Drum Supplies

Every so often a new video game hits the market and changes the landscape forever. Guitar Hero did it a few years ago, the first Call of Duty did the same thing about four years ago and just these past few months Rocksmith is in the process of doing it again.

Rocksmith is the evolution of games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Except this time you’re using a real instrument to play rather then just a guitar shaped controller with five buttons.

The basics of Rocksmith are similar to guitar hero. There’s a series of numbers and colors on the screen which correspond to your actual guitar. You must play the proper notes, power chords and chords on your real electric guitar that match what’s happening on the screen.

Of course, what you’re actually doing is learning to play a simple version of the actual song and training your fingers how to play the guitar.

Beyond just a video game Rocksmith has included some musical education aspects as well. You’ll be able to participate in added mini games to learn power chords, regular chords and even scales.

While I don’t think these mini games are as powerful for beginners as online guitar lessons would be, they do teach you the basics rather then just not ever letting you know what you’re doing in the game.

My gut feeling is that Rocksmith will not be as popular as Rock Band or Guitar Hero. Why? Simply put it’s going to be more difficult to play. While thousands of people wish they were able to play guitar and not just rock out with Guitar Hero, they aren’t really willing to put the work in that’s needed to really learn the instrument.

You do need an electric guitar to play the game, but there are bundles available that include a low cost Gibson electric guitar.

The game is available for the PS3 and Xbox consoles right now. No word has been mentioned about a Wii version.

So you’ve watched all your friends get up on stage and sing in front of total strangers. You’ve always wanted to do it yourself, but it’s something that terrifies you. But there’s something deep inside that is calling you to the stage, and you can’t ignore it any more. You’ve got an internal battle raging between nervousness and wanting to experience true karaoke in front of a crowd. If you’re ready to tackle your fears and finally give it a shot, you’re in for a great time. You’re about to be rewarded with an adrenaline-pumping experience that makes you a part of the entertainment. Unlike listening to music or watching a movie, this is one of the only forms of entertainment that actually makes you a part of the show. For 5 minutes, everyone’s focus will be on you, and you get to be a star!

Be Brave – it’s important to remember that feeling nervous is natural and anxiety is a regular part of karaoke. Even singers who have been doing it for a long time experience a certain level of stage fright now and again. Anticipation is probably the most nerve-racking thing you’ll have to deal with, but finally delivering your performance is an incredible relief. In fact, you’ll feel a huge difference between before and after getting up on stage. The thrill and excitement is totally worth it.

Pick a Good Song – if you’re getting up on stage for the very first time, it’s important to be armed with a great song. There are various things you need to take into account such as how easy a song is to sing in addition to how popular it might be. Above all else, choose something that you know well so that you don’t have to spend every minute staring at the lyric display. In case of an emergency, it’s always nice to know that you have memorized the lyrics beforehand.

Prepare – being prepared helps to cut down the nerves tremendously and practicing will help your performance. There are many ways to bolster your first performance, and every little step helps. You can prepare yourself by going to the bar beforehand and making sure that you are familiar with the layout. You can ask for tips from other singers or talk to the karaoke DJ as well. If you’re still dealing with nerves, then try visualization as a technique to calm yourself down while preparing you for your first performance.

Have Fun – it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself or take the event to seriously. Obviously you don’t want to waste your time up on stage, but you have to remember that karaoke is all about fun. This isn’t your job and you are trying to win a recording contract. It’s just a hobby and a chance for you to experience something different. So revel in the moment and enjoy yourself because it really doesn’t last all that long. Put everything you have into your performance and you’ll have the crowd jumping up and down.

Duets – if you’re too nervous to get up on stage by yourself, a duet is a nice option that takes a lot of the pressure off you. You can either staying with a veteran who can help you along or maybe another newcomer who needs support as well. When duets art done properly, they can be hits of the night because they sound great. And at the very least, you can rest assured that you don’t have to stand up there all by yourself.

If you happen to enjoy yourself, then home karaoke is the next logical step. Live singing and home karaoke have a symbiotic relationship that helps to perpetuate one another. It’s hard to tell which one is more popular, but each offers its own benefits. All you need is a quality karaoke machine where it should be incredibly easy to find these days with options that will blow you away. Modern technology offers you iPod compatibility, video recording, and online play it takes things to a whole new level. You can also simplify things with a good set of wireless headphones for TV and enjoy some private singing all by yourself as well. The options are limitless and if you happen to enjoy this hobby, you’ll have a great way to entertain yourself and good friends.

If you want to have a studio in your home for recoding music then of course controlling sound is going to be a big part of what you do.  I don’t mean just the sounds of your voice and your instruments.  The other side of the coin is stray sounds from outside your recording area and echoes from what you produce.

Have you ever wondered why artists who record in studios are always shown behind a glass window?  It is because they are in a sound proof room that is set up to control all the extra noises that can ruin a recording.  Have you ever listened to the old 78 records from the thirties and forties?  They sound like the recording artists are making their music inside a tin can.  This is because the recording engineers had no knowledge of how to control the sound streams and only record the notes that were important to the song.

In the 50′s this changed as professional recording studies started to pop up all over.  This also was the start of Rock and Roll and Motown which I don’t think is only by chance.  Records finally sounded like the original recordings and people bought them by the millions.

If you are going to set up a studio in your home then sound proofing will be very important.  You can start by soundproofing floors and walls of any room you plan to use.  For the floor, it is recommended that you use a thick carpet as this will cut down on foot noise and also will stop echoes from bouncing off.  For walls the best option is foam.  This has millions of very small open voids which trap the excess sound waves and deaden them out.

It is amazing how much better your music will sound if you take the time to set up your room to cancel out any random noises.