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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Trials & Tribulations ~ by PGA

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I've learnt that each and everyone of us all, have our trials in life. Just for my own experiment, I've tried comparing the different trials that people face and I've noticed that one person's trials can be better (or worst) than the other and vice-versa. It seems that everything we see depends on, or from, the perspective we choose to look at. Nobody can be better or worst than us. Looking at the life of Helen Keller, who at the age of 19 months had a fever which left her deaf, blind and without speech. Her's was a hard life, but it brought out many good things to her and inspite of her illness, she was happy. And on top of that, she became an inspiration for many. I hope that if something like that happens to me, I'd be able to carry my cross and bask in the blessings that I know must follow. In the meantime, I'll carry my little crosses... little compared to the larger ones others are carrying.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Andrew's Responsorial Psalms

http://www.singakad.com/
http://en-gb.facebook.com/andrewkooi

Andrew's Responsorial Psalms ~ This website is dedicated towards encouraging English-speaking Catholic Churches around the world to sing the Responsorial Psalms for Sunday Mass and for other Liturgical Seasons.

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Saturday, March 20, 2010

Prayer for Our Cantors

Sorry... I couldn't help laughing when i read this... it's the pictures I see in my mind.

“See yourself as like a cow chewing the cud, 
not rushing to swallow but going over the 
verses or word that you are focusing on until 
you have sucked out all the goodness.”
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Prayer for Our Cantors
(With an excerpt from ‘Inspiring Women Everyday’)

Dear God,
May you guide each and every of our cantors, in their prior music preparations of singing the psalm, to: 
“Read it through once, and then read it through once again more slowly, taking time to notice any particular verses or words that strike you as you are reading. Give yourself the space to reflect on the things you have noticed, maybe by repeating a verse to yourself a few times, or holding a word in your mind and allowing pictures to form from it. See yourself as like a cow chewing the cud, not rushing to swallow but going over the verses or word that you are focusing on until you have sucked out all the goodness. You might like to do this just once, or you may have time to do this a few times…”


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Still Pix

The above was just a re-do because the earlier GIF animation was no more. So... this time... I decided to take a STILL picture so we know what it look like... minus the animation. Click on the image to enlarge it.


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GIF Pixs

And here are some other GIF collections.
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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Salvation outside of the Catholic Church

Salvation outside of the Catholic Church ~ Compiled by PGA

Question:
What does the Catholic Church have to say about this statement; "Outside the Church there is no salvation"?

Answer:
This affirmation is NOT aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337.

Read article below. In this article ‘The Church’ refers to ‘The Catholic Church’.


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The Church and non-Christians
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm


PART ONE
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

SECTION TWO
THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

CHAPTER THREE
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

ARTICLE 9
"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH"

Paragraph 3. The Church Is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic


"Outside the Church there is no salvation"

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336

847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:

Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337

848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."338

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CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

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The Catholic Church & Non-Christians

The Catholic Church & Non-Christians ~ Compiled by PGA

This is what I like about the Catholic Faith. Very inclusive. We have nothing against the belief of others. You are free to choose… and this (we believe) is a God-given right to you. Here’s an excerpt of the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’.

In this article ‘The Church’ refers to ‘The Catholic Church’.


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The Church and non-Christians
http://search.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm#III

839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."325

The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People,326 "the first to hear the Word of God."327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ",328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."329

840 And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.

841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."330

842 The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:

All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .331

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."332

844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them:

Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.333

845 To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is "the world reconciled." She is that bark which "in the full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world." According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood.334

"Outside the Church there is no salvation"

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336

847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:

Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337

848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."338

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For more, go to...
Catechism of the Catholic Church
http://search.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

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Catechism Of The Catholic Church ~ Contents

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Updated: 2012 Aug 21, 1059hrs

Here is the updated link.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

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Initial Original Posing:

This link is dead.
http://search.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Icon ~ Question


‘Girlfriend’ (1 word) or ‘Girl friend’ (2 words)?


Or for that matter... ‘Boyfriend’ (one word) or ‘Boy friend’ (two words)?

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Girlfriend ~ an excerpt from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girlfriend

Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-intimate friend that is closer than other friends. This term is often used loosely, and there is some debate over what exactly constitutes a girlfriend. In western society, it is generally agreed that "girlfriend" status begins when two people agree to date. Getting a girl to agree to such an arrangement is considered a milestone for young males, and is often seen as a sign of status, based on the perception of the girl amongst the male's peers.

Differing terms used ~ Although nuanced (a subtle or slight degree of difference), for some there is a significant difference between "girlfriend" (one word) and "girl friend" (two words), or "boyfriend" (one word) and "boy friend" (two words). In a strictly grammatical sense, a "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" is an individual with whom one shares a romantic relationship. A "girl friend" or "boy friend", however, is simply a friend identified on the basis of gender. This is sometimes also contravened by simply stating "ladyfriend" or "guyfriend". The terms "friend girl" (and "friend boy") are also sometimes used to indicate a platonic friendship. The transition between the two is a significant aspect of adolescent development.

Despite this, both forms of "girlfriend" and "girl friend" are used by different people to mean different things. For example, when the term "girlfriend" is used by a girl or woman about another female in a non-sexual, non-romantic context, the two-word form "girl friend" is sometimes used to avoid confusion with the sexual or romantic meaning, however:- this is not a rule. In this sense of its usage, "Girlfriend" is used in terms of very close friends and has no sexual connotations, unless it is in the case of lesbian, bisexual, or pansexual women. The term "girlfriend" is also used in LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) communities and can refer to people of any gender or sexuality.

The term "girlfriend" does not necessarily imply a sexual relationship, but is often used to refer to a woman who is dating a man she is not engaged to without implying that she is having sex with him. With differing expectations of sexual mores, the term dating (when used of an activity involving a man and a woman) can imply romantic activity whereas simply using "friend" would likely avoid implying such intimacy. It is essentially equivalent to the term "sweetheart", which has also been used as a term of endearment.


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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Fiesta Free MMORPG Character

Online Computer Game
http://fiesta.outspark.com/

The characters seem to have the same name as Maple Story characters.

Mabuhay ~ Filipino

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabuhay

Mabuhay (pronunciation: mah-BOO-high) is a Tagalog word used to exclaim "long live". Tagalog is the basis for the national and the official language of the Philippines, Filipino. Comparable to the Romance language expression “Vive, Viva”, the salute associated with this exclamation; in which both arms are raised above the head in unison three times, is similar to that used in the Banzai. The expression is most often used at toasts (cheers!) during gatherings and parties, at rallies, political conferences, or for praising notable individuals. It is also an expression used in welcoming guests and a way of showing hospitality. The root word 'buhay' means 'life'.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Swing ~ Simple Jazz Swing Beat on Drums

http://www.ehow.com/how_2210766_play-simple-jazz-swing-beat.html

Drums have always been a part of jazz music. The jazz swing sound on the drums has a triplet feeling. The percussionist's job in jazz music is to create and maintain a beat for the other musicians to follow. Playing a basic jazz swing beat on the drums requires a basic knowledge of the drum set. Read on to learn how to play a simple jazz swing beat on drums.

Step 1 ~ Tap the ride cymbal with a swing beat, dum da da dum da da dum. This triplet pattern is the basic tempo of the song.

Step 2 ~ Press the pedal for the bass drum to create a driving beat. This beat is a basic 4/4 style that is dum dum dum dum. The bass drum is always in charge of maintaining the rhythm of the music.

Step 3 ~ Add in the high hat on the two and four counts. This is used as an accent to the beat to keep it going.

Step 4 ~ Play one rim shot on the first and the second beat of every other measure. These accents balance the jazz swing beat.

Step 5 ~ Add in tom and snare parts once you get the beat down. Use the tom and snare sparingly to fill in gaps or to keep the song moving.

Jazz drums are not hard and jagged. Loosen your grip on the drumstick and let the sticks work for you.Use brushes instead of sticks if they are available. Brushes add to a smoother sound.


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Purple Heart ~ White Dove ~ Red Rose

Marriage is a life-long commitment...

Marriage is a life-long commitment; 
by the time we get it right it'll be... 
"till death do us part"
~ PGA

Leadership

If leaders don't lead, followers don't follow.
If leaders can't lead, followers can't follow.
NOT everyone is cut-out to be a leader...
BUT everyone IS called to be a follower... YES, even leaders.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

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I believe that we can see beauty in anyone without them having to go for any beauty treatment because...

"Everybody's beautiful in their own way".
Since "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder",
And if we want to be the beholder of nothing BUT beauty,
We need to see beauty in everyone;
For only then will we see nothing BUT beauty.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Polyphony ~ Music Definition

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Polyphony
~ is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices

Homophony (Parallel Harmony)
~ is music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords

Monophony
~ is music with just one voice
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Famous Example of Contrapuntal Polyphony
A bar from JS Bach's Fugue No. 17 in A flat. BWV 862.
from Das Wohltemperirte Clavier (Part 1)

You can hear the tune here → Download


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Polyphony ~ Wikipedia
http://www.answers.com/topic/polyphony#
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony).

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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Joke ~ Florida Court Sets Atheist Holy Day

Received this via email for the umpteenth time. Rather than continue a chain-email, I chose to put it on my BLOG. Verification needed coz I don't know if this is true... BUT, in the meantime, enjoy the joke.

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Joke ~ Florida Court Sets Atheist Holy Day

In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days...The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays..".

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned."

You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Vegetarian Food ~ Sanskruti Restaurant

http://www.sanskrutirestaurant.com/

I went to the one at Little India, Race Course. The Vegetarian Biryani was very nice with a lot of Indian Spices. Next time I intend to try the Buffet Spread at $12 (correct at time of writing this) per person.

Sanskruti offers BUFFET all the year round. Special weekend buffet on these days...
~ Fri ~ Rajasthani Buffet,
~ Sat ~ Special Gujarati Buffet and
~ Sun ~ Kathiyawadi buffet,
one can explore variety of food under one roof.

Address & Contact Numbers:

Little India :
9, Race cource line,Singapore 218736.
Ph & Fax : +65 6293 6505

Lau pa sat :
# 02-25,18 Raffles quary,Singapore 048582.
Ph & Fax : +65 6293 6505

East Coast :
417-419, East Cost Road, Singapore 0429004.
Ph & Fax : +65 6346 6914

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Tuesday, March 09, 2010

'Curt, 'Rudely Brief' &/or 'Abrupt'

Tuesday, 2010 Mar 09, 1122hrs

How often have we been 'Curt, 'Rudely Brief' &/or 'Abrupt' to our family members and friends? We tend to take them for granted because we’re familiar with them. There are advantages to this. Being familiar means we don’t have to explain ourselves too much. This helps us because there’s less time wasted on things like introductions, getting to know one another, explaining why we do the things we do, or whatever hang-ups or fears we may have and why we have those hang-ups & fears in the first place. But sometimes in these fast-paced relationships, we need to slow down. This often happens when we miss-understand each other and end up in a quarrel. These are trying times which usually cause the relationship to grow on most occasions. Relationships which are not strong will not survive this. Most strong relationships will survive and rise up above these trials and make our relationship with that person or persons stronger. This cycle will go on and on. If we want our relationships to last we have to endure this cycle over and over again. ~ PGA

Monday, March 08, 2010

DOES PRAYER CHANGE THINGS?

By Author Unknown

Prayer is never easily understood... for me at least; this article is has taken me a step nearer to understanding it. I received this via email today. I thought this was well written. I don't accept everything I read but this article spoke to me.

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DOES PRAYER CHANGE THINGS?
By Author Unknown

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything?
Oh yes! It really does!

Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances?
No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

Does prayer change your financial future?
No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your dailyneeds.

Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies?
No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

Does prayer change your wants and desires?
No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires!

Does prayer change how you view the world?
No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

Does prayer change your regrets from the past?
No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

Does prayer change the people around you?
No, not always, but it will change you - the problem isn't always in others.

Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain?
Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?
Yes! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

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Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Johnny B Good ~ Chuck Berry

One of my favorite...
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Chuck Berry - Johnny B Good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYYUIZq3Rv4
A Dick Clark Production

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Chuck Berry - Johnny B Good Lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWNykOk2ckE

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Johnny B Good ~ Chuck Berry (Lyrics)
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[V1]
Deep down in Louisiana close the New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B Good
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play the guitar just like ringin a bell
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[Chorus]
Go! Go!.
Go Johnny go-go-go, Go Johnny go-go-go
Go Johnny go-go-go, Go Johnny go-go-go...
Whoa-oh! Johnny Be Goode
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[V2]
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Or sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
Oh an engineer could see him sitting in the shade
Strummin' to the rhythm that the drivers made
People passing by they'd stop and say
Oh my but that little country boy could play [Chorus]
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[V3]
His mother told him some day you will be a man
And you will be the leader of a big old band
Many people coming from miles around
And hear you play your music till the sun goes down
Maybe someday your name gonna be in light
Sayin' Johnny be good tonight [Chorus]
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Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Guitar Chords ~ Nashville Number System

The Nashville Number System was developed by the Jordanaires who were session musicians in Nashville during the 60s. A number is given to each chord. The advantage is you can write a chart for a song without knowing what key it will be played in. Also, You can write charts quickly using the Nashville Number System. Many musician use Arabic numbers while others use Roman numerals. Designating the chords with Roman numerals has actually been around much longer than the use of Arabic numbers in Nashville. The advantage of using Roman numerals is the major is designated with upper case while minor is lower case. The table below shows the chords and corresponding number for all 12 major keys.

Click on image to enlarge...


Monday, March 01, 2010

Vocaloid ~ A Software That Sings

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid

Vocaloid is a singing synthesizer application software developed by the Yamaha Corporation that enables users to synthesize singing by typing in lyrics and melody. Read on...
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Guitar Bar Chord Major Scale ~ by PGA

Click here to Print or Download the PDF file

This Major Scale is useful if you want to play the melody of a song in various keys or if you want to transpose a song. Just move up and down the fret board to vary the key changes.

Click on image to enlarge...

Acappela ~ Rescue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnS1WDwosA4