Published on: 08 April 2017
Last Updated on: 09 August 2019
So, you have bought a brand-new TV but it’s sound system doesn’t please you at all. Well, there is so much that TV manufacturers can do but when it comes to quality sound, slim TVs usually have a problem projecting the best sound possible. This is because they have very little room for a powerful and quality sound system. Most of these TVs are ideal for watching your favorite TV shows but they are not great for watching movies or even some of your favorite TV dramas. The good news is there is a solution to make your TV’s audio just as clear as its pictures.
Soundbars are enclosed speakers that are designed to sit in front of or underneath your TV. If you have mounted your TV on the wall, you can also mount your soundbar right beneath it because they also have their own mounting kits. Choosing the best sound system for your home can be a daunting task, but don’t worry, you will get all the tips and the help that you need here.
How Big Is It?
Soundbars come in all shapes and sizes. If you are planning to place it directly beneath your TV, then it is important that you get a soundbar that is going to fit the size of your TV. In addition, make sure that you have enough space for your soundbar. This is very vital especially if your TV is in an enclosure. Another important thing to note is that there are soundbars that are made by the same company that built your TV. For example, Samsung has its own soundbars that match well with their curved TVs. One thing though, TV manufacturers don’t always build the best audio products.
Connectivity
Are you planning to plug your new soundbar system into an HDMI port on your TV? If yes, then you need to look for a soundbar that offers that option. It is important to shop for a soundbar that has the connections that you need for proper installation. The best type of soundbar is the one that has a variety of inputs for connecting various video and audio sources. It is also important to ensure that the outputs on your soundbar match those of your TV. In this regard, it will be better if you look for a soundbar that supports HDMI, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Digital Audio Inputs and Streaming services.
Subwoofer
A subwoofer can simply be described as a speaker that is designed to reproduce only the lowest bass frequencies. The thing about soundbars is that most of them are too slim to reproduce lower sound frequency, so you will need a separate subwoofer if you want to have the best sound possible. If you love video games, action movies, or TV programs that require low bass frequency, a soundbar that comes with a separate subwoofer is most likely the best system for you. Another important feature of these subwoofers is that most of them are wireless. This means that you just need to plug them on a power source and you are good to go.
Surround Sound
It is true that soundbars are better than portable speakers, but when shopping for one it is always in your best interest to consider the effects of surround sound. You can still get a better quality sound from a soundbar system even if you don’t have enough space for a multi-speaker sound system. In this case, you will have to choose a multi-channel sound bar system. This type of soundbars usually has five or seven audio channels, with distinct sounds assigned to each and every one of them. They are highly recommended if you want to create a three-dimensional surround sound effect. Some sound speakers can easily fool your brain into hearing things that are not there.
The most recommended way to choose the best soundbars for your home is to consider all your options. Know what your placement options are, the amount of space that you have, the size of the soundbar that you are looking for, the effect or surround sound, and whether or not you will need a separate subwoofer. It’s obvious that a good soundbar is better than the portable speaker and a perfect way to boost the sound system of your TV.
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If you wish to know which are your favorite songs and artists on Spotify, it tells you so - only once at the start of the year. This is why websites like Receiptify have been created to allow Spotify users to learn about their favorite songs they love listening to over and over again.
To learn more about this website and how to use it, read this post till the end.
What Is Receiptify?
Receiptify is a website that has gained popularity for generating a report of your most listened songs on Spotify in the form of a receipt. In this receipt report, your favorite songs appear as items, with their duration appearing as the amount. Believe it or not, this Spotify panel actually brings you closer to your favorite music.
Receiptify Can Generate Reports From Which Platforms?
The main feature of Spotify Receiptify is to generate reports of your favorite songs from your subscribed music streaming platforms. Here are the three music streaming services from which this website tries to understand your musical preferences:
1. Spotify
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Spotify is by far one of the most popular and most used music streaming platforms. Used by millions of subscribers worldwide, Spotify is one of the best places to get all the new music releases.
In addition, you also get access to a lot of podcasts, which are becoming more and more popular on Spotify.
2. Last.fm
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If you want to be a part of a growing community of music lovers, then creating an account in Last.fm is one of the best things that you can do.
Here, after you create your profile, Last.fm will collect all data about what music you listen to. They allow you to link your Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, and other accounts to gain an understanding of your musical taste from there.
After the site creates a musical persona of you, Autoscrobbler will start recommending music to you based on what you listen to.
3. Apple Music (iTunes)
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Like Spotify, iTunes, or Apple Music, it is exactly what it is - music for Apple device owners. Although you don’t need an Apple device to create an iTunes account, you can listen to an extensive catalog of music from here - available at the highest quality not offered by other platforms - like Lossless sound quality.
How To Connect Spotify Account With Receiptify?
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If you think generating your specialized “receipt” reports of your most heard tracks on Spotify is complex, then you can relax after knowing that it’s easier than you think.
To generate your receipt reports of your most-heard songs on Spotify using Receiptify, you must first link your account. Here is a detailed explanation of the steps you need to follow:
First, open your web browser on your smartphone or computer.
There, search for Receiptify and enter its official website - https://receiptify.herokuapp.com/index.html.
Next, as you enter the website's homepage, you will see options for generating reports for three platforms - Spotify, Last.fm, and iTunes. Choose any one of them. For this explanation, I will be sticking with Spotify.
Now, you must enter your account details like email ID and username.
After you have given these details, it's time to allow Receiptify to have permission to use your session details from Spotify. You can do so when the permission page opens up in another browser tab.
Congratulations! You have linked your Spotify account with Receiptify! Now, this website will be able to track all your session details on Spotify (or iTunes/Last.fm).
How To Make Receiptify Spotify Reports?
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After you link your Spotify account with Receiptify, it’s now time for you to generate your much-awaited “Receipt” reports!
To generate Spotify reports (and of other platforms), here is a step-by-step guide on what you must do:
First, open your web browser on your smartphone or computer.
There, search for Receiptify and enter its official website
Next, as you enter the website's homepage, you will see options for generating reports for three platforms - Spotify, Last.fm, and iTunes. Choose any one of them. For this explanation, I will be sticking with Spotify.
Now, you must enter your account details like email ID and username.
After you log in with your Spotify account, you can now choose between three options for report types. These three report types are based on reporting on your favorite songs for different periods. They are:
Last Month (last 30 days)
Last Six Months
Of All Time (since account creation)
Once you select which reporter to generate, this website takes a few minutes to create the report for you. It will then present the report to you in a Receipt-like format.
Is Receiptify Safe?
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Yes, this website is totally safe to use and link your Spotify account to. Many Spotify users have voiced concerns that since this is a this-party website that asks you to connect your Spotify account with it, it can steal your personal information available on Spotify, including your payment information.
However, Receiptify is different from sites like WcoStream. Every information that you share here is encrypted, ensuring that your data doesn’t get stolen or misused.
Other Third-Party Spotify Apps You Can Use In 2023
Apart from Receiptify Spotify, there are various other applications that Spotify users should know about. Here are some of the other Spotify third-party programs I recommend you try out:
1. Spotify Palette
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This website allows you to view your favorite songs in terms of colors. Depending on the genre of the music you listen to and the mood it creates, this site will generate a color palette for you.
This color palette is based on your musical preferences over the last six months. After it generates a color palette for you, it will then create an image for you based on your color palettes. These images will be taken from the database of Google Art and Culture.
2. Icebergify
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As the name implies, this website presents your musical taste as an iceberg. Here, the website collects information about your Top 50 artists on Spotify. Here, the tip of the iceberg represents your favorite artist at the top, with others following below.
3. Your Pie!
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We all love pies, don't we? Why not have your musical preferences served as a pie? By using this website, you can generate a report that represents the musical genres you listen to the most in the form of a pie graph.
Don’t Forget To Take Your Spotify Receipt!
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Spotify Receiptify has become famous for its unique and fun way of displaying your most listened-to songs on Spotify. It lists them all like a receipt, with the songs and their durations being your orders and prices, respectively. If you use Spotify, I highly recommend you try this out!
Please tell us about what your most listened-to songs on Spotify are in the comments below!
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Okay so you want to learn how to play the classical guitar but you have no idea where to begin. It really isn’t that hard to learn how to play as long as you have the necessary time to put into the craft and the patience to make it through the tough learning curve.
In this classical guitar lesson, I will be going over something for you to get started such as your posture and the way you hold the guitar. If you didn’t know the classical guitar is the model every other acoustic guitar is based on. The main way you can tell the two guitars apart is that the classical normally has a wider fretboard and utilizes nylon instead of the steel strings you’ll see on acoustics.
This type of guitar is designed to let the top of the musical instrument vibrate but keep the neck, back, or sides from vibrating. Try to avoid picking a classical guitar that has a laminated top since they won’t give you the quality sound you want. If you don’t mind spending a little extra money trying to get a classic guitar made out of rosewood or spruce. However, the guitars that have the plywood tops with a thin layer of cedar will do just fine.
Keep in mind though that going for a guitar with better wood will help preserve your guitar for longer since they age better. The guitars made of cheaper wood will be good when you first get them and then the quality of the guitar and sound produced will decline over time. Meanwhile, the guitars made with better woods will actually keep getting better as time goes on.
Your posture is very important when it comes to playing this hollow bodied instrument. Take a look at any professional classical guitar player and you’ll notice that they have an upright posture with their foot on a stool. With the right sitting position, you’ll be able to minimize the amount of effort you have to use and you’ll be more stable and comfortable.
The proper sitting position involves keeping your back straight and resting the guitar on the thigh that is on the neck side. You will need the help of a footstool or a support placed on the thigh to raise the head of the guitar level.
You will rest the elbow on the edge of the body of the guitar and place the hand that plays the strings over the sound hole. You will need to bring the hand up to the height of the shoulder and to do this you’ll need to bend the arm on the neck side.
Position your thumb behind the neck, below the 2nd fret, and behind the 3rd string. The key to playing the guitar properly is to relax your entire upper body from the shoulders to your hands. Now get a chair so you can support your guitar and make it more stable. Try to use a chair that will make your thigh horizontal. If your thigh is not angled correctly your guitar will keep slipping and interrupt your playing.
Once you get the grasp of holding the guitar in the proper position it’s time to start practicing pieces. You must make sure you avoid difficult pieces like Asturias or you might end up giving up on the guitar forever. Start with pieces like Fernando Carulli.
You can head to your local music store and get a book to study him. Pieces like “Waltz in E Minor” and “Country Dance” should get you started and help you build technique and confidence. If you are using tabs I would suggest that you try using sheet music. Just do a simple search for it online for some sight reading books.
One good book I know of is authored by Robert Benedict called “Sight Reading for the Classical Guitar levels 1 to 3″. Start off with the simple pieces and as your technique gets better you’ll begin to learn more complex pieces.
Not only should you learn how to play music on your classical guitar but you should also get familiar with how to string it and tune it. Many classical guitar players attempt to grow their nails to pluck the strings, while others use the flesh of their fingertips. This decision is all yours and depends on what you’re comfortable with.
Also, when you take classical guitar lessons for beginners it’ll be in your best interest to learn how to read conventional music notation. Try to learn more about half notes, whole notes, time signatures, scales, and accidental notes. Once you learn the proper sitting position and learn a few easy pieces you’ll be well on your way to becoming a pretty good classical guitar player.
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There are certain things in life that everyone would like to do. Most people would place ‘learning to play an instrument’ at the top of this list. After all, it is an impressive skill that can easily be used to entertain and wow people.
Well, the good news is that if you are considering picking up an instrument and learning how to play it, there are a number of advantages at your disposal. See, scientists have discovered that training to become a musician can actually improve your brain in terms of memory, planning capability, and information processing speed. This is true, even if you are an older adult!
So, as you can see, you really shouldn’t wait any longer to pursue this passion. However, if you are a little confused as to how to get started with the learning process, don’t fret. Here, you will find all the information and details that you need to know.
What Instrument Should You Play?
Now, if you were to take a poll, you will quickly find out that everyone has their own idea of what the ‘best’ instrument is. This can make it a lot more confusing to figure out which you should actually take up. In this instance, it can actually be helpful to ignore the advice most people give. What you should do instead is to take up the instrument you are actually passionate about. This way, you are much more likely to stick with it and actually learn how to play it. So, if you have always wanted to play the drums, then this is exactly what you should do!
If you don’t really have an instrument in mind, what should you do then? Well, even in this case, there is a good chance that you have one preference over others. So, start with that to determine if you will actually grow to like it. If you find that it isn't the instrument for you, then simply give something else a try. You will find that the process of trial and error, despite being lengthy, will often help you find the answer that you are looking for.
How Should You Choose Your Instrument?
Even after you have settled on a specific instrument, you may find it challenging to determine what brand or model you should start with. Here, it is best if you look online for some expert suggestions. This will allow you to get the perspective of experienced, talented musicians, increasing the likelihood that you get the right instrument for yourself.
Another option would be to head down to your local music store. You are bound to find employees that are well-versed in advising novice musicians on what instrument to buy. This avenue will also provide you with the opportunity to try out some of the brands and models for yourself to see if there is one that clicks with you. Nonetheless, you may not actually want to buy an instrument from such a store. To help save money, you may want to check out prices online. You will probably be able to find what you are looking for at a lower price.
Understanding Your Options for Learning:
So after narrowing down your instrument options and purchasing one, the next thing on your list would be to learn how to play it. Once upon a time, your only real choice would have been to find a music teacher who operated in the same area as you did. While this is still one of the more popular options, there are also a number of other avenues.
These days, you have the opportunity to decide how you want to learn to play an instrument. For instance, if you do want a teacher, there necessarily isn’t a need to have to go to a physical studio. Instead, there are now a number of tutors who operate over the internet, mostly over platforms such as Skype. Here, you will be taught how to play your instrument without ever having to leave the comfort of your home.
If you feel like a tutor is a little bit too expensive, then you can go down the self-teaching route. If you prefer an old-fashioned method, you can always opt for music books – of which there are many. These days, however, free online tutorials are often a much better alternative. Here, experienced musicians will walk you through how to play various instruments. In many instances, they will even break down how to play some of your favorite songs.
In the end, it is all about determining what option works for you best. Some people thrive under close and strict instruction while others need the freedom to learn at their own pace. Just try out both options and figure out which one affords you more progress.
Set a Goal for Yourself:
Before you actually start playing the instrument, it can be useful to set a goal for yourself. What this is, is entirely up to you. For some people, their main goal is to learn how to play their favorite music. Others, want to master every aspect of a particular instrument. Once you have narrowed down your long-term goal, you should try to break it down into smaller objectives. This can help you to track your own progress and can even act as motivation for you to keep going. So, try to set an aim for yourself every week if you can so that you can stay consistent in terms of practice and effort.
Prepare for Disappointment:
Everyone has an idea of what a particular instrument should sound like. For instance, in your mind, you will be able to imagine the tinkling of ivories or the light tapping of a drum set. Well, the truth is, in the beginning, you probably won’t sound anything like what you imagined. In fact, you may end up creating truly horrific noises when you first get started playing. Now, it can be easy to feel discouraged at this point and want to give up immediately. However, you should keep in mind that even the greatest musicians sounded awful in their early years.
The other thing that you shouldn’t worry about is the fact that you may not make progress as quickly as you would like. It is vital to remember that it isn’t easy to learn how to play an instrument. Your mind and body have to be able to grasp a number of different techniques and then figure out how to coordinate with each other. Due to this, there is a good chance that it may take you a bit longer than you first anticipated to master an instrument. Well, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of – it is completely natural. The only thing you should focus on is succeeding at your current task, regardless of how long it takes.
Remember That Practice Makes Perfect:
When you watch other people play an instrument, they can often make it look so effortless. This is why a lot of people forget that it actually takes quite a bit of practice to become so good. Most professional musicians practice around six to eight hours each day. Of course, you probably don’t have so much time to spend on your hobby but you don’t need to practice this much either. The key here is to set a realistic practice schedule for yourself so that you are actually able to stick with it.
Depending on how much free time you have, try to spend at least 30 minutes to half an hour each day, mastering your musical instrument. If you don’t have a lot of spare time, try breaking your practice up into smaller time slots. Try to practice for 30 minutes in the morning and then spend another half-hour in the evening perfecting your skills.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun:
When you are focused on becoming better, it is easy to be overtaken by the technical aspects of the process. As a result, you might forget to actually enjoy yourself and this can be a real shame. It is important to keep in mind that you are learning to play an instrument for yourself. So, you really should be enjoying this time. If you find yourself getting frustrated, try to switch tactics for a short while. Take a break and try to learn a short, crazy tune just so that you can help yourself ease up a bit. After all, there isn’t too much sense in continuing if you aren’t having fun.
Join Other Beginners:
If you are used to playing by yourself, it can be easy to lose your passion for the project. This is why you may want to try joining up with other musicians every now and then. Since this can be a rather daunting thing to do, it may be best to meet up with others who are at a similar learning stage. This way, no one has to feel embarrassed or self-conscious. Instead, everyone can just focus on having a good time and putting together a fun jam session.
So, this is all you need to know about learning to play an instrument. While it can be a bit tough in the beginning, you should keep in mind that it does get better – and so will you so. Trust in yourself and never give up!
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