Piano Restoration
Pianos are one of the loveliest instruments one can own, and make some of the most loyal companions. Pianos aren't to be taken lightly and you should care for them as you would any other expensive item. For pianos, care is especially important as the more you take care of them, the better they become.
Pianos, like some pets, are bought and loved, then slowly forgotten. They become dusty and out of tune, sitting and waiting until someone decides they want to play again fifteen years later. But what happened? It's out of tune, dirty and doesn't sound like it used to. Do you throw it away? You could, but there are better options, like piano restoration.
Piano restoration can make any old instrument come alive again and work as well or better than it once did. Imagine that gorgeous old baby grand, cleaned up and in tune, ready to be played again. A good piano technician can make your old piano sound better than it ever did, even when it was brand new.
Like any other instrument, pianos have limited lifespan. However, different parts on pianos also have different life spans, and this is one of the main reasons piano restoration can be so effective/ For example, on an instrument that saw heavy use over its life, the hammers might be worn while the soundboard could be alive and kicking, so to speak, for decades more.
Thus, having a piano technician look at your instrument every couple years and replace worn parts can eliminate the need for deeper, more intensive restoration later on. Though piano restoration is a very good thing, it should only be done on expensive pianos or on pianos with sentimental value, because it is also relatively expensive.
Its cost lies in the tediousness and the time involved in rebuilding or restoring a badly damaged or decrepit piano. For example, imagine a piano where some of the action parts, like the hammers, ribs and strings, are still in good condition, but the body is worn and cracked in areas, and the bridges are about to go out.
A good piano restorer could rebuild and replace the worn parts and tweak the okay parts so they are better than before. A good rule of thumb is that, when a piano technician assesses your piano and says repair, the cost will be mild to medium depending on the repair. Maintenance is in the same bracket, but restoration is a clue that it is getting more expensive, and rebuilding is even more intensive.
So while restoration can be an excellent venture if you love your piano immensely, if it holds sentimental or historical value or if it is valuable enough to justify the expense, don't do it if you have only lukewarm feelings about the piano and don't use it much. You will be better off selling your piano to a technician who will rebuild and resell it, and buying a newer one with part of the money from the sale.
David Anderson Pianos is a full-service piano business offering complete restoration and maintenance services for pianos in the Los Angeles area. For more information, please visit Davidandersenpianos.com.
Save money at the Movies
Have you ever wondered to yourself, “How can a night at the movies be so expensive?” Think about it…a family of four, 2 adults 2 children, pay $26 for tickets, $8.00 for a large popcorn, $4.00 for a soda, $3.50 for that candy bar, oh wait, your other kid wants a candy bar too, so that’s $7 for candy, and $4 in quarters for the vending machines while your waiting for the movie. I think you get the point. Well going to the movies doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition. Now I’m not a cheapo, but I know how and where to spend my money wisely. That being said, here are a few tips on how to save at the box office:
BYOP
Bring your own popcorn! Why pay $8 for a popcorn which you end up throwing away half of anyway because it’s big enough to feed a small militia? Last week I went to a certain large superstore (no names but it begins with a Wal, and ends with a mart), and paid $5.00 for 24 packs of popcorn. Simply pop it in the microwave before you leave and you can save a decent amount of money right there.
BYOS
Bring your own Soda! Better yet, bring your own any kind of drink. Given the choices at the movies, you might be limited as to what you can get to refresh your taste buds. Try a can of soda from another unnamed place, where the retail price per can is a low $0.15 a can. That’s $3.85 saved on soda. Not too bad at all.
Skip the wait
The longer your kids have to wait around at the theatre, the more hyper they’ll be and the more you’ll have to spend to keep them occupied. Research shows most people get to the movies right before the show starts, so if you get there about 10 minutes before the show, you should get a great seat and avoid the hassle.
Don’t pay at all
Why pay when you can see a free movie…A certain cinema offers free movies in the summer for families, just check it out on google and type in “free movie theatres”. Also, many companies offer promotions where you can sit in as a movie “critic” for free in screen tests for movies. That’s right, you see movies before they are even released, and it’s free. Once again, go to google and type in “how to get free movie screening passes”. You’d be shocked how easy it is to get into a free movie.
When all else fails, simply rent a movie from your local store. It’s cheap, the parking is great, the most comfortable seats in the house are your own, and there’s all the food you can eat there too. Oh yeah, and when you need to go to the bathroom, just click pause!
--
Rob Vrabel is the owner of www.2havefun.com, the #1 source for fun things to do in the U.S. To check out lots of other places to have fun in your state, go to www.2havefun.com.
Why Most Independent Artist Fail!
This is a question that I am most commonly asked. The answer is
pretty simple – most independent artist do not understand that
concept of marketing let alone online marketing.
Obviously I can not cover an entire marketing course in this article
but I can however give you a few facts that will put you on the right
road.
The first thing that you MUST do is learn to put yourself in the
shoes of your target audience or in this case your fans. That is a
lot easier said than done. Without a fan base you do not have a
music career.
As a independent artist it is crucial that you own your own domain
name. If you have MySpace as your primary internet presence you are
making a huge mistake. Now before you go on a rant allow me to explain.
If you are using MySpace as your Internet presence you are placing
your entire career in the hands of another company. Lets say that
you have spent your time and effort in promoting your MySpace page
and everyone knows that is where they can find you. You wake up
tomorrow to realize that MySpace has decided to shut down while the
getting is good. Where does that put you? I’ll tell you where back
at square one!
No I’m not suggesting that you forget about MySpace I’m just telling
you it is a bad idea to have MySpace as your primary website.
MySpace should be used to drive traffic back to your domain, where
you have control over your destiny.
Another common mistake that I see independent artist doing is they
fail to invest in the business aspect of their careers. No I am
going to guess that when you just read that last sentence you
probably said to yourself, “I do invest into my career.” If you do
not have at least one Internet Marketing book or eBook you my friend
are on the wrong track.
I can pretty much bet that you have your webpage set up all wrong.
Nine out of ten independent artist’s websites are what I like to
call, “look at me websites.” The harsh reality of it all is nobody
knows you! When a potential fan comes to your site they have one
thing on their mind and one thing only, and that is WIIFM! That
stands for “What’s In It For Me!” They want to know what do you have
to offer them – why should they come to your website over the million
other independent artist? This is were your marketing strategies
come into play!
I know this is going to sound a little crazy but lets role play for a
few minutes. Let’s say that you are a country music fan (the genre
doesn’t matter) and you go to a website and a video pops with a young
lady on it and she says, “I just want to thank all of my fans, for
showing up at my last concert, and I appreciate your support… In
fact I have two free tracks that I just posted for you online… Let me
show you where to go download them now.” POW the video ends and you
are automatically taken to a special download area exclusively for
the fans!
How do you think that would make a fan feel? Do you think that
someone would actually go and download the special fan tracks –
located is an exclusive area… Your dog on right they will.
I hope that this article sparked that marketing genius that dwells
deep inside of all of us. I wish you the best of luck with your
music career and I hope that I have the opportunity to do a personal
interview with you real soon.
Tim Beachum – Owner of the MusicBizCoach.com,
MusicBusinessInaBox.com, Jackin4Beats.com, and author of the audio CD
“The Ultimate Guide To Self-Promotion”. You can contact Mr. Beachum
via email at: timb@musicbizcoach.com.=
Pianos, like some pets, are bought and loved, then slowly forgotten. They become dusty and out of tune, sitting and waiting until someone decides they want to play again fifteen years later. But what happened? It's out of tune, dirty and doesn't sound like it used to. Do you throw it away? You could, but there are better options, like piano restoration.
Piano restoration can make any old instrument come alive again and work as well or better than it once did. Imagine that gorgeous old baby grand, cleaned up and in tune, ready to be played again. A good piano technician can make your old piano sound better than it ever did, even when it was brand new.
Like any other instrument, pianos have limited lifespan. However, different parts on pianos also have different life spans, and this is one of the main reasons piano restoration can be so effective/ For example, on an instrument that saw heavy use over its life, the hammers might be worn while the soundboard could be alive and kicking, so to speak, for decades more.
Thus, having a piano technician look at your instrument every couple years and replace worn parts can eliminate the need for deeper, more intensive restoration later on. Though piano restoration is a very good thing, it should only be done on expensive pianos or on pianos with sentimental value, because it is also relatively expensive.
Its cost lies in the tediousness and the time involved in rebuilding or restoring a badly damaged or decrepit piano. For example, imagine a piano where some of the action parts, like the hammers, ribs and strings, are still in good condition, but the body is worn and cracked in areas, and the bridges are about to go out.
A good piano restorer could rebuild and replace the worn parts and tweak the okay parts so they are better than before. A good rule of thumb is that, when a piano technician assesses your piano and says repair, the cost will be mild to medium depending on the repair. Maintenance is in the same bracket, but restoration is a clue that it is getting more expensive, and rebuilding is even more intensive.
So while restoration can be an excellent venture if you love your piano immensely, if it holds sentimental or historical value or if it is valuable enough to justify the expense, don't do it if you have only lukewarm feelings about the piano and don't use it much. You will be better off selling your piano to a technician who will rebuild and resell it, and buying a newer one with part of the money from the sale.
David Anderson Pianos is a full-service piano business offering complete restoration and maintenance services for pianos in the Los Angeles area. For more information, please visit Davidandersenpianos.com.
Save money at the Movies
Have you ever wondered to yourself, “How can a night at the movies be so expensive?” Think about it…a family of four, 2 adults 2 children, pay $26 for tickets, $8.00 for a large popcorn, $4.00 for a soda, $3.50 for that candy bar, oh wait, your other kid wants a candy bar too, so that’s $7 for candy, and $4 in quarters for the vending machines while your waiting for the movie. I think you get the point. Well going to the movies doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition. Now I’m not a cheapo, but I know how and where to spend my money wisely. That being said, here are a few tips on how to save at the box office:
BYOP
Bring your own popcorn! Why pay $8 for a popcorn which you end up throwing away half of anyway because it’s big enough to feed a small militia? Last week I went to a certain large superstore (no names but it begins with a Wal, and ends with a mart), and paid $5.00 for 24 packs of popcorn. Simply pop it in the microwave before you leave and you can save a decent amount of money right there.
BYOS
Bring your own Soda! Better yet, bring your own any kind of drink. Given the choices at the movies, you might be limited as to what you can get to refresh your taste buds. Try a can of soda from another unnamed place, where the retail price per can is a low $0.15 a can. That’s $3.85 saved on soda. Not too bad at all.
Skip the wait
The longer your kids have to wait around at the theatre, the more hyper they’ll be and the more you’ll have to spend to keep them occupied. Research shows most people get to the movies right before the show starts, so if you get there about 10 minutes before the show, you should get a great seat and avoid the hassle.
Don’t pay at all
Why pay when you can see a free movie…A certain cinema offers free movies in the summer for families, just check it out on google and type in “free movie theatres”. Also, many companies offer promotions where you can sit in as a movie “critic” for free in screen tests for movies. That’s right, you see movies before they are even released, and it’s free. Once again, go to google and type in “how to get free movie screening passes”. You’d be shocked how easy it is to get into a free movie.
When all else fails, simply rent a movie from your local store. It’s cheap, the parking is great, the most comfortable seats in the house are your own, and there’s all the food you can eat there too. Oh yeah, and when you need to go to the bathroom, just click pause!
--
Rob Vrabel is the owner of www.2havefun.com, the #1 source for fun things to do in the U.S. To check out lots of other places to have fun in your state, go to www.2havefun.com.
Why Most Independent Artist Fail!
This is a question that I am most commonly asked. The answer is
pretty simple – most independent artist do not understand that
concept of marketing let alone online marketing.
Obviously I can not cover an entire marketing course in this article
but I can however give you a few facts that will put you on the right
road.
The first thing that you MUST do is learn to put yourself in the
shoes of your target audience or in this case your fans. That is a
lot easier said than done. Without a fan base you do not have a
music career.
As a independent artist it is crucial that you own your own domain
name. If you have MySpace as your primary internet presence you are
making a huge mistake. Now before you go on a rant allow me to explain.
If you are using MySpace as your Internet presence you are placing
your entire career in the hands of another company. Lets say that
you have spent your time and effort in promoting your MySpace page
and everyone knows that is where they can find you. You wake up
tomorrow to realize that MySpace has decided to shut down while the
getting is good. Where does that put you? I’ll tell you where back
at square one!
No I’m not suggesting that you forget about MySpace I’m just telling
you it is a bad idea to have MySpace as your primary website.
MySpace should be used to drive traffic back to your domain, where
you have control over your destiny.
Another common mistake that I see independent artist doing is they
fail to invest in the business aspect of their careers. No I am
going to guess that when you just read that last sentence you
probably said to yourself, “I do invest into my career.” If you do
not have at least one Internet Marketing book or eBook you my friend
are on the wrong track.
I can pretty much bet that you have your webpage set up all wrong.
Nine out of ten independent artist’s websites are what I like to
call, “look at me websites.” The harsh reality of it all is nobody
knows you! When a potential fan comes to your site they have one
thing on their mind and one thing only, and that is WIIFM! That
stands for “What’s In It For Me!” They want to know what do you have
to offer them – why should they come to your website over the million
other independent artist? This is were your marketing strategies
come into play!
I know this is going to sound a little crazy but lets role play for a
few minutes. Let’s say that you are a country music fan (the genre
doesn’t matter) and you go to a website and a video pops with a young
lady on it and she says, “I just want to thank all of my fans, for
showing up at my last concert, and I appreciate your support… In
fact I have two free tracks that I just posted for you online… Let me
show you where to go download them now.” POW the video ends and you
are automatically taken to a special download area exclusively for
the fans!
How do you think that would make a fan feel? Do you think that
someone would actually go and download the special fan tracks –
located is an exclusive area… Your dog on right they will.
I hope that this article sparked that marketing genius that dwells
deep inside of all of us. I wish you the best of luck with your
music career and I hope that I have the opportunity to do a personal
interview with you real soon.
Tim Beachum – Owner of the MusicBizCoach.com,
MusicBusinessInaBox.com, Jackin4Beats.com, and author of the audio CD
“The Ultimate Guide To Self-Promotion”. You can contact Mr. Beachum
via email at: timb@musicbizcoach.com.=
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