I Am a Multitalented Musician, Voice Actor, Broadcaster and Consultant. I am passionate about Diversity, Equality, Accessibility and Inclusion. My blogs will focus on different topics that educate readers. In addition, I will be posting stories About Latest News.
The study of the brain is an important subject in the history of medicine. This organ of the human being has played a pivotal role in the study of the human body and behaviour. In fact, the story of the mankind shows that the cranial capacity of the human being has undergone through deep changes through ages. In this regard, the first human species, such as the Australopithecus showed a skull of about four hundred cm3, while the Homo Habilis had a cranial capacity around six hundred cm3. These species were followed by the Homo Erectus who had a skull with a value around nine hundred cm3, while the Homo sapiens had a skull around sixteen hundred cm3. The development of the skull of the human being through ages has allowed the human species to develop both the trivial functions of the brain and the remarkable capabilities of this organ, such as telepathic communication and clairvoyance. Scientists
The Human Brain
The human brain is a mystery that has been studied for centuries in an attempt to understand how it works, which was studied by Alexandria Anatomists school of medicine during the Hellenistic period. The human brain, a marvel of biological engineering, is the most important central organ of the human’s nervous system located inside the head, weighing about three pounds in the average adult, the brain is about sixty percent fat. The remaining forty percent is a combination of water, protein, carbohydrates and salts. It is the epicentre of the human consciousness, responsible for our thoughts, emotions, and actions. The brain itself is not a muscle, it is made up of billions of nerve cells, including neurons and glial cells, which communicate through electrical signals. Neurons can also convert electrical signals to chemical signals to further differentiate the various activities the brain must control. One approach to understanding overall brain evolution is to use a paleoarchaeological timeline to trace the necessity for ever increasing complexity in structures that allow for chemical and electrical signals, because brains and other soft tissues do not fossilise as readily as mineralised tissues, scientists often look to other structures as evidence in the fossil record to get an understanding of brain evolution. This, however, leads to a dilemma as the emergence of organisms with more complex nervous systems with protective bone or other protective tissues that can then readily fossilise occur in the fossil record before evidence for chemical and electrical signaling. It is an organ that is extremely sensitive and delicate, and it requires maximal protection, which is provided by the hard bone of the skull and three tough membranes called meninges. The spaces between these membranes are filled with fluid that cushions the brain and keeps it from being damaged by contact with the inside of the skull. The brain is divided into three main structures which are the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem, each contributing to our complex cognitive and physiological processes. It controls critical biological processes that are crucial for survival.
The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain located at the front of the brain. The cerebrum is responsible for a wide range of responsibilities that initiates and coordinates movements, regulates temperature, judgment, thinking, reasoning, emotions, learning and problem-solving. The other functions relate to our five senses which are vision, hearing, speech, taste and touch. The cerebral cortex describes the outer grey matter covering of the cerebrum. The cortex has a large surface area due to its folds, and comprises about half of the brain’s weight. The cerebral cortex is divided into two hemispheres. It is covered with ridges and folds. The two halves join at a large, deep sulcus that runs from the front of the head to the back. The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body, and the left half controls the right side of the body. The two halfs communicate with one another through a large, C-shaped structure of white matter and nerve pathways called the corpus callosum.
The cerebellum is located at the back of the head, just below the temporal and occipital lines and above the brainstem. For example, the cerebral cortex, that has two hemispheres. The outer portion contains neurons, and the inner area communicates with the cerebral cortex. It plays a crucial role in coordinating voluntary muscle movements, balance, posture, equilibrium, and muscle control. Think of it as the brain skilled choreographer for smooth and precise movements.
The brainstem is the lower part of the brain that connects the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord. It has essential control centres for vital body functions, such as swallowing, breathing, vasomotor control, and environmental changes.
The sensory perception deals with processing our five sensory information which are (vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell).
The Brain Waves
The human brain can be seen as a musical instrument since it has many frequencies measured in cycles per second, or hertz by a tool known as an electroencephalogram (EEG). Brain waves are the basis of everything we experience internally. Thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and interactions with our environment is governed by neural communication. In addition, movement, homeostatic mechanisms, and other physiological occurrences are all due to neural communication. Brain waves are products of these collections of communications. By exploiting brain waves, abnormalities in brain function can be diagnosed, and different avenues in treatment can be explored. By more readily understanding brain waves, I can turn that knowledge into further understanding how the brain communicates through neurons and what those biological conversations can tell us about normal brain function. The human brain is associated with five waves across the cortex. Each brain wave has a purpose and it helps serve us in optimal mental functioning. It is important to understand that there is no single brain wave that is “better” or more “optimal” than the others. Each serves a purpose to help us cope with various situations whether it is to help us process, learn new information or help us calm down after a long stressful day.
Delta waves are one of the slowest brain waves in human beings that acts up below three hertz. They are found most often in in infants as well as young children. As we age, we tend to produce less delta even during deep sleep. They are associated with the deepest levels of relaxation and restorative, healing sleep. They have also been found to be involved in unconscious bodily functions such as regulating heart beat and digestion. Adequate production of delta waves helps us feel completely rejuvenated after we wake up from a good knight sleep.
Theta waves are involved with daydreaming and sleep which acts up to three/eight hertz. Theta waves are connected to us experiencing and feeling deep and raw emotions. Theta has its benefits of helping improve our intuition, creativity, and makes us feel more natural. It is also involved in restorative sleep.
Alpha waves are the neural oscillations in the frequency range that acts up to eight/twelve hertz which fall in the middle of the brain wave spectrum. The benefits of this type of brain wave include improved memory and increased intelligence, creativity, and alertness. You may be able to produce alpha brain waves by daydreaming, meditating, listening to binaural beats, utilising neurofeedbacks, and trying relaxation techniques.
Beta waves are known as high frequency low amplitude brain waves that are commonly observed while we are awake which acts up to three/eight hert . They are involved in conscious thought, logical thinking, and tend to have a stimulating affect. By having the right amount of beta wave, it allows us to exhibit throughout the day in order to complete conscious tasks such as: critical thinking, focus on reading, writing, and socialisation.
Gamma is the fastest brain wave that acts up to thirty five hertz and it can reach up to one hundred hertz. They are responsible for learning, memory, information processing, and cognitive functioning.
Native instruments: The leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer based audio production and for DJing.
Recording studio: A specialised facility for sound recording, editing, mixing and mastering audio production of instruments or vocals et cetera.
Control room: Where the sound engineers and record producers operate the mixing console.
Isolation booth: A small room that accommodates loud instruments like drums, electric guitars or vocals to keep sounds from being audible.
Acoustic treatment: A sound absorving material in a recording studio.
Acoustic panel: A tool that absorbs the mid to high frequencies.
Bass strap: The acoustic energy absorber that reduces frequencies.
Baffle: A sound observing panel that is used to absorb sound waves from entering the leading space.
Diffuser: A device that gets rid of the frequencies.
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): An electronical tool for recording, editing and producing audio files.
Mixing console: A large electronic desk with a multiple of functions for adjusting equalisation, dynamics, pan pots and faders et cetera. The four parameters of a mixing console include channel input strip, master control strip, sound effects and audio level metering.
Music software: The internal programming of computers that support music production.
Interrupted power supply: The device that backs up a producer’s work.
Sound module: An electronic musical instrument without a playable interface such as a piano style.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI): A digital language that allows instruments or composers to communicate.
MIDI interface: A device that converts a MIDI signal into the digital format of a computer so it can store and use the MIDI signal.
MIDI sound generator: A vibrating object which produces the sound.
Sequencer: A device or software that can record or playback data by recording the performance of MIDI musical instruments, or devices in a series of time steps. MIDI sequencers can exist on four controllers, keyboard or workstations as stand alone devices or as computer devices.
MIDI sample: A subprotocol that was added in a MIDI to enable the transfer of digitally recorded samples between instruments, storage units or sound modules without converting them to analogue.
MIDI clock: A device that allows instruments interconnected via MIDI to be synchronised. The MIDI clock runs in a rate of 24 pulses per quarter note.
MIDI thru: A plug that puts out a MIDI signal that is the same as the incoming MIDI signal effectively, relating the signal to another device without altering or changing it.
MIDI merge: A device that excepts MIDI data from other various sources and joins into a signal output source.
Audio interface: A hardware device for plugging in headphones, speakers, microphones or instruments.
Direct input box: A device used to connect a cable to an instrument.
Cab: An amplifier.
Voltage Control Amplifier (VCA): An electronic amplifier that varies its gain on the control voltage.
Monitor: A loud speaker in an enclosure specifically designed for professional audio production. Studio monitors have been designed to cope with high volume when playing back a recording to hear parts that need editing or mixing.
Near field monitor: A speaker system attended to be close to the listener. When a music producer uses a near field monitor, they deal with more direct energy.
Far field monitor: A speaker system attended to be far from the listener. When a music producer uses a far field monitor, they deal with the directed and reflected energy.
Monitor isolation pad: A material that separates the monitor from the stand to prevent the sound of vibration.
Speaker: A device that converts the electronic impulses into audible sounds. Speakers often need to reproduce commercial recordings.
Tweeter: A speaker that has been designed to reproduce high frequencies.
Woofer: A speaker that has been designed to reproduce low frequencies.
Headphones: A device consisting a pair of earphones for listening to audio signals.
Closed back headphones do not allow the sound of air to enter or exit.
Open back headphones do not provide sound isolation. Open back headphones are good when engineers mix and edit recordings.
Phantom power: A device that provides power from microphones and other devices.
Microphone: A device that converts sound energy into electronic energy.
Transposer: The element in a long chain of electronic circuit that converts the energy of a sound wave into the electric signal.
Diaphragm: A thin piece of material located at the head of the microphone and it vibrates when it’s struck by soundwaves.
Dynamic microphone: A microphone that is less sensitive. It works better on mid-frequency instruments such as drums and electric guitars.
Cab: A microphone that is used in live performances. The capacity of the microphone has two plates with the voltage between them. When the plates are further apart, the capacity increases. When the plates are closer, the capacity decreases.
Condenser microphone: A microphone that is more sensitive and responsive, a microphone that is not ideal for high volume as it will cause distortion, a microphone that works better on high frequency instruments such as acoustic guitars, symbols or piano, a microphone that requires phantom power to achieve a higher game and record a softer sound and contains two diaphragms. The large diaphragm has more sensitivity and the small diaphragm has less sensitivity.
Electric microphone: A condenser microphone that comes with a permanent charger built into it. Electric microphones respond frequencies within a lower to hire frequency range.
Ribbon velocity microphone: A microphone that uses a thin aluminium. Ribbon microphones are bidirectional.
USB microphone: A microphone designed to be used in a computer connected to a USB port. For example, the blue yeti microphone.
Labalier microphone: A small microphone used for television, theatre and public speaking applications to allow for hands-free operation.
Lapel microphone: A small microphone often clipt inside clothing or a tie.
Wireless microphone: A microphone without a physical cable connected directly into the amplified equipment. Wireless microphones are commonly used in the entertainment industry, broadcast and public speaking.
Sound field microphone: An audio microphone that can function as a mono, stereo or surround sound.
Overhead microphone: A microphone used in sound recording and live reproduction to pick up ambient sounds, transient and the overall blend of instruments. Overhead microphones are used on drum recordings to achieve a stereo image of the full drum kit.
Noise cancelling microphone: A microphone that has been designed to filter ambient sounds from the desired sound which is useful for noisy environment.
Microphone pre-amp: A sound engineering device that prepares a microphone signal to connect other equipments.
Microphone stand: A free standing mount that allows a microphone to be positioned without the singer holding it.
Pop/sock filter: A material that prevents the sound of air getting into a recording.
Reflection filter: A device that is based around the microphone which enables music producers and artist to record instruments such as vocals in different rooms with or without an acoustic treatment.
XLR cable: A connector used to send data to a microphone from a pin on the wall.
Snake cable: A cable that contains 4 to 6 audios.
MIDI cable: A wire that transfers MIDI data.
Analogue cable: A wire that works when transmitting information from a stream of electricity.
Digital cable: A wire that works by transmitting information through a long stream of binary codes. (01)
Balanced analog cable: A cable that is relatively immune to noise interference such as radio frequency and electronic equipment et cetera. Balanced cables have three wire cables called signal plus, signal and ground.
Unbalanced analogue cable: A cable that has two cables called signal and ground.
Tip Ring Sleve (TRS): An audio connector.
Vacuum tube: A device that controls the current flow in the high vacuum between electro and cathode.
Power conditioner: An electrical component designed to improve the quality of power supply into a computer component by supplying voltage in a level that allows the component to operate properly.
Compact Disc: A digital audio format that stores and plays sound recordings.
CDR: A CD that can only be recorded onto once.
CD Rom: A CD that is compatible with computers, and it has both audio and visual capabilities.
CD rewritable: A CD that a music producer can rewrite or record a multiple of times.
CD video: A CD that can take both video and audio tracks.
Amplification: A professional CD.
Duplication: An unprofessional CD.
Talk back: The communication from the control room to the isolation booth.
Set up: The positioning of microphones, instrument connections, monitors and adjusting sound levels in preparation for recording.
Strike: To put away equipment after a recording session.
Virtual Studio Technology (VST): A digital interface standard that is used to connect and integrate software audio effects, synthesisers, effect recording systems and audio editors.
Types of VST plugins
VST instruments: A plugin that generates audio and are either virtual synthesises or samplers.
VST effect: A plugin that affects audio rather than generating it.
VST MIDI effect: A plugin that processes MIDI messages and sends MIDI data to other VST instruments/hardware.
Music industry: When companies and individuals run money by creating new songs, selling live concerts, audio and video recordings.
Artist and Repertoire: The talent department in the record label responsible for developing artists and locating songs for them to record.
Album: A collection of songs released as a digital download.
Landmark album: The way the olden music has been popularised and influenced later on.
Administration deal: A legal agreement between the copyright owner and identity to administrate an individual song or entire catalogue for a period of time.
Advance: A payment made to an artist or songwriter before it’s released. Advanced payments are not usually refundable.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP): When organisations protect musicians, authors and publishers from the illegal use of their musical channels.
Adaptation: A new version of a song that gets inspired by an original work.
Advertising agency: A service business that helps create, plan and place advertising promotion for radio, TV as well as print advertising. Agencies often handle overall branding and marketing.
Background score: A custom composition by a composer created for a TV show or film.
Black box royalty: Unclaimed royalties for which a publisher or writer is named but cannot be traced by a collection society.
Blanket license: A license issued by a PRS allowing the music producer to play and perform all compositions controlled by all publishers represented by the society. The user generally pays an early fee so it can allow them to use all licensed songs without limit. Blanket licenses are typically issued at night, clubs and TV.
Bootlegging: The unauthorised recording or selling of a song.
Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI): One of America’s performing organisations whereby it collects license fees for songwriters, composers and music publishers.
Bumpers: The short pieces of music that are heard before and after commercials as they come back to the show.
Commercial: When a music composition is made to be popular and earn money from it.
Commission: The percentage of income paid by musical artists to their representative.
Catalogue: A collection of work controlled by a songwriter or publisher.
Copyright: A protection of the author’s work for a stated period.
Control composition: A song that is written, owned or controlled by the artist.
Compulsory mechanical license: An exception to copyright law that grants permission to anyone wishing to rerecord a song that has been released.
Cross collaboration: A part in recording contracts that allows the party to recruit and advanced against royalties from other sources and contracts.
Cue sheet: An audio visual work, films, TV shows et cetera. The cue sheet should contain a song title, an information of the writer and publisher, the type of song and duration.
Closing theme: A cue sheet and licensing term to indicate the music that is used with the end titles.
Co-publishing agreement: A legal agreement between the songwriters and publisher where the publishing rights are co-owned.
Copyright royalty: The CRB consists three US judges who are responsible for setting statutory royalty rates for compulsory rates.
Copyright deposit registration: When songs are registered with a copyright office.
Composer, Author, Publisher (CAP): This nine digit number is used to uniquely identify a songwriter or publisher.
Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA): A membership organisation that insures the use of music publishers work in Canada are heard.
Canadian Music Reproduction Agency (CMRA): A music license which represents the first majority of music publishers and copyright owners.
Canadian Radio Telecom Communication (CRTC): An administrative tribunal that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in the public interest.
Derivative work: The work based on the pre-existing work. The only person who can grant the rights for a derivative work is the holder of the copyright of the original work.
Direct license: A license obtained directly from the copyright owner or publisher where the performing rights are paid directly to the copyright owner by the licensee.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA): A federal anti-piracy law that makes it illegal to create or use technological that allows bypass measures intended to restrict access to copyright material.
Digital Phonorecords Delivery (DPD): A technical/digital term for sound recording. For example, an iTunes download is a DPD.
Digital Rights Managements (DRM): A term for the practice of restricting how digital content is used on electronic devices.
Digital distribution: The distribution of music online.
Bandcamp: A website allowing artists and labels to setup an independent store for selling music and merchandise.
Discography: A list of recordings made by a particular band or artist. A discography also contains information about the playing time, recording date and label.
Demo: A recording that demonstrates the talent of music by an artist to interest parties. For example, booking agents.
Ephemeral use: A term that describes the use of music which can be used in medium without a license which can occur on live TV.
Exclusive songwriter agreement: A legal contract agreement which a songwriter assigns to a publisher.
Exploitation: When working to get your musical composition used.
Fair use: An exception and limitation to the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner of the creative work.
First use: An element of copyright law that grants the publisher or copyright owner controlled over the works first used.
Forward mechanical: The royalties paid to a publisher for the copyright or song.
Featured music: Music that constitutes the main focus of audience and attention in the time of the performance.
Grand rights: The term used in connection with the musical opera, ballet and other dramatic performances where the use of a musical is used to tell a story.
Harry Fox Agency: A company that represents music publishers in negotiation of mechanical, synchronisation, foreign licenses, the collection of music and royalty income.
Intellectual property: A product of someone’s intellect that has commercial value.
Interactive streaming: A one way audio transmission over a dated network which the user can identify and play a unique recording they wish to listen to.
In perpetuity: The rights to a song that remains with the copyright holder.
Independent publish RS: Music companies that are independent for major recording businesses. For example, Bug music or Downtown music.
Interested Parties Information (IPI): An international identification of a sign to songwriters and publishers to uniquely identify right holders.
International Standard Recording Code (ISRC): A code made up with twelve characters to identify music recordings and music videos. The ISRC is split into four sections. The first two characters identify the country where the member is based. The next three characters identify the recording right holder. The next two characters identify the year in which the specific recording was given an ISRC. The last five characters are the choice of the right holder when allocating recordings with a high ISRC.
International Standard Music Work Code (ISWC): A code made up of eleven characters used to uniquely identify musical work. Each song should only have one ISWC.
Inlay: The printed literature that appears at the back of CD cases.
Library: A term used in conception with music production companies.
License: A brand to a user permitting the use of a copyright for any of the following: Mechanicals involve records, tapes and CD’s. Nondramatic involves performance, public of a song over a radio, TV, club, hotel and concerts. Grand rights involve performance of a musical work, musical comedy play, opera or ballet. Synchronisation involves the use of a musical composition on a soundtrack of an audio visual for the theatrical exposition for the television. Print involves sheet music, folios, songbooks and other printed additions. Commercial involves the use of a composition as an advertisement.
Mechanical license: The licensing of copyright and music compositions to use on CD’s, records, tapes and certain digital configurations.
Mechanical rights: The rights to record and distribute a song on phonorecord from private use.
Multimedia license: A license with a multiple of media such as computer games, CD rom and karaoke.
Master use license: A license from the owner of the master recording allowing for the reproduction and distribution of the master recording.
Mechanical Copyright Performance Society (MCPS): A license that gives the rights to reproduce a music on CD’s, DVD’s, records or tapes. This includes broadcasting, general interest audio, product royalties, general interest visual royalties, music audio product royalties, music A/V royalties, online and vocal product royalties.
Music marketing: A marketing plan designed to increase knowledge and sales on an artist’s music.
Miss-pressing: A record of CD with incorrect music or tracks.
Neighbouring rights: When musicians and record labels have the rights of their performers and sound recordings.
National Music Publishers Association (NMPA): A trade association that protects and advocates member’s property rights and law. The NMPA members include both major and independent publishing companies such as Sony, ATB, Universal music publishing group and EMG rights managements.
Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada (NRCC): A license that collects and distributes payments to its members.
Nelson BDS (Broadcast Data System): A license that collects and detects song airplane data.
Nelson sound skin: An information system that tracks point of purchased sales of music or music videos.
Performing Arts (PA): Performing Arts are used to copyright a composition.
Musical parody: When changing existing recognised musical ideas or lyrics. The permission of the copyright is required before commercial exploitation.
Piracy: The illegal duplication and distribution of sound recordings.
Performance royalty: When payments are paid to a songwriter or publisher for a public performance or broadcast of a musical work.
Performing Rights organisation: The society responsible for collecting income on behalf of songwriters/music publishers. When a song is publicly broadcasted, public performance include a play on television, radio, clubs, restaurants, websites or other broadcasting systems.
Printed sheet music: A payment made directly to a publisher.
Print license: A license that authorises the sale of a composition printed in a digital form and is issued to a manufactured and distributes printed sheet music.
Print music: Music used in printed addition which include sheet music, folios, arrangements, instruments and concerts.
Print rights: When the owner of the copyright has the right to print sheet music, folios, band parts and arrangements.
Public domain: A creative work that is not protected by the copyright and maybe freely used by anyone.
Publisher share: When the income for a composition is divided equally between a publisher and songwriter.
Performing Rights Society (PRS): A license that deals with public performance and broadcast of music work. This could be in cinemas, DJ royalties, music played in public, royalties, online royalties, overseas royalties, radio royalties, theatre royalties and TV royalties.
Ponographic Performance Limited (PPL): The license used for a recorded music when played in public, broadcast or television.
Press kit: An information pack used for the purposes of promoting a new release.
Private pressing: A record distributed by a private individual.
Payola: The illegal practice of paying a radio station in cash or goods to play a song as part of the regular programming without disclosing to the listeners that the content is sponsored.
Registration: When a song is registered with the author’s affiliated pro.
Royalty: A payment made to a recorded artist for every sold.
Royalty free music: A term that describes music that can be used on audiovisual without a synchronisation license fee.
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA): An organisation that supports and promotes creative financial vitality companies.
Record label: A brand or trademark associated with the marketing of musical recordings in music videos. There’s steps to take when setting up a record label which includes choosing the music, a name, establish a brand look, build a website, get a track mastered, promotion, know the contract, get your artist playing live, collect royalties and account/income.
Score: The music composed for an audio video work such as a film or TV show.
Statutory mechanical: The royalty rate.
Sub-publisher: A company that is assigned to write to administer songs outside of a publishers territory.
Sync licensing: The payments made to a songwriter or music publisher for permission to use a song in usual images.
Society of European Stage, Authors and Composers (SESAC): A performing right organisation designed to represent some writers and premonitions in their right to royalties for having their Music performed in public.
Source license: A license granted by the copyright owner to the user or organisation to record or distribute the work.
Source cue: A piece of music or song being used in the background of a film or TV show.
Spotting session: A meeting with the composer or supervisor to determine the type of music and where the music is specifically placed.
SR form: To copyright a sound recording. The five exclusive rights in music publishing, reproduction, public display, public performance, distribution and digital transmission.
Tour support: The money paid out to cover the cost of a tour usually by a record label.
Timpan Ali: The name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters to dominate the popular music in America in the late 19th century.
Target market: When deciding the right age group for a live gig. When planning a live gig, there are some considerations which include the level of funding, the concept, the event, the type of music, the city, the date, the time, the target market, the ticket price, the cost, the transport, and the equipment.
Underscore: A small promotion, picture or television programme.
Music production: The process of creating a music project by recording, editing, mixing and mastering. Music production is about making sure a recording sounds accurate before it’s distributed.
The procedures in music production
Recording process: When each instrument is recorded separately and combined later in the mix. The recording procedure offers two advantages which allows engineers to shape the sound of an instrument independently, and it allows each instrument in the song to be recorded.
Editing process: When changing one or more parameters of a song.
The stages when editing
Arrangement stage: When a music producer takes an overlook at everything that has been recorded to evaluate what works and what doesn’t. For example, deleting tracks that don’t have value, moving a section to a new part of the song and deleting sections of the song all together.
Comping stage: When a music producer compares and duplicates takes of each track, and selects the best one.
Noise reduction: The process of removing unwanted noise from a signal. For example, removing background noise, amp hissing, footsteps, breaths and dead air.
Time editing stage: When a music producer fixes off beat notes by using one or more methods which are cut-and-paste and time stretching method. The cut-and-paste method works well on percussive instruments, and the time stretching method works well on almost all instruments.
Pitch editing stage: When a music producer shifts away notes back on pitch with the use of autotune.
Mixing process: The process of combining multitrack recordings into a final monophonic, stereophonic and the surround sound product. When sounds are blended simultaneously, they are done by using various of processes such as balancing faders, panning, equalising, compression, reverberation, and automation.
Mastering process: The process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device. The common techniques When mastering a recording includes maximising loudness, balancing frequencies and stereo widening.
The common techniques When mastering and recording include Maximising loudness, balancing frequencies and stereo widening.
Post-production: When mixing and mastering a recording to prepare it for distribution.
Blending: The process of mixing a multiple of sounds or channels together to form one sound or mixing the left or right signal.
Bouncing: The process of mixing two or more tracks.
Overdub: An additional sound that is recorded and blended into a musical recording.
Music track: An individual track or recording.
Re-create: When copying music the way it sounds.
Stem: The individual sounds of an audio that make up a full song.
Audio: In its broadest sense, audio is a range of frequencies which humans can hear with their ears. In the technical sense, audio is the transmission, recording or reproduction of sound whether it’s digitally, electronically or acoustically.
Audio effect: The hardware or software device that manipulates how an audio signal sounds.
The types of audio effects used in music
Normalisation: The process of increasing overall volume.
Amplitude effect: The overall volume of an audio wave. When there’s excessive peaks in an amplitude, it will cause distortion.
Fader effect: The process of setting the volume of channels.
Enhancer: A device used to Brighton audio material using techniques such as dynamics, equalisation, phase shift and harmonic generation.
Dynamic range: The loudness or softness of a piece of music measured in decibels.
Types of dynamic effects
Compression: An effect that attenuates or amplifies the dynamic range of a signal.
Limiter: An effect that has some similarity with a compression, but it has a higher ratio.
Noise gate: An effect that attenuates the signal registered above a certain threshold.
Threshold: The point where a compression begins.
Knee: How fast or slow the compression transits above the thresholds of amplitudes. The hard knee and soft knee refers to how the compression behaves.
Hard knee: An effect which applies the compression in an even rate. The hard knee is commonly used on drums.
Soft knee: An effect that applies the compression in a varying rate. The soft knee is commonly used on vocals and other instruments.
Attack time: The time it takes for the signal to rise above the threshold.
Release time: The time it takes for the signal to fall below the threshold.
Ratio level: An effect that determines how much signal is attenuated.
Side chain compression: An effect that uses the volume of one sound when another sound becomes loud enough.
Automatic gain control: A compressor with a long release time to keep the volume of the audio at a consistent level.
Expander: An effect that is used to increase the dynamic range of an audio signal.
Filter: An effect that removes high or low frequencies.
Low pass filter: An effect that cuts high frequencies.
High pass filter: An effect that cuts low frequencies.
Bandpass filter: An effect that has a combination of low and high frequencies.
Brick wall filter: The low pass that eliminates all frequency content.
Audio crossover: A set of electronic filters designed to split an audio into two or more frequencies.
Bandstop filter: A filter that passes frequencies and attenuates those in a specific range to a low level.
Trap: A filter designed to reject audio signals in certain frequencies.
Distortion effect: The shape of a sound during its transmission.
Spectrum effect: An effect that balances signals and converts the monophonic sound into a Stereophonics sound signal.
Types of spectrum effects
Equalisation: The ability of adjusting the range of frequencies by boosting, attenuating or shaping sounds.
Graphic equalisation: An effect used to change the frequency response of selected sounds, such as particular instruments or vocals in an audio track. It can be used to enhance the bass, reduce the treble, highlight a saxophone, or just make your audio sound better overall.
Parametric equalisation: An effect that allows a music producer to make a cut or a boost to the the frequency spectrum. The frequency response curve created by a parametric equalisation is referred to as a ‘bell’ curve, so-called due to its shape.
Shelving equalisation: An audio processing that allows a music producer to boost or cut a band of frequencies either and the high frequency end or the low frequency end of the spectrum.
Panaroma: The grouping of an audio signal to the left, right or centre.
Time based effect: An effect that extends the duration of audio signals relative to the original signal.
Types of time base effects
Reverberation: An effect that is used to shape and space the sound of a track.
Echo: The repetition of a sound that reflects off a surface.
Flutter: A repetitive echo.
Delay: The interval between the single repetition.
Modulation: An effect that delays an audio signal.
Types of modulations
Chorus modulation effect: An effect that makes a signal sound like it was produced by multiple of sources. For example, acquire singing at the same time.
Flanging modulation effect: An audio effect that provides two copies of the same signal. The second signal delays slightly so it produces a circling effect.
Tremolo modulation: A modulation effect created by varying the volume of the signal.
Phase: The time between the two waveforms.
Phase edition: The energy of one audio waveform increasing the energy of another.
Phase shift: When two sounds are played simultaneously but one of the two are delayed.
Face cancellation: When two waves are the same and produced silenced.
Types of pitch effect
Harmoniser pitch effect: A signal processor that provides a variety of pitch shifting and delay effects.
Pitch bend effect: An effect that varies the pitch in a lower and higher continuous manner.
Glide pitch effect: When a pitch is decreased by a semitone and moves its way back up to the original pitch.
Auto tune: An effect that limits each note to an exact pitch.
Treble: An effect that controls the higher range of frequencies.
Bass: An effect that controls the lower range of frequencies.
Notch: An effect that improves frequencies that are near the specified centre.
Spectral noise reduction: An effect that removes tonal disturbances.
Attenuation: The decrease of signal.
Amplification: The increase of signal.
Attenuation: The decrease of signal.
Ducking: An audio effect used to automatically reduce signal levels.
Residence: An effect used to increase the intensity of a sound.
Duplication: To double a recording the way it sounds.
Automation: The power to make parameters move automatically in different times. For example, the faders can be automated.
AUTO right: When a music producer moves the faders.
AUTO/touch: When a music producer let’s go of the faders so they return back to their start value.
AUTO read: The automation displaying the movements of the knobs and sliders during playback.
Aliasing: The distortion of an image file or sound recording.
Vocoder: A category of voices that synthesises the human voice signal.
Clicking: The distortion of an audio signal.
De clicking: An effect used to remove unwanted clicks from an audio signal.
Audio feedback: The return of information from a system.
Wet: When an audio signal has been applied with effects.
Dry: When an audio signal has not been applied with effects.
Quantisation: A tool used to correct timing errors in a recording.
Signal: The electrical current that carries audio information.
Current: The movements of electrons.
Meter: A device which measures or controls electrical signals.
Signal flow: A path where an audio signal passes from the sound source to the system output. For example, from the vocalist to the microphone, from the cable to the amplifier, and out of the amplifier into the mixing console.
Key: The control of a dynamic processing device by an external audio signal.
Bus/auxiliary: An internal path way for audio signals to a particular destination.
Auxiliary send: A control that adjusts the signal level being sent to the input level channel on a console.
Auxiliary return: A control that returns the signal levels directly to MixBus.
Wave form: An image that represents an audio signal and shows the changes in an amplitude of a certain amount of time. Waveforms give the producer a visual idea of what has been recorded. When the waveform is low, it shows the recording has one track. When the wave form is high, it shows the recording has two tracks.
Polarity: The direction of a waveform.
Peak: The top of an audio wave.
Peak value: The measurements of amplitudes between the negative and positive peaks in an audio signal.
Complex wave: A waveform that contains a series of sign waves.
Sign wave: The pure waveform.
Square wave: A waveform that sounds higher and richer.
Saw tooth: The most complex waveform that contains even and odd harmonics.
Triangle wave: A waveform that contains only the odd harmonics.
Standing wave: A combination of two waves moving in the opposite direction each having the same amplitude.
Sound: When vibration travels through the air. The faster the wave moves the higher the pitch, and the slower the wave moves the lower the pitch.
Decimal: The measurement of sound levels.
Speed of sound: The time it takes for a sound to travel through a medium. Sounds travel in different speeds through solids, liquids, and gases.
Balance: The volume levels of tracks and instruments.
Sound spectrum: The representation of a sound usually the amount of vibration in each individual frequency.
Timber: The quality of sound given by its overtone, and made up by many sign waves.
Envelope generator: A generator that controls signals.
Attack envelope generator: The slow rise of sound.
Decay envelope generator: How long this song lasts.
Sustain envelope generator: How long and note is held down for.
Release: How long the sound takes to fall.
Synthesis: The creation of an artificial sound.
Patch: A sound often produce from a software or synthesiser.
oscillator: A repeating signal used in synthesis to create various of sounds.
Harmonic: The vibration of a string.
Subtractive synthesis: When harmonics are subtracted from the tone.
Addative synthesis: When harmonics are added to the tone.
Bank: The storage in a sampler or synthesiser that holds the large number of individual sounds.
Preset: An inbuilt sound that was programmed by the manufacturer of the device.
Quantisation: A tool used to correct timing errors in a recording.
Loop: A repeating section in a sound material known as a metronome.
Metronome: A device that makes a clicking sound which helps to keep accurate timing when recording or practising.
Tempo: The speed of a piece of music.
Beats per minute (BPM): A unit used to measure the tempo of a recording.
Beat mapping: The process of adjusting the tempo variation of a recorded piece of music so it fits the set tempo of a project.
Frequency: The number of cycles per second in an audio wave.
Hertz: The measurement of frequencies.
Band: A range of frequencies.
Fundamental frequency: The lowest frequency in a musical instrument or sound source.
Harmonics/overtone: A multiple of fundamental frequencies.
Formant: A description of the fundamental frequency of a sound, and it’s associated noise and component.
Boomy: When a recording has low frequencies.
Bright: When a recording has high frequencies.
Frequency response: The output level or sensitivity of a microphone.
Warm: When a recording has a lack of harshness or coldness.
Money: The lack of frequencies in a sound.
Punchy: When a sound has a higher attack so it doesn’t last long.
Smooth: When a sound has an even level so it can last longer.
Boxy: The lack of low and high frequencies.
Hissing: A noise signal containing high frequencies.
Sibilance: Hissing sounds.
White noise: A noise containing many frequencies.
Leakage: The sound from other instruments and sources that were not intended to be picked up by a microphone.
Polar pattern: The microphone’s sensitivity to sound relevant to the direction or angle.
Cardioid polar pattern: A polar pattern that picks up sound only from the front whilst minimising any sound coming out from the back. Cardioid polar microphones have the most sensitivity at the front and less sensitivity at the back.
Sub-cardioid polar pattern: A polar pattern that’s more directional than the Omni directional pattern. Sub-cardioid allows a wide, even and natural pickup.
Super cardioid: A microphone that has a tighter pickup angle than the cardioid polar pattern and slightly sensitive. Super cardioid provides a better isolation for room noise and nearby instruments.
Hypo cardioid polar pattern: A polar pattern that has a sensitivity at the front of the microphone, less sensitivity at the side and slightly behind.
Shotgun polar pattern: The most directional polar pattern. Shotgun polar patterns are commonly used in film sounds to record actors and dialogues. Shotgun microphones have been designed long and thin to be pointed at a sound source from a distance.
Omni directional: A directionality that captures sound from all directions equally.
Unidirectional: A heart shaped pattern that captures sound from the front and comes out the back.
Bidirectional: A directionality that captures sound from two opposite directions.
Channel: A path used for passing data in digital audio.
Monophonic: A recording/reproduction of one channel.
Stereophonic: A recording/reproduction of two channels.
Binaural: A recording of two channels made with an omni microphone.
Omni mode: A setting that enables a MIDI device to recognise and respond to all MIDI channels.
Group: The number of channels that could be controlled by one master VC-A slide.
Input gain: When a sound goes into a device. For example, a microphone.
Output gain: When a sound comes out from a device. For example, a monitor, speaker or headphones.
Latency: The amount of delay between the input and output of a signal. This is used when there are too plug-ins in a section.
Scarlett: An output device.
Proximity: The distance of a microphone from a system.
Spectral: A compositional technique that uses computer analysis of the tamper in a piece in acoustic music.
Image: The ability of a speaker so the position sounds precisely in space. A good stereo system. Can provide a stereo image. That has width, Depth and height.
Inside the box: When producing music and engineering audio within a computer.
Outside the box: When producing music and engineering audio outside a computer.
Analog/digital: A device that converts analog signals from microphones.
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM): A method for converting analog into digital audio.
Sample rate: The number of samples carried per 2nd to convert it into a digital file 44.1 KH.)
Bit depth: The number of binary digits in each sample rate that contains eight bits.
Bit: The smallest unit in a digital information.
Dither: When adding noise to an audio to prevent quantisation error.
Quantisation error: The difference between the analog and digital value.
System exclusive bulked up: A method for transmitting data. For example, the internal parameters of a MIDI device to another MIDI device.
MP3: An audio file format.
Media sound design: The process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating and generating audio elements in film making, television production, the development of video games and radio.
Theme music: A piece of music written specifically for a radio program, television programme, video games or movies. Music themes are usually played during an introduction, middle and ending.
Soundtrack: All the different layers of sounds used within a film. The elements associated with a soundtrack include location sound, dialogue, sound effects, foley, musical score, diegetic, non-diegetic, direct address, incidental music, pleonastic, selective, continental and native instruments.
Location sound: The sound recording during a film production.
Dialogue: The sound produced by characters speaking.
Sound effects: Artificially created or enhanced sounds for films et cetera.
Foley: When sounds get recorded live to add to a track. For example, the sound of a door creaking.
Musicals score: When music is added to a soundtrack.
Diegetic: When sounds are being included in a film where the audience and characters can hear the sound. For example, the waves and winds blowing.
Non-diegetic: When sounds have been added in a film that are heard only by the audience. For example, background music or VoiceOver.
Direct address: When a narrator or character speaks directly to audience when looking at the camera which brings reality.
Incidental music: A non-theme in music that accompanies the effect of changes in a theme.
Empathetic sound: Music or sound effects that matches the mood of the action.
The purpose of sound effects
Sound effects stimulate reality, it creates something in the scene is not there and it helps the director create a mood.
Pleonastic: A sound which is used to create fear, tension or excitement.
Selective: A sound that is used to place emphasis on certain things in the scene.
Contrapuntal: When a sound does not match with what’s happening in the scene.
Type of frequency responses
Flat frequency response: A microphone that is equally sensitive to all frequency ranges. A flat response microphone reproduces a sound source accurately with the little amount of variation from the original sound. In addition, a microphone with a flat response doesn’t usually sound good on voices.
Shaped frequency response: A microphone that is more sensitive to the frequency ranges than the others. A shaped response microphone is less sensitive to low frequency which produces the pickup of handling noise.
Music artist: A professional individual or group of performers under a recording or management contract.
Songwriter: A professional who is paid to write lyrics of songs.
Composer: A professional who is paid to create music.
Sound designer: A professional who is paid to create a soundscape design for a musical project.
Arranger: A professional who is paid to take a composition and decide what instruments will play and where.
Audio engineer: A professional who is paid to work with the technical aspects of a recording, manipulating mixing, reproducing or mastering sounds.
Supervisor: A professional who is paid to select a music to be used within an audio visual production. For example, a film or TV show. A supervisor is also responsible for acquiring the necessary licenses for the music user selected.
Music publisher: A professional who is made to ensure the songwriters and composers receive payments when their compositions are used commercially.
Administrator: A professional who is paid for supervising financiers in copyright matters for a song or catalogue. The role of an administrator is to protect song copyrights, collect royalties, issue licenses and ensure songwriters are paid.
Agent: A professional who liaises with promotors and venues to book gigs for bands.
Promotor: A professional who is paid to promote live performances for bands.
Songpluger: A professional who promotes songs to record artists, film or television shows.
Tour manager: A professional who is paid to take charge of a tour. A tour manager travels with a band, a tour manager does the job when checking into hotels, liaising with promoters and things go smoothly.
Contractor: A professional who is paid to higher instrumentalists and vocalists needed in a music session.
Conductor: A professional who indicates the tempo, phrasing, dynamics and style of a piece of music.
Director: A professional who is paid for giving an actor a voiceover a direction in an audition, session or class.
Broadcaster: A professional who is a member of the media, radio or television.
Journalist: A professional who gathers, analyses, reporting on news, researching, writing, editing, interviewing experts, witnesses, sources to obtain more information and perspectives, proof reading and filing new stories, features and articles.
Announcer: A professional who is paid to air talent, radio, personality, presenter, a host or DJ.
DJ (Disc Jockey): A professional who is paid for presenting a programme of music for records or discs.
Contralerist: A DJ who uses a USB controller to make their own music from scratch, juggling and sampling.
Actors: Listeners who contact the radio station for requests, contexts or other radio shows.
The sighted world has seen people with no vision as hopeless and no positive future for them. They are here to change this negative mindset that people with vision have been thinking towards the blind community. This time is over, because they can move on with their daily business just like any other sighted person in the world. We all face hardship. But for many, the thought of loosing our sight is a horrifying prospect. Despite facing difficulties as a result of vision, there are some truly amazing people in the world who have overcome their disability to achieve amazing things. On my blog, I will talk about my achievements. I am open and honest with you all, I don’t do any of this to show off, I do this because I want to help others and tackle the common misconception surrounding sight loss. My blog is very much orientated around my own experiences and my day-to-day life as a disabled person.
Confinement
I became a resident of the world on the 20th of February 1995 in Kenya. A beautiful looking country with the blue Indian Ocean, craggy mountains, lushed forest, wildlife and tropical weather. I enjoyed playing with friends, drawing, painting and exploring adventures in kindergarten. During the years I was living in Nairobi, life was a struggle because my mother Irene didn’t have enough money to buy food to feed me, clothes and shoes to wear, books for learning and toys to play with. However, after five years opportunities came knocking, and I moved to England with my parents for a stable life in the early months of 2000. We settled in a town famous for its shoe industry called Northampton in East Midlands, that goes back hundreds of years in history. During the 1st World war, the shoemakers in Northamptonshire supplied over two-thirds of the 70 million pair’s required, due to the thriving tanning industry in the area. When we settled, I was enrolled in an elementary school to learn English because Swahili was the first language I knew how to talk, and different other subjects to widen my knowledge. When I studied the basic subjects at school, I was exposed to different perspectives and ways of thinking, which has helped me develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Having a solid foundation in basic subjects such as math, science, and English can open up future opportunities for higher education and career paths. Additionally, subjects such as art, music, and physical education helped me develop my creativity, physical fitness, and overall well being. The subject preparation for life subjects such as social studies and history has helped me understand and navigate the world around me, including current events, politics, and global issues.
The Sun in Nairobi
Medical Examination
When I was the age of five, I started to experience changes with my health and eyesight. I began having some difficulties reading books with small letters, seeing things from a distance, and getting frequent headaches. Frustration bubbled up, because as a child I couldn’t understand why I was not able to do what my age mates were doing. I was referred to go and see an optometrist at the large tertiary teaching hospital called John Radcliffe in Oxford city, which opened in 1972. During this procedure, doctors were doing blood tests, MRI scans, and X-rays. Blood tests are used to analyse the behaviour of substances like proteins, cells, or chemicals in my blood. The medical examination revealed that I am diagnosed with a spontaneous condition called neurofibromatosis type 1. It’s a multi system disorder characterised by changes in skin colouring (pigmentation) and the growth of tumours along nerves in the skin, brain, and other parts of the body. The signs and symptoms of this condition vary widely among affected people. Beginning in early childhood, almost all people with neurofibromatosis have multiple disorders such as cafe-au-lait spots, which are flat patches on the skin that are darker than the surrounding area. These spots increase in size and numbers as the individual grows older. Freckles in the underarms which typically develop later in childhood. Most adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 develop neurofibromas, which are non cancerous (benign) tumours that are usually located on or just under the skin. These tumours may also occur in nerves near the spinal cord or along nerves elsewhere in the body. During childhood, benign growths called Lisch modules often appear in the coloured part of the eye. Lisch modules do not interfere with vision. Some affected individuals also develop tumours that grow along the nerve leading from the eye to the brain (the optic nerve). These tumours, which are called optic gliomas, may lead to reduced vision or total vision loss. In some cases, optic gliomas have no effect on vision. Additional signs and symptoms of neurofibromatosis type 1 vary, but they can include attention problems, hyperactivity, learning difficulties, high blood pressure, a short hight, a head that looks large for the body and a slightly curved foot. Consultations with the medical teams followed up in an effort to safeguard my eyesight from going. Healthcare professionals decided to put me under chemotherapy, which is the treatment of disease by the use of chemical substances, especially the treatment of cancer by cytoxic and other drugs. During this procedure, I had to have a minor surgery for the surgeon to install a small medical appliance to my skin, so the catheter could connect to a vein to allow the drugs to go through. After each treatment, I had the side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, appetite changes, pain, tingling, fatigue, throat saws, hair loss and frequent episodes of focal grand mal seizures which made me get hospitalised intermittently. I developed a strong sense of fear, deeply thinking what my life would be like in the future. When I was 9-years-old, a time when my mum graduated, I gradually started losing my eye sight. I started getting cloudy vision, which makes me feel like I am looking at everything through a fog, and it makes me feel there’s a film on my eyes. Just picture yourself looking through the window on a foggy morning seeing different shapes, figures and colours moving about. By me losing my eye sight, it was devastating, emotional draining and a difficult diagnosis to accept. However, I pulled myself from these feelings by accepting my new reality with the support of my family and church community, which made me stand tall and make the best out of my life. I cherish the memory of the world, what my environment is all about, animals, plants and colours. The colour of red will always be my favourite colour because it symbolises desire, confidence, adventurous, activeness, creativity, friendliness, love and security. Arguably, the most important colour in the Bible is red, as you know red is the colour of blood. In the New Testament, Jesus’s sacrifice often employs the imagery of blood, life, death, and flesh.
Accessibility
I embarked upon the journey of learning how to use different accessibility tools so I could actively participate in the society. Accessibility tools plays an important role in the learning process for individuals with disabilities. It is defined as “any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customised, that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” Technology has revolutionised daily life for all of us, but it has had particularly dramatic benefits for people who are blind or visually impaired. Assistive technology has exploded many barriers to education and employment for visually impaired individuals. I was trained how to use a computer installed with a desktop screen reader software called JAWS Professional. It was one of the first screen reader which was launched in 1995. The software helps me with internet research, typing information, taking tests and communication along with my sighted classmates. It also helps me continue to work and pursue a tremendous range of careers in mainstream society because of the use of computers and other devices. I was also tutored Braille, a specific code used for reading and writing, which got invented by a French educator called Louis Braille in 1824. When I established my lessons and passed the Braille exam, I was able to read books, restaurant menus, medical packets and labels with the raised dots. For example, the inclusion in lift push button panels is essential so that I can precisely identify a floor number or the alarm button in the event of an emergency, or keep the doors opened if necessary. As things were gradually progressing, I was trained by a mobility specialist how to use a white cain. It helps me explore my surroundings, detect obstacles like side posts, bus stop walls, railings, stair cases, tree branches and tactile information to find my way such as where to cross the road safely. If I’m waiting at an intersection, I can roughly tell when it’s safe to cross because I can hear the cross-wise. Whenever I take my daily walk for approximately three hours, I use the grass as a shoreline to orient myself and walk safe. If I’m near a store, I generally have distinctive smells and not just restaurants, but drug stores. If you want to try experiencing being blind, I think that’s a good thing, but make sure you have a stick in hand that at least reaches your chin. Having a white cain is like having Moses power. People literally run or jump to get out off my way and shove other people out of the way too. I might not even notice (without adequate sound cues) that I’m just walking through a crowded area, because there’s just nobody in front of me. Frankly, this is pretty awesome, and never ceases to be amusing. Additionally, I explored practises and challenges when I was learning how to cook with a chef from the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB.) I have developed an amazing touch, taste, smell, and sound which allows me to create dishes. My sense of touch allows me to identify shapes and textures, which helps me to chop fruits and vegetables accurately. I rely on these sensors to determine what the ingredients are needed and how long to cook certain dishes. I cook with a timer because I cannot see the clock. I use a stove with knobs that can be felt. The stovetop usually has grooves around the knobs so that they can be easily identified by touch. The burner dials also have raised numbers that indicate how hot the burner is. Another way that I cook is by using a microwave oven. These ovens have buttons with Braille labels on them, and they make a sound when they’re turned on so when I’m cooking I can know it’s working. Once my independence regained, I praised myself with a mantra “disability is not inability” which came from Dr David Old Sankok. He has come forth to set the records straight: there is nothing wrong with having a physical limitation. He believes that disabled people do perform well if not better.
Script
The walk along the park.
Endowment
Music moved on from being a small part of my life to a passion, because I started playing songs on the keyboard by ear. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of why I am passionate about music is: music is relaxing to me. It takes me to a whole new world where there are no worries or assignments or deadlines! It holds my attention and is probably the only thing I can concentrate on without getting distracted in 5 minutes. My mind doesn’t wander and this energises me. Music is more than just sound: it’s an art with rhythm, tunes, emotion, and meaning. In this sense, music can be inspiring and empowering. I believe music can be thought of as analogous to paint. You can splash paint around and have fun or create something valuable and complicated. But the best bet is to paint a musical picture and convey something. Music can be fun, complicated or something meaningful and motivating. It can convey feelings of patriotism, sorrow, happiness, inspiration or spirituality that can stir up emotion and bring about change. This, I believe is the best form of music and the reason for its evolution over the ages as a means of communication. I started attending formal piano lessons to learn the notes, scales, chords, piano techniques, rhythm, efficient practice, memory and ear training. During this time, I was inspired by an African American Grammy Award winner called Stevland Hardaway Morris Judkins known professionally as Stevie Wonder. A grammy award winning singer songwriter, musician, and record producer. He has performed songs for charities in support of disabilities, aids, cancer, diabetes, hunger and homelessness, domestic abuse and other causes of on behalf of children and adults. There was a time I made a wish to meet him. After two years, my dream came true, thanks to Create a Dream foundation registered charity setup to help seriously ill children. The charity helps them make their dreams come true by helping to fund gifts and experiences. I fostered my talent and pursued it further at the University of Northampton. The Bachelor of Arts Popular Music course I studied gave me the experience to perform live in venues, improvise and produce music in the studio with students. Currently, I compose different styles of music on my electrical digital grand piano called Yamaha DGX660, and Braille scripts for me to do voiceover and publish it in my YouTube channel. It is the latest contemporary digital grand piano of 88 keys, that was released in April 2016. Yamaha was discovered by a Japanese businessman called Torakusu Yamaha in the 1900s. The keyboard has a comprehensive library of instruments, effects, auto a complement that provides backing tracks and different musical genres from around the world, that are used to make recordings sound interesting. I was brought up listening to the early throwbacks of R&B, Hip-Hop, House, Reggae, Soul, Afro Beats and East African music I can’t get board listening to. Wanna know the best person who mixes my favourite styles of music? Google DJ Shinski.
In the studio producing music
I am disabled but differently ableMy CertificateMy congratulation vacation in turkey
Here’s a sample.
1980s Slow Jams
Emigrate
As time progressed, me and my parents moved to the second largest country in the world called Canada. It is the best country to live in for numerous reasons. Canada is known for its diversity, unique culture and off course the good side of Niagara Falls. We started off living in a city that has the highest population of South Asians called Brampton in the province of Ontario from December 1st 2018. It took us around six to twelve months for us to adjust with our bearings and become more familiar with the local way of life, food and customs. Just when we were getting some more excitement and connection with companies for work experience and activities for people with disabilities, the COVID-19 pandemic started on the 31st of December 2019 which was identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The outbreak of COVID-19 affected the lives of all sections of society as people were asked to self-quarantine in their homes to prevent the spread of the virus. The lockdown had serious implications on mental health, resulting in psychological problems including frustration, stress, and depression. Since it began, the coronavirus pandemic has caused a significant number of deaths around the world. During the height of the pandemic, public health, food systems, people’s livelihoods, and the global economy were all put to the test in ways never seen before. It has come to show us that money and material things are not as important as human life and caring for each other in time of need. I remember telling friends that the virus would not last a very long time, and we would meet after two weeks of self isolation. I did not know how far I would go and what changes to my life it will bring. Sitting at home and watching the news about millions of infected and fatal cases. During the lockdown, I felt lonely, bored and limited because it came as a surprise to some of us and had changed the way we live and the things I was doing on a daily basis such as going to the gym. Although, during the lockdown, I was offered a virtual job opportunity of a diversity and inclusivity Advocate by a non-charitable organisation called Youth Culture Inc. It amplifies youth voice and engaging people in industry, innovation, and relevant and meaningful conversations. Youth Culture is committed to bringing communities together by engaging and empowering youth in highly interactive and meaningful experiences to bridge gaps in education, industry, innovation and opportunity. Their next generation of leaders are facing unprecedented change and uncertainty. There’s a lack of collaboration and youth voice in a world that desperately needs to engage young leaders to solve real-world problems. COVID-19 had heightened stress levels, tested limits of health and emotional well-being, and shown a light on the disconnect between youth voice and the adult world of corporation, industry and stakeholders. There is currently no widely known strategy for youth to work hand in hand with industry to interact, learn and collaborate. Youth Culture strives to change that by connecting youth with industry, engaging meaningful discussions in unique ways to strengthen collaboration and innovation to build a better future. By me accepting the job offer, it gave me the chance to learn the skills required when working, how to write a resume, cover letter, how to answer the questions during an interview and meet-up with other disabled people. When I was working, I learnt about implicit and explicit bias.
Niagra Falls
The nickname of Brampton city is called “Bramladesh.”
Knightsbridge apartments in BramptonRob Montet Kishoyian in Toronto
Unconscious Bias
Me being blind, I have some implicit biases. In social identity theory, implicit bias is the pre-reflected attribion of particular qualities by an individual that has certain groups of people that they are not conscientiously aware of having which affect our comprehension, actions and decisions. Instead of maintaining neutrality, we tend to associate positive or negative stereotypes certain groups and let these biases influence our behaviour towards them. In addition, these viruses may exist towards people of various racialism, ethnicity, religion, gender identities, socio economic, sexuality, disabilities, ageism, and other factors. ‘These unconscious biases arise from the way our brain functions.’ When making a decision, our brains tend to have a preference for relying on information stored in our long-term memory, rather than needing to sift through all available eternal information. Biases and prejudices originally begin in our childhood. This is because as our minds are developing, our brain creates associations between two concepts so we can make connections. This process of establishing connections between two concepts is called Associative Learning. As children begin to make assumptions based on personal experiences. They may also receive stereotypes from parents, education systems and other cultural institutions, as well as from popular forms of media. It is important to mention that unconscious bias is separate from explicit bias as explicit bias is deliberate, intentional bias. The term “implicit bias” was coined by psychologists Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald in their 1995 essay “Implicit Social Cognition: Attitudes, Self-Esteem, and Stereotypes,” in which they stated that “social behaviour frequently operates implicitly or unconsciously.” However, researchers revealed that bias occurs in all of us, in both beneficial and detrimental ways. After further study of unconscious biases, I realised that everyone, myself included, has biases operating below his or her unconscious level. As for my implicit biases, I naturally gravitated toward making friends of my own cultural background. That is not necessarily a bad thing, in any case. It would be nice to broaden my horizons so that I could build sincere relationships with people from my own background. Having different cultures promotes cultural awareness and would help me and others to accept people of different races and ethnicities for their uniqueness. Being visually impaired, I tend to judge people by listening to their voices, and this is mostly true for women. If a person has a calm voice, I want to listen to them more and present them as beautiful. In doing so, I use the beauty bias, which is a social behaviour where I believe that attractive people are more successful, competent, and qualified. This virus was very difficult for me because my hearing is very acute. However, I became aware of my biases when I began to self-educate, pay attention to my thoughts and examine my beliefs, which helped me to identify the assumptions I was holding at the time. As a result, implicit bias an intrinsic predisposition for or against something. People might often attribute specific features or characteristics to others due to unconscious biases, a process known as stereotyping. It is critical to remember that implicit biases are nearly totally unconscious. Implicit prejudices, on the other hand, are unintentional and uncontrollable. Such biases may exist subconsciously even if a person expresses verbal opposition to a particular perspective or idea. These prejudices do not always align with a person’s sentiments and identity. People may have good or bad connections with their ethnicity, gender, religion, or other personal characteristics in numerous circumstances. Biases are ideas and beliefs that form and are reinforced throughout a person’s life due to interactions with family and others, as well as media, cultural occurrences, and historical notions. Even our everyday language and perceptions of the societies in which we live include bias. As a result, detecting and then overcoming unconscious prejudices in a difficult undertaking.
A beautiful white woman called Sam KateA sweet black girl called Faith Katheu
The Attack
I was blessed with the right Arabic name because it links very well with my personality. In the bible, Nasir means ‘granter of victory’, helper, supporter and protector. There was a time in 2021 I came to know a young man called Tony Koome on a global group chat called Persons with Disabilities (PWD) on facebook. Once we connected, it gave us the opportunity to know each other’ then we became friends. Tony was an internship student at the Nation Media group department in imaging as a graphics design at the Nation Centre. He was also a final student at Moi University taking Bachelor of Science Graphics (BSG), communication and an advertising course. His courses and internship had been extended for three months when an imaginable incident occurred. One evening, Tony was making his way to work, then he got attacked by unidentified people in Cream Mart supermarket in Nairobi. He was beaten up at broad daylight, and they tried to feed him with acid. During the fight, Tony struggled to defend himself, and they just decided to pour the acid on his eyes. After this episode, he started getting the symptoms of pain, burning sensation, inflammation and he became unconscious. When Tony woke up at about 7 PM, it was hard for him to walk around and find for help. Thanks to god, Tony found a church where he was given assistance and phoned home. When Tony’s relatives heard about this incident, they were devastated. Tony was admitted to Mama Lucy hospital in east lands, and he was put into coma for two weeks. During this process, he had to have a Computerised Tomography Scan (CTS) so the doctor could examine the images in every angle of Tony’s body. However, the images resulted that there was no internal injury. An ophthalmologist put him over eight eye drops for four hours. The drops did not work because it couldn’t clear the acid. Unfortunately, he lost his vision on his left eye because his corneal was damaged. Although his right eye was fortunate, but the blood vessels invaded the corneal as he was diagnosed with a rare eye condition known as limbo stem cell deficiency. So, Tony was referred to Lion Sight First hospital, and the medical practitioners discovered that he needs stem cell transplants which can be discovered by siblings. The doctor who was dealing with this medical procedure was to go on leave to his home country in Asia called India and return back to Kenya. Sadly, the doctor was not able to continue the treatment because the COVID-19 pandemic had already gone viral. Tony was advised to get treatment at the Narayan hospital in India, as there’s no other hospital in Kenya that does the treatment Tony needed. The loss of Tony’s eyesight caused a huge trauma physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically as the major discrimination he faced changed his life drastically. Thus, it had not only disappointed him, it had built a barrier to his dreams. “One powerful realisation is that everything happens for a reason, because it is preparing you what’s to come in life. It is helping you to get a brighter future. You can’t have the pleasure of success without suffering through the pain of defeat.” This challenge impacted Tony because it was a way for him to learn significant lessons about the world as a result. “In the cycle of life, our failures are better than our victories, because it rewards us with our success as the obstacles help us to grow and nourish.”
This is the day Tony was attacked
Life’s got problems, we’ve got solutions
Some time in April, I decided to be Tony’s administrator by helping him setup a GoFundMe account. This was a platform for family, friends, the church community, followers on social media and the National Scheme (NHS) organisation to support him financially. When I made a calculation, approximately $20000 was the amount needed so that it could be enough to cover the cost of medical care, documentations required, traveling and accommodation. I kept on telling myself, “I can’t quit working on this journey until things go well for him, as I was determined to do the best I could do for him consistantly.” On Sunday the 12th of September 2021, Tony eventually traveled with his cousin to the second largest city in India called Bangalore. To begin with, Tony was feeling nervous about the surgery and thinking what the results will be afterwards. The procedure started of with appointments for the doctors to assess what was the issue. When Tony was operated: Wow! Everything was carried out with great care and professionalism because the procedure was accomplished successfully with the grace of Christ, and the support he received globally. He was grateful about how I volunteered all my time and effort to help him. Eventually, Tony continued doing some graphic design business to get some experience.
The time Tony was in IndiaThe time Tony was in indiaTony’s Graphic DesignsDesign
The Digital World
During the month of September 2021, I decided to do a two year Radio Broadcasting Diploma course to learn new things about the radio industry verchually from home, because the virus was still circulating. I was very bored studying online because I struggled to remain focused, motivated and committed. Additionally, students maybe thinking too much about what they don’t get to do, worried about themselves or their loved ones or feeling fear about the unknown future. Well, I eventually adapted. The courses gave me the opportunity to learn about the history and evolution of radio and terminologies used. I learnt a range of things such as radio station operations, the use of broadcast and production equipment, and the fundamentals of writing, producing, and performing for radio and podcasting. I also gained skills in radio management, broadcast and podcast sales, marketing, news development, programming and market research. When the virus eased, students were able to attend in classes because it promotes into personal interaction, enhances social skills, contributes to personality development, dynamic, fun and engaging.
Celebrating my 29th birthday at the Mandarin restaurant in Brampton
THE BIKE RIDE at HUMBER COLLEGE
Disability Doesn’t Define You
People with disabilities tend to stand out more than others. In today’s world people are quick to judge and talk about you. They assume you are incapable of doing everyday things. There was a time my mum told me “You were made to stand out and be different, and you are great just the way you are”. This helped me feel better about who I am as a person. I don’t let people think of me affect me. I have accepted that life will always be a challenge. As a disabled person, we choose to either be a victim or live our lives to the fullest. Having a condition does not mean you’re exempt from being your best yourself. You are special just like everyone else. We are able too do things we have always wanted to do.
Music theory: The study, practices and possibilities of music. It describes how musicians compose their music.
Musical Glossary: An alphabetical list with the explanation of a musical vocabulary.
Musicology: The study of music, its various forms, history and evolution overtime.
Song: The arrangement of music parts, rhythmic elements and often vocals.
Form: The structure of a piece of music.
Pitch: The highest or lowest frequency of a sound.
Harmony: A multiple of pitches being played simultaneously.
Melody: The combination of pitch and rhythm.
Rhythm: A repeated of sounds or beats in a piece of music.
Texture: How harmonic, melodic and rhythmic materials are combined in a piece of music.
Meter: When rhythms are organised in a certain regular pattern.
Motif: When a short rhythmic melodic pattern is repeated in various parts of a composition.
Syncopation: When a variety of rhythms are involved to make a piece of music.
Beat: The rhythm of the piece of music.
Measure: The grouping of beats in a piece of music.
Bar: The unit of music that has the number of beats indicated by a time signature.
Crotchet: One beat in a bar.
Minim: Two beats in a bar.
Semibreve: Four beats in a bar.
Quaver: Eight beats in a bar.
Semiquaver: Sixteen beats in a bar.
Homophonic: When single notes are played simultaneously.
Biphonic: When two melodic notes are played simultaneously.
Polyphonic/counterpoint: When many melodic notes are played simultaneously. For example, Christmas Carols.
Monophonic: The individual part of an instrument.
Imitation: The repetition of a melody in the polyphonic texture.
Lead sheet: The reproduction of music on paper.
Fake book: A sheet with chords and notes.
Chord chart: A form of musical notation that describes the basic harmonic and rhythmic information of a song.
Musical notation: A combination of simples and marking’s that inform musicians how to perform a composition.
Note: A musical sound.
Note value: How long a note lasts.
Articulation: How a note should be played or sung.
Transcription: When writing a solo note-to-note for a recording.
Drone: A long continuous repeated note.
Pause: When a note is held down in a piece of music. For example, the song “Happy Birthday”.
Mode: The ordering of notes.
Ionia mode: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.
Dorian mode: D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D.
Phrygian mode: E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E.
Lydian mode: F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F.
Mixolydian mode: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Aeolian mode: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.
Locrian mode: B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B.
Discordant: A sound that clashes with the tone of musical notes.
Velocity: The speed of a note valued pressed.
Scale: A set of musical notes by their fundamental frequencies. For example, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.
Major Scale: A diag tonic scale that has eight notes starting and ending on the same one. Major has a bright and cheerful sound.
Minor Scale: A diatomic scale that has eight notes starting at ending on the same one. Minor has a dark and solemn sound.
Chromatic Scale: When it’s not part of the key.
Diatonic Scale: When it’s part of the key.
Blues Scale: A scale that has a tonic, major second and a minor third.
Monotonic Scale: A scale that has one note per octave.
Ditonic Scale: A scale that has two nodes per octave.
Tritonic Scale: A scale that has three notes per octave.
Pentratonic Scale: A scale that has four notes per octave.
Pentatonic Scale: A scale that has five nodes per octave.
Hexatonic Scale: A scale that has six notes per octave.
Heptatonic Scale: A scale that has seven notes per octave.
Octatonic Scale: A scale that has eight notes per octave.
Tonic: The first note of a diatonic scale.
Supertonic: The second note of a diatonic scale.
Mediant: The third note of a diatonic scale.
Subdominant: The fourth note of a diatonic scale.
Dominant: The fifth note of a diatonic scale.
Subdominant: The sixth note of a diatonic scale.
Leading note: The seventh note of a diatonic scale.
Chord: When three-to-four notes are being played simultaneously.
Primary chord: When three triads are built on the first, fourth and fifth of a scale.
Power chord: When two notes are played in fifths simultaneously. For example, the notes C and G.
Triad chord: A chord that contains three notes of a root, third and fifth.
Extended Chord: When more than three notes are played simultaneously.
Slash Chord: When a different note is played in the bass.
Arpeggio Chord: A chord that is played one note at a time.
Major chord: A chord built with a root, major third and perfect fifth. 1, 5, 8.
Minor chord: A chord built with a root, minor third and perfect fifth. 1, 4, 8.
Diminished Chord: A chord built with a root, minor third and diminished fifth.
Augmented Chord: A chord built with a root, major third and augmented fifth.
Suspended Chord: A chord built with a root, suspended second and perfect fifth.
Dominant Seventh: A chord built with a root, major third, perfect fifth and major second.
Major Seventh: A chord built with a root, major seventh, perfect fifth and major third.
Minor Seventh: A chord built with a root, minor third, perfect fifth and major seventh.
Major sixth: A chord built in a root, major third, perfect fifth and major sixth.
Minor Sixth: A chord built with a root, minor third, perfect fifth and minor sixth.
Major Ninth: A chord built with a root, major second, perfect fifth, minor seventh and major ninth.
Minor Ninth: A chord built with a root, minor second, perfect fifth, minor seventh and major ninth.
Eleventh major: A chord built with a root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh and major ninth.
Eleventh minor: A chord built with a root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh and minor ninth.
Thirteenth Major: A chord built with a root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh and major ninth.
Thirteenth Minor: A chord built with a root, minor third, perfect seventh, minor seventh and minor ninth.
Progression: Chords in their successive movements.
Key signature: The arrangements of sharps and flats located on the far left of every staff.
Sharp: When a note is played a semitone up. Sharps are located on the right.
Flat: When a note is played a semitone down. Flats are located on the left.
Octave:
Clef
Bass clef
Treble clef
Half step
Whole step
Modulation
Tone
Monotone
Timbral:
Multitimbral
Phrase
Range
Intonation:
Sequence
Natural
Accidental
Interval
Harmonic interval
Melodic interval
Transpose
Riff
Hook
Vamp
Ostinato
Minimalism
Layering
Coda
Refrain
Cadence
Harmonic cadence
Rhythmic cadence
Imperfect cadence:
Perfect cadence:
Plagal cadence
Interrupted cadence
Rest
Prime row
Retrograde:
Inversion:
Metro grade inversion:
Recital
A cappella
Solo
Duet
Trio
Glee
Fugue
Quartet
Quint tent
Sextet
Septet
Octet
Flat: When a note is played a semitone down. Flats are located on the left.
Octave: A sequence of eight notes. Ascending and descending notes are known as octaves.
Clef
Bass clef
Treble clef
Half step
Whole step
Modulation
Tone
Monotone
Timbal
Multitimbral
Phrase
Range
Intonation
Sequence
Natural
Accidental
Interval
Harmonic interval
Melodic interval
Transpose
Riff
Hook
Vamp
Postnatal
Minimalism
Layering
Coda
Refrain
Cadence:
Harmonic cadence
Rhythmic cadence
Imperfect cadence
Plagal cadence
Interrupted cadence
Rest
Prime row
Retrograde
Inversion
Retrograde inversion
Recital
A cappella
Solo
Duet
Trio
Glee
Fugue
Quartet
Quintet
Sextet
Septet
Octet
Chant
Unison
Choir
Opera
Ensemble
Chamber
Orchestra
Soprano
Mezzo soprano
Contralto
Countertenor
Baritone
Bass
Background singer
Demo singer
Call and response
Music genre
Sub-genre
Ballad
Clef: A musical symbol that indicates the pitch written at the beginning of a stave.
Bass clef
Treble clef:
Half step
Half step:
Whole step
Modulation
Tone
Monotone
Timbral
Multitimbral:
Phrase
Range
Intonation
Se
Half step:
Whole step:
Modulation:
Tone:
Monotone
Tibral:
Multitimbral:
Phrase
Range
Intonation
Sequence
Natural
Accidental
Interval
Harmonic interval
Melodic interval
Transpose
Riff
Hook
Vamp
Ostinato
Minimalism
Layering
Coda
Refrain
Cadence
Harmonic cadence
Rhythmic cadence
Imperfect cadence
Perfect cadence
Plagal cadence
Interrupted cadence
Rest
Prime row
Retrograde
Inversion
Retrograde inversion
Recital
A cappella
Solo
Duet
Trio
Glee
Fugue
Quartet
Quintet
Sextet
Septet
Octet:
Chant
Unison
Choir
Opera
Ensemble
Chamber
Orchestra
Soprano
Meant so soprano
Contralto
Countertenor
Baritone
Bass
Background singer:
Call and response
Music genre
Sub genre
Ballad
Overture
Interloop
Lyrics
Introduction
Verse
Corus
Outro
Half step: When one key on the piano is played on the left or right. For example, if you start on the key of C the half step will be D.
Whole step: When one key on the piano is skipped. For example, if you start on the key of C the whole step will be E.
Modulation: The process of changing from one key to another.
Tone: The quality or character of a sound.
Monotone: The repetition of a single tone.
Timbral: A specific tone of a sound.
Multitimbral:More than one tone of a sound.
Phrase: A group of musical tones played simultaneously.
Range: The distance between the highest and lowest tone.
Internation: The way tones are produced with regards to any specific key.
Sequence: The repetition of a melody in the higher or lower pitch.
Natural: A note in its normal pitch. For example, when notes are just being played on the black or white keys.
Accidental: A symbol that indicates the change of a pitch. For example, a sharp being a raised pitch and a flat being a low pitch.
Interval: The distance in pitch between two notes.
Harmonic interval: The distance in pitch between two tones played simultaneously.
Melodic interval: The distance between two tones played after each other.
Transpose: To change a key of a piece of music buy a specific interval.
Riff: A short repeated phrase in popular music used as an introduction of a line of words.
Hook: A short riff and popular music.
Vamp: A repeated musical pattern before the main melody enters.
Ostinato: A repeated pattern.
Minimalism: The repetition of a single melody.
Layering: When adding musical parts commonly one at a time.
Coda: A short added ending to a piece of music.
Refrain: A repeated phrase to display at the end each verse of a song.
Cadence: The closing of a musical section or passage.
Harmonic cadence: When two cords are included in a piece of music.
Rhythmic cadence: The rhythmic Pattern that indicates the phrase.
Imperfect cadence: An unfinished piece of music.
Perfect cadence: A finished piece of music. For example, Lionel Richie “Hello”
Plagal cadence: A finished piece of music with an ending that sounds like amen. A plagal cadence is often used in hymns. For example, The Beatles “In My Life”
Interrupted cadence: When a song sounds like it has come to an end, but it could be a change of key or cord. For example,Whitney Houston “We’ll Always Love You”
Rest: A symbol that indicates silence for a particular length of time.
Prime row:A non-repetitive ordering of a set of pitch. B, G, C, C, D, A, F, E, F.
Retrograde: The reverse of a musical line. F, E, F, A, D, C, C, G, B.
Inversion: When notes are played in a different order. B, C, A, G, C, E, F, G, F.
Retrograde inversion: When notes are played backwards and upside down. F, D, E, C, G, A, C, G.
Recital: A performance either Solo or with some a compliment.
A cappella: When one or more singers perform without an a compliment.
Solo: A song written for one composer.
Duet: A song written for two composers.
Trio: A song written for three composers.
Glee: A vocal composition written for three or four solo parts usually without an a compliment.
Fugue: A song written for three or six composes beginning with an exposition.
Quartet: A set of four musicians who perform a composition written for four parts.
Quintet: A set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts.
Sextant: A set of six musicians who perform a composition written for six parts.
Septet: A set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts.
Octet: A set of seven musicians who perform a conversation written for eight parts.
Chant: When a musician sings in unison.
Unison: When two or more vocalists/instrumentalists play the same notes simultaneously.
Choir: A group of singers in a chorus.
Opera: A group of Western classical singers or instrumentalists.
Ensemble: A group of singers and instrumentalists who perform together.
Chamber: A Music composed for a small ensemble.
Orchestra: A large group of musicians who played together led by a conductor.
Soprano: The highest female vocal.
Mezzo soprano: The middle female vocal.
Contralto: The lowest female vocal.
Countertenor: The highest male vocal.
Baritone: The middle male vocal.
Bass: The lowest male vocal.
Background singer: Singers who sing along to a leading vocal in some sections.
Call and response: When a melody is sung by one singer and is then repeated by one or more singers.
Music genre: The category of Music composed in different styles and elements.
Sub genre: A category that’s a subdivision of a larger genre.
Ballad: A song that tells a story in any style of music.
Overture: A musical introduction that comes before a ballet, show or opera.
Interloop: An instrumental piece of music play between scenes, plays or operas.
Lyrics: The words of a song with their own sections.
Introduction: The opening of a piece of music.
Verse: A section of a song by a soloist.
Bridge: The section of a song leading to a chorus with eight bars long.
Corus: The main part of the song with a group of singers.
Outro: The end of a piece of music.
Accessible: A Music that is easy to listen to and understand.
Theme and variation: A specific form of music.
Theme: The main melody.
Sanata form: An organisational structure based on contrasting musical ideas.
Exposition: The first part of a composition in a sonata that produces the theme.
Development: When a composer develops the themes presented by the exposition.
Recapitulation: When forming the final section of a movement by repeating earlier themes.
Reprise: The repetition of an opening material of a composition.
Globalisation is the increase in interactions and integration among individuals, businesses and governments globally. It is characterised by the movement of ideas, goods, people, services and capital across national borders driven by the advancement in communication, transport and technology, as well as trade liberalisation (Mushtaq et al., 2022). Globalisation has resulted in the interconnectedness of diverse economies, societies and cultures, leading to heightened international trade, investments and migration. It has greatly diversified the business landscape and created interdependence among nations changing the perspective of culture and national identity. Despite its numerous benefits, globalisation has severe adverse effects that must be mitigated to improve an equitable and sustainable world economy. While globalisation has increased economic growth, employment opportunities, technological advances and access to goods and services, it has also contributed to the transmission of diseases, environmental degradation, income inequality, undermining of democracies and exploitation of workers.
History of Globalisation
The concept of globalisation has a long history spanning over many years. It has existed since the beginning of civilisation as individuals in ancient societies traded with their neighbours to get products that they did not produce. The initial form of globalisation can be traced back to the 1st century BC when trade networks were established along the Silk Road, particularly between Europe and Asia (Zinkina et al., 2019). In this case, for over 1500 years, the Europeans traded glass and other manufactured products for Chinese spices and silk, resulting in increased economic growth within the regions and cultural exchanges (Zinkina et al., 2019). More improvement in globalisation occurred in the 15th to 17th centuries during the European exploration of the New World (Zinkina et al., 2019). The Europeans established colonies in Africa, the Americs and Asia, creating robust trade networks. This led to the widespread exchange of manufactured products, raw materials, cultures and ideas between Europe and its protectorates.
Further advancements in globalisation were experienced during the British Industrial Revolution. This industrial era between the 18th and 19th centuries witnessed great improvements in transport and manufacturing, considerably facilitating global trade and investment (Zinkina et al., 2019). The development of railroads, steamships and the telegraph significantly accelerated international commerce, while the increased industrialisation and mass production of commodities led to the emergence of multinational corporations (Zinkina er al., 2019). After the world wars, which negatively affected globalisation, the creation of international trade agreements through organisations such as the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and the World Bank helped restore globalisation by promoting economic cooperation among different countries (Martin et al., 2018). Therefore, different global events have positively or negatively affected globalisation.
The rate of globalisation has considerably increased in recent years resulting in more interdependence among global economies. The invention of the internet and improvement in technology, transport and communication has led to the continuous development of international trade networks (Zinkina et al., 2019). As a result, new economies such as China have become major players in the global markets (Martin et al., 2018). Globalisation is expected to continue advancing, especially with the increased technological changes.
The Positive Impact of Globalisation
Globalisation has numerous advantages for individuals, businesses and countries, making it an integral part of society. One of the significant benefits of globalisation is positive economic growth resulting from improved global trade and investment. The removal of trade barriers and tariff reductions has made it easier for nations to trade commodities and services with other regions, greatly boosting their economies (Martin et al., 2018). As a result, individuals and businesses can utilise the opportunities created by international trade to increase productivity expediting economic growth and enhancing people’s living standards globally. In addition, globalisation has helped in job creation, particularly in developing nations. Global trade has led to the development of new industries and the expansion of existing ones resulting in the creation of employment opportunities where income can be generated, enhancing people’s living standards (Mushtaq et al., 2022). Therefore, globalisation offers new business opportunities and creates employment leading to economic benefits for individuals and societies.
Globalisation has increased technological innovation across the globe, stimulating economic development. For example, the invention of the internet has enhanced communication, promoting knowledge and technology transfer across borders, enhancing productivity and innovation further boosting economic growth (Zinkina et al., 2019). Equally, globalisation has increased the accessibility to a broad range of commodities due to the high importation and exportation of goods and services, allowing consumers to choose from a wide product portfolio (Contractor, 2021). Furthermore, global trade growth has significantly reduced poverty and child mortality in developing countries. In this case, the creation of job opportunities has helped individuals in less-developed countries to get incomes, thus improving their welfare outcomes (Olagunju et al., 2019). Thus, globalisation contributes to the economic and social well-being of societies globally.
The Negative Impacts of Globalisation
Globalisation is a complex phenomenon that has been criticised for its negative effects. The process has been described as an under regulated, complacent, and uncontrollable form of interconnection, making populations vulnerable to various threats (Kobrin, 2020). For instance, the spread of the COVID-19 virus exposed the most significant dangers of the increased interconnectedness of the world. Globalisation catalysed rapid infectious disease transmission across borders through international air travel and cruises. According to Kobrin (2020), although the COVID-19 outbreak was initially reported on January 11, 2020, within a month, the infection had been transmitted to five and seven countries in Europe and Asia, respectively, including Canada and the United States. The virus was declared a global pandemic on March 10, and by May 7, the illness had infected 3.8 million people and resulted in 260,000 deaths worldwide (Kobrin, 2020). Globalisation’s other far-reaching consequences include greater consumption of natural resources and increased disposal of harmful chemicals and plastic, resulting in many noxious weeds, population, and environmental degradation (Zhang et al., 2022). Thus, this has continued threatening sustainability by intensifying the ecological footprint and promoting untenable production and lifestyles.
Globalisation has increased poverty and inequality within and between countries. According to the United Nations (2020) report, one percent of the wealthiest people and governments have taken advantage of increased interconnectedness and increase their share of income and affluence from 1990 to 2015, at the expense of the bottom 40% who earn less than a quarter of returns in all nations surveyed. Similarly, this has undermined national sovereignty and democracy, as powerful multinational corporations have gained more significant influence over developing countries’ economic and political policies (Volk, 2019). Although technological advancements have contributed the economic progress by introducing new opportunities in areas such as communication, healthcare, and education, it has led to higher wage disparities and the displacement of workers. In advance countries, globalisation is expected to continue increasing income inequality by raising the actual return of skilled labor and lowering yields for relatively unskilled work (Heimberger, 2020). Additionally, it has resulted in exploiting workers in developing countries, who are paid low wages and employed to work under deplorable conditions (Hiba et al., 2021). Thus, globalisation exacerbates inequality by concentrating certain benefits on a few nations and individuals while exploiting others.
Globalisation in Today’s Society
Globalisation has become tangible today, impacting every aspect of the world’s population. Kobrin (2020) indicates that interconnectedness is no longer an abstract concept but has become an increasingly visible phenomenon affecting people’s daily lives in many ways, from how they interact to the challenges experienced. For instance, globalisation has spread popular culture, including music and fashion, and has made it easier for people globally to share common interests and experiences. Unlike in the past, people worldwide can communicate and interact easily due to increased innovation. In addition, globalisation today is characterised by waves of migrants as citizens of one country move to other nations to seek new opportunities and experiences (Kobrin, 2020). Similarly, this has created multicultural communities in many countries where people from different backgrounds live and work together.
Conclusion
Globalisation has fostered the movement of ideas, individuals, goods, capital and services across national borders, shaping how societies interact and integrate. However, increased global trade has positive and negative impacts on individuals and countries. On the one hand, globalisation has increased economic growth, job opportunities, technological innovation, and consumers’ access to a broad range of products while reducing global poverty. Alternatively, it has increased the transmission of infectious diseases and environmental degradation, created income inequalities and promoted the exploitation of workers in developing countries. As globalisation continues to advance, there is a need to develop a more nuanced approach to advance, there is a need to develop a more nuanced approach to mitigate its adverse effects and create a more equitable and sustainable global economy.
Citations
Contractor, F. J. (2021). The world economy will need even more globalisation in the post-pandemic 2021 decade. Journal of International Business Studies, 53(1), 156-171.
Heimberger, P. (2020). Does economic globalisation affect income inequality? A meta-analysis. The World Economy, 43(11), 2960-2982.
Hiba, J. C., Jensch, M., and Zink, K. J. (2021). Globalisation and working conditions in international supply chains. (Zeitschrift fur Arbeitswissenschaft, 75(2), 146-154.
Kobrin, S. J. (2020). How globalisation became a thing that goes bump in the night. Journal of International Business Policy, 3(3), 280-286.
Martin, R., Tyler, P., Storper, M., Evenhurs, E., and Glasmeier, A. (2018). Globalisation at a critical conjuncture? Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 11(1) 3-16.
Mushtaq, M., Ahmed, S., Fahlevi, M., Aljuaid, M., and Saniuk, S. (2022). Globalisation and employment nexus: Moderating role of human capital. PloS One, 17(10), e0276431.
Olagunju, K. O., Ogunniyi, A. I., Oguntegbe, K. F., Raji, I. O., and Ogundari, K. (2019). Welfare impact of globalisation in developing countries: Examining the mediating role of human capital. Economies, 7(84), 1-24.
The United Nations. (2020). Rising inequality affecting more than two-thirds of the globe, but it’s not inevitable: new UN report.
Volk, C. (2019). The problem of sovereignty in globalised times. Law, Culture and the Humanities, 18(3), 716-738.
Zhang, L., Xu, M., Chen, H., Li, Y., and Chen, S. (2022). Globalisation, green economy and environmental challenges: State of the art review for practical implications. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 1-9.
Zinkina, J., Christian, D., Grinin, L. Ilyin, I., Andreev, A., Aleshkovski, I., Shulgin, S., and Korotayev, A.(2019). A big history of globalisation: The emergence of a global world system. Stringer.
The term Good Hair, came into existence in 2016 when a research study conducted by Perception Institute looked into views toward black women’s hair. The institute also founded the first Hair Implicit Association Test (Hair IAT) to assess implicit bias against textured hair as well as an online survey to quantify explicit attitudes about how natural textured hair is perceived (Johnson et al, 2016).
This study was also done to ascertain the risk of discrimination against black women who choose wear their hair naturally. Hair Bias is linked with discriminatory actions like rejection, avoidance, and abuse (Johnson et al, 2016).
In most stores, hair products for people with natural and textured hair are often stationed in the ethnic segment while products intended for those with straight and smooth hair are often situated in the “beauty” section. This separation of hair products led to, Shea Moisture brand starting the “Break the Walls” campaign provoking the beauty and retail industries to address the aisle ‘segregation’ of hair products by race. The campaign “Break the Walls” indicated that routine black hair care product being positioned away from the ‘beauty’ aisle sends, a subconscious message that naturally textured hair is sub-standard, less desirable, and less beautiful (Robinson, 2011).
Explicit bias refers to the undesirable attitudes and beliefs we have about a racial group, intentionally formed on a conscious level, whilst implicit bias refers to embedded negative thoughts that our brains spontaneously associate with a particular group of people (Johnson et al, 2017).
Discrimination based on hair texture, is a form of social injustice. Afro-textured hair or coarse hair types are viewed negatively and often perceived as “unprofessional”, “unattractive”, or “unclean”. Within the past decade, the rise of the “natural hair movement” has been accompanied by a Conscious refusal of traditional beauty standards and embracing of natural hair.
LOTUS SHOES
The name Lotus shoes comes from the lotus bud shape created by the food binding, with the heel the round base and the toes, the pointed tip. Suffering for beauty has ancient origins. The tradition for foot binding started in the 10th century by a dancer called Precious Thing in China. Foot binding was regarded as a ritual for young girls and was considered as part of the preparation process for puberty, menstruation, and childbirth.
Foot binding signified a girl’s willingness to obey, just as it limited the mobility and power of females, kept women inferior to men, and increased the differences between the sexes. Tiny “golden lotus” feet were attained through breaking girls’ toes and arches and binding them to the sole of the foot with a cloth.
Feminists view foot binding as an unjust practice against women who were victims of a sexist culture. It is also widely seen as a form of cruelty against women as it was a very painful process and bound feet rendered women dependent on their females, particularly the men. Tiny feet, were believed to be an enhancement of a woman’s beauty and made her movement more graceful and this was erotic to the men.
A Chinese feminist called Qiu Jin, believed that women should liberate themselves from domination and encouraged females to, gain independence through education, and development of new mental and physical attributes fitting for the new era.
The ending of the foot binding practice was seen as a significant event in the process of female freedom in China and a major event in the history of Chinese feminism.
This blog will demonstrate how eating disorders evolved from religious practices to becoming a complicated psychological condition. Eating disorders are defined as “persistence disturbance of eating or eating-related behaviour that results in the altered consumption or absorption of food and that significantly impairs health or psychosocial functioning”. Disordered eating usually develops because of a combination of psychological, genetic and social factors. The blog will also demonstrate the historical racial/ethnic stereotyping in the recognition and referral of eating disorders.
The History
Anorexia NERVOSA is classified as a bio-psycho-social disease that started in 1873 by a French fasting girl called Jane Balan. The word originates from a Greek language that means “Without appetite”. Initial publications on this eating disorder were titled Anorexia Hysterica. The first formal description and diagnosis of anorexia as a medical condition occurred in England during the 1680’s. Historical documents show that Dr Richard Morton of London described his twenty-year-old patient in 1686 as “a skeleton clad with skin”. In his work, he suggested that her sadness literally aged. Thin bodies, however, had not always been so deemed more worthy. Throughout earlier periods of human history, fuller bodies were aspirational and represented wealth and wellness. The paintings of Peter Paul Rubéns, who lived from 1577 until 1640, depict full, sensuous female bodies. However, the following year the condition was referred to as ‘Anorexia NERVOSA’ by Queen Victoria’s personal physician called Sir William Gull in a significant medical presentation. Self-starvation appeared in the Hellenistic era. Holy anorexics abused their bodies, rejected marriage and sought religious asylum where many perished and became saints. Self-starvation was considered an exercise in spiritual purity and could be explained by a person’s holiness. Wealthy Roman women of the post-pagan Christian era acting under spiritual direction sometimes starved themselves in order to depreciate the body, which was considered evil. Rudolph Bell also discussed about religious European women of the renaissance period, who punished their bodies by fasting to reach a higher plane of spirituality and closeness to God. Holy anorexia was respected by medieval society as a sound method for cleansing a woman’s spirit. In addition, these pious women were elevated to sainthood for their extreme fasting and devotion to the church. During this era, the beliefs about fasting began to move from spiritual to medical. At that time, anorexia NERVOSA was described as a condition emerging from emotional or mental stresses. It included many of the same facial signs of modern anorexia such as eczema, xerosis, follicular, hyperkeratosis, acne, pruritus and facial dermatitis. Anorexia NERVOSA can be adequately understood in the framework of culture bound disorders. A study carried out in 2000 that clearly indicated a correlation between culture, ethnicity and the eating disorders. It has been shown that majority of those who suffer from this disorder are from western cultures mainly Caucasians. Among the Japanese, women who are overweight are not construed to be beautiful. This significantly affects their eating habits, and they are preoccupied in reducing their weight in order to maintain what is perceived as the ideal body image.
Slave Trade
Historically, eating disorders have been stereotyped as a condition experienced by ‘thin’ White women as most of the initial data came from the upper-middle class patients because they had the money to afford treatment. However, eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that often stem from complex and predisposing factors. For example, White men have higher numbers of privileges throughout the history of the United States. During the slave trade period, colonists and race scientists asserted that Black people had greater appetites for food and sex. They were described as “gluttonous” and therefore less virtuous in a culture in which the Protestant value of moderation predominated. Because of systemic racism, Black Indigenous and people of colour and marginalised groups who have an eating disorder are less likely to be diagnosed with one and are often hesitant to seek treatment.
Racialism
We live in a culture that values certain bodies more than others. This can result from the stigma received just for being a Black person or due to institutionalised racism resulting in poverty and food insecurity. Historically, people of colour have been fighting for equality and inclusion. As people evaluate their own bodies against others, people also try to struggle for higher places in the social hierarchy. Thus women, BIPOC, and other marginalised groups might try a myriad of diets, attach themselves to men with privilege or try to lighten their skin in the attempt to be seen as more valuable. Over time, as more mixed-race people came into being, the dominant White group used thinness as well as Whiteness in order to continue to assert their dominance. Thus, Sabrina Strings-sociologist mentioned that phobia originated as anti-Blackness. This racial discrimination factor has caused unfair treatments among people of colour. “Black teenagers are 50% more likely than White teenagers to exhibit binging and purging behaviours. Researchers suggest that clinicians need to be aware of their own biases and stereotypes regarding racial differences in order not to overlook eating disturbances in minority populations. In addition to the unique social factors that contribute to eating disorders in Black women, they also have unique social barriers to receiving an eating disorder diagnosis and treatment.
The Methods
Through research, there is no exact reason what causes anorexia NERVOSA and other eating disorders. This can be defined as illnesses in which the victim suffers severe disturbances in their eating behaviours. People with anorexia NERVOSA often see themselves as being overweight, when their weight is normal. Thus, they resort to severe food restrictions, so they do not receive the right amount of calories that they need. On the other hand, they look for methods to get rid of the food by various purging methods by self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, compulsive and excessive exercise. Adolescent is a time of significant sexual development. Individuals in this age range start to care about attracting their preferred gender. During this time, puberty is in full effect, which can increase the amount of time someone spends time thinking about their body as they adjust to these changes. Anorexia NERVOSA was viewed as an almost exclusively female disorder. However, in recent years psychiatrists have begun to see changes as men have increasingly developed eating disorders, possibly related to growing social pressures, which makes them, want to diet and it can then lead to eating disorders.
The Awareness
In this century alone, the awareness of anorexia NERVOSA has increased substantially. Eating disordered treatment now encombasses a holistic model that addresses multiple approaches such as medical, psychological, nutritional, and counselling therapy. It is also important for anorexic people to understand and have an awareness that diet does not necessarily mean losing weight to look different but refers to the total amounts of food consumed by individuals, where as nutrition is the process of utilising food for growth, metabolism and the repair of tissues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that, through research and the account of clinicians, the understanding of anorexia NERVOSA as a complex psychiatric condition has improved. Cultural beliefs about bodies and appearance has been shown to influence rates of anorexia significantly. The blog has also shown that Health professionals now acknowledge the role of genetic, environmental, psychological, social and individual factors in the development and experience of anorexia NERVOSA.
Khali 