preferences are Contemporary Christian and Country, of course those both fall behind any song done by The Wiggles. But I digress. The point is, he is drawn to music and feels the need to express himself in many ways when he hears it.
For example, he has learned different dance moves from the television characters on his favorite programs, as well as from good old mom and dad. He recreates those moves into his own little dance routine whenever he hears a song he likes – even in the car. He is using his creativity and memory to express himself, which I believe is helping build his character. He also tries to sing – well, more like hum – but again, this is another form of expression and he is increasing his vocabulary by wanting to say the right words. He claps to the music and tries his best to keep a rhythm. These are all amazing skills that he is learning and using in his own individual way. This is such a breakthrough age where children begin to graduate from simply imitating to combining what they know in ways to interact with the world around them.
These activities are encouraging many facets of development: physical (clapping, stomping, other dance motions) social (a way for him to interact with those around him) cognitive (he is bridging pathways from what he’s learned to how he wants to use the information to express his own personality); emotional (a definite sense of pride accompanies all forms of learning in children).
If your child enjoys music, you can encourage them by making music readily available for them without having to spend a fortune. I would guess they already have toys that make music. A lot of books play music as well. Even just turning on the radio throughout the day and finding a station that is suitable for you both can be a very rewarding experience. Whether your child is hearing music on the television, radio, or directly from an instrument you are playing, he/she has so many opportunities for learning. Capture those moments and make the most of them!
As of late, my son has shown a real passion for music. He has even begun to differentiate between styles of music he likes and dislikes – his preferences are Contemporary Christian and Country, of course those both fall behind any song done by The Wiggles. But I digress. The point is, he is drawn to music and feels the need to express himself in many ways when he hears it.
For example, he has learned different dance moves from the television characters on his favorite programs, as well as from good old mom and dad. He recreates those moves into his own little dance routine whenever he hears a song he likes – even in the car. He is using his creativity and memory to express himself, which I believe is helping build his character. He also tries to sing – well, more like hum – but again, this is another form of expression and he is increasing his vocabulary by wanting to say the right words. He claps to the music and tries his best to keep a rhythm. These are all amazing skills that he is learning and using in his own individual way. This is such a breakthrough age where children begin to graduate from simply imitating to combining what they know in ways to interact with the world around them.
These activities are encouraging many facets of development: physical (clapping, stomping, other dance motions) social (a way for him to interact with those around him) cognitive (he is bridging pathways from what he’s learned to how he wants to use the information to express his own personality); emotional (a definite sense of pride accompanies all forms of learning in children).
If your child enjoys music, you can encourage them by making music readily available for them without having to spend a fortune. I would guess they already have toys that make music. A lot of books play music as well. Even just turning on the radio throughout the day and finding a station that is suitable for you both can be a very rewarding experience. Whether your child is hearing music on the television, radio, or directly from an instrument you are playing, he/she has so many opportunities for learning. Capture those moments and make the most of them!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
How Does A Music Synth Work?
Music isn't just all about violins. There is also music synths. A music synthesizer makes sounds by using an electrical circuit as an oscillator to create and vary the frequency of sounds in order to produce different pitches. As long as the pitch is within the range of frequency that can be heard by a human ear, it’s known as a “musical pitch” (so a dog whistle wouldn’t count) as a musical pitch. You can use a keyboard to vary these pitches at discrete intervals that correspond to the notes on the musical scale. If you put several oscillators together, you can combine several pitches to create a “chord”.
OK, we’ve got pitch down (at least in a very simple sense). How do you vary the tone of a particular pitch? That is done by playing a given pitch with waveforms of different shapes (common waveforms include sine, square, sawtooth, and triangle waveforms). Since the harmonic structure of these waveforms differ, our ears interpret them as different tones. The sound you will hear can also be modified by voltage-controlled amplifiers (VCA) and voltage-controlled filters (VCF).
Synthesizers are able to only mimic the sounds of non-synthetic instruments, but also to create sounds that absolutely cannot be played by anything but a music synthesizer. That is because a music synthesizer is well-suited to delicate manipulations of its oscillators. Nevertheless, it’s a lot easier for a synthesizer to create entirely new sounds than to mimic the sounds of acoustic instruments because the waveforms of acoustic instruments are so complex. Interestingly, once complex sound that synthesizers so far have been very bad at reproducing is the human voice (although improvements are being made in this technology).
The entire electronic music scene would be virtually impossible without the use of synthesizers (no doubt some wish it were). Nevertheless, the number of sounds that a musician has to work with has been exponentially increasing in recent decades, and we have only scratched the surface of the creative possibilities. Imagine the consequences if a machine was invented that could generate 100,000 hitherto unknown colors?
OK, we’ve got pitch down (at least in a very simple sense). How do you vary the tone of a particular pitch? That is done by playing a given pitch with waveforms of different shapes (common waveforms include sine, square, sawtooth, and triangle waveforms). Since the harmonic structure of these waveforms differ, our ears interpret them as different tones. The sound you will hear can also be modified by voltage-controlled amplifiers (VCA) and voltage-controlled filters (VCF).
Synthesizers are able to only mimic the sounds of non-synthetic instruments, but also to create sounds that absolutely cannot be played by anything but a music synthesizer. That is because a music synthesizer is well-suited to delicate manipulations of its oscillators. Nevertheless, it’s a lot easier for a synthesizer to create entirely new sounds than to mimic the sounds of acoustic instruments because the waveforms of acoustic instruments are so complex. Interestingly, once complex sound that synthesizers so far have been very bad at reproducing is the human voice (although improvements are being made in this technology).
The entire electronic music scene would be virtually impossible without the use of synthesizers (no doubt some wish it were). Nevertheless, the number of sounds that a musician has to work with has been exponentially increasing in recent decades, and we have only scratched the surface of the creative possibilities. Imagine the consequences if a machine was invented that could generate 100,000 hitherto unknown colors?
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Music Industry Job Training
The music industry is undoubtedly one of the 'sexiest' fields in which to work, according to a recent survey by the editors of Time magazine. There are music industry jobs that require nearly any skill set that you can bring to the job, and the training required varies with each of the music industry jobs that may interest you. This is where learning how to play violin can come in handy. Here are some general guidelines for finding work in music industry jobs.
Love Music.
It's not a prerequisite for music industry jobs, but loving music of any kind is a definite step in the right direction. While loving music may not be important in a record company accountant's position, it's practically required for anyone who works with artists or in promotion.
Check the qualifications for the job.
In general, most jobs in the music industry require at least a two year college degree - with the exception of performers who can get by without a degree if they have talent. Expect that the more involved the job, the higher your level of education and/or experience will need to be. A record promoter may need to demonstrate networking skills or developed contacts in the local music scene, for instance, and a contracts lawyer will obviously require a law degree. Music teachers working for the schools will need to have a teaching license as well as the demonstrated ability to play an instrument.
The best training is on the job training.
For positions like band manager, road work, publicists and promoters, the best training is through an internship or through your own work promoting and/or managing a band on your own. Some publicists and promoters come to the job from their own fanzines, or have developed a network of contacts in radio and advertising through their college or teen year extracurricular activities.
A degree in music is respected in many music industry jobs.
Colleges that specialize in music education like the Berklee School for the Performing Arts offer training in many different aspects of the music industry. You can study music and performance law, accounting for the music industry, and business management for music companies as well as composition, performance and other music-specific jobs.
Join the band.
One of the best training grounds for a career in orchestral music is your school or college band. If you're already beyond the school years, take advantage of county and city music societies to both train your ear and keep in the practice of playing with others.
Music ministry jobs often require special certifications.
If you have a calling to a job in music ministry, you'll find that many churches and synagogues require that their full time music minister have pastoral training as well as musical training. The American Guild of Organists and the National Council of Pastoral Musicians offer professional certifications at a number of levels.
Music therapists require a bachelor's degree in music therapy from one of the approved universities that teach music therapy.
In addition to regular studies, the bachelors in music therapy requires 1200 hours of clinical practice.
The requirements for training for music industry jobs are varied, but this is a brief overview of the training required for some of the major careers in the music industry.
Love Music.
It's not a prerequisite for music industry jobs, but loving music of any kind is a definite step in the right direction. While loving music may not be important in a record company accountant's position, it's practically required for anyone who works with artists or in promotion.
Check the qualifications for the job.
In general, most jobs in the music industry require at least a two year college degree - with the exception of performers who can get by without a degree if they have talent. Expect that the more involved the job, the higher your level of education and/or experience will need to be. A record promoter may need to demonstrate networking skills or developed contacts in the local music scene, for instance, and a contracts lawyer will obviously require a law degree. Music teachers working for the schools will need to have a teaching license as well as the demonstrated ability to play an instrument.
The best training is on the job training.
For positions like band manager, road work, publicists and promoters, the best training is through an internship or through your own work promoting and/or managing a band on your own. Some publicists and promoters come to the job from their own fanzines, or have developed a network of contacts in radio and advertising through their college or teen year extracurricular activities.
A degree in music is respected in many music industry jobs.
Colleges that specialize in music education like the Berklee School for the Performing Arts offer training in many different aspects of the music industry. You can study music and performance law, accounting for the music industry, and business management for music companies as well as composition, performance and other music-specific jobs.
Join the band.
One of the best training grounds for a career in orchestral music is your school or college band. If you're already beyond the school years, take advantage of county and city music societies to both train your ear and keep in the practice of playing with others.
Music ministry jobs often require special certifications.
If you have a calling to a job in music ministry, you'll find that many churches and synagogues require that their full time music minister have pastoral training as well as musical training. The American Guild of Organists and the National Council of Pastoral Musicians offer professional certifications at a number of levels.
Music therapists require a bachelor's degree in music therapy from one of the approved universities that teach music therapy.
In addition to regular studies, the bachelors in music therapy requires 1200 hours of clinical practice.
The requirements for training for music industry jobs are varied, but this is a brief overview of the training required for some of the major careers in the music industry.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Choices In Music For Your Wedding
American weddings have come a long way over the years. In a society that is made up of people from so many different cultures, lifestyles, religions, and backgrounds, it is no surprise that the traditions in the wedding ceremony are as vastly different as well. Wedding music is no exception. From the ceremony itself to the party atmosphere of the reception, the wedding music sets the tone for the event.
Traditional Wedding Music:
At most weddings we can expect to hear selections that have come to be known as traditional wedding music. Titles like Ave Maria, the Minuet from Don Giovanni, and, of course, The Bridal Chorus and The Wedding March have long been the standard music for a wedding. Particularly religious ceremonies may include hymns like Amazing Grace and a Jewish wedding almost always includes a hora danced to a medley of tunes like Hava Nagila, and Siman Tov U Mazeltov.
The traditional wedding music holds a special place in our hearts and many think that a wedding ceremony is incomplete without it. The couple must decide whether or not to use traditional wedding music in the ceremony, as well as how much of it to use. If this part of the wedding tradition is important to you, then traditional wedding music is the way to go.
Modern Wedding Music:
Often couples will forgo the traditional wedding music selections and instead include modern or popular music in the wedding ceremony. This practice is so common that some titles are becoming traditional wedding song selections themselves. It is not unusual to hear When a Man Loves a Woman, Always and Forever, or I Will Always Love You sung, performed, or played at weddings today. Often more modern titles like these will appear in a ceremony along with the more traditional wedding music.
Avant-Garde Wedding Music:
As people’s attitudes change and varying forms of wedding ceremonies take place, the choice of wedding music often changes right along with them. Occasionally couples will choose music for their wedding that reflects the stark difference in their personalities and makes a unique and bold statement. While your wedding ceremony is primarily for the couple getting married, it is important to remember that it is an event attended by your family members as well. While you may wish to make an impression on your guests with your choice of music, you should still be cautious not to offend your respective grandmothers. As such, a selection by an artist like Marilyn Manson may never be appropriate for a wedding ceremony. This does not mean that your wedding music choices are restricted to traditional classics or sappy love songs. I once attended a very avant-garde wedding where three couples married in the same ceremony. It was a beautiful event and was made memorable by their choice of music. The couples strode down the aisle to the sounds of Pink Floyd’s Signs of Life, an instrumental track from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It was a wedding ceremony that I will remember forever.
Traditional Wedding Music:
At most weddings we can expect to hear selections that have come to be known as traditional wedding music. Titles like Ave Maria, the Minuet from Don Giovanni, and, of course, The Bridal Chorus and The Wedding March have long been the standard music for a wedding. Particularly religious ceremonies may include hymns like Amazing Grace and a Jewish wedding almost always includes a hora danced to a medley of tunes like Hava Nagila, and Siman Tov U Mazeltov.
The traditional wedding music holds a special place in our hearts and many think that a wedding ceremony is incomplete without it. The couple must decide whether or not to use traditional wedding music in the ceremony, as well as how much of it to use. If this part of the wedding tradition is important to you, then traditional wedding music is the way to go.
Modern Wedding Music:
Often couples will forgo the traditional wedding music selections and instead include modern or popular music in the wedding ceremony. This practice is so common that some titles are becoming traditional wedding song selections themselves. It is not unusual to hear When a Man Loves a Woman, Always and Forever, or I Will Always Love You sung, performed, or played at weddings today. Often more modern titles like these will appear in a ceremony along with the more traditional wedding music.
Avant-Garde Wedding Music:
As people’s attitudes change and varying forms of wedding ceremonies take place, the choice of wedding music often changes right along with them. Occasionally couples will choose music for their wedding that reflects the stark difference in their personalities and makes a unique and bold statement. While your wedding ceremony is primarily for the couple getting married, it is important to remember that it is an event attended by your family members as well. While you may wish to make an impression on your guests with your choice of music, you should still be cautious not to offend your respective grandmothers. As such, a selection by an artist like Marilyn Manson may never be appropriate for a wedding ceremony. This does not mean that your wedding music choices are restricted to traditional classics or sappy love songs. I once attended a very avant-garde wedding where three couples married in the same ceremony. It was a beautiful event and was made memorable by their choice of music. The couples strode down the aisle to the sounds of Pink Floyd’s Signs of Life, an instrumental track from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It was a wedding ceremony that I will remember forever.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Hearing Aids
Loss of hearing is perhaps as normal, if not more, as losing hair with age. Reduction of hearing can also be caused by illness, certain medicines and in a large number of cases; it could be a birth defect. It can also make it difficult to learn how to play violin.
Diminishing of hearing, however, can be helped with the use of hearing aides, which are electronic widgets that convert sound pressure waves into electricity by a microphone.
The electric impulses are increased and then reconverted to a great deal more strong sound pressure waves by a receiver. These increased waves are subsequently presented to the impaired ear. The goal of a hearing aid is to make speech available to a listener, whatever the technology being used.
How do you know you need a hearing aide? Being sensitive to your bodys need and accommodating to its deteriorating parts is a resourceful and enjoyable way of life. If you:
1. Find yourself asking people to repeat themselves too often.
2. Feel that you understand them better when you are facing them.
3. Find the need to increase the volume of television or radio when nobody else seems to need it.
Perhaps, it is time to see an audiologist and get an audiometric evaluation (AE) done. It is a pain-free method and takes a few minutes. An AE helps a certified audiologist evaluate your Diminishing of hearing and prescribe the right course of treatment.
Many hearing problems are a result of earwax and middle ear infections. Before buying a hearing aide, it is imperative to consult with a hearing aid specialist.
Which hearing aid to choose?
There are various types of hearing aids available in the market today. You need to work with your audiologist to figure out which model suits you best.
In The Ear (ITE) products have the largest custom made styles; In The Canal (ITC) units are smaller and require more dexterity; Mini Canal (MC) units are in between ITE and ITC; Completely In the Canal (CIC) products are the smallest aids produced; Behind The Ear (BTE) are the largest and hugely reliable; and Post Auricular Canal (PAC) is a new device planned to supply comfort and acoustic alternatives.
Your audiologist will be able to guide you through these opportunities as well as with the levels of technologies available in hearing aids. The best technology available is a 100 percent digital aide. This means your hearing aide is a complete computer.
These widgets are wonders of 1990s and allow the highest control over sound quality and loudness. They process sound at extraordinary speed and the output is amazing.
Lastly, if you have suffered hearing Diminishing in both ears, you will need two hearing aids to achieve normal sound balance. Two aides help your central nervous system to process sounds better and filter noise from speech. One aid, regardless how efficient, will give you flat sound!
Diminishing of hearing, however, can be helped with the use of hearing aides, which are electronic widgets that convert sound pressure waves into electricity by a microphone.
The electric impulses are increased and then reconverted to a great deal more strong sound pressure waves by a receiver. These increased waves are subsequently presented to the impaired ear. The goal of a hearing aid is to make speech available to a listener, whatever the technology being used.
How do you know you need a hearing aide? Being sensitive to your bodys need and accommodating to its deteriorating parts is a resourceful and enjoyable way of life. If you:
1. Find yourself asking people to repeat themselves too often.
2. Feel that you understand them better when you are facing them.
3. Find the need to increase the volume of television or radio when nobody else seems to need it.
Perhaps, it is time to see an audiologist and get an audiometric evaluation (AE) done. It is a pain-free method and takes a few minutes. An AE helps a certified audiologist evaluate your Diminishing of hearing and prescribe the right course of treatment.
Many hearing problems are a result of earwax and middle ear infections. Before buying a hearing aide, it is imperative to consult with a hearing aid specialist.
Which hearing aid to choose?
There are various types of hearing aids available in the market today. You need to work with your audiologist to figure out which model suits you best.
In The Ear (ITE) products have the largest custom made styles; In The Canal (ITC) units are smaller and require more dexterity; Mini Canal (MC) units are in between ITE and ITC; Completely In the Canal (CIC) products are the smallest aids produced; Behind The Ear (BTE) are the largest and hugely reliable; and Post Auricular Canal (PAC) is a new device planned to supply comfort and acoustic alternatives.
Your audiologist will be able to guide you through these opportunities as well as with the levels of technologies available in hearing aids. The best technology available is a 100 percent digital aide. This means your hearing aide is a complete computer.
These widgets are wonders of 1990s and allow the highest control over sound quality and loudness. They process sound at extraordinary speed and the output is amazing.
Lastly, if you have suffered hearing Diminishing in both ears, you will need two hearing aids to achieve normal sound balance. Two aides help your central nervous system to process sounds better and filter noise from speech. One aid, regardless how efficient, will give you flat sound!
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