Thursday, November 18, 2010

How To Get Your Dream Record Deal

From your love for music, it is obvious that you wish to make a career with music and take your band to places. Music is your life and your dreams are made of concerts and someday you hope to cut a deal with a music recording company. Well, nothing stops you from working towards it from today itself. Let these guidelines help you to prepare for it and move in that direction.
We have given you two very good Tips on How to Get a Record Deal
The first point starts with having to reach samples of your music to the recording companies so that you get their attention.
There is always a demand for fresh talent in the music industry for artists who are making good music and are able to enthrall the audience.
But before you send out your demo tape, make sure that you recorded your best songs in there. Bear in mind that the main reason why you send it out to them is for you to get that record contract so do not just send in your 'sample piece'. Send in your best shot!
Don't forget to follow up. Once you send out your demo tape see to it that you follow it up after two days. You can call in their office and look for the person whom you've left your tape or you can visit their place and check if they already get a chance to listen to your demo tape.
Your job doesn't end with just submitting the music sample. You should give a call to the person you have submitted every day or once in two days to check the status and ensure they give it the necessary attention. When they are receiving hundreds of samples, it might become difficult for them to give attention to all and hence it is in your interest to follow up.
Always be polite and make pleasant conversation on the phone with the person you follow up with. You might end up building a nice rapport and find it helpful.
Concentrate on your music, produce your best, follow these tips and leave the rest to God.
A guide on removable wall decals and installing metal roofing are found at the author's site.

How to Create Audio Products to Sell

When customers visits your site, the best audio should be played. Vocals should be clear and full, music should be balanced and optimized for comfortable listening. There is 4 steps in the recording process, record,edit, mix and master.When recording, make sure audio does not clip, by following this simple technique, your digital recording will sound clear and more defined without distortion. If you make beats try not to record the the drums to loud, you are only in the recording process, save the loudness for the last step. If you record pod-casts, try not to record close to appliances or by a window, this can enter rumble or unwanted noise in your audio. Garbage signal in will produce a garbage signal out so watch the levels and try to record clean signal. Editing is the next step and a very important one! This is where you splice, trim, cut and clean audio tracks one by one. Depending on the level of tracks, this can be time consuming but
Using the scrub tool you can closely listen for errors and cut out what you don't want to be heard. Most audio software comes with tools that allow you to delete unwanted noise (Pro tools strip silence tool) by cutting out the noise.
Once you have successfully editing out unwanted noises, mixing is the fourth step. This is where you add creative effects to your guitars, vocals and drums. Adding compression to vocals and drums will keep the dynamics in check, leaving your mix sounding more balanced. Re-verbs and delays has an affect on the wetness and aliveness of guitars,vocals and drums, too much and they will sound thin and airy. The trick is to mix all tracks so that they can be heard clearly without clipping the master signal in red.
One way of doing this is by panning some instruments to the left or right speaker. Think about how a drum roll is played, try to emulate that feeling by panning toms and overheads to the left and right. Panning overdubs from vocals can give an awesome effect as well.
Once this is accomplished and rendered down to two track stereo (24 bit or 16 bit 441 wave file)
Mastering is the last creative step, this is where mastering engineers run your project through analyzing software to see what audio frequencies from bass, drums, guitars and vocals are conflicting. Most people record in their basements, or in bedrooms without proper acoustics. This can have an affect on the quality of your audio for several reasons; inferior speakers, audio frequencies bouncing of the wall and hot levels. Audio Mastering balances the stereo tracks so that instruments can play at optimum levels. Music, podcast and audio books needs mastering. For more information on mastering check out my link below, thank you for your time and consideration!

Mixing and Mastering Audio: Tips to Mix Your Beats Like a Pro

When you mix your beats remember you are taking part in a great evolving art form. It began in the South Bronx of New York City in the 1970s; hip hop experienced transition, revolution and even decline; yet it finally secured its place within the mainstream in 2000s.
When producing hip hop albums, it is important to consider first the music beat as it requires a combination of music pattern by mixing derivative pieces of different songs. Final mixes are usually then submitted for mastering. Mastering is the final touch in polishing an audio production for an album as it enhances the clarity of mixes making the sound of songs to be more coherent and ensuring that the mixes sound well on any audio devices.
Mixing beats may sound simple, but there are important points that you should know before submitting your track for mastering.
First, you should be familiar with the terms in mixing domain:
• Level - is about relative level between instruments and their dynamics.
• Frequency - is referring to the spectral content of the various instruments and the overall mix.
• Space - is about with the spatial aspect of the various instruments that is often further subdivided into two sub-areas:
- Stereo - is concerned with the horizontal panoramic aspects of instruments.
- Depth - is all about the front-back aspects of instruments.
Whenever you are mixing and mastering audio; the source material will undergo noise reduction, compression, limiting, equalization, and other processes. Additional editing, pre-gapping, fading in and out, leveling, noise reduction and other enhancement processes and signal restoration can also be applied. This will ready your music for either analog or digital replication. The source material is then sequenced in the right order.
For when you mix your beats, here are some very helpful tips:
• The golden rule for mixing beats is that you should have a clean mix. For example, noise and hiss could be an aesthetic to your track, however, if it does not suit nor intended, get rid of it. There are hardware processors or some WAVES type-effects to do the trick for you.
• Too much filtering is not advisable because mastering engineers cannot fix over processed & over compressed tracks. Also, the quality of music will deteriorate as the sound produced may be too unclear. Therefore, just add effects that would complement your mixes.
• When you mix your beats, have these on a-3db output especially if these will undergo mastering after because this gives provision on headroom and preserves the dynamic range of your music. The final track will sound thin and weak without dynamic range; thus, make the track as loud as possible without over compressing. This way the mastering engineer can run the track through their expert compressors and gear.
• Lastly, you should have a backup of the master copies of your original track in your hard drive. The record company may own the sequence but the individual beats are still yours.
For hip hop lovers, mixing hip hop beats would surely be your passion. However, for your track or album to succeed, learn from those helpful tips.
Would you like to learn even more about how to mix your beats and how to make beats? Visit my website that's full of free valuable resources at http://www.beatmaker101.com for more helpful pro tips, and instructions on making beats.

Demand Grows for Music Artist Autographs

Over recent years live reality TV music shows such as the 'X-Factor', 'American Idol', 'Pop Idol' and other such entities have seen huge growth and rising popularity. The result of such shows has meant that becoming a music artist is a readily available opportunity. With the rise of such shows, the demand for music artist autographs has also soared, as popular music and up and coming music stars emerge in their hundreds in a bid for success.
As well as the emergence of new solo artists and groups, the reformation of bands taking another bite at the cherry has also resulted in the increased demand for musician's autographs. 'Take That' in particular have sparked much hysteria over the past few years and fans have certainly responded to them getting back together as thousands flock to live gigs and look to get hold of memorabilia associated with the band.
Such demand for autographs has seen the industry expand and grow. For some fans meeting their music idol face-to-face is merely a dream, but in order to be part of history, they will go to any lengths to obtain priceless items associated with their favourite artist. The internet is a vast resource for obtaining music related autographs. Many websites make their trade in the buying and selling of priceless memorabilia, including autographs. Such sites are of huge benefit to fans that are looking to acquire autographs of many of their famous music stars. Whether past or present, genuine music artist autographs can be found provided you do your research and know where to look.
Obtaining autographs from the world of music should be an enjoyable hobby and the internet provides an inlet into developing that hobby, however, it is not without its difficulties. Many issues are brought to light regarding authenticity; with such a vast resource to manipulate there are unfortunately some people who will take advantage of that.
Aside from the internet, music artist autographs are a popular selling item at organised music events and festivals. With pictures neatly framed and accompanied by an autograph they are often purchased as a memento by many fans to re-create memories of gigs they have attended. Again, demand for autographs at these events is popular and sellers recognise the demand and oblige by giving adoring fans a treasured piece of memorabilia.
Given the ever increasing speed at which new artists are appearing one thing is for certain, the demand for music artist autographs will continue to grow. One way in which the demand is being met by musicians in particular is by answering requests through social networking sites.
Social networking sites allow access to celebrities on a much more personal basis and provide fans with an open dialogue to request autographs through celebrity home pages. The sites also detail public appearances at events such as record and book signings and in some cases this also acts as great exposure for specialist websites who sell music artist autographs as they can turn up at these events in order to acquire in demand autographs.
For all your music artist autograph needs why not visit the Genuine Memorabilia website.

Music Composition Software Overview and Analysis

Creating music in today's modern society is very different to how things were done in the past but by using music composition software musicians now have a larger array of tools and features to work with when creating their own music.
From a practical point of view music composition software is far superior to the now dated practice of physically writing notes or musical ideas down on paper and while I must admit there is a very almost "magical" feeling to doing things the old-fashioned way, with the advancements that have taken place with computers over the past few years music composition software is now more powerful than ever...
By using music composition software, audio enthusiasts and musicians are now able to create their art without the need for expensive musical instruments and equipment and this is because generally speaking most music software available today requires only an average personal computer to run on and most of the time these programs will also come with a custom audio library that musicians can use to further enhance their compositions.
Custom audio libraries are one of the most notable features of music composition software because they allow artists to create their music using virtual instruments which are often called VST's...
These virtual instruments play a vital part in music composition software because they are what make the software unique, by using these virtual instruments musicians and audio enthusiasts of all genres and disciplines can bypass the need for sourcing people to record their ideas and directly control the instruments from the computer.
From a creative point of view this ability to create music digitally with virtual instruments and drum kits is amazing because it means that people using the software can stay focused on their ideas which might otherwise have been lost or forgotten if the standard approach of writing it down, sourcing musicians and using expensive equipment were required instead...
The experimentation factor is also a key element of music composition software because by musicians having easy access to a vast array of virtual instruments and drum kits this allows them more diversity when it comes to instrument choice.
Music composition software has also played its part in pushing various genres forward in terms of creative experimentation and in some cases have been the sole reason for new genres being created...
Genres such as rap, hip hop, techno and of course drum and bass are all essentially the result of the gradual evolution of computer based digital music and they continue to reinvent themselves and bring the world fresh musical art by embracing music composition software.
Music composition software liberates creative artists from many of the shackles and hardships that have plagued musicians throughout the ages and enable them to now create music that would once have been impossible, whether it is traditional genres using notation software or modern genres using beat maker software the power of computers combined with the creativity of artistic minds is pushing music forward in all directions and as the software continues to become more intuitive and powerful we will be sure to see the evolution of existing music genres and the birth of new ones unleashing fresh new musical art into the world, that will ultimately enrich all our lives...
If you are a musician or just someone looking to get started in digital music production then you should head on over to Dub Turbo and give it a try right now.
The software's intuitive design and user friendly interface allow people of all skill levels from beginner to advance to start creating broadcast quality beats straight away, so do yourself a favor and take a look at Dub Turbo today!

Music Producers: Maintaining a Quality Sound On a Fixed Budget

Over the years we have seen the prices of music equipment become cheaper and cheaper while products become better and better. Once the personal computer became the main brain of the studio this changed everything. In addition, going from analog to digital made the playing field even and gave hope to music producers who had dreams of making their own music. Now and days you have young producers coming up using software like Fruity Loops producing hits for artist. Who would have thought that a person sitting in the middle of America or in China could make a beat in their bedroom that could change the music world. I think that is great for music but some people think that the cheap prices of equipment and software hurt the music. I strongly disagree making things more affordable opened up creativity to producers who may have never would have gotten the chance to create their own music.
At one time you couldn't get equipment like an MPC 2000 for less than three grand now things have changed because of software and products like fruity loops. The soft synth instruments have changed the game dramatically who would have thought you can make a beat that sounds like a full fledge orchestra on your computer. Just the other day I was working on my MV-8000 and I thought wow I brought this in 2005 and it's already considered old school.lol! I started searching online looking for something that would not break my budget but had quality to it. My search had me on YouTube looking at The Beat Thang at first I said what the hell is this? Then I watched the videos and went to the website and saw the specs I was like wow this is a good product.
Three days later I brought this virtual MPC that you can download on your Mac or PC and make beats with your computer keyboard. I downloaded the software and was blown away with the quality of the sounds that it comes with. I forgot to mention that it cost less than one hundred dollars and comes with over 3,000 mastered sounds, that's crazy! Right now I feel that I am definitely producing music on a budget while keeping a professional sound. Any producer that is reading this and you are on a budget and do not want to break your pockets but you want quality I think that the new software that is being developed can and will help you. Just look at all of the great beat making software products with high quality studio mastered sounds that you start with out the box. If this does not open up your creativity then I don't know what will.
Learn how to sell beats on and offline from real music producers/Internet marketers http://getbeatsales.blogspot.com
True Hip Hop Artists
http://truehiphopartists.blogspot.com

Fun Things to Do on the Internet

Not everyone wants to go on the internet for sick purposes, others just want to have fun. While it be chatting randomly with strangers and pissing them off or just looking at fun things. A lot of kids love to play games but sometimes it gets tedious and boring. Think of an Role playing game, it's fun but to role play all day gets out of hand. So what are some things you can do to laugh and relieve some stress.
Manga: Japanese comics is, not what many people do, but it is fun. It is an interesting read because they storyline is a lot better than American comics, in my opinion. And everything is fantasy fiction which brings out your imagination. What's best is that imagination is one of the best ways to have fun. So go look for manga streaming sites but don't get viruses. Don't look for sick perverted ones but the popular good ones.
Failblog: This place has a lot of fails and, who wouldn't want to see people fail. Have you seen a friend fall straight on his butt or face? Wasn't that funny? What about when you do something stupid? Everything is fun and games which makes it funny. So go out and have some laughs. Remember that failblog has a directory with other sites. The sites that I can recommend is comixed, art of trolling, very demotivational and sports. These are all fun and you will laugh. There is a lot of content so catch up on all the funny things that go on in life.
Fmylife: This is another site where people love to post how they failed in their day. It comes from having sex to just ordinary day. Making the simple mistakes human always makes, they love to share the details. So go read some of this blog post and you will have some laughs. This site also has an extended site known as givesmehope. This site is just the opposite.
All these things to do on the internet is a fun read. So go out there and if you see something you like. Keep going to it, it's great to laugh during the day. Keeps the stress out of your life.
Givesmehope is a truly powerful site so you might want to read that.

Art and Entertainment Then and Now

What is art and entertainment?
Art and Entertainment is a medium which is liked by say by every person both are two sides of the same coin. The only difference it the materials for entertainment have a popular or mass appeal, it can be understood easily by commoners whereas art involves are fined sense of understanding. The, difference between Van Gogh's paintings and a James Bond movie. One is art the other is entertainment. But the purpose of both is relaxing the mind and generating a pleasurable feeling.
Difference between art and entertainment.
Art includes paintings, poems, sculptures, installations in studios and museums. Entertainment includes Hollywood movies, television serials, theaters, circuses.
Nowadays artists are trying to do more of interactive art so that there creation can reach to all, poems are taking the form of rap songs. Contemporary art is very much interfused with everyday issues, the problems or situations a person goes through. Aphrodite is a classical Greek art. Monalisa by Leonardo da Vinci is renaissance art done on poplar paper and oil paint. Pablo Picasso and Vincent Vangogh contribute to modern art. Postmodern art or contemporary art consists of Installations, Intermedia, Multimedia and Conceptual art. Brian Andreas, Allan Graham are artist of this age.
Postmodern Installations.
Installation art is a very new concept in postmodern art it is space specific three dimensional designed to transform the perception of space. Marcell Duchamp, Kurt Schwiters are father of installation arts. The Three dimensional affect of this art makes them unique from other art forms.
Passing phases of entertainment.
Man indulged in entertainment with stage plays the topics of Kings and queens, medieval dramas and folk songs. Entertainment resources shows the ways and nature of entertainment changed with time according to the changing demand of the public. Movies gain popularity with the invention of the camera. First was the silent era, only moving pictures without sound. The invention of sound recorder brought in the Talkies, movies with sound and dialogue. Latest technology is High Definition 3D movie Avatar. Entertainment is no longer limited to movies but have moved on to video gaming, internet gaming. Entertainment is an institution itself and has a business market of its own which is expanding rapidly.
Caren Grant is an expert on art and entertainment. If you are interested on art and entertainment, please consult entertainment blogs ( http://www.lightflames.com/ ) for more information.

The Fame and Glory of Marilyn Monroe

To be considered as the most famous woman of the 20th century, it only proves how much Norma Jeane Mortenson gave to the world. Famous as Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane allured Hollywood and the world with her beauty and sexy body together with her vulnerability, innocence and undeniable sensuality.
She had a lonely childhood and a colorful life. She did not know her father and her mother ended in a mental institution so she lived her younger years in orphanages and was often left behind until she married Jimmy Dougherty when she was 16 and he was 21.
She started her modeling career after David Conover discovered her. Soon she divorced Jimmy and on August 26, 1946, she signed a contract with 20th Century Fox. She also changed her name to Marilyn Monroe, using her grandmother's last name and dyed her hair blonde. After that, the rest was history. She had movies and lead roles that by 1953, she was considered as the sexiest most loved actress in Hollywood. She had another two marriages, with Joe DiMaggio and with Arthur Miller that both ended shortly. Marilyn Monroe died during her sleep on August 5, 1962. She was 36 years-old and what happened was unbelievable. Her body was laid at Corridor of Memories, #24, at Westwood Memorial Park in L.A. California on August 8.
She made 30 films, Niagara being her most successful film and The Misfits being her last. Something's Got to Give was left unfinished but her name surpassed the status of a Hollywood glamour queen. She was named Playboy Sweetheart on December 1953 and the following year, she received 'Female World Film Favorite.' She received Best Foreign Artist Award for 'The Prince and the Showgirl' in 1959. In 1960, she received the Best Actress in Comedy for 'Some Like it Hot.' She was always considered as one of the sexiest woman of her time by different magazines and awarding bodies.
Even after she passed away, people continued to praise and recognize her beauty and godly appeal. In 1999, she was named Number One Sex Star of the 20th Century by Playboy Magazine and by People Magazine. Candle in The Wind was a song attributed to Marilyn Monroe by Elton John.
Pollux Parker is an adventurer who loves discovering secret island getaways in each country he visits. Pollux also likes to collect American flags and buy cheap American flags.

Get Healthy for Christmas 2010

I love this time of year but the problem is that there are too many tempting things to eat. I like many people also go into a 'squirrel hibernating' mode which is that I cannot seem to stop eating. As soon as the cold weather comes I can't help but feel the need to eat lots. I've written the following article to help anyone like myself who may need a little guidance and support when it comes to being healthy over the winter period. I hope you find the following article informative and useful.
Firstly don't forget that there are many different ways in which you can lead a healthier lifestyle and lose weight easily.
1. Make sure that you don't snack between meals or whilst your cooking food. This can be a bad habit to get into and result into weight gain and a continuous habit. To resolve this make sure you eat large filling meals 3 times a day to stop hunger. This should be meals with a slow release of energy such as porridge. You can still eat large filling meals without being calorie loaded.
2. Make sure you do enough exercise. Not everyone can get to the gym but there are many other ways to keep your exercise ticking over without the gym. This can be something simple like giving you dog an extra long walk or doing an extra hour of gardening at the weekend.
3. Consider which drinks you have, without realising we consume a lot more calories during the day without noticing because they are all in the form of sugar in fizzy drinks. To resolve this drink water, flavoured water or squash instead of energy drinks or fizzy drinks
4. Purchase supplements to help keep your vitamin and mineral levels balanced. You can purchase these online with voucher codes.
John Cooper would advise you to purchase from Healthy Direct with voucher codes

How Actor Ellen Dolan Got Her Dream Job on As the World Turns

Susan Dansby: Hi, this is Susan Dansby, and I'm here with Ellen Dolan of As the World Turns.
Ellen Dolan was born and raised in Iowa, earned her BA and MFA degrees in theatre from the University of Iowa. While working toward her Bachelor's degree, she spent a summer studying dramatic arts at the Webber Douglas Academy in London.
Her stage career began in repertory theater with such roles as Katrin in Mother Courage.Other regional productions such as Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, May in How the Other Half Loves, and Cleya in The Nerd. She was a founding member of the Studio 3 Group, and is currently a member of the Workshop Theatre Group.
Off-Broadway she starred in Sophistry and I Forgive You, Ronald Regan, and has worked in episodic television on such shows as Law and Order SVU.
Ellen joined As the World Turns as policewoman, Margo Hughes, in November 1989, having been asked to consider the part by the late Doug Marland, who was the head writer for the CBS daytime drama.
Marland had created Dolan's former role of Maureen Bauer on Guiding Light. Dolan debuted on Guiding Light in 1982, portraying the character of Maureen Bauer for the next four years.
Her additional television credits include the made-for-television movies, Mother's Day, Mothers, Daughters and Lovers with Helen Shaver, and Dancing with Danger with Cheryl Ladd.
So, hello, Ellen Dolan! How are you?
Ellen Dolan: Okay, now I can talk.
Susan Dansby: Yes, you can talk.
Ellen Dolan: Thank you! Enough about me. Let's get to me.
Susan Dansby: Well, the big question for this interview is: How Did You Get That Job? Doug Marland approached you about playing Margo. How did that come about? Did he just call you one day?
Ellen Dolan: Yeah. My mother had just passed away. And I moved out to Los Angeles for the first time. And you should never leave town after your mother dies. You're not in a very good frame of mind.
But there I was out in LA, and I was doing what I could and getting along. And my car had been stolen, so I kind of moved further into the Hollywood area. And I was going to tough it out.
And all of a sudden, I got a call from Doug Marland saying, "Would you consider doing this role of Margo because Hillary Bailey Smith [original Margo] really is going to leave this time." Because she'd been planning to leave, I guess, several different times, and just never did. Because who'd want to leave that role?
But he asked me if I would do it. And I said, "Yeah. I would love to." I'd been out in LA for three months, and I thought it really is time to come home, because I'm not ready yet.
So then I found out, "Well, okay, so we'll set up a test for you."
It was like, "A test? A test?!" I felt like Joey in Friends. "What do you mean you want to test me? I AM Dr.-So-and-so."
So I was like, 'Oh, okay, testing.' So, I walked in; and it was the first time I ever saw Scott Holmes [played Tom Hughes on ATWT]. And he was just joyful and fun and lovely. And I was the first person to be put down on tape with him. And badda-bing, badda-boom. I got it.
Susan Dansby: What was that scene about?
Ellen Dolan: I think it was the scene where she had to tell him that Adam wasn't his son.
Susan Dansby: Wow.
Ellen Dolan: Because later on, when I was doing it, we had scenes where we had to tell Hal that Adam was his son.
Read/hear more great interviews, and find out how actors, producers, directors and others get their dream jobs on Susan Dansby's How Did You Get That Job? blog at http://yougetthatjob.com.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

He-Man Action Figures - Nostalgia From The 1980s

It was way back in 1983 that the words, 'By the power of Grayskull! I have the power!' were first heard on television. They were quickly followed by the words, 'The Most Powerful Man in the Universe' and they confirmed that once again Prince Adam had magically transformed into He-Man.
Along with The Muppets, Cabbage Patch Dolls and Madonna's 'Like a Virgin,' He-Man action figures totally define mainstream culture of the Eighties. Just as all little girls back then were nothing unless they owned a My Little Pony toy, no boy's room was complete without a collection of He-Man action figures.
He-Man action figures are part of a media franchise launched by Mattel in 1981. The franchise is known as Masters of the Universe (MOTU) or simply He-Man. The MOTU story first appeared as mini-comic books in 1981 along with the collection of He-Man action figures that could be bought in-stores.
The original mini comics are also known as Mineternia and they tell the story of a wandering barbarian called He-Man. The world has been devastated by a Great War causing a rift between the dimensions. This rift has allowed the evil Skeletor to enter Eternia and it is up to He-Man to stop the evil invader from gaining power.
During 1983 to 1985 the franchise moved to television as a cartoon series. It is during this time that the franchise and He-Man action figures really grew in popularity. As well as expanding the number of He-Man action figures available, the story also became a little more complex and new characters entered the fray.
In the cartoon, Eternia is ruled by King Randor and Queen Marlena. Their son is Prince Adam, a lazy, good for nothing, coward. He has a pet tiger called Cringer. Adam has a twin sister, Princess Adora, but she was kidnapped at birth by the evil warlord Hordak.
How did Prince Adam get the power to transform into He-Man? Well this was given to him by the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull who gave him this power to transform. His Power Sword is raised and he can be heard saying "By the power of Grayskull". He then transforms and is heard saying, "I have the power!"
Once Prince Adam transforms into He-Man, he has superhuman powers and is sole protector of Eternia. He also has the ability to transform his pet tiger, which becomes Battle Cat and also has super-strength powers.
To protect his family, Adam is careful not to let them know about his transformation powers. Only the Sorceress, Orko, Man-At-Arms and Cringer know of his power. Man-At-Arms is also known as Duncan and is He-Man's best friend. Teela is the strong-willed daughter of Duncan and she has little time for Prince Adam as she sees him as spoiled.
The cartoon was considered groundbreaking for a number of reasons. During the 1970s, the story lines of children's television programming was very limited and subject to censorship. He-Man was the first cartoon that featured a muscular superhero who hit people, although he still couldn't use his sword very often.
Also it was the first cartoon to be produced in connection with a marketing line of toys. During this time, advertising to children was also heavily censored. Up until this point, children's cartoons generally consisted of Saturday morning re-runs of old classics. He-Man changed all that.
In 1985, Mattel and the television production company, Filmation, decided to further expand the franchise. They created She-Ra: Princess of Power. The toy line was mostly made of just female characters. These characters all had luscious hair and distinct clothing. What they were attempting to do was to get Masters of the Universe, to work with Mattel's best success, Barbie.
The next collection of He-Man action figures was known as The Powers of Grayskull. The story here is based on Ancient Eternia and shows He-Man arriving there. However, the line was axed early on.
In 1987 the franchise appeared as the film, Masters of the Universe, starring Dolph Lundgren in the lead role. However many fans were disappointed by the film as it did not stay faithful to the original story or characters. Mattel had hoped the release of the film would boost the toy line's falling sales, but it had no effect on sales at all.
Another cartoon series in 1989 was also met with a muted response from audiences. However, in 2002, Mike Young Productions took over the cartoon franchise, staying very close to the original story and introducing some great visual effects.
Despite their bumpy career, He-Man and He-Man action figures have played an integral role in children's lives for the last three decades and no one doubts that along with having the power, Mr. He-Man will be around for many more generations to come.
For more information and articles please visit He-Man Action Figures.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tips On Character Animation Jobs

Be sure you know whether your potential employer wants to see rotoscoped or motion-captured animation. Some Character Animation jobs will be very interested in mo-cap produced animation, while others will be completely turned off. Special Effects. Because of its high profile and glitter factor, this is a very seductive realm of 3D. Everyone wants to see his or her name at the end of a movie. Remember that all special effects does not mean blowing stuff up, though.
Employers are interested in seeing intelligent movement, camera work, model construction, and texture creation. If this is your goal, be sure to have a firm grasp on fog, smokes, pyrotechnics, and compositing techniques. Be prepared with examples of compositing prowess. Show complete digital scenes and hybrid scenes. Have interesting explosions, but have down-to-earth subtler effects as well. After all, not every special effects house does space explosions all the time.
Pre-Visualization: Most every tool, toy, or object we see manufactured today has been touched in some way by a computer. Increasingly high-tech or high-fashion objects are being created digitally before they are ever realized tactilely. From theatres to architectural firms to engineering facilities to package design houses, the power and flexibility of computer-visualized design is taking hold.
The ability to switch a color on a box, or try a different wallpaper in seconds rather than hours, is making the investment in time and resources worthwhile. If you are interested in this sort of 3D, make sure you have superb model and texture work. Visualize both designs of your own and objects around you digitally. Produce cutaway illustrations, ad mockups, and, above all, make whatever it is that you are visualizing attractive to look at.
Even if the firm is designing wrenches, someone is going to buy those wrenches, and people buy what they are attracted to. Architecture pre-visualization is a strong area of 3D. For some odd reason, clients like to see a design before they sink millions of dollars into it. For this reason, architect firms are very interested in packaging a design in an attractive manner that not only showcases a good design, but also sells the product. If you are interested in architectural pre-vis, make sure you have a good understanding of architectural detail. Know that rooms have floorboards, and know what a dado-rail is. The ability to speak the same language as your employer is half the battle!
To learn much more about the different types of Halogen Floor Lamp, visit our website where you'll find this and much more, including Halogen Floor Lamps.
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The 3D Modeling Techniques Of Today

The modeling techniques of today are the antiquated clichés of tomorrow. Seeing what is down the pipeline, and watching for emerging trends and riding those trends helps keep you employable and the 3D romance alive. Change is a big part of 3D-be ready for it. However, after having said that, make sure that you are not just a 3D technician. Incredible proficiency at a software package, but poor vision and design, does not bode well for a demo reel. Do target your demo reel.
Know Your Audience Once you have found the areas of 3D in which you are interested, make sure you know who else is interested in it. Watch for job listings at sites like 3Dcafe, HighEnd3D, and in magazines like 3D Magazine's annual "Get a Job" supplement. Read the descriptions carefully. Note their likes and dislikes. Watch for software preferences. Check out target company Websites to see work they have done and where they are going. Once you understand what your target employers are looking for, give them what they want.
If you know that you want to work in architectural pre-visualization, and every firm you have looked at uses Viz and Auto-CAD, do not spend the next year becoming incredibly proficient at Light-Wave. Developing your craft as a 3D artist is a never-ending process. Although the speed at which 3D technology is changing may eventually slow, it certainly is not showing signs of it now.
If you want to animate characters, create a demo reel strong in lots of moving characters. A house looking for character animators probably does not care if you have a perfect grasp of different refractive qualities of different sorts of glass-so do not include a lot of glass renders. If you want to be a compositor artist, have lots of compositing examples.
Animation houses are deadline oriented, and as such, do not have a lot of time to waste on chunks of demo reel that have nothing to do with the job at hand. In addition, some animation houses have very specific requirements for reels. Some want to see completed stories, some want to see snips of lots of different projects, and some want to see a project from wireframe renders to final raytraced versions. Some want reels less than one minute, while others want to see more.
Find out what your target wants and make it right. Do develop your own style. Artistic vision is often lost as beginning 3D artists struggle with grasping the technical demands of the software. Break through the level of work listed in software or book tutorials. Without your own style of modeling, texturing, animation, or design, your demo reel will feel like the other 50 reels the employer received that day.
To learn much more about the different types of Halogen Floor Lamp, visit our website where you'll find this and much more, including Halogen Floor Lamps.
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Monday, November 15, 2010

How To Choose An Electronic Tuner For Your Musical Instrument

When I first pick up guitar learning, the biggest problem I'm always facing is the difficulty of getting my instrument in tune. As a beginner, I'm unable to tune my guitar right by ear. I try to use a tuning pipe but it just somehow doesn't seem to work. A friend of mine who had been playing guitar for several years, advised me to get electronic tuner to save all the trouble. Here are some of his advices to me when selecting the right electronic tuner for your musical instrument.
Cost
First you should consider your own budget. If you are just a beginner learning musical instrument, a tuner cost below $30 should be more than enough for you. However, do bear in mind that in many cases, what you pay is what you will get. You can't really complain much about the quality of the lower budget tuner.
Durability
A cheap plastic tuner may not last for long if compare to those higher end model. Even though it tunes accurately, it might have limited life span. Sometimes a higher end tuner is indeed a lifesaver. It will keep you out from a lot of problems.
Interference
Some tuners pick up sounds from the background and might not able to give you an accurate reading. While other tuners may cost you $100, but it won't give you this type of trouble. It will indicate the note that you are playing regardless of the string you are plucking it on.
After taking these advices, I started to do some research on the electronic tuners in music store and select the model which suit my budget and needs the best. The whole process was pretty easy since I'm already knew what type of tuner I'm looking for. With this little tuning device I have now on hand, my guitar is always in tune and it makes the whole learning process much more interesting than ever.
Noel is a music lover who currently reviewing Korg TM-40 Tuner. You may also check out his new website about Chromatic Tuner.

Ideal Places To Try Out Your Singing Skills

You've got a song to sing, and you've practiced until it's spot on. You need to try your song out on somebody to see how it sounds to another pair of ears. Perhaps you could try your song out on friends or family who might like to join you for an evening of singing, so they can join in as well. If you know these people well, you will get good feedback from people who won't be frightened to tell you if your performance isn't up to scratch.
Shopping malls are a good place to perform. If you speak to the manager, they may be able to arrange a performance with other musicians, or you may know others who would like to participate with you.
Schools love having people volunteer to perform at presentations etc. Contact some of the schools local to you - it could be a useful way to practice performing in front of a group of people who don't know you.
Busking is always popular, either on busy local streets, or at fetes or festivals. The bonus is, you'll make some money from it, but you might need to pay for a busking license.
Local churches often hold events where they would be pleased to have a volunteer singer performing for them. In this case, make sure your repertoire is suitable for the audience - a lunch for senior citizens may not be the best place to perform a heavy metal gig!
You may have a local sporting team which would like to start off their matches with a song. Approach the manager of the team and ask if they would be interested. You'll get to see the match for free, and they may be willing to pay you. If they like you, it could become a regular thing.
Talent competitions are always popular, and could be a good way for you to practice your singing skills, and become better known as a singer. You never know, you could end up on the X Factor, or America's Got Talent!
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The Most Popular Trends in Wedding Bands Today

Marriage is an institution that has changed very much over the ages and it has been altered drastically in order to satisfy modern requirements. There are elements of the wedding ceremony that have survived unchanged until today while there are some other elements that would be unrecognizable to a time traveler. There have been periods through time when the trends in wedding bands have changed, but most people in any particular age followed the particular pattern without any hesitation. It is not so these days and people who plan to get married have a bewildering array of wedding rings to select from.
A wedding band is a relatively simple ring that is exchanged during a Christian wedding ceremony. Many other cultures have adopted the custom of using a wedding ring as well, and this trend is growing thanks to the cross fertilization of cultures that happens as a result of globalization.
There are many options of wedding bands available to people planning to get married these days. These bands are available in a variety of materials and designs and can be bought to suit every budget. As a matter of fact, many people actually look for ways to reduce the cost of a wedding band because they usually have to pay a lot of wedding related expenses at the same time. The engagement ring industry in the United States is worth 7 billion dollars annually, but the money spent on the actual bands symbolizing the marriage is far smaller since these bands tend to be less flashy than engagement rings.
The two important factors for choosing a wedding ring are its appearance and its price. Gold bands continue to be very popular, but people have the option of studding them with a diamond solitaire or a row of diamonds. While many people go for yellow gold, there are an increasing number of people who opt for white gold. Platinum rings are also popular but they tend to be expensive.
People looking for cheaper options can go in for a titanium wedding band. This is lightweight and durable and looks like platinum at a fraction of the cost. It can be studded with diamonds to look more valuable. Another interesting option that is gaining popularity is the use of tungsten carbide to make these bands. They have a very unusual look and finish that appeals to most men. In addition, these rings are very inexpensive. It is unusual for women to wear these rings, but it is not unheard of especially if the woman in question does not like wearing precious jewelry.
Wedding bands have as important role to play today as they did in ancient or earlier times albeit in a different manner. They no longer have any magical significance and they are also losing their religious significance. However, they are an important symbol of the love and commitment that the married couple feels for each other and they serve to proclaim to the world that the two people plan to spend the rest of their life together.
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Wedding Bands - Their History Until Modern Times

Human beings have a great love of adornment, and one event that provides them with an opportunity to dress up and also to buy jewelry is a wedding. Most cultures use symbols to indicate a person's married status, and an enduring symbol is that of the wedding band. Wedding bands have been in use since ancient times and there is ample evidence of this fact from paintings and sculpture although the exact origin of the practice is obscure. What is very clear however is that the ancients invested the circle with many magical connotations because it is endless. This is probably the reason why it was chosen to symbolize marriage.
It is believed that the ancient Egyptians popularized the use of rings to symbolize marriage, and the practice was then adopted by the Greeks and it was then passed on to the Romans. Since the Roman civilization was the foundation of Western civilization as we know it today, it is not difficult to understand why the use of wedding rings has become very popular today.
The material used to make the wedding bands as well the finger it was worn on has changed over the ages. The ancient Romans were known to wear wedding rings made of iron or bronze. This practice changed over the ages and the practice of wearing gold rings became very common in medieval times. By these times, the purpose of the ring changed from mere indication of marriage to denoting how valuable the couple was to each other.
The use of a wedding band became widespread in the medieval ages when Pope Innocent the Third who rules in the 12th century decreed that all marriages had to be performed in a church, and that the ceremony would only be complete if it included a wedding band. This rule gave the wedding band a great religious significance which continues till today.
Even the finger where the wedding band was worn changed over the ages. It was previously worn on the third finger of the left hand because this finger was believed to have a nerve or artery running right to the heart. Also, this hand is closer to the heart. King Edward VI of England was responsible for making this official and the Book of Common Prayer instructed all people to do so. However, many European women prefer to wear the ring on their right hand.
Most couples spend a lot of time and money while choosing an engagement ring, but it is a wedding band that has primacy over it. This ring no longer has any magical connotation, and it has lost much of its religious significance today. However, it is still worn due to cultural reasons, particularly to indicate that one is no longer available to other partners and to signify ones commitment to the marriage. There is a huge selection of wedding bands that they can choose from unlike in olden days, and it is possible to get a set that matches their expectations as well as their budget.
Looking for the perfect band for your wedding or just need some help with the music? Wedding Bands Melbourne for all your Wedding Entertainment Melbourne needs! Check out our website for some great deals and advice!