The mantra for the music sensation Spotify has turned out to be like this: get the users of the service first hooked for nothing with the help of the quality selection, offering it for free. And once they are hooked, ask them it is free no more.

The Swedish company working on the US land now is free for the users initially, but only initially. You might be surprised to know that in the first four months the company has gathered over 4 million users who are engaged in playing from its over 15 million titles. You may guess one of the reasons: it is free, absolutely free.

But as it is revealed now it is just a part of its strategy to attract more customers. It can only be business strategy with the giants only as the company has to pay a royalty to the original source of the music very time you listen a song on its service for “free”. The other elements of its strategy are also intelligent.

Once the customers are hooked, they will certainly not mind paying for the quality service. It includes listening to your favorite songs from its vast collection without any commercial breaks. The service is available on your mobile as well. There are even more premium features with Spotify that offers seamless music.

The entry of the company in the US market is timely as well. Researches project a rise in the market for subscription of music services almost four fold from the previous year to $2.2 billion. If you have an eye on this market and are capable of affording the royalties for a few months, it is all the wiser to go the Spotify way.

The company has already been a success in Europe but the US is the biggest market for music and it is on its way to succeed there.
The services offered, after the phase of free service, cost $ 4.99 to the subscribers. Those to enjoy music on smartphones have to pay $9.99.

The company doesn’t declare how many of the users have switched to the paid mode of service. But the numbers of free users certainly give a hint about the prospects the company is enjoying.

Kenneth Parks, the head of Spotify’s U.S. operations, reveals the basis of its confidence. He says Spotify is fast and engaging beside its great collection and quality in delivering its service.

He also hints towards the projections showing the market is on rise. He agrees that exposure to the quality service for no charge is the key to success in this case. So everyone gets his/her share you get the music and the company gets its profit!

Mark Elder recently wrote an article about the top five symphonies of history. One among them was the Shostakovich’s seventh Symphony Leningrad. It was composed during the Second World War, in 1941. It is taken to be one of the most dramatic symphonies of the world.

It was performed in the city of Leningrad. The orchestra was rebuilt from the remains of the War. It made a milestone in the history of music and every musician, even till today, has its impact on him. It is seen as a product of the decisive conflict of the Second World War that shaped its culmination: the conflict had Soviets on the one side and the Nazi’s in the leadership of Hitler on the other.

This backdrop and the never-fading quality of the music underline the fact that it is society that is the ultimate source of a creation. The musician with his great talent is a medium to express the energies of the people at a particular time in history. The music went so popular and impactful. It had to go that way because if the Nazis were not ultimately defeated, they would have written even darker chapters of history of the 20th century.

Some seek in Shostakovich’s music an expression of his unrest against Stalin’s regime, but it is the historical war on its way to victory that the music takes inspiration from and in turn it inspires the same. The war proved to be a historical victory for humanity and the symphony made its way to people’s hearts likewise.

The symphony is statement of the hardships the war was bringing to the whole world. The first movement of the symphony has a never-ending drumming from its middle that goes on getting louder and ever louder culminating in an almost trembling orchestra in the end.

It produces a ghastly fury and symbolizes the one produced by the war itself. The drumming starts in the middle of the movement, symbolizing the mischievous but nasty arrival of the Nazis to the Soviet land.

The end of the historical symphony is a statement of victory. When a victory is a product of involvement of whole people of a nation, who endeavor to move against the current, it results in changing the direction the current moves. And every weapon employed in it, including the music, becomes immortal.

Learning how to play the piano is a great way to step into the wonderful world of making music. The piano itself is one of the most versatile instruments and playing it requires good hand/eye coordination, skillful listening to ensure the notes are in tune and the willingness to allow yourself to connect with the music you are creating. Playing piano chords may not seem easy at first, but once learned, you will soon hear the beautiful music you can make with them.

Whether you are just starting out or have been playing piano for a while, knowing how to play the chords is an important skill to master. Different chords are used to make all different types of music whether it is jazz or classical. If you are gearing up to one day write music, then a working knowledge of piano chords is necessary in order to determine which chords work well together to create the music you desire. A good piano instructor will start you off with the chords before anything else.

For more experienced piano players who want to take their skills to the next level, a private tutor can provide the necessary instruction. He or she can help you put chords together that make for beautiful melodies that other piano players may not be able to create.

At first glance, the piano can look a bit intimidating with its eighty-eight keys in black and white, pedals on the bottom and an intricate web of strings inside. But like learning any new skill, patience and practice is all you need. A keen ear listening to your instructor or tutor play the chords will help you develop the skill to recognize how they are supposed to sound. Pretty soon, you will know them by heart—or by ear.

Piano instructors can be costly, but that does not mean you have to give up your dream of playing. Books, videos and the internet are great resources to begin learning piano chords. Of course, learning the notes is also important in understanding the complexity of chord playing. Labeling the keys is a helpful way of remembering them.

Don’t give up if you don’t get the hang of piano playing right away. It’s a delicate instrument that requires a bit of determination and stubbornness to master. Keep practicing, watch others play piano if you can and study the notes. Before you know it, you’ll be tickling those ivories like a pro.