Archive for Sourced Articles

CEE Worldwide Entertainment Agency | April 18, 2009
No comments

Happy Birthday To The 45rpm Record

Author: Robert Benson

Happy Birthday and welcome back to an old friend, the 45 rpm record officially turned 60 years old on March 31. British trade journals are reporting that single song 45rpm records are now outselling their CD counterparts and many American bands are now releasing music via this historic audio medium.

The 45rpm record was initially introduced in 1949 by RCA Records as a smaller, more durable replacement for the heavy 78 shellac-based records of the time. The 45 was created by RCA as a competitive move against one their rival record companies, Columbia, which had just introduced the new microgroove 33 1/3 rpm LP. The number 45 came from taking 78 and subtracting Columbia’s new 33 to equal the 45. Record companies and consumers alike faced an uncertain future as to which format would survive the 78rpm or the 45rpm; in what was known as the “War of the Speeds.” In 1949 Capitol and Decca started issuing the new LP format and RCA relented and issued its first LP in January 1950. But the 45 rpm was gaining in popularity and Columbia issued its first 45s in February 1951. Soon other record companies saw the mass consumer appeal the new format allowed and by 1954 more than 200 million 45s had been sold.

So On March 31, 1949, RCA Victor released “Texarkana Baby” b/w “Bouquet of Roses” by Eddy Arnold. The first 45 to hit the Billboard charts was “A — You’re Adorable” by Perry Como, listed on the charts on May 7, 1949. The next week, the year’s biggest hit appeared on the Billboard charts — “Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend)” by Vaughn Monroe. The first 45rpm records were monaural and as stereo sound became more prevalent and popular in the 1960s, almost all 45rpm records were manufactured in stereo.

The historical and commercial significance of the 45rpm record has varied over time, the technological developments in recorded music and according to the audience of the particular artists and musical genres. In general, 45rpm records were more important to the music acts who sold music to the younger audiences (mostly teenagers) who tend to have limited financial resources and shorter attention spans. That said, the golden age for the 45 was in the 1950s and 1960s in early development of rock music. They were affordable and allowed artists the freedom of releasing a single song as opposed to a whole LP. Conversely, some singles helped to launch the sales of the albums that the musicians were promoting.

The length of the songs also evolved. In the 1950s, it was common for songs to be anywhere from two to two and a half minutes long and in the 1960s; the three minute single became the norm. This length was very convenient and fit the AM radio format very well. Millions of demo records were sent out to radio stations with specific instructions as to which song was supposed to be the ‘hit single,’ although there were some DJs that played the ‘B’ sides and those songs became hits. Elvis Presley was one of the first artists to release the ‘double-sided single’, meaning that both songs would ultimately end up on the charts. The Beatles followed suit and were also one of the first recording artists to push the envelope, so to speak and commonly had songs over the three-minute norm. In fact, there are some singles that had to be edited by radio stations and shortened to fit their particular formats. Don McLean’s 1972 hit “American Pie” is an example, the single was split up into two parts on the 45. The Beatles broke new ground in 1968 with their over seven minute epic “Hey Jude.”

The sales of the 45s were recorded on the record charts in most countries in a Top 40 format and these charts were often published in magazines (Billboard), television shows (American Bandstand) and radio programs often had the Top 40 countdown shows (Casey Kasem).

Nowadays, they still manufacture 45 rpm records, but on a much smaller scale than decades ago. Indie bands, r&b artists and punk bands love the format; it makes the music affordable for their target audience and, after all these years, are still highly sought after by collectors. Happy Birthday to an old friend, here’s for many more!

Sales of 45rpm Records:

Over 11 million copies
“Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight” – Elton John

Over 8 million copies
“We Are the World” – USA for Africa

Over 4 million copies
“Hey Jude” – The Beatles
“Hound Dog”/”Don’t Be Cruel” – Elvis Presley
“I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston
“Low” – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
“Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” – Los Del Rio
“Whoomp! (There It Is)” – Tag Team

Over 3 million copies
“Apologize” – Timbaland presents OneRepublic
“Disturbia” – Rihanna
“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” – Bryan Adams
“Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor
“Gangsta’s Paradise” – Coolio featuring L.V.
“Hot N Cold” – Katy Perry
“How Do I Live” – LeAnn Rimes
“I Kissed a Girl” – Katy Perry
“I’ll Be Missing You” – Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112
“I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz
“Just Dance” – Lady Gaga featuring Colby O’Donis
“Live Your Life” – T.I. featuring Rihanna
“Love Me Tender/Any Way You Want Me” – Elvis Presley
“Stronger” – Kanye West
“Viva la Vida” – Coldplay

About the Author:
Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his FREE ebook called “The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting.” Have your vinyl records appraised at http://www.vinylrecordappraisals.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Happy Birthday To The 45rpm Record!

Link to this post!
Category: Sourced Articles | Tags: , ,
CEE Worldwide Entertainment Agency | April 18, 2009
No comments

Train Your Singing Voice – What You Need To Know

Author: Grace Potter

The most important thing about having and maintaining your singing voice is to train it properly. This will ensure that you can sing for years to come without any health problems. Among other things the following points need to be considered:

  • Sort Out What Singing Exercises You Need To Do
  • Train And Improve Your Own Unique Singing Style

Sort Out What Singing Exercises You Need To Do

Once you have figured out your routine for training your voice, you need to know what sort of exercises you need to do. Do you want to be able to sing like Celine Dion or the successful American Idol winner Carrie Underwood? Then one of the things you need to do is to work on your scales and your singing range. The best way to do this is to play scales on a piano and do your exercises or look at getting audio lessons to play on your computer or CD player. Regular practice will extend your range in no time at all. Most people recommend that you should try to have a singing range of between two to three octaves. This will enable you to sing most songs that are popular whether you are singing pop, jazz, rock or even musical theatre.

Train And Improve Your Own Unique Singing Style

When singing along to songs from your favourite singing artists, try not to copy them completely. Otherwise you will lose your own individual style. You could also pick up on bad singing habits that some singers have, which can take a long time to unlearn. The best thing to do is to listen to the songs and the musical notes and try to recreate them yourself. Remember, you want people to say you sound like you and not like a clone of someone else. Popular singers are popular because of their individual styles. If you want to be popular, get your own unique style.

Those are a couple of things that you need to think about when training your singing voice. Get into a regular singing routine and you will be on your way to a great singing voice.

Check this out if you want more tips on how to become a better singer

Want to know how to improve your voice even more? Then visit How To Become A Good Singer for more details.

About the Author:
Grace Potter’s hobbies include singing, interior decorating and reading.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/train-your-singing-voice-what-you-need-to-know-773277.html

Link to this post!
Category: Sourced Articles | Tags: , , , ,
CEE Worldwide Entertainment Agency | April 18, 2009
No comments

Winning Stage Fright

Author: Kim Wist

As a professional performer with 15 years of experience on stage in all kinds of circumstances – stand up, close up, big and small stages etc – and having experienced all kinds of stage frights and anxieties, I feel it is important to talk about this issue and shed some light on it.

If you picture yourself alone on the stage trying to entertain hundred people, does this image frighten you? Do you have butterflies in your stomach on Monday when you know you have a demanding gig on Friday or do they come only a day before? Do you have any idea were this fear originates? Do you think that nobody else feels like you, your fear is worse and others have easier lives?

Many questions, but now it’s time to give some answers:

From the beginning of your life you have been compared to other children. When you went to school it got even worse – and it has built a system inside of us that doesn’t approve us if we are not exceptionally good in what we do. It has also created fear, fear of failure and sometimes fear of success. Maybe you have had your creativity beaten down by your parents or your classmates and you are afraid to express yourself anymore. Parents can contribute to this factor more than we know and usually with good intentions from their side; you have expressed your child creativity and your mother comes along and tells you got it all wrong… next time in the same situation you are not likely to try the same thing again. Among children this comparison is especially rude and cruel, so no wonder that we think twice before expressing ourselves in front of others.

However this should not stop you from fulfilling your dreams or going on stage and stand up in front of people if you feel you belong there and have something to give.

It’s important to think about fear and get a grip of it.

Fear can be very big, so big you feel there’s nothing you can do and it gets the best of you. And we are customized not to show our fears. We act cool when in reality we shake life leafs. We think that by admitting our feelings we will lose our face. In fact it is the other way around, he who has courage and honesty to show his feelings to others is much braver, stronger and free. He doesn’t need to hide from anything.

The problem is not fear, although it is important to understand how it arises – the problem is how we deal with it. Think of fear as energy. Because energy it is. It is energy you don’t want, you wish it go away. This means you are not facing your fears, and if you don’t face your fears you will not conquer them. We often think of fear as our enemies, but everybody knows that first step in any battle is to know your enemy!

Actually fear in not your enemy – it’s your ally – if you can use it right. I said that fear is energy. Ride the wave instead fighting against it! Accept your fear and embrace it and it will yield its strength in your hands. Fear can be big and terrible but all gets down to you, how you handle it.

To be brave means to act despite you are afraid. Brave doesn’t mean fearless, it means you can handle it and don’t let it overrun you.

Next time you go on stage on a stand up gig and you see the ocean of people you got to entertain, you might feel stage fright and insecurity arise. Good! Use it, ride with it, breathe it in and let it come out in your actions. But whatever you do, don’t let it hold you back.

About the Author:

Kim Wist is a professional magician and one of the most successful performers in Finland: Taikuri Kim Wist

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Winning Stage Fright

Link to this post!
Category: Sourced Articles | Tags: , , ,
CEE Worldwide Entertainment Agency | April 18, 2009
No comments

Trade Show Entertainment

Author: Kim Wist

Trade shows offer a different but very interesting venue for various entertainment artists. Because people move around and performances are very seldom arranged at specific times, a performer’s main job is usually to attract and keep customers by the stand.

However, a skillful performer can attract a big group at the same time and develop a good overall feeling about the company he’s working for. I often found that some people don’t come immediately to visit the stand after the performance, but interest is awakened and they come later the same day.

As a magician I have worked on many trade show events and found different ways to promote the client and their products. Magic is good because people are generally very interested in it and I have found that the company message is easy to deliver disguised in a magic trick. The magic performed can use the company name or product, thus linking the sales message with magic itself.

Different attraction methods has been used by companies; musicians, jugglers, loud sound effects and even theater but nothing works better than a seasoned performer who can gather big crowds in minutes. As in street magic, we need sound, color and movement to attract attention, it is a good idea to work on a slightly elevated stand from time to time, but once some onlookers are attracted, the interest is developed and more will come.

Once the customers are around the stand, the sales staff has a better chance to move in on them. This is why magic is good, because it can hold peoples interest for many minutes and those few minutes might be the difference between a sales person making a contact or not.

I have had special cards printed with the company’s logo and message printed on the other side. When doing a card trick I make a visual card change in the customers hand and give the changed card as a souvenir to keep. This is very strong, because first of all the customer has an object to keep that changed in his hands impossibly and he will show it to others and tell them the story. The others will hear where this happened; the company name and the magicians name get free promotion. If he tells this story to his mates at the trade show café, one simple card trick can attract many more free customers per day to the stand. This is the power of good magic!

A magician at a trade show stand can create a much more memorable image of the company than a standard, often boring stand could ever do. Many trade shows stands are uninspiring, except to those particularly interested in the product. People walk around and see the same type of stands over and over again, and we need something to really awaken their interest, get them to stop, wake up from their day dreaming state and visit this interesting stand. Using a magician as an attraction creates a different image and can easily make this company stand out from the others offering the same product or services. It also makes you memorable, and sometimes at trade shows this is all you seek.

The best way to do this, for me as a magician, is to use close up magic and impromptu stand up performances by the stand. I might start slowly with close up and get some people interested and then slowly turn it to a more public performance. For the stand up shows, I use a wireless microphone, some colorful items in the beginning that change fast and some custom build sound effects in between effects. Humor is also very important, and once a good crowd is gathered, the important message is simple to deliver. If done correctly and professionally customers will remember this company and they get many new potential clients.

About the Author:

Kim Wist is a professional magician and one of the most successful performers in Finland, web site: Kim Wist

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/trade-show-entertainment-762498.html

Link to this post!
Category: Sourced Articles | Tags: , ,