Music Makers Fundraising Scheme

The Music Makers Fundraising Scheme is a great way for schools, groups and organisations to raise vital funds.

Once you have registered to be part of the scheme, by your supporters using the special Music Makers Fundraising Code.

You will receive 5 - 15% cash-back from us on every order that is placed using your code. (excl. delivery)
Your supporters will receive 5% discount on all orders (before delivery chargers)
Your chosen charity will receive £1 per £100 spent by your supporters.

If you are a school, group or charity with a need to raise funds and are not yet part of the Music Makers Fundraising Scheme why not email chris@musiccorner.co.uk and register now!


If your school, group or organization is already registered in the scheme and has an allocated fundraising code you can use it on our website within 48 hours of receiving your code. Keep an eye out for fund raising special offers received by email.

If you would like to start raising funds for your school this week, dowload the application form from this link (Application Form as Doc 2003 , Doc 2007 , PDF ) and we will email you within 48 hours with your Music Makers Fundraising code. 

 Or for more information please see the articles under newsdesk or follow this link

A Single Music Note

A single music note
Small and simple
Easy to place
Hard to hold

Brought to existence for a measly moment
Exhaled into a intricate form
How elegantly it dances through my thoughts
Plays deep into my heart

Taps into a web of emotions
Mesmerizes me
Captivates my body
Leaves me spellbound

And then weakens
And dies young and beautiful
In it's silent grave

Living and dying a thousand times
For my pleasure and whim
Controlled by confident hands
And expert visions

Powerful
Useful
Eternal
Meaningful

A single music note

 

by A Music Corner Customer

 

for more Creative Writing articles please see the main site at

http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Articles-Creative-Writing/t117_34/articles.html

He Healed them all - A Poem

He Healed them all God picked up a piece of clay And began to mould it in His way. For a while it was quite smooth Then sin came in with crooked move. Distorted pot that clay became Then Jesus came to heal the lame. Broken people, full of tears Hurt that went on through the years. Jesus healed them all that day And began again to mould the clay Christos    May Foreman for more poems and stories please see our main site at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Articles-Creative-Writing/t117_34/articles.html

Cave of Gold - A Poem

Cave of Gold Go now and seek the cave of gold And you will find your hidden soul. This secret place is hard to find It holds the mysteries of mankind. Lost in dimensions we can’t see That stream into eternity. Deep within this golden cave Lies secrets of another age. There’s wisdom there for you to find If you’ve a pure and honest mind. The plan of life is waiting too The one that’s made for only you. As long and narrow is life’s road So don’t collect those heavy loads. Begin your quest with humble heart Fill up with love and make a start. If you walk in truth, you’ll find that cave Within its light your life you’ll save. Christos         May Foreman for more see our Creative Writing section at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Articles-Creative-Writing/t117_34/articles.html

How Can I Use Political Rosettes?

Apart from the obvious national elections political rosettes can be used for

• Educational school reproduction of the democratic election process

• Television/ Satellite studio debates - political programmes

• Youth Group elections

• Local elections

• Kids fancy dress .. what better way to get youngsters to understand politics than to pretend or re-enact news casts

Or just to show your support for your local party.

We supply the main 3 parties (Conservative , Labour or Liberal ) from stock in singles or multiples of 12 per party.

Optional blank centres of the appropriate colours for you to add your own ‘political party’ bearing the same manifesto pledges.

(PS Yellow rosettes with blank centres make smile face badges when used with the large smile face stickers)


Fringe Party Colours available, please enquire.


   

Types of Violins

Types of Violins

There are many violin makers from all across the world who create violins for specific name brands. Generally, there are two types of violins:

* Acoustic or Non-Electric Violin - This is the traditional violin that is more suitable for beginners. The violin is a bowed string instrument that has the highest tune and is the smallest among the violin family of instruments. It is also called the fiddle when used to play traditional or folk music.

* Electric Violin - As the name implies, electric violins use an electronic signal output and is suited for more advanced players. The sound of an electric violin is sharper than that of an acoustic.

Violins may also be classified by period or era:

* Baroque Violin - The violin of this period had a shallower angle and neck, there was not much thought given to chin and shoulder rests and the strings were strung in gut with equal tension.

* Classical Violin - The violin of this period had a thinner neck and smaller heels than that of the Baroque period.

* Modern Violin - The neck of the modern violin is more sharply angled, the wood used is thinner and smaller and the strings are tuned higher.

Violins may also be classified by the country from which it originated such as China, Korea, Hungary, Germany and Italy. People who make violins are called luthier. Less expensive violins often come from China, Pakistan or India, while the most expensive, Stradivarius, (named after Antonio Stradivari) comes from Italy. However there are many named Stradivarius that are just cheap copies.





for more information please visit www.musiccorner.co.uk

Which guitar, classical, electric or acoustic?

The Electric Guitar  The electric guitar is the coolest instrument ever invented. A bold statement maybe? But it honestly is. No instrument has inspired as many people to take up music, and no instrument has ever sounded or looked as unbelievably good on a stage (Slash?). The guitar in the above picture is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, aka the holy grail of electric guitars. The Les Paul is one of the contenders for the prize of the first electric guitar. Les Paul (the person) did lots to help the world of music, as well as inventing on of the most iconic guitars in history; he also invented the idea of multi-tracking, which turned out to be one of the most important recording techniques ever. Unfortunately he was beaten to the first production electric guitar by a guy called Leo Fender, with his telecaster, mainly because Gibson just laughed at Les Pauls ‘log’.  So should you pick an electric guitar straight away? Personally, as a teacher, I would recommend an acoustic but I have been told by pupils that they prefer the sound and feel of the electric. A Gibson Les Paul, wouldn’t be a sensible place for a learner to start. Firstly, the Les Paul is a beautiful piece of art (seriously) and it will leave you a bit out of pocket, especially if it is left in a corner and not played. Brands like Stagg do copies of the Gibson Les Paul; this would be a good place to start. The copies that are being made are higher quality than ever before, being easier to play and nicer to look at than they used to be. The main big brand companies also do budget versions of their guitars, Fender has squier and Gibson has Epiphone. Even most of the smaller companies do a cheaper version of their guitars, so if your son/daughter has their heart set on a Gibson you can easily trick them into using a cheaper guitar (ha!). The cheaper guitars will also make your wallet ache less when your child carelessly throws the guitar into the boot of the car.  The electric guitar is very different to other types of guitars; this will impact your learning. If you start learning the electric guitar (using an amplifier) you will find that your control over the amplifier will be much better than if you started on an acoustic. This will be beneficial for the future if you hope to be using tons of gain, as you will be able to get a clearer sound. Unfortunately the electric guitar can mask some of the mistakes that you can easily hear on the acoustic. Because of the electric guitars relative ease compared with the acoustic, picking up the acoustic after learning on electric can be a difficult process. The Acoustic Guitar  The acoustic guitar is the second coolest instrument ever invented. Maybe it doesn’t have the same aesthetic appeal or the unparalleled “cool” of the electric guitar, there is something strangely intriguing about a person sat on a dark stage, just an acoustic guitar and a microphone. To this guitarist, the mystery that is generated by that kind of set up is much more interesting than watching a guitarist play 18,000 notes per minute and spin the guitar around his head, that’s been done before anyway! To get up on stage alone with just the acoustic takes a lot of guts compared to having three or four (or five! Go crazy!) musicians on a stage. Even with a band, the acoustic guitar can bring a new dynamic to a bands sound.  The acoustic guitar is the guitar that I would recommend for learning on. I personally would recommend steel strings, however nylon strings are easier on the fingertips which will make the learning experience easier. I learned on a steel string acoustic and (aside from bleeding fingertips) I was always satisfied with the sound that I obtained from the simplest song, even Mull of Kintyre sounded good, somehow. I have always felt that the acoustic guitar generates more confidence than the electric. To get up on stage and play an acoustic alone should get respect for the player, as the intimacy between the crowd and the artist is at its peak. The electric guitar also seems unnecessarily easy compared with the acoustic, once you get used to the idea of feedback and buzz from the amp, you will have the electric guitar mastered easily if you begin with an acoustic. The Classical Guitar  In terms of sheer beautiful gorgeousness the classical guitar wins out of the three hands down. The sound of a classical guitar is nothing like the other two, it has a soft, relaxing sound that can (if played correctly) be very nice. Unfortunately, the classical guitar is often given to new players, who then relate its sound and feel to their learning days, this means that it gets played less. Truthfully, classical guitar music is the most difficult style to learn on the guitar, take it from me. Hopefully this article is nice and informative about gee-tars for you. More about classical guitars can be found on my newsdesk For more articles on guitars please see my site at

How to Use a Guitar Capo and Which is Best for Me

Since the dawn of guitar playing , big bearded folkies have been using a capo to fit the song they are playing to their voices. This shouldn’t be held against the guitar capo, however. Guitar Capo s have also been used in pretty much every other style of playing under the sun. 

They work by (deep breath) shortening the strings, the shorter the string the higher the pitch. It is essentially the same as barring across a fret, which allows you to play open voiced chords, which any bearded folkie will tell you are much easier than barring. They also alter the timbre of the guitar slightly.
A guitar with a capo on the fifth fret will sound softer than without a capo, strange to describe but it does alter the sounds.



Here are some pictures of different types of capos:                                        




Standard Shubb style capo                      




G7th Guitar Capo (THE HOLY GRAIL!!!! Of  capos)






 Stagg Elastic Guitar Capo


Capodastro Quick Release Guitar Capo

The guitar capo is an almost magical item that will inspire you to create wonderful songs. Seriously though, the different sounds that you will get if you use a guitar capo might give you new ideas and bring a new sound to old ideas.
They are very interesting things to mess around with, so try one soon.


Try out a few different types of capos before you buy. The G7th types of capos are definitely the easiest and best sounding capos, but this is reflected in the price. The G7th capo (which, if you can’t tell are very much loved by me) are easiest, they just clamp round the neck and are squeezed until they are tight.

The Shubb Guitar Capos are also easy to use, but also expensive. The shubb type capos, work by being clamped on the neck and tightened.

The cheaper capos, called capodastro, that are sold in the shop are very good for the price, solid capo that doesn’t buzz. A Capodastro guitar capo, for flat or curved fingerboards, just fit round the neck and close.

Finally, the elastic guitar capo s are held on the fingerboard and stretched until they clip. Easy as that, elastic capos aren’t particularly difficult to figure out. There are also capos with elastic parts which are decent enough.

Test a bunch out and see which one you prefer, the lovely staff will not mind.


Incidentally the word capo comes from the Italian, capo, which means head, not sure why but it’s an interesting fact. Arrivederci!

Humbucker and Single Coil Pickups

Pickups are one of a few things that define how an electric guitar sounds .A pickup is essentially a magnet, and your guitar strings are made of metals that are easily picked up by magnets. Somehow, in a very round-about confusing manner, the combination of the two leads to a sound. There are basically two types of pickups, called single coil and humbuckers. Both of these make different sounds.

Single coil pickups were the first type of pickup invented. Unfortunately, as well as picking up the sound from the strings, single coil pickups have to nasty habit of finding stray radio frequencies. Single coils have a very trebly sound in comparison with humbuckers, a lot more twangy (which isn’t a real word). Humbuckers were designed to eliminate this annoying hum sound, to “buck” the “hum” (whatever that means). This description isn’t that simple, however. Humbucker pickups don’t just sound like single coils without buzz, because of the larger amount of wire and the larger magnets that are used, there is more output from the pickups. If you set an amp up for single coil pickups then use a humbucker guitar, it will sound louder and more bassy (which also isn’t a real word).

Single Coil Pick-Up

Humbucker Pickup

Take the type of pickup into account when you buy a guitar, it will affect the sound that you get from the amp. This sound will stimulate the learning, if it is a bad sound; you are less likely to play the guitar more. If the sound is good, it will prompt you to pick the guitar up more and become better. But, as with most aspects of guitar, the type of pickup that you use is a matter of personal preference.

For more information see http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/Guitar-Shop-Electric-Guitar-Shop-Electric-Guitar-Pick-ups/c4941_5085_5440/index.html

Guitar Strings - Why are they all different.

There are three different kinds of strings for guitars. Each ones make a different sound and are suited to one type of guitar. For example, nylon strings on an electric guitar will make no sound, and 13. Gauge strings on a classical guitar will result in catastrophe when the neck explodes. So before you go into a guitar shop and grab the first packet of strings that you see, have a think about which ones you should use.



Electric guitars use steel strings. These make a thin sound when unamplified and are very tinny, which makes them no good for using on acoustic guitars. This is because electric guitar strings are designed to be used with the pickups of the guitar, they are nickel wound, which makes them sound brighter and clearer through an amplifier. Using acoustic guitar strings on an electric guitar will sound awful, basically. Using electric guitar strings on an acoustic guitar will sound equally rubbish. If your guitar is a classical style guitar then you need to be even more careful. If you put steel electric or acoustic strings on a classical guitar and tune them up to concert pitch then it is very likely that, unless you are very lucky, you will snap the neck on the guitar. Not only will this have a chance of hurting you (which is bad) you will have to fork out another chunk of money for a new guitar (which in this economic climate is probably worse). So when you get to the music shop, take a second and make sure that you have the right strings for the job. If in doubt then ask the salesperson. Basically, if you have an electric guitar then buy electric guitar strings, if you have an acoustic then buy acoustic guitar strings, if you have a classical guitar then buy classical (nylon) guitar strings. Simples.



Something else that should be considered when you have been playing for some time is the gauge of strings that you use. If you use strings that are too thick when you are learning, they will be uncomfortable. This will put you off picking the guitar up to practice. For a more advanced player however, string gauge is an important part of how they play their instrument (and dare I say it… tone). For a rough example on string gauges though, the thinner the strings, the easier the guitar will be to play. Gauge 9 strings are easier to bend and easier to move around on, as it takes less pressure to press the strings down and make a noise. Unfortunately, the fact that they are thinner makes the tone of the string less powerful and thinner. Thin gauge strings are also easier to snap which costs you more in the long run. Thicker gauge strings are much more difficult to bend and play quickly on, but they have a much thicker tone, and sound stronger (and better?).



So remember, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to guitar strings. Using the right strings will have a positive impact on the way you play the guitar. And I didn’t even go into different makes of string…

For more information see my sebsite at http://www.musiccorner.co.uk/a915/Guitar-Strings-Which-Ones-Should-I-Get/article_info.html