Learning to play a musical instrument is both a challenging and rewarding hobby. Whether you favor the violin, saxophone, or guitar, becoming a master with your chosen instrument takes years of diligent practice. Therefore, creating the perfect environment to practice your art is important if you want your talent to truly flourish. Whether you live in a large home or a small apartment, it's possible to create a suitable space for practicing music with a few simple steps. Mind the NeighborsBoth newcomers and long-time enthusiast alike often worry about disturbing neighbors while practicing. If possible, keep your sessions to normal business hours on weekdays, or strictly practice on weekends. If that isn't possible, then you'll need to take a few steps to prevent noise from traveling. This is easy to overcome with electronic instruments like keyboards or small guitar amplifiers, where you can simply plug in a set of headphones to contain noise while still being able to here yourself playing. Otherwise, preventing noise from traveling is fairly simple. If you live in an apartment or share a home with others, carefully consider the floor plan of the property. Avoid choosing spots that lay over or under surrounding apartments' bedrooms, and stick to the center of your chosen room if your walls are thin. While it may feel silly, a relatively spacious closet is perfect for vocal training or practicing with smaller instruments. Most closets have small, uniform dimensions which makes the installation of soundproofing materials fairly inexpensive. Since you'll be limited for space, consider using apps rather than relying on physical devices that take up space. A small tablet computer is perfect for reading sheet music and there are plenty of metronome apps available. If you're committed to practicing in your bedroom or living room, invest in a few simple soundproofing measures. Acoustic window and door seals will not only improve the sound quality for your own listening, but will also prevent sound from traveling beyond your property. Unlike wall soundproofing, door and window seals are unobtrusive so they shouldn't stick out much from your home decor. Optimal Conditions for InstrumentsWhile soundproofing your home plays a role in the acoustic quality of your practice space, environmental conditions can as well. You might not expect it, but even temperature affects musical instruments. Too much heat can effect the friction of stringed instruments like violins or guitars, altering the sound. Likewise, flutes, trombones, and other wind instruments perform better when cooler. To maximize the performance of your instrument, you should evaluate your practice space's environmental controls. Have an HVAC company like Derek Sawyers Smart Energy Heating & Air check your central air system to make sure it's running efficiently, as having accurate and responsive temperature control has a noticeable impact on your instrument's performance. A Space of SolitudeWhether you're practicing in a small apartment or a family home, the biggest concern for most musicians is to keep their practice sessions from disturbing others while still having a space with responsive acoustic properties. Soundproofing measures not only keep your music from traveling, but also improve the overall sound quality so you can enjoy your practice sessions without disturbing others. Once your space is secured, consider atmospheric concerns like temperature to get the best performance out of your instrument.
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![]() Glass left the critically acclaimed electronic duo in 2014 citing a multitude of reasons both professional and personal. The first collaboration between actorDaniel Day-Lewis and director Paul Thomas Anderson- 2007'sThere Will Be Blood- resulted in the former winning an Academy Award. Now, the duo has reunited for a new film entitled,Phantom Thread. Reportedly, it's the actor's final role, and rumor has it he's leaving Hollywood in order to pursue the profession of the character he plays in the film: a dressmaker. Phantom Thread is set in post-war 1950s London, where Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) dresses the British elite alongside his sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville).Woodcock lives a bachelor's life, seeking temporary companionship and inspiration from a string of women. That is until the young Alma (Vicky Krieps) enters his life. Falling head-over-heels for the woman, the dressmaker's life is soon thrown into upheaval. The film was scored by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, who previously collaborated with Anderson on There Will Be Blood, The Master, and Inherent Vice.Check out the first trailer above. Here's the full synopsis below: Set in the glamour of 1950s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock's life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love. With his latest film, Paul Thomas Anderson paints an illuminating portrait both of an artist on a creative journey, and the women who keep his world running. Set for a December 25th release, the film is said to be Day-Lewis' last. Over the summer, the three-time Academy Award winner announced he would be retiring from working as an actor. Whether that means he's done with film entirely (directing?) is yet to be seen, though there are reports that his method approach to acting took him so deep into the character of Woodcock that he has decided to pick up dressmaking. ![]() He'll play the majority of the record at a New York show
Feature photo byPhilip Cosores Deep Cuts collects all the forgotten and often hidden gems in a band's catalogue. This time around, Michael Roffman and Justin Gerber take a look through Weezer's extensive catalogue and come back with plenty of surf wax. A long time ago, in a galaxy that's now far, far away, Weezer had a small catalogue. Back in the early aughts, you could spend a breezy afternoon with their body of work and walk away with enough time to catch a matinee. Things have changed, though, and now they're sitting atop 11 studio albums - four of which have used their iconic color scheme, namely blue, green, red, and white - and six EPs. It's not surprising seeing howRivers Cuomo has delivered a new album from the California beach boys almost every year. What's surprising is how so much greatness has been lost in the ether, and that's why we felt it was imperative to head into the garage and find our favorite heart songs. _________________________________________________________ 10. Hold MeMake Believe (2005)Make Believe still gets a lot of grief, but we'd argue there's lots to love. Sure, Beverly Hills and We Are All on Drugs are kind of miserable, but songs like Perfect Situation and this here ditty toss Rivers Cuomo in a Delorean and plop him right in the middle of the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. Cuomo has always sounded best being the coolest kid in the '50s, and Hold Me is that image to a tee. That chorus! Chills! Michael Roffman _________________________________________________________ 09. Miss SweeneyWeezer (2008) Bonus TrackThere's an alternate reality in which the Red Album bonus tracks replace the non-Cuomo tracks, making it one of the band's finer efforts. Oh, well. At least we got the bonus tracks. Miss Sweeney cribs from Susanne for its chorus, but it's the strange rapid staccato (it makes sense, I swear) of the verses that make this a breath of fresh air in the all-too-obvious-pop era that's marred much of the band's recent oeuvre.Justin Gerber _________________________________________________________ 08. You Gave Your Love to Me SoftlyAngus Soundtrack (1995)If you've never seen Angus, try to find it on cable sometime. It's a nice little movie about a total no-name wandering around unhappily because he's too overweight to win over the most popular girl in school. At the time, this then-portly writer imagined those Hollywood hacks finally made a movie for him. Anyways, in addition to a sizzling Green Day B-side (F.O.D.), the soundtrack also featured this slice of alt rock heaven from Weezer with a chorus that sounds a wee bit like Surf Wax America - but who cares. Fun fact: Cuomo initially gave them a track called Wanda, but it was turned down for being too literal of an interpretation of the movie. Oh well. Michael Roffman _________________________________________________________ 07. Space Rock/SlaveMaladroit (2002)Technically two tracks, but in my heart they are one. Unheralded set found in the back half of Maladroit, Space Rock is musically the heavier of the two with its false-note doo-wop interludes. Slave is a bit more picked up and features one of the band's simpler choruses (Who put on your heart?), but it fits the deliberately exhausted vocals. Deep cuts like these are what have helped the band's fourth LP gracefully age. Justin Gerber _________________________________________________________ 06. Eulogy for a Rock BandEverything Will Be Alright in the End (2014)Weezer's 2014 opus Everything Will Be Alright In the End is an album chock full of deep cuts, even if they managed to release four solid singles off the damn thing. Front to back, it's easily their strongest album since 2002's Maladroit, and probably their most realized record since 1996's Pinkerton. Having said that, Eulogy for a Rock Band is the smartest track off the LP, a genius gasp of self-awareness by Cuomo, who acknowledges the limitations of a veteran rock act, all over a forest of riffs that sound like they came off the records that informed their self-titled debut. Adios!Michael Roffman _________________________________________________________ ![]() Imagine you're leaving the stadium or arena, after having enjoyed a performance from your favorite singer or group. The police pull you over and put you through the process of testing your sobriety. Even though you haven't had any alcohol, or perhaps had just a small drink that wouldn't put you over the legal limit, the police charge you with either a DWI or a DUI. What Can You Do to Straighten out a DUI Charge, before Trial?If you're arrested on DWI charges, it's likely that you'll be arraigned quickly and given the chance to enter a plea. If you're innocent, it's important to enter a not guilty plea and refuse any plea bargains offered by the district attorney's office. It's still early in the process and anything can happen, before a trial begins. Even before a trial, the prosecutor may end up dropping your DWI charges for any number of reasons. Commonly, the case may be dropped if the arresting officer can't show probable cause for the initial traffic stop. Additionally, false results on the breathalyzer test or illegally obtained blood samples can result in a dismissal of charges. When Officers Blur the LinesEntrapment is another example of a tainted DWI case. Police may tell an intoxicated individual that he cannot sleep it off in his car and charge him with a DWI as soon as he drives off. This is just one example of entrapment. Any situation in which the law enforcement officer compels the commission of the crime is considered entrapment. In DWI cases, that may mean forcing a well-intentioned citizen to drive drunk, when he never intended to do so. Also, officers may presume you're drunk, based only on your appearance. Bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and staggered walking can be signs of health issues, such as a stroke or very high blood sugar content. Even so, police often first presume that an individual with these symptoms is actually intoxicated. Making that assumption, officers may not investigate any further, offering testimony in lieu of conducting a breathalyzer. Working with a DWI Lawyer is in Your Best InterestWhether you're guilty of driving while intoxicated or you really are innocent of the charges, enlisting the help of an experienced DWI attorney is the best thing you can do for yourself. In addition to knowledge of the DWI laws in your area, your attorney will be familiar with the problems of prosecuting a DWI case and how best to attack the prosecutor's evidence. Whether it means contesting the proof previously mentioned, or establishing new evidence to expose your innocence, a DWI lawyer can help you achieve victory in court. Sometimes a Plea Bargain is Your Best OptionAs a last resort, some DWI defendants will accept a plea bargain, whether they're innocent or guilty of the DWI charges. If a conviction seems likely, the defense attorney may often advise his client to consider any available plea bargain offered by the prosecutor. As technological advances provide greater accuracy in field sobriety tests, plea bargains are becoming less common. New advances in testing blood alcohol levels make errors far less common. Additionally, lower tolerance by the courts and public opinion affect the prosecutor's willingness and authority to offer deals in the first place. Even cases where the blood alcohol content was borderline, prosecutors are obtaining convictions, so plea bargains are redundant. Even in circumstances where you are innocent of the DWI charges, it's important to consult an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Getting a lawyer involved early can mean avoiding a conviction altogether, or it can mean being subjected to a less severe penalty. The prosecutor has full knowledge of your state's DWI laws. Retaining a lawyer with comparable experience and knowledge can make a huge difference. We fuckin' hate Trump.
Schubert/Zimerman: Piano Sonatas D959 and D960 CD review authenticity and a sense of rightness10/11/2017 Krystian Zimerman Krystian Zimerman was 60 last December. As he reveals in an interview included with these performances, approaching that milestone convinced him it was time to find the courage to record the late sonatas by Schubert and Beethoven that he has been including in his recitals for more than 30 years. The first result of that decision is this pairing of the final Schubert sonatas. Other than a performance of Grazyna Bacewicz's Second Piano Sonata (included alongside her two piano quintets on a DG disc of six years ago), these are Zimerman's first solo piano recordings since his Debussy Prludes appeared in 1994. Characteristically, the performances have been prepared with immense care. To recreate something of the sound world that Schubert would have known, Zimerman used a tailor-made piano, replacing the standard Steinway keyboard and action with one he designed and made himself. The hammers strike the strings at a different point, creating a new set of overtones and hence a different range of keyboard colours, and the action becomes lighter too. (Played on a modern grand, he says, the many repeated notes in Schubert could turn into Prokofiev.) Continue reading...The BET Hip-Hop Awards' big moment was indisputablyEminem's a cappella evisceration ofDonald Trump, with the most interesting part of that being when the rapper broke the fourth wall to directly address his fans who may also be Trump supporters.This is what he said to those people specifically:
Any fan of mine who's a supporter I guess the correct term is "Gwennabees." Smatterings of breathlessly excited, blonde-streaked, sparkle-lashed 14-year-olds litter the backstage area of San Francisco's fabled Fillmore. Oblivious to the portraits of Janis, Jimi, and the Jefferson Airplane scattered around the venue, these girls line up to press tokens of esteem on the recently adopted object of their devotion,
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Camille Mullens
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