Well, yesterday I came across this great tool for music students and musicians of all types. It is an online version of the metronome that is free to use and works just like a regular metronome. Simply choose your beats per minute and off you go.

Go and check it out now at: http://www.metronomeonline.com

Your playing will thank you for it!

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This is one of my favorite areas of guitar playing as I religiously plug my effects pedal in whenever I play my guitar!

Now for those of you who don’t know — effects pedals manipulate the sound of your guitar (in a good way!)

So for example if you place the effect “REVERB” on your guitar it will make it sound like you are playing in a large concert huge hall.

If you place the effect of “DELAY” on your guitar, it will constantly repeat what you play over and over.

If you place the effect of “DISTORTION” on your guitar, it will distort the sound of your guitar and make it sound either crunchy, wheezy, hard metal sounding or just rough as nails!

Now there’s a million effects pedals out there, but let’s cut straight to the bone here…

If you want to get into effects pedals, there are 2 types you can go for.

The first is a SINGLE effect pedal. They contain only 1 effect and cost usually around $50 - $150 per pedal to buy.

Very simple and straight forward with 4 knobs to adjust the effect, and an input and output jack. To turn the effect ON — use your feet to press down.

To turn the effect OFF — do the same thing! The only trouble is if you want 5 or 10 pedals, you’ll need to by 5 or 10 of these things and it can get expensive, not to mention connecting all these up in a line when you go to play on stage!

The second is a MULTI - EFFECTS Pedal. It’s exactly what is sounds….’multi’ meaning many effects in one unit..

They offer a lot more options and effect settings. Many allow you to create / combine your own effects also!

These are recommended for advanced players as they can get a bit complex to operate.

They also allow you to program different effects in and save them to each pedal. So during songs you can switch from one effect to another. Very hot tool.

There are slightly smaller ones that are still multi effects pedals but instead of having 4 pedals, they have 2. They are about half the size and slighty cheaper also.

To check out a few effects pedals and get a rough idea on pricing, go to:

http://www.instrumentpro.com

….they usually have a few great deals on as well as match other stores if you see the same thing for a cheaper price!

Bottom line — get into effects pedals. They add spice to your playing and make you sound like a rock star — even if you’re only in your bedroom!

For more information visit: GuitarTips.com.au

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I’ve written about this before — but I’m going to cover it again to make sure we’re all singing from the same song book!

I’ll also include a few advanced symbols and meanings as it’s important you know what they mean in case you get stuck!

Now — tabs are not proper music notation. They are an easy way to learn your favourite songs.

If proper music notation is what you want — check out: http://datadragon.com/education/reading/

…as they provide a great tutorial. But if all you want to do is learn your favourite song quickly and easily — tabs are the way to go!

Here’s how they work….(you’ll pick this up in 2 seconds!)

Tablature is a way of indicating the positioning of notes and fingering on the guitar fretboard.

There are 6 tab lines representing 6 strings on the guitar. (The 1st string is the thinnest, and the 6th string is the thickest) They are as follows:

E—————————– String 1
B—————————– String 2
G—————————– String 3
D—————————– String 4
A—————————– String 5
E—————————– String 6

When a number is placed on one of the lines, it indicates the fret location of note for example,

E—————————– String 1
B——4———————- String 2
G—————————– String 3
D—————————– String 4
A—————————– String 5
E—————————– String 6

This means to play the 4th Fret on the 2nd string

E—————————– String 1
B—————————– String 2
G—————————– String 3
D—————————– String 4
A——0———————- String 5
E—————————– String 6

This indicates an open 5th string

E—1————————- String 1
B———–8—————– String 2
G——-7——————— String 3
D—————2————- String 4
A—————————– String 5
E————————12— String 6

This indicates:

1st Fret, 1st string then
7th Fret, 3rd string, then
8th Fret, 2nd string, then
2nd Fret, 4th string, then
12th Fret, 6th string.

Further Points To Remember…

Other letters / symbols used in tabs.

h - hammer on
p - pull off
b - bend string up
r - release bend
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
v - vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
t - right hand tap
x - play ‘note’ with heavy damping

When you see all numbers in a line one after another 

E—3————————- String 1
B—3————————- String 2
G—4————————- String 3
D—5————————- String 4
A—5————————- String 5
E—3————————- String 6 

…it means you play the entire chord using all strings

When you see tabs that have “h”

E——————————–String 1
B——————————–String 2
G——————————–String 3
D——————————–String 4
A———7h9———–10h12—-String 5
E—0–0———-0–0———–String 6

….it means to do a “Hammer On” from the 7th fret to the 9th fret and again for the 10th fret to the 12th fret

When you see other tabs that have “p”

E——————————–String 1
B——————————–String 2
G——————————–String 3
D——————————–String 4
A———9p7———–12p10—-String 5
E—0–0———-0–0———–String 6

….it means to do a “Pull Off” from the 9th fret to the 7th fret and again for the 12th fret to the 10th fret

When you see other tabs that have “b”

E——————————–String 1
B——————————–String 2
G——————————–String 3
D——————————–String 4
A———7b9———–10b12—-String 5
E——————————–String 6

…it means strike the string 5 on the 7th fret, then bend the note up so that it sounds the same as the note played on the 9th fret.

For more information visit: GuitarTips.com.au

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If you don’t know what feedback is — it’s that terrible high pitched sound that comes from speakers.

It usually happens when you place your microphone too close to the speaker or play your guitar directly in front of the amplifier.

Not only does this damage your ears, but it puts your audience off when they come to hear you play!

Now I’m not an expert on the dynamics of feedback. But I have performed on stage many times and have learnt a few tricks to avoid feedback from occurring…

The first step is to turn down your treble on your amplifier. Too much treble invites feedback so don’t have too much treble in your amplifier settings.

The second step is to turn the volume on your guitar up only 3/4. Don’t turn your volume up full as this is invites huge feedback! Always leave a little room on your volume, so don’t turn it up all the way. Only 3/4 and I guarantee you will reduce feedback at least 80% with this trick.

One other trick is to turn down the gain or distortion on your amp. When you play softly, you can turn your gain or distortion full. But when you start playing with some serious volume, turn your gain only 50%.

You will still get the same sound and distortion, but this is the trick to avoiding feedback from occurring when you play loudly.

Finally, if you’re using an effects pedal, only turn it up 3/4 the way. Like your guitar — always leave a bit of leeway as it offers more control over the sound and keeps your playing tight!

Remember this — if you keep control of your volumes, you reduce the level of feedback and have a much tighter sound as an over all band. If you turn everything up full and try to rule the world — you’ll sound a mess and out of control.

For more information visit: GuitarTips.com.au

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I for one received my Advanced Open Water Diver Certification over 20 years ago, and have been quite surprised at some of the new information and new practices that I have discovered while researching these articles. Like most divers I learned to “go deep” first.  In other words to on any given dive descend to the lowest planned depth, and then gradually work your way upward, and also to plan the deepest dives in your day first. The rationale here was that the shallow depths will provide decompression for the deep dives that came before. But this year while the practice is still recommended - it is no longer a rule. The main reason is a technological advance - the Dive Computer. Dive computers take the guesswork out of nitrogen exposure, and are infinitely more accurate then using dive tables. More about Dive Computers, they are probably one of the single greatest advances in diving in the last ten years, and a must have dive accessory. Like with any piece of digital technology as the price of Dive Computers continue to drop, dive experts expect them to become mandatory equipment, soon rendering dive tables obsolete.

One of the other technological advances that have resulted in a philosophical change in a traditional training technique is the introduction of small bottles of emergency air such as “Spare air” and Pony bottles that have caused the industry to re-think Buddy Breathing. Dive instructors have always known that Buddy Breathing was a risky proposition; actually endangering the lives of both divers when one ran out of air. The introduction of the Octopus, and now “Spare Air” has Buddy Breathing no longer being taught by the major Dive Organizations. If you or your buddy is out of air and neither is carrying a back up it is now recommended you make an Emergency Swimming Accent, rapidly swimming to the surface while exhaling. In fact I was surprised to learn that “The Buddy System” itself which was the “cardinal rule” when I learned to dive, isn’t that big of a deal anymore, with the new gear that is making scuba diving safer and safer, single diving is becoming a much more common practice.

Another fundamental change in Diving has been the overall change in age requirements. While there are still differences among the major certifying organizations, all have dropped their minimal age requirements, and have added some “entry level” programs for young children like Scuba Rangers and The SEAL Team program. This has been mainly to increase accessibility and raise interest in the sport to a new generation and to appeal to the “old generation” of Boomers who want to take their kids with them and get them into a hobby they have loved their entire lives. There is also an increased reciprocity among dive organizations, bordering on Universal Certifications. With the notable exception of PADI, you can now take classroom training with one dive organization, and then choose a resort for you dive trip based on their 5 star restaurant and Grilled Mahi-Mahi instead of being forced to go to a resort that is affiliated with the same organization for your Open Water Dives.

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Nonetheless, the fashion industry is a hard business to penetrate. You must be equipped with the knowledge and influences that would provide you the maximum exposure you need to deliver your creations into the industry. But still, most of everything is commanded by your brilliance in designing that would give you center stage.

Your talent might be there. It is an innate property that can’t be stolen from you. It is in your own discretion though to let that talent turn into passion. But talent and skills are not enough. You have to undergo formal instructions to be able to hone those special features and direct them specifically towards becoming the best of your self.

This is the basic principle why fashion schools exist and continue to serve budding artists. They provide guidance and supplemental training to drive the artist to achieve with his creations. While online fashion schools have been gathering fame in the fashion industry, this still does not negate the fact that hands-on training and face-to-face instructions can’t be equaled even by the best online degree offers.

Since you are considering entering a fashion school, it is expected of you to be knowledgeable enough on the fundamentals of fashion designing and basic awareness on designing. However, this is not an implication that the student must produce ramp-quality creations initially. Instead, you are expected to bring out the brilliance in simple designs and create concepts that you may have patterned on the works of some great fashion designers or better yet, designs of your own concepts.

Remember that fashion designers only make name in the industry when they have produced something genuinely creative that can cater the present fashion sense while having the originality and good sense of distinction from other fashion trends.

You may not be possessing this nature for the moment. But the thing is, an efficient fashion school could best bring out the brilliance in you and in your creations. Initially, you may be producing rubbish concepts but this would be set off with good learning you have acquired from a formal school.

Some people may contend that even without proper education, an artist can create fashion trends that will be embraced by the public. Yes, that might be true. But remember that there are too few individuals who have made it into the fashion scene with the littlest formal study. Besides, even the trends in fashion change. What may have been true before cant be exactly true now. A formal schooling would update you of the most recent trends and the analysis of past styles that have recreated the industry.

A fashion school, like tertiary education will help you seek out your niche. You might have creative ideas lurking in your mind but these free-flowing ideas would be turned into nothing if not properly directed.

Moreover, the experiences of instructors in the fashion schools would be passed down on you. Thus, you are less likely to fall into the same pitfalls they have arisen from themselves.

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How exactly do online fashion schools work?

Getting your degree without actually attending school is not really a new thing. In the past, this type of learning was called correspondence studies. A person would earn his degree through the mail. Basically, this is how online fashion schools work. People who want to earn their degrees do so by communicating with the instructor through the internet.

First of all, a person registers via e-mail or through a website. Students pay through credit card or by electronic transfer. Once registered, a student will be sent a manual/ workbook. He or she studies the subject through the use of this book and through other media sent by the school. The pace of learning is dictated by the student and he or she can stick to a personal schedule. This is quite convenient since most people today cannot get enough time to study. Most people who enroll in online fashion schools have jobs that they are trying to hold. Because of this, they try to take all the time that they can in order to study.

How are tests taken? Well, tests are often included in the manual and answers can be sent to the school for checking through email. Some people may question the validity of such tests as students are given ample opportunity to cheat. Because of this, online fashion schools employ another system. Some online fashion schools schedule tests to be taken by students. The test is often under time pressure and scheduled so that a student will not be able to cheat. Sometimes, an administrator may watch the student through a webcam.

It is often the case that an online fashion school will design its tests to be simple practical examinations which a student cannot cheat in. Some online fashion schools may create tests that have no standard answers. Thus, the answers to the test can be as diverse as the personalities of the students.

When you think about it, an online fashion school can create this type of test easily. This is because fashion involves the creativity of the student. If an online fashion school asks a student to submit a design of a certain article of clothing, the design that the student sends will certainly be unique. A student cannot really cheat since cheating can be easily detected.

Once you have completed all the necessary activities and once you have overcome nameless burdens, you will receive a certification from the online fashion school saying that you accomplished this or that task and now have the degree of this or that.

As you can see, online fashion schools aren’t really complicated. In fact, these schools make all our lives a little bit easier. Online fashion schools often understand the plight of the student and will help you reach the top of your ladder.

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The truth is, having the talents is not enough. You need to be properly trained to get this talent on the right track. One good way of doing this is to attend fashion designer schools.

Like with everything, you need to find a school that can provide you with all the stuffs you need while justifying the bill of their curriculum.

There are a number of things you should be considering in your choice of school. Among them are: cost, services and curriculum.

The cost, both the initial and the extra charges, is probably the major consideration among aspiring talents. Fashion designer schools are few and they can’t be simply accessed in every city. That would mean extra baggage on your part.

How much it costs to attend a fashion designer school, you ask. Well, this cant be answered concretely with figures since these vary from one school to another. Also, this issue is largely dependent on many factors including the popularity of the fashion designer school, the spectrum of services it offers and the facilities it has.

It’s good if you are not bothered with the cost of the school. Sadly, most of us tend to be practical when dealing with things. However, this does not suggest that one should dive fast on the least expensive school you can get your hands on. There are also dangers in this. Remember that with lower price, the quality and the services of the institution suffers.

Now, that leaves you only to choosing between a well-performing school with high tuition fee or a mediocre fashion designer school with much lower price.

Whatever your choice is, you have to spot on the balance. Find the one which can give you the best of both worlds. Surely, there are those fashion designer schools that chose to put income as secondary and exchange this for the main aim of fostering passion in fashion designing among their budding artists.

The services a fashion designer school should also be taken into thought. These factors cover the job placement services to graduate students, a number of scholarships, a well-performing teaching staff and the general competence of the institution.

Last on your list of consideration is the curriculum the school offers. Keep in mind that you went to a fashion designer school to learn. If a specific school can only provide you with the things that you can learn by other means then the purpose of entering would be spoiled. Secure to it that you are well supplemented with the ideals of the program.

Formal training must be the real aim of any curriculum. This then should be combined with a good mixture of theoretical approach plus the application of the learning earned from classroom setting.

The basic offers among fashion designer schools are fashion basics, modeling, sales marketing and fashion merchandising.

These are just some of the many factors that you can first consider reflect on so that you would arrive to a final choice of school that you will be contented with.

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Racquet grip is a very essential part of stroke, because a faulty grip will ruin the finest serving. It is a natural grip for a top forehand drive. It is inherently weak for the backhand, as the only natural shot is a chop stroke.

To acquire the forehand grip, hold the racquet with the edge of the frame towards the ground and the face perpendicular, the handle towards the body, and “shake hands” with it, just as if you were greeting a friend. The handle settled comfortably and naturally into the hand, the line of the arm, hand, and racquet are one. The swing brings the racquet head on a line with the arm, and the whole racquet is merely an extension of it.

The backhand grip is a quarter circle turn of hand on the handle, bringing the hand on top of the handle and the knuckles directly up. The shot travels ACROSS the wrist.

This is the best basis for a grip. I do not advocate learning this grip exactly, but model your natural grip as closely as possible on these lines without sacrificing your own comfort or individuality.

Having once settled the racquet in the hand, the next question is the position of the body and the order of developing strokes.

All tennis strokes, should be made with the body’ at right angles to the net, with the shoulders lined up parallel to the line of flight of the ball. The weight should always travel forward. It should pass from the back foot to the front foot at the moment of striking the ball. Never allow the weight to be going away from the stroke. It is weight that determines the “pace” of a stroke; swing that, decides the “speed.”

Let me explain the definitions of “speed” and “pace.” “Speed” is the actual rate with which a ball travels through the air. “Pace” is the momentum with which it comes off the ground. Pace is weight. It is the “sting” the ball carries when it comes off the ground, giving the inexperienced or unsuspecting player a shock of force which the stroke in no way showed.

A great many players have both “speed” and “pace.” Some shots may carry both.

The order of learning strokes should be:

1. The Drive. Fore and backhand. This is the foundation of all tennis, for you cannot build up a net attack unless you have the ground stroke to open the way. Nor can you meet a net attack successfully unless you can drive, as that is the only successful passing shot.

2. The Service.

3. The Volley and Overhead Smash.

4. The Chop or Half Volley and other incidental and ornamental strokes.

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Does it deprive you of concentration? If so, either remove the cause, or if that is not possible strive to ignore it.

Once you have judged accurately your own reaction to conditions, study your opponents, to decide their temperaments. Like temperaments react similarly, and you may judge men of your own type by yourself. Opposite temperaments you must seek to compare with people whose reactions you know.

A person who can control his own mental processes stands an excellent chance of reading those of another, for the human mind works along definite lines of thought, and can be studied. One can only control one’s, mental processes after carefully studying them.

A steady phlegmatic baseline player is seldom a keen thinker. If he was he would not adhere to the baseline.

The physical appearance of a man is usually a pretty clear index to his type of mind. The stolid, easy-going man, who usually advocates the baseline game, does so because he hates to stir up his torpid mind to think out a safe method of reaching the net. There is the other type of baseline player, who prefers to remain on the back of the court while directing an attack intended to break up your game. He is a very dangerous player, and a deep, keen thinking antagonist. He achieves his results by mixing up his length and direction, and worrying you with the variety of his game. He is a good psychologist. The first type of player mentioned merely hits the ball with little idea of what he is doing, while the latter always has a definite plan and adheres to it. The hard-hitting, erratic, net-rushing player is a creature of impulse. There is no real system to his attack, no understanding of your game. He will make brilliant coups on the spur of the moment, largely by instinct; but there is no, mental power of consistent thinking. It is an interesting, fascinating type. 

The dangerous man is the player who mixes his style from back to fore court at the direction of an ever-alert mind. This is the man to study and learn from. He is a player with a definite purpose. A player who has an answer to every query you propound him in your game. He is the most subtle antagonist in the world. He is of the school of Brookes. Second only to him is the man of dogged determination that sets his mind on one plan and adheres to it, bitterly, fiercely fighting to the end, with never a thought of change. He is the man whose psychology is easy to understand, but whose mental viewpoint is hard to upset, for he never allows himself to think of anything except the business at hand. This man is your Johnston or your Wilding. I respect the mental capacity of Brookes more, but I admire the tenacity of purpose of Johnston.

Pick out your type from your own mental processes, and then work out your game along the lines best suited to you. 

When two men are, in the same class, as regards stroke equipment, the determining factor in any given match is the mental viewpoint. Luck, so-called, is often grasping the psychological value of a break in the game, and turning it to your own account.

We hear a great deal about the “shots we have made.” Few realize the importance of the “shots we have missed.” The science of missing shots is as important as that of making them, and at times a miss by an inch is of more value than a, return that is killed by your opponent.

Let me explain. A player drives you far out of court with an angle-shot. You run hard to it, and reaching, drive it hard and fast down the side-line, missing it by an inch. Your opponent is surprised and shaken, realizing that your shot might as well have gone in as out. He will expect you to try it again, and will not take the risk next time. He will try to play the ball, and may fall into error. You have thus taken some of your opponent’s confidence, and increased his chance of error, all by a miss.

If you had merely popped back that return, and it had been killed, your opponent would have felt increasingly confident of your inability to get the ball out of his reach, while you would merely have been winded without result.

Let us suppose you made the shot down the sideline. It was a seemingly impossible get. First it amounts to TWO points in that it took one away from your opponent that should have been his and gave you one you ought never to have had. It also worries your opponent, as he feels he has thrown away a big chance.

The psychology of a tennis match is very interesting, but easily understandable. Both men start with equal chances. Once one man establishes a real lead, his confidence goes up, while his opponent worries, and his mental viewpoint becomes poor. The sole object of the first man is to hold his lead, thus holding his confidence. If the second player pulls even or draws ahead, the inevitable reaction occurs with even a greater contrast in psychology. There is the natural confidence of the leader now with the second man as well as that great stimulus of having turned seeming defeat into probable victory. The reverse in the case of the first player is apt to hopelessly destroy his game, and collapse follows.

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