Decision making Essay Example for Free

Decision making Essay My personal ethics development has been a process and it has changed over the years from people influencing me and myself maturing. As a child, I was raised well by my mother who always taught me to do the right thing when no one was looking. She always made sure I respected my elders and had good manners. I went to a Catholic school when I was in grade school and high school. My family and I would go to church every Sunday and have dinner together every night. My family always taught me to have good values and morals, to be a part of the community in a productive way. The people that raised me in my earlier life played a huge importance on the man I have become. At this point of my life ,I thought my compass was true north as we heard Mr. O’Rourke talk about in the video lecture. I had strong values at all times or at least I thought I did. As my life went on I realized that my compass was north ,but it wasnt true north. I still had room to grow and become more mature in my decision-making. Sometimes it can be very hard to judge how ethic you are like a person because you are judging yourself. I graduated high school and soon after that I decided that I was going to join the Army instead of going to college. I was 19 years old when I joined the United States Army and enlisted for four years. The minute I arrived to boot camp I was introduced to the seven Army values which are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. We had to memorize these army values ,as well as The Soldiers Creed and Warrior ethos. The warrior ethos is, I will always place the mission first, I will never quit, I will never accept defeat, and I will never leave a fallen comrade. Every morning we would stand information and have to repeat these creeds and Army values as a group. At the time ,I did not understand why it was suppose important memorize all these things. They would make us do team building exercises, where you would have to trust your fellow Soldiers. Then the next six years of my life will change how I looked at my moral decision making for the rest of my life. I went to Iraq when I was 20 for a 15-month tour and came back 22 years old. Within those six years ,I deployed to Iraq three deferent times for a total of 33 months. While you are deployed in a war situation you will be faced with unethical decisions on a daily basis this is where you got to separate your religious and personal ethics with your jobs ethics. Sometimes you need to make a decision based on a duty-based principal, were right and wrong is determined by an outside source. You do things you don’t necessarily believe in ,but its for the better of the workplace, work or in this case for the Army. I look back to the days of basic training and throughout the nine years I have been in the Army and I realize why the Army puts so must stress on values. We have classes all the time on ethics, decision-making and critical thinking. The Army prepares you for the hard decisions you are going to have to make with using sound judgment and values. All the training I received from the Army and them instilling values and standards in my brain helped me to always make ethical decisions in the most distraught instances. It helped me that I was raised with good ethics, morals, and values. It made the transition in the Army easier for myself than some of the other Soldiers. The Army is a perfect example of just because you were raised with bad ethics or values do not mean that you will always live that way. People are brought in from all over the world and have to work with each other on a daily basis and trust each other. The Army will teach you how to have good ethics and values. I see people change all the time over the course of time. They will make you have a role model character once they make you believe in the values and ethics. I am not saying everyone will change or will be able to change but if a person truly wants to change they can change with strong leaders in place with good characters. Ethics is crucial in the business world because there is so much room for corruption and misbehavior in the workplace. There is many chances to make unethical decisions in business that is why it is so important to have mandatory training and have people who believe in you work for you. Every company or business needs to come up with some policy such as code to ethics in the workplace environment. Just cause someone grew up a bad apple does not mean that the person is going to be a bad apple there whole life. People who impact them throughout their lives can change them or a certain job with high ethic standards could change their point of view. It could be as simple as one person who influences that person for them to change to the perspective on their ethics. Without ethics in organizations, there would be no sense of trust among employees and as well with customers. You want to know your employees are making ethical decisions because you cannot watch everyone that works for you all the time. You want them to act the same way whether you are in a room with them or a thousand miles away. It is your responsibility as a leader to influence these people and instill these values and ethics in them. You need to make your employees believe in you and your ideas. Throughout my life ,I feel I have had strong morals but many people have influenced me in a positive way. Most people just need positive influences in their life to shape them to have good strong ethics. I was just lucky enough to have these people in my life from an early age and throughout my life. I have never been the person who does things for entitlement-based, I do not find myself making decisions solely on the basis of what is best for myself.

Comparing the Characters of The Stranger (The Outsider) and The Trial :: comparison compare contrast essays

Characters of  Camus’ The Stranger (The Outsider) and  Kafka’s The Trial    The characters of the chaplain, in Albert Camus’ The Outsider, and the priest, in Franz Kafka’s The Trial, are quite similar, and are pivotal to the development of the novel. These characters serve essentially to bring the question of God and religion to probe the existentialist aspects of it, in novels completely devoid of religious context. The main idea visible about these two characters is that they are both the last ones seen by the protagonists, Mearsault and K., both non-believers in the word of the lord. Whereas the chaplain in The Outsider tries to make Mearsault believe in the existence of god, the priest tries to warn and explain to K. what will happen to him. The reason the chaplain is the last one to see Mearsault is becasue it’s his job to let the prisioners have a final shot at redemption before they are executed. The reason that K. meets with the priest is out of advice given to him by someone, and he is the last character that he shows K. interac ting with (although it might be true that K. meets and interacts with other people after the meeting, but they are neither mentioned nor visible later on). The priest doesn’t try and make K. confess or anything of the sort, he is mainly there to converse with the character, his religious position is almost put to no use. The existentialist view of religion is that humans have been alienated from god, from each other, and so forth. In the novel Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the christian idea of salvation through suffering is omnipresent throughout the novel. What is visible with The Trial and The Outsider is that they don’t touch on the aspect of religion much throughout the story (The Outsider has bits and pieces of it appearing in his cross examinations but they are used more to mock than in an analitical sense). The presence of these two characters at the end of the novel serves to cover all the existentialist areas known to existemtialists (although i t is doubtful whether the authors consciously attempted to make the character’s present because of any existentialist rules they had to follow). The characters are required to structure the novels, beside the obvious existentialist areas.

Biodel Inc

BUAD 490 3/14/13 Team Written Case Analysis (Concise) Biodel, Inc. BIODEL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Biodel’s use of biotechnology expertise in the three prime areas of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Immunodiagnostics has led their company into some great opportunities. Biodel created a synthetic serum to replace fetal calf serum and horse serum, and provide a more consistently available product for scientific researchers. Biodel’s Molecular Biology division used DNA technology to gain 60% of the market share of growth factors and stock the largest collection of commercially available synthetic nucleotides, which was 50% of their sales.Biodel’s research and development in Immunodiagnostics led to the invention of DEMA, a non-radioactive method for measuring a wide array of biologically important substance. The intelligence and vision of Dr. Oscar Feldman drove Biodel to a position of leadership in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Feldman has applied innovations in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Immunodiagnostics to increase market share for Biodel’s products. Dr. Feldman’s scientific friends and academic contacts offered Biodel high-quality technological advice and links to scientific community, and led to sophisticated research and development advances.Now the company is at a crossroad with decisions and direction necessary. In addition to strategic planning, the company would benefit from a modest re-structuring to streamline operations and prepare for unexpected events. Their future investments should be in areas where patent protection is likely, and in directions and projects that exploit their native expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering. These technologies seem likely to transform health care in the next two decades.Having survived the threat of bankruptcy, Biodel now has a more balanced contract research portfolio and is poised to develop an even greater impact in the future. CURRENT SITUATION Bi odel's projected revenues for 1980 consist of $1 million in contract research, and around $1. 5 million in research products. The contract research revenue was split 70% from industrial research, and 30% government research. This research included work in Biodel's three main fields (molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology) as well as cancer chemotherapy and enzymology.These contracts are secured by Dr. Feldman through his relationships with other scientists. The revenue from research products also comes from the three main fields of Biodel. Nucleotides from the molecular biology area account for 50% of revenues, cell growth factors from the cell biology field account for 40%, and immunodiagnostics products account for the other 10%. Research product sales have been growing 35% over the last few years, even with limited marketing efforts. However, Biodel is being outcompeted in the immunodiagnostics market and further growth is not being pursued.Biodel has a very small staff, with the company split up into five different sections: the comptroller, advertising and sales, and then an experienced scientist manages each main field of the company. The scientists who manage their fields are all in charge of research and development, production, and even have some marketing responsibility. Dr. Feldman does not employ a marketing manager or a research director, instead filling both roles by himself. Feldman's style of management is very informal, preferring to walk around and talk to his employees rather than have them do unnecessary paperwork.The company itself is run more like an academic facility than a business, with the atmosphere more leaning towards challenging each other and making technological advances. In addition, employee turnover is very low so most of the staff is very experienced with the work that the company is doing. The staff is led by Dr. Feldman, who represents the main reason for low employee turnover. Biodel employees describe him as a u nique and enthusiastic man, and the reason why the company is so successful. Marketing had been a very inconsistent department, with Dr. Feldman usually assuming all of the major marketing responsibilities.But when Dr. Feldman decided that he needed to market his company more aggressively he hired Mr. Steve Kaplan who had been a marketing manager at a large pharmaceutical company. However, Mr. Kaplan and Dr. Feldman soon disagreed on who should direct Biodel's marketing strategy. Kaplan proceeded to spend a large amount of money on marketing, including hiring additional salespeople and other staff. These changes resulted in a 65% increase in sales, but marketing costs increased by 500%, which resulted in profits dropping from $95,000 in 1978 to $17,000 in 1979. As a result, Dr. Feldman is reconsidering Mr.Kaplan's direction in the marketing department. OPPORTUNITIES First, Biodel had under development a synthetic serum that would be used to satisfy growth requirements in cells. This would be an innovative product that could be a substitute for natural fetal calf serum and horse serum. However, a major problem with the fetal serum is the unstable fluctuation in cost. The cost is determined by the supply of the serum and the supply is determined by the number of calves that are slaughtered. The synthetic serum could offer a steady rate. The market is projected at $50 to $80 million.Biodel would have a competitive advantage over the competition and could attain 20% of the market share if they pursue this project. A big problem with this project is the uncertainty that Biodel will be able to receive a patent. That provides a major risk in this investment. Second, another project is available that is extremely intriguing to us. Biodel has the opportunity to produce a new product called DEMA. DEMA is a testing technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity. This product could be used to test for pregnancy, syphilis, hepatitis, cancer, toxins in food and carcinogens in the environment.DEMA is a healthier, safer, faster and cheaper way of testing than the radioactive method. There are no hazards or side effects to DEMA and it can provide the same results as radioactive tests. The problem with this project is the financial aspect. It is more expensive than the synthetic serum. Investments could total in the millions and the R costs could range from $1 to $3 million. However, this project has drawn the attention of major drug companies who are willing to participate in a joint venture with Biodel, which would help with the costs of the investment. Third, Biodel has been thinking about joining the genetic engineering field.The company has basic but not wide experience if this field but they have been a major supplier of molecular biology products. At the moment, there are four major competitors in the market; Cetus, Genentech, Genex and Biogen. The basic purpose of this field is to engineer a cell to produce a specific biological pr oduct. Competitors use the bacterium E. coli as their host cell, for the most part. Biodel has the opportunity to enter the market with a new strategy that involves the use of yeast as the host cell instead of E. coli. He and three other scientists believe that yeast would be a better host cell than E. coli.Yeast has a biochemical machinery that can allow the growth of medically relevant glycoproteins such as Interferon and Urokinase. These glycoproteins are used to inhibit the multiplication of cancerous cells and to disrupt blood clots. The investment costs for this project would be high, including salaries that Biodel would pay for Dr. Ballantine and three other highly successful scientists to work for them. However, the return on such an investment could be immense. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Biodel Board of Directors should hold annual or semi-annual Board meetings to review company progress. Dr. Feldman should delegate more.The Board should be expanded by 1 or 2 people to achieve greater diversity and breadth of expertise. Succession planning should be considered in case Dr. Feldman died, or a division head left. 2. Mr. Kaplan’s marketing group should be streamlined and asked to focus on a marketing strategy for DEMA. The marketing group can probably be reduced to lower costs while maintaining the increase in research product sales. Challenge Kaplan to analyze the marketing group to understand the most valuable parts versus parts that are expendable. 3. Among the growth opportunities to pursue, the synthetic growth factor option does not seem likely to succeed.Although it is the least expensive investment, there is uncertainty that the patent protection can be obtained. Furthermore, researchers accustomed to fetal bovine serum may be unlikely to abandon a tried and true method. In contrast, the DEMA technology is a unique opportunity for Biodel. It eliminates the risks and hazards associated with radioactivity, which researchers would appreciate. Ther e is a high likelihood of patent protection. Based on the information in the case, the company needs a better understanding of how to bring this product to market.This could be a great project for Kaplan’s smaller marketing group. 4. Pursue Genetic Engineering, with the advice and guidance of the four academic experts. This is an important initiative and Biodel’s connections with the prize-winning scientists are important. They should be paid per diems and offered stock options. One of the four also should be invited to join the Biodel Board of Directors. APPENDIX A SWOT Analysis S- Strengths Biotechnology special expertise by the 1970’s in – (three prime areas of focus/ other fields) 1.Cell biology – culture technology paid off 60% share growth factor market 40% offspring sales 2. Molecular biology – DNA paid off 60% share growth factor market – stocked largest commercially available synthetic nucleotides (50% of sales) 3. Immunodiag nostics biology a. Sub categories – Cancer chemotherapy – Enzymology Offered high-quality technological advice, numerous links to scientific community, highly sophisticated research and development service Feldman was able to secure contracts with his personal relationships with scientists in the government and industry Low employee turnoverW – Weaknesses Molecular biology – — researchers used numerous substitutes Immunodiagnostics biology large firms aggressively entered and has not expanded since 10% of sales of research products -1980 – profitability varied on depending on intensity of product research and development By the 1980’s 60% of company’s revenue was from commercializing research Reliant on government contracts when they started making cut backs – 85% contracts are government – forcing Biodel into 1st layoff (damaging to long-term otential) 55 employees scientists and technicians — no marketing manager or research director hired (Feldman filled both positions with widespread contacts and scientific expertise) Staff meetings rare and no regular reports required from subordinates Poor Marketing – Products sold by mail Depends on word of mouth – trade shows, advertising, direct mail, ad phone solicitation — customer service â€Å"almost laughable† O – OpportunitiesGoal to manufacture and market biochemical products developed through their own research Cell Biology – synthetic serums to satisfy growth requirements in cell lines of tissue culture – replacing natural fetal calf serum (most widely used, horse serum was 2nd most widely used). Market of 50 million domestically and 80 million worldwide growing at 15%– no systematic analysis of serum market done Immunodiagnostics- opportunity to enter the market – new test technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity – new product DEMA – s impler, faster, and less expensive.Market in excess of $100 million and has potential to be over $1 billion. High possibility for a patent and a joint venture with a major drug company. Genetic engineering – exciting advantages/high return on investments Supplier of molecular biology products – nucleotides and synthetic genes sold – supported by genetic engineers – some cases biodel was soul supplier T – Threats Relying on government contracts lead them to the threat of bankruptcy Biodel’s spending strategies APPENDIX B Biodel Inc BUAD 490 3/14/13 Team Written Case Analysis (Concise) Biodel, Inc. BIODEL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Biodel’s use of biotechnology expertise in the three prime areas of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Immunodiagnostics has led their company into some great opportunities. Biodel created a synthetic serum to replace fetal calf serum and horse serum, and provide a more consistently available product for scientific researchers. Biodel’s Molecular Biology division used DNA technology to gain 60% of the market share of growth factors and stock the largest collection of commercially available synthetic nucleotides, which was 50% of their sales.Biodel’s research and development in Immunodiagnostics led to the invention of DEMA, a non-radioactive method for measuring a wide array of biologically important substance. The intelligence and vision of Dr. Oscar Feldman drove Biodel to a position of leadership in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Feldman has applied innovations in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Immunodiagnostics to increase market share for Biodel’s products. Dr. Feldman’s scientific friends and academic contacts offered Biodel high-quality technological advice and links to scientific community, and led to sophisticated research and development advances.Now the company is at a crossroad with decisions and direction necessary. In addition to strategic planning, the company would benefit from a modest re-structuring to streamline operations and prepare for unexpected events. Their future investments should be in areas where patent protection is likely, and in directions and projects that exploit their native expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering. These technologies seem likely to transform health care in the next two decades.Having survived the threat of bankruptcy, Biodel now has a more balanced contract research portfolio and is poised to develop an even greater impact in the future. CURRENT SITUATION Bi odel's projected revenues for 1980 consist of $1 million in contract research, and around $1. 5 million in research products. The contract research revenue was split 70% from industrial research, and 30% government research. This research included work in Biodel's three main fields (molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology) as well as cancer chemotherapy and enzymology.These contracts are secured by Dr. Feldman through his relationships with other scientists. The revenue from research products also comes from the three main fields of Biodel. Nucleotides from the molecular biology area account for 50% of revenues, cell growth factors from the cell biology field account for 40%, and immunodiagnostics products account for the other 10%. Research product sales have been growing 35% over the last few years, even with limited marketing efforts. However, Biodel is being outcompeted in the immunodiagnostics market and further growth is not being pursued.Biodel has a very small staff, with the company split up into five different sections: the comptroller, advertising and sales, and then an experienced scientist manages each main field of the company. The scientists who manage their fields are all in charge of research and development, production, and even have some marketing responsibility. Dr. Feldman does not employ a marketing manager or a research director, instead filling both roles by himself. Feldman's style of management is very informal, preferring to walk around and talk to his employees rather than have them do unnecessary paperwork.The company itself is run more like an academic facility than a business, with the atmosphere more leaning towards challenging each other and making technological advances. In addition, employee turnover is very low so most of the staff is very experienced with the work that the company is doing. The staff is led by Dr. Feldman, who represents the main reason for low employee turnover. Biodel employees describe him as a u nique and enthusiastic man, and the reason why the company is so successful. Marketing had been a very inconsistent department, with Dr. Feldman usually assuming all of the major marketing responsibilities.But when Dr. Feldman decided that he needed to market his company more aggressively he hired Mr. Steve Kaplan who had been a marketing manager at a large pharmaceutical company. However, Mr. Kaplan and Dr. Feldman soon disagreed on who should direct Biodel's marketing strategy. Kaplan proceeded to spend a large amount of money on marketing, including hiring additional salespeople and other staff. These changes resulted in a 65% increase in sales, but marketing costs increased by 500%, which resulted in profits dropping from $95,000 in 1978 to $17,000 in 1979. As a result, Dr. Feldman is reconsidering Mr.Kaplan's direction in the marketing department. OPPORTUNITIES First, Biodel had under development a synthetic serum that would be used to satisfy growth requirements in cells. This would be an innovative product that could be a substitute for natural fetal calf serum and horse serum. However, a major problem with the fetal serum is the unstable fluctuation in cost. The cost is determined by the supply of the serum and the supply is determined by the number of calves that are slaughtered. The synthetic serum could offer a steady rate. The market is projected at $50 to $80 million.Biodel would have a competitive advantage over the competition and could attain 20% of the market share if they pursue this project. A big problem with this project is the uncertainty that Biodel will be able to receive a patent. That provides a major risk in this investment. Second, another project is available that is extremely intriguing to us. Biodel has the opportunity to produce a new product called DEMA. DEMA is a testing technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity. This product could be used to test for pregnancy, syphilis, hepatitis, cancer, toxins in food and carcinogens in the environment.DEMA is a healthier, safer, faster and cheaper way of testing than the radioactive method. There are no hazards or side effects to DEMA and it can provide the same results as radioactive tests. The problem with this project is the financial aspect. It is more expensive than the synthetic serum. Investments could total in the millions and the R costs could range from $1 to $3 million. However, this project has drawn the attention of major drug companies who are willing to participate in a joint venture with Biodel, which would help with the costs of the investment. Third, Biodel has been thinking about joining the genetic engineering field.The company has basic but not wide experience if this field but they have been a major supplier of molecular biology products. At the moment, there are four major competitors in the market; Cetus, Genentech, Genex and Biogen. The basic purpose of this field is to engineer a cell to produce a specific biological pr oduct. Competitors use the bacterium E. coli as their host cell, for the most part. Biodel has the opportunity to enter the market with a new strategy that involves the use of yeast as the host cell instead of E. coli. He and three other scientists believe that yeast would be a better host cell than E. coli.Yeast has a biochemical machinery that can allow the growth of medically relevant glycoproteins such as Interferon and Urokinase. These glycoproteins are used to inhibit the multiplication of cancerous cells and to disrupt blood clots. The investment costs for this project would be high, including salaries that Biodel would pay for Dr. Ballantine and three other highly successful scientists to work for them. However, the return on such an investment could be immense. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Biodel Board of Directors should hold annual or semi-annual Board meetings to review company progress. Dr. Feldman should delegate more.The Board should be expanded by 1 or 2 people to achieve greater diversity and breadth of expertise. Succession planning should be considered in case Dr. Feldman died, or a division head left. 2. Mr. Kaplan’s marketing group should be streamlined and asked to focus on a marketing strategy for DEMA. The marketing group can probably be reduced to lower costs while maintaining the increase in research product sales. Challenge Kaplan to analyze the marketing group to understand the most valuable parts versus parts that are expendable. 3. Among the growth opportunities to pursue, the synthetic growth factor option does not seem likely to succeed.Although it is the least expensive investment, there is uncertainty that the patent protection can be obtained. Furthermore, researchers accustomed to fetal bovine serum may be unlikely to abandon a tried and true method. In contrast, the DEMA technology is a unique opportunity for Biodel. It eliminates the risks and hazards associated with radioactivity, which researchers would appreciate. Ther e is a high likelihood of patent protection. Based on the information in the case, the company needs a better understanding of how to bring this product to market.This could be a great project for Kaplan’s smaller marketing group. 4. Pursue Genetic Engineering, with the advice and guidance of the four academic experts. This is an important initiative and Biodel’s connections with the prize-winning scientists are important. They should be paid per diems and offered stock options. One of the four also should be invited to join the Biodel Board of Directors. APPENDIX A SWOT Analysis S- Strengths Biotechnology special expertise by the 1970’s in – (three prime areas of focus/ other fields) 1.Cell biology – culture technology paid off 60% share growth factor market 40% offspring sales 2. Molecular biology – DNA paid off 60% share growth factor market – stocked largest commercially available synthetic nucleotides (50% of sales) 3. Immunodiag nostics biology a. Sub categories – Cancer chemotherapy – Enzymology Offered high-quality technological advice, numerous links to scientific community, highly sophisticated research and development service Feldman was able to secure contracts with his personal relationships with scientists in the government and industry Low employee turnoverW – Weaknesses Molecular biology – — researchers used numerous substitutes Immunodiagnostics biology large firms aggressively entered and has not expanded since 10% of sales of research products -1980 – profitability varied on depending on intensity of product research and development By the 1980’s 60% of company’s revenue was from commercializing research Reliant on government contracts when they started making cut backs – 85% contracts are government – forcing Biodel into 1st layoff (damaging to long-term otential) 55 employees scientists and technicians — no marketing manager or research director hired (Feldman filled both positions with widespread contacts and scientific expertise) Staff meetings rare and no regular reports required from subordinates Poor Marketing – Products sold by mail Depends on word of mouth – trade shows, advertising, direct mail, ad phone solicitation — customer service â€Å"almost laughable† O – OpportunitiesGoal to manufacture and market biochemical products developed through their own research Cell Biology – synthetic serums to satisfy growth requirements in cell lines of tissue culture – replacing natural fetal calf serum (most widely used, horse serum was 2nd most widely used). Market of 50 million domestically and 80 million worldwide growing at 15%– no systematic analysis of serum market done Immunodiagnostics- opportunity to enter the market – new test technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity – new product DEMA – s impler, faster, and less expensive.Market in excess of $100 million and has potential to be over $1 billion. High possibility for a patent and a joint venture with a major drug company. Genetic engineering – exciting advantages/high return on investments Supplier of molecular biology products – nucleotides and synthetic genes sold – supported by genetic engineers – some cases biodel was soul supplier T – Threats Relying on government contracts lead them to the threat of bankruptcy Biodel’s spending strategies APPENDIX B

Singing While Playing An Instrument - 983 Words

Singing while playing an instrument is no easy feat and some of the most talented players can start making mistakes when singing is involved. You might have spent your playing career looking at your instrument and taking your eye of the instrument can result in missed notes or stumbling words. But adding singing to your playing can be extremely useful skill to master. It can add more depth to your band’s performance, make socialising with friends a bit more fun and improve your playing. So how can you do it? Become One With Your Instrument It might sound obvious, but unless you are comfortable with the instrument you play, you are complicating things by starting to sing. If getting through a song on your guitar is difficult enough without singing, you are probably better off taking a few online lessons to improve your skillset before starting to sing. Being comfortable playing the guitar doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be a master of your instrument. You just need to be aware of the most essential skills, like being able to play the chords of your chosen song without thinking too much. Indeed, singing while playing a musical instruments like the piano or the guitar can be useful when you are practicing notes, chords and the like, but you should definitely learn the basics of both separately before you take it all a step further. Don’t Be Too Ambitious If you are new to singing, don’t start with the most challenging of songs. While you might be able to play theShow MoreRelatedJazz Music : Louis Armstrong1363 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowed decades later. He recorded groundbreaking records and was able to demonstrate that solo improvisation was just as fascinating as collective improvisation. Armstrong contributed to jazz in ways that set templates for many artists to come, while allowing jazz to reach new heights and qualities that were unprecedented. Louis Armstrong initially went from one band to another and travelled to different cities. Well-known musicians were slowly leaving New Orleans, giving Armstrong the chanceRead MoreEssay about Dave Matthews Band771 Words   |  4 Pages as well as Selmer Alto and Tenor Saxophones. Prior to joining Matthews and Moore, Carter Beauford had been playing Jazz drums since his childhood. His father played trumpet in a Jazz band, and Beauford grew up with Jazz music surrounding him. Other than his father Beauford names Jazz Greats Jhon Coltrane and Miles Davis to be among his biggest influences in music. After playing the drums through college, Carter abandoned his musical aspirations and began teaching history. But he soon wentRead MoreEssay about music in africa662 Words   |  3 Pages Music and dance are so related closely in African thinking that it is difficult for them to separate song from movement or speech from playing the drum. In this case, the arts are a part of everyday normal life. Life cycle events including, but not limited to, birth, puberty and death are celebrated with a musical performance. Because music is so integral to society, everyone is expected to be able to sing and dance at a certain level of proficiency. Beyond that, certain people are selected forRead MoreLouis Armstrong : An Era Of Fast Beat And Improvised Style1121 Words   |  5 Pagesone including music (January, Brendan, and Francois Roca). Through the years, African music styles combined with European instruments to create the most popular form of music in the twentieth century, jazz (January, Brendan, and Francois Roca). One person who made a large impact on music of the twentieth century was Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong through playing and singing with a unique sound, spreading the influence of jazz throughout his life, and overcoming racism in the 1920s, helped to revolutionizeRead MoreThe Origin Of Australian Music1233 Words   |  5 PagesAustralian Aborigines are native to Australia and have lived in a territory called the Arnhem Land or northern Australia for almost forty thousand years. S ome of the Aborigines live in government housing today, while others still live among the land as their ancestors did. Aborigines are an ethnic group that also has many religious beliefs. They believe in Animism which is the belief that living creatures and the outside environment contain supernatural powers. Their culture and beliefs resonateRead MoreEssay about Music Therapy and Down Syndrome1188 Words   |  5 Pages(Roesch 138). Music therapy helps individuals with Down Syndrome develop physically. Therapist work to enhance motor skills such as finger control, speed, and timing (Roesch 139). Playing an instrument, dancing, and singing are just a few examples of how one can accomplish this task. The weight of an instrument can help with increasing their strength. Therapist may begin initially with having a child use a tambourine and eventually work towards strumming a guitar (Smith 2). Movement activitiesRead MoreKorean Music And Its Effects Essay1564 Words   |  7 PagesWithin its history, Korean traditional music has lived years of continuation. Korean music diverse in its style with distinct sounds that are made from unique Korean instruments and those are what make Korean music different from others. Korean traditional music has very distinct sounds compared to other kinds of music, and the instruments used takes a significant part of the reason. Among Asian countries like Korea, China and Japan, throughout history have influenced themselves in many parts includingRead MoreThe Role and Value of Music and Movement in the Early Years655 Words   |  3 PagesEducation, by Espie Estrella) It is found in every known culture, past and present, wavering strongly between times and places. Music has become a part of life as opportunities are provided for experiences in singing, responding physically to different rhythms, creative expression, playing instruments and quiet listening. Music helps children to understand other people and their cultures and gives increased opportunities for social and emotional development as well as a means for aesthetic enrichment andRead MoreMusic Therapy: What Are the Benefits?1193 Words   |  5 Pagesused address health issues regarding their physical and emotional health. The therapist meets with a patient to learn about their strengths and weaknesses before creating a customized treatment plan. Some methods of treatment include singing, playing with instruments and listening to music. These methods of treatment in turn help the patients learn different skills that can also be used to improve their daily lives. Research shows that music therapy has multiple benefits for patients including: helpingRead MoreThe Music And Dance Concert1400 Words   |  6 Pagesof people singing A cappella, creating a variety of sounds. There was also some singing and chanting involved with the performance. According to the pamphlet the words and songs are of Haitian decent, and some other cultures also influenced the music. Oppositely, while more towards the front of the stage there was a group of dancers performing. All dressed in different colors, they performed together dancing to the beat of the songs sung. There were two guys both dressed in white, while the girls