Play Along CD's: How Top Drummers Are Rehearsing Without a Band

By Spencer (Spence) Strand

Most people learn how to play the drums and can play a basic beat, or a few common fills. But how can you take your drumming to the next level?

You're a beginning drum student. Or maybe you're an experienced drummer hitting the clubs and working the scene. But no matter what level you're at, one thing is a constant: practice.

But this requires working with other musicians. And not everyone is on the same schedule as you. Also, there may come a day when you simply are better than the band you're playing with, and are no longer challenged as a drummer.

Perhaps you get labeled as playing a certain style, and are unable to get a gig in another genre. Maybe you're a Funk drummer who wants to play country. Or a Jazz player who wants to rock. Once you're associated with a particular form of music, it can be quite difficult to be seen as anything else. Take Garth Brooks, for example. He was the biggest name in country music, but when he tried to put out a rock album his fans turned on him.

Of course, the alternative is to play alone which, lets face it, can be quite tedious and boring (there are only so many times you can play Wipeout or Zeppelin's Rock & Roll.) Well now there is a great alternative that is both fun and does not require anyone else's participation.

Now there is a tool available called a play along CD. Lets take a look at what exactly it is, as well as how you can use it to improve your playing in any style.

A play along CD is simply a recording of a song with one or more of the instruments removed from the track. You can think of it like a Karaoke track for musicians. Just like Karaoke removes the vocals so you can sing along, play along CD's remove certain music lines, which allows you to play your part of the song.

As a drummer, for example, you pick up a drum play along CD, jam it in the player, dig in behind your kit, and start playing right away. You get the whole band in the room with you. Even better, it allows you to get extremely creative with the music, maybe even coming up with something cooler than the original track.

All drummers need practice. And you can accomplish some of this with a simple metronome and a drum kit. But a great drummer can do more than just keep a beat. Professional drummers must develop a strong sense of time, master meter, and be able to groove. It's all about feeling. And you don't get that without playing with others either live or on a play along CD. That is what will make you the one everyone calls for a gig. - 23806

About the Author:

Spencer (Spence) Strand is a performing drummer and drum instructor who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. To receive your free recordings from his Berklee recommended CD series, "Turn It Up and Lay It Down", please visit his site at DrumFun.com.

How Long Has Transformers 2 Been In Preparation?

By Michael Nielsen

Transformers 2 is the sequel to the movie Transformers, and has a much greater scope and larger budget than its predecessor. The film mainly revolves around the theme of being away from home, and portrays the Autobot's notion of how it is to live on Earth with the Cybertron being beyond restoration.

Kurtzman is the one who came up with the label of the picture, Revenge of the Fallen. Considering that the picture is not just wide-ranging in action but also in characters, and has huge finances, it took relatively added time for the picture to be planned and formed. It took added time in development in the case of Transformers 2; because the sequel has greater action and added characters, as well as animation and unusual effects.

In the Transformers 2, The Fallen, who was the centrepiece scoundrel of the prior picture, is playing the part of a giant robot. It had been lying under the deep, and in the sequel has been awakened by the Deceptions. In this picture, The Fallen is going to be backing-up the Deceptions in their encounter with the Autobots and the human militia that were also present in the first picture.

The movie was in the planning stage before June 2007, after which the filming was started. Director Michael Bay is very proud of the movie, which is due to be released on June 19th, 2009 in the UK. There are also some IMAX portions of the film that also took some planning time as well as money.

The IMAX alone has taken significant amount of development, considering that it is not just a pricey course but also one which calls for preparation for unusual cameras and shooting room. The broad development done during and before the filming of the Transformers 2 is also evident in the several scenes where the picture has been shot at different times.

The film has been made at assorted sites. The most obvious of all the sets are The Richmond Power Plant, PA, Rittenhouse Square, Brooklyn Bridge, NY, Bannerman Island, and in addition Princeton University. Besides the Richmond Power Plant, filming has also been completed at The Free Library on Ben Franklin, PA, and the PECO Power Plant and 25th and Washington.

Transformers 2 is a film that revived the phenomenon of filming done in the Middle East. This is because; the crew of the film after a lot of planning went to Egypt for filming. This happened for any Hollywood movie after a decade. It was actually a move by Dream Works and Paramount to plan some of the filming to be done in Egypt in order to portray its culture.

The fans of Transformers are being kept busy, and the anticipation is building up with short trailers being aired and also with posters of the robots. Also, the new single by Linkin Park, which has been featured in the movie, has raised the expectations of the audiences. The fans of the movie don't have to wait any longer before they can turn to the theatres and watch the movie. - 23806

About the Author:

The release date for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is 19th June 2009. Find out more information at Odeon Cinemas.

Which Transformers Are Not In The Latest Film "Revenge Of The Fallen"?

By Michael Nielsen

Following the victory of the movie Transformers, its sequel Transformers 2 Revenge of the Fallen owes for release in June this year. It assures to be action filled moreover a suspenseful story for Transformers devotees. There are a number of latest robots that will be making their first appearance in this movie.

The Autobot robots in the 2007 Transformers movie were, Optimus Prime, the altruistic leader, Bumblebee, who loses his voice and communicates by radio sound bites and only utters two lines towards the end of the movie, Ironhide who transforms into a medium duty truck and is a weapons specialist, and Ratchet who is the team's medical officer and transforms into a search and rescue Hummer.

The Decepticons were escort via Megatron, who likes to maintain his creative alien jet form out of pride. Starscream is the second in order, and he is quite an admired character. Frenzy is a minute and brutal spy. He transforms into a boom box and then into a cell phone. Bonecrusher attacks Optimus on the mission highway. Devastator is an army Abrams tank. Blackout transforms into a helicopter.

These were the major robots of the Autobots and Decepticons in the 2007 Transformers film. In the Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, which is to be on the rampage in June 2009, a number of the robots for the Autobots along with the Decepticons will be distorted, plus several new-fangled robots will be established.

The Autobots robot Optimus Prime is a person in charge who is together with Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Rachet. Jetfire is an aged Decepticon who joins the Autobots. One of the fresh Autobots is Arcee, who converts into three unlike motorcycles. Then there are the twin's, Mudflaps and Skids, who change into Chevrolet cars, and Sideswipe and Jolts. Wheelie is a radio forced monster truck who is scared of the Decepticons.

The Decepticons robots are Megatron as person in charge, with Starscream. Then there is Soundwave, Ravage, Blackout, Scorponak, and the Fallen. It in addition includes the substantial Devastator, prepared up of an assortment of assembly machines. There are former Decepticons for example Scavenger, Hightower, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Rampage, Scrapper, Overload, Demolisher, Sideways, Scalpel, and Isabel Lucas.

These are the Transformers that we can expect to see in the new movie, and the main Transformers characters have not been changed. Changing the main robots would lose the continuity of the sequel, and remember there is another sequel to follow as well.

In Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, we can once more anticipate that the film will finish with an impressive fight in which less numbers of Transformers will be shattered and the major characters will stay alive. Or again they will get lethally wounded or buried. They will be resuscitated in the next movie. While the fans wait with baited gasp for the new movie to be released in June, a lot of action is to be expected.

The dream of the Transformers will bring great viewers global; furthermore several innovative playthings will punch the shelves. It ought to be a smash hit, as it is expected to be. - 23806

About the Author:

Don't miss this transformer in the new transformers movie at your local Odeon cinema from 19th June 2009.

10 Important Aspects Of Transformers 2

By Michael Nielsen

Revenge of the Fallen, which is the continuation to the first Transformers movie is holding a lot of spectators in suspense regarding numerous factors. The trailers and promos shown on TV have heightened the excitement more and anticipation of fans regarding the film which is scheduled to be released in the UK on June 19th, 2009.

Transformers 2 is looked forward to be amongst the most important movies launching in the holiday season and is predicted to be much more exceptional and hit than its prequel. There are three major spots on TV on which the promotional videos of the movie are projected and one of these is the Super Bowl TV spot.

The film has already even drawn one pre launch mark, and that is the disk space that it has occupied, which is said to be one hundred and forty terabytes, which in itself is an elemental mark. The reason is the broad special scenic impression that have been incorporated and the excellent tone of the animation utilised for the movie.

The cost for the film is colossal and is around $200 million. There has been a lot of awe during the making of the movie, especially when the film work unit went to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it was said by individuals that four Apache helicopters and two choppers were seen there, with Chinese lettering on them. From this, the extensiveness of each scene of the movie can be well visualised.

Many of us must not also be knowing that Britons are also showing an appearance in the film, as it has been rumoured that Matthew Marsden would be in the film as a part of the British Special Forces. There are also numerous IMAX parts in the film.

There has been a lot of new conceptions for the film. From the $200 million estimated cost, almost $4 million was left and was used up completely for the stupendous special effects integrated in this continuation movie. Due to the use of these special technical methods of scene picturing, you would be even able to see the robots sweat and simper, and in one scene, Bumblebee is also shown weeping. All this and much more has exclusively been possible due to the use of these special effects.

There is no surprise regarding the fact that Optimus Prime would once again be leading the Autobots. However, there does lay a little element of surprise in Megatron making a comeback as the leader of the Decepticons. Despite the news being kept secret by the director, it did leak out. In the Transformers 2, there are going to be almost twenty more robots than the prequel. This means that you should prepare yourselves for much more entertainment, action, and adventure.

Hans Zimmer, who is taken as one of the top ranking musicians, is composing the music for the sequel. The purviews for the Transformers 2 are much more widely spread compared to part 2, as is vivid from the vast form of diverse shooting sites for the film. This admits those within the US and also overseas. The most notable are Bethlehem, University of Pennsylvania, National Air and Space Museum, Princeton, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Alamogordo, Petra, Salt, Giza, Paris, Edwards Air Force Base, Luxor, Los Angeles, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Wadi Rum, and Philadelphia. - 23806

About the Author:

See this Transformer and all the other characters in the new Transformers movie showing at all Odeon cinemas

Tyrese Gibson Plays Tech Sergeant Epps In Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

By Michael Nielsen

The forthcoming full of action picture Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has persons from Transformers 2007. Prominent artists are playing their persons in the picture including Tyrese Gibson, who is acting as Robert Epps. This continuity of the role in Transformers 2 is the conformation of its importance in the story.

This person is an incarnation of a compliant officer enthusiastic to his responsibilities marked with the integrity of his soul. Robert Epps, in the picture, is depicted as a part of the United States Air Force. He serves in the Air Force as a Technical Sergeant. He works under the charge of a different person brought back in the sequel. The part of Captain William Lennox, part of the identical family from the initial picture, is played by Josh Duhamel who is his commander.

Like Captain William Lennox, Tech Sergeant Robert Epps is also a role of NEST. It is an international job group fighting against the immoral designs of the Decepticons. This clarifies that he is also a friend of the Autobots and is a positive-minded personality prepared to do all in order to win the war against vice.

In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Sergeant Robert gets promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant, which is evidence of his efficiency towards his duties. We see him in the movie wearing the scarlet beret, which means he is part of the Air Force Combat Control. The character of Robert Epps has all the positive traits of a military character: military capability, military posture, and military strength all depicted with utmost perfection.

An attractive attribute of the personality portrayal is his carrying a Visa credit card. This card is obviously noticeable in one of the numerous pockets in his outfit, on his left buttock cheek. He is one personality who claimed in Transformers 2007 that he would never go to Fig's mama's home to eat the alligator meat, which is much cherished by Figueroa.

We see the lively and lively Robert Epps in the very start of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. He is seen pursuing a Decepticon Audi RS8 with other armed people.

The film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is action packed full of touching drama and escapade. We see the projections of invasion between the vice forces of the Decepticons and good forces of Autobots. Both are battling between capturing, releasing, and defending. The Decepticons in this account of the film come to undertake an assignment to unleash a captive. Said prisoner is Sam Witwicky. Here the personality of Robert Epps comes in to defend and protect humanity and the Earth form vice. In these efforts, however, he is not alone. He is not leading the crusade, yet his role has its own significance. He is like a brick amongst numerous in the wall that together makes and strengthens the wall.

Tyrese Gibson is well prominent as an artist, taking part in different successful pictures including Waist Deep, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Baby Boy, Four Brothers, Death Race, Flight of the Phoenix, and totting up more to his recognition: Transformers 2007. He is also popular for the Coca-Cola ad in which he sang 'always Coca-Cola'. - 23806

About the Author:

Don't miss this transformer in the new transformers movie at your local Odeon cinema from 19th June 2009.