The Map Magazine

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Yet another player in the music streaming service has decided to shift the focus of its services to devices such as TV and others connected to the internet in near future.

While addressing the participants at SXSWi event, Daniel Ek, the CEO of Spotify emphasized upon the need for such expansion to continue with the success record of the service. He also added that he would really appreciate the transplantation of the service to other web-enabled platforms.

Spotify claimed of having 7 million subscribers with as many as 320,000 premium accounts that charge a fee for ad-free subscription earlier this month.

The event also confirmed 3 Mobile will see to launch of latest Sony Ericsson smartphones, Vivaz with pre-installed Spotify.

According to Tach Radar, Ek disclosed that this is not the only deal the company is looking forward to as they are planning to register their presence in every aspect of this field, be it a set top box, a mobile phone or an Xbox. He also added that the company wants to create music like water.

Though the enthusiasm of Spotify is gradually catching up, the company has not been able to conclude its negotiations with the US copyright owners in similar position, so as to make a mark in the US markets.

If downloading music is your thing, then it’s worth a look at some of the broadband prices of TV and phone and broadband bundles which are offered by Sky, Virgin Media and BT. There are a variety of service packs with ad ons to include films, music and sport. Worth a look at and might save you some money on those music downloads.

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Elvis is renowned the world over for his music, embellished jumpsuits and provocative performance style, but something he is perhaps less well-known for is his generosity to others. From Cadillac’s, to diamond encrusted Rolexes, Elvis’ gifts were given as a sign of his love to those around him and often on the spur of the moment.

Elvis’ generosity seems to be a characteristic that was always present in his personality. From an early age he was known to give away his new toys to children he felt were less fortunate than himself; an unusually generous action for a young boy.

From humble beginnings rose a star of epic proportions. Throughout his meteoric career, much of Elvis’ generosity was unknown to the general public. Behind closed doors he paid off people’s hospital bills, bought wheelchairs, paid off others debts and supported everyone from friends and family to total strangers. He bought friend Joe Esposito a house and contributed $30,000 towards a home for friend Jerry Schilling, and footed the bill for both their weddings.

Well known for his love of cars, Elvis also lavished his friends with automotive gifts. In total, Elvis bought around 150 cars for his friends, who became known as the ‘Memphis Mafia’. Nancy Rooks, Elvis’s maid at Gracelend recalls: “One of the bodyguards told me to come to the front door and Elvis said, ‘Do you like that car?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ And he said, ‘It’s yours’”*.

Publicly, Elvis used his fame and popularity to host shows and benefits that would raise money for causes he was passionate about. After serving in the US Army for two years, Elvis came back and hosted a charity benefit in Hawaii, raising $65,000 for the Memorial at Pearl Harbor for the U.S.S Arizona. The fund was struggling at the time, but after Elvis’ contribution, the memorial opened later that year.

Today, Elvis Presley’s philanthropic endeavours are survived by the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation and the Elvis Presley Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Memphis. The memory of the King lives on through his music, persona and kindness.

*Quote taken from The Guardian, available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/dec/29/elvis-presley

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Shakira fears she’ll have to write to MATT DAMON’s wife and apologise for namechecking her man on her new album.

The Colombian pop star pines for the movie star in the lyrics of Men In This Town and can only hope his wife isn’t upset with her.

She tells Entertainment Weekly, “I know Matt and his wife. We have friends in common. I hope she’s not mad at this. He’s one of those good men. He’s really something.
“Maybe I should send an apologetic note to the wife and say, ‘Hey, I’m taken too, don’t worry’.”

Shakira’s always been sexy, but lately we’re starting to wonder if she’s taking something blue and diamond-shaped with her morning cup of Colombian Java. First there was ‘She Wolf’ and that video; now comes ‘Did It Again’, a track with a fruity promo clip - she literally pounces on her prey, several times over - and equally fruity subject matter. A handy précis: Shakira cops off with a stranger, follows him back to his hotel room for a bit of slap ‘n’ tickle, and then twigs that - oh crap! - he’s married.

“I did it again, I got it all wrong, but it felt so right,” our libidinous heroine sings - before admitting that she went back for more the next night. The Neptunes, meanwhile, lay down a taut, contemporary production comprising marching band beats, bouncy synths and an infectious “ey-ey-ey” hook. The result? Quality dance-pop from an artist currently oozing… hold on, don’t let your mind run away from you… confidence.

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If a friend enjoyes singing, then maybe they should consider learning with professional violin or piano lessons. A certified guitar school in Chicago likely offers talented instructors who can teach you learn to jam in many types of music, instruments and genres. An eager musician mustn’t ride the L very far to find a Chicago music school with likable and professional piano or guitar instructors.

Let us look at guitar lessons. There’s little question, the human voice is a wildly common musical device (I also urge you to learn the xylophone). They are embraced for their flexibility. A talented guitar teacher would let you play an entirely mind-blowing sound that’s worthy of the lesson! Much better than the all-too-typical cheesy guitar classes, small Chicago piano teachers are the revolutionary new way to jam with and to guitar, or piano.

So what, maybe you only recently picked it up or you’ve wanted to do this for years–quality piano lessons can aid you to master all the great number one singlesfunner than individual study. Choose from piano lessons in Chicago, Mother and Son guitar instruction, elementary piano lessons for children and even traditional piano lessons. Naturally, tight-wad friends may take a firm stand that you study your the basics like piano scales and musical timing as a prerequesite to complete guitar songs you love. Order those bozos to pony up, because most music schools start at $25,

A new generation of music students and teachers are acquiring a radically different philosophy. Actually you could find scores of playful approaches! But the top most piece of info to recall is that guitar lessons, and music classes of any genre must be played. It’s hard to make a mistake believing in music, due to the fact that a discordant chord you strike, can be made to belong by the next. Piano classes are here to stay.

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Welcome to the wonderful world of music. As you begin reading this Music Mini Course it is fun to realize that you are also participating in a very important cultural aspect from around the world which has been going on for centuries. Did you know that pianos in some form have been around for over 500 years? Some of the first instruments of this kind were created in the late Medieval Period and were called clavichords. They had a very light, metallic sound because the small hand-pounded ‘hammers’ were made of very light weight metal-like material. These hammers struck strings of varying lengths to create different tones or pitches. The next cousin to the clavichord was the harpsichord invented by Cristofori in Italy around 1450 A.D. This keyboard instrument had a mechanism in it called the plecktrum which ‘plucked’ the strings and produced a slightly stronger sound than its predecessor. Whether you are playing an acoustic instrument, which is the closest relative to the history just mentioned, or an electronic keyboard, you are now participating in a centuries old musical art form.

SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS: PIANO OR KEYBOARD?

Does it matter if you apply the information in this course to a keyboard or a piano? Certainly not. The only real difference is that a full size piano has 88 keys (counting both the white and black keys). Keyboards come in several different sizes. Some have 60 keys, some even less. There are also 88 key electronic keyboards and digital pianos that produce very realistic acoustic sounds. Whatever size your instrument may be, remember that the ARRANGEMENT of the keys and the ORDER of the KEY NAMES is the same on both instruments. Rest assured that your basic knowledge of the fundamentals of music can be done very effectively either on a keyboard or a piano.

Musical Terms

Begin your musical study by becoming familiar with these very important musical terms:

BAR LINE - A vertical line which separates notes into groups

DOUBLE BAR LINE - A set of two (2) vertical lines which stand for the end of a piece of music

REPEAT SIGN - Double bar with two dots at the end of a section or piece of music which indicates that section will be played twice.

MEASURE - The distance between two bar lines.

TREBLE CLEF - The S-shaped symbol which stands for notes played with the right hand. This is also referred to as the G cleff since this inner curve of the symbol rests on the G line.

BASS CLEF - The reversed C-shaped symbol which stand for notes played with the left hand. This clef is also referred to as the F cleff since the two dots beside the clef surround the F line.

STAFF - The five lines and four spaces of both the bass and treble clefs.

QUARTER NOTE - Musical symbol with solid note head and stem which gets one count of sound.

QUARTER REST - Musical symbol resembling a sideways W which gets one count of silence.

HALF NOTE - Musical symbol with hollow note head and stem which gets two counts of sound.

HALF REST - Solid half block sitting on third line of the staff which gets two counts of silence.

DOTTED HALF NOTE - Musical symbol with hollow note head, dot and stem which gets three counts of sound.

WHOLE NOTE - Musical symbol resembling a circle on the staff which gets four counts of sound.

WHOLE REST - Solid half block hanging from the second line on the staff which gets four counts of silence.

CHORD - Two or more notes played at the same time.

BLOCKED CHORD - Two or more notes from the same chord played at the same time.

BROKEN CHORD - Two or more notes from the same chord played in sequence.

INTERVAL - The distance between two notes on the musical staff.

FINGERING - Refers to which finger number is used to play a particular note (See Chapter Two: Fingering)

CURVED FINGER - Refers to playing with a rounded finger and on the tip of each finger. This is the best position of the fingers for playing piano or keyboard because it develops finger strength and independence.

INTRODUCTION TO THE WHITE KEYS

There are only seven (7) letter names used on the piano: A B C D E F G. It is interesting to note here that no matter what instrument you play, whether it is piano, tuba or violin, ONLY the seven letter names above are used in the entire realm of music! There are two very easy ways to visualize and remember the names of the white keys on your piano and keyboard. Remember, the note names on an electronic keyboard are the same as on the acoustic piano.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

Understand that the ‘CDE’ note groups are always located directly underneath the two black note group. The letter name ‘D’ in the white key always located directly in between the two black key note groups. ANY TWO BLACK NOTE GROUP on the piano has the letter name ‘D’ as the white key located in between them.

KEYBOARD EXERCISE:

Go to your keyboard NOW and start to play all of the C-D-E groups from the lowest (bottom left) to the highest (top right) on your keyboard. Say C - D - E as you play each key. The F - G - A - B note groups above are located directely beneath each three black note group on any piano or keyboard. Simply locate any three black note group on your piano or keyboard and realize that the F-G-A-B white keys are located directly beneath them. Directly outside of the three black note groups are ‘F’ on the left hand side of the three black note group and ‘B’ on the right hand side of the three black note group. Just fill in the outer ‘F’ and ‘B’ with G and A and you are done!

KEYBOARD EXERCISE:

Go to your piano or keyboard NOW and find all of the F-G-A-G white keys underneath each three black note group. As above, play slowly and evenly saying the letter names as you play the F-G-A-B groups from the bottom of the piano or keyboard (low left hand end) to the top of your piano or keyboard (top right hand end). Congratulations! You now know ALL of the white key names on the piano!

TREBLE AND BASS CLEF NOTE NAMES

Both the Treble and Bass clefs each have five lines and four spaces. Learning the actual note names of each line and space (the spaces between each line) is very simple. Please memorize the sentences below for the Treble Clef Line and Space Notes: Treble Clef Line Notes (starting from the bottom line and moving up) E G B D F Every Good Boy Does Fine (the first letter of each word helps you remember the order of the notes)

Treble Clef Space Notes (starting from the first space and going up): F A C E Just remember that the treble clef spaces spell the word ‘FACE’.

Bass Clef Line and Space Notes are as follows: Bass Clef Line Notes: G B D F A Great Big Dogs Fight Animals Bass Clef Space Notes: A C E G All Cars Eat Gas

Now you know all the names of the white keys on your piano or keyboard. You have also learned the actual letter names of each line and space on both the treble and bass clefs. You are now on your way to the next level of piano education. Be sure to memorize the information above and you will be ready to begin to learn to read music notation on the piano or keyboard.

Jan Durrant, Publisher and Music Teacher
http://www.MakingMusicNow.com
muz@MakingMusicNow.com

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iPods have cornered the market in terms of trendy mp3 players and the latest, third generation, versions offer photograph and video options too. Then there is the ‘iPod nano’ and the ‘iPod mini’ and the ‘iPod shuffle’ too! These gadgets have remained popular for some time now and alongside the sale of iPods an industry has grown in accessories.

The biggest advantage of an iPod is its size and therefore the ability to take it with you wherever you go. However, this can cause problems as they are also quite delicate and the screen and case are prone to scratching, even during normal usage.
Therefore there is a whole market out there offering cases to protect your iPod from damage and to make it possible for you to take it literally anywhere. Most cases now come with a variety of options for straps and clips to make sure your iPod never leaves your side until you are ready to put it away.

Socks

Yes, I do mean socks - literally a sock fabric cover made to fit the different shapes and sizes of iPods. This makes a great iPod case They can be made of a cotton or wool knitted fabric. Apple does sell their own, in packs of six different colours, but there are other manufacturers too offering different styles. Nevertheless, the cheapest I have found was free - we took a pair of men’s sports socks, cut off the foot and sewed up the end where the foot would have been! It was perfect and we got two iPod cases for virtually nothing!

Skins and Fabric

I’m not sure whether the fabric cases here shouldn’t come under the ’socks’ label, but having looked at various websites, there are some really wacky cases for iPods available, at a cost. The options should suit all tastes from pink and fluffy to textured and to practical plain “Hotromz” make the cases to fit all types of iPod available. More expensive than a sock but they do make an individual statement about the owner!

If standing out from the crowd is not your style, there are other fabric options available, such as tweed covered wallets that the iPod just slides into. However, if you wish to change anything, or look at the screen, you need to take the player out of the iPod case.

Between fabric and ’skins’ there is the ‘Moshi’ pouch. This is made from a special fabric, ‘Terahedron’. The inside has microscopic filaments which helps clean your iPod by removing smears and fingerprints from the casing and the outside is water and dirt resistant. There is also an outer pocket for storing earphones. This iPod case is proving very popular and is not prohibitively expensive.

Skins are made from silicone rubber or orca-skin neoprene. The silicone variety provides a translucent skin so that you can still see the iPod inside. They have clear screen protectors too, so there is no need to remove the player from the iPod case to use it. Neoprene covers are best for those people who like to take their iPods when they are taking part in outdoor activities. Tough and strong, they are made to protect the iPod regardless of where you are. They still offer a clear view of the screen, but the cases often have shaped grips on the sides for easy handling. Some have a lid to protect the front and a pocket to store earphones.

Leather

Leather cases for iPods are the most expensive option there is, but not always the most practical, leather iPod cases offer a very smart alternative to the brightly coloured neoprene or silicone skin, or the fabric versions. Some manufacturers offer the opportunity for you to have your initials printed on the iPod case, just to make sure no-one mistakes whose case it is. Leather iPod cases come in several different styles, such as one that looks like a notebook with a front flap, or there is one that has a flap that fixes over the top, like a purse. The ultimate and possibly the most expensive iPod case available is one made from ostrich leather!

Armbands and Sports Cases

The ultimate in portable cases for iPods with elasticised straps that have neoprene cases attached, ready for you to strap on your upper arm. This turns your iPod into the ideal partner to take to the gym where you can exercise whilst listening to your favourite music or other download.

If you are not too keen on wearing it on your upper arm, a new variation is a case that slips on to your hand, which is easy to access if you wish to change whatever you are listening to. This style is most suited for those who want to exercise outdoors such as joggers or walkers.

Steve is a software engineer and owner of iPods Cases For iPods www.ipodscasesforipods.thememoryfoammattress.com

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