[ARTICLES] TOP TEN SNEAKERS IN CRIME!

As one of those aforementioned couch spuds (and a sneaker fan), I have noted with interest that the humble sneaker has left vital clues in many an episode of CSI. but HOW to separate fact from fiction? What role does the sneaker play in the forensic sciences? Aficionados may understandably muse over the merits of the speckled or gum sole, but the folks in the crime lab are more interested in the print shoes leave behind. As it happens, shoe prints are incredibly important clues often left at crime scenes.

The number of shoe print patterns out there is huge. Shoe print indices and databases have been developed in various countries. Commercial company Foster and Freeman have a range of software tools to identify shoes, including SICAR and SoleMate. Forensic Science Services (FSS) is a UK Government owned company that released an online footwear coding and detection management system this year, entitled Footwear Intelligence Technology.

I contacted Laura Mackin at the FSS who informed me that they have records of more than 20,000 shoe prints of which approximately 90 per cent come from sneakers. I was intrigued as to how the database was compiled; were they getting shoes from the manufacturers? From shops? As it happens, all of the prints come from shoes given to the FSS by the 43 police forces around the UK, either from marks left at a crime scene or from sneakers confiscated from a suspect. Interestingly, the FSS don’t have any special agreements with manufacturers. This was a bit of a disappointment as I was hoping to learn that the most comprehensive sneaker collection in the UK was at the FSS.

The FSS also offer the fantastically named ‘Cinderella Service’, which helps identify personal information about suspects including the angle of their footfall and weight distribution. Facey wrote in the journal Pattern Recognition that ‘shape and extent of the the general wear apparent on a shoe sole contains information about the foot function and gait of the wearer.’ The use of US Army anthropometric databases has allowed models to predict height based on shoe size. English tabloid newspaper The Mirror reported this June, with perhaps a hint of schadenfreude at the shoe manufacturer’s expense, that sneakers are the most popular shoes used by criminals as evidenced by shoe prints, and listed the top ten shoes for English crims.

The list I received from the FSS was exactly the same; so there haven’t been any changes in the sneaker buying habits of the criminal world in the last few months. Whilst this list may provoke some tittering amongst tabloid readers or annoyance for the manufacturers PR companies, no mention is made of what the top ten sneakers sold are, and whether the two lists are significantly different; ie most bad boys may wear the top ten listed but perhaps so do the general population in England. It would be interesting to see how these lists vary between countries. The data is also for all crimes, rather than category of crime. The FSS doesn’t store this info, and I can imagine the manufacturers are at least grateful for that.

As with any forensic test, the shoe print is not a tool to be used without caution. A survey in the 1996 issue of Forensic Science International demonstrated ‘remarkable variations’ in conclusions of shoe print reports from different laboratories examining the same cases! Hopefully computer databases have reduced the error rate. Miss Mackin (FSS) informed me that ‘footwear is the second most common evidence type after DNA and is capable of definitively putting someone at a crime scene, particularly thanks to the unique wear marks that each pair will have’.

The Mirror’s article has a quote from someone at Nike who said (in response to their shoes being six of the top ten worn in British crimes): ‘We are Britain’s best-selling trainer manufacturer so we’re not surprised we feature. We’ve no further comment.’ Whilst this indeed is common sense as previously noted, perhaps they should consider another approach; embrace it. I see it now, The Prisoner Pack; all orange Air Max 90s, black and white striped Air Max 95s. And why not cash in on the whole ‘all over print’ phenomenon and do some hyperstrikes that have an all over arrow motif!

This has been Nikolai for Sneaker Freaker
reporting from the Crime Lab.

Huge thanks to Laura Mackin at the Forensic Science Service Labs and Prof James Fraser at The University of Strathclyde.

Are you more of a William Hung than a Kelly Clarkson? Or are you a decent singerand wish you were a little better? Whatever your vocal skill, these tips for improving your singing voice are sure to get you singing and sounding much better.

Tip 1: Think about breath. Without proper breathing, you arent using your voice to its full potential. To find out if youre breathing correctly for singing, place your hand on your stomach and inhale. Your hand should move outyour stomach should be expanding, not your ribcage and chest. Thats because you need to support your breath with your diaphragmthe muscle underneath the lungs that inflates them. The diaphragm is activated by abdominal muscles, and its much stronger than the muscles between your ribsthe muscles youre using if your chest, not your stomach, expands with your breath.

Youll need to have strong breath to give your voice adequate support for singing. To do this, youll need to use your stomach and lower abdominal muscles to support your breath. Ab crunches and sit-ups can help you build up strength in this area that you can use to project your voice.

Tip 2: Focus on posture. Your breath travels from your lungs straight up through your mouth. If its passage is twisted, kinked, or blocked in any way, it wont be able to get out efficiently. How you stand has a big effect on how you sound. You should be standing with your legs about shoulder-width apart. Your chest should be lifted to give your lungs plenty of room to expand. Your shoulders should be back and relaxed.

Tip 3: Relax. If theres tension anywhere from your abdomen to your head, itll affect your sound. Your facial muscles, tongue and throat muscles, vocal cords, jaw and shoulders should all be as relaxed as possible. There are plenty of jaw and facial exercises as well as warm-up activities that will help you relax the muscles in your shoulders, face, and vocal cords.

Tip 4: Know where to put your tongue and soft palate. The soft palate should be raisedthis will give more space for your voice to resonate. The tip of your tongue should be placed at the back of your teeth. This will keep it from blocking your throat if its positioned too far back.

Tip 5: Watch what you eat. Theres nothing better for your voice than water. Period. If you have a performance coming up, avoid dairy and thick drinks for at least three days beforehand. Drink only water the day of the performance.

Tip 6: Dont strain. Pay attention to your body. If something hurts when you sing, youre either at the limit of your range or youre doing something wrong. You should be able to sing at a strong, healthy volume if youre maintaining proper breath control; if something hurts because youre singing too loudly, youre probably not supporting your voice well with your breaththe vocal cords are doing all the work. If you hurt when trying to hit certain high or low notes, however, it may be that youre trying for a note thats outside of your range. Its true that good breath control can expand your range, but the size of your vocal cords determines the pitches you can reach. You may not be able to hit certain notes no matter how well you support your voice. Its important to choose songs you can sing comfortably. Above all, dont try to sing if you have a sore throatyou may make it worse.

Tip 7: Warm up before singing. Dont go straight into a song without a good warm-up first. A good warm-up routine should concentrate on relaxing your body and getting your breath ready, and should start with simple deep breaths. It should progress to light humming from there, and then some scale work once you feel ready. Its important not to strain too hard during the warm-up processdont reach for notes that arent comfortable, and dont sing at the top of your volume.

Tip 8: Get a teacher. A good voice teacher can really help you improve your voice. Its sometimes hard to determine how you sound when youre by yourself; even the most dedicated singer can get into bad habits without feedback. A teacher can give you immediate feedback on how youre doing and address specific problems you may have.

Its a shame that so many people think they cant singand wouldnt be caught dead singing in public. In truth, singing is something anyone can learn to do. Follow these tips and practice, and youll have a singing voice youll be proud to show off.

Paul Morris is managing director of Rose Morris Music. For more information on musical equipment or to ask music experts any questions you may have please visit http://www.proaudiostore.co.uk To access a wide range of pro audio microphones visit http://www.proaudiostore.co.uk/gateway.php?deptid=15

[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.

 

Why do you need guitar backing tracks? Because it's the closest thing to performing with a band you can do. Playing with other musicians is the best thing in the world for your guitar playing. But what if no one's around? What if it's 3 in the morning? That's when having guitar backing tracks helps out. Now you have a band at your disposal. Problem solved!

Also let's say you just mastered the hottest lick you have ever tried. Nicely done. But that's only the first part of it. You need to be able to play it along with a band. Sitting in your room and playing the licks over and over is great practice, but when you go to play it with a band it just may fall to pieces. You have probably been in this situation. Everything sounds great at home, but not so great at the jam. So take your new lick and jam over a bunch of different tracks in a bunch of different keys. Then you will REALLY be mastering the new lick.

What if you are the type of player who almost passes out when it's your time to solo? Better preparation for a jam will cure that. With the tracks you can practice all your licks and get a lot more comfortable with your soloing so you will be confident in these situations. You need to go to the jam with the confidence that you are going to play great.

Lastly it's important to note that you should be practicing the rhythms too. When you get a new Play-along CD, you should learn the rhythm guitar part as well. And spend a lot of time doing that. Better rhythm playing equals better soloing, it's just the way it is. Look at players like Eddie Dan Halen and Jimi Hendrix. Not only are the a couple of the best soloists of all time, but rhythm players as well.

So stock up on guitar backing tracks and get ready to jam with the band!

Paul Celly has started writing for ckoMusic. Make your guitar practice way more productive with ckoMusic guitar backing tracks.

http://www.ckomusic.com

TheHaunted - Now you know

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)

This year 2006 is a significant milestone to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lovers as the musical world celebrates his 250th birthday anniversary. A lifelong Mozart enthusiast, I believe Mozart was the most comprehensively gifted musician who has ever lived. This piece is another one of my tributes to the Wunderkind.

Recently, a friend's question took me by surprise. "What's your favorite Mozart music?" She knows how I feel about Mozart, the only composer I consider "immortal." In fact, I've loved the master's music from childhood even before I knew anything more about his life. I looked at my friend, speechless. She repeated her question, while my thoughts maneuvered some answers.

"Hmm, not an easy question," I said, "I simply love his music."

"Surely you have a favorite," my friend replied, this time more persistent.

"Well," I said, "I love his Clarinet Concerto, Flute and Harp Concerto, and Quintet for clarinet and strings. Of course, I also love his quartets."

My friend stayed silent for a while before asking me about piano concertos.

"Piano concertos? I love them all. Ok, ok. Ill name one. Piano Concerto No.21. You'll probably know this by 'Elvira Madigan', popularized by the movie of the same title. Thats actually the Andante movement of the concerto."

"Oh yeah? So it's Mozart's, huh?" my friend mused and added, "there was a time when I was crazy about that music after seeing the film, I even wanted it played in my elegy."

"Then I also love the symphonies. There are No. 40 and 41 simply called Jupiter. Oh, you can also include No. 39."

I was now unstoppable; noticed my friend turned very quiet, intently looking at me with my passionate enumeration of Mozart's music, one after the other.

"Oh, can I also add his violin concertos and sonatas? Yes, and his Requiem. By the way, it's not fair if I don't include my favorite operas, ok?"

"I'm sure you'll include Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte, and The Marriage of Figaro," my friend once again interjected.

"They're all fantastic but my top choice for opera is actually The Magic Flute." My friend didn't push the issue anymore. Made me wonder if I satisfied her very first question.

Oh, I do love and admire a lot of other composers, among them, Schubert, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Bach, some days even Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. But only Mozart can fill the emptiness. Other composers are too dangerous for me. They give me turbulence and upheaval instead of gently touching my soul. I need no criteria or tonal design analysis to support Mozart's greatness. The pure delight and enjoyment that flow into my being is enough.

So much has been written of this composer. To me, he was the most comprehensively gifted musician who has ever lived. This year, two and a half centuries after his birth, millions of people throughout the world continuously play and listen to his music. While there had been other prodigies, none has approached his ability to combine a dazzling musical imagination with a total mastery of style and form, unified by his strong musical personality. He combined the perfect musical blending of the German knowledge, Italian art, and the French elegance.

Mozart belonged to the Classical period of the latter half of the 18th century. He began to play the harpsichord at the age of three and to compose at the age of five. His musical education began when he was four, along with his older sister Anna Maria. He also played both the violin and viola to soloist standard. Sadly, he died at the young age of 35.

This paramount composer never had good health, and his life was filled with difficulties. Yet, there was hardly any evidence of this in his compositions. We do not hear any raging or angry sounds in his music. His love of fun and lively disposition that enabled him to carry gracefully his cares of genius came from his mother.

To all Mozart lovers out there, what can I say about our fixation with the music of this short-lived and long-gone beloved composer, who wrote his music for a world so different from our own? That it makes us happy? That it touches our innermost being? That it gives us a glimpse of our higher power? Yes!

Join me to a toast in remembering the 250th birthday of this composer who gave us so much in his short-lived life of 35. To celebrate Mozart's birthday last 27th of January, I chose listening to Clarinet Concerto in A, K.622 with its ethereal perfection, one of the immortal's last works, just a month before his death. I find the mood of the second movement that of profound melancholy. Finally, I honored him with Jupiter Symphony, the culmination of his symphonic output - powerful yet gentle, elegant yet romantic, intense yet tender.

The music of Mozart brings me closer to God and nearer to beauty. I thank Mozart for his gift of music.

Tel Asiado is an Information Technology professional turned writer, author and consultant. Employed by multi-national organizations in information technology, computing and consulting, she has several years of varied experience as project manager, business solution manager, process and information analyst, and as a business writer. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, course credits in MBA majoring in Computer Management, and a diploma in Internet Marketing and Small Business. Her writings also reflect her passions for inspirational/motivational and Christian insights, and classical music. Visit one of her websites: http://inspiredpen.4t.com

Paddington DC - Kristallklare natta

Paddington DC Paddington DC - Oh no, Oh yes (live video footage) (watch out : this is an old PDC song and not a new one) Rfrences musicales : Paper, The Bear Quartet, Add N to (X), Aphex… (in post THE OBSCURE NEW RECORD OF from Absolut Noise. More by this artist at iTunes)

Many families are now purchasing digital pianos to learn on. And why not? They're relatively inexpensive, take up very little space, and produce high quality grand piano sound. But there are certain drawbacks to owning one.

For example, it's a good idea to play an acoustic instrument before trying a digital one. Why? Because no matter how well the piano sound is sampled, it will never match the pure acoustic sound and richness of a "live" piano. This factor is very important to some because they want to experience that organic sensibility only a true acoustic can give them.

When a key is struck on an acoustic instrument, it produces overtones that reverberate around the room creating a sound that no digital instrument can accurately capture. I don't know why this is but I've played on the best digital pianos and have never experienced that "woody" feel an acoustic gives out.

If this doesn't concern you, then you've passed the litmus test for owing a digital piano because while they can't give you the exact feel of an acoustic, they come pretty darn close to giving you the deep, rich, full sound of a grand piano! For most people, this is all that matters and I for one agree!

Today's' digital pianos are so good that most listeners can not tell the difference between a "live" piano and a digital one. Add to that the fact that they are the most affordable of the kinds of pianos you can buy and you've got an instrument that's hard to beat.

It really all depends on what your needs are. Do you need to experience a cacophony of overtones? If so, don't go digital, But if you want that full grand piano sound without paying $50,000 for it, digital is the way to go!

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

Fabolous Feat. Red Cafe & Joe - You Can't Slow Me Down

pix by RODans la vie il faut ce dcider, avoir le cu entre deux chaises a sert rien part pour chier! Le mange commence ds le matin slip ou boxer? chemise ou t-shirt? Ensuite au… (in post Dcide Toi from Boule Facettes. Download this at Amazon More by this artist at iTunes)

Are you interested in learning to play the piano? If so, there are a few steps to actually getting started on the path to accomplishing that dream, you have to decide whether or not to buy digital piano equipment or traditional acoustic piano equipment. Also, you have to figure out whether you plan to teach yourself with online courses and books or hire a professional piano instructor. While it is difficult to advise a person as to what the best learning style for them would be, here is a little bit of information that might convince you whether or not you should buy digital piano equipment and learning materials or acoustic material to get started on your path to learning to play the piano.

Just the thought of learning a new instrument is exhilarating and being able to afford the instrument is just as exciting. You actually get to take the instrument home with you to practice where and when you want. Being so lightweight, the digital piano has become the choice for most piano playing novices and professionals alike.

Digital pianos have come a long way since the first synthesized piano, and the selection has grown exponentially. There are those that prefer the older more acoustic piano, but they are becoming too costly to maintain. The upkeep on a traditional style piano costs quite a bit what with cleaning and tuning costs every year.

One of the greatest advantages to a digital piano is that you can record your music in real time and begin to edit as soon as the track is saved. Connections include direct RCA hookup and 8mm plugs for sound card connections. Having the recording function allows you to hear how you play and to spot where you may be flat. Having the music in a digital format will also allow you to cut, scrape and edit the music as well.

The cost of a digital piano starts at roughly $100 and up. Compare this against a traditional piano and you would barely be able to pay the moving mans fee for hauling a piano to your house. A real piano is nice to have and is a great instrument, but when it comes to mobility, nothing beats a digital piano.

Being more mobile allows the user to take the digital piano to classes or jam sessions. For the new student, this is extremely convenient and will definitely cut down on the cost of the instructor's time as they sometimes charge for travel.

Learning the piano is a great way to experience music on all levels. Using a digital piano will allow you to do so much more with your studies and keep your costs down as well.

You can get a more in-depth knowledge about the piano in general and the many types of digital piano in particular by going to the-piano-site.com - The Complete Online Resource For Pianos And Piano Music.

[ARTICLES] ADISKATE - MATT IRVING INTERVIEW

You might not know Matt Irving's name but we can guarantee you've seen or indeed own some of his handiwork. With a knack for geometric flow and a natural flair for clean lines, his style is instantly appealing and offers snippets of humour in unexpected places. From his own work under the banner of Delphi, which included some great designs for Element, and more recently one of our shoes of the year in the Milk Blazer SB, he has had his finger in more than a few pies. Right now though, he's taken on a pretty big job handling all the visuals for the embryonic adidas Skate team. From the ads to bongo vans and videos of the Gonz in full flight, Irving is all over it. The trefoil is in good hands...

How and when did you start working on adidas Skateboarding and in what capacity do you work for them?
It all started about a year ago. My friend Brett Critchlow and I were approached separately by adidas to create concepts for their ads. We were both too busy with other projects so we decided to team up and the next thing you know we got the gig and started working on it full time. We handle everything visual for adidas Skateboarding except for the actual product design. So it’s things like ad campaigns, commercials and video projects, catalogs, website design etc. Two weeks ago we were asked to redesign the paint job for a 1970s split window VW bus for adidas Brasil. Our projects can be really random at times.

What’s your overall goal with adidas Skate? Where do you want to take it?
Personally, I just want it to be sincerely focused on skateboarding and not try to be too much of a fashion thing. Just shoes for skateboarders, and if other people seem to like them, then that’s cool too. I like that the team is solid and respected by skateboarders and adidas is being very slow and steady about what shops carry the program. Being a little bit picky isn’t necessarily being exclusive and snobby, it’s about committing to the skate shops that have been around for a long time and supporting the scene.

 

How do you, in general terms as well as specifically in regards to adidas Skate, feel about non-skate companies entering
the skateboarding world?
It’s all fair game in this day and age. There aren’t any rules about who can and can’t have a skate program. I think that skating has changed a lot since I started doing it. When I was a teenager I probably would have hated it if the bigger companies were getting involved because skating was something to break away from the mainstream. These days skating isn’t what the outcast kids are doing, it’s something that is considered cool. That doesn’t mean that there is a right and a wrong, skating continually eats itself and neglects its roots.

What do you think adidas Skate can offer to skateboarding?
I think they can offer up some really good quality shoes and support some of the best skateboarders to push what is possible on a skateboard. They have a level of quality in materials and production that is much higher than most of what is out there. If they can last longer than an average pair of skate shoes, then that’s good for everyone. I think it’s also really cool that the majority of skate shoes out there have always looked to many of adidas’ classic shoe designs for how they design their shoes. Like the Shelltoe, Stan Smith, Rod Laver, Campus, Gazelle or even just the iconic stripes on a side-panel.

 
What projects are you working on right now?
I just got back from five days of filming in Berlin with the adidas Europe team. It was a really fun time and super productive. That team is so driven to get out and skate. Right now we’re out in New Zealand to shoot Mark Gonzales with a small film crew and studio. It’ll be a three minute film about Gonz out in New Zealand because he has been living out here with his lady-friend while she gives birth to their child. That happened a few weeks ago and it’s a boy.

What new product can we expect from adidas Skate in the future?
Well there’s a new hi-top style of a shoe called the Roster Mid that will be coming out in January, as well as a vulcanized version of the Campus. The Gazelle was just redesigned with subtle improvements so it’s totally skatable. I really like how that shoe turned out and it’s not going to smash the crap out of your heels because of a lack of padding. Then in the middle of 2008 there will be a redesigned Shelltoe coming back that is modeled after an original late seventies model of the shoe. It’s completely dialed in, looks amazing and is true to the style of Shelltoe everyone used to wear in the early nineties.

 

How do you juggle working for adidas and your other projects?
Lately there hasn’t been a lot of juggling actually; Brett and I have just been focused on it as much as we can so the foundation is set for this first year. I still manage to do a few outside co-op projects in the evenings but I’m making a conscious effort to dedicate more time to that sort of stuff. It’s been nice to take a break from Delphi projects and personal artwork. I think I overdid it and kind of got burnt out on work. Now it feels fun again and the ideas flow naturally, I can have a fresh approach and know that it’s art or design projects for that very sake. I can live off the adidas work and keep the personal projects focused on new ideas and personal growth.

What other projects are you working on at the moment? What about Delphi?
I did a bunch of stuff for Nike ACG before I started working for adidas. It’s a Delphi/ACG design co-op collection that drops this spring. I just wrapped up a board, sweater and tee for a German skate brand called Hessenmob. Some shirts and a jacket design for a clothing line in Paris called Sixpack and some board graphics for Element. I might actually get to have some of my photography on wine bottles for Francis Ford Coppola’s winery, but we’ll see how that turns out.

What is floating your boat at the moment? Music? Art? Drinking?
Traveling has been consistent this year and that’s always great. Going to new cities, meeting new people and seeing different art and architecture. I think it’s important to rip yourself out of the your everyday life, it’s easy to get complacent. I also get really hyped on seeing friends starting to gain acknowledgement for their artwork. It’s inspiring to see people become successful at their random ideas and eventually to a level where they can live off of it. I have a friend who shapes surfboards under the name Mandala and his impeccable craftsmanship is blowing up. I don’t really even surf, but I certainly appreciate how cool-looking his boards are and the level of quality that he demands out of himself. I like that, it’s rare!

What keeps you motivated to work in this industry? Inspires you?
I grew up skating and it kept me out of trouble. I’ve always loved it and for some reason the love hasn’t gone away. I really only enjoy working for things that I believe in, and skating happens to be one of those things. Any design work I do out of skating is usually in the streetwear realm, I only do that because I like that world too. It’s young and energetic; I just don’t like the ‘trophy-hunter’ aspect of it.

 

 

What’s your take on the current state of skateboarding and how do you feel about the constant reference of skateboarding in streetwear, despite the fact the majority of streetwear brands have little, if any, history in skateboarding?
That’s a weird one. I actually think that streetwear is loosely tied to skating because a lot of the people that run the companies tend to be skaters or ex-skaters. There’s an entrepreneurial spirit that is sort of consistent from watching skate companies come up and get successful. In many ways, streetwear of today reminds me of the skate companies in the early 90s and I think that’s why I like it.

By Steven Vogel

For more info on Adiskate, hit up their website here

 

Mention the song title "William Tell Overture," and a lot of people might scratch their heads in confusion. But hum a few bars, and there are few people who don't recognize this classic tune. It's so famous that it's been covered by literally hundreds of artists since its composition in the early 1800s. Modern recording artists still turn out renditions of the "William Tell Overture" today because of the public's instant connection to its familiarity.

Though everyone recognizes it, many are not aware of the history and the context from which the song originated. It was composed by Gioachino Rossini for his 39th and most famous opera, William Tell. The man on whom the opera is based is a figure surrounded by mystery and lore. William Tell, although well-known in Switzerland as a national hero, is arguably a somewhat controversial figure. Some historians debate whether the man even existed. If he did, was he really the legendary figure he has been lauded as being?

Regardless of such questions, school children around the world can recite the story of William Tell, the man who shoots the apple off of the head of his son with his crossbow. According to legend, Tell, who was something of a renegade, refused to bow to the statue of a contentious ruler. As punishment, he was forced to either shoot the apple, or subject both himself and his son to execution. An expert marksman, he successfully saved the life of both himself and his son with a single shot. (He reportedly said afterward that he had one arrow in reserve for his punisher, should he have failed his son.)

It's a grand story that is told fondly in many classrooms. But, like many legends, his has probably been embellished over the centuries, if indeed the man lived at all. Despite the questions about his life, he is still recognized as a Swiss hero. Perhaps it is this cloud of intrigue that has inspired so many artistic works based on the legend of William Tell.

The opera William Tell was based on a previous work, a play written by Friedrich Schiller. The musical version of the hero's life is a four- hour work characterized by complicated and demanding scores. Since its first public performance at the Paris Opera in 1829, it has been edited and recreated in less-demanding versions over the following centuries.

In the years after its first performance it was censored and banned by various governing authorities for its controversial glorification of a revolutionary character. As censorship often does, this tended only to fuel the public's interest even more. This may be one of the reasons the legend of this Swiss hero became so dramatically retold, embellished, and exaggerated.

The overture itself is written in four distinctive sections, with each leading seamlessly to the next. Rarely has any song without lyrics been sung so frequently. While the composer Rossini might be pleased with how his work has become so ingrained into modern culture, he may be less impressed with the reasons why. The "William Tell Overture" catapulted into popularity when it was used as the theme music for the television series "The Lone Ranger." Appearing first as a radio broadcast in 1933, followed by the television series, the "William Tell Overture" may be forever associated with the media hit. Politically incorrect though it was by today's standards, "The Lone Ranger" continues to be credited with indelibly etching the overture in the minds of popular culture.

Today the song is parodied more than any other classical song, with versions found on the CDs of modern artists and even on YouTube. It graces sporting events, and it is particularly associated with horse racing. Even those who can't identify it by name refer to it as "The Lone Ranger Song," and usually they can't help but hum or whistle along when they hear it played.

Duane Shinn is the author of the popular DVD home study course on playing piano titled "How To Play Piano By Ear"

[NEW RELEASE] PUMA X ATMOS - MONKEY

 

 

America's favorite show American Idol has finished and the outcome has been decided - and we knew David would triumph - we just weren't sure which one. In the end it was by a sizable margin, some 12 million votes, or 56 percent of the vote, and David Cook was crowned winner of American Idol season 2008. The season finale was watched by 32 million viewers.

It is now part of Idol folklore that Cook wasn't even going to try out for the show. It was his brother and an American Idol producer that talked him into going through with the audition. He grew up outside Kansas City, MO, and works as a barman, playing gigs around Tulsa, Okla. He has the experience of a small-show rock performer, and over the course of the series showed his versatility and style with a number of excellent renditions of well known rock/pop songs from artists as diverse as Michael Jackson ("Billie jean"), Collective Soul ("The World I Know") and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing".

It doesn't take long for new "home-grown" stars to start to sell product. His first release-proper "The Night of My Life" debuted on the Billboard Top 100 at number 3 and number 1 on the digital download list. Other songs he has sung throughout the show also show up in the Hot Digital Tracks chart, including his version of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Dream Big". It is an amazing digital world we live in where songs that have not even been officially recorded or released can show up on the national charts.

Digital sales actually went crazy after the completion of the finale. Undercover.com reports that 1.5 million digital sales were generated following the finale of American Idol. And that wasn't just for the American Idol stable of performers. David Cook sold 942,000 downloads, with second place getter David Archuletta selling 323,000 downloads. Guests on the final show also benefited from the exposure, with George Michael selling 83,000 tracks last week. Carrie Underwood sold 64,000 units, while ZZ Top's 'Sharp Dressed Man' was downloaded 14,000 times. Collective Soul's 'The World I Know' had a 1000% increase, selling 23,000 sales. OneRepublic's 'Apologize' sold 40,000 units. It did 6000 the previous week.

And what about the other David? Coming runner up in American idol is hardly a sentence to anonymity and a quick resumption of one's former life. Seventeen year-old piano balladeer David Archuleta had a number of excellent performances in the final few shows of the series. Many tipped him as the eventual winner. The judges certainly thought he had the goods. But the voting public preferred the more confident Cook. Archuleta will join his top 12 colleagues for the 54 date tour across the nation through the summer. A seasoned performer will emerge, and it is a sure thing that we haven't heard the end of David Archuleta.

The American Idol Live concert tour kicks off on July 1 in Glendale, AZ. Tickets are available from http://www.concert-ticketdeals.com

Don't miss the excitement of the 2008 American Idol series as it comes to a city near you. Tickets are still available to most shows. M. Paul is a music fan and runs the ticket selling service http://www.concert-ticketdeals.com

Tackling Your Unemployment Creatively

Are you unemployed or been laid off? You are not alone if that is any comfort to you. Worldwide millions of people are in the same predicament as you are. Unemployment and lay offs are stark realities of the downsizing, reengineering, restructuring, and automation in a sluggish global economy where corporations are trying every trick in the book to reduce costs, increase productivity and keep the organization lean, mean and profitable. Every one of us has gone through the phase of being unemployed once or more in our careers.

What does one have to undergo during this period. Endless wait for phone calls, eagerly scanning the emails or letters inviting you for a discussion, even a rejection letter seem to be good as you feel at least your existence is being acknowledged, the pain of unreturned calls from ex colleagues and friends whom once you helped or were close to, sudden disappearance of invitations which used to pour in when you were employed may all sound only too familiar to many of us.

The major problem is the loss of self dignity, fall from one's own self respect and severe depression. One feels lower than the lowliest creature. If you are young you can still look forward with better resilience. God forbid if you are one of those in the mid 30's or 40's and may be waiting for months and even years for jobs which many think you are too old to handle in spite of your excellent track record.

The pain of running out money, ideas, contacts and even life itself is too intense. However you have a choice. You can either look into an empty future or you can believe that a bright future is just around the corner and you will turn that corner soon.

Here are 5 creative ways you can tackle your period of unemployment and turn the corner.

Learn a New Skill

One of the best ways to spend the time of unemployment or layoffs is to take up a course, learn a new skill, and improve your qualification. There is plenty of time available which needs to be productively used. Instead of worrying and fretting or just watching T.V., one may take up learning a new skill or improve professional knowledge by taking up a course. This would help one to be more competitive in the job market and increase the chances of landing a job sooner.

Create a job for yourself

Now this is the best alternative and the most creative way to spend your lay off period. Instead of waiting around for a job to come through you may as well set up a business of your own. Yes. It is easier said than done as most people may not have sufficient funds or investments to launch on one's own.

There are plenty of options to strike out on your own without investments. All you require is a PC and maybe an extra phone. Everyone has specialized knowledge. You can consider becoming a consultant in your area of specialization. If you feel your skills are not sufficient to set out as a consultant, step one above might help you in that direction. You can look at a home business by becoming an affiliate or join a network marketing opportunity. The money you may be making may not equal what you were earning. But remember the seeds planted today would take time to grow and yield much more in time than what you may make on a job in the long term. Just nurture the seed carefully, water it, weed it and grow it into a big harvest. The immediate benefits are that you have something to do and ward off negativity and depression.

Maintain a busy routine

Most of us slaves of our habits. Having been accustomed to a busy 12 hour schedule, you may find time hanging heavy. Prepare a schedule of activities for every day and keep busy. If don't have anything else to do, take in those free community lectures, go and meet some one and network, write something, have a learning schedule and read all the books you can. Prepare your daily schedule to keep yourself busy.

Create Networks

Building new contacts are the best way to tackle your unemployment. While keeping you busy, you never know who may turn out to be useful in helping you to find a job. You may end up striking good friendships lasting a lifetime. Keep a goal of getting to know at least one new person everyday and you have added up 365 more people to your address book. Whether in business or a job the more people you know more the circle of influence

Spend quality time with your family

Last but the most important; use the opportunity to spend quality time with your family. We always grumble that we do not find enough time for our family. Now is the golden opportunity. Share some intimate moments with your spouse. Watch your children grow. Enjoy these moments of adventure, wonderment, and joy very special to children and adolescents. Take some outings or walks in the morning and evening with your children, parents or spouse and catch up on what you missed. This could really uplift your spirits, help put up your confidence and develop a more positive outlook.

It is wise to remember that unemployment is not a sign of failure. It is only a temporary setback. Knowing how to bounce back is the key. To be creative in times of stress will help you with a new beginning, a new a career and realization of some unmet goals.

R.G. Srinivasan is a managerial professional, Writer and Author. He writes a regular blog on home business with interesting articles, resources, personal experiences and links useful for work at home professionals at http://www.homebusinessresourcesonline.com/

Anime Song Downloads

You can get Anime song downloads on various web sites that offer an opportunity to download Anime episodes, songs, movies, themes, wallpapers and other stuff. There are literally hundreds of such web sites so there shouldn't be a problem finding one. But there is still a small problem - most of them have either pay per download fees or have monthly fees so you should be ready to spend some cash. Some sites charge $10/month, some $30 - but that is understandable as they need to support their servers which are used to host all the files you want. And believe me, hosting a server is expensive, it can be as high as $500 per month.

Plus, not all of the web sites that claim to deliver Anime song downloads are as good as they look like. There are hundreds of sites that are a complete waste of time and money, so to pick a really nice Anime download site can be hard, but not impossible. To make sure that I am using one of the best Anime web sites I have done a research. I have tried over a dozen different web sites that offer Anime and Manga downloads and I might say there are more junk than good sites.

Though, the good news is I was able to find one legitimate and amazing web sites with thousands of Anime episodes and movies, not mentioning Anime songs downloads because you will have a really hard time downloading it all. After of two weeks using it I fell in love and I can't imagine my life without it, I am so addicted to downloading everything I can!

By the way, it is way better than other because it doesn't have download, or monthly fees which makes it a real money and time saver. I believe that you will appreciate the quality and amount of content provided to its' members so if you want to get Anime song downloads and unlimited Anime episodes and movie downloads you can start there.

Lewis Dixon enjoys watching Anime and Manga TV series and Movies. Find out which web site has the largest Anime and Manga collection on the Internet.

Sneaker Freaker

Sneaker Freaker Magazine - Global sneaker news, info & exclusive updates - everything sneakers.

Learning how to play the keyboard has several advantages over learning how to play the piano. Although you might think learning one is as simple as the other, the keyboard as an instrument is superior in many ways.

With a piano, you only have one type of instrument that you can play...the piano itself. Electronic keyboards allow you to mimic the sounds of dozens of different instruments. Some more expensive models can mimic the sounds of hundreds of instruments and allow your to lay tracks...right on the keyboard!

When you learn how to play the keyboard, you are learning all of those instruments without having to take additional lessons. Sounds can include:

Many types of pianos (grand piano, electronic, etc.)

Percussion instruments

Organs of all kinds (even harmonica!)

Stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello, contrabass)

Brass instruments (trumpet, tuba, trombone)

All of the Woodwinds (clarinet, flute, saxophone)

Sitar

Banjo

Bag Pipe

The piano sounds that come from a keyboard can include grand piano, electric piano, honky-tonk and many, many more! There may even be special effects available like bird noises, telephone rings and other novelty sounds.

When you learn how to play the keyboard, you'll also get to choose from a variety of background sounds that can accompany your main melody. You can normally choose from one of the following:

Pop

Dance

Rock

Jazz

Latin

Hip-hop

More advanced keyboard models may have more choices.

Learning play the keyboard is perfect for beginning music students. There are keyboard models that will show you each note that needs to be played next. It is an easy method of learning that guides students into a better understanding of music.

Playing with a keyboard is also more portable than playing a piano. A keyboard, if it is small enough, can go anywhere with you. This makes it easy to practice in different environments. Keyboards are easy to find. While pianos can cost thousands of dollars, you can find a keyboard for as low as in the classified ads.

There are more complex keyboards that cost much, much more. But for a small investment you can decide if playing the keyboard is really right for you. In the future, you can upgrade your keyboard choice to a more featured model.

Learning play the keyboard is one of the easiest and most fun ways to get into music. There are plenty of songs available for the keyboard, and with practice there is no limit to what you can play! You can experiment a lot with the keyboard; and even create your own one-man band, complete with drums, piano, horns, string instruments and possibly even your own voice. Who knows? You may even produce a demo that you could send to a music executive. The possibilities can be endless!

Claim your free PianoLessons eBook! Get ready to add a new dimensionto your life. Everything you need to learn piano is right here. And new articles are added each week, so keep coming back for all the free tips, lessons and and helpful advice you can handle!

[NEW RELEASE] LACOSTE - ARDEUR 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...

 

Literally, every man and his dog within the recorded music business is in a fever pitch talking about how advertising funded models are the way forward. With the likes of Blyk, myspace music store, muzu, We7 and numerous others advocating this new model, perhaps they are right? The real test though, is whether music fans will actually be prepared to sit through advertisements before having access to listen to a track they like. Furthermore, are the models commercially viable in the long-term both for the labels and the artist?

On Monday earlier this week I was in attendance at a digital music event for the independent sector. The panel focusing on advertising funded models contained five proponents and one label. The models were varied yet all had similar commercials in terms of a revenue share split after costs. One model revolved around listening/viewing an advertisement and then having access to a one off stream of the music (We7) pay with "money or time", another discussed the benefits of top and tailing video or audio on each track and once viewed the fan owns the track yet it is Windows Media DRM'd (Spiral Frog). Myspace is a straight play on banner advertising where the label receives a percentage of all advertisements displayed on its catalogue of artist's pages.

All proponents of the ad-funded model are always pushing the line that as it is ad-funded it will be free to the consumer and hence will help curb P2P file sharing and piracy. Are you telling me that a teenager who normally goes to their favorite torrent site and rips all the tunes they want for free, is going to be incentivised to go to a site and have to view or listen to ads before having access to their tune? I would state if anything this is just placing another barrier other than DRM in front of them, which in turn actually de-incentivises the P2P file sharer.

I asked the question who in the audience at this conference would be prepared to view/listen to an advertisement to have access to a free track? Only 15 - 20 percent of the audience half-heartedly put their hands up. In my mind at an industry conference if there is such a low percentage of industry personnel actually buying into an ad-funded model, my suspicion is that the percentage will be a lot lower with music fans on the street.

At this conference, Simon Wheeler Digital Director at Beggers Group stated that if the businesses pushing the ad-funded model cannot even afford to license the music from the ad-funded business model what is the point of a revenue share? In my mind this is a key point. If an ad-funded model does not generate enough income to enable the business to license music, than what is the incentive for a label to agree to a revenue share, as their income derived is obviously not going to be sufficient? How can these businesses expect labels to accept lower than traditional fees for the music to support a business model that on face value seems to be unsustainable.

So what are the commercials (no pun intended) like in terms of payment to labels and further down the chain actual artists? If you look at the myspace model all advertisements are purchased on behalf of brands by media agencies usually on a CPC or CPM model. These models usually purchase advertisement impressions on the website based on 8 - 10 per 1000 ads served. After costs an ad-funded business offering a labels music for free expects labels to accept a revenue share. This would realistically leave labels with a maximum of 3 - 4 per 1000 ads served on their artist's page and this would usually translate to 500 - 1000 song listens.

So what would an artist receive from such ad-funded deals? Generally an artist in the major label category would receive a 16 percentage royalty before producer and packaging deductions and that's if they are lucky enough not to have they royalty halved because the label deems digital to be 'new media'. So 16 percent of say 4 would equate to 0.64 pence to the artist before deductions for 1000 downloads or streams of their song. Understandably many labels are reticent to accept such a model, quite simple due to their unsustainable economic models.

At present this in my mind is a serious stumbling block. Until advertisers are willing to pay higher rates in the digital age for targeted advertising where free music is provided to the end consumer, these models are destined to failure. If anything I view such ad-funded models as a further devaluing of what music offers to the fan and is to the business. To date it is clear that the numerous different subscription models have not been the boon industry wanted, and so I ask the question, will ad-funded models be any different?

Jakomi Mathews - Digital/mobile music consultant, speaker and innovator