A great tool for all songwriters looking for creative resources.

1000 Songwriting Ideas is a handy book of creativity exercises that stop writer's block and spark the fire of your imagination. It offers concepts to ponder as starting places for lyric writing, along with some of the most provocative and inspirational examples you may encounter anywhere. Authored by a pro, these proven exercises are for moving the creative lyrical self, the soul, the real tool of songwriting and the real object of a song's intention.

Cubase 4 contains hundreds of advanced features expanding the possibiities in using it far beyond the beginner user's skill set. Once you've mastered the basic functionality of Cubase 4, you're ready to advance into more difficult arrangements using virtual instruments like HALlionone (for drums), Prologue, Spector and Mystic. You'll get deeper into working with imported loops, the Cubase Sample Editor, while mastering the on-board mixer by setting up a Key Command to do tricks like “Activate all solos” among others. Learn to properly add compression to drums (RMS vs. Peak method), plus expert tips for using EQ on the drums and bass. You'll set up an effects channel, while working with track presets and automation. Once you've built a great recording using all of these things, you're ready for mixing down, where Cubase 4 Advanced will train you to create great mixes using a multi-band mastering effect on the Stereo Buss, how to use a group channel to utilize a compressor across multiple tracks, add a stereo compressor onto the first Group track, create a 2nd group track and routing Bells to it, then adding reverb to that track and much more. If you're ready to master Cubase 4, then you're ready for Cubase 4 - Advanced! 90 minutes.

Travel deeper into the world of Cubase 5's rich feature set and learn pro-level tools to enhance your creativity. Explore the fundamentals of synthesis for working with Cubase 5's many onboard synths. Includes arrangement techniques for working with audio loops and layering tracks, advanced mixing and automation tips, and tools for mastering, dithering, and exporting your final mix for distribution.

Digital Performer 6 is the latest version of MOTU's industry-leading Mac-based audio and MIDI production software. With DP6 you can professionally record, edit, arrange, mix, and master audio and MIDI tracks side by side. Whether you're into music production, songwriting, or any other professional audio task, Digital Performer 6's advanced functionality and intuitive interface adapt to your creative style and allow you to effortlessly pursue your production goals. This DVD makes the power of DP available to first-time users and is designed to get you up and running in no time. The program includes: an introduction to the DP6 interface and feature set; pro techniques for recording audio and MIDI; a primer on critical synthesizer functions; tips for mixing with DP6's effects and signal processors. Running time: 2 hours, 28 minutes.

For more than 20 years, Finale® has been the industry standard in music notation software. It has transformed the process by which composers, arrangers, musicians, teachers, students, and publishers create, edit, audition, print, and publish musical scores. The refinements found in Finale 2010 benefit beginning and advanced users alike by streamlining common tasks to make them more intuitive and more efficient while retaining all of Finale's unrivaled power. While this new Music Pro Guides DVD focuses on the beginning user, it also offers many faster and easier ways of using Finale for those who learned Finale using earlier versions.

Host Tom Johnson is a Product Specialist from MakeMusic, with more than 20 years of experience demonstrating Finale's awesome potential. Throughout the program, Tom offers additional tips and techniques that are vital to getting the most out of your Finale experience.

If you're interested in getting up to speed quickly on Finale 2010, this program is definitely for you! 1 hour, 18 minutes.

Topics covered include:

• Getting Started - quickly and easily begin new scores and discover key concepts to understanding Finale.

• Entering Music - enter notes using a mouse, computer keyboard, MIDI keyboard, scanner, and by importing MIDI files.

• Adding Details - transform notes into music with the addition of articulations, slurs, expressions, chords, and more.

• Formatting - Finale's ability to create anything on the page is unrivaled. With the essential formatting tricks you'll learn here, you'll be ready to tackle a wide variety of common projects.

• Sharing Your Music - share your music with others by printing your score or parts, creating .WAV and .MP3 files, saving MIDI files, exporting SmartMusic® accompaniments, and more.