If you enjoyed that then you might also like - where do ideas come from?
Friday 23 November 2012
10 TED talks about being creative
0
TED talks, has started to produce some themed playlists - one of which is 10 talks about the beauty and difficulty of being creative
If you enjoyed that then you might also like - where do ideas come from?
If you enjoyed that then you might also like - where do ideas come from?
Monday 12 November 2012
£100 Amazon vouchers could be yours...
0
The University is undertaking some work to explore digital literacy skills and employability and we need your views. Please take a few minutes to complete our survey and have the chance to be entered into a prize draw for £100 Amazon vouchers.
Go to the survey
Go to the survey
Wednesday 7 November 2012
Looking for number and factoids for the British Music industry ? try BPI yearbook 2012 and the Official charts
0
The new edition of the 2012 BPI Yearbook is now available - find it in the statistics collection at the number: 338.4762138932 BPI.
The yearbook provides facts, figures and analsis of recorded music in the UK - Topics covered include music consumption, music retail, sales figures by format and this year even includes a profile of the top rock best sellers in vinyl.
Because it's an invaluable resource you won't be able to borrow it. However we also keep the older editions, so you can make a comparison of data going back to 1999.
Some of the information that has been used has come from the Official Charts company http://www.officialcharts.com/. It is responsible for the commissioning, marketing, distribution and management of the UK's official music and video charts.
You can also access their Vault, where you can search their full database of singles, albums , compilation and video charts going back to 1960, here. Search for artists, charts, singles and album titles by filling in the relevant field on the top right.
The new edition of the 2012 BPI Yearbook is now available - find it in the statistics collection at the number: 338.4762138932 BPI.
The yearbook provides facts, figures and analsis of recorded music in the UK - Topics covered include music consumption, music retail, sales figures by format and this year even includes a profile of the top rock best sellers in vinyl.
Because it's an invaluable resource you won't be able to borrow it. However we also keep the older editions, so you can make a comparison of data going back to 1999.
Some of the information that has been used has come from the Official Charts company http://www.officialcharts.com/. It is responsible for the commissioning, marketing, distribution and management of the UK's official music and video charts.
You can also access their Vault, where you can search their full database of singles, albums , compilation and video charts going back to 1960, here. Search for artists, charts, singles and album titles by filling in the relevant field on the top right.
Tuesday 23 October 2012
Narrative trust - stylish academic writing
0
I've had several conversations recently with academics and PHD researchers about how inaccessible some academic writing can be, after which I stumbled across a really interesting (and of course accessible) article in the Times Higher Education Supplement by Helen Sword about academic writing Narrative trust. The author targets academics who write, but most, if not all of the points can be applied to any type of writing in academia.
Helen Sword is the author of Stylish Academic Writing which is available to borrow from the library.
I've had several conversations recently with academics and PHD researchers about how inaccessible some academic writing can be, after which I stumbled across a really interesting (and of course accessible) article in the Times Higher Education Supplement by Helen Sword about academic writing Narrative trust. The author targets academics who write, but most, if not all of the points can be applied to any type of writing in academia.
Helen Sword is the author of Stylish Academic Writing which is available to borrow from the library.
Tuesday 25 September 2012
Welcome
0
This year for induction and the start of term, Harrow library is running a QR trail
Follow the QR trail in the Harrow Library then complete a short quiz to be entered into a prize draw. The winner will receive 2 tickets for the Everyman cinema
You will need a smart phone or device and you will need to download any free QR reader app from your app store.
Free QR Reader Android or free QR Reader iPhone:
You will also need interent access on your device. Use the University’s wireless network (wmin-wifi) for free wifi access.
Follow the trail and look out for QR barcodes round the library. Scan the codes with your QR reader
Go to: http://bit.ly/harrowqr11 to enter the prize draw.
Welcome to new students and welcome back to continuing students. I'm looking forward to meeting you over the next year.
Follow the QR trail in the Harrow Library then complete a short quiz to be entered into a prize draw. The winner will receive 2 tickets for the Everyman cinema
You will need a smart phone or device and you will need to download any free QR reader app from your app store.
Free QR Reader Android or free QR Reader iPhone:
You will also need interent access on your device. Use the University’s wireless network (wmin-wifi) for free wifi access.
Follow the trail and look out for QR barcodes round the library. Scan the codes with your QR reader
Go to: http://bit.ly/harrowqr11 to enter the prize draw.
Friday 31 August 2012
SONG BOOKS by John Cage @ Toynbee Studios
0
New Work Network presents John Cage’s ‘Song Books’, performed by ex-members of the Scratch Orchestra, alongside a younger generation of performers and composers.
SONG BOOKS by John Cage @ Toynbee Studios
New Work Network presents John Cage’s ‘Song Books’, performed by ex-members of the Scratch Orchestra, alongside a younger generation of performers and composers.
SONG BOOKS by John Cage @ Toynbee Studios
Tuesday 14 August 2012
The Live Music Exchange
0
http://www.livemusicexchange.org
This free resource, is a web hub which links topical discussion with an ever-expanding searchable archive of resources such as reports, articles, conference papers and bibliographical information.
Useful to students, academics and researchers concerned with all aspects of live music.
http://www.livemusicexchange.org
This free resource, is a web hub which links topical discussion with an ever-expanding searchable archive of resources such as reports, articles, conference papers and bibliographical information.
Useful to students, academics and researchers concerned with all aspects of live music.
Wednesday 25 July 2012
New Development - Library subscribes to BOB - box of broadcasts
0
Great news - the library has taken up a subscription to BOB - (Box of broadcasts).
BOB is a media archive and streaming service. It works a bit like BBCs' i-player, but it covers all of the TV channels and radio stations available on your freeview box, including the commercial channels.
Once a programme has been recorded it stays in the archive and any institution that subscribes to BOB has access to the whole archive. So although we are a late adopter of the system, Westminster benefits by being able to access a large and ever growing archive.
After following the link to Bob - use the "where are you from" sign in and if it's your first time accessing teh system create yourself an account. After doign this you will have access to the whole archive, be able to request recording of programmes, create playlists and edit clips from programmes.
If you missed the Amy Winehouse programme that was shown on Monday 23rd July on BBC FOUR, don't worry it's here - Just sign in with your Westminster account to watch and listen and enjoy!
BOB is a media archive and streaming service. It works a bit like BBCs' i-player, but it covers all of the TV channels and radio stations available on your freeview box, including the commercial channels.
Once a programme has been recorded it stays in the archive and any institution that subscribes to BOB has access to the whole archive. So although we are a late adopter of the system, Westminster benefits by being able to access a large and ever growing archive.
After following the link to Bob - use the "where are you from" sign in and if it's your first time accessing teh system create yourself an account. After doign this you will have access to the whole archive, be able to request recording of programmes, create playlists and edit clips from programmes.
If you missed the Amy Winehouse programme that was shown on Monday 23rd July on BBC FOUR, don't worry it's here - Just sign in with your Westminster account to watch and listen and enjoy!
Friday 29 June 2012
Monday 18 June 2012
Creative Suite 6 Design & Web Premium for students and teachers
0
Download a free 30-day trial version of CS6 software – and try out exciting new features.
Try now
Buy now
Download and install all the latest CS6 desktop software, plus access additional ground-breaking tools and services,**with an annual membership to new Adobe Creative Cloud™.
Qualifying education customers can sign up for an annual membership to Creative cloud for only £22.46 (including VAT) per month.
Get up to 80% off* on CS6 – and prepare for success
Download a free 30-day trial version of CS6 software – and try out exciting new features.
Try now
Buy now
Download and install all the latest CS6 desktop software, plus access additional ground-breaking tools and services,**with an annual membership to new Adobe Creative Cloud™.
Qualifying education customers can sign up for an annual membership to Creative cloud for only £22.46 (including VAT) per month.
Friday 25 May 2012
Summer vacation loans
0
From Saturday 9 June 2012 three week loans and one week loans will be issued over the vacation period to be returned during the week beginning Monday 24 September 2012.
To ensure we have a wide range of books available for all students before the start of the vacation loans, from Friday 25 May until Friday 8 June 3 week loans will be issued to a fixed date of Friday 15 June 2012.
From Saturday 9 June 2012 three week loans and one week loans will be issued over the vacation period to be returned during the week beginning Monday 24 September 2012.
To ensure we have a wide range of books available for all students before the start of the vacation loans, from Friday 25 May until Friday 8 June 3 week loans will be issued to a fixed date of Friday 15 June 2012.
Hip-hop on trial - Intelligence Squared debate at the Barbican Tuesday 26th June
0
Intelligence Squared is teaming up with Google for a never-before-seen global debate on hip-hop on Tuesday 26th June at Barbican Centre.
See celebrated civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, computer scientist and composer Jaron Lanier, hip-hop pioneer and legend KRS-One, Tricia Rose Chair of the Department of Africana Studies at Brown University and many more stars lock horns in the unique Versus courtroom debate format. Some of the speakers will be on stage in London, others beamed in from around the world. Buy tickets here.
More information on Intelligence Squared at http://www.intelligencesquared.com/about
See celebrated civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, computer scientist and composer Jaron Lanier, hip-hop pioneer and legend KRS-One, Tricia Rose Chair of the Department of Africana Studies at Brown University and many more stars lock horns in the unique Versus courtroom debate format. Some of the speakers will be on stage in London, others beamed in from around the world. Buy tickets here.
More information on Intelligence Squared at http://www.intelligencesquared.com/about
Friday 11 May 2012
Thursday 10 May 2012
Pod Academy - podcasts of current academic research
0
Wharfedale Isodynamic headphones Rank Radio Industrial Design Unit
Listen to the podcast of the interview with Sujatha Fernandes (associate professor of sociology at Queens College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York) talking about her research on the globalisation of hip-hop including the impact of rap on the Arab Spring . Her research is published in a book "Close to the edge in search of a global hip hop generation" . The book will be available soon in the library - search for it and request it on Library Search.
Read an opinion piece in the Times Higher Education Supplement about the Pod Academy by Sally Feldman .
Wharfedale Isodynamic headphones Rank Radio Industrial Design Unit
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Listen to the podcast of the interview with Sujatha Fernandes (associate professor of sociology at Queens College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York) talking about her research on the globalisation of hip-hop including the impact of rap on the Arab Spring . Her research is published in a book "Close to the edge in search of a global hip hop generation" . The book will be available soon in the library - search for it and request it on Library Search.
Read an opinion piece in the Times Higher Education Supplement about the Pod Academy by Sally Feldman .
Friday 4 May 2012
0
A special issue of the journal Popular Music on the topic of "music dance and ageing" is now available via Library Search. To access it , search for "Popular Music" in Library Search and you can read articles on topics such as "Popular music and the aesthetics of ageing" or "How we feel the music: popular music for elders by elders".
The editors of the journal Murray Forman and Jan Fairley write:
"Notions of music such as rock and pop being ‘youth musics’ shift when, in 2011, we consider that The Beatles' Paul McCartney is five years past the rhetorical age of 64, giving the song new meaning when he sings it on tour – and, yes, like many of his pivotal generation, McCartney is still touring. It is 46 years since The Who released ‘My Generation’ in 1965 with Pete Townshend's (now 66) once provocative lyrics, ‘I hope I die before I get old’. From a different era, Tony Martin, US vocalist, film and television star, now 99 years old, performed live club dates as recently as three years ago. Tony Bennett, the great interpreter of song ‘standards’, is also still actively touring and recording at 85 years of age, releasing his CD Duets II in 2011. Indeed, in 2006 the American Association for Retired People (AARP) sponsored Bennett's US tour, while the 2007 AARP national convention featured performances by UK star Rod Stewart and the US group Earth, Wind and Fire".
New feature for Kindle users
You now have thel option of being able to download the articles from Popular Music to read on your kindle . Chose the HTML option to view the journal article - there's a send to kindle icon and full instructions.
The editors of the journal Murray Forman and Jan Fairley write:
"Notions of music such as rock and pop being ‘youth musics’ shift when, in 2011, we consider that The Beatles' Paul McCartney is five years past the rhetorical age of 64, giving the song new meaning when he sings it on tour – and, yes, like many of his pivotal generation, McCartney is still touring. It is 46 years since The Who released ‘My Generation’ in 1965 with Pete Townshend's (now 66) once provocative lyrics, ‘I hope I die before I get old’. From a different era, Tony Martin, US vocalist, film and television star, now 99 years old, performed live club dates as recently as three years ago. Tony Bennett, the great interpreter of song ‘standards’, is also still actively touring and recording at 85 years of age, releasing his CD Duets II in 2011. Indeed, in 2006 the American Association for Retired People (AARP) sponsored Bennett's US tour, while the 2007 AARP national convention featured performances by UK star Rod Stewart and the US group Earth, Wind and Fire".
New feature for Kindle users
You now have thel option of being able to download the articles from Popular Music to read on your kindle . Chose the HTML option to view the journal article - there's a send to kindle icon and full instructions.
Tuesday 1 May 2012
0
Welcome back from the Easter break ready to finish off this semester's work.
John Peel's record collection has gone online in The Space.
Today the first 100 As have been released, on 8th May the first 100 Bs, 15th May first 100 Cs, and so on until October 2012 when the project ends.
When you come to the website you will see John Peel’s home studio, from which you will be able to access the contents of the record collection as it is added to each week, as well as videos , photos, Peel sessions and radio shows. Once in the collection you will be able to move up and down the shelves of the record collection, picking out certain choice records and going through the first 100 as though you were standing in front of the shelves in John’s studio.
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrishimself/3510405692/ |
John Peel's record collection has gone online in The Space.
Today the first 100 As have been released, on 8th May the first 100 Bs, 15th May first 100 Cs, and so on until October 2012 when the project ends.
When you come to the website you will see John Peel’s home studio, from which you will be able to access the contents of the record collection as it is added to each week, as well as videos , photos, Peel sessions and radio shows. Once in the collection you will be able to move up and down the shelves of the record collection, picking out certain choice records and going through the first 100 as though you were standing in front of the shelves in John’s studio.
Tuesday 10 April 2012
Taylor & Francis Online :: Popular Music and Society - Most Frequently Read Articles
0
Follow the link to the most read articles from the journal Popular Music and Society
Taylor & Francis Online :: Popular Music and Society - Most Frequently Read Articles
Be inspired. Browse journal articles that range from the celebration of failure in American Idol to what is inde rock? to the rise of internet distribution.
If you are off-campus log-in via the Shibboleth link and your University of Westmister username and password.
Follow the link to the most read articles from the journal Popular Music and Society
Taylor & Francis Online :: Popular Music and Society - Most Frequently Read Articles
Be inspired. Browse journal articles that range from the celebration of failure in American Idol to what is inde rock? to the rise of internet distribution.
If you are off-campus log-in via the Shibboleth link and your University of Westmister username and password.
Tuesday 3 April 2012
Copyright exceptions will not deliver anticipated economic growth, licensing bodies say
0
Copyright exceptions will not deliver anticipated economic growth, licensing bodies say
The Government's plans – driven by the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) – threatens to "undermine" the success in the growth of licensing, PRS for Music said.
"Creators should not be forced to give away their work for free in order to subsidise other businesses through more exceptions," it said. "Consumers should not be directed to illegal services. Businesses should not be held back by unnecessary red tape."
The Government's plans – driven by the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) – threatens to "undermine" the success in the growth of licensing, PRS for Music said.
"Creators should not be forced to give away their work for free in order to subsidise other businesses through more exceptions," it said. "Consumers should not be directed to illegal services. Businesses should not be held back by unnecessary red tape."
Tuesday 13 March 2012
Tips for using e-books
0
Banding together : how communities create genres in popular music / Jennifer C. Lena
Why do some music styles gain mass popularity while others thrive in small niches? "Banding Together" explores this question and reveals the attributes that together explain the growth of twentieth-century American popular music.
As well as reading this book online, you can download it onto your desktop for a maximum of three days. Some publishers such as this one - Princeton University Press, have relaxed their publishing and copyright restrictions, which means you can now print 20% or copy 10% of the book if you are viewing it online.
If you are a Mac user you may have had some problems with e-books opening one page at a time in separate pdf files when you try to read online and scrambled content when downloading e-books.
If you have Safari 5.1
• download and use Google Chrome (in Google Chrome, type about:plugins in the address bar and check that Chrome PDF Viewer is enabled) and/or
• download the Schubert plugin http://www.schubert-it.com/pluginpdf/
If you have Safari 5.0 or lower
Files downloaded from Dawsonera do not work with Preview, the default pdf viewer on a Mac. Users need to download the latest Adobe Acrobat reader and open the file using that program. To set Adobe Acrobat as the default PDF viewer, CTRL-click on any pdf document in the Finder window, click Get Info, then choose Adobe in the “open with” dropdown list and also click on the “change all” button.
The problem of each page opening in a separate pdf window when reading online should be solved by checking the settings in Adobe itself. Open Adobe Reader and go to Adobe>Preferences>Internet and make sure that “display PDF in browser using:” is checked.
Why do some music styles gain mass popularity while others thrive in small niches? "Banding Together" explores this question and reveals the attributes that together explain the growth of twentieth-century American popular music.
As well as reading this book online, you can download it onto your desktop for a maximum of three days. Some publishers such as this one - Princeton University Press, have relaxed their publishing and copyright restrictions, which means you can now print 20% or copy 10% of the book if you are viewing it online.
If you are a Mac user you may have had some problems with e-books opening one page at a time in separate pdf files when you try to read online and scrambled content when downloading e-books.
If you have Safari 5.1
• download and use Google Chrome (in Google Chrome, type about:plugins in the address bar and check that Chrome PDF Viewer is enabled) and/or
• download the Schubert plugin http://www.schubert-it.com/pluginpdf/
If you have Safari 5.0 or lower
Files downloaded from Dawsonera do not work with Preview, the default pdf viewer on a Mac. Users need to download the latest Adobe Acrobat reader and open the file using that program. To set Adobe Acrobat as the default PDF viewer, CTRL-click on any pdf document in the Finder window, click Get Info, then choose Adobe in the “open with” dropdown list and also click on the “change all” button.
The problem of each page opening in a separate pdf window when reading online should be solved by checking the settings in Adobe itself. Open Adobe Reader and go to Adobe>Preferences>Internet and make sure that “display PDF in browser using:” is checked.
new e-books added to the library collection
0
We've just added the following music e-books to the library resources
Popular music and the state in the UK : culture, trade or industry? / Martin Cloonan
Martin Cloonan examines why politicians and policymakers in the UK have sought to intervene in popular music. The author traces the development of government attitudes and policies towards popular music from the 1950s to the present, discovering the prominence of two overlapping concerns: public order and the political economy of music.
Popular music and the state in the UK : culture, trade or industry? / Martin Cloonan
Martin Cloonan examines why politicians and policymakers in the UK have sought to intervene in popular music. The author traces the development of government attitudes and policies towards popular music from the 1950s to the present, discovering the prominence of two overlapping concerns: public order and the political economy of music.
Performing class in British popular music / Nathan Wiseman-Trowse
Performing Class in British Popular Music examines the role that class signification plays in popular music in the UK, from folk music through to the present day. Rather than seeing class as a purely social or economic concept, Nathan Wiseman-Trowse understands it as a mythological concept that is constructed through the musical text in order to assure the listener of the authenticity of a piece of pop music
Log-in with your University username and password to access these and many more titles.
Friday 9 March 2012
Thursday 8 March 2012
Diamond Times for NME
0
Happy 60th Birthday to NME.
This year NME are also celebrating their Diamond Jubilee
The first issue was published 7th March 1952 when the Accordian Times was merged with Musical Express. Although the library at Harrow doesn't hold the very first issue we have got a large collection of NMEs dating back as far as 1975.
Spend a few happy hours browsing the collection and enjoy music journalism and photography from a great British institution.
This year NME are also celebrating their Diamond Jubilee
The first issue was published 7th March 1952 when the Accordian Times was merged with Musical Express. Although the library at Harrow doesn't hold the very first issue we have got a large collection of NMEs dating back as far as 1975.
Spend a few happy hours browsing the collection and enjoy music journalism and photography from a great British institution.
Monday 13 February 2012
£1m distribution by PRS
0
PRS (Performing Rights Society) for music has announced distribution of over £1m to small independent music companies. Distribution is the result of pan-European licensing through its Independent Music Publishers’ European Licensing (IMPEL) initiative, set up in 2010.
To date PRS for Music has pan-European licensing deals with 7digital, Spotify, Amazon, Apple iTunes and Research in Motion amongst others and recently announced a licensing deal with Apple for its cloud-based music services, the third cloud service to be licensed. Read the PRS press statement here.
To date PRS for Music has pan-European licensing deals with 7digital, Spotify, Amazon, Apple iTunes and Research in Motion amongst others and recently announced a licensing deal with Apple for its cloud-based music services, the third cloud service to be licensed. Read the PRS press statement here.
Thursday 26 January 2012
Does copyright law restrict creativity?
0
I went to a Tech City talk at the end of October on the topic of copyright law, which might be of interest.
Feargal Sharkey, Ed Vaizey and Ian Hargreaves were speaking on the topic of
“Intellectual Property and Copyright - intellectual property and copyright in a digital age. How do we balance between the competing needs of the creative industry: to protect themselves, but stay open enough to ensure continued innovation?”
The podcast of the talk is here and there’s a useful list of related resources here.
“Intellectual Property and Copyright - intellectual property and copyright in a digital age. How do we balance between the competing needs of the creative industry: to protect themselves, but stay open enough to ensure continued innovation?”
The podcast of the talk is here and there’s a useful list of related resources here.
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