What is a MIDI and has it hurt or improved the Music Business?

Think of this, I want to control one device with another, well someone thought of that then it changed the music industry and other companies who couldn't get a grasp on that concept. They call it the MIDI or Musical Instrument Digital Interface. This device took analog and digital and made them compatible. Most MIDI devices are like keyboards, but the question remains, "Have they improved or hurt the music business?" Some say improved because they have helped those who cannot play instruments make music and some say hurt due to the fact that those who play instruments can make music and play instruments. If it makes no sense then lets clear it up. Instruments are hard to make and take special laborers to make them, they also have to be tuned properly. Digital music requires the same effort except you have to know the language to fit in and that takes practice. The MIDI device took each world of music and not only connected a keyboard to a computer to sync each instrument together but also took inexperienced musicians and professional musicians by connecting them as well. Although this may seem complex it's quite simple. Lets say you have a sound and you want to use it over and over, what do you do? Do you keep playing the instrument and recording the sound or do you take the sound hook it up to a computer, record it then sequence that same sound with less effort just by connecting the instrument to a computer. I guess that leaves one last question, has the MIDI hurt or improved the music business?   

Working your way up to the climax when writing a script.

Script writing can be frustrating at times but the climax is always the deciding factor on how your story will be viewed by the critics. A good word that explains the climax would be revelation. The climax is the point where everything either comes together or falls apart. It's important to give the viewer the "ah" moment or the moment of disbelief. Three good tips on working up to the climax would be:

1. Put the characters in a position that seems impossible to get out of, then figure out a way to make them succeed or fail.
2. Make everything a mystery by showing random characters within the plot then make those characters standout as the climax unfolds.
3. Trap the subjects or make a character who was assumed to either be dead or gone reappear as the story reaches the climax. 

These three tips should give you a good format as you then have to work your way down to the ending. Good luck:-) 

How to develop a novel?

In literature there are certain pieces of work that take time and thought. A novel is a piece of work that requires creativity and a well thought-out and creative format. Novels, although fiction, should bring the reader inside of the minds of your characters, while also engaging them with real life situations. Writers who write novels should be well versed on the situations in which they are trying to put their readers in. Defined as a fictitious piece of literature, a novel should seem real to the reader in some sense and also keep them within the content of the dialogue taking place within the story. Novels develop as the writer develops. It is important for the writer to grow with the story as the novel develops. In a novel the reader should keep probing the story to want to know more about the characters and the situations in which the writer puts the reader in. It is also fair to say that the reader should also develop as the novel develops as well.    

Tips on Trademarks

Trademarks are designs, names and images that a company takes legal ownership of. The process for them to retain that trademark cost a lot of money and takes time to register. If a certain brand or trademark is used in any fashion without permission and is used to gain the attention of prospects for a profit, things can get out of hand for the person who owns the trademark. In films and other entities that involve production and progress always look for the small TM logo on certain products or apparel when characters are on set or when editing try to blur them out. If you don't have permission or do not have legal endorsements from the company you should follow the correct procedures or ask questions so you don't have to go through any more hardship to reach your goal.

Defining Television Standards

The concept of television has always dazzled the imagination. Who could imagine seeing people in one room millions of miles away right at home? Television has evolved over the years with digital technology that enables engineers to create programs with higher resolution etcetera. Since its invention television has always improved but there have also been some failures. Like any other invention there has to be standards. The most common and only legitimate television standards are PAL and NSTC. These standards are defined by regions on a geographical scale. PAL (Phase Alternating Line) is the standard system mainly used by the European Union. In detail PAL has many different specifications than other standards used by other countries. This mainly has to do with the color (colour) variations.  NTSC (National Television System Committee) is the system regulation that the majority of the West Coast use and some on the East Coast. You also have SECAM which is not very different from PAL just a different form of color transmission. What makes each standard different is color transmission. As digital technology advances analogue usage declines, yet each standard still has the same core function and changes as innovative visual technology advances.

There is a lot of information on television standards online by searching: PAL, NSTC or SECAM.

The Blueprint for Constructing a Rhythm & Blues Song

There are many formats to writing a song depending on the type of song you are trying to produce. Before you start your song, remember that a bar is a measure of beats similar to counting 1beat_2beat_3beat_4beat or 1_2_3_4. The timing varies by the tempo, which is the speed or pace of the song. Here is a little basic example on how to structure a rhythm and blues song:

• 8 Bar Intro 32 Beats
• 8 Bar First Verse 32 Beats
• 8 Bar Chorus 32 Beats
• 8 Bar Second Verse 32 beats
• 8 Bar Bridge 32 Beats
• 8 Bar Hook 32 Beats
• 8 Bar Close 32 Beats

This is just an example to give you an idea of how a song is formatted. Once you produce the beat and the singing begins this format could change depending on the producer.  

Understanding the (Mapping) Stage Terms in Theatre

Theatre has terms just like other fields of study. The stage terms are always the best to start with. Here is a list of stage terms:

• Upstage-is the area moving away from the audience; if you were on stage you would move towards the back of the stage.
• Downstage-is the area moving towards the audience; if you were on stage you would move towards the front of the stage closer to the audience.
• Stage right- takes you to the audience's left but is your right when standing on stage. (Imagine standing face to face with someone, when you move left you are walking to their right and when you move right you are moving to their left. On stage you are moving to your right.)
• Stage Left- takes you to the audience's right but is your left when standing on stage facing the audience. (Imagine standing face to face with someone, when you move left you are walking to their right. If you move right you are walking to their left. On stage you are moving to your left.)
• Center- move to the center of the stage.
• Full Front- The front part of your body is facing the audience.
• Full Back- The front part of your body is facing the back of the stage.
• Cross- when you move from place to place on the stage.
• Blocking- When all actors move on stage as directed in rehearsal then carried out in the live performance.

For more information on Theatre terms visit: www.district 196.org

How to cite References when Publishing a Book or Report.

In the academic world, a reference is a source of information that builds on the process of knowledge and creative thoughts. There are a few different ways to cite references when publishing a book. Citing references usually depends on the subject matter of the book or report. APA style is usually used for psychology, education and other fields relating to the social sciences. MLA style usually relates to the arts, literature and humanities. AMA style is used to cite medicine, health, and biological sciences. Turabian style is used for college student for all fields of study or subjects. Chicago style is used in magazines, newspapers and usually publications outside of the scholar realm. When siting references on websites just use a hyperlink to the website that you used for the information.   
Example of APA style:
In-Text Citation:
 West B. K. (2003) reported that "faith only matters to those who can see things in the physical world." (p. 204)
 Jane, D. O. (2003). Theology: Christianity. The Journal for Christian Studies, 249, 59-100.

Example of MLA style: 
In-Text Citation:
West states, "that those who believe in God have a good sense of their own limits and ideologies therefore, there has to be a creator." (206)
Doe, John K. "Christianity or nothing. The true life of those who believe." The Journal for Christian studies 6.4 (2003) 54-78. Print.

Example of Chicago style: 
Text:
Two men where accused of the crime but refused to be on the witness stand.(footnote here)
Footnote or Endnote:
8. John Key Doe, The Murder without a witness: Volume 1. (Ohio: West Enterprise. 2008), 205.
Bibliography Entry:
Doe, John Key. The Murder without a witness: Volume 1. Ohio: West Enterprise, 2008.

For more examples visit these links:
http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citapa.htm
http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/cittur.htm
http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citmla.htm
http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citchi.htm
http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citama.htm

What is an ISBN?

International Standard Book Number, is just what is says, it is a number to identify and distribute a book. ISBNs also help identify the author and publisher. Every country has its own system for identifying books, the United States uses the ISBN system. It is important to note that anyone can publish a book, but once it is placed on the market for distribution, duplication, and is in demand it is then important to have an International Standard Book Number. This number also allows people to search for your publication in search engines and accurately find your book and the company who published your book. ISBN numbers now come in groups of 13 rather than formally groups of 10 with the first three numbers representing the EAN (European Article Number), the second two numbers representing the group, the next four numbers representing the publisher, the next three numbers representing the title and the last number representing the check digit. For more information on purchasing an ISBN visit www.bowker.com

When is it Legal to Sample Music

I used fifteen to thirty seconds of someone's music or vocals, is it legal? To avoid any legal action when using copyrighted music you should always get permission from the publisher. Some labels even have a form on their webpage that you can fill out to maintain a license for sampling. You can also pay a fee in other cases as well. If you alter the sequence with a different instrument then you are fine as long as it is not exactly like the original. When you are using such material to make a profit, don't use samples unless you go through all the correct legal procedures. Fifteen to thirty seconds on Youtube may be fine just don't monetize the video. There is plenty of information on www.ascap.com and other sites that represent the protection of artist.

Understanding Copyrights

Copyrights were established to protect intellectual property so ideas could not be stolen without legal protection. Copyright laws are often broken every hour, but the legal process is simply for the person who created the idea. Once an idea is brought to comprehension and created in real time then it is automatically copyrighted by the creator. If the creator wants to protect it they should mail a copy to themselves or send it to a close friend or relative for legal protection if they cannot not afford a legitimate copyright. It would be wise to get the documents notarized or stamped with dates by the post office. The copyright office does have a website to process copyrights on your own with listed fees. To learn more about copyrights visit www.copyright.gov 

Making Peace with Art

The concept of art is to understand that it is everywhere. In art there is good and evil. Stories have to have a protagonist and antagonist. The mind of a writer is advanced because it's always moving and coming up with new ideas. When every you criticize or judge an artist try to look at yourself first and see what the artist made in his artwork then discuss it and get a picture of what they painted in your mind. The goal of the piece will then be clear for you to make peace instead of war. Once you achieve that you will make peace with art.

How to fight writer's block

There are many ways to fight writer's block especially the kind that comes when you need to write the most. Here are five tips:
1. Try to find a goal when you write then write until you reach it.
2. Go for a walk or do something to stimulate your thoughts like running.
3. Read
4. Make something up then keep going until you get tired.
5. Find a sad moment in your life and write about it.

Tips on Publishing a book

In this new day and age you typically don't really need a major publisher to publish a book. There are many self publishing companies who will publish your book at a listed price or you can publish on your own. Although grabbing a major publisher does have some benefits self publishing leaves you with more freedom and rights. Self publishing is very hard and takes a lot of time and effort to get your book in the hands of the readers, but in the long run it leaves you with more freedom and options. Plan accordingly and set a budget to market your book if you decide to go in alone and try not to waste money on things you can do yourself when marketing your book.