Music Production Essay

Over the past few decades, electronic music and its respective genres have revolutionized the music industry by creating new styles of music that have evolved the aesthetics of the popular songs we hear today. The process of composing today’s music via a computer and software has become infinitely more efficient compared to traditional recording, which mainly uses acoustic instruments and â€Å"old-school hardware†. The process of composition has been stream-lined and revolutionized over the recent years, thus opening more doors for artists’ originality and creativity. To learn the ropes of music production, one can learn to be a producer by attending recording or music school. However recording school is not for everyone, It can be too expensive for some and too â€Å"academic† for others. A music producer’s job can be as easy as sitting on the couch listening and nodding and as active as controlling the mixer as well as calibrating the equipment for a vocalist. Good music producers understand every aspect of studio production. They also have a very good ear and a well-rounded knowledge of how voices and instruments produce recordable sound. One thing virtually all ‘computer generated’ music has in common is the use of samples. Samples are sound bytes, anywhere from really small blips to lengthy ambient noises, sometimes spanning the entire length of the song. The triggering of samples in an interesting way is what creates the rhythm and atmosphere of the song. Most electronic drum beats consist entirely of triggered samples. A sampler is a program or device which is used to record and trigger sound samples, usually included in the main production software. These devices are the heart of today’s electronic music; they are the engines which produce the actual sounds you hear. Changing and manipulating sounds is the key to capturing the listener’s attention. Effects have always played a major role in not just electronic music, but across all genres. The difference is that with electronic music, the listener will usually accept more layers of background effects than as with other types of music. Effects are used to take basic sounds and variate them in an interesting and sonically enhancing manner. Some of the common effects producers use include reverberation (reverb), echo, flange, chorus, and distortion. When you first start producing music, or even if you have been making music for decades, you will find that it is a challenge to turn one’s ideas directly into a song! (AllCrunchy 1) When it comes to what you physically need to be a music producer, a computer is naturally a must-have piece of hardware. One can produce a good sounding track with almost any kind of modern computer. A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is also a requirement. The DAW is a software environment in which you create and compose the music and it is one of the most essential components in one’s music studio. To put it simply, it’s music making software. VST (Virtual Studio Technology) synthesizers and effects are also a must if you’re going to start making music digitally with a computer. VSTi’s (VST instruments) are virtual synthesizers that produce different kind of sounds. You can use them just like you would use real hardware , only difference being that they’re software and you install them just like any other application, then open them within a DAW to compose melodies and make music. The most common thing that prevents beginners from getting a full sounding song is not filling the â€Å"box† that is volume, panning, and frequency. The typical situation is this: as more and more sounds are layered together, the audio may start to â€Å"clip†. (Clipping is a form of waveform distortion that occurs when an amplifier is over-driven and attempts to deliver an output voltage or current beyond its maximum capability) Therefore, one would turn the gain down on the each channel of the mixer so it doesn’t clip. But then, it sounds quiet. In order to fix this, compression and (EQ) equalization come in to play. Another issue novice producers may face is when too many conflicting frequencies are overlapping in a mix. As a result of overlapping sounds, the song may sound â€Å"muddy†. To prevent mud, you must consciously keep in mind what range of frequencies you are adding with each new part. Frequencies will overlap, no matter what instruments you choose. A lot of VST instrument plugins have presets that sound very good on their own, but when thrown together with other presets, they clash. A lot of these presets are full sounding, filling up a lot of low and high end. Unless you carve out the clashing frequencies using EQ, you will get a muffled, muddy sound when throwing presets together. For example, two bass sounds on top of each other will interfere, resulting in a strange sounding phase effect. If you want to use two instruments that use up the same frequency spectrum, you’ll want to carve out the highs on one and carve out the lows on the other equalizer. The end result of adding equalization and modifying volume should add up to a track with a full, clear sound.

Communication and Positive Relationships Essay

Module 1 Activities Q1.1 Why is it important that you are able to communicate effectively with people in your job role? Good communication is very important when working with children, young people, their families and carers. By being able to communicate effectively I am making sure that I am understood and understanding too. People, especially children respond well to positive communication, and by being able to communicate effectively with children I will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and be able to support them if it be needed. Being able to communicate effectively with colleagues means I will be able to discuss lessons, pupils progress and any problems that may arise, and if I am able to communicate effectively with parents and carers then I will be able to discuss pupil progress etc in a professional manner that would not be offending. Another reason why being able to communicate effectively is important is that it helps build a good rapport and builds trust between the workforce, children, young people and their carers. Q1.2 Explain your different styles of communication when: a) noticing that a Foundation age child is becoming distressed during a group activity in the Numeracy session I will come down to the level of the child and ask if they understood the session or if they found it difficult. I would be understanding. I will give the child the opportunity to express their thoughts on the lesson in the hope that I will then be able to asses why the child was becoming distressed and be able to resolve the issue so that the child felt confident enough to carry on. â€Å"Children learn best when they are enabled to express themselves †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/foundation_stage/UF_web.pdf) b) noticing that a Year 7 child is becoming distressed during a group activity in the Maths lesson I will ask the child to move away from the group so they didn’t feel humiliated in front of their peers. I will not  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœtalk down’ to them; rather I will be respectful and understanding. I will give the child an opportunity to express their thoughts on why they were becoming distressed; maybe they didn’t understand the activity or were uncomfortable with the group they were put with? I will try my best to resolve any issues that the child may have, so the child knows that he was heard and not feel that he was ignored. c) Supporting a child with Asperger’s Syndrome during a role play activity about going on holiday Most children with Asperger’s syndrome like routine and structure ‘People with Asperger’s syndrome often have trouble understanding the â€Å"big picture† and tend to see part of a situation rather than the whole.â⠂¬â„¢ (http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-home-treatment) I will explain the activity to the child in a simple manner and give the child the opportunity to decide on what he wants to say without overpowering him. I will make sure the child understands what is going on in the activity and throughout the role play, and also make sure that he is not getting distressed. I will make sure he is comfortable when interacting with other children and that he understands what the activity is about. Children with Aspergers syndrome find it difficult to socialise, so I will talk to the child and make him feel comfortable about the role play. I will not demand, instead I will suggest so the child doesn’t feel like he is being pushed in to doing something he is not comfortable with as this will result in him becoming distressed. d) Supporting a child with hearing impairment during a role play activity about going on holiday I will firstly ensure that the activity is taking place in an area which is quiet so the child does not have difficulties in hearing. I will speak to the child, coming down to his level, and in a clear voice making sure he has understood the activity. I will use visual aids about the activity, pictures about going on holiday etc, making sure the child is comfortable with the role play. I will ensure all other children taking part in the role play speak in a loud clear voice, and that the child is sat in a place where he will be able to communicate with the others effectively. I will ensure the child is not getting distressed throughout the activity by staying close to the child and asking him at intervals ensuring that he is comfortable. Q1.3 You are concerned about the behaviour of one of the children with whom you are involved. You believe that this is due to learning development problems, and suspect this may be due to underlying medical issues. Explain how you would ensure that effective communication is maintained when discussing these issues with the child’s parent, the assigned teacher and other external professionals. When discussing these issues with the child’s parent I will make sure I am kind and considerate. I will ensure that the parents’ know that they are involved in all decisions affecting their child’s education and learning. I will be respectful, avoid being judgemental and also remember to be positive, as parents enjoy positive communication. I will include positive aspects of the child’s performance. I will listen to the parents input and there point of view. ‘†¦ Surveyed parents wanted to be treated with respect and as equals when communicating with educators. Parents are not looking for a cold, professional approach from school staff. Rather, teachers who develop a â€Å"personal touch† in their communication style achieve enhanced school relationships.’ Communicating with Parents: Strategies for Teachers, Susan Graham-Clay When discussing these issues with the teacher and other external professionals I will be non judgemental, be respectful towards the child and be sure to communicate in a way that all information is passed on accurately regarding the child’s behaviour and any other issues that there may be. Q1.4 How can a HLTA help pupils to understand why it is necessary to behave appropriately during lessons? ‘It’s far more effective to encourage good behaviour rather than deal with misbehaviour as it arises’ http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/content/top-10-strategies-encouraging-good-behaviour A HLTA can help pupils understand why it is necessary to behave appropriately by firstly being aware of the schools policy on behaviour, then making the  pupils aware of the policies regarding acceptable behaviour at the school. Pupils can be told how inappropriate behaviour can disrupt the learning process of others and the teaching process. A poster of class rules/expected behaviour can be put up in the classroom so pupils are aware of what kind of behaviour is expected from them in the school. The pupils should be made aware of what is expected of them and a consistent approach should be upheld regarding this. Q1.5 Speak to a classroom teacher and ask them about the most important things they expect from their pupils in terms of behaviour. Record them below and state whether you agree or disagree with their expectations. If there are expectations you did not agree with, think about why you did not agree. Record your thoughts here and discuss with the teacher. Participate in class discussions-Disagree Some students are not comfortable when having to speak up in class discussions. This should not be expected from all students and should not be thought of as misbehaving if students are not participating with class discussions. Hand work in on time given-Disagree It should be expected that some students may not be able to hand their work in on the time given, this can be due to learning difficulties, some students may need extra support and time in completing their work. Some students may be experiencing problems at home etc which has not made it possible for them to complete their work on time Q1.6 Say how you as a HLTA would deal with each of the following situations (Figures in brackets give the age of the pupil) Amy (13) calls Jasmine (11) a ‘chav’. I would first report the incident to the class teacher, and then I would move Amy to a different place so she does not feel humiliated and give her time to calm down and a chance to explain why she said what she did to Jasmine. I will keep an open mind and stay calm and supportive so as to not inflame the situation further. When the teacher is dealing with the situation I will make sure the rest of the class is not disrupted by keeping them on task I will see how jasmine has been affected by this and make sure she is ok. Susan (8) pulls the hair of the girl sitting next to her I will be sure to not shout as this will not solve the problem, firstly I  will move Susan away to a different place and then inform the teacher. I will give Susan time to calm down before I attempt to examine the problem, I will listen to her and show that I am interested in her feelings. I will explain how this kind of behaviour is not acceptable, I will criticise the behaviour and not Susan, and I will explain how her actions affect others around her During a whole-class activity, Jack (11) gets up and wanders round the classroom, looking at other pupils work and distracting them. I would ask Jack to return to his place and praise him when he does so. I will speak to Jack away from the rest of the pupils asking him why he was wandering around the class, maybe he wasn’t sure about the class activity, I will remind him of the class rules and explain how his behaviour was disrupting the rest of the class You hear Tom (13) threaten to ‘knife’ Paul (12) when they get out of school. I will speak to Tom calmly and ask him what was making him angry, I will show him that I am interested and want to help. I will give him time to calm down. I will tell the class teacher so she is aware of the situation and can tell the appropriate people at the school to ensure the safety of the pupils. You ask Mohammed (5) to stop talking while the teacher is talking and he swears at you I will keep calm and not shout or get angry. I will condemn the behaviour and not Mohammed so he does not feel humiliated. I will explain to the class why using this kind of language is inappropriate and how it hurts people’s feelings etc I will encourage good behaviour and praise Mohammed for doing good so he learns the difference between praise on good behaviour and being reprimanded for unacceptable behaviour. Carla (13) and Rani (13) have an argument over a pencil. Carla is racially abusive to Rani and grabs Rani’s wrist to force her to give her the pencil. I will tell Carla to move to a different place away from the class, and give her some time to reflect and think. I will inform the class teacher of what has happened and ensure that Rani is ok I will give Carla the chance to  speak, reminding her that being racially abusive was wrong and how she thought Rani may be feeling. I will not shout or become angry, I will remain calm and not criticise her behaviour You come across Chris (14) and Sam (15) smoking at the top of the playing fields I will ask both boys politely to stop smoking and get rid of the cigarettes and to also give me any other cigarettes that they may have. I will keep calm and not become angry. I will ask them if they knew the dangers and ill effects of smoking and how it was dangerous to their health etc I will criticise the act and not the pupils I will report the incident to the class teacher You overhear Charlotte (14) and Jenny (14) discussing a sexually explicit scenario involving one of the male teachers. I will tell both the girls to move places and then report to the class teacher what I had heard. I will not become judgemental or angry; I will remain calm and explain why these kinds of discussions were inappropriate in the classroom. As this is a sensitive matter involving another teacher, I will inform the appropriate member of staff to deal with it accordingly, and make sure I clearly tell them what I had heard between the girls

'The global financial crisis (2007-2009) is an evidence of the Essay

'The global financial crisis (2007-2009) is an evidence of the weaknesses of the existing international and national regulator - Essay Example The excessive spending and the systemic risk associated due to the fluctuation of macroeconomic factors in the world economic environment exposed the investments and the subsequent lending by the financial institutions to high risks which was slowly growing into a large bubble1. Before the global financial crisis that started in US during 2007 and rippled throughout the world, the prices of the real estate was soaring very high. Thus, people could make huge profits in the short run by investing in US properties which was unmatched with any other investment in the US and the international markets. Apart from this, the national government in US also adopted the policy of property holding right for the US citizens that encouraged the financial institutions and their intermediaries to lend for the purpose of purchase of property2. However, due to the lack of tight regulatory framework, there were cases of lending and investments that could be identified as risky due to several factors li ke repayment capability of the investor, feasibility of the investment returns, regulatory compliance, etc3. The heavy bubble of bad lending by the financial institutions burst into a global financial crisis which was an evidence of the weakness of the national and international regulatory frameworks that were put in place for avoiding the systemic risk and the excessive risk taking of the financial institutions. Systemic risk The systematic risk is explained by the risk that arises due to the fluctuation of the macro economic factors like export-import, appreciation of depreciation of currencies, economic performance of developed countries, changes in international investments, fluctuations in the financial return and risk, etc. The global financial crisis brought out the systemic risk that started in the US and melted down globally to international economies across the world4. The inter-linkage between the houses of production, markets and the financial intermediaries led the plat form where the manufacturing and the production units suffered a slowdown in the production level due to the loss of the financial intermediaries which in turn was affected due to the default risk of the borrowers who invested in the US real estate and properties5. The lack of tighter regulatory framework fuelled the investments in the US real estates. The regulatory framework for the financial institutions is also liable of not putting checks when the financial institutions relaxed their approaches on due diligence and compliance checks to find the default risk in case of lending6. The business houses were also granted loans for increasing the supply to match the rising demand. The systemic risk exposed the weakness of the regulatory frameworks when the household and the businesses defaulted in paying back the borrowed money to the financial institution and there was financial catastrophe in the US economy7. Excessive risk taking by financial institutions The global financial crisi s in 2007 to 2009 could be attributed to excessive risk taken by the financial

The sub‐prime crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The sub†prime crisis - Essay Example taking their toll on the modern economies however with prudent monetary policy and effective risk management practices, the future episodes of such nature may be avoided. Getting consumer credit through various financial institutions especially banks requires consumers to maintain a certain degree of credit rating in order to qualify for those loans. Unlike large corporate companies, consumers or rather individuals pose a different challenge and dynamics to financial institutions to cater their needs for credit and formal funding requirements of these individuals. It is because of this reason that various banks and financial institutions have developed their internal rating methodologies which they assign to various consumers asking for credit. Banks than through their internal as well external credit scores or ratings decide to whom they should provide the credit. These criteria of credit rating often are designed to be tough since Banks in order to avoid defaults, tighten their criteria to extend the credit to these customers. However, due to increasing needs of those customers, whose credit history or their credit ratings do not fall under the cri teria laid down by the banks, banks try to accommodate them also. Sub-prime lending is the part of that phenomenon. â€Å"Sub-Prime lending typically has been characterized as lending at relatively costly interest rates and fees to credit impaired or otherwise high risk borrowers.†Error: Reference source not found. Subprime loans are among the newly popular mortgage products, such as interest-only loans, for people with strained budgets, including first-time buyers. Homeowners increasingly use them to refinance and consolidate household debts when their credit scores fall in the wake of bankruptcy, high medical bills, or other setbacks.Error: Reference source not found. It is generally believed that the subprime borrowers emerge due to lack of the good credit history on their back and since there number grew

African Americans and the War for Independence 17631783 Essay

African Americans and the War for Independence 17631783 - Essay Example Today's Mande people are heirs to an extremely rich and vibrant historical legacy,the high point of which was the Mali people.The social status of the most ancient families is based on their identification with ancestors who participated with Sunjata in the founding of the empire early in the 13th century. Members of some of these lineages have the status of aristocrat, or horonw. Traditionally, they were proprietors of the land and community leaders, and were expected to conduct themselves with dignity and honor, and to speak only when they had something serious to say. The senior male members of families that traced their descent from a village's founder were eligible to be chiefs. Some lineages claimed descent from distinguished ancestors described in The Sunjata Epic, including Sunjata himself.Mande group is identified its association with Islam. This includes Muslim clerics who are specialists in Islamic studies or leaders of prayer at the mosques. Their Arabic title, imam, has become almami in the Mande languages. Some of these learned Muslims are teachers in Quran schools, where children study the holy book of Islam and are expected to memorize at least part of it in Arabic.The Mande people's own story about the origin of the Mali Empire is usually known as The Sunjata Epic named for Sunjata Keita, who is credited with founding the Mali Empire. The story begins some time around the beginning of the 13th century in Farakoro, Mande chiefdom. Farakoro was near the gold fields of Bur, which had been one of the main sources of gold for Ghana in earlier centuries and would become similarly important for the Mali Empire. The chief of Farakoro was Maghan Konfara (maghan means "chief" and Konfara was another name for his town). Like all chiefs and kings of his day, Maghan Konfara had diviners who would forecast the future. One day the diviners told Maghan Konfara that he would be the father of a great hero, but that the woman who would be the hero's mother had not yet been found. After a long search the woman was finally located in the kingdom of Do ni Kiri. She was Sogolon Cond, a sister of the mansa (king). Sogolon was an ugly, hunchbacked woman, but she had frightening powers as a sorceress and was recognized as the woman who was destined to give birth to this great hero. So she was brought to Farakoro and married to Maghan Konfara, who already had many other wives. Sunjata organized the soldiers of all the Mande chiefdoms into a powerful army that went to war against Soso. After a series of battles, Sunjata's army vanquished Sumaworo and the army of Soso. The unified Mande chiefdoms formed the basis of a powerful kingdom that expanded into all the neighboring territories and became the Mali Empire. The Mande oral traditions do not give dates for the events they describe, but from what was written by Arab geographers, it appears that the defeat of Soso happened some time during the 1230s. African Americans The tendency in the United States was to seek to separate slaves who had come from the same local region in Africa, to make the individuals easier to manage. It was harder for the slaves to develop a common culture, and to organize. Unusually, the slave population in the USA was able to reproduce, meeting the needs of the economy across the growing country, and thus avoiding reliance on illegal slave trading. Increasingly slaves were American-born, rather than recent arrivals from Africa. Families were able to be relatively stable, and many owners saw the economic benefits of an increasing slave population. In the USA, only Africans were kept as slaves, and there was resistance to the idea of emancipation or manumission. White indentured servants and voluntary emigrants, whose living conditions were not necessarily better, but whose legal status was superior, could meet other needs for labor. Where there was discussion of freeing of slaves, from the time of Thomas Jefferson, it was assumed that the freed slaves would be required to

The Story of Foreign Trade and Exchange case Essay

The Story of Foreign Trade and Exchange case - Essay Example Competitive advantage is acquired once a business diversifies its products and ensures that they are of higher quality, fair prices and is locally and internationally available compared to their competitors. This strategy suggested by the story of foreign exchange and which has been adopted by Nestle has made this company attain a competitive advantage in the consumer healthy foods market where there are many giants. Its diversification into not only beverages and snacks but also baby food and the availability of the products worldwide has made it gain more and dominate the market. Its absolute advantage is derived from its corporate social responsibility which is giving back to the community as much as possible for sustainability purposes. Nestle is one of the companies that formed World Cocoa Foundation whose aim is to integrate with cocoa farmers all over the world and assist them on increasing their productivity, supplying their products and even dealing with the adverse environmental effects. It has also invested more than $500 million to deal with health problems like diabetes and obesity among

Team Behavior and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team Behavior and Communication - Essay Example Therefore the elements of communication play a vital role for an efficient communication. Effective communication clearly expresses the objective that it's intended to do. No matter how long the communication is but if it reaches the targeted audience clearly it is called effective communication. On the other hand efficient communication is one which is short and crisp. Efficient communication is likely to be quick and to the point. But an efficient communication can also be effective. Therefore effective communication gives more importance to the conveying the point to the listeners whereas efficient communication gives importance to the amount of time taken in communication. Careful listening avoids misunderstanding. Give your undivided attention to the speaker. Ask questions if you need more information. After you have listened carefully it is your turn to give your opinion and expression. Communication is a gift from God and therefore should never be taken for granted. Effective communication is a gift you give others. Never forget that the effectiveness of your communication determines the effectiveness of your life. .. But an efficient communication can also be effective. Therefore effective communication gives more importance to the conveying the point to the listeners whereas efficient communication gives importance to the amount of time taken in communication. A FEW TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 1. Learn to express yourself Help others to get to know you better, so they will know what to expect from you. They will help you to get knowledge because they will offer information about themselves. 2. Learn good listening skills Careful listening avoids misunderstanding. Give your undivided attention to the speaker. Ask questions if you need more information. After you have listened carefully it is your turn to give your opinion and expression. 3. Learn to be assertive Say what you want to say with forthrightness and frankness without being aggressive. To be assertive means not say 'yes' when you want to say 'no'. CONCLUSION Communication is a gift from God and therefore should never be taken for granted. Effective communication is a gift you give others. Never forget that the effectiveness of your communication determines the effectiveness of your life. References 1. Chandra, Joseph(2004), "Power Communication", Chennai: Macmillan, p10-14 2. Pagare, Dinkar(1997), "Importance of Effective Communication" Mumbai: Premiere,