[NEW RELEASE] LACOSTE - CABESTAN 75 YEAR

René Lacoste is above all, a legend. A star on the courts of Wimbledon, Forest Hills and Roland Garros, René was one of the famous Four Musketeers (Jean Borot, Jacques Brugno, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste) who dominated the game of tennis in the late ‘20s and early ‘30s. They eventually led France to six straight wins (1927 through 1932) in the Davis Cup, and Rene became the world number one tennis player from 1926-1927. Nicknamed the ‘Crocodile’ and ‘Alligator’ for his tenacious attitude on the court, Rene is now better known for being the namesake and creator of the iconic 12.12 Lacoste Tennis shirt, which debuted in 1933.

Fast forward 75 years and the brand are celebrating this momentous occasion by launching a series of monotone shoes inspired by their tennis and yachting heritage. Unique to the 75 year collection is the use of the original crocodile which originated in 1933 and is embossed onto the uppers of each shoe. Tastefully executed in a consistent black and white scheme, the pack is a fitting tribute to the original purveyor of cool. July Release...

 

Fleetwood Mac is a band of both British and American musicians and singers that was formed in 1967. They continued well after 1974, and in fact, they are still together, but it is believed that the first seven years were their best years. The current members of Fleetwood Mac consist of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.

The name of the band was created from the names of John and Mick, though, only Mick Fleetwood has been with the band from the time it began until now. In fact, John McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham may have been with the band for a long time, but they were not in the band when it was first created. The band is probably best known for its revolving door, in that there has been a high turnover of the other people involved in the band.

When Fleetwood Mac was first created in 1967, it consisted of Mick Fleetwood, who was interested from the start, Peter Green, who brought up the idea of putting the band together, Jeremy Spencer and Bob Brunning. Peter Green had wanted John McVie in the band from the start and had partly named the band after him in order to win him over, but he had other interests at the time. However, Peter Green was not going to give up. He brought in Bob Brunning, but he and Bob Brunning had the understanding that if Peter Green was able to get John McVie into the band, Bob Brunning would have to leave.

It was not until after Fleetwood Mac's debut that John McVie became interested and agreed to join the band. Their first album together was released the year after, in 1968, which was not long before they released their second album in the same year. Before their third album, the band added in one more member, because Peter Green was not happy with Jeremy Spencer's lack of interest in cooperation with his music.

This was the start of the high turnover of the members of the band that would continue for a number of years. Even Peter Green, who was the one who formed the band, was unable to continue with the band throughout its long life. Apparently, he had been spiked with LSD, which led to the deterioration of his mental health.

For a time, it was believed that Fleetwood Mac was the most popular band in the United Kingdom. They were never a controversial band like The Doors, and were more focused in their music. They mostly focus on three music genres, including blues rock, pop rock and basic rock. These particular genres were popular at the time the band first formed and are still genres that are enjoyed by young and old alike today. They have been so successful, that Fleetwood Mac was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, but it would not mark the end of the band. The band would continue to play and tour, even with the retirement of another member shortly after the induction.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments. You can find the best marketplace for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments at these sites for used Fleetwood mac CDs, autographed Fleetwood mac CDs.

TheHaunted - Three times

Modern thrash classic. I have nothing more to add. This is a classic, a masterpiece. If you don't know it back and forth - shame on you. Shame! Download these three and become enlightened like the rest of… (in post The Haunted - "S/t" (1998) from Metal Bastard's MP3 Blahg. Download this at eMusic iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

Maybe you are in a hurry.

Perhaps you are trying to tell a joke.

Is it possible that you are having a bad day?

None of these things matter to the person on the receiving end of your emails.

When communicating by email people can't hear your or see your face so you have

to be extremely careful in the way you word things.

I try to always keep a smile on my face when I type emails (especially if I am upset)

but sometimes that doesn't cut it and I have to be reminded of some basic email etiquette rules.

Case in point, a recent email I sent in response to something I received:

"I don't know what you are talking about. I am not a tech person."

Now that I look at that, I laugh because I can't believe I wrote it in that manner. At the time I didn't mean anything bad by it, I wasn't trying to be rude. I was simply trying to say that I was confused by the message because I am not an IT person.

But that's not how it reads and I can admit that. It reads more like You are wasting my time. Go bother someone else.

I am glad that the person pointed out to me how that could come across

to someone who doesn't know me very well.

"People read different things into emails, read your email again and tell me how it sounds".

Yikes!

Here are some tips for jerk-proofing your emails:

- When you type an email put a smile on your face, most of the time it will

come through in what you write.

- Before you hit send, read your email aloud.

- Ask yourself, "What would I think if someone sent this email to me?"

- Sarcasm doesn't translate well through email, please keep this in mind. But if

you absolutely must use it- make use of :)

Donyell (DJ) Nelson is an entrepreneur, writer, and speaker who gives people the inspiration and information to create successful online businesses. She is the host of Bold Business Talk and the author of Jump Start Your Success: 9 Insider Secrets to Running an Online Business. She can be reached at http://www.Donyell.com

[ARTICLES] MELBOUNE LAUNCH FOR PUMA BLACK BEAST!

Come join us Friday the 27th of June at PROVIDER TRAINERS for the Melbourne launch of the BLACK BEAST Blaze of Glory! Only 12 pairs will be for sale, so get there nice and early! There'll be giveaways, free booze and maybe, a special appearance. See you then!

Rhythm guitar lessons are just as important as learning how to solo or play lead. In fact, many noteworthy guitar players agree that learning to play solid rhythm guitar is an ideal foundation for an aspiring lead guitar player who wishes to bust out screaming hot licks and nasty pinch harmonics.

There are many rhythm guitar lessons available today and many music schools offer a rhythm guitar course. But if you don't have time to go to your nearest music school for guitar lessons, you can find a rhythm guitar lesson online or sign up for a rhythm guitar lesson on the internet. It is easy to find websites that offer guitar tutorials; and if in the old days guitarists learned by ear or from tab, today's guitarists will learn faster on video.

But how does an aspiring guitarist really put into action what has learned about playing rhythm guitar? How can he further develop his guitar playing abilities?

Here are four simple tips on how to support what you have learned from your rhythm guitar tutorials. These are meant to hasten your guitar playing abilities and shorten your journey to being a guitar god.

Take Group Lessons

Learning guitar in a group is a great way of developing your guitar playing skill, plus you can share what you have learned from your rhythm guitar lessons online. Learning guitar alone can sometimes be difficult for a beginner, and having someone to show you how to do something the right way is a big plus. You are also able to have a small circle of guitar enthusiasts for jam sessions, with group participants learning, exchanging ideas, and enjoying the music.

Play Along With Favorites

One of the best ways to develop your rhythm guitar playing ability is to learn rhythm guitar parts of your favorite songs and jam along with the song as if you were part of band. This not only develops your ability to play by ear, but also teaches you how to learn songs by ear, and easily catch chord progressions. Learning as many rhythm guitar parts possible also teaches you different rhythm guitar riffs that you can put to use in your own songs, or to simply show off to your guitar learning buddies.

Keep Learning New Riffs

You have to keep learning new riffs. You can start out by simply finding these on the internet and practicing them at home, or from guitar magazines who offer riffs for popular songs.

Practice and Improvise

Learning rhythm guitar will take time, and how fast you learn also depends on how much time you devote to practice, and how much patience you have since you may end up doing the same riff over and over again to really master it. Once you get used to it, let the creative side of you take over and try creating variations to the original riff, and master it until you can do it beautifully even with eyes closed.

If you are just starting to learn how to play rhythm guitar, remember that your fingers will ache and your fingertips will get calloused. However once you master rhythm guitar playing, it won't be long until you take it to the next level, of lead guitar playing.

Rick Napolitano is a musician and song writer who has paired up with some of the biggest names in rock particularly Don Lappin, Adam Ross, in order to teach others how to learn guitar. Check out their huge database of video guitar lessons at http://www.learnguitar.net

[NEW RELEASE] LACOSTE - ECLAIR

Another re-issue from Lacoste's stable of early '80s performance tennis shoes, the Eclair features an outsole designed for hard court use and a chunky as hell midsole that is reminiscent of the Puma GV. If you squint hard enough, it might even tempt AF-1 lovers looking for a spring fling. The upper features suede overlays linked into the lacing for support and the tongue branding is an authentic replication of the Lacoste Crocodile from this era. As part of a triple pack, this jaffa is only a hint of what's to come – if it had a cream centre and choc icing, we'd be in heaven. Smash!

 

Blogging is a phenomenal way to get free website traffic. However, blogs are like any other website. If you don't make any moves, you won't get more website traffic it's as simple as that. Yet, don't necessarily focus on pay-per-clicks and other similar marketing methods, at least not at first. Instead, start out by submitting your blog as an RSS feed. Depending on your content, you may get enough traffic just from that one action.

Now, for the newbies, don't be alarmed at the term RSS feed, as it sounds more technical than it actually is. All an RSS feed does is allow other webmasters to post your blog articles onto their site. For them it provides relevant content, while giving you an increase in web traffic. It also can help with search engine optimization, as an RSS feed can provide tons of backlinks. And, the more backlinks you have, the greater your chances are of getting your site seen by search engine bots.

To get started with the RSS feed process, you need to submit your blog to blog directories. These are available all over the place on the Internet, and submission is as simple as entering in your blog's URL. But things don't end there. You must periodically ping your blog to ensure that blog directories include your updated content into their RSS feeds.

Again, don't think that pinging means a complex programming process. In relation to blogs, it is as simple as selecting which blog directories you want to notify and entering in your blog's URL. In fact, pinging is so easy you can do it right from a pinging website. Consider Pingomatic.com, one of the most popular pinging networks on the Internet. It allows you to notify the major blogging directories. However, if you want a more specific list of blogging directories to notify, you will want to use Pingoat.com. This site is also developing a service where you can get more website traffic free of charge. You will have to subscribe to their email list to be notified as to when this service will become available.

In conclusion, when it comes to free website traffic, you can't have a blog without an RSS feed. And, to make sure your RSS feeds contain your most recent information, don't forget to ping. For just 2 seconds of work, you'll get more website traffic than you can handle!

The 12 part E-course walks you through step by step on how to get the traffic coming to your site. This is traffic that you just put your time into, you don't have to spend any money for it. Find out more at http://www.newwebtraffic.com

[NEW RELEASE] LACOSTE - MISSOURI 75 YEAR

René Lacoste is above all, a legend. A star on the courts of Wimbledon, Forest Hills and Roland Garros, René was one of the famous Four Musketeers (Jean Borot, Jacques Brugno, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste) who dominated the game of tennis in the late ‘20s and early ‘30s. They eventually led France to six straight wins (1927 through 1932) in the Davis Cup, and Rene became the world number one tennis player from 1926-1927. Nicknamed the ‘Crocodile’ and ‘Alligator’ for his tenacious attitude on the court, Rene is now better known for being the namesake and creator of the iconic 12.12 Lacoste Tennis shirt, which debuted in 1933.

Fast forward 75 years and the brand are celebrating this momentous occasion by launching a series of monotone shoes inspired by their tennis and yachting heritage. Unique to the 75 year collection is the use of the original crocodile which originated in 1933 and is embossed onto the uppers of each shoe. Tastefully executed in a consistent black and white scheme, the pack is a fitting tribute to the original purveyor of cool. July Release...

 

Most music lovers understand how it feels to get a new Zune player and cannot wait to find a place to download music for Zune. And we want to have our favourite songs like Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie and A Bay Bay by Hurricane Chris without hurting our wallets as well. Do not worry about it because it is the purpose of this article to discuss the download process and reveal how to download music for Zune cheaply.

There are several places we can download Zune music as well as other entertainment files like movies, music videos and even games for our player. I think you know them. For example, iTunes, Napster, and even Microsoft has a Zune marketplace where you can easily find over 2 million sound tracks to download. Each download can cost you anything from $0.99 to $2.49. Mind you, most music lovers own more than a few hundred pieces of music and this really can be expensive, especially for school going teens.

You may think that the free sites that offer you songs are great. I would advise you to think twice about getting songs or music there since you could be downloading a host of malware and viruses unknowingly. Not only so, corrupted copies from these sites could damage your player. Ouch!

One way to pack your player with more music is to rip music from your existing CD or borrow from a friend. The player works pretty much similarly to other MP3 players. So to download music for Zune should be quite simple to execute for those who already own another MP3 player.

If you want to transfer songs from a CD to your Zune, all you need to do is rip the songs using a media player like Windows Media Player. Select the desired songs or sound tracks and click the "Rip" button and in a moment's time, the songs would appear in the library of the Windows Media Player. Connect your digital player to the USB port or cradle and your player would synchronize automatically with the media library to download the music onto your music player.

Do not worry if the synchronization is not working well. You can always copy the media files to your player directly. Take note that your Zune will always appear as a removable disk drive on your computer.

One important point here when you download music for Zune online or rip music from CDs is that the file formats must be compatible with your player. It supports windows media player supported formats like WMA, WMV, MOV, MP4 and MP3. Do not be mistaken that they can support RealMedia or DivX format as our devices do not support them.

So far we have talked about music CD ripping, it is time to discuss the juicy part of downloading music, movies, videos and games for Zune from paid membership services. There are practically dozens of such sites where you can download unlimited Zune music, songs, movies, videos, games and even software for a one-time fee. While it is not free, it definitely is an inexpensive choice as you need not pay to download new songs as and when they are available.

These are all you need to know when you download music for Zune. Discover more about paid membership services that offer unlimited downloads for less than the price of a movie treat for your family.

Learn how you can get access to unlimited Zune downloads - quality and latest music, movies, videos and games for your Zune player instantly. Also read another informative article here on unlimited Zune downloads.

Buying DJ Equipment - My Review of the Shure M44-7 Cartridge

Review of Shure M44-7 Cartridge

I first bought this stylus a few years ago when I started scratching. My poor technique meant that the needle kept jumping out of the groove. Plus all the scratching meant that I was burning through my records pretty fast. So I went down to my local DJ store and was recommended the Shure M44-& Cartridge.

After taking it home and getting it out of its package, my first impressions was that it was very oddly shaped. I had never seen a cart like this - it looked like a little plastic brick. The cart's shape somewhat effected the installation process - I had to use different screws to attach it to the tone arm. But this wasn't a big deal as these longer screws were included.

After I had them hooked up I dropped a record on the turntable and gave the Shure a try. I noticed the difference immediately noticed the difference. The needle stayed in the groove despite my heavy handed scratching. It seemed glued in there. It performs so well that DJs are bound to get worried about record wear. But that is not a concern with these carts! The tracking force is exceptionally low and that translates into less damage over time to your vinyl.

In addition to handling great, these carts also sound awesome! They seem to sound best with hip hop - the bass is boosted a little bit. Overall they are very clear and capable of getting really loud.

Shure also makes another model - the Shure M44G - that looks identical to the Shure M44-7. I had been confused by this when I first bought my Shures because the guy at the DJ store wasn't able to tell me the difference. But the difference between these is that the M44G has a more balanced output. This means that the lows are accentuated like with the M44-7s and therefore this is the needle you are going to want if you are playing electronic music like trance or house. The M44G does give up a little of the M44-&s tracking force, but it still handles great.

All in all, you can't go wrong with this product. In fact, the instructions for Serato's Scratch Live program state that it will perform optimally with either of these Shure cartridges.

Adam Miles has been DJing for over a decade and is interested in helping others learn more about becoming a DJ. Come stop by his website at http://www.djauctions.net to read more in depth tutorials, equipment reviews and to ask questions in the forum.

Acoustic Guitar Flatpicking Tips for Faster, Cleaner, Crisper Playing

Whether you pick bluegrass, fiddle tunes, and old-time music on a
guitar like I do, or other styles of music, here are some good
basics to learn that will get you on the road to playing fast,
clean, crisp lead on an acoustic guitar:

1. The first thing you need to do is start with a pick that is
thick enough! Use at least a medium pick--usually about .73-.81mm.
This may seem difficult at first, but it is absolutely necessary,
so that you'll get strong, snappy notes that really make a
statement.

2. Be sure to grip the pick firmly so that your thumb and index
finger cover most of the area of the pick. Choke up on that pick!
You don't want to play little wimpy licks!

3. DO NOT rest the palm or wrist of your picking hand on the bridge
or on the top of your guitar. Your hand needs to float freely so
that you can keep the edge of the pick at pretty much a 90 degree
angle from the strings. Keep your pinky or ring finger (or both)
stiff so that one of these fingers glides LOOSELY over the top as a
reference. This will definitely seem awkward if you are not used to
it, but it is a must if you're going to be a good acoustic guitar
picker!

4. On the left hand (or the hand that works the fretboard): Keep
those fingernails trimmed well! You need to be able to press the
strings down with the least amount of effort in order to be a good
picker--and long fingernails throw a monkey wrench into the works.

5. When you pick out guitar lead parts in the first position, the
index finger will cover the notes played at the first fret. The
second finger will cover notes in the second fret. The third finger
will finger the notes in the third fret. And, "Mr. Pinkie" will
finger the notes played on the fourth fret. As with most things in
life, there are exceptions. This principle should be regarded
primarily as a guideline. From time to time, you will find it
necessary to break this rule. Many chords, for instance, simply
cannot be played unless the "one finger per fret" rule is violated.
Certain licks will be played more speedily and cleanly by straying
from the principle. But as a general rule, it is best to discipline
yourself to abide by the precept of "every finger has its fret and
every fret has its finger." Make exceptions only when there is a
definite purpose in doing so.

6. Play the G Chord, not as it is commonly played, but like this:
Put your THIRD finger behind the third fret of the sixth string, your
SECOND finger behind the second fret of the fifth string, and MR.
PINKIE behind the third fret of the first string. THE FIRST FINGER
WILL NOT EVEN BE USED IN THE CHORD! This will allow you to switch
to the C chord with much more speed that ever before. And when you
switch to the C chord, you have the option of leaving your pinkie
behind the third fret of the high E string, which gives the C chord
an entirely new dimension. Then leave it on the same way and go
right back to G. Most importantly, playing the G this way leaves
your first finger and other fingers in an ideal position to go
quickly into lead licks. It may seem difficult to learn, but once
you learn, you'll never go back!

7. If you want to be a fast and clean flatpicker, one of the
smartest things you can do is to practice using a metronome. You
might say, "I don't have a metronome." Well, I will not allow you
to use that as an excuse--because you can now go to an online
metronome any time you wish, and it doesn't cost you a cent! Just
go to:

http://www.metronomeonline.com

These are, I believe, the most important basics. If you would like
to read more details about these techniques and other valuable
acoustic guitar information, plus some danged good recipes, read some of my other articles on this website.

Copyright 2007 Lee Griffith. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lee Griffith is an avid acoustic guitar player and a vintage instrument enthusiast. He invites you to receive a FREE REPORT on a revolutionary acoustic guitar lesson kit, along with his weekly newsletter via email. just click on http://optin.flatpickpost.com

Check out Lee's blog, "The Flatpick Post" at http://flatpickpost.com

Concerto for Composer with Writer's Block in C minor

I'm having a Monday. Oh, not a commonplace Monday involving skipping your shower to make a early meeting, running over the trash can at the end of the driveway with the minivan, followed by 90 minutes in crawling traffic and highlighted by a double-double down your drawers just before you learn the meeting wasn't cancelled, didn't you get the memo?

My Monday is far more ominous.

My Monday feeds on my innermost fears for a full month, seeping to the surface of my subconscience after 28 days of terror. I'm like a human about to turn werewolf, counting with imminent doom the sunsets until I am made a ghastly monster to all who know me.

My Monday: Deadline for my music column.

As a self employed musician acting as freelance writer on the side (my grandparents are still waiting to hear the punchline) I fit in my work whenever I can, which translates into late nights and frantic attempts at forming a... cohesive... sentence between... interruptions from... my four-year-old son.

Between music, business and family life I keep a fast pace, cramming in relaxation like one forces a spoonful of a nasty liquid that is supposed to be good for the spleen or some other so-called necessary organ. As if I weren't busy enough, this pace is accented by my lurking mental calendar, knowing deadline is upon me.

Deadline usually manifests itself when I am at my busiest, or worse yet, when I am trying to relax. As I type this, I am visiting with family in Washington state, alone in a dark, moist room like a leper, pouring my heart into my laptop while my family enjoys some rare Seattle sunshine.

(Cue tragic violin music...)

I never intend to place myself in this wretched situation each month, it sneaks up on me and by then I don't have the foggiest idea what to write about. Apparently, I am not alone in my suffering. In a recent American poll, 95% of college students surveyed said they procrastinate frequently. 11% of procrastinators wasted time thinking of ways to get out of writing their paper, and 17% would rather watch paint dry than complete their paper.

Procrastination strikes writers of all types. Composers are notorious for procrastinating, which is usually a result of “creative block.” Ludwig van Beethoven spent 12 years composing his 9th “Choral” Symphony and was unable to write at other times, sometimes going months or years without having the inspiration to compose. Franz Schubert began writing 13 symphonies but only following through to complete 8, the final of which only has 2 movements and has been since dubbed “The Unfinished Symphony.”

The pressure to “produce” is so intense that people will try anything to make their deadline. For instance, Sergei Rachmaninoff, fed up with waiting for “the muse” to return, sought the help of a hypnotherapist, who apparently helped locate the missing muse (maybe it was behind the fridge?) and to whom Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto was dedicated.

No fruity therapy for this skeptic. I'm content plodding along, banging my head on my laptop (*%@$#) until the column comes naturally, thank you very much. Ironically, my best work comes from being under a deadline. I concoct some swell stuff, like musical compositions, tax returns and the column I should be writing right now. Once the adrenaline and caffeine slam together somewhere in the middle of my frontal lobe, I chain myself to the computer and accept a late night of frantic writing as the last minutes of my Monday deadline swirl around me.

My favorite fiction writer, Douglas Adams of the “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” series and a notorious procrastinator once said, “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

Whoooooooosh!

Ok, time to get serious and write something before the full moon rises.

Rhiannon Schmitt (nee Nachbaur) is a professional violinist and music teacher who operates Fiddleheads Violin School & Shop. Fiddleheads has won several distinguished young entrepreneur business awards for her comittment to excellence. Her shop offers beginner to professional level instruments, accessories and supplies. http://www.fiddleheads.ca provides a rich resource of information on her school, products for sale and her many writings.

[NEW RELEASE] LACOSTE - DOT 75 YEAR

Lacoste is above all a legend. The legend of a fantastic tennis player, Rene Lacoste, a member of the famous "Musketeers" team and a star of the courts of Wimbledon, Forest Hills and Roland Garros. The Four Musketeers (Jean Borot, Jacques Brugno, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste) dominated the game of tennis in the second half of the 1920s and early 1930s. They eventually led France to six straight wins (1927 through 1932) in the Davis Cup which was unheard of way back then, with Lacoste the world number one tennis player from 1926-1927. The stand out player, Lacoste, was nicknamed the "Crocodile" and "Alligator" for his  hot headed attitude and eagerness to bust out into a brawl on the court. He is now better known for being the namesake and creator of the Lacoste Tennis shirt and later in 1933, the Lacoste Tennis shoe. Fast forward 75 years, and Lacoste are celebrating this momentous occasion by launching a collectible series inspired from their Tennis and Yachting heritage. Unique to the 75 year collection is the use of the original crocodile (or is it an alligator?) which originated in 1933 and is embossed onto the uppers of each shoe.

 

To get an idea of where online music is headed it is important to understand the history. Let's think back to the time when music downloads first became popular. For me it was spurred in the early Napster days. Everyone was out there going crazy grabbing any and all music they could find without consequence. Then the RIAA came along and said "wait guys that's our copyrighted content you're downloading." Since that time the RIAA has been fighting an uphill battle to end copyright infringement.

After the early days of Napster and peer to peer file sharing a new crop of sites popped up offering legal music downloads. Even Napster went legit signing deals with major labels to offer unlimited access to their offerings. In order to make this a reality the record industry had to come up with a way to protect their investment.

Along came digital rights management (DRM). New DRM technologies have been used to limit access to media. In essence as long as you are subscribed to Rhapsody for example you can download and listen to as many songs as you like. You can even play them on your mp3 player (excluding iPod and Zune). The DRM kicks in by restricting the number of devices you have access from and cutting access completely when you end the subscription.

In addition, companies chose to run their own brand of DRM. This means that if you own an iPod or Zune player your options are very restricted. Apple and Microsoft do their best to force you into using iTunes and Zune Marketplace.

Over the last couple years things have changed quite a bit. Online retailers including Amazon and Wal-Mart signed deals with the major labels to sell DRM free song downloads. They key here is that you are paying a fee for each MP3 song you download but get the music without DRM restrictions. Even iTunes has started offering DRM free downloads.

Another challenge that faces online media companies is the ISP's battle to reduce network traffic and thus reduce congestion during peak times. The lack of network infrastructure, particularly in the US, is a big concern. Throttling traffic or charging customers for metered access as Comcast and Time Warner are currently testing could drive away customers. We no longer live in a world of text email and static web pages. Sites now offer rich content including streaming audio and video, social integration and an interactive setting for people to gather just as you would at your local watering hole. Hopefully customers will voice their concerns and ISP's will in turn expand their network infrastructures to allow for our ever growing bandwidth needs.

So where does this leave us? I recall mentioning excitement about the future of online downloads prior to my rants. Online music sites are looking ahead to the future. With the ability to download songs to PC, mobile phone or other web-enabled devices you will have access to the latest songs from anywhere at anytime. Sites like eMusic, Amazon MP3 and Wal-Mart Music have shown that the DRM free music is the way of the future. The next step will be to figure a way for sites like Rhapsody and Napster to offer unlimited access to DRM free music for a monthly subscription fee. I'll be the first to admit that this is no easy task but one that could prove very profitable to the music industry in this ever growing digital age.

The excitement extends beyond music as companies like Netflix offer a large selection of movie downloads free to subscribers. We're not talking about just watching on your PC either. With a set top box you can download films to watch directly on your TV. Industry experts predict that within a few years you won't run to your local video store to rent the latest DVD movies. Instead you'll simply watch them anytime on demand via download. Alright so I can hear some of you saying yeah but how long do the movies take to download? I can tell you that with Netflix I can start watching about 30 seconds after the download begins. The rest of the movie downloads while I'm enjoying the film.

In conclusion the future of online media is shining bright. Customer's spending habits can help record labels and ISP's accept that the future of music and movies is online rather than in record and video stores. The instant gratification of having access to millions of songs or thinking of a movie and watching it a minute later is enough to make me want to quit typing. So sit back, relax and enjoy what the future has in store.

Music Download Sites - Reviews, Specials, Free Trials

Netflix Movie Downloads - Review and Free Trial

The Republic Tigers - The Nerve

The mixes are finally back and that is really all that I have to say. Enjoy! The Republic Tigers - The Nerve Flying Foxes - Lost In Low Cloud Jack Peate - Have I Been A Fool? Someone… (in post This Week's Mix from Instrumental Analysis. Download this at Amazon iTunes)

In this day and age its rare that a rock n roll career lasts more than a few years, much less a decade. Of course there are some acts that have lasted the years through fluctuations of styles and genres of musics ever-changing fads. However, few can even come close to bragging of a career thats spanned three decades, as Sir Paul McCartney can.

The greatest part of it all is that it goes beyond that, since the three decades that we speak of are only from his solo career. Of course you cant forget the thirteen years before that while he toured with a small little group known as The Beatles. You may have heard of them.

Paul began his solo career by releasing his first album, McCartney two weeks before the Beatles released their last album Abbey Road. That first solo album had a warm welcome from fans, and so he went on to release a second album in 1971 called Ram. On this one, he included his new wife Linda McCartney so that they could be on tour together.

After Ram, he started the super group Wings, with wife Linda McCartney, as well as Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine, and drummer Denny Seiwell. The band started an unexpected tour in 1972 throughout Europe in small venues and various British University Auditoriums.

Wings' first live show was unannounced - and uninvited - and was for students at Nottingham University on February 9, 1972. Paul and Linda, their children, the band and pet dogs all drove north from London in a van, heading for towns picked at random and asking passers-by if their town had a university.

"Our first stop, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, said no," said Paul, "Nottingham said yes."

The price of entry at Wings' first show - at lunchtime in the Nottingham students union hall - was 50p on the door. Wings - Paul, Linda, drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarists Denny Laine and Henry McCullough, received a bag of 50p pieces, which were distributed amongst the band later in the back of the van.

For their first UK tour in 1972, Wings set out with no promoter, no advance or on-the-road publicity, no venues booked and no hotels booked. Hotels were called at the last minute.

From there, McCartney seemed to get the touring bug again and started producing albums and touring with Wings nearly every year to year and a half through to 1979. These included 1973 UK tour, 1975-1976 world tour & 1979 UK tour. The last ever wings concert was at Hammersmith Odeon, England December 29th 1979 and was a charity concert for the people of Kampuchea.

Wings were also due to tour Japan in 1980 but unfortunately Paul was arrested and jailed in Japan for carrying marijuana and the tour was cancelled. This was also the end of wings

In the 1980s McCartney ventured out on his own again, and recorded McCartney II, where, just like on his first self-titled album, he played every instrument on the album himself.

One thing that did change for McCartney during that year was his ambition to tour following the murder of his longtime friend and Beatles band mate John Lennon on Dec. 9th, 1980.

McCartney didnt want to tour following this tragic event and did not until play live again until 1985. In an interview with Playboy magazine in 1984, McCartney revealed that it was because he feared that he would be next to be murdered.

After he appeared at Live Aid in 1985, he got the touring bug and although it wasnt until 1989 he did his 1st live concerts for Fan Club members he kept right on going, recording and touring right into the 90s with two live albums in 1990 and 1993 as well as venturing into classical music that same decade.

In the new Millennium, McCartney fulfilled world tours from 2002 through to 2005 once again proving himself as one of the most prolific musicians on the planet. In 2006 he performed with rapper JayZ and rock band Linkin Park at the Grammy Awards, performing Yesterday in honor of the death of Coretta Scott King.

At age 64 this year, who knows what will come out of Sir McCartney next, but you can be sure that he wont be settling down anytime soon.

Jason Hobbs has been a fan of Paul McCartney for over 25 years and runs a Paul McCartney related lens at Squidoo - CLICK HERE to view Lens

Roger Waters Washburn Signature Guitar

Washburn Guitars is a division of U.S. Music Corp., a world leader in the production and distribution of fretted instruments, amplification and sound reinforcement. The 125-year-old company began as a high-quality stringed instrument manufacturer in Chicago and has since acquired Oscar Schmidt (makers of the AutoHarp and student instruments), Sound Tech (sound reinforcement and pro audio gear), Randall Amplifiers and its most recent acquisition, Vinci Strings. U.S. Music Corp. is rated as one of the top 50 companies in the music industry worldwide and is currently located in Mundelein, Illinois.

Many great guitarists are playing washburn guitars. Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has been playing the Washburn RR300 for two years and has been very amazed with the guitar over this time. When Washburn approached him about a Signature Limited Edition, he gladly agreed to work with Washburn on this special offering.

The RW300 brings together a Seymour Duncan P90 style pickup and a Fishman preamp with a piezo bridge. These pickups, in combination with the chambered mahogany body and solid spruce top, reduce the chance of feedback and give the RW300 a tremendously accurate and vibrant acoustic tone. Roger was the creator and sonic architect of such undeniable classics as Dark Side Of The Moon (which spent nearly 15 years on the Billboard 200 album chart), The Wall (which has been certified 23x RIAA platinum), Animals, Wish You Were Here, and Final Cut. Following Final Cut, Roger Waters left Pink Floyd.

His first full-length solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking was released in April 1984 to great critical and popular success, generating his first solo tour. June 1987's Radio K.A.O.S. continued the path of solo success, bringing Roger back to the stage. His last full-length solo album, the moody and ironic Amused To Death, considered by many to be a comparable achievement to Dark Side Of The Moon or The Wall, was released in August 1992.

Waters has been working on Ca Ira (pronounced sa-ira), an opera in English and French, a new rock album to be released in 2002 and Echoes the best of Pink Floyd, which was re-mastered by long time Pink Floyd producer James Guthrie.

For more information on washburn guitars, please, visit http://www.washburn-guitar.com.

How to Write Songs Like a Pro - Part 2

In "Part 1" of this three-part series we learned pro songwriting tips for the lyrical aspect of songwriting. In this article we'll explore the music part of writing songs using the same references many pros use, so you can develop musical ideas with ease.

If you're a songwriter or aspiring songwriter who wants to know what resources to use to learn songwriting quickly and effectively, by the end of this article, you will have all the information you need to have a clear advantage over the average songwriter!

Remember, you don't have to read music or play an instrument to write quality songs but you definitely have an advantage if you know how to play either piano/keyboard or guitar, because you can work out chord structures and melodies for your songs on your instruments.

So here we go:

1. Remember, there are two main parts to songwriting; writing lyrics, and writing music. "Part 2" is about the music part of songwriting which includes melody, harmony, and rhythm.

2. Get your hands on "Writing Music For Hit Songs," by Jai Josefs, the absolute best and only book you'll ever need to easily learn the basics of music theory and how to construct the musical part of songs. The book is ridiculously cheap on Amazon.com, and this one together with "The Craft Of Lyric Writing," by Sheila Davis will set you back a measly US15.00 to 18.00 or so.

Once you have Josefs' book, apply one chapter at a time to the songwriting principles you learned with "The Craft Of Lyric Writing" and quickly hear your songwriting come alive as you learn techniques from real hit song examples! For this training book, you DO need to play or at least have an instrument such as a piano or keyboard to follow along.

In Josefs' book, you'll learn how to harmonize with chords in major and minor keys through a foolproof natural music formula in an easy-to-understand format, you'll learn how to effectively give your music contrast, how to build tension and release, and how to develop melodical ideas just to name a few.

3. Continue writing your own lyrics and melodies as suggested in "Part 1," and start experimenting with and incorporating some of the chord ideas as well as other principles learned in Josefs' book such as using chord inversions and pedal points to create bass motion in order to give your songs whatever particular underlying flavor you desire.

4. Pick out a favorite song and find the chord progression used either by buying sheet music or by visiting one of many websites which provide free chords and tabs for educational purposes such as Ultimate-Guitar.com. With your song in hand it's time to try to determine in which key the songs is written. Without actual sheet music to see the key signature this can be difficult but here's a useful tip; to find the key listen for the chord that sounds as if it has completely resolved and is at rest in the song. This chord will usually (not always) be found at the end of the chorus if it's a verse-chorus type song, or the end of the verse in a verse-verse-verse type song.

5. Once you determine the key use the following chord formula built on the tonic note of the key:

I - IIm - IIIm - IV - V - VIm - VIImb5 (e.g., in the key of G, the tonic note would be G, and the basic chord formula would be):

G - Am - Bm - C - D - Em - F#mb5

6. Play these chords in succession and hear how they move up the scale. Notice how they sound similar to the single note scale in the same key, i.e., G, A, B, C, D, E, F#

Using the above formula you now have seven chords you can use in any key to harmonize your songs!

Indeed many successful songs have been created using two or more chords contained in this formula, so in part 3 of this series I'll show you how to expand upon this concept with a formula for many additional chords you can use as a starting point in your songs in any key.

Orlando Gutierrez is a former Warner/Chappell Staff songwriter who dedicates most of his time to his website, http://www.songwriteradvisor.com, in order to provide innovative songwriting tips and techniques to give songwriters an edge over the competition in an ever-changing music industry. Visit the website, look at the free 7-step songwriting blueprint, and sign up for your free monthly newsletter "Tune Sleuth" today at: http://www.songwriteradvisor.com

(c) Copyright - Orlando Gutierrez All Rights Reserved Worldwide.