Chemistry Notes - Getting Useful Chemical Notes For Chemistry Tests

Chemistry Notes - Getting Useful Chemical Notes For Chemistry TestsIt is common knowledge that when dealing with chemical interactions, good chemical notes are important. Often times, it can be difficult to pick out a new chemical if you are unfamiliar with the chemistry in the room. Luckily, not every chemistry test has to be taken to a lab.When you are looking for natural chemistry notes, it can be done at home. You can learn chemistry by observing reactions that you observe with others or analyzing your own reactions. Take note of the differences in the reactions that you observe and analyze.You can start with recognizing the sequence of a chemical process. This will help you figure out which chemicals interact with other chemicals. For example, a chemical reaction may use one chemical to react with another chemical to give the product that you are looking for.If you are starting out, look for a book or course that offers natural chemistry notes. There are books that explain how a reaction works. In order to identify the reactions that you need to take part in, look for how they work and how to identify them.If you need to note down your understanding of a process, take a napkin, a piece of paper, and a book that you have open. If you have trouble sleeping, your night time has been ruined. What a day.Once you have identified the reactions that you need to do, take a moment to explain how each one works and why they are important. This will also help you when you make decisions that are dependent on chemical reactions.To put it simply, to do any chemistry that requires basic chemical reactions, you will have to understand and describe what the reaction is. It will take some practice before you start getting the hang of this. Once you understand the basic chemistry, you can proceed to identify the chemistry based on what you have observed.Finally, try to remember to give your example of the original chemical reaction as well. The more examples you can give, th e better.

The New and Improved italki.com

The New and Improved italki.com We are very pleased to announce the release of an upgraded version of italki.com. The new version of the site includes a cleaner layout, a redesigned dashboard and a few new cool features. Expect more improvements in the future to italki, as a lot of the work in this new version has been with the backend system. As we migrate to this new version, we hope that you can remain patient as we try and fix all the bugs and issues that may crop up. So without further  ado, here is a first look at some of the main new changes to italki.com: The New Dashboard: Whats Different? Quick access to Sessions, Inbox, Friends Finance Whos Online (now called Recently Online) has now been moved to the centre top of the Dashboard. Here you can post your status in terms of what you are looking for on italki (e.g. I am looking for a French language partner). Like before, you can see which of the people you follow is online, but now you can also see what they are looking for, and what their latest post was. To read questions or notebooks in the language you are learning, we now have a Language Updates feed, which you can edit according to which language you want to see. A Clearer Menu: Whats Different? Language Lessons and Speaking Practice are more clearly labeled under language teachers. Sessions and Scheduling have been given their own tab in the menu. Groups have been  relabeled  as discussions, and anyone can participate. We have made it easier to purchase credits and book lessons, by adding a buy credits tab and a schedule session button.  Quick Scheduling: The new schedule session button  makes finding a teacher and scheduling a session with them much easier. Once you click the Schedule Session button in the dashboard, you will be taken through a suggested teacher process, allowing you to more easily find teachers that are active and suit your learning goals. We appreciate your patience and feedback in this  transitional  time. Our goal is to provide a faster, better, more stable experience.  If you experience any bugs please report them to support@italki.com Sincerely, Samuel Bleakly italki Community Manager The New and Improved italki.com We are very pleased to announce the release of an upgraded version of italki.com. The new version of the site includes a cleaner layout, a redesigned dashboard and a few new cool features. Expect more improvements in the future to italki, as a lot of the work in this new version has been with the backend system. As we migrate to this new version, we hope that you can remain patient as we try and fix all the bugs and issues that may crop up. So without further  ado, here is a first look at some of the main new changes to italki.com: The New Dashboard: Whats Different? Quick access to Sessions, Inbox, Friends Finance Whos Online (now called Recently Online) has now been moved to the centre top of the Dashboard. Here you can post your status in terms of what you are looking for on italki (e.g. I am looking for a French language partner). Like before, you can see which of the people you follow is online, but now you can also see what they are looking for, and what their latest post was. To read questions or notebooks in the language you are learning, we now have a Language Updates feed, which you can edit according to which language you want to see. A Clearer Menu: Whats Different? Language Lessons and Speaking Practice are more clearly labeled under language teachers. Sessions and Scheduling have been given their own tab in the menu. Groups have been  relabeled  as discussions, and anyone can participate. We have made it easier to purchase credits and book lessons, by adding a buy credits tab and a schedule session button.  Quick Scheduling: The new schedule session button  makes finding a teacher and scheduling a session with them much easier. Once you click the Schedule Session button in the dashboard, you will be taken through a suggested teacher process, allowing you to more easily find teachers that are active and suit your learning goals. We appreciate your patience and feedback in this  transitional  time. Our goal is to provide a faster, better, more stable experience.  If you experience any bugs please report them to support@italki.com Sincerely, Samuel Bleakly italki Community Manager

Updates Changes to the Teaching System

Updates Changes to the Teaching System Are you interested in getting online language lessons or speaking practice? Weve made some important updates to the website that we hope will make it easier to find a teacher that suits your needs! We are separating our Language Teachers into Community Tutors and Professional Teachers. Secondly, we will divide the services which are provided into formal Language Lessons, Speaking Practice, and Language Exchange. What has changed? * Weve made a new menu for the website that will make it easier to pick a service Language Lessons, Speaking Practice, Language Exchange (and of course Answers, Notebook, and Groups) * We have new profiles for Users, Teachers, and Tutors. Now you can make it clearer what youre looking for, whether it is a Chinese language exchange partner or a teacher to practice English. * We have a simplified rating system for teachers * We have made it easier to contact other users, particularly teachers and tutors What Teacher Service should I choose? If you wish to just focus on speaking practice or getting help on your homework, then you can take a session with our Community Tutors. A Community Tutor is generally a native speaker of the language, but does not work as a teacher or have formal training as a teacher. A Community Tutor is great for people who are already taking lessons offline, or are intermediate / advanced level. Many Community Tutors also prepare in-depth lessons like Professional Teachers. Professional Teachers are able to give formal language lessons, and teach you how to learn all aspects of a foreign language. Professional teachers are trained in a teaching method, and can provide a structured approach to learning. Professional Teachers are necessary for beginner level students, and are a faster way to progress for advanced and intermediate level students. For any questions about these upcoming changes, please check out the italki support forum or email support@italki.com.

Wait ... Everyone Cant Donate Blood

Wait ... Everyone Cant Donate Blood floridapolitics.com According to a statement made by the bank: “The blood center is at full capacity and is asking donors to help over the next several days to help replenish the blood supply … Thousands of people packed our donor centers and blood drives eager to donate and help replenish the blood supply. Your immediate response to help patients in need was unprecedented and remarkable.” According to Orlando Health, “We have experienced a huge outpouring of support. Local blood banks have over 600 units of blood on hand, which is more than usual as a result of all the donations.” Still, with all of this support, there was also serious controversy. It happened when individuals learned that restrictions barring sexually active, gay men from donating blood still stood, even after such a tragedy. People turned to social media to express their anger at this ban, as the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando was a direct hit to the LGBT community, and certain members of said community were now completely helpless in its aftermath. In some select postings across social media, this anger was conveyed: OUT Magazine stated, “Shocking: Gay bisexual blood donations STILL restricted after #Orlando massacre.” Jared Polis, a congressman who identifies as gay, stated, “There’s an urgent need for blood donors in Orlando. Gay men still can’t donate.” But what are the reasons for such a ban? In all honesty, these restrictions have been kept in place for the safety of the public, including the victims of the Orlando shooting. According to the FDA, these restrictions are not meant to be discriminatory, but are meant to prevent a virus known to cause AIDS out of blood donations. Therefore, men who have had sex with another man within the past year aren’t able to donate. While this guideline has been softened in the past, it still stands, and for good reason. Prior to screening for HIV, the disease was spread through blood donations. At the end of 2001, according to NBC News, “more than 14,000 people became infected with HIV through blood transfusions, many of them children. Experts estimate that the risk of being infected with HIV if you get a contaminated blood transfusion is 90 percent.” And because one blood donation will typically go to about three recipients, this is a big deal. And even more important, early infections aren’t detectable in tests for the disease. So the ban stands, and there are more exclusions than just gay men. Sex workers, drug users that use injections, those who’ve recently gotten a tattoo and those at risk for the Zika virus are also turned away at blood banks. But why gay men specifically? These men, specifically in Southern regions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have a 30 percent HIV infection rate, African-American men with a 50 percent lifetime risk of HIV. These numbers could be the result of a number of explanations, a majority of which is a failure to be tested and unsafe sex practices. So with numbers like these, the ban on gay men’s donations stands. Of course, that isn’t to say that the ban is universally accepted. Some experts claim the year-long time period is too long (tests now can actually show results within a few days of infection). According to OneBlood, donations make it to recipients within a three day period, and the bank isn’t up to date with the FDA’s guidance, meaning any man that has ever had sex with another man isn’t eligible to donate, completely negating the one year rule. While restrictions like this feel discriminatory and certainly send a bad message to those that don’t understand the statistics, the CDC and FDA stand by them, at least for now, as the blood supply is nearly free of HIV since the ban was put in place. Now, the risk for infection is about one in 1.5 million. These are much more manageable odds. Still, this causes problems when national tragedies, such as the recent tragedy that struck Orlando, call for help. Many Americans want to help, some of which are now unable, whether they want to or not. And for those that are able, only about 10 percent will actually help by donating. (This statistic rises quite a bit in the wake of disasters, but nonetheless, numbers aren’t nearly as high as they could be.) So for anyone eligible to help, it’s time to do your part. Visit the Red Cross website to find blood drives in your area even if you aren’t native to Orlando, there is always a need for blood donations. You never know when or where the next disaster will hit. According to the Red Cross, “Today’s tragedy illustrates that it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps during an emergency.”

Tutoring Without a Tutor Speaker

Tutoring Without a Tutor SpeakerTo get better at tutoring there are some things you need to work on before taking a professional tutor as a student. So many times I've found myself with a student who is a trouble maker, who doesn't want to take a lesson or not listen to the instructions.We all know that the student in front of you in class has probably never been tutored, so now they're looking for someone to guide them. I had a very good student who was smart and had no patience with 'old people'. He told me in advance, that he didn't care for having a teacher, and that he wasn't going to be one.How do you get your tutoring students to listen to you? In most cases I've found it's because you're the only one they trust. In fact, this could be your biggest obstacle, because you aren't the teacher they're searching for. You don't actually teach them anything.By teaching yourself and learning your profession you'll be more successful at teaching them. So ask yourself if this is you, how do you fit in your lesson plan with them? I've found that in most cases, the student has a vision of their own, and you must go along with it.The other obstacle to my tutoring success was that I was a little weird, and I knew the student already had an idea of what to expect when they came to a lesson. I'd ask them questions, but they'd answer them badly. That's because I didn't believe them. However, I had their mindset, so I had to try to persuade them to a point where they did believe me.One main thing to remember is that you have to stay open minded. This doesn't mean you have to be just 'grinning and having fun' all the time. The attitude you have toward the students is going to help you as a tutor.If you don't like to be told what to do, and find your students pretty self-centered, then don't be afraid to tell them so. Just remember, you're the teacher, not the student, so don't give up if they don't act the way you would want them to.

Why You Might Want to Use the Relative Velocity Organic Chemistry Tutor

Why You Might Want to Use the Relative Velocity Organic Chemistry TutorThe reference materials are either in chemistry textbooks or you can use the internet to get your hands on them. Here are a few reasons why you might want to use the relative velocity organic chemistry tutor to help you learn more about your classes and your assignments.The tutor can be used as your reference manual. You can find information in the different textbooks, the internet, or even online forums. Once you have a written version, you can refer to it as you go. This will save you time when you do your homework.The tutor is cheap. With the cost of textbooks rising each year, you can save money by using the tutor instead. The tutor is affordable because you are paying for a service that you can use at any time of the day or night. You can access it at home, at work, at the library, or anywhere you have access to a computer.The tutor is flexible. You don't have to pay for the tutor if you don't need to, or you can pay for a full-time tutor to come in once a week or every week for as long as you need. You can also ask your instructor to come in once a week and have him or her check over your homework and grade your work before you send it in for your final test.The tutor is online. Your tutor will be able to check your work at any time of the day or night, all through the week, and you won't have to worry about missing class because you were caught up with errands. The tutor will even mail your assignments for you!The tutor is flexible. There is no excuse for you not being able to make a timely visit to your tutor if you are behind because you are stuck somewhere on your way to school or simply don't have the time to go.Your tutor will work with you throughout your career. This includes getting you through tests, getting you ready for college, and working with you through your thesis or dissertation. You will not be forced to choose between taking a test or completing your work, because t he tutor will help you both at the same time.

How to Plan Private Group Tutorials

How to Plan Private Group Tutorials Advice for Teaching Group Tutorials ChaptersHow Can You Prepare Your Private Group Tutorials?What Resources Do You Need to Plan Private Group Tutorials?What Group Lessons Should Entail“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” - Brad HenryWe often say that private tutorials, be them individual private tutorials or group private tutorials, are a special moment for students to learn, fill in gaps in their knowledge, and progress in a given subject.In fact, a large number of children have taken private tutorials and are getting private tutorials in order to help them through primary school, secondary school, college, sixth form, and even university.So how can you organise private tutorials to small groups?Here is our advice for private tutors wanting to teach groups, how they can effectively provide instruction to groups, and the types of learning strategies they should employ to optimise the student learning process. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1 st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discov er all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Prepare Your Private Group Tutorials?Providing academic support is often presented as the ideal jobs for students looking to make ends meet. That said, this isn’t necessarily true as more and more people are tutoring as a full-time job.Make sure to evaluate your student's progress. (Source: Free-Photos)Of course, private tutoring is a better-paid student job than working in retail. However, we don’t always know exactly how to put our ideas into practice and plan a lesson that will help the student the get the most out of the time they spend with their tutor.Preparing lessons is an essential part of providing quality private tutorials to both individuals and groups.In fact, the goal of academic support is to refocus students who are struggling during the school year, motivate them, and give them more time to get the most out of educational resources. That’s not all, though.If a student contacts you immediately for private tutorials to help them study for an exam, improve in a subject they’re struggling in, learn a language, or catch up with lessons they’ve missed, you’re going to have to plan your lessons for that particular learner.At this point, you won’t really know the student’s level or what kind of teaching strategies you can use. You should consider doing a level test with the student, getting to know them, and seeing what teaching and learning styles they'd prefer.The internet is a useful resource for finding exercises for your new student to do. A quick online search will provide you with a plethora of websites with worksheets, lesson plans, and activities for your students to do.For younger se condary school subjects, you’re going to have to ensure that your lessons are fun, engaging, instructional, and take place in active learning environments where students participate in a series of tasks and learning activities that make use of their thinking skills. After all, struggling students don’t want their lessons to feel like school, they want to have fun and be taught in a different way to school.  For example, teachers often try to make maths more interesting and demonstrate how these concepts can be applied in the real world.Tutors can ask the student’s parents which particular topics they’re struggling with beforehand.  Between each lesson throughout the year, here are some of the steps you should follow for preparing your lessons:Prepare a review of the previous tutorialElaborate on the key concepts (elicit definitions, examples, create mind maps, etc.) Prepare a list of exercises (maths problems, vocabulary lists, conversation topics for conversation classes, e tc.)Dedicate part of the class to teaching theory.Create a list of questions designed to test the students’ understanding of the topics covered.Teaching several students at once means that you have to get the students to cooperate. You need to get them to work in groups, correct one another, and invite them to think about their answers.  The objective for each student in private tutorials is to no longer require them.Do you know how much you should charge  for private tutorials?What Resources Do You Need to Plan Private Group Tutorials?Don’t show up to a lesson empty-handed.  It’s important the classroom has the necessary equipment to teach:A table or twoChairsA boardDictionariesTextbooksProjectorA computer connected to the internetYour classes need to take place in an appropriate setting. (Source: Skitterphoto)You also need to ensure that the classroom or wherever you’re teaching is well-lit, calm, and clean.  Normally, group classes organised by agencies will take place in the agency’s own classrooms.The teacher should also take care of their own appearance, too.  It probably seems obvious, but a teacher needs to look impeccable as students will notice if you don’t.  In every country in the world, especially in western cultures, beauty and image is at the forefront and your appearance could harm your tutoring business if you aren’t well-presented.  Make sure that you’re groomed, clean, and smiling when you first meet students and parents as you only have one chance to make a first impression.  It may seem stupid, but that’s just the way things are.Additionally, a good firm handshake goes a long way. It’s a sign of confidence and a non-verbal sign that you’re someone to be trusted and a competent teacher.  Finally, make sure you dress appropriately for the type of lesson you're going to be teaching.Make sure you're appropriately dressed. (Source: Free-Photos)Sociologists have been very clear that the way you behave and look has a massive bearing on people perceive you. Posture and gestures are fundamental because they act as a mirror of the habitus, a concept in psychology and sociology that describes the inherent behaviours of social classes and individuals.Finally, here's some advice for tutors to get off on the right foot:Create a positive learning environment: immediately correcting students errors can be harmful to their motivation.Encourage the group: congratulate students for good results. Regularly evaluating students will allow you to create more opportunities during the learning experience to reward them for a good outcome.Illustrate with examples: this stimulates memory and makes things easier to remember.Play a guessing game: use questions to check that the students have learnt the key points of the lesson.A guessing game can show you whether or not the students have grasped certain concepts just by asking them some simple questions about the definitions of certain topics.Where should group tutorials ta ke place?Check out our article on where you can teach group tutorials.What Group Lessons Should EntailSo you’ve got your materials and you’ve arrived at your class, now what?Whether you’re teaching 2, 4, 5, 8, or 10 students, you need to ensure each student concentrates for the whole hour.  Whether it’s an English, geography, history, science, or foreign language lessons, each lesson needs to be seamless, engaging, and educational.We didn’t say it was going to be easy. However, you need to be aware that the students won’t be able to constantly learn and concentrate for an hour and a half or two hours.  That’s why we recommend a small break at the end of each activity so the students can relax.Here’s how a typical group class could go:Recalling the previous lesson.Introducing the resources that are going to be used in the session (texts, graphs, visual resources, audio or videos, etc.).Exercises and practical work (in pairs or small groups).Discussing problems that ar ose and ways of solving them.Applying lessons learnt during the exercises.Error correction.Setting homework for the next session.There are plenty of interesting teaching techniques you can use as an educator in both private individual and group tutorials to promote cooperative learning and engage your students in their own cognitive development.The tutor needs to ensure that they’re transferring knowledge to their student by allowing them to discover things for themselves, giving them the opportunities, resources, and drive to do so.Make sure that students are provided with engaging activities. (Source: mikesween)Jean Piaget (1896-1980), the founder of genetic epistemology, left his mark on child development and learning.  For him, teaching theory in class isn’t enough for the individual to assimilate new knowledge and master it. It’s better to use tried and tested teaching approaches such as applying knowledge, experimentation, and demonstration.For struggling students gettin g academic support for foreign languages or science, for example, you need to give them the drive to learn by using interesting resources and approaches.  Students can choose which activities they want to do for the amount of time they want to do them, for example.You need to give them the choice of several activities and get them involved in their own learning. Make sure that you regularly assess the effectiveness of different instructional strategies and involve the student in improving them.If you're interested in teaching groups, why not create your own tutor profile on Superprof?You can offer individual tutorials, online tutorials via webcam, or group tutorials. There are plenty of advantages to teaching private tutorials. By searching a subject and a place, potential students will be able to find you easily!

How Much Does a Drum Kit Cost

How Much Does a Drum Kit Cost How Much Should You Budget for Your Drum Kit? ChaptersPlayer Size and LevelWhat Type of Music?The Shells and HeadsAccessorising Your KitA Word on Electronic DrumsDrums come in all shapes, sizes and materials for all sorts of music styles and environments.Furthermore, one has to ask: is ‘kit’ defined as just the drums and mounts â€" as some contend, or does it also include the cymbals and their stands, and your throne?And what good is a set of drums if you have no sticks to play them with and no bass pedal to strike those deep, resonant vibes?Don’t start panicking just yet! Superprof has taken a close look at the market to present you with things to think about before planning your drum set purchase.Let go of your wallet for now and read on!Considering the far higher prices than a full drum set and all of the accessories may cost you, buying a drum pad for your beginner drummer would make the most sense!Especially if you are buying for a fickle child: what if s/he won’t stick with drumming: would you be out all that money ?Find out also about the different types of drums...Black Sabbath's drummer has extensive kit, making use of each percussion instrument! Source: Wikipedia Credit: BtzkrWhat Type of Music?Drums are not a one-size-fits-all proposition.Jazz drummers and those in acoustic or folk bands tend to gravitate toward smaller drums, and fewer of them make up their kit.If you are a traditionalist, you may prefer the 4-drum configuration that Ringo Starr made popular during The Beatles heyday: a bass drum and a snare, with a single hanging tom and a floor tom.That arrangement is well suited to jazz, acoustic, folk and rock music styles.By contrast, Bill Ward (Black Sabbath drummer) may well faint when confronted with delicate, thin cymbals and single-ply drum heads, and would most likely feel bereft behind only four drums!Find drum lessons anywhere in the UK!Before settling on a drum set, you should give thought to how they will be played.To make choosing easier, you might want to know that drums come in two broad configurations: Fusion and Standard.The Fusion drums tend to be a bit smaller in diameter, but with a zippy tone and more voluble sound.By contrast, the Standard configuration is probably better known, among other things, for the bigger tone the toms produce and the greater volume overall.There are merits to both configurations and choosing which set-up is entirely up to you.However, we urge you to consider: while you could probably play anything by Taylor Swift on either drum kit, you may want to do your Lars Ullrich impression on a standard set â€" you risk cracking a cymbal if you hit it too hard!Find out how to maintain your drums optimally...Poplar is another low-cost alternative to maple and birch, yet makes a similar soundLauan, generally referred to as ‘select hardwood’, might be considered budget-birch.Bottom line: the type of shell you select will impact your kit’s sound and durability. Find out all you need to know about choosing the best drum kit for your playing...Drum heads come in several colours and thicknesses Source: Pixabay Credit: FlockineSelecting Drum Heads If you play jazz or big band type music, you would no doubt favour single-ply drum heads.You would also want the coated batter heads.Should you just want to let loose, like the Muppets’ Animal, you will want the two-ply option, and might prefer the clear heads.These Mylar heads come with or without coating, with or without damper rings and in a variety of thicknesses.Again, it comes down to the type of music you play, the sound you want to create, your proposed venue(s) and how you tune your drums.You may get a single, coated snare head for as low as £7 if you shop around and a kick drum head for up to £70; or you might look for a set of heads for your tom toms, which might run as high as £70-90.Accessorising Your KitNo drum set would be complete without a least a few cymbals: the hi hats, ride and crash cymbals are elementary.The splash cymbal and the chi na cymbal have become most popular of late, but they are not strictly necessary to play good music. Also, you have a choice of effect cymbals â€" again, not necessary to play basic tunes.Top of the line, brand name equipment such as Zildjian and Sabian will most certainly cost you a pretty penny, and there is really no getting around the fact that your cymbals may just be the most expensive component in your kit.The choice of brands, thicknesses and whether they are cast or cut from sheet metal all make a difference in price.Tip: Paiste, a brand with a loyal following, is a sheet metal cymbal line with a great sound and not much variance in sound from cymbal to the next (of the same line and size). And they tend to cost less than Zildjian cymbals!Drum AccessoriesOddly enough, you can’t really play the drums unless you have drumsticks, yet they are considered a kit accessory!What are the best drum sticks? Find out here...Other accessories for your drum kit include felts and sleeves for your cymbals, cases for your drums and various stands: for your snare and floor tom; for your bass and for assorted cymbals.Don’t forget your drum throne!Of course, you could use any stool set to the proper height, but stools made specifically for playing the drums are so engineered as to help keep you comfortable while maintaining good posture â€" so essential to good playing!You may feel that, after your initial investment into the drum set of your choice and all of its cymbals, that the accessories are nickle and diming you to death, but shopping around can score you a few bargains.Who knows? You might find a music store that wants your repeat business and give you a good deal on at least your kick drum pedal, sticks and brushes!Additional InstrumentsOnce you get really proficient in beating out those paradiddles, you may want to outfit your basic drum kit with a few other percussion instruments, like a cowbell or chimes.A choice percussion instrument, the cowbell can add tones and highlights to your music, underscoring the fundamental beat and creating unforgettable tunes â€" like Aerosmith’s Walk This Way or AC/DC’s You Shook Me.The price of electric drums is prohibitive, but they are very convenient Source: Pixabay Credit: StockSnapA Word on Electronic DrumsAs digital is the wave of the future is already here, you may look into an electronic drum set.Besides being prohibitively expensive â€" into the several thousands of pounds for even a basic setup, they are much more compact than acoustic drums and resist environmental conditions much better.One great feature of electronic drums is that they can be muted by plugging earphones in so that they play directly into the headphones rather than waking up the neighbours!If you have moved beyond the beginner stage of drumming and wish to build your kit, but live in a small apartment, an electronic drum set may just be your ticket.However, purists swear they will never give up their acoustic kit: for the ambience it creates and the sounds it makes; for the sheer joy of playing on equipment so responsive.Yes, your wallet will influence your purchase. But then, your heart and soul as a musician will drive you to the kit you need to express yourself most fully.Now find out everything you need to know before buying your drum set...... including finding drum lessons london.

The 4-Letter Acronym All Aspiring Singers Need to Know

The 4-Letter Acronym All Aspiring Singers Need to Know Sign up successful Vocalists are the only musicians  who do not have the option of making actual, physical contact with their instrument in order to produce a sound or tone. This is an important thing to consider when youre thinking about how to be a better singer. It  puts us at both an advantage and a disadvantage for a couple of reasons. For example, advantages include not having to carry much with us to a gig or having to spend money replacing parts we ARE the instrument.  However, being the instrument can also be a disadvantage, as many things can affect our singing voice:  the weather, our bodys natural hormonal balance, our diets, sleep habits, stress levels, and our emotions. Even sneezing too hard can cause an issue for some (especially if the sneeze happens while on stage yikes!). In my work as a music therapist, music educator, and artist development specialist, many of my clients bring some level of anxiety with them to our first voice lesson. By the time they leave, it is always my goal to have thoroughly expressed the necessity of sharing their emotional space with their audience, as this is what  allows connection and authenticity. For example, if you are singing in a choir, it is the use of realistic and authentic gestures, facial expressions, and vocal color that can only be the result of connecting with the piece of music. This cannot happen solely on an intellectual level. This must happen in an emotional way, as well. I am not suggesting that students expect a full-on therapy session whenever they go to a lesson or gig.  On the contrary, I encourage my students and clients to utilize the following tools as ways to paint the song into the hearts and minds of the listener. I use the acronym  L.I.V.E. to remind my students of these tools. L Laser I have seen much success in employing metaphors and symbolism into my teaching style. One of my most popular metaphors includes visualizing the voice as a laser. Somehow, students are able to better understand how to direct their voices. This is specifically helpful for artists-in-training who are learning how to project and properly sing forward. I Internalize Even the most touching song is only considered as such because the listener experienced some kind of emotional connection with the artists interpretation, the story of the song or even their own personal journey in life. Every song has several different avenues that lend toward artist connection and interpretation. Some artists connect with the melody, whether its haunting or flirtatious. Some feel more connected to the drum and bass of a song, while others are drawn toward its auxiliary instrumentation (strings, horns, etc.). Other artists connect with the lyrics, the actual story of the song. Finally, some will find their emotional bearings through another artists interpretation of the song. These connections are certainly interchangeable, sometimes from moment to moment. This is where a vocalist can recall real life situations and repurpose them as spices and herbs in our musical stew. V Visualize Anybody can sing karaoke! Chances are, if a student has worked with a private voice teacher or vocal coach, he or she is not aiming to just get through the song. My guess is that the student aspires to be much more polished and skillful at the art of singing. Visualizing yourself performing, and using visualization as a way to prepare for that long phrase coming up, may be the difference between singing pretty and throwing down! E â€" Explore Enunciation/Exaggeration No, Im not suggesting that every singer should aspire to become the Jim Carey of vocal acrobatics and shenanigans. I am suggesting we remember the fact that music is in the entertainment industry. As such, the most common underlying expectation people have when they come to a vocal concert is to be wowed and entertained. One of the easiest and most accessible ways to entertain your audience is to allow yourself to enunciate and exaggerate certain words and phrases in the song. Enunciation can be a tool applied to the melody, rhythm, lyrics, or emotion. Choosing to lay back behind the beat, or to syncopate a phrase or two to express a certain mood, emotion, or color, may be what sets you apart from others musically. Or, perhaps calling into mind that lovely person who cut you off in traffic may be just the thought to add some extra oomph  into your version of a power ballad, blues number, or musical theater piece. (I generally use the phrase, Put some STANK on it!) Got it? Heres a recap of what to remember: Remembering these tips can help you be a better singer and improve your stage presence. Additionally, exploration can be the difference between a working musician and a starving artist. Get out there and network! For example, in my lovely city of Baltimore, there are many clubs, venues, places of worship and coffee shops that provide ample time and opportunity to explore other genres, network, and much more. Get involved in the music community of your city to explore your musical authenticity! And, that’s it! Let’s not separate our lives from our music. When it’s go time the time to perform the most memorable performances are by those who remember to L.I.V.E. through their music. Dont just sing the lyrics, let your heart sing! Thanks for reading! Post Author:  DeTrece L. DeTrece L. is a radio show host, artist development specialist, music therapist, music producer and singing teacher  in Baltimore, MD. She has performed internationally since age 8 with stars such as Brenda Russell and Steven  Tyler, and has been  teaching singing lessons for over 15 years. Learn more about DeTrece here! Photo by Robert Pratt Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher