Zoho Docs is an online cloud based document management web service provides you all features and services you get in other online and offline office suites like MS Office, Libre Office and cloud based Google Docs etc. You can start using the service for creating documents in seconds.
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Sometime back Google released Google Play Music Manager for desktop computers that enables its users to upload their music collections to cloud and download their library to their hard drive easily. After the music files are uploaded to cloud, they can be listened from any Android Phone, desktop computers, tablets etc.
Continue reading Installing Google Play Music Manager In Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail
Shardul Pandey: I welcome you Audra at SANGKRIT.net, tell me your story.
Audra Kubat: My name is Audra Kubat, and I’m a folk singer-songwriter based in my native Detroit, Michigan. I started playing music as a child, teaching myself how to play piano by ear. I started playing guitar in my late teens and began putting words to the music shortly after that. I have performed out since the 1990’s, and have three albums released independently on my own Remedy Records, and two released nationally through a label called Times Beach Records.
I started writing music because it helped me to process and work through the troubles in my life. It was healing for me. As I began to share my work with others, I found that people were moved in a similar way, and this really helped motivate me to branch out and play more and more shows.
I have had the honor of performing at many music festivals in my state and participating in many charity events that have helped numerous causes throughout the years. In 2001, I won an award for “Outstanding Folk Artist” in the Detroit Music Awards, and have been annually nominated ever since.
There was a point back in 2005-2006 when I was in light rotation on over 250 college radio stations nationwide. I began to tour regularly along the route between Detroit and New York, and at the height of my exposure through Times Beach, I moved to New York City with the intention of spending a year or so sharing my music there. When I arrived, I spent 4-5 days a week seeking out and playing open mics throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Meanwhile, as the year passed, it became apparent that my label back home was unable to sustain itself, and folded. Suddenly I found myself out there on my own, without access to the connections they had made for me.
This was hard, and it hit me emotionally at the time. I struggled with depression yet pressed on in New York the best I could for the next few months, but in the darkest part of that experience I returned home.
Disappointed by the collapse of Times Beach Records, and my own, I retreated into a period of reflection, writing, and practice. I played less shows and became a little more reclusive, but I didn’t stop generating new work and got back on my feet.
In the years since my last release, I have steadily built up dozens of new songs, and carefully honed the ones that will become a new album. I feel that I sound better today than I ever have, and with this album, I am stepping back into the ring.
As an acoustic artist, I was long focused on lyrics and melodies and left the digital work to recording engineers. However, recently I’ve stepped into the digital waters, and it is exhilarating. With my laptop and ProTools I’ve had hands-on mixing control for the first time in my career. With these new tools, I created the 20-minute score for ‘Knowledge Is Power‘ at 2012’s DLectricity, a celebration of light.
http://vimeo.com/55759334
I’m a working musician, making my living on gigs, shows big and small, giving lessons, and working with local Detroit organization InsideOut Literary Arts Project which places artists and writers in the Detroit class rooms to share their artistry.”
Shardul Pandey: Any new plans for an international tour on your skyline?
Audra Kubat: I am open to this; however I don’t currently have the resources. I have sold a few thousand records overseas though, many of which were concentrated in the Netherlands. So, it would seem that there are possibilities.
Shardul Pandey: What makes your endeavors unique?
Audra Kubat: Well, I am not sure it is so unique, but I work to find meaning in the world through my work. The music is trying to negotiate the difference between hope and reality. Picking up pieces and turning them over to see all sides, and uncover the ever-changing dimensions. I guess I am searching for the answers by singing out loud into the universe and asking for a response. Maybe what’s unique about it, is its timing. I am working in a medium that is one of the oldest. In that, I’m trying to find something new that can be said. Something that can again, like many old folk songs, try to explain our position against the backdrop of the present; something that acknowledges our collective need to make sense of it and to belong to it, yet still be ourselves.
Shardul Pandey: According to you, what are cushy and hard parts of singing?
Audra Kubat: The cushy part of singing for me is that it seems to be effortless. I can’t really even stop myself from singing…any time of day or night. I am constantly making up tunes, as I am walking, waiting in line, driving…I sometimes don’t even realize I am singing and am reminded when someone from the next stall over, ha. Words too, come like this. It is like I can just see something and be moved to sing about it on the spot. Most of my songs come this way…melody and lyrics together.
The hard part of singing for me is trying to be completely in the song and give it its just due when I am performing it. For the song to work it must be honest, I really have to dig down and find the mindset that I had when I was moved to write it. This is the tough part…reliving those moments. Whether happy or sad, they all were quite intense, or I would not have written about them. Regardless, that is the challenge. This part takes all of me, and I am not saying that is it not worth it. It is a part of the process and in the end is the most meaningful for me. It is that you deliver the song to the people and that they feel it and they know that you gave it to them with honestly and you can feel it coming back to you. This is the goal. This is where the real value is.
Shardul Pandey: What is your foremost experience as an artist?
Audra Kubat: My foremost experience as an artist…that is a big question. I could answer this in a simple way, really. I think my experience overall is that being an artist is not a choice I can make. It is a joy and a burden. The highs are glorious and the lows, just devastating. Really, for myself, it is like having an affliction that causes you to feel such a connection to the things outside of yourself that you are crippled and empowered at the same time; a challenge in a world with so much tension, right? Yet, this pressure is what causes the pen to push on the paper, and causes the artist to react. It helps make the unbearable seem conquerable.
Shardul Pandey: What do you feel is your strength as a performer?
Audra Kubat: I believe allowing myself to be vulnerable is a strength, and doing so in turn allows others to be. This is when a connection can really happen. I believe vulnerability can be a good thing at times. Really what’s happening, is that one is being honest about their true feelings. When we stop hiding and allow ourselves to be open, we can know each other more wholly. Kind of a nice thing, I think.
Shardul Pandey: How would you like to be remembered?
Audra Kubat: I guess if I am remembered, I would like it if people said I gave myself to the world. I wanted so badly to help others be themselves and love each other, that I sacrificed for a dream that is not mine alone, The dream of a global love and respect between people. This is why I write and I struggle, why I push and dig. I can see it sometimes, imagine it when I try…
Shardul Pandey: Would you like to say anything for “Shardul Pandey Talks”?
Audra Kubat: I love the Internet. It is important for understanding our global significance. It creates a place where conversation can take place and open dialogues can be inclusive and expansive. People can talk about their experiences from many miles apart. They can share a collective experience and have it change how they view others. From a business perspective, it’s freeing, and allows me to be at home and still connect with people directly.
Shardul Pandey: What is your ultimate message for netizens ?
Audra Kubat: Be kind, follow your hearts, be fearless, love hard, travel, spend time with your elders, be like a child, challenge your beliefs, be leery of stereotyping, sing out loud in a restaurant, spend time alone, spend time with friends, listen to the beggar once in a while, question authority, be real, dance with your lover sometimes, even if you hate to dance!
Arpita Mukherjee was the WINNER of the “GOLDEN VOICE HUNT “ on Zee tv’s SAREGAMAPA. An Air Force officer’s daughter , and an Economics (Hons) Graduate and Sangeet Shiromani from Delhi University, she has a strong musical base with her classical and semi classical training.
Google Play Music is Chrome app by play.google.com. This application allows you to play your music instantly anytime from anywhere. You can keep up to 20,000 songs on Google Play and you can listen to them easily using web or any android phone or tablet even when you’re not connected and all for free.
Continue reading Listen To Google Play Music Instantly From Anywhere Using Any Device
Shardul Pandey: I welcome you Trenton at SANGKRIT.net, please tell our netizens about yourself, your story.
Trenton Thomas: My story really begins when I was four years old. My mom was a garage sale, and there was a very old and beat-up piano in the corner of the garage. It turned out the piano was not for sale, but was awaiting a trip to the dump! My family saved it from said trip, and it was the piano I learned on, and continued to play until I was fourteen, and its old keys could no longer keep up with my more demanding pieces. Because of that old piano, I began writing Christian songs at the age of six, and took over as music director of my church at the age of ten. Music theory came naturally to me, as did songwriting. While most children played dodgeball, I practiced piano during recess at school. When most teens were dating or playing sports, you could usually find me listening to an orchestra or at the piano bench. Music was my life’s work.
During college, while studying for a degree in Sacred Music, I sang for and traveled with several music groups, and even wrote some of their music. Because I went to a Christian university, our groups performed at churches – hundreds of them, and most of them small. I would talk to the pastors, and ask them about their church’s musical needs. Most often, the response was the same – “We need sheet music. We simply can’t afford it for our choir and pianist every week.” I decided to do my part to fill the need and began the online ministry of Free Sacred Music (www.freesacredmusic.com). Initially, the site offered only my own arrangements/compositions, but has since grown to include works by many talented and generous writers and arrangers. Today, over 4,500 people download music from the site every month – many from nations where Christian music is not otherwise accessible.
During the same time frame, I discovered a new passion in the music world. I was volunteering in the university’s recording studio, and found that I loved it! I learned from an excellent recording engineer and several producers the “tricks of the trade” that have become essential to my life’s work today.
Today, I continue to write, record, and perform music. I still run Free Sacred Music, as well as my own website, www.trentonsmusic.com. I have seen some successes in the wide world of Christian music. My singles (and even my full album, in some cases) are played on several large stations across the United States, and my songs have gained recognition. More importantly to me, my music is being sung in hundreds of churches all around the world. I long to be able to visit and perform at some of these churches, but have not been financially able to travel in order to do that. Currently, I am running an Indiegogo campaign to raise finances for that very thing at –http://igg.me/at/trentonsmusic/x/4980077.
It is my dream to one day soon be able to perform at many of the churches my music has ministered to. I hope that someday my music ministry will grow further, and that the hymns I write will end up alongside some of the great hymns passed down through church history.
Shardul Pandey: Would you like to briefly explain your sound to people who have not yet heard your music ?
Trenton Thomas: My sound is very unique. Many people hearing my music for the first time use words such as “worshipful,” “deep,” “beautiful,” and “relaxing” to describe it. My favorite compliment is, “I think I could listen to your music all day!” And some people do, for which I am grateful.
Shardul Pandey: What makes your endeavors unique ?
Trenton Thomas: My entire purpose and main goal as a modern Christian artist is entirely different from most other contemporary artists. I am primarily a writer of modern hymns, so my music is driven more by quality and depth of content than commercial appeal. As a hymn writer, my main goal is to provide the modern Church with hymns that fit this generation, but still contain the depth of theology and Biblical truth for which hymns have been historically known.
Shardul Pandey: On what musical projects you are currently working one? What can we expect from you in the next few years ? Any long term goals?
Trenton Thomas: Right now, I’m working on getting together a tour to visit some of the churches here in the US that use my music. I have released a full-length album and three singles, and most of that music is getting airplay on some large Christian radio stations, but I have not yet been able to tour with my music, due to a lack of funds. I’m trying to raise the funds for a tour through an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign (http://igg.me/at/trentonsmusic), so I really hope that people will get involved in my music ministry by supporting this campaign and in turn getting some very cool perks for their donation!
In the next couple of years, I hope to release my next full-length album, with many more original hymns that will resonate with churches in this day and age, and hopefully stick around with some of our long-standing hymns.
Long term, I hope to be able to make my music a full-time ministry. At this point, I am working 1 ½ jobs to make ends meet, and basically fully supporting my music ministry. If I can get to the point where this is full time, I can definitely reach a lot more churches with a lot more music. Right now, I am limited by time, which is limited by finances, so I hope that I can dive in to this ministry full-time in the future.
Shardul Pandey: Would you like to share the experience of your first performance ?
Trenton Thomas: I believe my first performance was a piano recital at the age of five, and I honestly don’t remember it vividly. I do remember being pretty scared at the time, since it was my first time on stage. I will tell you that I still get nervous, but more so for a small crowd than a large one. Something about a more personal audience makes it more nerve-wracking!
Shardul Pandey: What is your foremost experience as an artist ? Any favorite moment you would like to share?
Trenton Thomas: My favorite experience as a musician was actually a side project, where I collaborated with three of my professors while in grad school. We did a Valentine’s Day concert as a barbershop quartet, with all sorts of antics and dusty old barbershop love songs. In-between music sets we had another grad student who was an excellent amateur magician do tricks and stunts. The whole thing was really fun, and we had such a packed auditorium that we ended up doing the whole thing twice that night so people could all see it! So while it wasn’t even a formal concert, it was definitely my favorite performance memory.
Shardul Pandey: Any other creative mediums you work in?
Trenton Thomas: Actually, yes, I do wildlife & scenic photography, and actually considered it as a career at one point. I began in high school, and received several awards and publications. I still really enjoy it, whenever I get a chance to do so, and have a large photography section on my website (www.trentonsmusic.com/photography), where people can view my work and order prints, photo puzzles, and calendars. I believe music and photography go together extremely well, and someday I would like to integrate multimedia slide shows into my concerts.
Shardul Pandey: How do you best describe what music is to you?
Trenton Thomas: Someone very wise once said, “Music is the language of the emotions.” I definitely believe this to be the case, and that is what makes it such a powerful medium of communication. In my field of church music, I think music is the single most powerful method of teaching solid biblical truth and impacting lives with the power of God’s Word. Music is also the best way any group of people, such as a church, can communicate something simultaneously, which makes it the absolute best method of praise to God. On an individual level as well, music can and does impact people for real life-change, and if the music is Scripture-based, that change can be a permanent change for the better. In short, music is the most powerful catalyst at our disposal for expressing praise, learning truth, and aiding change in someone’s life.
Shardul Pandey: Who were your biggest musical influences ?
Trenton Thomas: Early in life, I became enthralled with classical music, and would sit and listen to Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, etc. for hours. In the area of Christian music, I received heavy doses of artists such as Fernando Ortega (still my favorite Christian artist), Michael Card, Buddy Green, Steve Green, and Dallas Holm. I took over as music director for our church at the age of ten, so naturally I was also heavily influenced by church hymns, which ultimately led me to become a hymn writer in the modern hymn movement.
Shardul Pandey: What songs get you moving ?
Trenton Thomas: “Smellin’ Coffee” by Chris Rice is one of my favorite “get-up-and-go” songs – its really fun and upbeat! Probably my favorite artist to simply enjoy life to is Adam Young (Owl City).
Shardul Pandey: Any plans for an international tour on your skyline?
Trenton Thomas: I would love to do an international tour! Because my ministry of Free Sacred Music is so international in nature, I have a large number of fans in Australia, South Africa, the Philippines, and Asia, as well as several countries in Europe. I would love to visit them! Hopefully someday I will. I honestly think I have as many fans in other nations as I do in the U.S., so it would really be an honor to be able to travel to some of those countries someday.
Shardul Pandey: What you feel is your strength as a musician and how would you like to be remembered ?
Trenton Thomas: I would love to be remembered as a solid theologian who wrote some of the hymns sung fifty or even one hundred years from now. I work very hard to write music that fits our current generation, but is also timeless in nature because it is solid lyrically and musically. Ultimately, only time will tell if I have accomplished that goal.
Shardul Pandey: What advice would you give to newbie musicians?
Trenton Thomas Four things: 1. There is no substitute for practice – especially not success. 2. Don’t ever compromise quality for commercialism. 3. Never stop learning and improving. 4. If you ever start feeling like you’re the best there is, remember there is some child in a remote corner of the world who can play and sing much better than you ever will!
Shardul Pandey: What is your web address, do you own a domain ? I mean where netizens can find latest news feed about you and your music ?
Trenton Thomas: People can find my music, latest news, monthly blog, photography, social media links, free stuff, and more at my website, www.trentonsmusic.com.
Shardul Pandey: What is your ultimate message for netizens ?
Trenton Thomas: Always make sure the musical praise in your church is the best it can be. We serve an awesome and holy God, and it is our duty to praise Him with the best of our frail human abilities. Never settle for less simply because it is easier, cheaper, or “cooler.” Music is powerful, and as such should be treated with care, preparation, and understanding.
Shardul Pandey: I welcome you Michael at SANGKRIT.net, please tell our netizens about yourself, yourstory.
Michael Paul: I arrived in the town of Century, Florida, but most of my adolescence was spent about an hour south west of New Orleans, Louisiana. My interest in music And it’s ability to change a persons mood and feelings, were noticed early on. It has an uncanny ability to communicate feelings and stir emotions to a listener like no other form of communication known, and that’s what intrigued me the most. Even though my love and passion for music was birth from youth, I did not discover my musical abilities until my mid twenties. From there I began to mesh my English and writing background with chord progression and melodies.
I am Currently residing in the state of Texas, (For now) and Within the last four months quite a few changes. I gave up my sales and marketing career, sold the majority of my material possessions I began to follow my passion and my dream, which is to convey a message of hope peace and love, to the majority of humanity that walk this planet. I Recently signed with a record company who is starting the promotion process here in Dallas. So, at the present I am really at the genesis of my music career, even though I’ve been writing and performing music for about a decade. My art reflects my reality…. The struggles I dealt with from the age of five to the present. I try to Paint a picture of my life, some of the struggles, some of the victories, but always about what’s real.
[quote url=”http://igg.me/at/MichaelPaulProject”]Please help Michael Paul reach his goal before the deadline! [button url=”http://igg.me/at/MichaelPaulProject” target=”blank” size=”2″]Contribute Now[/button][/quote]
Shardul Pandey: What makes your endeavors unique ?
Michael Paul: To be honest, I write or observe from a different vantage point or paradigm. I believe that our ‘developmental’ years, and what we were surrounded by during those years, mold and shape the majority of our personality or character. There are those who have faced much trauma or feelings of rejection during that critical time. Many times it is the angle from which I write from. So… I’m not sure about uniqueness or originality…
But I hope what I am ‘given’, can be a form of hope and ‘inner healing’ to many that are searching for that very thing.
Shardul Pandey: On what musical projects you are currently working one? What can we expect from you in the next few years ? Any long term goals?
Michael Paul: Currently, i’m writing the material for a new EP that should be out before the end of 2013. With the completion of that release, I am hoping to have the opportunity to share my music On a much larger scale, travel & breath in The air of new cities and continents and look forward to meeting many new and interesting people along the way.
Shardul Pandey: Would you like to share the experience of your first performance ?
Michael Paul: Small low lit coffeehouse with a handful of people. And I’m asking myself what the heck am I doing here? Then found my courage hiding…closed my eyes, opened my mouth and here we are.
Shardul Pandey: What is your foremost experience as an artist ? Any favorite moment you would like to share?
Michael Paul: Usually it’s the moments when the ones you least expect it, come up after a show to say, ‘thank you’….
Those moments are inked in my memory.
Shardul Pandey: Any other creative mediums you work in?
Michael Paul: I enjoy photography, and sketching…. Painting, but it’s been a few years. ( something to pick up again soon )
Shardul Pandey: How do you best describe what music is to you?
Michael Paul: Music is time slow down. Like heavens hand written notes with just the right amount of spaces in between. (that happen to be ‘art forms’ in there own stunning and peculiar way) It’s An individual form of communication that can be interpreted by the universe. It’s how many of us are able to breath.
Shardul Pandey: Who were your biggest musical influences ?
Michael Paul: I would have to say the biggest influence musically would be Pearl Jam. I can remember that unfamiliar tone coming from my grandmother’s television set when music television played “music”. Then discovered that Vedder happened to be one of the most intelligent minds in music today. Especially when using his thoughts for lyrics. Many bands from era, but also the ones before as well. Hendrix, The Who, Tom Petty; and I can’t leave Bob Marley off the list.
Shardul Pandey: What songs get you moving?
Michael Paul: My blood seems to circulate a little more freely when I am tuning into Rage Against The Machine, POD, or some funk delivered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Especially useful for Those much-needed gym hours.
Shardul Pandey: Any plans for an international tour on your skyline?
Michael Paul: I definitely have it as is one of my goals set. Just how far on the skyline is still yet to be determined.
Shardul Pandey: What you feel is your strength as a musician and how would you like to be remembered ?
Michael Paul: I would hope to think that my biggest strength would be my awareness that we are not guaranteed our next breath much less tomorrow. Some of where my motivation comes from. And when I’m gone….. I hope that ‘humility’, is the common word chosen when being remembered.
Shardul Pandey: What advice would you give to newbie musicians?
Michael Paul: Stay positive! Don’t be afraid of the word ‘No’.
Shardul Pandey: What is your web address, do you own a domain ?
Michael Paul: My site is under currently under construction, but my artist page on Facebook is located here:
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Shardul Pandey: What is your ultimate message for netizens ?
Michael Paul: To Choose a positive mindset & to choose to help one another. We ALL need help in some fashion or form.
Shardul Pandey: I welcome your Kristin at SANGKRIT.net, please tell our netizens about yourself, your story
Kristin Lagasse: I am a 30 year old singer-songwriter from Maine, currently living in Hawaii.
My musical journey began when I was 13 years old when my Dad handed over his beloved 6 string guitar and taught me a couple chords. I had always loved to sing and after a brief one sided love affair with the violin, I found the guitar much more suited to my needs. I could play and sing at the same time and it was only a matter of time before I was writing the depths of my 13 year old soul down to my 3 chords and belting it out for the whole world to hear. And I haven’t stopped since.
I have explored the world, responded to my hardships, praised my beautiful moments, all through music for over half of my life now. Quite honestly I don’t know how else to do it. As I grew older I found that I am a born traveler, and so I have spent my time traveling, recording, working odd jobs, writing and singing. I just simply love it.
My 3rd album will be released in December 2013 and I am very excited to share it with the world.
Shardul Pandey: Tell us about your sound, your Third Album. How much have you done and how many songs are recorded ?
Kristin Lagasse: My sound tends to lean to the stripped down side of music production. I enjoy acoustic instrumentation. Lyrics and melody are very important to me, and I try not to let them get lost in the mix. My first album I recorded myself without a clue of what I was doing. My second I chose to take to a studio, and when money got tight I went to a sound recording school in California and had students record me for free. For my third album I have gone back to the home studio, but I have been taking my time, and for the past two years have been learning about my recording program and gear and practicing. It has been nice to have the freedom to record whenever I feel like it, and full control over the final results.
I am currently raising funds to help with the mastering (which I plan to have professionally done), the production and packaging, with a crowd sourcing campaign on Indiegogo. Every little bit helps! http://igg.me/p/550889/x/4977230
Shardul Pandey: Tell us about the tracks which you have already recorded ?
Kristin Lagasse: I have already recorded most of the album, though not all of the tracks I’ve recorded will end up on it. I never stop writing songs and so the album track list has changed many times. And is going to change at least once more to make room for my two latest songs which I’m really excited about. Several of the songs feature the cello alongside my acoustic guitar (Cellists name is Rebecca Roudman- she is lovely!), several others are guitar and uke, or guitar and piano, and others still are just guitar and voice.
Shardul Pandey: What inspired your passion for music? What excites & motivates you about it ?
Kristin Lagasse: Everything inspires my passion for music. It is simply how I experience life and how I react to it. I have written songs for so long now that I barely think about doing it or why I’m doing it.
Shardul Pandey: Any loves, other then music?
Kristin Lagasse: Other than music I love chai, monkeys, the color orange, road trips, and down comforters. Oh and my friends and family :)
[box title=”Kristin Lagasse – My Favorites”]Color, Orange. Film, A Few Good Men. Actor, Zach Braff or Matthew Perry. Actress, Natallie Portman. Male singer, Jason Mraz. Female Singer, Ani Difranco. Food, bacon. Holiday destination, home (Maine) for Christmas. Hobby, it changes and fluctuates. Right now I’m very into crocheting. Festival, Common Ground Fair in Maine. Author, David Sedaris. Book, Naked. Or Pat Conroy and Beach Music. Or Barabara Kingsolver and the Poisonwood Bible. Or Nikki Giovanni and anything by Nikki Giovanni[/box]
Shardul Pandey: What you do for fun & entertainment?
Kristin Lagasse: For fun I love to ski, swim, crochet, do yoga, and read.
Shardul Pandey: What songs get you moving ?
Kristin Lagasse: If a song hits me just right it’ll get me moving even if it’s not a particularly upbeat song. I don’t dance though. Or, if I do, it is alone in the kitchen.
Shardul Pandey: What is your web address, do you own a domain ? Where netizens can find latest news about you and your music ?
Kristin Lagasse:
Shardul Pandey: What is your ultimate message for netizens ?
Kristin Lagasse: Support independent musicians (and artists of all kinds)! No one will appreciate your support and love more than we will. I have been doing this for over half my life now and I still feel absolutely thrilled every time someone buys a CD, signs my mailing list, asks for an autograph, or just takes the time to stop and listen.
Shardul Pandey: I welcome you Alex at SANGKRIT.net, please tell us about yourself.
Alex Smith: Hey :D I’m Alex Smith. I’m a musician based in Brisbane Australia. I’m currently raising funds for my debut EP although I have been performing under the stage name Your Man Alex Smith since May 5th!
Shardul Pandey: Tell us about your music and your upcoming EP? When do you think it will be released?
Alex Smith: I’m not entirely sure what my ‘thing’ is. Usually musicians have something that makes them stand out from the rest, be it their voice or their instrumentation but I’m still finding my unique sound.
I do however write as honestly as I can. Without honesty, I feel that the music is hard to relate to and that’s one of the most important parts!
While I perform with an acoustic guitar, the album will feature a whole band. I want to immortalize these songs as the best versions they can be!
The EP will really depend on how much success the indiegogo campaign achieves. At a very minimum it will consist of two songs but the bigger the end result, the more tracks I will be able to get on the album! The album is predicted to be released around March 2014
Shardul Pandey: Tell us about the tracks which you have already recorded ? What are the themes?
Alex Smith: I actually don’t know for certain which tracks are going to be on the album. I’m working with a producer and he’s going to decide which has the most potential. Though currently there’s a lot of buzz around ‘Gingerbread Man’ ‘Guilty’ and ‘Tragedy’
Shardul Pandey: What is the story behind your title ‘Your Man Alex Smith’ ?
Alex Smith: Originally I was just going to be Alex Smith but it’s such a common name that I couldn’t get any useful or memorable usernames on sites like YouTube or Tumblr.
I used to have my own vlog and I’d start every episode with ‘Hey guys, it’s your man Alex Smith!’ And I thought that’d be a fun little thing.
Shardul Pandey: What inspired your passion for music? Have you always enjoyed the art of music?
Alex Smith: My dad is a huge fan of music. He’s been collecting Vinyls for years and the house was always full of classic rock songs. I vividly remember my dad sitting me down in the living room and preparing me to listen to ‘Bat out of Hell’. At first I thought he was just being dad but that song blew my mind. I’ve always really loved music since then.
Shardul Pandey: You are an acoustic singer, you also write songs so did you receive any formal training?
Alex Smith: That’s hard to say. I am self taught on the guitar and piano and predominantly with voice but I’ve been part of a few different choirs and I love musical theatre so I’ve absorbed a lot of valuable lessons from them that I otherwise wouldn’t have. Most recently I played The Sheriff in Underground Production’s ‘Bat Boy: The Musical’ with Nick Hollamby as the Musical Director. Nick’s one of the most prestigious vocal coaches in Brisbane so I paid close attention to everything he had to say!
Shardul Pandey: Would you like to share the experience of your first performance ? You perform no mind or you think about something when your are preforming?
Alex Smith: I remember my first proper performance got egged by a passing car. I’m not sure whether it was just an act of wanton mayhem or whether it was premeditated but it was unsettling to say the least.
I personally think that the best performers are those that reveal part of themselves and are honest with the audience. You need to tell the story otherwise you’re just singing notes. When I sing I try to go back to the place I was when I wrote it. This is usually why I end up singing with my eyes closed.
Shardul Pandey: Any favorite moment you would like to share?
Alex Smith: One of my favourite moments would have to be when I performed at ‘The Zoo’. It was a big deal for me and I had a huge amount of support from the people who enjoy my music. The gig was pretty terrible but the atmosphere was just electric! And I met my girlfriend there.
Shardul Pandey: Are there any other creative mediums you work in?
Alex Smith: As I previously mentioned I used to do a lot of acting on stage as well as a little bit of screen acting but I’ve had to knuckle down and focus on my music career. It’s hard enough to make it even when it’s all you’re doing let alone with other things going on.
Shardul Pandey: Any loves, other then music?
Alex Smith: I’m a pretty big fan of ice cream. Like whenever Tash and I are out, we’ll usually end up getting some. Nothing comes close to music though.
Shardul Pandey: What you do for entertainment? Any peculiar interests?
Alex Smith: I do enjoy movies and I’ve recently started playing GTA V which is very addictive! I also love listening to ‘The Protomen Act Two: Father of Death’ it’s my favorite album.
Shardul Pandey: Excluding guitar is there any other musical instruments you like playing ?
Alex Smith: I like playing piano but I’m not super good at it.
Shardul Pandey: What songs get you moving ?
Alex Smith: I’m so far from a dancer it’s not funny. I usually can’t help dancing to ‘Caramel dansen’
Shardul Pandey: How do you best describe what music is to you?
Alex Smith: Without sounding really pretentious, music is what feelings sound like.
Shardul Pandey: Any other musical projects which you have planned for future ? Any plans for an international tour ?
Alex Smith: I am actually writing a rock opera concept album inspired by the Protomen about a robot created to make music. It’s called ‘Amadeus’ though ‘Amadeus ex machina’ has been considered as a title as well. It’ll be a cross between rock, neoclassical and musical theatre. I’m very excited about it.
I do have plans for an international tour in the sense that I plan to one day but I don’t have nearly enough of a fan base to afford it yet.
Shardul Pandey: What is your web address, do you own a domain ? Where netizens can find lastest news about you and your music ?
Alex Smith: I have:
Facebook: Facebook.com/yourmanalexsmith
Tumblr: Yourmanalexsmith.tumblr.com
YouTube: Youtube.com/yourmanalexsmith
And I currently have an Indiegogo page open to fund my first album!
http://igg.me/at/ymasep/x/316267
Shardul Pandey: What is your ultimate message for netizens ?
Alex Smith: What are you passionate about? Are you on your way to achieving that/currently doing it? If you’re not, then change something. It’s never too late to turn everything around. You’ve only failed if you stop before you’ve succeeded!
Musictouse.com is an online music provider that provides you access aiming all music genres and styles for all media-related businesses looking for high-quality production music for Commercials, TV-series, Documentaries, Films, Corporate Productions and more in low cost and favorable license terms.
Continue reading Musictouse.Com: Online Danish Music Provider Across All Genres
Here are some of the best online services that provides you virtual piano keyboard instruments with good realistic sounds, you may use for playing your favorite melody or for creating completely new ones.
Continue reading Virtual Piano: Best Online Piano Instruments With Realistic Sounds & Keyboards
Procatinator.com is a free and very interesting web service you can make use of. Every time you visit Procatinator.com it loads a new song with a new cat GIF (animated image) on your screen.
Continue reading Procatinator: Load A Cat & Buffer A Song When You’re Bored
Here are some cool websites that provides you with good music tutorials like you can use them for learning basics of music like reading music intervals, scales, chords etc. Some provides you tutorials on musical instruments like drums, brass instruments and guitars etc.
Not only this much there is much much more including free video tutorials, lessons for mandolin, banjo, violin, dulcimer and the guitar, free acoustic and electric guitar lessons, playing harmonica, using your computer for creating music. And a lot more, each website is different so in order to know more explore each and every website and see which one works best for you.
Continue reading Best Online Services For Free Music Lessons & Tutorials
[note]Talk is ongoing live…[/note]
Sleepthief is an American electronic music recording project formed by producer and composer Justin Elswick. Elswick began writing music for the album ten years prior to its release. The album was mixed, mastered, co-produced, and co-arranged by Israel Curtis. Sleepthief’s first album, The Dawnseeker, was released in 2006.
Continue reading Shardul Pandey Talks To Justin Elswick On His Upcoming Album “MORTAL LONGING”
Marie Parie: Hi Shardul! How are you? I have some news. One I’m going to Paris, and will be having radio interviews, and TV.
Also, I just created a store – http://mariepariemusic.com/store.html
Shardul Pandey: Hi! I am good. What about you ? Great with your success :-) What kind of store you have created ? Is it a simple online store of your music albums or it is your official web store with more stuff for your fans and followers ?
Marie Parie: I have an online store that has all MP gear, CD, and singles. I sell T shirts, Mugs, all sizes and for women, men and kids. The cool thing is that my fans have the choice to choose their own color, their own size and style. All products are high quality, and made in respect to the environment.
Shardul Pandey: Cool. You’re going to Paris, so this is an official tour ? Have you planned any special events ?
Marie Parie: This is exciting, I’ll keep it a mystery. Well, I’m going to Europe for Radio and TV interviews. I’m going to meet with amazing people in the industry. Many surprises to come and I’d like to keep the rest of the mystery and have my fans find out about the adventure.
Shardul Pandey: BTW Your new album “Alien Victory” is now available for purchase so from where we can buy it on Internet, I mean give me some links of your music on iTunes, Amazon etc ?
Marie Parie: Yes, everyone can purchase my Alien Victory album either digital copy or physical copy. It’s available on Itunes, amazon, spotify, and many other popular sites. My single “Dating” is also available and it will be interesting to find out who are the first Martians to have my album before anyone else. After my trip a lot will change so I’m excited to hear about my fans.
Shardul Pandey: Few weeks back you said that you are working on your second album, so how is it going ?
Marie Parie: Yes, I’m in the process of putting together a new album with different flavor. It will be a great surprise, and exciting new sound. A hint, it’s more melodic..
Shardul Pandey: Your fan following is increasing everyday and you are getting more and more popular on Internet, you own a domain and now you have your own store.
What do you think about creating your online private network. By saying private network I simply mean a Facebook/Twitter type network created specially for you and your fans. What do you say?
Marie Parie: Yes I do have my own domain, if not many one of them is www.mparie.com, in addition to www.mariepariemusic.com. I am looking forward to having my private network. In a way, it already exist on my website and FB mainly. I do have twitter as well for those who prefer Twitter. My “Fans belong to the Martian club, and I often refer to them as angel-aliens or Guarding Aliens as you can see on FB. We are all Aliens and belong to the MP Galaxy. We believe in Love, celebrate each other, and are all powerful and ready to conquer the world with music and love. Our secret is we love to party, Dance and have fun.
[heading]After 9 days[/heading]
Music Store is a powerful WordPress plugin that lets you open an online music store and easily start selling audio files: music, speeches, narratives and everything audio using secure PayPal payments in your WordPress based website.
Continue reading How To Convert WordPress Into Online Music Store & Start Selling Audio Files ?
Seaquence is a musical composition project. It simply lets you to create and combine musical lifeforms into dynamic compositions.
Continue reading Seaquence: Create & Combine Musical Lifeforms Into Dynamic Compositions
Musictonic.Com is a cool web service that lets you find out music videos from multiple sources based on what you are looking for, music videos from your favorite artists, bands and genres. It provides you a quick, user-friendly layout with very minimal advertising.
Shardul Pandey: I welcome you Olga at SANGKRIT.net, please tell our netizens about yourself.
Olga Korsak: Hi. My name is Olga Korsak. I was born in Riga, Latvia. I moved to Canada 5 years ago because I had a dream, I really wanted to sing!
I used to be a professional figure skater, I was multiple national Champion and winner of many international competitions around the world. At age 17 I suffered a serious back injury and was forced to leave the ice. I started to take intensive music courses to distract myself and with time I realized that all I want to do is music. There weren`t any serious opportunities for me in my Country so when I got a chance to move to Canada, I thought: “That`s your sign Olga, go!”
That`s how I ended up in Canada. It was very hard in the beginning because I came to Toronto completely alone, no English to help and 100$ in my pocket! I took endless lessons for my voice, piano , pronunciation. I worked so many different jobs to support my training and finally I am so close to make my dream happen!
I am in Latvia now, working on my first album of originals songs! I am so blessed to be supported with so many great people! I wanna bring smiles on people faces through my music, because the best reward for me is when I see people are moved and touched by my songs!
Unfortunately the album cost big money and with help of my friends and teachers we created a campaign to raise missing funds for my album. People can click the link, watch the video about my life story and how i got where I am right now, chose to pre-order the album or tickets to my concert and help me to collect missing amount of money to finish the album. All the money from pre-orders goes towards actual recording of the album. Check out our campaign: http://www.indiegogo.com/
Shardul Pandey: So currently you are recording your debut album of original songs, when do you think it will be released? Please briefly describe your sound and your debut album ? Tell us about the songs which you have already written and recorded ?
Olga Korsak: The album will be released on March 1st/2014. It will consist of 12 original songs, both music and lyrics are written by me. I am not writing about something I do not feel or not familiar with, all my songs are about some events which touched my life one or the other way. It is hard for me to talk about something what bothering me, about memories or hopes, about happiness or sadness, it is much easier to tell the story using the notes. I hope listeners will find themself in my songs, I do hope I can do some good using my creative work.
We don`t revile for now the name of the album, it will be opened to the public after the first song is released. Please follow the news on my facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/korsak.singer
The style I am using for my music is pop, jazz, art pop, indie pop, baroque pop, soul.
We just started to work on the album, all songs are in a creative process. You can listen some live recordings of the songs on the youtube. I do not like telling what they are about, it is better when the listener discover himself/herself.
Shardul Pandey: OK, the name of your album will be opened to public after the first song is released. Any rough idea of your first song release date, it is a music video release ?
Olga Korsak: We are planning to release the first song and a music video at the same day, the date is chosen to be February 1st/2014. We will do our best to keep our promise and be on time. I am so excited about the music video we are shooting in October here in Riga, Latvia. More then 20 talented and most of them already well known people will be working on set. The song is almost ready and I am with excitement looking at the preparation process. I can not wait to work with a young and promising Director Lauris Beinerts. He is also from Latvia but currently working and living in London, Great Britain. So again do not forget to like my facebook fan page and be the First to watch the music video ;) https://www.facebook.com/korsak.singer
Shardul Pandey: And what you do for entertainment ? How long have you lived in Latvia and what keeps you there with music?
Olga Korsak: When I am not busy with my music I always use a chance to spend time with my friends or go closer to the nature, nothing re-charge human battery better than trees and lakes! I also like active time spending, in the summer it is running, swimming, biking, hiking but winter time snowboarding, snow ball fighting, dancing. I also read and enjoy good movies, I even taking acting courses and planning in the future to do some acting.
I was born in Latvia and spent 20 years of my life here. I left to Canada almost 5 years ago and now I can honestly say that Toronto became my home. I do miss Riga and it`s small streets, my parents and childhood friends but unfortunately Riga couldn`t give me opportunities to making art. I am so glad I got a chance to record my album here at home, I can spend time with my family and walk those familiar streets again.
Shardul Pandey: What is your ultimate message for netizens ?
Olga Korsak: Dear Netizens, if you do have a dream , no meter small it is or big , do not give up. We have only one life to live and do not let anyone to live it for you! Thank you so much for reading about my project and I can not wait to perform for you! Please visit my Indiegogo campaign to watch the full story about my life and listening me sing. http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/olga-korsak-debut-album/x/4243604
Yes you can very easily view lyrics of songs playing on YouTube, Last.fm, Grooveshark and Google Play without any annoying popups, tabs and windows. Lyrics for Google Chrome is a cool chrome app that automatically fetches lyrics from sites like YouTube, Last.fm, Groove shark and Google Play without any pop ups. Also it enables you to manually search lyrics directly from your YouTube videos page.
Continue reading How To Get Lyrics Of Any Song Playing In YouTube, Last FM Etc ?
Shardul Pandey: I welcome you Carly at SANGKRIT.net, please tell our netizens about yourself.
Carly Krantz: My name is Carly Krantz and I’m a southern rock singer from Atlanta, GA. I’ve been playing piano a writing music since I was a kid but I wasn’t always able to sing. It was something I decided I wanted to do in high school, so I joined choir and practiced 24/7 until I sounded even halfway decent. When I turned 21 I joined a band called Kenotia and we signed to Sumerian Records out of LA. We released our ep You’ve Dug Your Grave, Now Lie in It in October 2007 and had multiple songs on MTV’s The Hills. After Kenotia disbanded I started working with different producers and writers in Atlanta and really focused on my songwriting. After working with so many talented musicians I finally found my musical niche in country/southern rock music. I’m currently working on my first solo ep and I hope I have it recorded by the end of this year. You can keep up with my shenanigans at https://www.facebook.com/CarlyKrantz
Shardul Pandey: Would you like to briefly explain your sound, your First EP to people who have not yet heard your music ? How long have you been working on this project for ? Tell us about the songs which you have already recorded/written ?
Carly Krantz: My sound is southern rock/country influenced. I’ve always loved the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Kid Rock’s newer stuff because I feel like it’s a good solid mix of country and rock and that’s what I hope to capture with my ep. I’ve been writing with a very talented writer named Jeff Silver who lives in Atlanta and we have been working on this batch of songs for a good 6 months, but really I’ve been working towards this specific project for the past couple of years, experimenting and trying to find where my voice belongs.
The songs I have now are different from any songs I’ve written in the past not just because of content but even just the thought process behind them. Being in an indie rock band, you kind of have the liberty to just say what’s on your mind, but when you’re writing mainstream music and especially country music, you really have to put in a lot of thought as to what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. Sometimes Jeff and I will spend an hour on writing just one line, which is something I’ve never done before but you can definitely see the quality difference in the lyrics i’m writing now as opposed to lyrics I wrote 5 years ago. As far as lyrical content, the songs are loosely based on me but are more relatable to the general public and that’s something I’ve never done before. I used to write songs so specific to my situation that I think it may have been hard for people to relate to but the songs I have now can be enjoyed by anybody.
Shardul Pandey: You said that your most important goal is to finish writing songs in Nashville with top country songwriter. Do you have any ultimate goals ? Success can mean many different things so what does success mean to you ?
Carly Krantz: My ultimate goal is and always has been to be able to make a decent living off of music and to be able to tour most of the year. I’ve never specifically wanted to be a superstar, I’ve always just wanted to be able to do music full time. If I could look into my future a few years, what I’d really like to see is me touring 500 person venues and writing for other artists. I don’t need a label, if that comes along it’s a bonus. I just want music to be my career. Success can mean a lot of different things to different people, and I think someone is successful when they’re completely happy and satisfied with what they’ve achieved.
Shardul Pandey: So how our netizens can help you finish and record your EP with professional musicians and producers ?
Carly Krantz: I really struggled with the idea of a fundraising campaign for myself, it’s not something I decided overnight. I hate asking for help and I especially hate asking for money but when I got the invite to Nashville and Atlanta, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to travel, record and pay musicians unless I reached out for assistance. The main reason I gave in and created my campaign was because Indiegogo creates a reward system for both parties, so not only are people donating to me but I also get to give them things in return. People can see what my campaign is all about here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-carly-record-her-solo-ep
And yes, donations help me immensely but even just sharing the link on Facebook is a huge help!
The most important thing I want to leave people with is that this ep is something I’ve wanted to do my entire life, my music on my terms the way I want to do it. It’s something I’ve been working towards for the past 13 years and to get to finish this ep would be a dream come true. I truly appreciate every one’s help whether it was money, sharing my links or just a general appreciation for the music I’ve created, it means the world to me and it’s not something I’ll ever take for granted. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you!!!
