Gatech Chemistry Review

Gatech Chemistry ReviewGatech Chemistry is a game that is out of this world fun and exciting. If you like a good car driving game with strategic board graphics then it is time for you to try out Gatech.The game is just about you. You can either be the good old player who is familiar with the rules and understand how it works or the new player that has not got a clue what is happening. Either way you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.At the start of each turn there is a new numbered turn card which shows you what you have to do for the turn. It includes picking up materials from the garage, constructing a car from parts, buying upgrades and upgrading your car all the way to completing the race at the end of the track. Although you don't get to see the entire race, you can see the lane boundaries and other things along the way and get a feel for how the race is going.One of the things you need to look out for when playing Gatech is the turn of events. There are two differe nt events in Gatech which happen at the same time. The event starts when the yellow flags appear at the beginning of the lane and stops at the end of the track.When the yellow flag event happens the lane becomes divided. When one of the lanes is already occupied you cannot move into it or pick up materials from it. This is the time when you need to think about how you will use your resources and what you will do with your car.The second turn starts once the green flag event happens. If you can complete the race in one lane then you earn points which are counted to determine your position in the event. This is the time when you need to make use of your car's abilities and boost your speed in one direction.The game is so fun and challenging that you will be hooked with the first play through. If you want to play more than one game on a single weekend then you can buy the garage expansion pack which has extra playing time. The more expansions you buy the more time you will have to play and the more money you will have to spend.

Essential Japanese Literature You Need To Read

Essential Japanese Literature You Need To Read The Best Japanese Books You Must Read ChaptersSeventeen, by Kenzaburô  Ã"éKafka on the Shore, by Murakami HarukiThe Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, by Mishima YukioThe Last Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, by Shiba RyotaroA Midsummer's Equation, by Higashino KeigoMuch More to Discover...Japanese literature is rarely promoted during book fairs. When one thinks about foreign  literature, famous Japanse novelists rarely come to mind.American or European literature is often the bulk of the Foreign Novels books on the shelves of  your bookshop.Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Leo Tolstoy or Fyodor Dostoyevsky are probably the most read classic authors from their respective countries.Japan is better known  for  its unique form of short poems, the haiku or its comic books, the mangas.Yet Japan is the home of some of the best writers in the world, even though only 2 of them ever received a Nobel Prize.Japanese book on display in a bookshop, More and more bookstores stock Japanese novels and mangas (by UCCS Kraemer Family Library)But one of the good things, when you live outside Japan and want to read Japanese books, is that the Japanese language is so complicated and laborious to translate that publishers, in their infinite wisdom, will only translate the best of the best. So rest assured that whatever makes it to the shelves of your bookstore has been very carefully curated.If you want to learn more about Japan, or if you are planning a trip to the Land of The Rising Sun, or even if you want to learn Japanese, any of the Japanese books you will find in your bookshop will teach you about the uniqueness of the Japanese culture.It is even truer if you are looking to live in Japan for a while (or forever), that reading some of the Japanese literary classics will probably teach you more about the traditions and lifestyle of the country than any anime or manga will.Watching or reading Naruto won't teach you much about actual Japan.So we've selected a few of the best Ja panese novels just for you.If you want to read Japanese novels in the original text, why not take Japanese lessons online?Want to read Japanese books in the original language? Look for Japanese classes London on Superprof.

The Best Spanish TV Shows

The Best Spanish TV Shows Are Any Spanish Shows Worth a Watch? ChaptersSpanish Series: La Casa de PapelSpanish Series: Las Chicas del CableSpanish Series: EliteSpanish Series: The Red Band SocietySpanish Series: Vis a Vis“Hope is kind of like dominos. Once one falls - the rest follow.” - Tokyo, Money HeistWith 120 million subscribers, Netflix is the most watched media (at least in the US) ahead of television and even YouTube.Since Un Paso Adelante (One Step Forward), the series covering a dance school in Madrid, ended, more and more Spanish series have started making their way into the UK.Netflix has purchased the rights to plenty of series (Black Mirror, Vampire Diaries, Downtown Abbey, etc.) including series from Spain. Thanks to streaming services and all the TV shows on Netflix, you can discover new shows, classics, comedy series, animated series, miniseries, and catch up on shows you've never seen before that final season airs.With that in mind, here are some the best TV shows on Netflix that you could be binge-watching this weekend to help you with your Spanish! Since all TV viewers are different, we've tried to include a variety of different types of shows including comedies, primetime shows, and television shows about all sorts of things!The goal is to break in and print €2.4 billion in €50 notes. The challenge is that they have less than 11 days to do it and they can’t spill the blood of a single hostage.  The Professor will conduct the operation externally.There’s a strong symbol of dissent; the group won’t steal from the people and they don’t want to kill anyone. They wear red jumpsuits like Guantanamo Bay prisoners and Dali masks like the Anonymous group.Cast:El Profesor (Sergio Marquina/Salvador “Salva” Martin), Alvaro Morte.Tokyo (Silene Oliveira), Ursula Corbero.Berlin (Andrés de Fonollosa), Pedro Alonso.Nairobi (Agata Jimenez), Alba Flores.Rio (Anibal Cortes), Miguel Herran.Denver (Daniel Ramos), Jaime Lorente.Monica Gaztambide (Stockholm), Esther Acebo.Moscow (Agustin Ramos), Paco Tous .Helsinki (Yashin Dasayev), Darko Peric.Oslo (Radko Dragic), Roberto García.Raquel Murillo, Itziar Ituno.Our opinion:The plot is a bit dull but you’ll soon get drawn into the suspense. The characters are charming and each has their own personality. You learn more about them throughout the episodes. It could be interesting to dive a bit further into the stories behind Oslo and Helsinki in particular.Was a third season really necessary?Find out more about Spain in our guide.Spanish Series: Las Chicas del CableLas Chicas del Cable (Cable Girls) is a series created by Ramón Campos and Gema R. Neira and available on Netflix.Las Chicas del Cable, set in Madrid, is definitely worth a watch. (Source: Donations_are_appreciated)The plot:In Madrid, in 1928, four women become operators for a telephone company.  Each has their own story and they’re in a growing company that’s obviously dominated by men. The series has the women trying to gain some independence and the main goal seems to be to make the audience see the characters as strong and independent women.They struggle to get divorced even in cases of domestic violence or get money from the bank without the written consent of their husband.Las Chicas del Cable echoes the fight for women’s rights, a subject that can only have more light shed on it, don’t you think?Cast:Alba Romero Méndez/Lidia Aguilar Dávila, Blanca Suarez.Carlota Rodríguez de Senillosa, Ana Fernandez.Ángeles Vidal interprétée, Maggie Civantos.María “Marga” Suárez , Nadia de Santiago.Sara Millán/Ã"scar Ruiz, Ana Maria Polvorosa.Francisco Gómez, Yon Gonzales.Carlos Cifuentes, Martino Rivas.Our opinion:Homosexuality, polyamory, feminism, etc. This series covers a number of important themes. While not very original, it does what it does quite well.It’s positive, funny, and aware, and promises to captivate the viewer and is full of cliffhangers. So even though there are quite a few clichés, it’s still quite addictive.If you'r e interested in Spain's past, read our quick guide to Spain's history. TadeoSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterSpanish Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MartaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (6) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SharonSpanish Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TanyaSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Jose manuelSpanish Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSpanish Series: EliteThis Spanish series created by Carlos Montero is in the same vein as Gossip Girls but with a thriller side to it.Elite, with its secondary school setting, is definitely for teenagers and young adults. (Source: elizabethaferry)The plot:The series takes place in the country’s most prestigious secondar y school, Las Encinas. It’s the elite who have the opportunity to take lessons there.Three young working-class students have received a scholarship to attend the school, but the other students don’t see them in a good light due to their social standing.Between the bullying and humiliation, one of the teenagers is killed.Who did it?Cast:Marina Nunier Osuna, Maria Pedraza (Alison Parker in Casa de Papel).Samuel García Domínguez, Itzan Escamilla.Guzmán Nunier Osuna, Miguel Bernardeau.Christian Varela Expósito, Miguel Herran (Rio in Casa de Papel).Fernando “Nano” García Domínguez, Jaime Lorrente (Denver in Casa de Papel).Polo, Alvaro Rico.Our opinion:As a mix between Gossip Girl and How to Get Away with Murder, this series is interesting. Cultural differences, love, sex, scandal, and crime, there’s everything in this shocking series. The main cast (the three new arrivals) are more authentic and interesting than the supporting cast.A good series for the target audience, t eenagers.Find out more about the most famous Spaniards!Spanish Series: The Red Band SocietyWhile there is an American remake, the original, Polseres Vermelles, is a Spanish series with the dialogue in Catalan. The original aired on TV3 between 2011 and 2013. The remake was aired by Fox in the US.The American version just isn't as good as the original. (Source: 1662222)The plot:It covers the story of a group of teenagers living in a paediatric ward in a hospital. The American version ran for one season.The name comes from the bands the patients wear on their wrists.You should probably watch the original version dubbed into Spanish rather than the remake.Cast:Lleó, Àlex Monner.Jordi, Igor Szpakowski.Roc, Nil Cardoner.Cristina, Joana Vilapuig.Yanis, Mikel Iglesias.Toni, Marc Balaguer.Our opinion:Based on the story of the show’s creator Albert Espinosa (who survived 3 cancers), the show mixes tenderness and humour. The real heroes are the young patients and not the doctors, unlike w hat you’re probably used to in series taking place in hospitals.The characters, despite their situation, are full of hope and life. As Albert Espinosa put it, “You don’t die in hospitals due to illness, but boredom”. This isn't a sitcom but rather a dramedy! The way it blends comedic elements with the drama in a dysfunctional social environment is incredible.TV not your thing?Check out some of the best Spanish music.Spanish Series: Vis a VisCreated by Alex Pina (La Casa de Papel), this series was broadcast on Antena 3 in 2015. Antena 3 cancelled the show but it was picked up by Fox Spain in 2018.The plot:A young woman falls in love with her boss and ends up imprisoned for committing accounting crimes because of him. She ends up in the Cruz del Sur Prison for four different crimes.She needs to learn more about life in prison. She learns that there’s a large sum of money hidden somewhere that was never found. One of the culprits of this crime is in prison with her.Without tr ying, she ends up finding a clue. She needs to try to deal with this while surviving life in prison.Cast:Macarena Ferreiro, Maggie Civantos.Zulema Zahir, Najwa Nimri.Fabio Martínez, Roberto Enriquez.Antonio Palacios, Alberto Velasco.Miranda Aguirre, Cristina Plazas.Dr Carlos Sandoval, Ramiro Blas.Our opinion:This series, which is a bit of a mix between Orange is the New Black and Prison Break, mixes suspense and far-fetched twists. It’s fun with some good characters, but the plot sometimes leaves a lot to be desired.Make sure you watch the original version and not a dub. With more and more foreign series coming to Netflix, you can stop watching American movies on Netflix or TV series like Daredevil, Breaking Bad, House of Cards, or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and instead, binge watch some of the great Spanish series or new TV shows streaming on Netflix or HBO. Don't forget you can also watch on mobile devices, meaning they're great for practising on your commute, for exampl e.While most of the best new TV shows and best movies that you've heard of are American, don't forget that you can get a Spanish sketch comedy, scripted drama, detective and crime series and that you can also find the best shows from Spanish primetime TV and stuff for both the big and small screen.Of course, keep in mind that Spain and Latin America don't have the financial clout behind their series or movies so don't expect these shows and films to be like the Sopranos, Sense8, Bloodline, the Good Wife, Arrested Development, Jessica Jones, or even Bojack Horseman!You should understand that you won't get the polish in Hispanic series and movies that you do from Hollywood blockbusters. They won't be starring big names but you'll soon be surprised that some of the best movies on Netflix are actually in Spanish!So which Spanish series or movies are you going to watch tonight?

How to Learn Italian

How to Learn Italian What Are the Most Effective Methods to Learn to Speak Italian? ChaptersCan You Really Learn Italian on Your Own?How Can You Learn Italian for Free?How Can You Learn Italian at School?How Can You Learn Italian Quickly?How Can You Learn Italian from Scratch?How Can You Learn Italian Easily?Have you started learning the Italian language but are already losing hope?It’s not always easy to get started. You need to learn the grammar, conjugations, vocabulary, and tonnes of Italian phrases and expressions. That’s a lot of things to remember!However, learning a language can do wonders for your brain and help you both professionally and personally.That should help keep you motivated!  Let’s get to it!  Whether you call a private tutor, learn Italian with online Italian courses or do an Italian course at school, there are plenty of different ways to learn to speak Italian... DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teache r 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCan You Really Learn Italian on Your Own?If you’re managing to learn random Italian words like “buongiorno” and “il forno” (the most important thing to know when cooking pizzas), you’re probably teaching yourself.This is fine if you don’t have a strict routine and just want to study when you feel like it. However, this might hold you back in terms of your language learning. In fact, when learning a language on your own, you need to adhere to a strict routine since you’re your own tutor, after all. On the other hand, bad habits can quic kly ruin any progress you’ve made. You'll run the risk of not being able to conjure up even conversational Italian on your next trip to Italy.If you want to remember what you’ve learnt, you need to regularly practise. Choose a routine you can stick to. You can even plan out your schedule for the next few months. Seeing the objectives you’ve set yourself can help motivate you. This is imperative if you want to become fluent.  Don’t forget that there are more than just books when it comes to learning languages.Do you really need another reason to go to Italy? (Source:  www.splitshire.com)Make the most of all the resources available like radio, TV, and the Internet! In fact, there are tonnes of Italian lessons and language courses available online for free!They’ll help you improve your listening comprehension in Italian, for one! Start by watching films with subtitles if necessary. Eventually, you can turn the subtitles off. Your brain will then be forced to understand the di alogue.Once you get comfortable enough, you can get rid of the images. Start listening to the radio. This can help you to concentrate on the words without being distracted or helped by the images. However, you can’t guarantee that you’ll immediately understand everything.  It’ll be a challenge, at first.This is a great method to learn Italian on your own!How Can You Learn Italian for Free?Are you a student or just on a budget?  Is there no way you’d be able to afford private tutorials?Don’t worry! There are a number of ways to learn Italian without spending a single penny!The most obvious solution is probably using the Internet! You can find plenty of websites and YouTube videos by Italian teachers. These two options go well together.Websites can help you to master the basics of grammar while videos can help you work on your accent and pronunciation while improving your Italian comprehension. Studying Italian grammar and practising some new Italian verbs aren't really the kinds of language skills you need a teacher in front of you to do. Learning about Italian culture can be done through films, music, and TV.  There you go! Once you’ve got all the bases covered, you can start talking to real Italians!If you want to learn how to speak Italian fluently, you need to practise Italian as much as you can. You should look for multilingual cafés or bars where you can practise speaking Italian with natives.There are cafés that organise language exchanges, usually once a week, where people can meet up and practise different languages. You could find a native Italian speaker to practise on there.Make the most of language exchanges to improve your Italian. (Source: pixabay.com)Even though it might be a bit scary at first, it’s one of the best ways to improve your level in Italian. You’ll be able work out if you can converse in Italian, too.If you don’t live in a big city or near one of these cafés, we’ve got the solution for you. Thanks to the Inter net, it’s easy to find someone to chat to on-line. You can chat over Skype or write emails to an Italian-speaking pen pal. You’ll have no problem finding someone who wants to learn English.Don’t forget that as good as these solutions are, they’re no replacement for having a tutor there to guide and correct you. You'll be much better at your new language if you have someone there to stop you from picking up bad habits which can happen when you’re learning on your own - so why not look up Italian language courses London or Birmingham to find a tutor near you? DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Learn Italian at School?There are plenty of options for those who prefer learning in a classroom.  There are plenty of Italian language courses run by local governments for young and adult learners alike. They often take place in secondary schools or colleges (after the kids have gone home) or in community centres. The government-run language lessons are also very cost-effective. Don't forget to also check out your nearest language school.Find an Italian teacher on Superprof.Can You Learn Italian from a Young Age?While it’s unlikely that a primary school will offer Italian classes, there are plenty of resources on-line such as websites, apps, and games, for any young learner who wants to learn a foreign language. Why not find a cartoon that they might like?There are plenty of ca rtoons you could put on and if you own DVDs or have Netflix, you can always change the language to Italian, too. Why not put their favourite film on in Italian? They’ve probably watched it so many times that they’ll not even notice it isn’t in English!What About for Older Students?Despite what some people may think, you’re never too old to learn a language or go back to school. As I said before, there are a lot of night classes for those wanting to learn a foreign language. Whether you just want to learn a few words and phrases before a trip or take an intensive Italian language course because you're looking to retire there, it's never too late to learn a new language.If you're interested in history, Italian is the language for you? (Source: pixabay.com)There are a also a huge number of advantages to learning a foreign language later in life. For one, your brain is more capable of understanding certain complex notions that younger learners would struggle with. Secondly, lear ning a foreign language can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.How Can You Learn Italian Quickly?Have you planned a trip to Venice with your partner and would like to impress them with some Italian? Did you forget that the trip’s in less than a month?Don’t worry. There’s a solution. Firstly, you need to work out what you’d like to achieve and what you can feasibly achieve.Would you like to be able to book a hotel in Italian? Would you like to be able to have a basic conversation with anyone in Italy? Or would you just like to be able to read the menu in a restaurant?You should answer these questions before you start learning anything. Once you’ve worked out what your level is, you should start organising yourself. Are we looking at Italian for beginners or intensive Italian courses focusing on conversation?Be strict and give yourself a schedule.  Make the most of time spent on buses or waiting around in order to practise conjugations and go over vocabulary lists .To learn to speak Italian in a short amount of time, you’ll need to master a few basics:VocabularyGrammarConjugationsPronunciationYou should know that 30 days is a rather short amount of time to learn a language. You’ll need to spend several hours per day and this can be exhausting. On the other hand, 90 days is more than doable. Especially if you’ll be spending those 90 days in Italy!If you really want to learn quickly, you should consider spending time in the country. Once you’re surrounded by Italians, you’ll have to learn if you want to be understood.How Can You Learn Italian from Scratch?Have you never uttered a word of Italian yet are more motivated than ever to learn the language?  That’s great!Motivation is so important when it comes to learning a language, especially for beginners. Make sure your objectives are clear.Where do you start when it comes to learning Italian?The first thing you should do is find a tutor! With Superprof, you can get an Italian tutor f or around £19 per hour. Thanks to private tutorials, your tutor can take you every step of the way towards fluency while adapting their lessons to you. Above all, they can correct you and make sure you don’t pick up any bad habits.They can also suggest books for you to read. You can find books in Italian either in larger book shops, libraries, or on-line. You can even read your favourite books again in Italian. You already know the story so you can focus on the words themselves and new vocabulary.Reading books in Italian is a great way to learn new vocabulary. (Source: pixabay.com)Here’s some good news. Italian probably isn’t as difficult as you think it is.In fact, over half of English vocabulary is of Latin or French origin. This means half of English vocabulary shares its roots with Italian vocabulary’s roots.When you learn a new word, you should pop it on a post-it note.  As long as your family, partner, or flatmates don’t mind, you can put them all over the house. Th is is particularly useful for everyday objects which you can label in both English and Italian. This can help you learn everyday vocabulary without even thinking about it.How Can You Learn Italian Easily?As we said before, thanks to the Latin roots, Italian vocabulary has a lot in common with a lot of English words.This means that you can often guess what the words mean. You can often understand a sentence without understanding every single word in it.  However, be careful!If you already speak another Romance language, it can make things difficult. Since the languages are similar in a certain respect, it can lead to you getting confused.For example, “la puerta” (the door) in Spanish is “la porta” in Italian. Your brain can quickly confuse these two. Being good in one language won’t automatically lead you to being amazing in the other.Get some rest! When it comes to learning, taking a break and resting is important for cementing memories. If you don’t sleep enough, it can have a negative effect on your learning.Of course, the easiest way to learn Italian is to go to Italy. Make the most of your days off to jet to Italy.In just three months, you can learn enough to chat to the locals.  Immersion is the best way to work on your pronunciation, too. Don’t forget you can also visit some unforgettable landscapes.It also will look great on your CV!

What is Statistics

What is Statistics Statistics is used to organize and analyze data. Data can be in any one of the form. For example after an examination a student is awarded with a percentage (from 0 to 100) which is equivalent to a particular grade like A 90%, B 75%, C 65%, D 50%, E 35%, F 35%. Grading system with respect to the percentage is done by some researchers. Statistics is also used for the purpose of prediction. Prediction is done by each and every individual at some point of life. In other words, if students of Mathematics start their class with reading formulae for 10minutes everyday for half of the semester then the students will have made a prediction about reading of the formulae in Mathematics class.The person is not sure that the same things will occur again instead he can just expect the same things will happen. Where is Statistics used? Biology and social sciences Finance Manufacturing Marketing research Management Biotechnology Computing The main goal of statistics is to study and to draw a conclusion from the changes occurred in the values of independent variables (prediction) on dependent variables (response). Observational and experimental are two major types of studies.

All You Need To Know About Jazz Drums!

All You Need To Know About Jazz Drums! So You Want To Learn To Play Jazz Drums? ChaptersWhy Choose A Jazz Drum Set?What Are The Features Of Jazz Drums?Can You Play Jazz With Electronic Drums?Which Jazz Drum Set Is Right For Me If I Want To Learn Jazz Drums?Jazz is a hugely popular and enduring music genre and is one practised by many musicians around the world.As a result, it’s hardly surprising that there are lots of drummers out there that enjoy jazz drumming. Even if you’re just starting out when it comes to learning how to drum, it can be really beneficial to try out different styles and genres of music to see which style of drumming most interests and suits you.If you have prior experience with jazz drumming or think that jazz drumming might be a route you’d like to go down, this article outlines some of the factors you might like to consider, such as:The benefits of having a dedicated jazz drum set;What you might find in a jazz drum set; andThings to consider when buying a jazz drum set.Just like there are different types of guitar, there are also di fferent types of drum sets, including jazz drums. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, FirmBee, Pixabay)An acoustic guitar; orA folk guitar.When it comes to drumming, you need to make a choice between acoustic drums and electronic drums. If you decide to play acoustic drums, then you should try and choose to a kit that is geared towards the style of music that you’d like to play.For example, a jazz drum kit would be a great purchase for anyone looking to play styles of music such as jazz, modern jazz, jazz-rock, blues, Bossa Nova or Latin rhythms.In other words, if you’d like to play one of the above musical styles, then the type of drum kit you should buy is essentially set out for you (i.e. a jazz kit would be a great choice).This is because other types of drum kits, such as a rock and roll drum set or a fusion set, will produce different sounds, which may not match the kind of sounds that you’re hoping to achieve when playing in a jazz style.However, it’s worth remembering that nothin g is set in life, and you are of course free to choose to play on whichever style drum kit you choose!There are lots of different ways you can customise a set of jazz drums. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pixabay)What Are The Features Of Jazz Drums?One of the advantages of jazz drum sets is that they are usually relatively easy to move around thanks to the small relative size and weight of the various elements in the kit. This can be particularly handy for any drummers that have to travel around with their drum kit a lot, for example, to attend gigs, a jazz festival with their jazz band or big band, or when performing in a concert hall with an orchestra.What’s more, drummers may find it easier to play a jazz drum set in a small space, as the sound emitted is less likely to pierce through the ears of the audience!When it comes to specifications though, it’s worth noting that playing the drums on a jazz drum set is not the same thing as playing the drums on a rock an d roll drum set. This is because the configuration shouldn’t be the same and neither should the size of the various elements in the kit.Generally speaking, a jazz set may comprise the following:Two tom drums â€" one 10 inches and one 13 inches;A small 18-inch bass drum;A 13-inch snare drum;A hi-hat;A ride cymbal, which is used often in jazz; andA crash cymbal.Of course, anything goes in the world of music, so don’t feel as though you have to stick with this composition if you don’t want to!Which Drumsticks Should I Choose If I Want To Play Jazz?When it comes to selecting sticks to help you play jazz, it’s worthwhile looking at drumsticks that are as thin and light as possible. For instance, a 7A size should do the job, but feel free to test out other drumsticks as well. Equally, metal or plastic brushes are a good choice when playing jazz, particularly when using the cymbals.What’s more, when it comes to playing jazz, you can also sometimes make use of a percussion mallet and even your hands â€" ultimately, your creativity can guide you when it comes to the tools you can use, either when you're practising or performing a drum solo!Can You Play Jazz With Electronic Drums?Electronic drums tend to suit styles like rock, pop or funk, and as a result are less suitable for styles such as jazz. However, that’s not to say that you couldn’t use electronic drums to play jazz music!In the ideal world, a jazz drum set would be a great choice if you had your heart set on playing jazz, but if you don’t have any choice in the kind of kit that you buy a good set of electronic drums could also get the job done.Ultimately, it’s worth remembering that if you are committed to jazz drumming, then you should be able to achieve your goal with whatever kit you have around, even if it’s not the best configuration for that style of music, so don’t feel too disheartened if you can’t get your hands on a jazz drum set straight away.When buying a set of jazz drums, it's also worth thinking about the type of drumsticks you'd like to use. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, flockine, Pixabay)Which Jazz Drum Set Is Right For Me If I Want To Learn Jazz Drums?Choosing what drum set you would like and what elements to include as part of your kit is a very personal decision.One way to go about choosing a drum set is to pick a drummer that you admire. For example, you might consider some of the greatest drummers or best drummers to be legendary figures such as:Max Roach;Tony Williams;Buddy Rich;Jo Jones;Elvin Jones;Art Blakely; orPeter Erskine, to name a few!Once you've picked out a jazz drummer or jazz drummers, you could attempt to recreate those jazz artists' drum kits as much as you can.Of course, professional musicians are likely to have top-end equipment, so don’t feel as if you have to buy the most expensive kit available to emulate them â€" simply pick a kit that is likely to be a close match to your preferred drummer’s that also sits nicely within yo ur budget, however big or small that budget may be.It’s also worth knowing that you can buy some ready-made jazz drum sets, meaning that you don’t need to go out and buy each piece separately. For some, this convenience is a big advantage, while others prefer to buy their elements separately to allow for some form of personalisation or customisation.Again, there’s no right answer, it’s more a case of personal preference.Equally, when looking to buy a jazz drum set, don’t be afraid to ask around for recommendations from friends to see what they would suggest you buy, or if they'd recommend any particular brands, such as Zildjian. Alternatively, a knowledgeable sales associate at your local music shop might be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to what kit or instruments to buy.If you’re in a position to try out a jazz drum set before you buy it, then take that opportunity, as you might find out that one set that you had your heart set on doesn’t quit e resonate with you for one reason or another after you try it out.Once you've found your ideal drum kit and you're all set to start learning to drum and play along to your favourite beats - or even make your own, you might also want to think about whether or not you'd benefit from having a drum lesson or several drum lessons with a tutor.You can get a lot out of drumming lessons, including online drum lessons, as the drum tutor can give you feedback on your performances or drum solos by listening to how you play. Whether your aim is to improve your overall rhythm, technique, tempo, improvisation, timekeeping, or you just want to get better at playing the drums more generally, drum lessons might help.Superprof has a wide number of tutors you can choose from, whether you consider yourself a beginner, intermediate, or even an advanced musician.If you found this useful, why not check out our blog on how to play the drums without a drum kit!

Help With Teaching Algebra! -The basics

Help With Teaching Algebra! -The basics Do you need help with teaching algebra? Super-tutor and Tutorfair founder Mark Maclaine shares his tips gleaned from 15 years as a maths tutor helping students to crack the dreaded algebra. This is part one of two blog posts so keep an eye out for the next one. Please add any questions or suggestions to the comments section. Algebra is one of those topics in maths that can cause no end of problems later on if it’s not properly understood at the beginning. Recently I met a 16-year-old student who’d managed to get a long way without properly understanding algebra, but then got stuck as her questions got harder. Going right back to the basics, she was able to unravel it. I’m going to share a method that I learnt a couple of years into my tutoring, and have slowly refined over the last decade through the help of my fellow tutors and wonderful students. Firstly, here are the basics that you should know: Children are often taught the basics of algebra using boxes like this: Easier questions like this can often be solved by inspection. That’s simply the posh way of saying ‘I looked at it (or inspected it) and knew the answer.’ Students who know that adding 3 and 7 makes 10 can see that the missing number must be 7. Drawing boxes all the time can be a bit fiddly, especially if there is more than one missing number - how do you know which box is which? So in algebra we just replace these boxes with letters. Let’s pick “a”.                                           In this case a = 7, because 7 + 3 = 10. So, inspection works for easier questions like this. What happens when things get more complicated? The answer: we use the arrow method. The ‘arrow method’ is a way of solving equations that use algebra. It takes a little time to understand but when you follow it properly, it is very hard to get questions wrong. Solving algebraic equations is like a game. The aim is to get the letter on its own on one side of the equation. The first thing we do is to draw an arrow below the equal sign and place another equal sign there: You don’t have to draw an arrow, it could just be a line. The main purpose of this is to separate the two sides of the equation from each other. On one side we have a + 3 and the other we have 10. Now, let’s talk opposites: So how do we get the ‘a’ on its own? We can see that 3 is being added to ‘a’ to make 10, so the opposite of adding 3 is to subtract 3: When solving these equations, remember that what you do to one side you must do to the other. Since 10 â€" 3 = 7, we have the answer. This method is vital for more complicated questions that can’t be solved ‘by inspection’. Just a note: In algebra we usually leave out the multiplication and division signs, instead using the following notation: This also helps avoid confusion when the letter x is used to represent a number. Next week we’ll look at how to solve some more complicated equations so make sure you check that out. If you need some help with maths, why not have a look at Tutorfair’s website which has a whole list to choose from?   Here’s a selection of three of Tutorfair’s maths tutors: George S - Enthusiastic UCL undergraduate Melanie A - Gives children the mindset for success Matthew S - First rate science and maths tutor;Cambridge graduate

2014 AP Exam Prep at AJ Tutoring

2014 AP Exam Prep at AJ Tutoring Students will be taking their AP exams in early to mid-May (you can find the complete schedule of AP exams on the College Boards website).  Because AP exams cover an entire years worth of material, its important to get a head start on review!AJ Tutoring offers two options for AP exam preparation: group courses and one-on-one tutoring.AP Group Prep ClassesAJ Tutorings AP group prep classes are offered at our Palo Alto office for AP US History and AP English Language.AP US History Group ClassInstructor: David MasseyCost: $350 per student8 hours of group instruction2 full-length proctored APUSH examsClassroom Lesson #1   Tuesday April 15, 7-9 pmClassroom Lesson #2   Tuesday April 22, 7-9 pmClassroom Lesson #3   Tuesday April 29, 7-9 pmClassroom Lesson #4   Tuesday May 6, 7-9 pmPractice Exam #1   Sunday April 27, 3:30-6:45 pmPractice Exam #2   Sunday May 4, 10:00 am-1:15 pmAP English (Language) Group ClassInstructor: Ben WiebrachtCost: $250 per student6 hours of group instruction2 full- length proctored AP English (Language) examsClassroom Lesson #1   Wednesday April 16, 7-9 pmClassroom Lesson #2   Wednesday April 23, 7-9 pmClassroom Lesson #3   Wednesday April 30, 7-9 pmPractice Exam #1   Sunday April 20, 3:30-6:45 pmPractice Exam #2   Sunday April 27, 3:30-6:45 pmOne-on-One AP Exam PrepAJ Tutoring also offers one-on-one prep for most AP exams, including AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP European History, and many others.  For a complete list of AP courses tutored, please consult our website.Most AP exam preps include three or four tutoring sessions, during which the tutor will familiarize your student with the format of the test and develop specific techniques to optimize scores on multiple choice, essay writing, and problem solving.  The tutor will also review weaker content areas and recommend additional study in specific topics.Every AP exam prep student is welcome to take free proctored AP practice exams at the AJ Tutoring office in Palo Alto.If youd like to sign up for AP exam prep or speak with a director in more detail, please give us a call at (650) 331-3251 or email info@ajtutoring.com.

Which Second Language to Learn to Change Your Life

Which Second Language to Learn to Change Your Life Which Second Language to Learn to Change Your Life Its 1:00 on a Friday afternoon.Youre in 7th grade sitting in one of those stiff school desks.Both of the kids beside you are sniffling. One of them has a cold and the other allergies.The kid behind you has his foot on the metal book holder attached to the bottom of your desk and wont stop jiggling it around.The bell rings and the teacher takes to the front of the class with a stack of papers that he explains are the forms to be filled out for next years classes. Whats one of the choices youll be making? Which foreign language will be your first. (Well, for those of us who didnt  grow up bilingual.)Obviously this is  hardly a great decision-making environment. And even if it had been, our minds were not so very sophisticated at that age.But now were adults! We can choose what we learn and how we learn. We can make good life decisions you know,  after weve spent the first three-quarters of the day binging on Game of Thrones  and a Pizza Hut Hot Dog Pizza.And whats the first problem mos t of us come up against in this adult world? Making choices. There are just too many options!Just think about all the different languages you could learn:  Arabic, Spanish, Lingala (spoken in central Africa), Thai, Esperanto (the most widely spoken artificial language), Japanese, and on it goes. Its estimated that there are around 7,000 languages.So how do you pick just one?Thankfully, learning any one language tends to go a pretty long way, so theres no need to stress out. All you have to do is think clearly about your priorities, about what you hope to gain out of learning a new language. Lets take a look at some of the most common motivations for learning a second language and the criteria you can use to make your decision. Which Second Language to Learn to Change Your LifeFor explorationA lot of us get the idea of learning a second language in our head because we want to explore. And I mean  really explore, not be led around by the hand by some dull witted tour guide. We want to talk to the people of the country, to hear them speak in their own language about their loves and hardships, their fears and hopes.There are a couple of different criteria that you might use if the desire to explore is what drives you. One good metric is the sheer number of countries that speak a certain language and the diversity of those countries. For instance, thanks to the extensiveness of the former French empire there are more countries that use French than any other language besides English. Plus those countries are all scattered across the globe, from the Americas to Asia, making French a prime target.But perhaps youre a connoisseur of quality rather than quantity. When someone says the world exploration to you, it conjures up images of traveling by foot or pack animal into the areas of the world whose cultures are rarely conveyed to the world at large. In this case,  your criteria for a language need simply be whether or not its connected to a culture that is outside th e purview of the English media. In this case, good options include:Nahuatl, spoken in Central MexicoQuechua, spoken in the Andes region of South AmericaJavanese, spoken in parts of the Indonesian island JavaThough if you really want a challenge, try Pirahãâ€"a language with no numbers, spoken by a small group in the jungles of northwest Brazil.For knowledgeAre you a scholar? An independent researcher? A future Ph.D. student with a burning desire to draw all the worlds knowledge into yourself? Why not take a shot at those  languages which have the highest book publishing rates? Looking at things this way highlights the disproportionate amount of publishing by some countries, such as Japan publishing nearly as many books as all of India.By knowing just one of these  widely used languages, you could have access to hundreds of thousands more books every year. Or if papers not your thing you could just as easily take a look at which languages have the most online use. Chinese, Spanish   and Arabic are all good options for an Internet language.But just as with the desire for exploration, there is both an quantitative and qualitative way to measure the merits and demerits of each language in terms of access to knowledge. You might choose a language based on how  different the information in that language is from your own. While its harder to measure this statistically, some choices are far from difficult to make. If politics tickles your fancy you might learn Chinese or Russian,  languages attached to sovereign states with agendas often sharply at odds with those of English speaking countries. If cultural dealings are more your sort of tea, then pretty much any language connected to a non-European population will do, such as Nahuatl or Quechua as described above.Dig into the literature of a second language just a little bit and you might be surprised at just how little you knew about the world beforehand.For influenceDo you like the idea of people always talking abou t you? Do you like to see your name on things? While Trump-level name recognition may be forever out of your reach, some languages provide greater opportunities than others to see your name stamped on a foreign language edition of a book or article.In case this is the sort of multilingualism that satisfies your deepest yearnings, MIT has produced a wealth of data for you to pick over.  Their research reveals that the languages which  we might tend to think would be influentialâ€"such as Chinese and Arabic, which have huge volumes of speakersâ€"tend not  to be quite so influential as their size suggests when it comes to book translations, Wikipedia articles and Twitter usage. Instead, languages like French, German  and Russian serve as major hubs, along with English of course. And other languages like  Dutch  have a disproportionately large level influence compared to their population of native speakers.Of course, the relationship between the desire to influence someone and the desir e for knowledge is a bit like two people walking down the same street in opposite directions. One of these desires is receptive and the other is active. Naturally, then, the metrics we use for one can easily be applied to the other. You might, for instance, look at the book publishing rate for each language and decide Chinese is a good bet after all.  Translations to other languages may be few, but there is perhaps a better chance of your getting published with such a large publishing industry. Of course some languages, like Russian, make a good showing by both measures.For wealthTurning  in an analysis of racial issues in modern America with South Park episodes making up the bulk of your sources probably wouldnt  turn out very well, would  it? Primary sources are important, even if theyre a pain to comb over. After all, how often do most of us personally check the sources of  something we read?But learning another language allows you to do just this. Youll be able to read about wha ts happening in a country through the people living there, giving you a much better idea of what business conditions might actually be like in that countryâ€"a complete  leg up on everyone else whos reading news filtered through a foreign media outlet.As for which specific language to choose, GDP and GDP growth rate together provide a nice measuring stick for where money is going to be pouring out of in the near future. The languages of China, India and Indonesia all stand to be sure winners with home countries that have precipitous GDP growth and that are already included in the G-20 group for major economies.Of course, you dont need to be a businessman to make your foreign language skills turn a profit. There are always the age-old professions of translation (the written word) and interpreting (the spoken word). The key to success here is finding a language high in demand, but with few skilled translators or interpreters. China may have a robust economy, but think of all the Chine se immigrants in the US who can speak flawless English and who will fight you for that translation job. Instead, one might try a language like  Japanese  where few speakers  also speak English at a high level. Arabic  wouldnt  be a bad choice either and, with Brazils rising economy, Portuguese is becoming a good option too.For enjoymentThis is perhaps the easiest method by which to choose a language. Its irrational and arbitrary, but will support your language learning expedition in a way that little else ever could.Did you grow up watching Korean dramas and listening to K-pop? Or perhaps you stuffed your face with French Nutella when all the other kids were eating Snickers bars. Whatever it may be, its often those little things in life that give us some emotional attachment to a culture and a language that we would otherwise have no connection to.If you havent made a deep connection to any language yet, just look around your room. Where do the things you like come from? Who writes the books on your shelf? Who produces your beloved stereo system? Establishing an emotional connection like this is probably the most rewarding way one could set out to choose a language, as ridiculous as it may sometimes seem. Nothing like learning Japanese  just because you wanted to be able to read the credits on an old Atari game.For saving faceIf a sense of intrinsic reward doesnt do it for you, then maybe social shaming will. Although theres some debate about how bilingual the average world citizen truly is, a comparison between Europe and America isnt favorable to the States.According to a 2001 Gallup Poll only 25% of Americans could hold a conversation in another language while another 2006 poll by the European Commission showed Europeans being able to accomplish this task at a rate of 56%.And Europe is hardly the most multilingual part of the globe. Southern Africa, Indonesia and India are some of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world, more than twice as dive rse as parts of Europe, and naturally this helps increase the likelihood of multilingualism.So perhaps you just want to learn a language, any language, to  show that the English speakers of the world arent so closed minded as theyre sometimes made out to be. In this case, one might simply select a language by how quickly one can learn it.  Spanish is the classic easy language for English speakers, but other languages to consider include Norwegian, Dutch and Afrikaans, the South African descendant of Dutch.Truly, there are as many ways to choose a language as there are people, but for most of us there are simple criteria we can apply to make our choices easier. With a little digging youll be able to find a language that suits your innermost pursuits, including everything from exploring the world to making money. And One More ThingOnce youve chosen a language to learn, youll want to get down to the business of actually learning it, and for that, youll love using FluentU. FluentU mak es it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recomme nding videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.