American Idol Advantage
May 14, 2008
If you have always had the dream of being the next American Idol and would love an opportunity to broadcast your talents on the show, then you have come to the right place for that information. In case you didn’t know, some of these American Idol contestants were just regular people, with regular jobs like Mr. Chris Daughtry who worked as a service clerk, but onstage his singing talent spills out and he has such emotion and passion. Mr. Rueben Studdard work at a department store and when he sings, its like hearing a young Luthur Vandross. These two guys are my favorite American Idol contestants and winners, (Chris should have won). Isn’t it amazing that these Idols are just like you and me? The only difference is that they were given the opportunity to showcase their talent and I would like to share with you a great source that could give you that opportunity to be the next American Idol contestant OR winner.
You Can Make it Past the First Round of the Auditions with 4 Simple Techniques! Really, there are 4 simple techniques that will get you through the first auditions and straight on the show. The American Idol Advantage:
The first is tip #1: Understand How The Early Auditions Work. You need to know exactly what the show is really about before you get there to audition.
Tip #2: Realize That The Initial American Idol Auditions Are Not Really About “Talent.” Truth is, talent and star quality are a dime a dozen in the tryout phase of the show. Everyone who has any singing skills at all (and even those that don’t) show up and tryout.
Tip #3: You Have To Win The Judges Over. All you have to do is satisfy something that the judges are looking for in a performer
And finally, Tip#4: You must prepare to win the judges over. After you really understand Tip # 3 you need to take that thought 1 step further and begin to formulate a game plan to win the judges over.
There is no other way to explain it, you need to do your homework if you’re going to make it past the very first auditions. This book, is in all, specializes in audition training and preparation. I am not saying that you will definitely win American Idol BUT it is quite easy to audition and make it past the first round and get selected for the show. I know that we all have hidden talents and have those dreams of becoming a star and catch ourselves singing and performing in front of the mirror. We have all asked the famous question, “What if?” We have our passions, dreams and most definitely, our doubts. We all have allowed fear to invade our dreams and lives. So, take a look at the past Idols and realize that if they can do it, so can you. Never, ever give up on your dreams. Never believe that you aren’t good enough, basically, never give up! Don’t wait another minute to make YOU happy. Unleash your talents to America, full fill your passion. Life rewards action. Start believing in yourself and show America that you are the next American Idol!
COPYRIGHT 2008
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Kansas - More Than Just Arena Rock
May 13, 2008
By Tyler Hensley
In 1974, a little-known band from the Topeka, Kansas area signed with Kirshner Records and recorded their debut, self-titled album, Kansas. Thanks to good marketing by the Kirshner label and a fair amount of airtime on new album-oriented rock FM radio stations, Kansas quickly became quite popular. Sadly, when most people think of Kansas, they think of little more than Dust in the Wind or Carry On, Wayward Son, the group’s two most popular tunes. This is a grave mistake, as the music of Kansas has much more to offer than just the catchy tunes of those two songs. In fact, both those songs were added to their respective albums almost as afterthoughts. For example, Dust in the Wind was originally just a chord-progression guitar exercise that Kerry Livgren, a band member, used to practice! Nonetheless, the first three Kansas albums, Kansas, Song for America, and Masque, demonstrated a great deal of rich musical talent that many people do not hear.
This is due, in part, to the backgrounds and influences of the band members. Robby Steinhardt (violin, vocals) was trained from an early age in classical music. Kerry Livgren, the band’s principal songwriter, was schooled in classical and jazz music. The band as a whole was influenced by early 70s prog-rock groups such as Genesis and ELP (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer). All these factors contributed to the style of Kansas, though the unique instrumentation of the band also played a role. The first album, Kansas, contained one of the band’s more well-known pieces, Journey from Mariabronn. Youtube a live version of it (link at bottom) . This song, from the very beginning, is prog-rock through and through. The introduction is a synthesizer/violin-heavy segment in an irregular meter with, really, no discernible time signature which segues into the introduction of another theme through a violin solo. By virtue of being a six-piece band at the time, a large amount of complex layering happens in this song. Much like one would find in an orchestral piece, melodies move smoothly from instrument to instrument and different lines emerge from beneath other “flighting,” repeating lines. It’s almost like listening to modernized chamber music! What’s more, the lyrics to Journey from Mariabronn are intriguing, to say the least. Livgren wrote them, following closely the story of famous German poet/author Hermann Hesse’s Narcissus and Goldmund.
Kansas’ second album Song for America, and specifically the title track of said album, followed closely in the footsteps of Journey from Mariabronn and the first album. It is characterized by a number of signature violin solos from Steinhardt and a lyrical exploration of one of the band’s favorite themes, mother nature and man’s treatment of the planet. Album three, Masque, contains prog-rock gems such as Mysteries and Mayhem, Icarus, and The Pinnacle, but also shows a turn toward more radio-friendly songs such as Child of Innocence and It Takes a Woman’s Love (to Make a Man).
Kansas’ next few albums were also splendid in their musicality, but most agree that the early works of Kansas were, musically, the best. They stimulated listeners in many ways through their music and lyrics. So, next time you find yourself bored on a cool evening, dig through your old vinyl and spin up some older Kansas tunes. Listen for the subtle things, and you won’t be disappointed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QJvlPeP-nc
Tyler Hensley has been a prog-rock fanatic since the early 90s, when he branched into the genre as a learning experience. He plays guitars, keyboards, and drums and enjoys home recording. Read more interesting music and technology blurbs at his website: http://thehitlist.bravehost.com
Guitar Lesson - Getting Through Those Sticky Parts - Simplify!
May 12, 2008
By Lee Griffith
What do you do when you can play an entire song quite well and at a nice, even tempo–except for one little sticky part? There is that one chord change that slows you down–or one note in that bass run you just can’t stretch your finger quickly enough to reach (and keep the beat going). What can you do? The answer is simple: Simplify!
If you have trouble getting your hand in the position to play a particular chord fast enough, or you can’t seem to position your fingers to play the chord cleanly, the solution may be to play the same chord in a different way. There are usually several ways to play a chord. Do a little research–you can find many chord shapes by just using the Google search engine. One thing you can often do is substitute a chord which you only play with three or four strings for a chord which you’d rather play using all six strings. No, it won’t sound as full, but, hey, we’re talking about being able to get through the song smoothly! I remember in my early days of playing guitar, I played the B minor chord using 4 strings instead of six.
What about a trouble spot in a bass run or lead guitar lick? The first thing you might try is picking the sequence of notes an octave higher or lower. If you have just one note giving you problem–maybe you just can’t reach it in time to keep up with the pace of the song–try either playing the note an octave higher or lower or using an entirely different note, as long as it works. I play mandolin, and about a year ago I was working on Bach’s Bouree I from a Mel Bay book. I could play the song pretty well, except for C note to a D note that I had to awkwardly stretch my fingers up to the 8th and 7th frets on the E string to reach. I just changed the two notes to the same notes, but an octave lower, on the 3rd and 2nd frets of the D string. No one would be aware that anything was even changed except for a real Bach enthusiast! Actually, I think those two notes sound better in that run the way I play them!
When dealing with tricky spots in the songs you are practicing for your repertoire, always look for ways to simplify. Rather than spending endless hours of frustration trying to learn a difficult chord or series of notes, don’t be afraid to make a few minor alterations!
Copyright © 2008 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.
