The first full-length moving picture with synchronized sound was "The Jazz Singer" starring Al Jolson, released in 1927. In only a few short years, in the early 1930s, talkies were all the rage all over the world.
America embraced talkies! The American entertainment industry embraced talkies. Talkies are what made Hollywood the center of the entertainment industry galaxy. The same can't be said for other countries, though.
In Europe the talkies were treated with cautious suspicion. European film makers and film critics were pretty sure that the addition of sound to movies would take the audience's attention away from the action on the screen and focus that attention on the dialogue being spoken.
Japan really resisted the talkies! It was customary in Japan for live vocal performances to accompany silent movies. India didn't much like the idea of picture and sound integration, either.
Of course, synchronizing moving picture with sound presented a whole array of technological problems. At first the plan was to record the movie and the sound separately and play them back on two different pieces of equipment. That didn't work out very well. But innovations continued, and eventually it became possible to record the moving picture and the accompanying sound at the same time. But there were still problems.
The problem was that the sound technology now lagged behind the film technology. Microphones were very directional. If the actor was not directly in front of the microphone, the sound was faint or wasn't recorded at all.
Even though the idea of moving pictures with accompanying synchronized sound had been around for several decades, it wasn't until the late 1920s that the two technologies were successfully combined. "The Jazz Singer" was the first — since then, there have been thousands of others, and the technology continues to improve.
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Silent Film
Ah, the movies! What would we do without them? They entertain us, and they educate us. They allow us to go into make-believe worlds where anything is possible; where sometimes the boy does get the girl and right prevails, where men can fly and outer space has been conquered, and where the good guys wear white hats.
The first movies were only moving pictures. There was no sound. Captions on the screen told viewers what the actors were saying and music, played by a locally hired piano player, accompanied the film to set the mood (sweet melodies for love scenes and crashing chords for dramatic moments).
Those silent movies could never compete with the elaborate extravaganzas of movies today, but in their day they were considered magical and absolutely amazing. People had never seen anything like it before in their lives. Oh, they had radios, but they had NEVER seen a moving picture.
The silent film era didn't last along in the overall scheme of things — just about a decade — but it made an impact on the world that is still being felt today. Silent film technology opened the door to other, better, more modern technologies that are used to make modern-day movies. The silent film era is sometimes referred to as the "Age of the Silver Screen."
Film makers didn't have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the age of "talkies." The idea of moving pictures and synchronized sound had always been dreamed of. It just took a while for the technology needed to catch up and make the dream a reality. The first "talkie" was "The Jazz Singer," starring Al Jolson, which was released in 1927.
Silent film made as great as or maybe a greater than impact on the world as the advent of the personal computer.
The first movies were only moving pictures. There was no sound. Captions on the screen told viewers what the actors were saying and music, played by a locally hired piano player, accompanied the film to set the mood (sweet melodies for love scenes and crashing chords for dramatic moments).
Those silent movies could never compete with the elaborate extravaganzas of movies today, but in their day they were considered magical and absolutely amazing. People had never seen anything like it before in their lives. Oh, they had radios, but they had NEVER seen a moving picture.
The silent film era didn't last along in the overall scheme of things — just about a decade — but it made an impact on the world that is still being felt today. Silent film technology opened the door to other, better, more modern technologies that are used to make modern-day movies. The silent film era is sometimes referred to as the "Age of the Silver Screen."
Film makers didn't have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the age of "talkies." The idea of moving pictures and synchronized sound had always been dreamed of. It just took a while for the technology needed to catch up and make the dream a reality. The first "talkie" was "The Jazz Singer," starring Al Jolson, which was released in 1927.
Silent film made as great as or maybe a greater than impact on the world as the advent of the personal computer.
Old-Time Radio
I have a picture of my great grandfather sitting on his front porch (because he got better reception) with his ear right up next to an old-time, arch-shaped radio. I'm told he was listening to the "Grand Ole Opry" broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee. The year the picture was taken was likely somewhere around 1940 to 1945. My mom was just a child.
Radio was an invention that changed the world. Until the radio was invented and became common in households around the world, mass communication was limited to newspapers and "word of mouth."
Before the world had television, it had radio; and radio was the vehicle of entertainment for most American households. Oh, information and local and world news were important, but entertainment was also important.
Our grandmothers and great grandmothers listened to "soaps" like "One Man's Family" and "Backstage Wife." The radio soaps have changed their names and moved to television. The Grand Ole Opry is STILL being aired. Its first broadcast was on October 5, 1925, so it's been in constant production for 83 years now.
"Amos and Andy," "Blondie," "The Bob Hope Show," "Evening with George Burns," "The Shadow," "Gunsmoke," "Superman," "Buck Rogers," and hundreds of other entertainment programs were aired on old-time radio.
Recording of many of the old-time radio programs are available. You'll have fun listening to them. You must remember that those old programs were entertaining to our grandparents and great grandparents. The content reflects the era in which they were recorded. Many of them are sexist and racist by today's standards.
Still listening to recorded old-time radio broadcasts gives you a feeling of connection to the past. There really was life and entertainment before movies, television, and the Internet.
Radio was an invention that changed the world. Until the radio was invented and became common in households around the world, mass communication was limited to newspapers and "word of mouth."
Before the world had television, it had radio; and radio was the vehicle of entertainment for most American households. Oh, information and local and world news were important, but entertainment was also important.
Our grandmothers and great grandmothers listened to "soaps" like "One Man's Family" and "Backstage Wife." The radio soaps have changed their names and moved to television. The Grand Ole Opry is STILL being aired. Its first broadcast was on October 5, 1925, so it's been in constant production for 83 years now.
"Amos and Andy," "Blondie," "The Bob Hope Show," "Evening with George Burns," "The Shadow," "Gunsmoke," "Superman," "Buck Rogers," and hundreds of other entertainment programs were aired on old-time radio.
Recording of many of the old-time radio programs are available. You'll have fun listening to them. You must remember that those old programs were entertaining to our grandparents and great grandparents. The content reflects the era in which they were recorded. Many of them are sexist and racist by today's standards.
Still listening to recorded old-time radio broadcasts gives you a feeling of connection to the past. There really was life and entertainment before movies, television, and the Internet.
Education as Entertainment
Mommies and daddies instinctively know that their baby will learn through entertainment. They sing songs and play hand games to teach the baby. Then the baby grows up enough to watch television, and television also educates the child through entertainment. They are taught to count, recognize letters and name colors.
Did you think that education as entertainment stopped when the kids turned off "Sesame Street" and turned on "American Idol"? You're wrong. Education in the form of entertainment is in almost any television program that you can think of. Television programming constantly addresses social issues and health concerns. Almost all television is educational on some level.
There are even several names that are used to describe educational entertainment: enter-educate, edutainment, or infotainment.
There's no prescribed way in which educational social or health messages get into television scripts. Producers and writers can "push" a social or health issue because of a personnel connection to it. Script consultants can do the same thing by suggesting ways in which story lines or characters can become more interesting or appealing to the audience. Sometimes health organizations or groups that are committed to a specific issue will contact television stations or television production companies and request that a particular issue be included in entertainment programming.
Points of view on issues as different as race relations, reading, smoking cigarettes, politics, and abortion have been included in some of your favorite television programs. Even back in the 1970s, education through entertainment was common practice in the entertainment industry. In one episode of the hit series "Happy Days," the Fonz goes to the library for the purpose of picking up girls and ends up getting a library card. That one episode resulted in an explosion of teenagers getting library cards.
The bottom line is that entertainment more often happens in front of the television set than in the classroom.
Did you think that education as entertainment stopped when the kids turned off "Sesame Street" and turned on "American Idol"? You're wrong. Education in the form of entertainment is in almost any television program that you can think of. Television programming constantly addresses social issues and health concerns. Almost all television is educational on some level.
There are even several names that are used to describe educational entertainment: enter-educate, edutainment, or infotainment.
There's no prescribed way in which educational social or health messages get into television scripts. Producers and writers can "push" a social or health issue because of a personnel connection to it. Script consultants can do the same thing by suggesting ways in which story lines or characters can become more interesting or appealing to the audience. Sometimes health organizations or groups that are committed to a specific issue will contact television stations or television production companies and request that a particular issue be included in entertainment programming.
Points of view on issues as different as race relations, reading, smoking cigarettes, politics, and abortion have been included in some of your favorite television programs. Even back in the 1970s, education through entertainment was common practice in the entertainment industry. In one episode of the hit series "Happy Days," the Fonz goes to the library for the purpose of picking up girls and ends up getting a library card. That one episode resulted in an explosion of teenagers getting library cards.
The bottom line is that entertainment more often happens in front of the television set than in the classroom.
Magicians on Television
The two best-known television magicians are David Blaine and David Copperfield. This is not a paid (or even unpaid) commercial for either of these extremely talented and extremely competitive magicians. They're both wonderfully entertaining, and they have both aired some really amazing magic on television.
David Blaine began as a street performer or busker, performing street magic for anyone who would watch. The street was where he started, but it didn't take long before David Blaine had landed his own TV special called "David Blaine: Street Magic" that was aired on ABC television on May 19, 1997.
Blaine is also a magician who specializes in magical escapes or amazing tests of endurance. He's been buried alive, drowned, and frozen. He's been hung upside down, chained to a revolving gyroscope, and stood on a narrow pillar above Bryant Park. His fans love it! David Blaine continues to astonish and astound his audiences and he loves every minute of it, too.
David Copperfield is an illusionist rather than a practitioner of street magic, escape, or endurance magic. He makes things seemingly disappear into thin air. He makes some really big things disappear — like an airplane in 1981 and the Statue of Liberty in 1983. Copperfield also makes things appear to happen that are impossible, like his famous flying act. He flies over the audience and has hoops passed over his body to "prove" that there are no wires attached. He even selects a woman from the audience and flied with her (like Superman flies with Lois Lane).
David Copperfield is currently in the middle of a problem involving the FBI. He is accused of raping a woman, and charges against him have been filed. His warehouse has been raided. Copperfield continues to perform his magic act around the world even while the investigation is ongoing. He expects to be cleared of all charges.
David Blaine began as a street performer or busker, performing street magic for anyone who would watch. The street was where he started, but it didn't take long before David Blaine had landed his own TV special called "David Blaine: Street Magic" that was aired on ABC television on May 19, 1997.
Blaine is also a magician who specializes in magical escapes or amazing tests of endurance. He's been buried alive, drowned, and frozen. He's been hung upside down, chained to a revolving gyroscope, and stood on a narrow pillar above Bryant Park. His fans love it! David Blaine continues to astonish and astound his audiences and he loves every minute of it, too.
David Copperfield is an illusionist rather than a practitioner of street magic, escape, or endurance magic. He makes things seemingly disappear into thin air. He makes some really big things disappear — like an airplane in 1981 and the Statue of Liberty in 1983. Copperfield also makes things appear to happen that are impossible, like his famous flying act. He flies over the audience and has hoops passed over his body to "prove" that there are no wires attached. He even selects a woman from the audience and flied with her (like Superman flies with Lois Lane).
David Copperfield is currently in the middle of a problem involving the FBI. He is accused of raping a woman, and charges against him have been filed. His warehouse has been raided. Copperfield continues to perform his magic act around the world even while the investigation is ongoing. He expects to be cleared of all charges.
Tuesday 28 September 2010
Electronic music
Electronic Music Magazines
You may be wondering what exactly is electronic music? Electronic music is a special type of music that is made by using electronic musical instruments as well as electronic music technology. There are many types of electronic musical instruments and they all must have sounds that are made by using electronics. Electronic instruments are different than electric musical instruments, which still make sounds mechanically but are simply amplified or changed electronically. Examples of an electronic music instrument would be a synthesizer or a computer, where as an electric music instrument could be an electric guitar or an electric violin.
If you are looking to learn all about this wonderful type of music you will be best served by any good electronic music magazine. In the electronic music magazines you will find all sorts of music news related to this popular form of music including what new albums are popular and what different artists are up to. You will get all the best information about this unique type of music in many ways from the electronic music magazines, such as the charts listings, the news articles, and the artist’s interviews.
The electronic music magazines all over the world are available in many forms such as the printed form of the magazines as well as the online or e-zines. If you enjoy holding a book in your hands and having it around for little bits of reading throughout the day, then you will probably want to subscribe to the printed form of the electronic music magazines. However, if you just want to get all the latest information on your favorite artist or you only read while using your computer in the first place, then online magazines are probably the best things for you. Some of the electronic music magazines available these days are free for readers on the internet.
The only real disadvantage of getting your magazines electronically is you don’t get to hang up all the great pictures of your favorite artists up on the wall. If electronic music is your kind of music then you will probably not be upset about getting your music news electronically. If you love everything about electronic music, magazines are the best way for you to get the latest news and information on your favorite music. Electronic music has been around for many years and being one of the most popular forms of music it will not be going away any time soon. If you are a lover of technologically and electronics you will want to subscribe to the best electronic music magazines and constantly stay in the know.
You may be wondering what exactly is electronic music? Electronic music is a special type of music that is made by using electronic musical instruments as well as electronic music technology. There are many types of electronic musical instruments and they all must have sounds that are made by using electronics. Electronic instruments are different than electric musical instruments, which still make sounds mechanically but are simply amplified or changed electronically. Examples of an electronic music instrument would be a synthesizer or a computer, where as an electric music instrument could be an electric guitar or an electric violin.
If you are looking to learn all about this wonderful type of music you will be best served by any good electronic music magazine. In the electronic music magazines you will find all sorts of music news related to this popular form of music including what new albums are popular and what different artists are up to. You will get all the best information about this unique type of music in many ways from the electronic music magazines, such as the charts listings, the news articles, and the artist’s interviews.
The electronic music magazines all over the world are available in many forms such as the printed form of the magazines as well as the online or e-zines. If you enjoy holding a book in your hands and having it around for little bits of reading throughout the day, then you will probably want to subscribe to the printed form of the electronic music magazines. However, if you just want to get all the latest information on your favorite artist or you only read while using your computer in the first place, then online magazines are probably the best things for you. Some of the electronic music magazines available these days are free for readers on the internet.
The only real disadvantage of getting your magazines electronically is you don’t get to hang up all the great pictures of your favorite artists up on the wall. If electronic music is your kind of music then you will probably not be upset about getting your music news electronically. If you love everything about electronic music, magazines are the best way for you to get the latest news and information on your favorite music. Electronic music has been around for many years and being one of the most popular forms of music it will not be going away any time soon. If you are a lover of technologically and electronics you will want to subscribe to the best electronic music magazines and constantly stay in the know.
Dance To The Music...
Dance Music Magazines and Dance the Music Industry
If you happen to be in the nightclub or are a DJ then you might already know about magazines such as Dance Music Report and others like it that cover all the latest in dance music. Of course, you don’t have to be a DJ or a nightclub owner to subscribe to any of the best dance music magazines; everyone can get them if they want to keep up with the latest in dance music news. You can find everything from news about artists, interviews with them, and news about the latest releases from all the artists in the dance music industry.
Dance music is a very popular type of music with not just the youth but also with older generations of people who grew up dancing. Therefore dance music magazines also sell very well because there many people interested in knowing all about dance music like what is in now and what might be popular tomorrow. You can find reviews of the latest dance music albums as well as information on the artists that are popular today.
You can get the numerous dance music magazines in printed form as well as electronically. The popularity of e zines or online magazines is ever increasing and more and more people are choosing to go paperless. When you don’t get a printed magazine you are not just saving trees but you are also keeping from having to either give away or attempt to get rid of all your old magazines that have collected in your garage. It is bad to collect clutter and the online magazines keep this from being a problem in the first place.
People who always use the computer for their mail, their work etc. will find it very easy to convert to simply reading the dance music magazines they love online only. You will find a feature in many dance music magazines that you may not in other forms of magazines and that is the club guides. When you read a good dance music magazine they will list for you all the best clubs in your city as well as in all the other cities in the world you may find yourself in one day and in need of a great club to go dancing. Dancing has been around for a very long time and is not going any where anytime soon so you might as well keep yourself updated on all the latest news related to dance and popular music from all around the world.
If you happen to be in the nightclub or are a DJ then you might already know about magazines such as Dance Music Report and others like it that cover all the latest in dance music. Of course, you don’t have to be a DJ or a nightclub owner to subscribe to any of the best dance music magazines; everyone can get them if they want to keep up with the latest in dance music news. You can find everything from news about artists, interviews with them, and news about the latest releases from all the artists in the dance music industry.
Dance music is a very popular type of music with not just the youth but also with older generations of people who grew up dancing. Therefore dance music magazines also sell very well because there many people interested in knowing all about dance music like what is in now and what might be popular tomorrow. You can find reviews of the latest dance music albums as well as information on the artists that are popular today.
You can get the numerous dance music magazines in printed form as well as electronically. The popularity of e zines or online magazines is ever increasing and more and more people are choosing to go paperless. When you don’t get a printed magazine you are not just saving trees but you are also keeping from having to either give away or attempt to get rid of all your old magazines that have collected in your garage. It is bad to collect clutter and the online magazines keep this from being a problem in the first place.
People who always use the computer for their mail, their work etc. will find it very easy to convert to simply reading the dance music magazines they love online only. You will find a feature in many dance music magazines that you may not in other forms of magazines and that is the club guides. When you read a good dance music magazine they will list for you all the best clubs in your city as well as in all the other cities in the world you may find yourself in one day and in need of a great club to go dancing. Dancing has been around for a very long time and is not going any where anytime soon so you might as well keep yourself updated on all the latest news related to dance and popular music from all around the world.
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