Duration : 0:1:27

Technorati Tags: Bruce, electronic, Keyboards, Lowe, music, training, video

Duration : 0:6:35

Technorati Tags: blues, electronic, foxhills, ftc, jazz, keyboard, maxson, melodic, music, performance, riff, www.ftconline.org.uk

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I bought a Yamaha PSS80 at a yard sale, and discovered that it did not have a sound output jack. Some later versions of this little keyboard may have corrected this problem.

This video shows step-by-step how to modify a Yamaha PSS80 “Portasound” electronic keyboard by installing a direct sound output jack for patching it into mixing boards, computers or any audio device. While this instrument is not a true synthesizer, it has some unique synthesizer sounds that can be a very useful part of the electronic musician’s toolkit. This technique can be used with any keyboard that has speakers but no direct sound output jack.

The modifications require a few simple tools and one 1/8″ non-circuit breaking mini jack, available at Radio Shack.

When modified, the Yamaha keyboard is able to patch and play music directly into audio devices, including the line-in of a computer, with no loss of sound quality. This allows one to use the unique synthesizer sounds in a variety of ways, mixing it with other tracks of a music composition in a sound editor, for example. At the same time, it will play through its own speaker, which in some cases can create a modified “stereo” effect.

The music performed in this video is Yamaha’s own “demo song” built into the little keyboard.

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“Modifying the Yamaha PSS80 Electronic Keyboard” is sponsored by ClydeSight Production’s COUNT MY TEXT! character and word counting and optimizing software. It is ideal for users of YouTube, Xanga, DIGG, MYSPACE, bloggers and others who submit text information to Social Internet Web sites. Many such sites limit character counts in profiles and comments sections. COUNT MY TEXT! not only allows you to compose and count your text for submission off-line, it OPTIMIZES it for you, stripping out redundant spaces and extraneous codes so you can make maximum use of the limited space the social Internet sites allow. It is also very useful for optimizing Keywords, Title and Description tags for SEO on Web sites. For more information, please visit:

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Duration : 0:9:59

Technorati Tags: audio, clydesight, electronic, keyboard, mixing, music, sound, synthesizer, Yamaha

Out of the 250 million people in the United States, about 25 million of them play an instrument of some kind, or used to when they were in school and would like to pick up where they left off. Another 30 million or so sing in a church choir, a barbershop quartet, or at the very least, in the shower.

That means that there are over 50 million adults who would like to play their instrument or sing better than they do now. After all, everyone wants to improve his or her skills, no matter what the field.

Before the advent of the Internet, if adults wanted to learn to play a musical instrument, they had to schedule a lesson time with a teacher in a store or studio or if they were fortunate, in their own home with a teacher who would come each week for a lesson.

That meant doing it after work, driving to a store or studio, dealing with transportation, babysitting, illness, cancellations, and so on. Very few adults who started lessons that way continued very long, as it was a continual hassle.

But with the development of the World Wide Web, music teachers have gone online to offer lessons to adults in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. No scheduling problems, no transportation issues, no cancellations; none of the problems inherent in traditional lessons.

Here are a few of the many courses available for adults online:

Jamorama Guitar Course; a course in guitar playing

Stripped-Down Guitar Course; a course in guitar playing

SlapBass Guitar Riffs: like the name says

Guitar Made Easy; a basic guitar course

Acoustic Guitar Workshop; lessons on acoustic guitar instead of electric guitar

Screaming Fingers Guitar Course; the name tells the story

One Weekend Guitar; a crash course in guitar

Make Money Teaching Guitar; how to teach guitar and make a living

Learn Chords Fast; course in chords and chord formations

Instant Chord Finding Software Download; a wonderful piece of software that you download to your desktop which allows you to instantly find any piano chord

84 Piano Chords; course in 84 piano chords

“Crash Course” in Exciting Piano Playing on DVD: a complete home study course for adults in exciting piano playing which covers everything from sight-reading to chords to arranging to improvising to theory and harmony and technique and styles and more. A year-long course on multiple DVD dics with co-ordinated books and charts.

How To Play piano By Ear; a course in playing the piano by ear

How To Dress Up Naked Music; a course in adding full sounds to any song using chords, runs, echos, fills, counter-melodies, styles, etc.

How To Play Praise & Gospel Piano; a course for those who want to play in a praise group or worship team, plus make traditional hymns contemporary.

How To Play “Black Gospel” Piano; course in black gospel piano

How To Play Contemporary Urban Worship Piano; advanced course in black gospel

All The Chords In The Whole Wide World; exhaustive course in ALL the chords possible on DVD and book

How To Play Chord Piano…In Ten Days; course that teaches “chord piano” fast

Learn To Play Electronic Keyboards; like the title says

Singing Success; a course in singing

Drum patterns online to download; drum rhythm patterns you can download online

Your own “Drum Machine” online; like a rhythm machine

Learn to read music fast; sight-reading course online

Children Can Read Notes Easily; sight-reading course for kids

Learn to Read Music in One Evening; quick method for adults to learn to read music

Even though this is a big list of music courses for adults now, it is growing at an exponential rate. The opportunity for learning music at your own pace online has never been greater, so take advantage of it and start improving your musical skills without delay!

Duane Shinn
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/can-you-really-learn-to-play-a-musical-instrument-from-an-online-course-52997.html

Teleconferencing is, possibly, the most efficient communication breakthrough of the 20th century. The thinking is to enable a group (three or more people) interactive communication through an electronic medium between people at many locations!

Teleconferencing is being used in the following ways nowadays:
– Audio conferencing, making use of telephones
– Video conferencing, employing interactive televisions with sound,
– Computer conferencing, employing printed communication via computers and keyboards.

Bonuses:

Voluminous cost saving on group meetings that includes cost of traveling, setting up the venue, food, and other related costs.

Meetings are focused and a lower amount of time is lost.

People and speakers who cant spare effort for face-to-face meetings can participate.

Disadvantages:

The most basic problem with teleconferencing is technical failure. A nightmare for all organizers, teleconferencing also requires basic training or orientation for participants in use of resources. Teleconferencing is also a hindrance in interpersonal communication required for negotiation and bargaining.

It is also cumbersome to break ice during a teleconference and establish a rapport between participants. A profitable teleconference depends on detailed planning of the event.

The upcoming tips can help you have a better teleconferencing session:

Think through the Agenda

It is positively imperative that you plan your items on the agenda. The agenda itself ought to be clear, well defined and should spell out the expectations from the participants. Keep in mind the participation and if you expect an input from everyone on every item, then make sure that you have built in sufficient time for the meeting. Also, indicate to the participants that they go through the agenda before the teleconference.

Technically Sound

It is necessary that all participants have prior access to dial in number and pass-codes. You must also convey if you are offering a toll-free number. Check all materials before the conference and ensure that you have a back plan for technology failure.

Getting there

If you are the facilitator, it makes sense to be the first one online. A team-building activity could help get the meeting to a good start (specifically if the group is diverse and is meeting for the first time!). Be careful to substantiate the protocol and the talking order to avoid confusion and an arrangement where one person monopolizes the meeting.

Teleconferencing Etiquette

Least disturbance should be the decorum of all teleconferences. As a participant it is your job description to insure that you dont introduce noise in the form of noisy background, buzzing sounds of low grade cordless phones, reception errors of cell phones any other noise like rustling paper or tapping pens. If the calls are long, the organizers must offer breaks at previously decided times.

If the call is an international one, be aware of accents and avert speaking too fast.

Other Tips for Organizers
– Use names to get notice.
– Use more than one user to break monologue and boredom.
– Involve everybody and if required go around in circles asking for input.
– During breaks, pair off people to facilitate interaction.
– Share duties, like taking notes, with participants to encourage interaction.
– Do take constructive criticism for which you need to be ready with constructive criticism forms.

John Thompson
http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/effective-teleconferencing-for-effective-people-58398.html

That little “a” with a circle curling around it that is found in email addresses is most commonly referred to as the “at” symbol.

Surprisingly though, there is no official, universal name for this sign. There are dozens of strange terms to describe the @ symbol.

Several languages use words that associate the shape of the symbol with some type of animal.

For instance, some quirky names for the @ symbol include:

apenstaartje – Dutch for “monkey’s tail”

snabel – Danish for “elephant’s trunk”

kissanhnta – Finnish for “cat’s tail”

klammeraffe – German for “hanging monkey”

papaki – Greek for “little duck”

kukac – Hungarian for “worm”

dalphaengi – Korean for “snail”

grisehale – Norwegian for “pig’s tail”

sobachka – Russian for “little dog”

Before it became the standard symbol for electronic mail, the symbol was used to represent the cost or weight of something. For instance, if you purchased 6 apples, you might write it as 6 apples $1.10 each.

With the introduction of e-mail came the popularity of the symbol. The symbol or the “at sign” separates a person’s online user name from his mail server address. For instance, joe@uselessknowledge.com. Its widespread use on the Internet made it necessary to put this symbol on keyboards in other countries that have never seen or used the symbol before. As a result, there is really no official name for this symbol.

The actual origin of the @ symbol remains an enigma.

History tells us that the @ symbol stemmed from the tired hands of the medieval monks. During the Middle Ages before the invention of printing presses, every letter of a word had to be painstakingly transcribed by hand for each copy of a published book. The monks that performed these long, tedious copying duties looked for ways to reduce the number of individual strokes per word for common words. Although the word “at” is quite short to begin with, it was a common enough word in texts and documents that medieval monks thought it would be quicker and easier to shorten the word “at” even more. As a result, the monks looped the “t” around the “a” and created it into a circle-eliminating two strokes of the pen.

Another story tells the symbol was used as an abbreviation for the word amphora. Amphora was the unit of measurement that determined the amount held by the large terra cotta jars that were used to ship grain, spices and wine. Giorgio Stabile, an Italian scholar, discovered the symbol in a letter written in 1536 by a Florentine trader named Francesco Lapi. It seems likely that some industrious trader saw the @ symbol in a book transcribed by monks using the symbol and appropriated it for use as the amphora abbreviation. This would also explain why it became common to use the symbol in relation to quantities of something.

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Medichuman
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/what-do-you-call-the-symbol-used-in-email-address-52933.html

Your success in the contemporary world often requires the knowledge of more than one language. As well as learning to write, read and speak mastering a language includes learning to type on the authentic keyboard. Keeping in mind the cost of the language learning the typing skill almost always remains within the area of self-education.

How to reach the goal and not to make mistakes?

STEP 1. Start with Perfection

It is only logical to start with acquiring or reinforcing the touch typing skills in your own language. This will naturally save your time on working out the correct typing habits such as the correct body posture, hand position and fingering. The idea is that these do not change from language to language, after all we use the same keyboard for all the languages and the same principle of touch typing . Thus, we take it for granted that if you have made a decision to learn to type in a foreign language, you have the necessary touch typing skills in your own language.

Find a good typing course, probably the one you were using when you were learning, or any other tutor often downloadable from the Internet. Refresh your typing skills paying special attention to achieving instinctive typing and the feeling of relaxation during the process. Online tests, typing competitions which allow you to practice will perfectly do for this purpose.

STEP 2. Discover the Layout

So, you are well equipped now with solid touch typing skills in your native language. What’s next?

It will be a good idea now to get acquainted with the foreign keyboard, especially if the language uses an alphabet different from the one in your language. First, find the keyboard layout for the target language, for example here:

http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/reference/keyboards.mspx

Make sure that you know all the letters and how to read them.

Then try to compare the letter layout with the keyboard layout of your native language paying attention to punctuation, special signs like @, etc.

Try to visualize the keyboard in your mind and «write» some simple words in a foreign language with the help of the keyboard (in your mind only).

STEP 3. To Switch or not to Switch?

Install the foreign keyboard layout in your operation system.

In Windows XP: Start -> Control Panel -> Regional and Language Settings -> Text services and input options -> Add

Now you can experiment with simple words somewhere in the word processor. Learn to switch between the languages without too much confusion or haste. For your convenience you can also use your On-screen keyboard and play with it for some time.

For some languages, especially those which use Latin alphabet, the differences in layouts are practically insignificant. For this reason many are tempted to use several languages on one layout. The benefit is obvious: you don’t have to switch between the languages and save time. For example, Italians use the Italian keyboard layout for all the English they have to type.

However, we recommend using the authentic keyboard layout in order to achieve the best possible result. Why?

First, local keyboard layouts are usually specifically tailored to the language. It means that the keyboard layout takes into account the frequency of letters or symbols and arranges them accordingly. The typing speed may often depend on this difference .

Second, if you happen to use the authentic keyboard when you start working/studying abroad, you won’t ever be confused. And imagine the situation when the only keyboard familiar to you is that of your native language, say, Italian. It is OK if you are the only owner of the computer you are going to use there and what if you have to share it with some native speaker? Do you think it will be easy for you to convince him or her that switching between En-It «is no harm»?

So, it’s better to learn fast switching between the languages while you are acquiring the typing skill in a foreign language. It will make your skill universal. And this often matters much in the contemporary world.

STEP 4. Try and Buy

Now the time has come to choose the appropriate touch typing tutorial which will guide you through the intricacies of typing in a foreign language.

If you have tried to type «touch typing tutor» in, say, Google, you know that it returns about 900,000 results. We are afraid it is easy to get lost in such abundance of programs. So, consider a few tips before downloading or making the purchase.

Try to find the course which is specifically designed for foreigners who learn the language. In this case you won’t have problems with understanding complicated grammar structures and will possibly benefit from the offered tasks. A good example for the Russian language is Solo on the Keyboard International which is available both with instructions in English and in Russian.

However, such courses are usually quite few, so an alternative to this is to focus on authentic courses, that is, those the natives use when learn touch typing. Ask your friends or pen-pals which program they used when they learned touch typing.

It is a considerable advantage if the authors give you a chance to try the software first. You can make sure that it really suits your needs well and only then pay money for it.

Don’t hesitate to test the company’s support service, send them a mail with as many questions as you want to ask (whether the fonts will be displayed correctly in your operation system, whether you can use the course with your language level, how the registration procedure works, how the software is licensed, etc.) before making the purchase. It is best if the company supports your native language and doesn’t employ electronic robots to answer your questions. You can count on really valuable tips while learning which may become more important than just a nice interface of the software.

STEP 5. Have fun!

So, the preparation is over now. Be prepared to work hard to achieve a good and prompt result. Do the tasks carefully and motivate yourself if the typing tutor you have chosen doesn’t do that for you. Treat it as a useful game. It is a good idea to pronounce everything your are typing in a foreign language. Just try to be sure you do that correctly. Check the dictionary if it is necessary.

You must be aware that at the beginning stage you are likely to use the keys of the native keyboard layout instead of the required ones. It is only natural, don’t be confused about that. It is just because the new skill is too raw and the two overlap. When you progress to a more advanced stage, everything will take its proper place.

While studying you will sure have to solve the problem of correlation «speed-accuracy.» Don’t rush for high speed, although it can be quite impressive. At the very first stages try to concentrate on accuracy, because you will never find time to come back to it. Coming back to improve speed is easy, it just comes with practice.

A very important role at an intermediate stage is played by sufficient practice. As a rule, typing tutors offer some deal of practice, however, you can feel that you personally need more.

That’s where you can start searching for online tests and additional practice sessions. Just remember that you can’t possibly use the symbols which you haven’t covered in your tutor. Otherwise you will be tempted to peep at the keyboard and that’s where the touch typing method ends.

When you have come to the finish with the course don’t think that this is the end. If you don’t have to type a lot in a foreign language, the skill may degrade fast. There are several methods to keep up your skills fresh.

First, you can keep up correspondence with some pen-pals. All online forms are welcome: chats, messengers, serious forums, interest groups or blogs. If you feel all of them are stupid, find forums and chats devoted to touch typing, ask for advice and tips.

Second, you can find some useful forums where you can spend certain time typing your ideas on the subject you are interested in. Language forums are perfect for this goal.

Here are some good examples.

General Russian forum:

http://1001.vdv.ru/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

English forum for those who study languages themselves:

http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/default.asp

Be sure you know the rules accepted in each forum.

Finally, the best variant is to keep a diary in a foreign language which will help both improve your language and typing skills. http://livejournal.com is a very good solution. You will be able to do lots of typing and to be involved in authentic communication.

Usually both skills – language and typing – go together. So, perfect them simultaneously.

What we don’t recommend doing simultaneously – that’s practicing typing skills in several languages.

Good luck!

Douglas Hunter
http://www.articlesbase.com/software-articles/improve-your-touch-typing-skills-with-a-multilingual-touch-typing-tutor-753063.html

Have you ever wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument but do not know which instrument to take up? Do you know that being able to play a musical instrument well is a very satisfying lifelong experience?

The feeling is even more satisfactory and thrilling if you are playing with a band or you are simply backing a singer whether professionally or just for the fun of it and one of the best instruments you can master is learning how to play the piano well.

Why choose to play the piano when there are so many other instruments to choose from? Well, for starters, once you mastered the keyboard on the piano, you can then play on other electronic keyboards and can create the sound of all the other instruments and even more! Isn’t that a good enough reason why you should choose to learn to play the piano?

Here are more reasons why you should learn to play the piano. Playing the piano well makes you feel and look sophisticated and elegant Somehow, a pianist just exudes some kind of elegant charm more than other musicians.

Just close your eye and imagine a pianist in his tuxedo tickling the ivories. Now change your mental image and imagine another musician of your choice playing another instrument. Now open your eyes and tell me which of the two musicians exude more elegance?

Besides the aesthetic image of a pianist, playing the piano helps to keep your brain active because your brain is doing mental exercises to coordinate the movements of all your fingers. There are numerous scientific studies which show that pianists are more mathematically inclined.

This may sound like common sense, learning how to play the piano not only helps you to kill boredom it can give you a sense of well being. If you do not have anything to do, you can go and play the piano and sing to yourself and take notice of how you feel. It is a simply awesome way to overcome boredom.

Imagine that in entertaining your family or your friends when they drop by for a visit. All of you will have fun and at the same time, developing stronger bonds. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Furthermore, many people will actually respect you and with some even thinking that you are a genius. No joke. Many people actually admire someone who can play the piano well. From my personal experience, I have often get compliments from people saying that I play the piano like a maestro and this could be you.

You should know that a good pianist never stop learning. This is because there is absolutely no way to memorize every song and if you can play by ear, you are learning new tunes every time from the TV, radio or from whatever medium without you even being aware of it until someone ask you whether you can play a certain song and although you have never learnt that particular song before, the tune just pops into your head with your fingers running beautifully over the piano keys. This is where your subconscious mind takes over. Isn’t that interesting?

Learning to play the piano proficiently is also a fantastic ego booster. There is no better feeling and satisfaction when playing a difficult song effortlessly and flawlessly to an appreciative audience.

Therefore if you are thinking of learning a musical instrument, why not choose to learn how to play the piano?

Chris Chew
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/why-should-you-learn-to-play-piano-468186.html

What is a Bluetooth headset? You’ve certainly seen them, those things connected to people’s ears that make them look like they just walked out of a Star Trek convention. At first glance, it almost looks like a giant bug has attached itself to the side of the person’s face, causing a moment of alarm as one prepares either to help the poor victim or run for cover. Other times, people walk down the street, apparently talking to themselves in either calm or vigorous tones. It isn’t until a quick turn of the head reveals a Bluetooth headset.

A Bluetooth headset is an odd name for what this little gizmo is and does. First of all, it’s usually not blue, it doesn’t have anything to do with teeth, and it isn’t really a headset: it fits around the outside of your ear like sleek CD player headphone earpieces. With a Bluetooth headset, nothing gets draped around the neck or over the head.

A Bluetooth headset, in English, is a wireless device that connects one to mobile phones, PCs, laptops, digital cameras, printers and even video game consoles. It has global range capabilities and a short-range radio frequency. The distance a Bluetooth headset can pick up frequencies is determined by the power of the transceiver microchip inside, and most headsets can pick up anything as long as the other party or object is in range. The Bluetooth headset device also uses a radio communications system, and as long as the signal can be picked up, so can you. Be advised however, that in order to make a Bluetooth headset work, you need to meet certain specifications, and your Bluetooth headset must be compatible with that of the person or device with which you wish to communicate. Make sense?

One of the most positive aspects of Bluetooth headset capability is that it allows hands-free use. Especially with new laws on the books regarding people driving with cell phones, a Bluetooth headset offers a safe alternative, and yet allows necessary communication between parties or hardware. Believe it or not, a Bluetooth headset can also communicate with a PC mouse, printers and keyboards. A Bluetooth headset also allows users to transfer data from the headset to a destination such as a palm pilot as well. The younger groups will appreciate the fact that a Bluetooth headset can control gaming consoles such as Playstation 3, Nintendo, and new Wii technologies.

Bluetooth technology isn’t limited to the Bluetooth headset. It’s also found in just about any newer types of electronic and computer equipment being manufactured today. Even Wi-Fi uses the same frequency as a Bluetooth headset, while Bluetooth technology is more user friendly. First designed in 1994 by two Swedes, the original company now has thousands of companies worldwide. Major global companies such as Intel, Nokia, Sony and IBM have all taken advantage of boom in Bluetooth technology and developed products and services to support it. So, a Bluetooth headset is much more than a cute little mobile phone that fits over your ear. A Bluetooth headset is riding the crest of the wave into the future.

Chonticha Marijne
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/bluetooth-headset-basics-revealed-105847.html

Vinnit
http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/tvs-champ-keyboard-1117691.html