This Is Not A Drill. The Duran Duran Tour is Happening

 They were one of your great pretend romances of the 1980s. So now you need to be prepared to dust off your credit card for a worthwhile event to experience in person and en masse instead of sending everything directly to  Jeff Bezos's bank account. Duran Duran was busy during the pandemic. They wrote songs, recorded an album and now they want to see your shining face staring up at them from a large crowd. 

As we go into the summer concert season, the idea of how and where to spend your money after such a long hiatus has raised a lot of questions for music lovers. It's been a while for most of us, but looking at the robust schedules and the previously postponed events becoming a sure thing this time around, I'm saying it's time to get this party started. Live shows took a massive hit during the last two years, and I, for one, am glad to see them come roaring back. 

Duran Duran will be coming to a city near you this summer. For tickets , visit their website and for those in the know, I'll see you in August at Madison Square Garden. 

Year In Review (Apocalypse Now Version)

 Man, it's been a crazy year.... two years.... whatever. Time is a construct and means nothing anymore.  

January 2021. Humanity peeks its head out from underneath a crusty blanket and wonders if the time has come to try and sort out all those refunds from the fifty concerts and sporting events that have repeatedly gotten canceled, or is there hope of a rescheduled date in the future...

February 2021. This isn't too bad! *Goes and screams in the woods* One or two performers are doing small venues! Our favorite restaurants are allowing us to eat outside in the frigid arctic air with a space heater and we don't even mind the cold because we are seeing other humans and practicing our Wim Hof extreme endurance skills. Framing Britney Spears is released and within days the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl.  We all decide to re-read Cormac McCarthy's The Road and immediately regret it. 

March 2021. A guy who forgot the most basic principles of a k-turn gets stuck in the Suez Canal and we all collectively wonder if he's going to get fired for basically snarling the supply chain and causing a huge big boat back up. This is our life now.  Godzilla vs. Kong is released on the final day of March and we put on our hazmat gear and go to the movies. IT IS EPIC.

April 2021. Someone promises us that Rage Against The Machine is touring. They've been saying that since last year and we don't believe them anymore.  We are no longer incensed when movies clearly meant for the big screen start popping up on HBO Max but somewhere deep inside we know this can't last forever.....right? Christopher Nolan will not allow this. 

May 2021. Things are looking up! People are getting out of the house! It's getting warmer and everyone is getting on flights to destinations previously unavailable to them. The Friends Reunion show is released on HBO Max ( we are all becoming vaguely suspicious of HBO Max ). A Quiet Place II knocks it out of the box office park while we root for that Top Gun Maverick premiere that Tom Cruise has been promising us for months. Mare of Easttown reminds us why Kate Winslet is an international treasure. 

June 2021.  Disney + proves to be a must-see-tv hitmaker after WandaVision, The Mandalorian, and now this month's binge-worthy series featuring the God of Mischief, Loki. We're enjoying shrimp cocktails and mojitos on the beach when we overhear some killjoy talking about "delta". Whatever sir, stop using the Greek alphabet to appear smarter than you are. This is the (almost) pandemic-free, summer of YES.

July 2021. AAAAHHHHHHHH. We all brace for impact and find out that the zombie movies we've been watching since the early 80s have equipped us with the skills to pivot and find the bright spot in any disaster. Life goes on. Enjoying giant pyrotechnic displays in the sky has never felt so liberating and someone in public relations coins the term "summer of freedom".  We're eating INDOORS. 

August 2021. Damn it's hot. Hurricane Ida cuts a swath through the gulf. That promised Bikini Kill tour is rescheduled for 2022 and we all invest in some K 95 masks because Gen X knows that unless you completely destroy any villain by setting them on fire and throwing them off a hundred story building, they're going to pop back up to wreak havoc in the final scene. *Keeps wary eye on pandemic*

September 2021. The Foo Fighters play the 9:30 Club in Washington DC as a "surprise artist" and the world begins to right itself after over a year of being completely off-kilter.  We say goodbye to funnyman Norm Macdonald and watch as our kids head out the door and back to school. Billionaires Elon and Jeff duke it out in front of federal regulators over space-based internet and we listen as projects like Starlink and Kuiper get discussed and remind us that Star Wars showcased why capitalism in space leads to the building of the Death Star.

October 2021. Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch and Denis Villeneuve's Dune help kick off the fall box office excitement. Tori Amos reappears and drops her sixteenth album, Ocean to Ocean- and we all love it. Colin Powell shuffles off the mortal coil and for Halloween we all prepare to dress up in our tracksuits emulating player 456 (Seong Gi-hun) from the terrifyingly addictictive Squid Game. Red light, green light will never be the same. 

November 2021. On November 12, 2021, Britney Jean Spears wins her long legal battle to end her thirteen year conservatorship. VIVA BRITNEY.  Meghan Markle sits down with Oprah Winfrey and spills the royal tea. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez get back together, leaving the public scratching their heads. They Might Be Giants release BOOK. Which at first is confusing, because it has photographs and lyrics but no music and then you realize there's a CD, or you can download it digitally, and you're suddenly in need of your kids to enjoy a collectors item from one of your favorite 80s bands, so now you're just sad. A conspiracy theorist claims a rise in turkey prices is part of a plot to ruin Thanksgiving and we all buy extra stuffing and mashed potatoes just in case. 

December 2021. Keanu helps us through the last month of the year with The Matrix Resurrections. The Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes looks like it's going to happen....and then.... no. A malicious variant that sounds like a particularly vengeful Transformer villain starts shutting everything down. *breathes into bag*. Our neighbors build a greenhouse and begin homesteading and I now have a book on trading and the barter system because apparently society is going to collapse. But hey, Netflix has seasons 1-4 of the original Knight Rider and a new Tiger King spinoff installment- The Doc Antle Story. And as a final kick in the gut, 2021waited until New Years Eve to take everyones favorite iconic Golden Girl, Betty White, from us. Thank you for being a friend!

So, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times but , *looks around* living on the brink of the apocalypse has sharpened our senses and given us a keen appreciation for all good things. Here's to an eventful (the good kind) 2022.

The Movies We Loved: A Gift Givers Guide

 

Man, do we miss the movies. Back in the day, they were the escape we needed from our tiny bland lives and we spent weekends holed up in dark theaters mesmerized by the stories unfolding on the giant screen while scarfing tubs of popcorn soaked in fake butter. If you haven't been able to get back out to the cinema, here are a few holiday gifts for the cinephile in your life that pay homage to the movies that made us.

Really, there are few people alive of a certain age that haven't had the pleasure of going along for the ride of a lifetime with Jake and Elwood after their release from prison. This redemption tale had it all, music, love, run-ins with the law, and everyone's favorite penguin, Sister Mary Stigmata. If you're anything like us, you love a good movie poster, but you know what's even better? Comical interpretations! This Mixtiles minimalist take is ideal for displaying your appreciation of one of the best lines in the movie. 

Years ago, someone gave me a pair of socks emblazoned with the design from the infamous carpet at the Overlook Hotel. I was taken aback by the kindness and generosity of the gift and appreciative of the gift-givers thoughtful understanding of my love for movies, but I was always sad that the little slice of cinematic awesomeness would be hidden between my pant leg and my shoe. Now your obsession with watching Jack Torrance spiral into insanity can be on full display in your living room! Behold, The Overlook Hotel rug!

You are now entering the debarkation area. No talking, no smoking. Follow the orange line. After the president of the United States crash-landed in the maximum-security prison that was once Manhattan (in a fictional 1997 no less!), who else but Snake Plissken could save him?! This bleak grimy portrayal of the potential future for the city that never sleeps kept us up at night as kids but it did nothing to diminish our love for the effortless cool of Escape From New York's anti-hero. The best part of every morning can now be the famous line on your coffee cup.

What did you think was going to happen if we introduced lifelike robots into our society and then treated them poorly enough to fuel a bloody revolt? Welcome to Blade Runner and the beautiful but terrifying peek into what we hoped would not be our future! In a film filled with quotable lines and memorable moments, nearly everyone agrees that Roy Batty's speech to Deckard at the end of the movie is a universal favorite. 

Some people would argue that Cher's finest decade was the '70s, but I'm of the opinion that she was the queen of the '80s. Her filmography from that time period kicked off with the seminal Silkwood and from there she kept churning out quality performances in films like Mask, Suspect, and The Witches of Eastwick before rounding out a ten-year run with fan favorite, Moonstruck. As widowed bookkeeper Loretta Castorini, she was the perfect romantic interest for the wildman with one hand, Ronny Cammareri. His over-the-top theatrics make us remember why we loved Nic Cage so much during his Raising Arizona years and this tee shirt featuring his most ridiculous line of dialog will delight fellow movie lovers wherever you wear it.

Page Turner Gift Guide

Sick and tired of donning the hazmat suit and goggles needed for trips to the mall? We've all grown weary of the post-apocalyptic dreamscape that is our current reality and that is why we're helping transport you to a time when your biggest worries were the height of your hair and if your legwarmers matched your sweater.   This holiday season we've picked a crop of 80s themed books that are guaranteed to bring you back to a simpler time when we could only imagine the world we live in as the plot of a bad sci-fi movie.

Brat: An 80's Story, by Andrew McCarthy

A fascinating memoir with a peek behind the scenes for those of us curious about what it was like to come of age in the midst of the infamous "brat back". If you caught yourself pining for the soulful-looking McCarthy as a zit-covered teenager, this is the guilty pleasure read for you.

Life & Death on the NY Dance Floor 1980-1983, by Tim Lawrence

If you want a no holds barred look at the New York dance scene, the clubs that made the news, and the DJ's that made them the place to be, then this blast from the past will send you right back to that extremely unique time in New York City history. This fertile artistic and creative timeframe spawned some of the best stories of New York nightlife culture and the people behind it. 

In between Days: The Cure In Photographs 1982-2005, by Tom Sheehan

The audience for this one might be a little slimmer (ie; Cure fans) but if you want a comprehensive visual history of the band shot by a photographer who worked with them over three decades, then this is for you. An extra bonus for longtime followers is some never-before-seen pics and a forward by Robert Smith himself.

Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the '80s Changed Hollywood Forever, by Nick de Semlyen

If you were a child of the 80s, you grew up on the comedy and films of Belushi, Chase, Murray, Aykroyd, Murphy, Martin, etc, and they eventually helped create the movies and tv that became the cultural touchstones of our generation. This is an honest, warts and all love letter to our favorite funny men and their work. Any book that starts off with a fistfight between two comedy legends is on my must-have list. 

Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned from 80s Movies, by Hadley Freeman

Looking for inspiration and a guide for rewatching all the magical movies that shaped you into the human being you are today? Stop searching because Hadley Freeman has a comprehensive, well-researched book that includes lists, interviews, social commentary, and personal anecdotes to help drive home exactly why the movies that hit so hard three decades ago are still must-watch cinema for so many of us. Stop pretending you didn't lister to Ferris. take a day off, steal your best friend's dad's car and spend the day in the city as a teenager and order this immediately. 

Nöthin But A Good Time: The Uncensored History of the 80s Hard Rock Explosion, by Tom Beaujour 

And finally, for our hard-rocking hair metal fans, here is the over-the-top history of the 80s heavy metal explosion that came to define a decade of excess and the overuse of hairspray.  A frothy walk back through the era that helped everyone forget the blandness of their everyday existence and step into the glory years of leather, big hair, and screeching guitars. 

Back At It

 Admit it. You're still in sweatpants eating Entenmann's crumb coffee cake straight from the box with your hands between zoom meetings. It's ok.  You are all of us. As we take our first tentative steps back into a changing world, here is a smattering of upcoming big-ticket and small venue events that might help bridge the gap between your quarantine couch sitting and the full-tilt social blowout you aren't quite ready for yet.

Uncle Hank is at it once again. Everyone's favorite punk godfather is on tour after being temporarily sidelined by the entertainment venue apocalypse that befell nearly all showmen and the stages that they performed on.  Now he's back at the tip of the spear headlining dates in Europe starting after the new year and in the US this spring.  As avid fans, we advise you to catch one of his hard-hitting stream of consciousness monologues live and up close. You won't be disappointed.  For more on dates and times and to buy tickets go to https://www.henryrollins.com/tour

Did you know that Duran Duran released a new album? Did you also know that it's pretty damn good? Future Past is the band's fifteenth studio album, coming nearly forty years after their debut.  It doesn't matter if you were an out of control screaming Duranie in 1983 clutching your newly purchased albums and dreaming of running away with Simon or if you were one of the Johnny-come-lately fans from the 90s, you will enjoy this new release AND you should jump on the opportunity to see them on their mini-tour of Europe. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing this band at the height of their popularity in New York a total of four times and it was spectacular. And although I'll never be fourteen again, I can try to recapture my youth screaming along with all the other die-hard Duran lovers. Keep an eye out for possible future dates in the US. https://duranduran.com/tour/

Sowing the seeds of love. I've never understood why Tears for Fears isn't included on the "best of" rotating playlist inside of everyone's head.  In 2004 they released Everybody Loves a Happy Ending and I thought for sure that was the last we'd see of Smith and Orzabal. Even the album title sounded like a swan song. Come to find out, after all the hiatuses and unfulfilled wishes the band is releasing The Tipping Point on February 25th, 2022 and they are going to tour in support of it. Music to our ears. http://tearsforfears.com

Think back to a time when we were sure we were coming out of pandemic mode but jumped the gun prematurely and started scheduling all sorts of events and concerts only to have our new plans canceled because wave after wave of new sinister variants, each with whimsical greek names, put us back in our hazmat suits and bunkers. In that brief moment of early hope, the Cruel World festival was born, and then true to its name, it ended up on the trash heap of events that never happened. Well, guess what? Cruel World has risen from the ashes with most of its original lineup intact (only Gary Numan and Marc Almond are gone from the bill). So if you want your dose of Blondie, Bauhaus, Devo, Morrissey, Psychedelic Furs, Violent Femmes, Echo & the Bunnymen, English Beat, Public Image Limited.. etc, etc, etc, then get yourself to Pasadena, California's rescheduled festival. http://cruelworldfest.com

Not ready yet? That's ok too. Netflix & Amazon prime video will be cranking out content until the end of time and we'll be here waiting for you.

Lady Boss Lived Large

 

It was the winter of 2013.  I was a busy mother of three, juggling scheduling conflicts and deadlines when I got the email that I'd be talking to superstar author Jackie Collins to help promote her new novel, 'The Power Trip'.  I was nearly sucked down by the undercurrent of ineptitude I felt. This was a woman whose novels I'd spent my middle school years trading in the bathroom with other like-minded heathens in plaid jumpers and knee socks. No set of questions I came up with seemed worthy. She was the glitzy, leopard print wordsmith of my formative years so I was determined to come to the interview with something that didn't make me seem like a swooning preteen. Back in the day, she was the antidote to the informational void we always encountered when asking about sex. That intimate knowledge wasn't going to teach itself and the nuns were doing everything in their power to make sure none of us had any idea what we were doing when we got out there. We needed her over-the-top sex-soaked novels for reference. She wrote about stylish, potent, powerful women in six-inch heels, with glorious flowing manes of hair, gripping five thousand dollar handbags, things twelve-year-olds with braces and acne couldn't even begin to grasp. 

Naturally, I got through the interview, and nearly a decade later things have taken somewhat of a dark turn. Only two years after I spoke to her, Jackie Collins passed away just a few weeks shy of her 78th birthday leaving millions of fans stunned and a gaping void in the publishing world. Now, however, we have been gifted with a documentary, 'Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story', that covers the most intimate aspects of her life with the same frothy over-the-top joie de vivre that she employed while building her one-woman literary empire.

The film (which had its premiere at the Tribeca film festival and has already been shown on CNN) is currently available on Netflix and is a must for anyone who wants a peek behind the carefully crafted facade that hid her personal struggles. Jackie Collins lived as large as some of the characters in her novels and suffered epic setbacks that were clearly not as well publicized, probably due to her closely guarding her real life and the people in it, while promoting her public persona.  The director, Laura Fairrie, lets a cast of Jackie's closest friends and family narrate this immersive journey through her life, touching on her importance to the early 80s feminist movement, her revolutionary novels, her successful and failed relationships, and her loving family. The dynamic between Jackie and her superstar sister Joan is especially intriguing to watch. It's a heady mix of fact, scandal, and image crafting spun by a self-made woman who never took no for an answer and kept pushing forward no matter how large the obstacles in her way seemed. 

'Lady Boss' is hilarious and incredibly moving in equal measure, and since we've all been cooped up looking for good streaming content for the better part of two years now, I highly recommend you add it to your Netflix queue as soon as possible.   We miss you, Jackie!

Top Three Tips for Improving Your Slot Game Gambling Skills

Introduction

The one-armed bandit is still a top hit in casinos after almost a century. The game is designed to be completely random. There are entire floors dedicated to these games in land-based casinos, while online casinos have endless titles on offer. Still, because there are so many types of machines, you can make educated choices depending on what kind of fun you're after.

In this article, you'll learn to play slots more wisely, with some simple slot machine tips. Additionally, follow our guest specialist, Auli Wälkky, to stay updated about the slot world.

It All Begins with Choice

First of all, keep an eye on bonus offers. Some casinos offer free spins and other perks for newcomers. Casinos with more payment options will probably provide a smoother gambling experience too. Gamblers in Finland will surely have a blast with the casino bonukset.

Even in games like slots, where skill isn't a significant factor, smarter choices can lead to better results. So, do your research before you go around inserting coins. When online, look for reliable platforms with a wide variety of titles. Here's a quick guide to the main types of slot machines you're likely to find.

Single-Coin
It's the original type of machine. Because of its simplicity, this kind of machine is fading away. It has only one payline, very few symbols and cheap payouts. It can be a good place to start.

Multipliers
Multiplier machines are some of the most common ones. Those machines invite players to bet higher since the initial wager will multiply possible winnings. For instance, if you bet €2 and strike a €10 combination, you'll win €20.

Multiple Paylines
Machines with 25, 50, or more paylines belong to this sub-type. Those machines offer much more paylines than any other machine. However, you must pay to 'activate' those lines. It means if a winning combination lands on an ‘inactive' line, you lose anyway.

Progressive
Progressive jackpots are those machines you hear about when someone strikes a millionaire prize. It's called so because the jackpot increases with every bet it takes. In some cases, various machines are connected, leading to even higher payouts.

Top Three Tips for Better Gambling

Now that you know the kinds of slot machines available, it's time to choose one, according to your tastes and budget. There's really no magic secret about how to win at slots, let alone how to beat online casino slot machines.

However, there's more to this game than just inserting the coin and pushing the button. Check below the best tips for enjoying the best of this fantastic game.

Know Your Game
Never gamble blindly. Learn everything you can about your favourite game: bet range, Return to Player (RTP) rate, paylines. Is the jackpot fixed or progressive? Fixed jackpots tend to come out more often, especially the small ones.

Not learning those aspects can lead to wasteful choices. If possible, look for free versions of your game online so that you can get the feel of it.

Learn the Paytable
Get acquainted with the symbols and their values, so you can follow what's happening on the screen. Some games may offer you the option of betting on specific symbols. Knowing the paytable comes in handy in those situations.

This information is typically available in the game's menu. Reading reviews about your favourite game is also very helpful.

Respect Your Wallet
It's easy to lose track of your expenses when trying to get some bucks out of the machine. You can avoid this danger by setting a budget for your fun time, and above all, stick to it. A strict budget helps to keep you away from compulsive behaviour. Practice responsible gambling.

Conclusion

Typically, the best online slot games to win are those with high RTP rates. A high RTP rate means that the machine pays more often. Progressive jackpots offer relatively lower chances of winning than any other type. So, narrowing your search for a game by theme, then by type, and finally, for betting range, you're sure to find the best slot machine for you.

Your Best Guide to the Easiest Banjo Songs You Can Learn as a Novice Player

The banjo is one iconic instrument, and learning to play it can bring a sense of real joy and accomplishment to anyone. But like the guitar, playing the banjo can be tricky and come with its unique challenges, and if you're a beginner, you will have to get attuned to your instrument and get to know it as much as you can. It's worth noting that some musicians believe that the banjo is easier to play compared to the guitar because it doesn't have as many strings. But one thing's for sure: it takes time and effort to master it, but when you do, you can delight your family and friends with your skill.

If you love country and folk music, you may already have a good idea of banjo tunes you can play, from Cripple Creek to Ground Speed to Ring of Fire. But there are more than a few songs out there, and if you want to be better in no time, here's your best guide to the most straightforward banjo songs you can learn as a novice.

Cotton Eyed Joe
Cotton Eyed Joe is up there in terms of popularity with banjo enthusiasts, and it's a traditional folk and country song that features prominently on the list of easy banjo songs. It's a charming song that can take you to the southeast portion of the country, and many banjo players identify with it. Many artists have made the song famous, although its origin is way before the music industry as we know it started! It's rumored to be sung by workers in plantations in Texas in the mid-1800s. But if you want to hear some modern versions of it, listen to the Moody Brothers, Bill Monroe, and Rednex, a band from Sweden. The song is played in A major if you listen closely, but you can also hear various phrases and melodies. The song works well with a five-string instrument along with Scruggs-style playing or picking.

Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison sang Brown Eyed Girl, and the single was launched in 1967. As you may already know, it was a big hit and is still seen as the signature tune of Van Morrison. Although Brown Eyed Girl is not a traditional bluegrass or country song (it's a pop-rock tune), you can take advantage of it as a beginner because you can play it using any banjo, and you can choose the style and tone you prefer, too.

Buffalo Gals
Another easy song to learn and play is Buffalo Gals, and it is one of our country's classic, traditional songs. Many believe that it was written as far back as 1844 by a minstrel named John Hodges. The song was a hit in the 1940s as well because they featured it in films like 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'Dixie.' If you would like to play the song, keep in mind that it works best on banjos with five strings with a clawhammer style. It is easy for beginners to learn as it has only several sections that repeat in the chords of D and G.

Other easy songs are readily available, but you can gain more confidence as you learn with these first three. Just remember to have fun!

An Oscilloscope – A Quick Overview

In this article, we will explain to you what an oscilloscope is, how it works as well as how it can be used.

What it is
An oscilloscope is used to visually represent a waveform for a period using a graph with the two axes. The parallel axis is used to represent time, while the upright axis is used to represent amplitude.

Oscilloscopes are used during music production to assist sound synthesis and dynamics processing. The signal chain of both usages has an oscilloscope placed at the end of the chain. The purpose is to allow it analyze the overall effects of all the plugins that have been placed ahead of it. Generally, Oscilloscope PLUGINS (WIN/MAC/LINUX) despite their frequent usage towards the end of the chain, like other analysis plugins, can be still be inserted anywhere. This will allow you to analyze that point's signal.



Usage Scope
When making music and you place a drum riff in the audio track of a DAW, what you will see is a stationary waveform region or clip. You can read this article to know what a waveform is. This static waveform is a representation of the initial audio when it was being inserted.

When an oscilloscope is finally inserted after every other thing has been placed in a signal chain, the stationary waveform will then be displayed straightaway. You can then see how it was affected by processing and also how it will look after final production.

If you are compressing a drum riff, using an oscilloscope aid in the observation of how the attack time affects each drum's hit initial spike (transient portion). If the attack period is fast, the transient will be squashed; hence, the height of the hit being displayed will decrease. But if a high ratio of compression, fast release time, and low threshold are combined, the height of the hit being displayed will increase because the tail and the hit have been increased.

Oscilloscopes aid in sound designing. It can be used to function as a sort of sonic microscope that the producer can use to observe a waveform's single cycles. With it, direct observation of the slow and low-pass filtration of a wave with rich harmonics as it progressively concludes its sharp corners is possible.



Also, you can observe the modulation of a pulse width when it has been placed on a wave (square). Generally, oscilloscopes have become very important in the understanding of synthesis concepts.

Setting Up Your Oscilloscope
Before you begin to use an oscilloscope, you must know certain things. The measurements given on the parallel axis could vary; it could be time division, samples, or musical values such as note lengths. On the other hand, dB is always the measurement found on the upright axis.

You can alter the axes' scales to allow you to view the waveform better by zooming in or out. The upright axis is usually set so that the display can be maximized. The parallel axis however is the more interesting. You can measure an individual wave cycle closely by zooming in, or you can view the larger waveform by zooming out.

An individual wave cycle's measurement, when used at a certain frequency, remains the same provided it is measured in milliseconds. If it is measured in samples, it indicates that the measurement is dependent on your DAW's sample rate.



One 100Hz wave cycle with a sample of 44,100kHz, in turn, will have a representation of 441 samples. But if this same wave cycle uses a 96kHz sample, it will then have a representation of 960 samples. Therefore, put this into consideration during the configuration of the units on the parallel axis.

Oscilloscopes working in a mode known as "free-running" draw the waveform usually starting from the left and moves to the right. It does this until the display's right-hand corner is hit. This action will then cause it to retrigger/reset thereby starting the plotting processing again.

The trace existing waveform is then overwritten. Consequently, the period the device uses in filling the display might not in perfect synchronization with the frequency of the waveform, this will lead the display to bounce around randomly.

To counter this, most oscilloscopes function in the mode called "classic". In this case, once the level has passed the parallel axis' center point, the device begins to plot from the display's left again. This way, the waveforms can be steadily observed.

Conclusion
Oscilloscopes have proved helpful in music production over the last couple of years. And until something better is invented, they will remain great tools for sound analysis.

Key Skills You Can Learn from Online Drum Lessons

Are you tired of air-drumming to Queen, Metallica, and your dream bands all these years? Do you want to bring out your inner Steven Adler and start a music band with a guitarist like Slash? If your answer is yes to any of the questions, it is time you sign up for online drum lessons.

Gone are the days when drums and any musical instruments were taught in person. The advancement in technology has now made it possible for you to get drum lessons from talented instructors at your home. From beginner to intermediate skills, suitable online drum classes will teach you all.

Here are some of the critical skills you can learn from online classes.

Coordination Techniques
From simple and primary rhythms to complex techniques, playing instruments like drums requires excellent movement and coordination. You are taught to work on coordination techniques starting from the very first online drum lessons. After learning the methods of one exclusive drum, the online instructors will take you through more drums and other subdivisions of a beat.

Hand and Foot Technique
Grips, motions, bass drum speed, control, and power are skills that require monitoring, especially in the initial stages. When you take up drum lessons online, the skilled instructors will help you find the proper grip, angle of attack, and more techniques by carefully monitoring your stance in every section.

When talking about grip, efficiently holding the sticks is critical to getting off to a good start. Online instructors will teach you easy ways to find the proper grip. As it takes comfort, personal preference, and practicality to achieve the right hand and foot technique, the instructors will also teach you to switch between different playing positions until you find the proper technique.

Vocabulary and Note Reading
From note reading to vocabulary and deconstruction, there are various learning techniques for drums. Vocabulary involves knowing the names of different parts of the drum kit, the history of each piece, and other terms of courses and learning methods.

Like instruments like guitar, keyboard, piano, etc., you have notes for drums. To play a known song or to compose new music, you must be well-versed with note reading.

Taking up drum lessons online will be an excellent way to start with the basics of note reading, vocabulary, deconstruction, and more. As online drum lessons offer classes for all students in different levels of expertise, you can take up beginner or intermediate drum classes any time for improving your note-reading skills.

Rudiments and Patterns
There are around twenty-six fundamental rudiments that almost all drummers understand. The primary or beginner level usually includes five rudiments along with their applications and uses in real music. In an online drum class, the experienced trainers will start with the essential rudiment and patterns lessons and gradually move on to creative drumming, showmanship, and more.

Reading and Writing Your Own Music
If you are a newbie to drumming, then developing a good foundation is essential and will help you transition to complex rhythms easily. Reading and writing is a crucial skill that all drummers should possess.

In any online drum class, the instructor will present you with reading and writing exercises where you will be taught to count notes while playing the drums.

Learning to read and play music notation or notes is similar to that of learning a new language. If you are learning to read music without the writing part, you will miss out on the chances to fully understand the new language. That is why trainers in online drum classes teach you to read and write and compose your music even during training.

Listening and Transcribing
Like reading and writing your music, listening, transcribing, and analyzing existing music is also a fundamental skill that good drummers must work on. It is never too early for you to get help from online instructors and begin listening to music with an idea of analyzing the piece.

With the online teacher by your side, you can listen to a famous metal song, pick out the drums from the mix, and write down the musical notations you particularly like. All teachers who are a part of online drum classes encourage this exercise, as it is a great skill that will help you conceptualize notes and understand why a note is used in a song.

Honing this skill will also help you communicate better with your online instructors, fellow musicians, peers, and more.

Tempted to buy a drum kit already? Before that, sign up for an online drum class today and learn the basics of drumming. Your instructor may even help you find a suitable drum kit if you are lucky.