Music – texasdrums.org

Music Can Make or Break a Game

Kacey Monahan IV — Fri, 25 May 2018 08:35:56 +0000

Music is a powerful tool used in all kinds of settings, and it is not uncommon to see it used in games in order to set a specific mood or atmosphere. Whether it’s an exciting action game that you are playing, a riveting strategy game, a mobile offering, or a popular casino game, there is bound to be a soundtrack that gets you in the right mind set to indulge in the experience the game has on offer. Some music is meant to increase your level of awareness, some is meant to keep you calm, and other forms of music are selected to keep your brain functioning at peak performance. Here, we will take a look at some popular ways that music is used on different platforms. Online slots are easily one of the most popular platforms for players to play online, and when we consider the way music is used in online slots we can see many great examples of how music makes the experience of playing immersive and engaging. For example, the best ones always have theme music that is perfectly suited to the type of game that it accompanies. When you find yourself spinning the reels in a faraway jungle, you will often hear the beats of tribal drumming and chanting. Likewise, when you are in a world full of diamonds and other riches, you often hear classical music. Whatever game you play, the music will pull you in the right mood. Next time you fire up an online game, close your eyes for a minute and listen very carefully to the music playing in the background. Chances are very good that you will hear things that you had never noticed before. Then, you should ask yourself whether the music is enriching the experience or degrading it. If you don’t like the music for whatever reason, find a game with good music and your overall experience will be much better.

Finding the Perfect Casino Soundtrack

Kacey Monahan IV — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 12:58:44 +0000

The question of whether to listen to music when playing online casino games is rather a subjective one. Many people find it highly distracting, removing their ability to focus. However, there is an equally large number of people who find that music helps to relax them and offers them a better environment in which to play. If you are the latter, then here are some great soundtrack choices to pair with your gameplay. A calm soundtrack is often the best way to go in stressful situations. Often, players will simply play a soothing classical piece, with no distracting words. A lot of players suggest musical genres such as classical, trance, reggae and even jazz. Be careful, though, not to fall into the sway of the music or become so immersed in its softness that you forget what is going on in the real world. With that in mind, virtual-reality casino players find it much harder to listen to music simply because the VR already offers an excellent ambient soundtrack, complete with background casino effects. Some players argue that their music will differ throughout the game, with different musical styles positively affecting their game-play style. For example, some say that an aggressive piece of music helps them to pay aggressively, focusing on the other players when making bold decisions. Alternatively, others will choose to remain with one style of music throughout. At the end of the day though, the choice of whether or not to play music is at the discretion of each individual. If it helps the focus, then this is an excellent way to progress through the poker rounds. If it is distracting, simply don’t listen to music, and instead focus on the game around you.

Native American dance

Kacey Monahan IV — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 06:44:01 +0000

One cannot imagine Native Americans without some sort of rousing dance springing into mind. Whilst a lot of it was created through rather unflattering media stereotyping, the fact remains that there are a myriad of Native American dances accompanied by basic instruments, all denoting some different aspect, or telling a story.There are so many different dances that it is hard to know which to choose, so we will just outline a few of the more famous or important ones. For example, there is the Buffalo or Bison dance. Performed regularly at many of the Plains Indians’ festivals, it was done to coincide with the return of the herds to the grasslands. This was of particular importance as the return of the herds meant food for the people. The Buffalo dance was one of the first to be recorded back in 1894 and is, in fact, some of the first recordings ever made of Native Americans.The Rain Dance, or rainmaking ritual, is another popular and well-known tradition. Performed by tribes throughout the Americas, the aim was to invoke rain. The entire performance is done to emulate rain with feathers and headdresses covered in blue, the colour of water. The performance of this dance has simply been handed down verbally through the generations and remains relatively unchanged.The Native American Hoop dance is one of the few dances performed solo. The solo dancer will move holding and wearing at least a dozen hoops, using them to create a variety of shapes and movements. Other dances such as the deer dance or turkey dance both revolve around food. Still more dances such as the Great Race dance simply tells old tales and legends as a way to pass a story on.There are numerous Native American dances and no matter what their meaning, they are always accompanied by a strong percussive beat and tend to involve additional beats and rhythms created through the use of foot stamping. All dances and performances have a strong meaning behind them, all of which can be understood through the way the performers move. From religious to healing, storytelling to courting, these dances contain it all.

Rhythm culture in South America

Kacey Monahan IV — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 14:29:16 +0000

Much of South America’s music has been heavily influenced by the strong beats popular in music from African tribes. This music was brought over when the African slaves arrived on American shores. However, there was also a strong Hispanic presence, which also had huge influences resulting in the music created becoming rather diverse and somewhat unique.

Afro-Brazilian Music

Maracatu is a style of music played primarily during Carnival time but also only in certain regions such as Recife. The music is there as a backdrop to the parades that are taking place and evolved from being played at ceremonies such as the tribal kings in regions of Africa. The music is played on large drums, shakers and also huge bells to create the sounds. During the performances, females play a predominant role and even dress as men for parts of it. As a whole, the image created is harking back to their African ancestors and as such all participants perform wearing blackface makeup.

Afro-Cuban music

Like Brazil, Cuba’s music is wide and varied. Similarly, a large part of the process is in the performance and dance that surrounds it. A large part of Cuban music is made up of their African heritage. In fact, a lot of African music is considered to be sacred and follow a number of traditions. Much of this is evident in the chants and dances that are still used to this day. Clave is a common rhythm pattern often used in this type of music. In fact, it is a basis for many other Cuban styles such as rumba, mambo, and salsa. It’s a five-stroke pattern that is the main heart of most Afro-Cuban music. Believed to have originated in sub-Saharan Africa, it has the same function here as it did there, to keep the music together.Haiti too has seen a lot of influence from this type of music. A lot of the Haitian Voodoo drumming takes strong influences from this style, harking back to the emotive and complex relationships that music had on African tribes prior to their upheaval.

West African Drum Circles

Kacey Monahan IV — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 14:28:10 +0000

Sub-Saharan African music is often recognizable from its strong beats and intense rhythms. So strong are these rhythms that they have spread widely across the globe, particularly to the Americas. Notable examples are the samba and other Afro-Brazilian rhythms and music such as maracatu and coco. Other areas of music that have seen a strong influence from West Africa are reggae, soul and jazz.The drum has long been a popular instrument throughout the entire continent of Africa. Whilst there isn’t actually a word for rhythm in many African languages, the principle is an ingrained one. In fact, their belief is that rhythm is part of life and, as such, has an interdependent relationship with people. Beats represent complicated moments or emotions, and, as such, these compositions help to strengthen resolve. This is buried so deep in the culture that even the children grow up with games revolving around the creation of rhythms.Commonly found in West African music are cross-beats and fast-paced upbeat sounds. The drum is considered to beat as a sign of life, and is synonymous with a heartbeat in the culture. Most are simple affairs; perhaps a skin stretched over a frame, and created using a number of different items. It should be noted that different areas of Africa create different drums with varying sounds to them.The drum circles of West Africa are in fact rather complex, and contain a wide variety of key patterns that denote different expressions, and influence moves that the dancers will make.