dubstep

Jimmy Castor appeared at an out-of-the-way local bar in west side of Las Vegas this past weekend complete with a horn section and backup singers. For those of you who don't know who this man is he is a songwriter, singer, saxophonist, percussionist, producer, arranger, etc and is known as The E-Man, "The Everything Man."

Jimmy Castor, who grew up in Harlem, wrote his first million seller for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers called, "I Promise To Remember," while still in junior high school. He later put together his own band and then wrote his second million seller, "Hey Leroy Your Mama's Calling You," on the legendary label, Mercury Records in 1966.

"Troglodyte (the cave man)" and "Luther the Anthropoid," were hits and a title cut from the "It's Just Begun" album was featured in the movie "Flashdance." His album "Butt of Course," featured the infamous "The Bertha Butt Boogie" that everyone sang in jest whenever a woman of substance walked by for many years after. And from the same record, there was also the disco hit "E-Man Boogie." His song "Space Age" blazed a trail of jazz fusion into the era of disco and will be long remembered. His songs have been sampled by many in contemporary pop music today. Christine Aguilera, Ice Cube, The Beastie Boys, and many others have used his tracks in their music, an outstanding tribute to this man's writing skills and their subsequent longevity.

The great thing about Las Vegas is the outstandingly talented people that not only live here, but visit and make appearances all over this town, just to have fun and join with old friends. Los Angeles may have a bit of that, and New York's Harlem days are all but gone, so it is truly a special place at times to be able to hear and see legends of the entertainment business.

He seems ageless while performing his hits and the energy he exudes is carefully paced-but plentiful to carry the load of yesteryear for the audience's enjoyment as much as his own. His perfectly centered pitch on the saxes is precise and his delivery that of a man many years younger than his age. The entire show was peppered with his yore of goodtimes and his interactions with Sammy Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Frankie Lymon and lesser celebrities along with the origin of Bertha Butt (and the Butt Sisters). He's funny and charming and the 90 minute show was well worth the jaunt to Sonny's Tavern, a "mobbishly yesteryear" decorated speakeasy, outside of town. Mariano Longo, a longtime Vegas very fine bandleader, pianist/keyboardist, guitarist, arranger, and all-around musician convinced Mr. Castor to "reinvent himself" and recreate for a new generation the glory days of a time long past but instrumental (pardon the pun) in our pop musical history. To take a line from a television series that debuted in 1966, "Live long and (keep) prospering" Jimmy. You still have what it takes.

Nick Oliva (O-lee-va') has been a musician, composer, photographer, an audio engineer, an Entertainment Director and Technical Director for over twenty-five years and is a successful self-made money manager. Website: View my blog and buy my latest book at http://www.onlymomentsbook.com

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

By Steven Vogel

For more info on Adiskate, hit up their website here

 

One of the most daunting tasks for beginners is composing music. Just the thought of it creates scary scenarios that demand perfection. But what if you actually knew what you were doing? Instead of fear, joy and a spirit of adventure would guide you to a finished piece of music. Let's look at how we might compose a small ABA form for piano.

The first thing I do is draw out 8-bars on a piece of paper. Any paper will do. You don't have to have ruled sheet music paper to composeat least not the way I teach it. The reason I tell students to begin with 8-bars is that it's a very good space to work in. In fact, 8-bars is quite enough to give you your first (A) section. As an example, look at the lesson piece "A Peaceful Path."

Here we have 3-4 minutes of music. We use the art of repetition and contrast and a small ABA form is generated. If you listen to the piece, you'll hear where the (A) section ends and the (B) section begins. In fact, listening is very important. Most people listen to music as a complete aural experience and that's fine. But if you're interested in musical composition, you should also listen for the form of the piece. Most piano music is composed using sectional form.

For instance, here is the arrangement of the piece "A Peaceful Path" - 2A2BA. This is a shorthand way of notating the amount of repeating that goes on in the piece. The first (A) section, 8-bars, is repeated twice, then the (B) section gets repeated twice and finally, we end up back where we started. The reason ABA form works so well is that it gives the listener a complete musical experience. And it gives them a sense of finality.

Sadly, the music must end somewhere and composers have been working on different ways to do this via the form of the piece. Many innovative composers have tried to abolish form but the question you must ask yourself is "Is this music giving the listener an emotional experience?" There's a good reason ABA form has been around for hundreds of years. Because it works!

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

The newly launched Nike 1World project has been created in conjunction with select cool kids in the “sports, music, art and design fields”, presumably hand-picked for their innate panache on a global scale. The scope of 1World has been defined as 18 original shoes, which will be launched month by month via Nike's awesome AF-1 website.

Today the first three have now been revealed – from the rainbow excess of Busy P to the refelective digital camo of Gore-Texer (Nitro Microphone Underground) and finally Rasheed’s hightop with ‘Max Air’, you couldn’t find three more different AF-1s if you tried. Definitely a bright start to this project...
Just go to http://www.nikeairforce1.com and hit the 1World button - all will be revealed in due course!

 

Guitar backing tracks not only make you a better soloist and improviser, but they also can help you to learn scales better. Many players can't stand the thought on running up and down scales all day long. Some would rather not learn them at all. What if practicing your scales was actually fun?

Let's say you are just not into learning scales. How can we do this? Take a scale that you already know. We will use the minor pentatonic scale for an example. Most players already know it. Through on a guitar backing track in the key that you will practice. With the track playing, start to just play up and down the scale getting used to the sound. Listen to each note against the chord changes.

Now stop the guitar backing track and work out 2 licks using the scale pattern. Make sure they are on different sets of strings. Maybe use 3rd and 4th string for lick number 1 and 1st and 2nd string for lick number2.

Now that you have your licks, start up the guitar backing track again and start playing the first lick. Play this lick over and over changing the phrasing. Change the rhythm. Hold some notes longer each time around. Vary the dynamics and put accents on certain notes. Do the same thing for the second lick the next time around. Make sure that you are playing licks that are not your "staples". We want brand new stuff here.

Your next step is to learn these licks one octave higher. This is going to take a couple of minutes to work out. If you are struggling, work out your lick note by note and tab it out. That way you can use your tab to memorize the lick a little at a time. You now have four licks. The 2 originals and the two licks one octave higher. But also just as important, you are playing in the same key as you started but you are playing on a different area of the fret board. So you just learned another scale pattern without being having to run up and down a new pattern.

Throw on your guitar backing track and jam on the 4 new licks.

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

http://www.ckomusic.com

I wrote this after seeing the Federal Reserve, a collective of established, and like-minded alternative/folk musicians, perform on June 2nd at Iota in Arlington, VA. They played acoustic sets, and used basic folk instruments (including the chair (in post The Federal Reserve from Indie Muse. Download this at eMusic Amie Street Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic Amie Street)

Music promotion is not such an easy task to master. In fact it is one of the biggest barrier present for an indie musician. There are literally tons of good musicians out there, but what is stopping them from success and fame? It's their promotion. Don't think for a second just because you are signed to a big record label, you will be next Justin Timberlake. Even big record labels can sometimes struggle to promote certain musicians and there have been a lot of cases where artists voluntarily choose to go independent so they can solely promote their music and be free of any contract.

Stop dreaming about getting "signed" - it's time to put the power in your hands. Indie music distribution is the wave of the future. And here is the good news, you are in total control. Don't think for one second that have to have hundreds of thousands of dollars to drop your CD if you are independent? Think again. There are lots of companies that will get you started for next to nothing. You only pay for what you sell and they do all the leg work for you.

There are websites that you can visit today that takes your music online - turns it into a professional CD - and even takes your orders. They also ship, they print, they process orders ... - heck, everything but making your song and cooking your breakfast. There are places online which let's you upload your song once and gets you listed in the top digital distribution sites in seconds. The point is online music promotion and distribution is much easier than you think. And iTunes is far from the only game out there - there are dozens of places to list your music that you've probably never heard of.

Social networking is another avenue you can use to produce amazing results. Armed with a little knowledge, you can propel your online presence within a matter of days and get tons of free publicity and traffic coming through to your site. Not only has the Internet begun to dominate the promotion of music, it has also begun to dominate its distribution as well. iTunes, by 2006, reportedly have more than a million song downloads per DAY. That was back in 2006. (Hint: Its 2008 now).

Online downloads are projected to surpass CD sales some time in 2010. This is just brilliant news for indie musicians. For you all aspiring musicians out there, jump online, ride this 100-ton marketing guerrilla and take use of the excellent opportunity internet presents to everybody.

At Online Music Promotion we teach Indie Musician's, the marketing side of things that needs to be done to get your Music out there.

Check us out at http://www.OnlineMusicFame.com

René Lacoste is above all, a legend. A star on the courts of Wimbledon, Forest Hills and Roland Garros, René was one of the famous Four Musketeers (Jean Borot, Jacques Brugno, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste) who dominated the game of tennis in the late ‘20s and early ‘30s. They eventually led France to six straight wins (1927 through 1932) in the Davis Cup, and Rene became the world number one tennis player from 1926-1927. Nicknamed the ‘Crocodile’ and ‘Alligator’ for his tenacious attitude on the court, Rene is now better known for being the namesake and creator of the iconic 12.12 Lacoste Tennis shirt, which debuted in 1933.

Fast forward 75 years and the brand are celebrating this momentous occasion by launching a series of monotone shoes inspired by their tennis and yachting heritage. Unique to the 75 year collection is the use of the original crocodile which originated in 1933 and is embossed onto the uppers of each shoe. Tastefully executed in a consistent black and white scheme, the pack is a fitting tribute to the original purveyor of cool. July Release...

 

A rock guitar lick can be the staple of any rock guitarists trickbag. Whether you want to be Steve Vai duelling with a young blues player or Eric Clapton in his 80s rock era, some good quality rock guitar licks can put you head and shoulders above the rest. Ive compiled a few rock guitar licks here that will amaze your friends.

Rock Guitar Lick 1-EVH Style

Cycle this lick to get a cool sound in any uptempo rock or blues solo. Example in key of Am.

E---5-----------5----------------B-----8P5--------8P5-----------G----------8-----------8---------

D---------------------------------

A---------------------------------

E---------------------------------

Rock Guitar Lick 2- Chuck Berry Style

This lick will fit into just about any rock and roll/uptempo 12 bar blues. Example in A.

E---5-5---------5----5-5-------------B---5-5-7-5H6-5----5-5-7-5H6-----

G---------------------------------7---D--------------------------------------A--------------------------------------

E--------------------------------------

Rock Guitar Lick 3- Hendrix Style

I had Hendrix in mind with this example but you can find it being used by countless other guitarists. Example in Am.

E--------5------------8-----8/10------

B-----5-----8/10-------10--------10-

G--7(bend slightly)------------------D---------------------------------------A---------------------------------------E---------------------------------------

Rock Guitar Lick 4- Zakk Wylde Style

A tough lick requiring lots of speed to get it to sound like Zakk, although it sounds cool in its own right also. Cycle it over and over for best effect. Good luck! Example in AM

E--5-3---------3---8-5---------5---10-8------------8--B-------5-3-5-----------8-5-8-------------10-8-10----G----------------------------------------------------------

D----------------------------------------------------------A----------------------------------------------------------

E----------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully those 4 rock guitar licks have broadened your horizons a little bit and given you a few ideas to help you develop your own licks and variations. Happy practicing!

Click HERE to learn lots more rock guitar licks and uncover some of the the secrets of the professionals!
Is your guitar playing reaching it's full potential? Click here to find out how you can unlock your inner guitar genius!!

Steve Laney is the webmaster at http://www.dailyguitarlessons.com

Reigniting our popular bootleg feature with a great MMJ set... My Morning Jacket 10-23-2005 Murat Theater Indianapolis, IN Disc 1 01 - Intro 02 - Wordless Chorus 03 - It Beats 4 U 04 - Gideon 05 -… (in post Bootleg Justice - My Morning Jacket Live @ Murat Theater in Indianapolis, IN (10.23.2005) from Musical Justice. Download this at iTunes More by this artist at eMusic Amazont)

Origin:

Tango originated in Buenos Aires in Argentina in the mid-19th century. Over the years, a few variations of Tango have emerged and so the original variation is aplty known as Argentine Tango. The working class in Buenos Aires developed Argentine Tango as a way of identifying themselves as a group.

Music:

Tango music is played in 2/4, at walking speed. The music and lyrics (if any) usually have a sad theme. Tango Nuevo is changing all this. The music is getting faster and "happier". It's possible to hear hints of Waltz in the music at times.

Dance:

Tango is a very structured dance, unlike a lot of other Latin American forms of dance. The upper body stays straight with a ballroom hold. The leaders lead with their arms like ballroom dancing but the frame is a bit closer. The feet move on the first beat and the other foot usually drags and "catches up" on the second beat. There are a lot of variations, but Angentine Tango is the most common form.

Latinos NZ Popularity Scale: 7/10

Tango is fast gaining popularity in New Zealand, but a vast majority of Tango dancers are in their 30s, 40s and over as the younger generation seems to prefer other Latin American dances over Tango. Having said that, Tango Nuevo is starting to gain popularity with it's faster and more modern music and dance.

Article taken from Latinos.co.nz (http://www.latinos.co.nz)

Check this new film masterpiece starring everybody's favorite hip hop musician, DYNAMO! Fresh from his recent exploits on the streets of London, adidas have sent their man to Miami, and the result is a 4 minute web film that captures Dynamo mystifying the local wildlife and tourists with his unique and original brand of street magic. PEEP IT HERE...

ADIDAS PRESS RELEASE

Dynamo, known in the UK as the Hip Hop magician, has captivated audiences with his unique brand of street magic. The web film enables the viewer to traverse Miami for a week with Dynamo and his Superstars as he dazzles Miami locals with his unique brand of magic and exposes the city’s rich, local flavor through the eyes of an Englishman on holiday. To truly capture all of Miami’s essence, Dynamo visits Little Havana, the Arts district, South Beach, locals-only hang-outs, and other areas off the beaten path, mesmerizing a wide cross-section of interesting people with his street magic. Winter Music Conference provided a rich backdrop of entertainers who were in town for the event including Rich Medina, legendary club DJ from Philly, and Black Spade, who were blown away by Dynamo’s reality defying tricks.

Conceptualized and executed by TAOW, A Modern Marketing Agency and directed by Rob Bruce (Laguna Beach, The Hills, etc.), the Superstar Magic film features a musical score by Om Records / Om: Hip Hop, and also highlights the ‘Watch My Feet Superstar’ remix courtesy of the Tapemasterz, Inc. The film launches digitally on Friday, the 13th of June, 2008, at www.adidas.com/superstar, and is supported by a comprehensive online media rollout at retail and print as part of the Celebrate Originality campaign. The Superstar micro site will host the film and feature behind the scenes footage, downloads including new ring tones,  and the newest collection of Superstars.  Visitors can even perform some Superstar magic of their own on the site. The campaign launched online in February 2008, with the release of the Adi Dassler film.  An inspirational piece, the first film captured the authenticity of the brand and the spirit of its founder, Adi Dassler.  Additional web films have followed to highlight key product stories and concepts throughout the year, including the upcoming Superstar Magic film on Friday, the 13th.

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When planning your wedding ceremony, it is imperative that you also include plans for your wedding reception. While ensuring that you have the right kinds of foods and refreshments, seating arrangements, and music is all very important, you should not forget to include an assortment of wedding reception games. By adding some carefully chosen games to your reception, you are creating a fun and friendly environment in which everyone can relax, open up, and get to know each other. In this article, I will introduce you to an assortment of ideas that you can use to create games for your wedding reception.

When creating wedding reception games, be sure that you have a list of all the people that will be attending your wedding reception. It is important to have a good estimate on the age groups that will be attending as well. This will give you a good idea of what kind of games will be suitable for the audience that will be entertained. With this information, you should them put your imagination to work. The more creative and inspiring your games are the more fun that your guests will experience. However, you may wish to refer to the many traditional games in order to get you started.

One of the best traditional games that you can work into your wedding ceremony is that of musical chairs. Children and adults alike will enjoy this exciting game. However, you can add some new and interesting twists to it. For example, you may have your guests circle the chairs in one direction, and then go in the opposite direction. You may have your guests clap at the same time that they revolve around the chairs, or hop on one foot while they go around the chairs.

You may select funny songs, kids songs, or any number of other types of songs to make this an interesting and engaging game. If you are having a Halloween wedding ceremony, you may to choose to play musical tombs, or if it is a summer wedding, you may choose to play musical beach towels. It is important to try to work in the theme of the wedding when planning wedding reception games.

When planning games for your reception, you may take the idea of a reality television show in order to create a game. One of the most popular reality television shows is American Idol. At your reception, you can host your very own American Idol Talent Show. You can call it American Wedding Idol, or anything that you like. Designate a panel of judges and create cards in which the guests can vote on their favorite Idols. If you wish to have this type of wedding reception game, it is important to have prizes for the individuals that win first, second, and third place based on the votes of your guests. You should also have a DJ and/or a Karaoke machine too.

When creating a wedding reception game, you should consider implementing the game of hot bouquet. All this game requires is a little music, a long list of guests, and a bouquet of flowers. The guests should make a circle. Each guest simply takes the bouquet of flowers and passes it to the next guest. If the bouquet is dropped or is in the hands of a guest when the music stops, that person is out. This game will continue until there is one person left standing. That person will be designated as the winner of the game. You may have small prizes, such as a box of cupcakes, ribbons, or similar novelties to issue as rewards for the winner.

A popular wedding reception game that many adults enjoy is Battle of the Sexes. This game is quite simple. An individual that will not be engaging in the game should come up with a variety of trivia questions. The females will get a chance to respond, and the males will get a chance to respond. You could make one leader among all the sexes who has a whistle. The first to blow their whistle gets the opportunity to answer. The team that answers correctly gets a point. The game continues until all questions have been answered. Once the winning team has been determined, they can choose from a list of things to have the other team do. For example, the losing team may have to make everyone a drink, or clean up after the reception.

There are many wedding reception games that a couple can choose to implement after the wedding ceremony. However, the games should be selected in such a way that everyone who chooses to can get involved and have a good time. The wedding reception is a great time for all members of the guest list to get together, enjoy each other, and have a great time. If you keep that in mind when developing your wedding reception games, your reception is sure to be a success!

Melinda Barton is an Internationally recognized wedding planner and author of the book Wedding Planning Secrets. She has given several TV and radio appearances and is passionate about helping everyone succeed in their desire to have the best wedding through simple and easy to use wedding planning secrets.

The world was ripe after weeks of waiting, so we ushered in the solstice with a trip to the U-Pick farm just up the hill. One hour and seventeen pounds of sweet, deep red berries later, we staggered… (in post Strawberry Sunday: Berry Coversongs from Michelle Shocked, Bruce Cockburn, Sarah Harmer & more! from Cover Lay Down. Download this at iTunes More by this artist at Amazont)

Winter often means snow-covered and icy roads. Experienced truckers know that the lighter the load, the less traction the tires have. But even trucks hauling heavy loads can lose traction in the snow and ice. That's why many states will put chain law into effect. Chain law requires truckers to put tire chains on their tires in order to gain more traction. Usually, when chains are required for trucks, cars are also required to use chains or snow tires.

Chain law is publicized by road signs and state road condition portals- websites, road condition hotlines, and the like. You'll usually only see chain law go into effect on mountain passes, but states can require chains on any roadway that encounters dangerous winter travel conditions.

Some states require that truckers carry the minimum required chains through the winter months, even if they aren't planning to chain up. Many states may allow cables instead of chains, but most will require truckers to carry chains. Cables are generally frowned on for being less effective.

California Chain Law

Road Conditions: 800-427-7623 (in state) or 916-445-7623(out of state)
Cal-Trans: 916-654-5741

California does not require truckers to carry chains during certain times of the year. However, when trucks enter a posted "chains required" area, they must be carrying chains. And when chain law is in effect, truckers cannot proceed without chains on their tires. Cal-Trans will set up "truck screening" areas when chains are required to make sure that truckers are carrying the minimum required chains, so that if they need to use chains, they will be able to install them.

Generally, California requires 5-axle trucks to have chains on all tires on the main drive axle, two tires on the other drive axle, and one tire on each side of the trailer- any axle.

California has three Chain Conditions they enforce.

R-1 Chain Law:

Chains are required on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on at least two drive wheels. Chains must be carried by vehicles using snow tires. All vehicles towing trailers must have chains on one drive axle. Trailers with brakes must have chains on at least one axle.

R-2 Chain Law:

Chains are required on all vehicles except four-wheel-drive vehicles under 6,500 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on all four wheels. Chains for one set of drive wheels must be carried by four wheel-drive vehicles using snow tires.

R-3 Chain Law:

Chains are required on all vehicles without exception.

Colorado Chain Law

Road Conditions: 511 or (303) 639-1111(out of state)/877-315-7623 (in state)

Chain law applies to commercial vehicles- if the truck has a gross weight rating of 10,001 lbs and the combined vehicle weight rating (truck and trailer) is 26,001 lbs, if the truck has a weight rating of 26,001 lbs, or if the vehicle is designed to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver).

Drivers are required to carry chains on I 70 from mile marker 163 to mile marker 259 from September 1st through May 31st. If you are caught on this stretch of road during these dates without chains, you may be fined $50 plus $13 surcharge ($73).

New Fines! If chain law is in effect but you choose not to put chains on, you may be fined $500 plus $157 surcharge ($657). If chain law is in effect but you choose not to put chains on and you wind up blocking the road, you maybe fined $1000 plus $313 surcharge ($1,313).

Colorado has two levels of Chain Law they enforce.

Level I Chain Law:
All single-axle combination vehicles must chain up. This means if the truck has only a single drive axle (as opposed to duals), chains are required. All drive tires must be chained.

Level II Chain Law:
Chains are required for all commercial vehicles.

Idaho Chain Law

Idaho Road Conditions: 511 or 888-432-7623

Idaho does not require that truckers carry chains during winter months. However chains may be required to continue travel during winter weather.

Montana Chain Law

Montana Road Conditions: 511 or 406-444-6339 or 800-226-7623

Montana does not require that truckers carry chains during winter months. However, if you choose to travel without putting chains on your tires in a posted "chain area" and you get into an accident, you will have a large fine to pay. Montana requires that all tires of one drive axle be chained when chain law is in effect.

Nevada Chain Law

Nevada Road Conditions: 511 or 877-687-6237

Nevada has roadside signs that state "When Flashing, Chains or Snow Tires Required." If the lights are flashing, chains are required to continue travel. Vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 lbs are required to use chains.

North Dakota Chain Law

North Dakota Road Conditions : 511 or 866-696-3511

There is no mandatory chain law in North Dakota.

Oregon Chain Law

Oregon Road Conditions: 511 or 503-588-2941

During winter weather, trucks are required to carry the minimum amount of chains they would need to don. Oregon doesn't require that chains be carried between certain dates, but chains are required to be on the truck during winter weather conditions.

During a Conditional Road Closure, drivers are required to install chains on their tires to continue travel.

Oregon uses road signs to inform drivers of the chain-up requirements ahead. If the sign says "Snow Zone, Carry Chains or Traction Tires," the minimum required chains for your truck must be carried on the truck. If the sign says "Snow Zone, Chains Required on Vehicles Towing or Over 10,000 GVW," the minimum required chains for your truck must be installed on the tires to proceed. If the sign says "Snow Zone, Chains Required, Traction Tires Allowed on Vehicles Under 10,000 GVW," the minimum required chains for your truck must be installed on the tires to proceed.

South Dakota Chain Law

South Dakota Road Conditions: 511 or 866-697-3511

South Dakota does not require truckers to carry chains but there are times when travel will be restricted for trucks without chains on the tires.

Utah Chain Law

Utah Road Conditions: 511 or 866-511-8824

Utah requires vehicles that are likely to encounter conditions that require chain-up to carry enough chains for one drive axle.

Washington State Chain Law

Washington Road Conditions: 511 or 800-695-7623

All vehicles over 10,000 lbs are required to carry the minimum required chains from November 1 to April 1 each year on the following routes:

I 82 between Ellensburg Exit 3 (MP 3.00) and Selah Exit 26 (MP 26.00)

I 90 between North Bend (MP 32) and Ellensburg (MP 101)

Route 2 between Dryden (MP 108) and Index (MP 36)

Route 12 between Packwood (MP 135) and Naches (MP 187)

Route 14 (MP 18) to Junction 97 (MP 102)

Route 20 between Tonasket (MP 262) and Kettle Falls (MP 342)

Route 97 between (MP 145) and Junction SR-2

Route 97 between junction SR-14 (MP 4) Columbia River and Toppenish (MP 59)

Route 155 between Omak (MP 79) and Nespelem (MP 45)

Route 410 from Enumclaw to Naches

Route 542 Mt Baker Highway between (MP 22.91) and (MP 57.26)

Route 970 between (MP 0) and (MP 10)

Wyoming Chain Law

Road Conditions: 511 or 888-996-7623

Wyoming will sometimes shut down the freeway except for all wheel drive vehicles and vehicles equipped with chains or snow tires.

CoopsAreOpen.com is the only comprehensive online resource for over 1100 truck weigh stations and scales as well as state DOT weight regulations and policies. Knowledge of the varying policies and the ability to manage or avoid most weigh stations can save truckers thousands of dollars in ticket fines. For further information, contact Suzanne at information@coopsareopen.com or view Truck Weigh Station, Scales and State DOT Information at http://www.CoopsAreOpen.com

A covers CD showed up on my doorstep last week: The Polka Floyd Show . The name says it all, Pink Floyd done in a polka style, but don't let that scare you. I think the accordion gets… (in post The Polka Floyd Show from Fong Songs. )

There is a growing trend of weddings occurring on Halloween. This date offers a wide range of options for a wedding party, and though many may think a Halloween wedding must consist of gothic and spooky imagery, it is quite possible to hold a classic and traditional wedding on October 31st.

Atmosphere is everything in a wedding. An elegant Halloween wedding can include glowing candles, fall colors and decorations, like pumpkins, leaves and gourds, or even simple yet romantic moonlight. Warm colors, like gold, oranges and browns reflect the colors of the season.

Dead branches can be used along with ribbons or twinkling lights and artificial leaves in fall colors to create a perfect autumn environment. Candelabras can also create a simple and elegant effect.

Some classic costume ideas for the wedding party would be an angel for the bride, or even just a sleek, slim-fitting dress. A Victorian style or a Morticia Adams style dress fits perfectly with the season, yet remains traditional and elegant.

Decorate tables with dark cloth sprinkled with gold or orange confetti or artificial fall leaves. Goblet-themed place card holders add an elegant touch. Party favors can include fall-decorated votive or tapered candles, or even Halloween candies.

Just adding wings to a bridal gown can also create an instant and beautiful costume. Bridesmaids can dress similarly to the bride. Ideas for costumes with wings include butterflies and moths. The groom and groomsmen can dress up in a cape and cane in addition to their dark tuxedo.

A brides bouquet and flower arrangements for the wedding can easily incorporate flowers of the season or even just a mix of oranges, yellows and reds. Tiger Lilies or orange roses add an elegant touch.

If you like gothic themes but want your wedding to remain classy, a Victorian style can be very elegant with its silver ornamentation and classic dress. Dark colors work well to create a classic Victorian style.

Invited guests can be asked to dress in classy costumes, such as Vampire/Vampiress, classic movie stars, etc. Suggestions can be given on wedding invitations.

The wedding reception is often less formal than the wedding ceremony and your choice in decoration and atmosphere for a reception can include a variety of Halloween-themed stylistic touches. Imitation statues of cherubs create an elegant yet slightly gothic environment. Music for a Halloween wedding reception can range from a stringed orchestral group to a DJ playing classic Halloween-themed songs.

For a Victorian-style reception, think of a grand and lavish ball, complete with elaborate ornamentation, chandeliers, and ballroom dancing. Music performed by an orchestra or even a simple piano add a classic touch to a Victorian-style reception.

A classic and elegant Halloween wedding is quite possible without using any gruesome imagery like skeletons, monsters and tombstones. One thing is certain no matter what your choice - Your elegant Halloween wedding will be an event for all to remember.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.com which is a site for Writers.

She is also a stringer for the Standard Speaker, a Pennsylvania newspaper, and is editor of Word of Mouth Magazine.

This months tip deals with micing kick drums.

You wouldn't believe how many people ask me about micing their kick drums. It leads me to believe people really don't know how to.

-ON SOAPBOX-

It became so fashionable in the mid-90's through the early 2000's to use MIDI or sampled dum sounds in productions that many people now have no idea how to record a "real" drum when the "band" or "live" sound came back in.

-OFF SOAPBOX-

So, first things first. You need to make sure the actual sound source, in this case the drum, sounds as good as it can sound. You might have to "sell" the idea to the drummer that just because his drum set sounds or works a certain way in a live setting, that might, (probably) won't sound good in the studio.

One of the initial assessments you must make is determining the value of the drum. This isn't a precise science and if you are not a drummer, this probably won't be common knowledge. But it is pretty easy to learn. The next time you are in your local music store drooling over the latest TC Electronics piece, work your way over to the drum department. Pay close attention to the difference in the shells between the inexpensive sets (say $1000 or less) and the more expensive sets (those over $1000). If the shell is pure wood, like maple or birch, it typically needs less muffling in the recording process. If the shell is some type of wood or fiberglass wrap, as commonly found on less expensive kits, they normally require more muffling for recording purposes.

Less muffling usually means keeping the front (non-beater) head on. This way, the drum can vibrate fully and resonate completely. The ringing may sound like too much, but most of the ring will be lost in the mix. Again, this is a different mindset than live. In a live situation, you would want to control the ring as much as possible to avoid feedback. If you start recording and the drum is still ringing too much for your taste, start muffling a little bit at a time. A thin blanket laid inside the drum will usually do the trick.

With less expensive drums that need more muffling, take the front head completely off or at least make sure that there is a good size mic hole cut into the head. Muffle with pillows and/or blankets.
There are beater, or back, heads that come pre-muffled. If possible, use a head that is not muffled. These muffled heads work great in a live setting but do not give you as much control in the studio. Add or take away muffling as needed. Keep this in mind, though, although much of the ringing will still be lost in the mix, the tone that an inexpensive shell puts out is not nearly as "sweet" as a better shell. It is usually in your best interest as an engineer to cut as much of this ring without losing all of the tone.

The second aspect of micing a kick drum is the mic itself. Usually, a dynamic mic with the largest diaphragm you can find is the best bet. My all-time favorite mic for kick drums is the EV RE20. This mic is fairly expensive for a dynamic mic, though, and many home studios do not have them in their mic aresenal. The AKG D112 is a good choice. Sennheiser has its E series that is pretty good. If all else fails, you can always use a Shure SM57. You need a couple of these in your studio anyway.

The last part of micing your kick drum is the mic placement. A few inches one way or another can make or break your recording, so experiment, experiment, experiment! As a general rule, the more muffled your drum is the deeper inside the drum you want to place your mic. Start with the mic flush with the front head with the mic facing the beater and keep moving the mic further and further into the drum until you get the perfect balance between tone and the "slap" or "click" of the beater.

Here are some tricks that I have personally used with good results:

- to get more "click" or beater sound

Switch beater from cloth to wood. These can be bought at your local music store.

On top of pillows or blankets, sit a cinder block. It gave me a "punchier" sound.

Use a seperate mic in back of the kick drum by the drummer's foot facing the beater.
- not enough low end

Set a chair a few feet in front of kick drum and drape a heavy blanket from the drum to the chair. (You may need to use a bit of duct tape to get the blanket to stay on the drum.) Set the mic under the chair facing the kick drum. This tends to focus the low end and let it develop a bit more before it reaches the mic.

Whew! That's alot of work, huh? Again, don't be afraid to experiment.

Philip Langlais is the founder of iKnowAudio.com, the site for affordable, practical online audio production training. We specialize in teaching you the art of digital recording, mixing, editing, mastering, how to use compressors, eq's, reverbs, etc. Visit us at http://www.iknowaudio.com.

I went wireless with the internet last week! Should have done it ages ago! Became my inspiration for today's loosely themed tunes! Enjoy! Athlete - Wires [Live from Glastonbury] MP3 MySpace The Envy Corps - Wires & Wool… (in post Sunday's 7 degrees of Separation from Mixtape 4 Melfi. Download this at eMusic Amie Street Amazon iTunes More by this artist at eMusic Amie Street)

The flute is a woodwind instrument that is still widely popular even though it has been around for hundreds of years. The flute is the highest pitched instrument in most bands (especially beginner ones, as the piccolo is not always used), and it is made of metal. Unlike the other members of the woodwind family (the clarinet, the saxophone, etc) the flute does not utilize reeds. Rather, the sound is produced by pushing air through the cylindrical instrument.

The proto-flute has been around for thousands of years - archeologists unearth bones with holes in them can be played very similar to a flute all the time. As of writing this article, every civilization past and present has some instrument that resembles a flute; yet the flute as we know it is a relatively modern invention. The final product, the flute still used today in beginner bands to professional orchestras, was created only a couple hundred years ago.

Flutes are deceptive in their appearance - although the flute can be very easy to play once you get the hang of it, they can be very tricky in the initial learning stages. Sound is created by pursing the lips, blowing into a hole, and the new wind stream (introduced by the breath) bounces around and interacts with the air already in the cylinder. Specific notes then correspond to whichever holes are opened or closed, which ultimately lengthens or shortens the cylinder (or resonator, to be more specific). A good, strong tone is only achieved when the air flow is constant. That may sound easier than it actually is, but practice will strengthen the diaphragm and thus lead to loud clear tones.

Most flutes people will encounter are the transverse flutes - these are the flutes that are side blown. Transverse flutes can accommodate each individuals arm length, which is important to ensure all proper fingerings can be achieved. Other flutes include Pan Flutes (as depicted in Greek mythology, most famously), Ocarina, Xaio, Indian Bamboo Flute, Bass flute, and the list goes on and on. On the professional level, virtually all flautists play "open hole" flutes, which in appearance are like beginning transverse flutes, but are much harder to play.

Flutes are common in beginner bands, high school bands, and university level bands. However, the flute is still used in the military, orchestras, symphonies, jazz ensembles, rock bands, woodwind ensembles...the list is endless. Interestingly enough, the flute is enjoying a resurgence in popular music, for its' tones can add just the right amount of pizzazz to any music.

If you are considering playing a flute, there are innumerable flutes instructors all over the country. Once you learn the basic fingerings and how to read music, there is ample sheet music, spanning all music genres, designed specifically for flutes. With practice and a decent amount of dedication, you can be playing this beautiful instrument in no time.

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