catbird's world » music http://www.catbird.org/blog cat has a lot of opinions about food, customer service, mommyhood, politics, and pop culture. You should read them. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:02:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Guitar and Uke links http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/05/06/guitar-and-uke-links/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guitar-and-uke-links http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/05/06/guitar-and-uke-links/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 00:36:37 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/05/06/guitar-and-uke-links/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Instead of keeping all these links tabs open in tabs and losing them every time I have to restart, I thought I’d make a list:

Guitar:
Children’s Songs for guitar
more Children’s Songs for guitar
A Guitar Teacher’s Lesson Notebook
Guitar strumming patterns
How to Play Guitar for Newbies
Video guitar lessons
interactive chords
chord chart

Ukulele:
Alligator Boogaloo ukulele songs
Ukulele lessons online
Super-cool Beatles ukulele site

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/05/06/guitar-and-uke-links/feed/ 0 Ukulele tuning http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/04/09/ukulele-tuning/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ukulele-tuning http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/04/09/ukulele-tuning/#comments Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:27:03 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/04/09/ukulele-tuning/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> A good online ukulele tuner.

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/04/09/ukulele-tuning/feed/ 0 Music: There’s something about Jersey http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/03/13/music-theres-something-about-jersey/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=music-theres-something-about-jersey http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/03/13/music-theres-something-about-jersey/#comments Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:37:53 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/03/13/music-theres-something-about-jersey/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Jon Bream from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune is a bit of an idiot. And I’m being generous. His article about music in New Jersey is full of backhanded compliments.

Mr. Bream notes that “Per capita, the fertile Garden State has probably turned out more big-name music stars than any other state.” (including Count Basie, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, and even, apparently, Eddie Rabbit) Why? he wonders, when the state is merely “Miles upon miles of industrial smokestacks, the filthy turnpike through the wastelands, two NFL teams that won’t even take the name of the state in which they play.”

Oh, here’s why, says Bream:
1. Being between NY and PA give us Jerseyites an “inferiority complex.”
2. In his words: “Those pollution-spewing factories do have a positive impact by helping to instill a strong work ethic in Jerseyites.” What is NJ part of a Dickens novel?
3. Gosh, this guy is an ass. Apparently, we have an “underdog mentality that comes from being the butt of jokes and living in a culture-deprived state that, unlike New York and Philly, had no pro sports until the 1970s.” What the heck do pro sports have to do with music?

Maybe this guy was dumped by a Jersey girl, I’m not sure. But I do know that he has never spent any real time in this beautiful state, which is full of diversity both cultural and natural. I’m 20 minutes from NYC by train, but in a 10 minute bike ride I can be in South Mountain Reservation surrounded by trees and wildlife. Beautiful beaches, mountains, farmland, rolling green hills, and the history of Washington’s Crossing — just the tip of the iceberg. On any given night in my neighborhood, you can smell Caribbean food cooking at the neighbor’s house (yum!), walk down the hill for Spanish or (authentic) Mexican food, head over to the pub for a pint, or go into Newark’s Ironbound District for Portuguese. Not to mention Cecil’s Jazz Club right down the street.

Have I mentioned that this guy is an idiot, or an ass, or maybe an idiotic ass? Not just the music, baby, NJ’s got it ALL!

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2008/03/13/music-theres-something-about-jersey/feed/ 0 Super-cool online guitar tuner http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/08/22/super-cool-online-guitar-tuner/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=super-cool-online-guitar-tuner http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/08/22/super-cool-online-guitar-tuner/#comments Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:56:23 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/08/22/super-cool-online-guitar-tuner/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Tune a guitar several different ways including Standard, Drop D, Open C, Open G, Open D, Open G, Half Step Down, and Full Step Down all from the web. Plus handy tips on tuning. Cool.
http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/08/22/super-cool-online-guitar-tuner/feed/ 0 Don’t forget to buy this CD http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/07/05/dont-forget-to-buy-this-cd/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dont-forget-to-buy-this-cd http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/07/05/dont-forget-to-buy-this-cd/#comments Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:13:19 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/07/05/dont-forget-to-buy-this-cd/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> The Himalayans: She Likes the Weather

Am I really a Counting Crows fan without it?

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2007/07/05/dont-forget-to-buy-this-cd/feed/ 0 MTV Boss Slams TV Pop Talent Shows http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/11/05/mtv-boss-slams-tv-pop-talent-shows/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mtv-boss-slams-tv-pop-talent-shows http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/11/05/mtv-boss-slams-tv-pop-talent-shows/#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2003 18:22:38 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/11/05/mtv-boss-slams-tv-pop-talent-shows/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Here’s a thought: maybe music sales are down because so much new music sucks.

Okay, so people are downloading and burning CDs, but could the downturn in CD sales also be a result of crappy “Instant Pop” generated by television shows and record executives?

Brent Hansen, President and Chief Executive of MTV Networks Europe intelligently points out:

“Disposable and ephemeral will, I hope, become less of an attraction both to people who are signing the artists and to the audience…. I think it will come right as long as there is confidence from the labels right through from the indies (independents) to the majors in signing new talent.”

He also points out the the industry “continues to be an art and not a science” and “It is not just about quick burns and quick returns.”

Let’s hope others in the music industry start to see his points.

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/11/05/mtv-boss-slams-tv-pop-talent-shows/feed/ 0 The Problem With Music http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/09/10/the-problem-with-music/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-problem-with-music http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/09/10/the-problem-with-music/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2003 21:29:21 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/09/10/the-problem-with-music/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Steve Albini, an independent and corporate rock record producer (who produced Nirvana’s “In Utero”), writes a very interesting piece about how musicians are treated by record companies, including a breakdown of royalty payments and profits.

“The band is now 1/4 of the way through its contract, has made the music industry more than 3 million dollars richer, but is in the hole $14,000 on royalties. The band members have each earned about 1/3 as much as they would working at a 7-11, but they got to ride in a tour bus for a month.”

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/09/10/the-problem-with-music/feed/ 0 Orrin Hatch on teaching about copyrights http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/18/orrin-hatch-on-teaching-about-copyrights/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=orrin-hatch-on-teaching-about-copyrights http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/18/orrin-hatch-on-teaching-about-copyrights/#comments Wed, 18 Jun 2003 18:33:24 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/18/orrin-hatch-on-teaching-about-copyrights/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Orrin Hatch said he favors developing new technology to remotely destroy the computers of people who illegally download music from the Internet. Even though legal experts say doing so would violate federal anti-hacking laws, Hatch thinks it “may be the only way you can teach somebody about copyrights.”

It kind of makes me want to use his computer to download some music.

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/18/orrin-hatch-on-teaching-about-copyrights/feed/ 1 RIAA bullies steal milk money http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/10/riaa-bullies-steal-milk-money/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=riaa-bullies-steal-milk-money http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/10/riaa-bullies-steal-milk-money/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:27:16 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/10/riaa-bullies-steal-milk-money/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Like Nelson on the Simpsons, the RIAA is just a bunch of bullies.

Recently, the RIAA sued Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute freshman Jesse Jordan for creating a search engine that would search the campus network. He wasn’t sharing music, he just created a way for students to find things on the existing network.

In the settlement, the RIAA agreed that Jordan did nothing wrong, but took his whole savings account, $12,000, anyway.

They are just a bunch of playground bullies, pushing kids around and taking their money. You can almost hear them saying “Ha-ha.”

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]]> http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/06/10/riaa-bullies-steal-milk-money/feed/ 0 Elvis Costello Tribute http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/03/17/elvis-tribute/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=elvis-tribute http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/03/17/elvis-tribute/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2003 23:30:21 +0000 catbird http://www.catbird.org/blog/archives/2003/03/17/elvis-tribute/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Last week, in honor of his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (along with the Attractions), I partook daily in an Elvis Costello tribute. Much to my co-worker’s chagrin, multiple repitions of “I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea“, “Green Shirt“, and the oh-so-appropriate “What’s So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding” could be heard in the area surrounding my desk throughout the week.

It is just my way of saying “Thanks, Elvis, for all you’ve given us.” Because of my sister, Jennifer, the music of Elvis Costello, with and without the Attractions, has been a part of the soundtrack to my life for just about 20 years.

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