25% of all our Royalty Free Music sales to go to the Haiti Red Cross Relief Fund

This week Premiumbeat.com will be sending 25% of all sales occurring between Monday the 18th and Friday the 22nd of January inclusively to the Haiti Red Cross Relief Fund.

UPDATE: We are extending our campaign to include all sales Saturday and Sunday up to 18:00 EST

Photo Credit: American Red Cross/Talia Frenkel --- Haitian Red Cross volunteer Jean Zacharie delivers first aid to 1 month old - Deborah Fatima, whose mother died in quake.

Good news! The Canadian Government has agreed to match our donation – in effect doubling the amount we will be contributing. This means that 50% of your purchase amount will be made available to the Haiti Red Cross Fund.

What’s happening in Haiti is a distressing tragedy. We at Premiumbeat.com, owners and composers together, are happy to help with this modest but heartfelt effort.

Thank you for choosing our music – this week especially it means a lot to us and it will make a difference in the lives of many.

Francois Arbour and Gilles Arbour

Other ways to help

You can also contribute directly to any organization of your choice. Please make sure the organization is legitimate and your donation will be use to serve the people of Haiti. There are many other wonderful and caring organizations but we feel very safe in recommending the following:

http://www.redcross.org
http://doctorswithoutborders.org
http://www.unicef.org

Happy Holidays!

We received this exquisite and elegant Holiday animation from writer and illustrator Jean Gralley, a long time Premiumbeat.com friend. We are borrowing it from her to share it with you.

Happy Holidays!

Jean’s innovative work can be seen at www.jeangralley.com and www.blueshiftstudios.org

Wishing you the very best for 2010!

Holiday Christmas Royalty Free Music – Over 100 Music Selections and Sound Effects

‘Tis the Season at Premiumbeat.com!

OUR COMPLETE CHRISTMAS / HOLIDAYS MUSIC LIBRARY

SEE ALL TITLES BY ALPHABETICAL ORDER

ADESTE FIDELES (O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL)
Very soft acoustic version- By: Hutchison
Classical guitar version with strings section- By: Vinny Falcone
Hard rock version- By: Styve Bolduc
Gentle harp solo version- By: Barbara Eagle
Male choir with pipe organ- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra
Modern rhythmic interpretation- By: Olive Musique

AMAZING GRACE
Jazz guitar version of a traditional hymn- By: Nicolas Major

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
Classical guitar duet- By: Alex Beaulieu
Fast paced jazzy interpretation- By: Yanis S. Sousa
Techno version- By: DJRIDU
Light Hip Hop version- By: Richard Desilets

AS WITH GLADNESS MEN OF OLD (CHOIR)
Traditional Christmas Hymn- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra

AVE MARIA (SCHUBERT)
Gentle guitar solo- By: Barbara Eagle
Piano and violin- By: Olive Musique
Modern arrangement- By: Spinola

AWAY IN A MANGER
Exquisite and delicate guitar version- By: Hutchison
Soft harp solo interpretation- By: Barbara Eagle

BORN IS THE LITTLE CHILD DIVINE
A gentle guitar duet version- By: Alex Beaulieu
A brazilian bossa nova arrangement- By: Alex Beaulieu
Jazzy and happy version- By: Olive Musique

CHRISTMAS ORATORIO (BACH)
Soft flowing strings - By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra

DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY (TCHAIKOVSKY – THE NUTCRACKER)
Classical interpretation- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra

DECK THE HALLS
A great classical guitar trio- By: Alex Beaulieu
Jazzy swing version- By: Alex Beaulieu
Fun world ethnic version- By: Rimsky
Dynamic modern version- By: Nationalfred
Country folksy interpretation- By: North Pole Studio
Delicate harp solo interpretation- By: Barbara Eagle
House beat interpretation- By: Olive Musique

DING DONG MERRILY ON HIGH
A cappella version for full choir- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra
Techno trance version- By: North Pole Studio

EURO CHRISTMAS DANCE
Euro beat – Original Holiday composition- By: Denis Couture

GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN
A Celtic style interpretation- By: Vinny Falcone
Gentle harp solo interpretation- By: Barbara Eagle
Hip Hop gansta version- By: North Pole Studio
Festive jazz interpretation- By: Yanis Sousa

GOOD KING WENCESLAS
Modern version- By: Olive Musique

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
Uplifting folksy country version- By: North Pole Studio

HAIL BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Hymn sung by male choir- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra

HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SINGS
Very soft guitar rock- By: Styve Bolduc
Gentle harp solo- By: Barbara Eagle
Smooth guitar interpretation- By: Hutchison
Male choir and pipe organ- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra
Happy modern beat- By: Pace

IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
Festive jazz version- By: Yanis Sousa
Gentle harp solo- By: Barbara Eagle

JESUS, JOY OF MAN’S DESIRING (BACH)
String quartet- By: Barbara Eagle

JINGLE BELLS
Superb jazz version- By: Yanis Sousa
Ragtime version- By: Yanis Sousa
Techno trance- By: North Pole Studio
Jazz guitar with a Swing feel- By: Nicolas Major
Brazilian samba rhythm- By: Rimsky
Big jazz band- By: Yanis Sousa
Dixieland version- By: Yanis Sousa
Funny and light with voices- By: Yanis Sousa
Cheesy grandma’s style- By: Vinny Falcone
Hip hop style- By: Hutchison
World beat version- By: Richard Desilets
Mellow orchestral version- By: Yanis Sousa
Techno version- By: Djridu

JOY TO THE WORLD
Hard rock version- By: North Pole Studio
Groovy beat version - By: Olive Musique
Mellow guitar version- By: Hutchison
Easy listening ambient version- By: Vinny Falcone
World beat version- By: Richard Desilets
Modern and spacy version- By: Nationalfred

O CHRISTMAS TREE
Jazzy waltz version- By: Yanis Sousa

O COME LITTLE CHILDREN
Delicate harp solo- By: Barbara Eagle

O COME O COME EMMANUEL
Pipe organ with choir- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra

O HOLY NIGHT
Symphonic arrangement- By:Vinny Falcone

O SANCTISSIMA
Soft harp solo version- By: Barbara Eagle

OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
Very soft interpretation- By: Olive Musique

ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY
Solo voice, choir and organ- By:Apollo Symphony Orchestra

SANTA’S WORKSHOP
Original Holiday composition. Playful and sparkling- By:J-F Magnet

SILENT NIGHT
Blues guitar version- By: M. Musik
Bluesy smooth interpretation- By: Yanis Sousa
Jazzy dizzy interpretation- By: Yanis Sousa
Festive jazz Dixie version- By: Yanis Sousa
Groovy modern interpretation- By: Richard Desilets
Acoustic finger picked guitar- By:Full Bird Music
Light harp solo- By: Barbara Eagle
Smooth Hip Hop style- By: Nationalfred
New age arrangement - By: Vinny Falcone
Hard rock version- By: Styve Bolduc
Soft jazz version- By: Notes Productions

TAKE A SLEIGH RIDE
Original Holiday composition with sleigh bells- By: Phil Gardiner

THE ANGEL GABRIEL
Choir – A Capella version- By: Apollo Symphony Orchestra

THE FIRST NOEL
Classical guitar trio- By: Alex Beaulieu
Gentle harp solo- By: Barbara Eagle

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Elegant jazzy version- By: North Pole Studio
Classical arrangement with Orchestra and guitar- By: Alex Beaulieu
Baroque style- By: Richard Desilets

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
Smooth reggae interpretation- By: North Pole Studio
Festive jazz version- By: Yanis Sousa
Hard rock version- By: Styve Bolduc

WHAT CHILD IS THIS
Soft orchestral version- By: Alex Beaulieu
Light guitar- By: Alex Beaulieu
Soft harp solo version- By: Barbara Eagle
Finger picked acoustic guitar interpretation- By: Full Bird Music
In the style of U2!- By: Jon Lawson

Click here to view all Christmas/Holidays music selections.

ALSO AVAILABLE
CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAYS – SOUND EFFECTS – VOICES AND MUSIC CLIPS

Julian Treasure: The 4 ways sound affects us

Stairway To Musicians’ Heaven

A fun way to do exercises for piano lovers…

Fun Video About Houseboating with Premiumbeat.com Music

Jamie Pearson at Travel Savvy Mom created this really fun video about Houseboating. You may want to try this for your next vacation!

Thanks for using our music Jamie!

Social Media and Media Convergence

From The Economist – An excellent overview of the evolution and convergence of media. As we know Social Media is in rapid expansion. The figures presented in the video are staggering! This is more than evolution or transformation, this is a total revolution in many ways and we are all active participants. Meanwhile the International Olympic Committee wants to limit Olympic events photo sharing on the Internet.  The photographer in question – Richard Giles -  wrote an extended blog post about this issue. In this era of accessible technologies supporting people-to-people communication through Social Networks this is going to be virtually impossible to control.

Nice Animation Film on Youtube with Heather Fenoughty’s Music

More than 2,200 frames of delicate drawings were used for this short film by Natalie and Gil Dekel.

Here is how they explain why piano music was chosen…

Animation-making involves dealing with time and touch:
Time – how many frames are drawn to make sequence of movement per each second; and touch – how the animator uses the pen and how much pressure she applies on the paper. The pressure will affect the quality of the lines, in turn affecting the final image.
Likewise, piano music is governed by time and touch:
Time – the intervals of notes; and touch – how firmly the pianist presses the keys of the piano, which affects the sound it produces.
For these reasons piano music was chosen to accompany this animation.

Thank you Natalie and Gil and for choosing Heather Fenoughty’s music at Premiumbeat.com!

3 Videos To Show The Difference Music Can Make

The following 3 videos by club de creativos demonstrate the importance of the music mood in videos. The images are simple scenes from daily life but the music itself gives a powerful mood to the scenes. (Thanks Carla!)

A Little Math from Seth Godin for a Change…

I like Seth Godin (who doesn’t?) and I read his posts everyday. Today he tickled our minds with a simple math problem. Think about it…

Several people seem confused with the mathematics involved in his post:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/08/not-so-good-at-math.html

Not so good at math

A simple quiz for smart marketers:

Let’s say your goal is to reduce gasoline consumption.

And let’s say there are only two kinds of cars in the world. Half of them are Suburbans that get 10 miles to the gallon and half are Priuses that get 50.

If we assume that all the cars drive the same number of miles, which would be a better investment:

.        Get new tires for all the Suburbans and increase their mileage a bit to 13 miles per gallon.

.        Replace all the Priuses and rewire them to get 100 miles per gallon (doubling their average!)

Trick question aside, the answer is the first one. (In fact, it’s more than twice as good a move).

We’re not wired for arithmetic. It confuses us, stresses us out and more often than not, is used to deceive.

—————

Actually it is very simple:

The Suburban gets 100 miles for 10 gallons

The Prius gets 100 miles for only 2 gallons

With option A the Suburban gets 130 miles for 10 gallons or 100 miles for 7.69 gallons. A saving of 2.31 gallons per 100 miles

With option B The Prius gets 100 miles for only 1 gallon. A saving of 1 gallon per 100 miles.

Option A is 2.31 times better at reducing gasoline consumption.

—————

But please don’t get a Suburban! Don’t forget this assumes 50% of the people are using Suburban and 50% are using Prius. To reduce gasoline consumption it would be immensely better to get  the Suburban drivers to switch to Prius each saving 8 gallons per 100 miles. This is 3 times better than Option A!