Rap Music: Then and Now

and aspirations of both the black and white teens in the quality music by the artists of that era. Early black music united the American youth and the country's choice of music was almost parallel. There were some rebellions but they did not down-rightly produce immoral and degrading content. The earlier rap-era had artists like Stevie Wonder, Smokier Robinson, Lionel Richie, the Temptations, the Shirelles, Mary Wells, the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Four Tops and their likes who gave the typical teenage romance and relationship.
Radicalism was introduced in rap with Beastie Boys' amusing "Fight for the Right to Party" and the appearance of more radical rappers like Vanilla Ice and Eminem. Rappers gradually emerged and began shouting and ranting words that featured intimidation, class conflict, hatred of authority, defiance, insolence, animosity and conflict.
The rap-music today is leading the listeners in a rather disturbing direction. It seems as though this whole culture takes pride in being notorious. For instance, it is almost like being in prison is a "status symbol" while taking drugs and indulging in beefs is something "cool". Above this, the portrayal of women in the rap videos is again a matter of concern. The perception seems to typecast the woman as an object. On humanitarian grounds, this isn't a very kind picture to create. Such materials coupled with suggestive lyrics can easily manipulate the vulnerable youth.
The blockbuster charts say a story more clearly, although it is hard to agree with. It is a choice-demand situation. People are watching, adapting and adopting such a culture which is why the top-hits are often the songs you can't hear with your mother. What saddens one more is the further lack of creativity. The poetry only goes as far as a poor vocabulary and the music is far, far from inspiring. What use is such manifestation of power and capacity to generate admirers if no good can be done to society? If Rap music boasts of a generation full of fans, then it should also remember that with recognition and admiration, comes responsibility. Rap has a responsibility towards its audience and it's time now that the artists come forth and take it up seriously.

Pro Tools Ticks Timebase - The Essentials

Pro Tools software enables you to use two time-bases for your tracks: Ticks or Samples. This article will explain the basic idea behind Tick-based tracks and how it affects your sessions.
When you record audio into Pro Tools, the digital audio resolution is measured in samples. In a similar way, by default when you record (or edit) MIDI data, the resolution is measured in Ticks.
Just as audio regions on sample based tracks are tied to sample locations, MIDI data or regions are tied to specific Tick locations on tick-based tracks.
For example, when subdividing a bar of music using musical subdivisions, you might divide the single bar into four quarter notes, then divide it again into 8th notes, and then again into 16th notes. Using the various note values you have in music, you could sub-divide that bar of music a number of ways.
Pro Tools, on the other hand, sub-divides each bar using ticks. 960 ticks per quarter note to be exact. That's Pro Tools tick resolution.
So if you were to record a single MIDI event somewhere in the first quarter note of bar of music - it would fall on one of 960 available tick positions.
Relative vs. Absolute Positions
Each of the 960 tick positions on a Tick based track is located in a relative position to the other ticks. (Unlike the samples positions on a sample-based track which are fixed to absolute locations on the timeline.)
For example, a MIDI note located precisely on the first 8th note of bar X would be at tick position 480 (one half of 960) after the start of bar X. Now (and this is the key thing) if you changed the tempo of the session, that event will still be on the 480th tick position of bar X and will retain that 480 tick distance from the start of the bar.
KEY POINT: MIDI events on Tick based tracks retain their relative position to other MIDI events, regardless of changes to the tempo.
If the tempo speeds up, the MIDI events and moved closer together and therefore, play faster and earlier in the session. If the tempo slows down, the MIDI tick positions move further apart from each other and therefore play slower and later in the session.
At this point you may be thinking - big deal. MIDI plays back slower if you slow down the tempo and speeds up if you increase the tempo. Don't MIDI tracks always behave that way? And therein is the point of discussing ticks timebase: Yes - MIDI tracks follow tempo. But only when they are set to ticks timebase. Not when they are set to samples timebase.
In Pro Tools you can set the timebase of MIDI tracks to be either ticks (the default setting) or samples. This opens up a whole new way to work. Particularly when you also consider that audio tracks can be set to either Ticks or Samples timebase, too.
You can start experimenting with ticks timebase in Pro Tools on your own, using the following tips.
Tips for learning more about Ticks Timebase
A. Setting it up.

1. First, create a new session in Pro Tools.
2. Create an Instrument or MIDI track and record some MIDI data on it. Preferably some note that you can hear playing back.
3. Also, create an audio track with a few regions of audio on it.
4. Make sure you know what the starting tempo of the session is.

Once you've got those steps completed, try the following.
B. Using Default Timebase Settings

1. With the audio track set to the default Samples timebase, and the MIDI track set to the default Ticks timebase, adjust the session tempo.
2. Notice that the MIDI events on the MIDI track change as you adjust the tempo. But the audio regions on the audio track do not. They stay in position.

Important: Before proceeding, reset the session tempo to the starting tempo.
C. Using Non-Default Timebase Settings

1. Next, change the timebase of the audio track to Ticks
2. Set the MIDI track to Samples timebase
3. Play the session again and adjust the tempo.
4. Notice this time that the MIDI notes do not move but the audio regions do.

Final words
For now I hope that will give you a basic understanding of the ticks timebase and how setting your MIDI tracks to ticks or samples timebase will change everything. Key point: tick based events are relative to each other and tick positions move with the session tempo.
Now that you know essentially how the ticks timebase affects regions and MIDI events, you'll need to explore how putting it use can help you to create better music, more efficiently. Keep at it!

Jamorama Guitar Lessons - The Fun and Easy Way to Learn Guitar

Just like any type of musical instrument, learning how to play the guitar may be challenging. It's going to take dedication, and hours of practice. Regrettably, far too many students throw in the towel way too quickly. Whether it's as a result of the numerous hours they need to devote to practicing, or maybe they simply consider the classes monotonous and boring... many individuals lack the actual commitment, get aggravated, and subsequently give up.
Wouldn't it be great if there were an exciting and fun technique to learning the guitar, in which you are able to study at your own individual pace. Actual authentic guitar lessons, presented by an expert, which you could study and review on your personal computer. Considering the variety of online guitar programs from which to choose, how can you be absolutely certain which training course fits your needs?
When it comes to online beginning guitar courses, you will discover that the vast majority tend to be monthly subscription membership programs which charge you regular monthly fees. Over time those fees can definitely add up! Well, fortunately there is an internet guitar study course that is considered by many people to be without a doubt superior to all others. This revolutionary program is not only enjoyable, it's extremely reasonably priced and doesn't require a month-to-month membership fee like the umpteen other programs.
Jamorama is regarded by many to be the most impressive guitar training course on the web designed for newbie guitarists. This method already has helped in excess of 200,000 students from beginner to intermediate to learn to play both the traditional acoustic as well as the electric guitar. With Jamorama's super-quick, fun, and highly effective coaching strategies, this #1 rated method will take you from a complete amateur to a seasoned pro before you know it.
The Jamorama guitar training program, which was designed by master guitarist Ben Edwards, is a step-by-step system that contains over one year of instructional lessons. Can you imagine what it would amount to if you were to pay for a whole year of private one-on-one guitar lessons!?! And while there are a multitude of other online internet guitar courses available these days... specifically what sets Jamorama apart from the others is, Ben Edwards unique style of teaching as well as the additional features that accompany the program.
Jamorama is a complete collection of 250 pages of step-by-step lessons, 216 chords to master, 148 instructional video lessons, 8 primary styles of music, 55 strumming patterns, 26 play-along jam track sessions, a variety of audio files, and also comes with entertaining online games which make learning to play guitar a lot of fun! In addition you get training lessons which educate you on the various styles of music including Rock and Roll, Country, Blues, Jazz, Funk, Metal, Hip-Hop, and Reggae.

Would the Hindi Singers of the Golden Age Have Made the Cut Today?

How would our great old singers have fared today?
After a number of years of not having subscriptions any Hindi Channels, we very recently got our own "Zee TV" subscription. My lack of knowledge about all things "modern" in the film world must have been seen by a number of my observant readers -- and now you know how I zealously guarded my ignorance over all these years. While virtually all my friends had some or the other Hindi channel playing on their TVs when we would go visiting, I stayed away.
With this almost Rip-van-Winkle-esque backdrop, picture me sitting comfortably in front of my TV, and switching channels to my newly acquired Z TV. As luck would have it, there was "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - Ek Main aur Ek Tu" playing. Aha! A chance to watch young talented men and women sing. I perked up in my seat. Suffering through numerous C grade ads touting Ajmeri baba, I sat through the entire program. Well, imagine my total surprise when I heard of the stupendous amounts of prize money and contracts that awaited the winner of the contest! 50 Lakhs! Boy, had things changed! And somewhere through that program, I found my thoughts drifting, even as I was listening to these very talented young people do their stuff. Replace this with any other talent shows such as Indian Idol, and my point would still stand.
This was no longer the old "Sa Re Ga Ma" I remember seeing before I left the shores of India. Then, it was all about the singing, the quality of the voice, the training. Now, it is all that AND the ability to present, to sing AND dance, to be an "entertainer" not just a singer. Perhaps the bar has been raised in some ways, but perhaps it has been lowered in certain others. Then, of course, there is this ludicrous and ubiquitous SMS messaging which determines the winner, and not the panel of judges, who, at least supposedly, are there because of their knowledge and experience. Supposedly democracy at work, where masses-with-cellphones-who-vote decide whether a singer (umm.. performer) makes the cut or not.
I was thinking about the old brigade of our singing greats and wondering how they would have done in today's context. Imagine a young Lata Mangeshkar, singing with her same celestial voice, but not getting SMS messages from the masses because she just stood there and didn't dance on the stage with a merry smile on her face. (Not to mention the fact that Maharashtrians wouldn't be bothered with sending SMS messages to get her selected, but let that pass.)
Manna De, of the golden, classically precise voice -- even if he had sung with his usual warm perfection, would he have gotten votes? Face it, while he sings fantastically, he never was known for his ability to dance on the stage.
Mohammed Rafi -- the smile would be just as gentle to match his peerless voice, but "Aapne aaj achha performance diya, lekin aapne stage ka upyog theek tarah se nahi kiya" would have been the only comment, chiding him on his inadequate use of the stage.
Same with Talat Mehmood -- great looks (after all he did come into films as an actor, and has actually acted in Sone ki Chidiya alongside Nutan), but would the audience be able to stomach his sensitive voice when they were looking for "masti bhare gaane"?
Perhaps the survivors from the old guard would have been Asha Bhosale and Kishore Kumar. Ashaji has an amazing stage presence, and has the gumption to pull off the requirements, whatever it took. Kishore Kumar always was an over-the-top performer, and could sing and dance with the best of them. And for good measure, he would also pull off wisecracks and jokes.
Runa Laila comes to mind as one who might have passed muster even in today's world. A crystal clear voice, a fantastic stage presence, the ability to "move" with her own music naturally, and a sultry sensuous look. (Remember we are talking about when they were YOUNG.)
Mukesh -- again great looks and a winning smile (I thought he looked better than Raj Kapoor in the song Chhotisi yeh zindagani re from the movie Aah which was picturised on him), but would he have made the cut with the SMS generation? Not sure.
All the new generation of superbly talented young people have to have that extra presentation ability, if they have any hopes of making it in this industry. And that means, by its very nature, that we must be missing some Latas, some Mohammed Rafis, some Talats and some Manna Des.
Well -- our loss. But life goes marching on. And what we don't know doesn't bother us. Who knows, there might have been someone (dare I suggest?) better than Lata and Mohammed Rafi, who we simply never heard, and hence we just didn't know any better.
I, for one, would have been the poorer had I gone through life without hearing a Rafi or Lata just because people who understand talent didn't watch that particular channel, or didn't have a cell phone handy, or were unable or unwilling to SMS their choices.

My Favorite Dead Female Rock Star - Janis Joplin

Women in rock, an ever fascinating topic and when we come to dead rock stars we very often enter a world of glamour outside and rottenness inside, drug abuse, ecstasy followed by deep depression, orgies and all consuming hard work.
One of the most tragic life stories is that of Janis Joplin. Born 1947 in Port Arthur, TX she was found dead only 27 years later in a motel room near the recording studio in LA where she was recording her last album.
"Onstage, I make love to 25 000 people, then I go home alone" -- Janis Joplin
Her posthumously released cover of Kris Kristoffersen's -- Me And Bobby McGee hit #1 in US charts, and the album Pearl, containing Bobby McGee, Mercedes Benz -- an acapella first take recording -- and Buried Alive In The Blues -- the track that remained instrumental because of Janis´death -- was Janis Joplin´s greatest success.
Her previous release "Cheap Thrills", recorded with "Big Brother And The Holding Company" gave us some a deep insight into Joplin´s mind, deep desperation and unhappiness. "Piece Of My Heart", "Ball and Chain" and "Summertime" can make your flesh go all goose bumps, especially if you are already in a depressed mood. When Joplin moved to L.A. and joined the Holding Company she soon started to drink and drug, and within a year she was more or less ready for treatment in hospital and sanatorium. Instead of which she went out and staged one of the best live performances in rock history at the Monterey festival.
Joplin admitted more than once that her life had been deeply unhappy, but that eventually she had found an outlet in singing. Shortly before her death, Janis was back in Port Arthur for a high school reunion, and when asked in an interview, if she was popular in high school, she answered that her schoolmates "laughed me out of class, out of town and out of the state"
Janis Joplin has been an idol and figurehead for the gay movement ever since her death, although she was not homosexual. But her deep desperation about "being different", about not fitting in has communicated itself into her music, thus making it an expression of most gay persons´ experiences in early life.
About a month before she died, Joplin became engaged to Seth Morgan, a 21 year old Berkley student, drug dealer and poet. On the fourth of October 1971 she didn´t show up at the recording studio and was found to have died from an overdose of heroine.

Ragini Khanna Hot

Ragini Khanna beautiful, talented and energetic upcoming actress, who is also associated with a superstar Govinda. According to her uncle Govinda like her, and she is a wonderful actress. Perfect timing comedy and incredible presence on screen, this actress made a dream in television.

She plays an important role in the Aude Ragini Sharm Rada in soap Betiyaan and her acting was appreciated. Now it makes a great large prime minister once again called "Bhaskar Bharti", which is already a lot of eyes. The new screen and a good comedy timing everything that makes that big serial shocks and get high TRP.

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Swimsuits to Suit Your Body Shape

Women who wear swimsuit, those who usually want a little more attention than a bikini.

Choose carefully and swimwear to pound with your figure, shape and color of construction / model all play an important role. Style-savvy women have long learned the benefit ruching, to hide the shortcomings of shape and color samples and can cover many sins.

Take your time. Be patient. Try several styles of swimwear in various styles, leg length (long legs, medium, low), shape and color blocks.
Swimsuit Style Tips

Here are 10 tips swimsuit style to help you achieve the most flattering look:

1. If you want to divert attention from the bottom half and then select one piece in detail at the top. To distract attention from big breasts, deep V-neck style is more flattering to detail Go around the waist and bottom, with the buckle.
2. Wide range of belts in the upper half will provide support for full breasts, and balance full hips. Pasta ribbons or hair bands will focus on the big bust.
3. Swim feet high (reduction of thigh) will be extending the legs. However, if you have cellulite or dimples that style will not do you any service.
4. Ruching on the belly will hide large Tum. Ruching on the upper half will focus on curves and create the illusion of a fuller bust.
5. Back (lower back) style will distract from the sagging belly or big bust. Another advantage is the great red back.
6. Forget the swimsuit business cards (monokinis), if you have a big belly or thighs. It strict accordance with insects territory.
7. Ruffles, Ruffles and pleats are perfect for adding some curves and femininity in the form of the body of the boy.
8. Visible signs are body shape and give you a waist. Sidebars can give the illusion of curves, especially good for apple shape body.
9. Dark, more than one unit of slimming color, but some models hide figure flaws too. Avoid horizontal stripes if you want to hide a full stomach or chest. If they are very thin, medium or dark print design bases are often more flattering. If you have a large bust, but a small bottom and thighs, bathing with two tons lighter color on the bottom will divert attention from the bustline. Visa back to those who are pear-shaped.
10. Women who have a long torso, is likely to be more comfortable in a tankini. There is an added bonus allows some flexibility when it comes to tanning. This style is suitable for hiding large stomach, ensuring the top is enough to cover the accompanying shorts / overalls.