Why Sampling Synthesizers Have Become So Popular

By Tim Benedict

The advent of the synthesizer has revolutionized the creation of music. Since its inception, the synthesizer has developed into a much more useful and complex device than that which it started out as. These innovative instruments are capable of producing nearly all musical sounds. Several variations, including the sampling synthesizer, are available.

A sampling synthesizer is a type of synthesizer that stores sound samples in RAM and then plays each sound back based on how an instrument is configured. Unlike a general synthesizer, it does not produce sounds from scratch. The sampling synthesizer first starts with sounds being recorded from multiple recordings or with samples of different natural or instrumental sounds.

A sampling synthesizer (or sample based synthesizer) works differently from the additive or subtractive synthesis used in other synthesizers. subtractive synthesizers filter square or sawtooth waves to generate their sounds. Additive synthesizers assemble their sounds by adding together different sine waves.

The sampling synthesizer was somewhat limited in the beginning. This was largely due to sample time and variety limits, imposed primarily by a lack of computer memory and the price of obtaining more. This instrument creates facsimiles of the sounds of other instruments and things found in nature, thus are its limits formed additionally by the quality of samples in its memory. Eventually, due to the cost of RAM dropping, the sampling synthesizer was able to meet the needs of its musicians better on both fronts, becoming themselves more innovative.

While there are obvious benefits to having a purely digital synthesizer at this point, there are still ways in which the sampling synthesizer is more user friendly. The drain on the computer chip is much less for a sampling synthesizer than for its digital counterpart. Since a sampling synthesizer's reproduction is based on stored sounds, the augmentations of the samples are already in place. A digital synthesizer must make these calculations on the spot, requiring much more computing. As such, they are significantly more expensive.

The polyphony of the sampling synthesizer is higher than an analog synthesizer since it does not have to duplicate its circuitry to allow more sound patterns to be generated.

When the sampling synthesizer was first developed, the price of memory and processing power made it very expensive. Improving technology enabled the introduction of comparatively affordable samplers like the Roland D50 and the Korg M1 in the late eighties. The Korg M1 also introduced the music workstation concept.

Stevie Wonder used a sampling synthesizer in 1976 when recording the album "Secret Life of Plants." Wonder created complex melodies and rhythms from sampled sounds of nature and used a sampled bird chirp as the lead sound in the song "The First Garden. - 18762

About the Author:

If you wish to find out more about synthesizers, you need to check out this website: Roland Synthesizer Reviews

Some Superlative Cinematic Film Synopses

By Kim Osborn

We have some film reviewed in the following paragraphs. To find a movie download site you need to do the right search. Film download searches will include "Full Length Movie Downloads", "Top Movie Download Sites", and "Download Movies Legally".

Bulletproof Heart: Fortunate hit guy LaPaglia gets a job he's not really cut out for. He he hired to take out an attractive woman who is in dept with the mob. 4 well-conditioned, well-played characters containing Boyle's gloomy mobster and Craven's dimwit companion-don't count quite make this a hit. Cast includes Anthony LaPaglia, Mimi Rogers, Peter Boyle, Matt Craven, and Joseph Maher. (100 minutes, 1994)

For Keeps: Studious adolescent Ringwald finds that she pregnant, and must swiftly face adult duties. Topic is most beneficial, although the outcome is unsurprising and fake. Tim Kazurinsky coauthored the screenplay. Cast includes Molly Ringwald, Randall Batinkoff, Kenneth Harms, Miriam Flynn, Conchata Ferrell, Sharon Brown, Renee Estevez, and Larry Drake. (98 minutes, 1989)

The Cheyenne Communal Club: Jimmy inherits and runs a bawdy home in the Old West. The film has lots of chuckles, although stereotypes are thick throughout the film. Cast includes Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Shirley Jones, Sue Ane Langdon, and Elaine Devry. (1003minutes, 1970)

Representative Cody Banks: A geeky, shy fifteen year old (Muniz) who is secretly a junior spy for the CIA is designated to befriend the cute daughter of a scientist building a secret weapon for a wicked organization. This fun filled, big joke mix of Bond, Spy Kids, and Men in Black is an adolescent boy's fantasy materialize real, bundled with hot babes, cool automobiles, intense games action, and hightech devices galore. Cast includes Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff, Angie Harmon, Keith David, Ian McShane, Arnold V osloo, Cynthia Stevenson, Daniel Roebuck, Darrell Hammond, and Martin Donovan. (102 minutes, 2003)

Alexander's Ragtime Band: Cheesy however amusing musical chronicling the virtuoso and romantic ups and downs of hot-headed aristocrat bandleader Power, fine gentleman and pianist composer Ameche, and hard but vulnerable singer Faye (in one of her best acting jobs). Cast includes Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Ethel Merman, Jack Haley, Jean Hersholt, Helen Westley, Jand ohn Carradine. (105 minutes, 1938)

The Faculty: Ohio high schoolers who typically conflict with each other band together while they find that their professors are being taken over by alien beings. Cast includes Elijah Wood, Salma Hayek, Piper Laurie, Famke Janssen, Chris McDonald, Robert Patrick, Bebe Neuwirth, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Shawn Hatosy, Guide Raymond, Jon Stewart, and Daniel von Bargen. (104 minutes, 1998)

The Pawnbroker: This is a vital, preoccupying film. Steiger is phenomenal as Sol Nazerman, a Jewish pawnbroker in Harlem who lives in a protected enviornment with haunting rememberings of Nazi jail camps. Cast includes Rod Steiger, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brock Peters, Jaime Sanchez, Thelma Oliver, Juano Hernandez, and Raymond St. Jacques. (116 minutes, 1965)

The Egyptian: Ponderous, often accidentally ludicrous biblical times soaper with Purdom cast as the tender, truth seeking title personality, set in old Egypt. Darvi's behavior as a femme fatale is humorously terrible. Cast includes Jean Simmons, Champ Mature, Gene Tiemey, Michael Wilding, Bella Darvi, Peter Ustinov, Edmund Purdom, Judith Evelyn, Henry Daniell, John Carradine, and Tommy Rettig. (140 minutes, 1954)

Marigold: Offensive grade-B Hollywood actress ("I don't do 'thankful' extremely well," she admits) goes to India to make a film, only to find that the production has fallen aside. Before long she's employed to partake in a Bollywood film, and a reciprocal enchantment grows between her and the handsome choreographer. Cast includes Ali Larter, Salman Khan, Nandana Sen, Ian Bohen, Helen Khan, Suchitra Pillai, and Shari Watson. (112 minutes, 2007)

Almost any film you can think of can be downloaded from a site online. You can find movies like these at download sites, which you can find by searching "Movie Download Software" or "Movies Download Sites" An additional search with "Unlimited Music Downloads" might bring good results. - 18762

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P2P is just a small part of the overall movie download activity online. Computer Games To Play On The Internet Methods for movie downloading can be found through a search with "Divx Movie Downloads". Many movie download sites provide low quality streaming videos.

How To Buy A Synthesizer

By Brady Carlson

If you get excited about the idea of composing and playing your own music, perhaps a career in music is for you. Maybe you already have an instrument or two in mind, but whatever instrument you decide to pursue in your music career, you need to gather information about buying the instrument and learning how to play it.

If you settle on buying a synthesizer you must first learn about the instrument. You should be knowledgeable about its parts and features, the various brands that are available, and their prices. Let us consider how best to go about buying a synthesizer.

First of all, the synthesizer is one of the most expensive instruments that you can own. That said, you will want to weigh carefully the factors relating to learning, playing and composing on it.

First, be clear about what exactly you need the synthesizer for. Once you are clear about this, you need to consider your options on synthesizers. There are analog synthesizers, digital models, simple classical synthesizers or even software synthesizers offering a range of qualities including a high profile sound. Your decision must depend upon whether you need the synthesizer for your personal use or for professional performances. Based on this you should have a budget for buying the synthesizer that will meet your need.

When possible, go for moderation in price. You may not be able to go too high, but you don't want to look for the lowest price either. What if it has a horrible keyboard or a sound that just isn't right? What if it isn't made well and won't last a long time?

Before you make a decision to buy, you want to "test drive" the synthesizer. See what kind of sound it has, examine each function and pay special attention to the sound unit. Just as you would do when purchasing a car, try several different instruments and consult an expert, particularly if you are buying a used one.

You might decide to look at used synthesizers, thinking you can get a better one for less money. That's possible, but you have to be even more wary here. Some instruments make finer music as they get older, but that's not true with a synthesizer. So you have to listen and look, making sure there are no uneven notes or flickering displays because of an old battery.

Especially for a studio, or for the practiced musician who also composes, the workstation may be the best bet. Still a synthesizer, it includes many voices, special effects, drum kits, and a sequencer. You can create studio sound with just one piece of equipment if you choose this option. - 18762

About the Author:

If you want to find out more about synthesizers, make sure you check out: Korg M50-61 Synthesizer

Kali Music Series - Goddess Kali, Terrifying Erotic Initiatress

By Hans Havasi

Goddess Kali, First Of The Mahavidya

Kali is the first in line of the fascinating Tantric pantheon of wisdom Goddesses, the MahaVidya. She has black skin, many arms, glaring eyes, wears a necklace of severed heads and dances on the body of Shiva (the masculine principle of the universe). Her tongue hangs out of her mouth dripping blood while laughing loudly at the attachment of humans. A terrifying sight indeed.

This gruesome iconography hides a lot of very deep symbolism. Our coming death is symbolized in the severed heads around her neck. The polar aspect of the universe is represented by the transcendent (dead) body of shiva who is the masculine principle while she herself symbolizes the wild uncontroleable feminine energy. Kali also symbolizes wild and dangerous erotic energy which is this aspect we will go more in depth with in this article.

Goddess Kali And Eros

These terrifying sides of Kali hide one great truth about her. Kali is raw and dangerous sexual energy and this is why we see her as being so terrible. If we cannot control the sexual energy we end up dead like Lord Shiva lying at her feet. If we can control her she becomes our biggest ally, friend and mother. A woman who starts a serious worship of the great Kali will start to incorporate her qualities in her being, she will become powerful and in touch with her sexual energy and will terrify those who are not in touch with their sexual energy. But she will help and guide those who dare to look into her eyes.

The ego consumed mind which is fearful and rigid is afraid of feminine energy. Men have always feared the awakened and expansive feminine sexuality and have therefore suppressed this energy for centuries. This shows a fear of life itself which is feminine, powerful and expansive.

So therefore Kali appears terrible for most of us who do not understand her deeper meaning.

Goddess Kali And Kundalini

In Tantra it is said that our spiritual development starts with an awakening of our sexual energy called Kundalini. Kundalini lies coiled up at the base of our spines. When awakened it will travel up our spines transforming itself to more refined kinds of energy such as wisdom, love, intuition, clairvoyance etc.

Like a snake tamer plays the flute and his snake dances for him, our kundalini will dance for us when we awaken her through intense spiritual practice.

Goddess Kali and Tantric Rituals

Kali can be invoked through meditation with her mantra (which should be given to the adept by a tantric master) or can also be invoked through the continual gazing upon her yantra (please see the picture). Meditation upon yantras is a very powerful tool to calm down the mind and to enter into a process of resonance with the Goddess.



Kali can also be worshipped through erotic tantric rituals where the woman is first adored by the man as an embodiment of the Goddess before the foreplay and lovemaking start. After the ritual the man and woman separate and each make an individual tantra yogic practice (consisting of certain yoga positions and pranayamas ie breathing exercises) or meditations upon the Goddess.

Such rituals are very powerful and will create a deep bond between the two lovers. The lovers will be enveloped in a state of great reverence and holiness and the fabric of the universe will seem to open up for them. Kali will become a great mother who is always holding and guiding the worshipper. - 18762

About the Author:

Hans Havasi is a teacher of tantra and yoga and a musician who has pledged his life to making music for the tantric goddesses. Together with his girlfriend Mariah, he coordinates a tantric art and retreat center in the north of Copenhagen. Please read more about Goddess Kali here or visit their site www.ibismusic.net to download free tantric meditation music

Peacemaker Of The World

By Liz Thompson

James Twyman has been called the Peace Troubadour of the world for his peacemaking efforts. He is a bestselling author, a film maker, and a musician, and he uses his talents to unite people around the world from every type of faith.

James has made musical performances in peaceful areas such as the Pentagon, United Nations, the US Capitol, and at projects like The Cloth of Many Colors, but his passion is performing in areas of turmoil. He has performed for millions in Iraq, Ireland, South Africa, Bosnia, and Serbia.

Three of James most popular books include Emissary of Light, Emissary of Love, and his most recent, The Moses Code. The Moses Code is set for film release soon, joining other films he has produced, including the award-winning Indigo.

The Beloved Community is an organization for all religions, and it has 400 peace ministers all over the world. James Twyman is the president. He also founded the Seminary of Spiritual Peacemaking.

Raised Catholic, James decided at the age of 18 to become a Franciscan. It was in 1986 that James learned about a spiritual meeting in Assisi. There, religious leaders like the Pope and the Dalai Lama came together to pray for peace. In all, twelve religions were represented.

The meeting in Assisi would prove to be a pivotal point in James Twymans life. People of different backgrounds usually meet to show their differences. In this case, he saw people from many faiths coming together for a united purpose " prayers for peace.

In 1994, a friend gave James a copy of the twelve prayers from that day in 1986. The page sat in his drawer for over a week before he finally took it out to read it. After reading the first prayer, James was so overcome with music that he wondered if it was in his head or in the next room.

It took only an hour to read through all twelve prayers and set each one to music. James is a very talented man in many ways, but its his passion for music through which he is able to reach the largest audience. Hes been using it to spread a message of peace around the world ever since! - 18762

About the Author:

Are you interested in learning about James Twyman and his efforts to unite people of every faith around the world? What can we learn from his teachings about displaying similarities rather than differences? Click on this link now to listen to the James Twyman interview.