Category: Audio

At first glance, audio visual entrainment looks peculiar and it would be hard to believe that a pair of dark glasses with flashing lights and strange noises could ever have any therapeutic value. However, this technology is proven and is helping many thousands of people around the world overcome psychological and physical disorders where other treatments have previously failed.

How Does It Work?

We have known for centuries that rhythmic combinations of light and sound can affect us inside. Take for example tribal chanting, drum beats and visual displays. However, it is only recently that we have come to understand how and why this works.

We now know that stimulating the brain with audio and video of a specific range of frequencies can cause the brain to synchronize its own waves in time with the stimulus. The result of this is a change in mental state, hypnotic induction as well as altered physical characteristics in the brain (such as changes in blood flow and raised neurotransmitter levels) and the rest of the body.

The typical equipment used for audio visual entrainment is a set of dark glasses that contain a series of LEDs, a pair of headphones and a control unit.

What Conditions Can It Be Used To Treat?

Audio visual entrainment has almost limitless possibilities as many people believe that almost all disorders (mental or physical) have their origins in the mind.

Some of the conditions that have been successfully treated include ADD, PMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD, migraines, depression and chronic pain.

Where Can I Get This Technology?

Although audio visual entrainment has many benefits, I advise starting with simple audio brainwave entrainment to start with. These audios can be purchased cheaply via the Internet and allow you to see whether brainwave entrainment is something that could work for you and that you could dedicate time towards.

Later, if you wish to move on to audio visual entrainment, it will require an investment of between $200 and $400 for a good device. This may sound like a lot but you should compare this cost to the benefits of the technology and against the alternatives of drugs or other less successful treatments. On balance, AVE technology is relatively affordable compared to other methodologies.

There are many creative people in the world that would like to share their talents through the use of public domain audio books. By accessing public domain websites, product developers, programmers and publishers can coordinate their efforts to recreate some of the worlds classic works of literature in audio formats that might range from MP3 format, PDF files, or through cassette tape recordings that were accomplished in a sound studio by an up-and-coming broadcast media major.

For a minimal fee, some public domain websites will grant access to a library of knowledge that is available in MP3 file formats. Some of the public domain audio books will contain not only books, but documents and reports that can support future research that might find the cure for cancer, or give a budding and musically talent recording artist the opportunity to share their version of a favorite book through songs they have reviewed and updated with their own thoughts in the subtitling.

Through the use of public domain audio books, people can develop a thorough understanding of what is involved in the copyright process for a book that has been published, or learn about discussion groups where they can hone their particular craft. Through the public domain audio books, people who have lost their sight can enjoy any book they have longed to read, or perhaps one that they never got the opportunity to finish.

For people that prefer to use public domain audiobooks as an affordable alternative to purchasing audio novels through other online and bookstore sources, the public domain audiobooks are available free of charge to the public and can be downloaded at any time of the day or night.

There are organizations that are thoroughly committed to keeping all books that are published in the public domain where they can be made available to anyone that is interested in hearing the audible recording. These public domain sites generally do not charge a fee to users that visit, but may on occasion ask for donations to support the web hosting costs associated with organizing various sections of books that have yet been completed for release to internet users interested in downloading the novel to add to their home library.

The recording of public domain audiobooks is a painstaking process that anyone can volunteer to help out with. Novels are broken down into sections, and people can be assigned to listen carefully to the audio recording for text inconsistencies of improper enunciation of words. When each chapter of the book has been verified as true and correct, the public domain audio book will be released to the public for their enjoyment.

People in business constantly want to work better and do more in reduced time. We do not get extra time for this, unless we are sent on a course. Still, surveys illustrate that most our learning are disused. Salaried people do not have the leisure to reschedule their everyday routines when they get back to assimilate their new ideas.

The answer to this scenario is business audio books, which are on every imaginable subject and can be listened to while traveling, on your computer, or when working. You can surely see the unbelievable value of business audio books compared to expensive courses. However, the real value of these is in the pep talk you give yourself every single day. The primary reason I am ill intended to training courses is, that I can not readjust my work program immediately to use my fresh ideas. But, this does not happen with audio books.

If you are unsure about which specific business audio books to buy, here are 5 best ones that any business person would want:

1. How to Win Friends and Influence People – by Dale Carnegie.

This classic ensures you keep people and relationships, at the head of your enterprise as they are the most important factors. It simply guides you to communicate with people and build important relationships.

2. Winning by Jack Welch and Suzy Welch.
This 11 hour narration by Jack is easy to listen. It is full of anecdotes and useful advice for business people from an actual winner.

3. The On-time On-target Manager by Ken Blanchard.
Although The One Minute Manager is a modern Bible, this alternative confronts the major problem of modern business, procrastination. So many other things want our attention that it is simple to put the difficult things off until a better time. This 2 hour is told as a parable rather than a preachy ordering approach. It can be divided and heard while going to work so as to focus your mind on achievement.

4. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber.
This business classic is told by the author reasoning why most small businesses fail and how you can help out. Though, over 95% of businesses are classified as small, yet this is a must listen. Try this book if you think it possible to improve your business as these four fundamental ideas can make or break your business.

5. The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson is described as the most important business book since Tipping Point. It describes how the Internet has changed business forever and explains how unlimited choice changes our knowledge of the business model.

These 5 business audio books can give your career a massive boost apart from an enormous benefit over your colleagues on using time. I guess most will continue their life as usual listening to the radio, complaining, reading light magazines and newspaper. Try and see the effects on your life and business.

The following article presents some of this author’s favorite narrators of mystery books. These narrators help bring the mysteries to life. They provide the rich tones which enable us to sit back and enjoy the mystery authors’ works. This article will only (very briefly) mention some of the mysteries that the following narrators have made. It will by no means list all of the narrators’ works!

Colin Buchanan

Actor Colin Buchanan is probably best known for his portrayal of Pascoe in the television productions of Reginald Hill’s Dalziel & Pascoe mysteries. This Scottish graduate of the London Drama Centre has narrated several of Reginald Hill’s audio book mysteries.

Len Cariou

Tony Award winning actor Len Cariou has had a long and distinguished dramatic career in both the USA and Canada. He has appeared in movies as well as on stage. He has also garnered high praise for his audio book narrations, which include books by best-selling authors Michael Connelly and James Patterson.

Barbara Caruso

Mystery fans who have listened to audio books by Edna Buchanan or James Patterson have no doubt enjoyed the narrations of Barbara Caruso. Caruso is also an actress, which helps explain her rich portrayals. Caruso first started narrating audio books for the American Foundation for the Blind. She received the Alexander Scrouby Award, which is a very high award given by the American foundation for the Blind for excellent work in audio books.

Boyd Gaines

Boyd Gaines joined the television cast of “One Day at a Time” years before becoming a mystery audio book narrator. He has brought Caleb Carr’s mysteries to life, and has also won Tony Awards, as well!

Brian Glover

Glover is memorable in the Lord Peter Wimsey television productions, where he portrays Lord Wimsey’s butler, Lugg. He has lent his acting skills to Reginald Hill’s Dalziel & Pascoe mystery audio books.

Joan Hickson

Joan Hickson is a treat to watch and hear. She portrays Miss Jane Marple in the BBC’s Miss Marple mystery series. She also narrates several of the Agatha Christie Miss Marple novels. What a treat! She is a perfect choice for the Miss Marple readings and portrayals. Agatha Christie actually thought she would be a perfect Miss Marple.

Derek Jacobi

Sir Derek Jacobi is not only a very accomplished actor; he is also a very talented audio book narrator. He has narrated a vast amount of books – from Homer’s Odyssey to Peter Graves’ I Claudius, to Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael Mysteries. It is no wonder that he has won so many awards for his work in audio book narrations.

Lisette Lecat

Lisette Lecat was born in South Africa. This accounts for the wonderful accent she lends the characters as she narrates Alexander McCall Smith’s the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency mystery series. Her voice has a melodious quality which brings a humanity to all of the novels’ characters. It is truly a delightful experience to listen to Lecat’s narrations.

Nadia May, Wanda McCaddon, Donada Peters

Wanda McCaddon is an audio book narrator who has won many awards. She has a tremendous ear for accents, and is able to take the audio book listener to distant locations using her incredible mastery of accents. Elizabeth George, Ruth Rendell, Agatha Christie, and Ngaio Marsh are just a few authors whose mystery books have been brought to life by May/McCaddon/Peters

John McDonough

Perhaps a lot of people visually recognize John McDonough as the second Captain Kangaroo, but a lot of people also recognize his voices as the terrific narrator of Jan Karon’s Mitford (non-mystery) series. McDonough’s voice is so peaceful to listen to, with very soothing qualities. Once you have heard McDonough, he will become instantly recognizable to you.

Davina Porter

Davina Porter narrates best selling books in a manner that allows the listener to enjoy every aspect of the mystery novel. Porter is one of the first narrators of books. Her ease with mastering accents (whether for male or female protagonists) is truly an art form. She narrates the Isabel Dalhousie (non-mystery) series by Alexander McCall Smith, the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt mystery series by Anne Perry, Cynthia Riggs’ Martha’s Vineyard mysteries, and mysteries by such masters as Ruth Rendell and Elizabeth George.

Barbara Rosenblat

There is a reason that Barbara Rosenblat has won more Audie Awards than any other audio book narrator: She is terrific! Rosenblat is a narrator, as well as an actress. If you have ever had the privilege of hearing Rosenblat’s work, you would probably be hard-pressed to decipher where she lives (New York!) Her characterizations are so believable that it truly is difficult to pin her native accent down. She has narrated for such distinguished authors as: Elizabeth Peters, Linda Fairstein, Lisa Scottoline, Kathy Reichs, Diane Mott Davdison, Nevada Barr, and Dorothy Gilman.

James Saxon

James Saxon is a very distinguished British actor who has also leant his talents to audio books. Ngaio Marsh, P. G. Wodehouse, and Agatha Christie are amongst the authors for whom he has narrated.

David Suchet

Who better to narrate Agatha Christie’s Hercules Poirot mystery books than the actor who personified the fictional detective? In 1991, Suchet was nominated for the BAFTA (comparable to the Emmy) for his portrayal of Hercules Poirot, and in 2008, he won an Emmy for his roll in “The Way We Live Now. His narrations are true treats to hear.

Stephen Thorne

If you are an Ellis Peters audio book fan, then no doubt you have heard the wonderful work of Stephen Thorne. He has performed in television, movies, radio, and on stage, as well as his accomplished performances in well over 300 audio books.

These are just several of the audio book narrators who this author feels a particular allegiance to. There are many more excellent performers audio books who will no doubt be in this author’s next article that covers mystery audio book performers.

If you can recall when audio cassettes were considered as cutting edge, you probably taped LPs on them while being blown away by the resulting technological leap forward: being able to while walk around while privately enjoying music through a player that wasn’t much bigger than the cassette itself. Which most likely means you’ve got a pile of cassettes slowly decaying in some dark closet!

It goes without saying that you’re emotionally bonded to the cassettes. The music on them not only represents your memories, but is a portrayal of a time when talent and musicianship were valued because that was the only way a musical act could endure. But of course, audio cassettes can also hold other stories of the past: meetings, conference calls, interviews, verbal letters,speeches.

Also, it’s not your fault that the cassette players you originally owned aren’t functioning any more – they’ve just passed away due to natural causes. But even if buying a replacement cassette player didn’t need a major online search, you wouldn’t dare to risk playing your cassettes on them – they, too, are too old and infirm from overuse and neglect.

It hasn’t been unfeasible to bring your audio cassette tapes into the Internet age if you could deal with the cost. There are recording services that will convert your cassettes into audio files that can be used on MP3 or CD players. But it can involve mailing the cassettes to and from them at your expense, and the cost usually exceeds what it would cost to replace each cassette with a retail CD- the musical cassettes, that is.

But just as technology has taken us from the boom box to the Walkman to the iPod, transforming a cassette to CD or MP3 is now much less of a logistical or financial hassle. There are now a variety of hardware and software that allow you to perform audio cassette conversion to CD or MP3 yourself. But you need to look for for the best system.

Some are full-sized tape decks while others aren’t any larger than Walkmans. Some require that you sign up with a music downloading service. Some use batteries or have power cords; others are powered by your computer. Some use a single USB cable connection, others use a series of radio plugs. And of course, some are made for PCs, Macintoshes, or both.

Luckily, there’s a very fast way to sort them all out: Go to http://www.tapeconversioncentral.com/cassette-to-cd-mp3. Here’s why: