The Influences (sales exercises) of Northern Soul Music

November 19th, 2008 admin Posted in music |

By TJ90 Grooves90

ITS ALL ABOUT SWEET SOUL MUSIC!

Sweet Soul Music which is sung by Arthur Conley proves to be the hit record of all time in his genre. Arthur Conley was born in McIntosh County Georgia in 1946 and was raised and grew up in Atlanta. At the young age of 12 he joined an all female gospel singing group named Evening Smiles that appeared regularly on Atlanta local radio station WAOK. In 1963, Conley had formed a band named Arthur & the Corvets which has released three albums entitled Poor Girl, I Believe, and Flossie Mae and recorded and released at the Atlanta based recording company National Recording Company. Though Conley has that amazing vocal talents their album didnt quite made it to the top. Conley decided to go solo and disbanded.

In 1964, he went to moved to join his father in Baltimore and joined in a new label owned by Rufus Mitchell (Ru-Jac Records) and released Im a Lonely Stranger. Rufus Mitchell being a promoter and manager sent a copy to Otis Redding after Conleys concert at the Baltimore Theatre. When Otis Redding heard the single he was utterly impressed by Conleys talent and his graceful yet powerful voice, which he attributes his vocal prowess to his idol Sam Cooke. Not long after, Redding invited Conley to Memphis to re-record the same song at Stax Studio. With Jim Stewart assuming production duties and produced the sessions with the help of Booker T as the arranger, the re-cut version of Im a Lonely Stranger has been released to the market in 1965 as the second single to be released by Jotis Studios.

In 1966 Conley released a second single under Jotis Studios entitled “Who’s Foolin’ Who”, was the fourth and last album that Jotis has released before it closed down. But the pair didnt stop there they continued to record under different labels at Reddings prodding he convinced Conley to sign up under Fame Studios in Alabama in July of 1966, where recorded two singles which are written by Dann Penn and in October 3, 1966 the hit song Take Me (Just As I Am) became a Top Fifty Billboard Pop item.

From then on, the singer and the producer became the best of friends, they became partners in the field of music industry. Redding acting as Conleys mentor, he encouraged the singer to hone his songwritting skills and create wonderful music together. And in January 20, he recorded Sweet Soul Music in Fame Studios and became a certified Gold hit on June 23, 1967. Sweet Soul Music hit the following charts Billboard #2; Billboard R&B #2; Cash Box #4; Cash Box R&B #1 and was proclaimed the top 10 record in the US, Canada, England, Netherlands and Philippines.

Conley instantly became famous worldwide with his hit single, he then became the number 11 male artist of Billboard in December 30, 1967. Sweet Soul Music became the most celebrated single of all time. The song pays tribute to all soul music icons such Sam Cooke, James Brown, Dan Cooke, Lou Rawls and Wilson Pickket all of which is the forefathers of Soul Music in America. Sweet Soul Music pays homemage to the music geniuses of Soul music that is why Sweet Soul Music has become a legendary and best loved Soul music genre of all times and has even prompted famous artists to sing the song again and include it in their albums. Among the versions that you will hear on record are from Rod Stewart, Jose Feliciano and Run C&W. Sweet Soul Music has been included in the repertoire of Tom Jones in his concerts and same as Bruce Springsteen.

TJ Grooves is author of this article on Soul Music.

Find more information about Sweet Soul Music here.

Enhancing Sound the Digital Audio Mastering Way
By Michael4 Jones4

Mastering Engineers: Experts in Audio Engineering

What is a mastering engineer? What does this person do? These questions will probably pop-out of the mind every time the words are heard. Anyone who does not know audio mastering, will certainly not know a mastering engineer.

Well, let us discuss the matter further. But in order to understand it, a brief explanation on audio mastering is necessary.

Audio mastering is a process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from an initial source to a final storage device. The process involves arranging of the recording into a sequence of tracks. The recording is also refined by eliminating or reducing unnecessary noises and other processes before its transport to the final media. The entire procedure is done by a mastering engineer.

A mastering engineer is a person skilled in the art and practice of taking audio content from an initial source into its final storage device. It includes processing the audio recording done in audio mastering. The person must have complete experience in audio engineering or have acquired a degree in audio engineering to become a mastering engineer.

Most mastering engineers become one through years of experience in audio mastering. The trade they are in is different from other engineers. They specialize in sound recognition and audio mixing. These engineers are highly-skilled in record production and that years of experience are needed to become a specialist. Their skills allow them to troubleshoot record mix issues and efficiently help in the production of a quality album.

The mastering engineers also use special equipment in the performance of their tasks. Their equipment is very expensive and is entirely dedicated for use in audio mastering. This equipment aids them in producing quality output. The tools help them hear and see the problems in a particular record or audio.

Mastering engineers are responsible for the following:

1. Achieve equal volume levels and balanced frequencies. Mastering engineers will make sure the songs are of the same volume levels so that every song will be heard equally. The bass, trebles and mids must also be of the same frequency for consistency.

2. Prevent overlapping of songs. The engineers will ensure a smooth transition of each song in the album.

3. Adding commercial value to the album. The engineers make sure the songs are crystal clear to optimize the commercial viability of the album. They will eliminate all unnecessary sound in each song.

4. Make the songs sound professional. They will ensure that sound will come out good to make people think the performer is a professional singer or band.

Such tasks are the burden of audio engineers. In sum, they are responsible for the overall quality of the record production. The final outcome of the product will depend on the skills of the engineer and the equipment he/she uses.

To be a mastering engineer will require a great deal of talent and years of experience. Most engineers say at least 10 years of experience in audio mastering is needed to become a full-fledged expert in this area.

Michael Dominici is author of article written on Analog & Digital CD Mastering. For more information, please visit :www.musichousemastering.com

What Is The Myspace Phenomenon All About?
By MIKE SELVON

Did you know that 73% of social networking folks in America are on “Myspace”? According to “Hitwise”, its web traffic is down 6% since last year, but the site still claims to have over 100 million users, nonetheless. Social networking sites have become more than just an email/messaging system; it is a place where people can share music clips, funny videos and express themselves through personal photos and blogs. If you are new to this site, then don’t worry, as much of its success is owed to its user-friendliness.

For those who are just getting started, there is a basic Myspace layout template that anyone can easily use by simply entering in data regarding their favorite music, TV shows, a biography and other personal information. However, for the more experienced users, this is not enough.

Some HTML fans know how to use Myspace codes to add unique features to their pages, while others develop themed Myspace backgrounds, text and add-ons through a third party site like “My Wacko Space”, “Glitter Graphics” or “Pimp My Profile”. It becomes almost an addiction for some people who seem to change something on their page every day! Self-expression builds confidence in web users, all the while entertaining and even educating, as every day citizens learn more about web design!

There is a new Myspace editor that allows “Myspace” users to change their backgrounds, fonts, colors or themes to a more personalized layout. However, many people have found this feature to have irreversible glitches.

There are a number of other third party sites that are perfectly safe and allow full customization for your Myspace page. For example, “Glitter Graphics” lets you change the text on your page look jazzier and “Pimp My Profile” gives you new layouts, graphics, slide-shows, surveys, icons and other programs. Customization is so quick and easy anyone can do it, and it’s free!

For law enforcement personnel, “Myspace” is more than just a place to watch fun videos, it’s a place to catch criminals! In the recent case of a missing fifteen-year-old girl, police officers were able to track the girl’s whereabouts according to her last Myspace login/IP address.

They have also set up child molester sting operations via the site and read online blog entries for added insight into the motives of a killer. Whether you’re there for justice, entertainment or keeping in touch with friends, this community site has it all.

Mike Selvon portal offers free articles on myspace. Find out more about myspace com, and leave a comment at the myspace posters blog.

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